“If you want to pass this class,” he said. “Then all you have to do is read the Bible.”

These are Dr. Greg Carey words to my seminary New Testament class. I remember being intimidated by the prospect. I was raised by my grandmother who wouldn’t put anything on the Bible. She wouldn’t write in it, save for the front where marriages, births, and deaths were recorded. I don’t remember her reading it much. We’d study what the priest said to study, but no more.

The Bible can be intimidating. These are stories from thousands of years ago. Sometimes the translation gets in our way as folks just don’t talk like that. Sometimes there are references we don’t get. It can be intimidating and I think there are many more reasons many of us don’t read the Bible. It is the hope of this pastor that by the end of this sermon or at least the end of this worship series, that you are inspired to give it a read. Or attend a class on Tuesday in September.

Back in that seminary class, we were all stressed out. It’s not like it was a complex class. There were three ways to get a good grade. Attend class. Take the midterm. Write a final paper on a verse of your choosing.  The midterm was what had us in a tizzy. But Greg would just keep saying, “If you want to pass the class, then all you have to do is read the Bible.” Yet being a stubborn and stiff-necked people, we continued to lament our plight. Until Greg said, “Listen, start with Mark. It’ll take you 40 minutes or less.”

So we did. And sure enough, something started to happen. I started to learn Mark’s voice. His style of writing. His way of portraying Jesus. Mark is fast-paced. He tells the story of Jesus in just 16 chapters. He transitions between scenes and teachings with phrases like “and then/immediately/in those days/now.” Mark goes at a fast clip. Usually there are large crowds, confused disciples, and hostile religious leaders. That’s Mark’s voice.

That is what this sermon is really about: learning to read Scripture not as a flat book with one voice, but as a living conversation whose many voices teach us how to listen for God.

Mark’s voice is different than Matthew’s. Matthew loves to cite his sources. Matthew loves to put footnotes in the story: As it is written… as the prophet said… that it might be fulfilled.” Furthermore, Matthew uses the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” over 30 times. Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man. He often says, “Truly I say to you” or “verily” if you’re a King James reader.

And Luke also has a different voice than either Mark or Matthew. Luke talks more about salvation, joy, prayer, women, sinners, and the poor than any other gospel.

And John is a mystic who repeats himself and is at the end of his language trying to describe what Jesus means.

Each Gospel has its own voice. In fact, each book has its own voice. Scholars call this multivocality, which simply means “many voices.”

Now, some want to believe that the Bible speaks in only one voice, as if it fell from heaven all in one piece and already translated into English. None of that happened. Instead, we receive a very human book, gathered from various pieces, translations, and texts, written in classical Hebrew, Kione Greek, and, in some parts, Aramaic.

Multivocality is a gift, and it matters that we recognize it in our scriptures. The Bible uses multiple genres: history, myth, poetry, parable, and more, to reach us. It is not trying to be a simple manual. It is helping us develop our relationship with God and neighbor. It lays down, warts and all, the history of a people who wrestled with their relationship with the divine, and that is a gift to us. At least for me, it helps me feel less alone.

It matters that a group of farmers from thousands of years ago felt the same things I’m feeling. I’m thankful they wrote down when they felt alienated from God. When they asked if they’d ever have a good leader. How they had high ideals and the times they failed to live into those ideals.  Just like me. Just like our neighbors. I believe the bible not just because it happened, I believe it because it’s happening. Present tense.

Today, we hear the multiple voices of Scripture. The midwives in Exodus defy Pharaoh. The Psalmist offers praise to the maker of heaven and earth. Peter names Jesus as the Messiah. Paul imagines a body with many parts all with different gifts. It’s almost like Paul is already talking about multivocality already, just with a different metaphor.

Multivocality means that there isn’t just one thread or narrative. Identity is being shaped from multiple angles, across generations. Scripture doesn’t hand down a single static answer. It invites us into a conversation where voices build on, challenge, and reinterpret one another. Even Peter gets it right… and will get it wrong a few verses later. Just like us.

That’s why I believe this matters. If we start with the humanity of the Bible, we’ll be surprised by the divinity.

If we were to survey how each of us views God, we’d probably get a lot of different answers. Some of us are very into our morning devotionals and have a strong prayer life. Others through reading Scriptures. Others by helping others and volunteering. And others still by walking in nature and exploring God’s earth. There’s not just one approach to God. Each are valued and each are explored in the Bible.

We can do this with Paul’s letters as well. In our second New Testament class, Greg said, “Okay, you’ve taken NT101, it’s the same game as before. If you want a good grade, you have to read the Bible.” Easy peasy.

If it’s about grace, it’s Romans. If it’s about love and conduct, it’s 1 Corinthians. If it’s about comfort in suffering and Paul’s credentials, it’s 2 Corinthians. If it’s about unity, it’s Ephesians. If the letter has themes of freedom and juxtapose law and grace, then it’s Galatians. And Philippians is about a Christ-like mindset and joy in suffering.

As we spend time in scripture, we can pick up on themes. We can hear the unique voice each author has. Instead of trying to proof-text or listen only for what we think it is about, we can be surprised by scripture and its twists, its turns, its phrasing, and yes… even its humor.

The Bible is really funny in some places, but we miss it because we’re taking it too seriously. In Matthew, we read Jesus asking after the “Son of Man” and who people say he is. “John the Baptist, or Elijah, and others Jeremiah… you know… one of the prophets I guess.” And then Jesus outs himself, “But who do you say I am.”

Peter says, “The Messiah!” And Jesus is like, “YES! But don’t tell anyone.”

That’s funny right there.

And then Peter, after just getting it right gets it wrong. So much so that Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan! You’re putting your mind on human things, not divine.”

Just like how we might have some eloquent words of comfort to a friend in their time of distress. And then we say, “Oh, look! Time for lunch!” And your friend is like, “Can you give me a minute?! I’m still crying here!” Human things vs. divine things.

When I was little, I thought like a child. I behaved like a child. I thought the Bible was this book with all the answers. And that’s fine if you’re a child. Yet when I became an adult, I put away childish things. I had to read the bible like an adult. And that means reading it on its own terms. Listening to what it’s actually saying and not what I think it’s saying. It continues to challenge me, teach me, and show me how God is active in my life.

I love scripture. And I hope you love it, too. I invite you to our Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the library to learn more about the bible. To continue to challenge you to read and experience scripture. We have a podcast as well where Meghan and I are going through the Gospel of Mark. You also could just read it on your own, it takes 40 minutes or so. But with the podcast, you get a weekly guided tour to what we see in scripture and some facts of what scholars think Mark is doing in that Gospel.

Those are some of the ways you can hit the books. We also have lots of resources to point you toward. Scripture matters. Multivocality is important to learn and tune your ear toward. Because in learning to listen and read scripture with an open heart and mind, we might just learn how to listen to our still speaking God and our neighbors with an open heart and mind. Which is the whole point of the Bible anyway. Thanks be to God. Amen.