Questions to Ask When Reading the Bible: A Three-Faith Comparison

In Jewish tradition, reading Torah isn't a passive act — it's a lifelong discipline of questioning and learning. Deuteronomy commands that the king keep the Torah close and read therein all the days of his life, so that he might learn to fear God and keep the statutes Deuteronomy 17:19. This model of daily, purposeful reading applies to every Jew, not just royalty. The rabbis formalized this into a culture of she'elot (questions), treating inquiry as a form of worship.

When reading, Jewish tradition encourages asking: What does this command require of me? What does this passage teach about God's character? How do the sages interpret this? Proverbs promises that diligent seeking leads to understanding the fear of the Lord and finding the knowledge of God Proverbs 2:5. Scholars like Rabbi Akiva (c. 50–135 CE) built entire hermeneutical systems around layered questioning — the famous PaRDeS method (literal, allegorical, homiletical, mystical). Deuteronomy also models investigative rigor: enquire, and make search, and ask diligently Deuteronomy 13:14, a phrase the rabbis applied to textual study as much as legal inquiry.

Isaiah reinforces that the text itself is authoritative and complete: Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read Isaiah 34:16. A key question Jewish readers ask is always: What does this mean for how I live today? The text isn't merely historical — it's covenantal and perpetually binding.

Christian biblical hermeneutics has always been anchored in active, Christ-centered questioning. Paul tells the Ephesians that reading his letter carefully enables them to understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ Ephesians 3:4 — implying that comprehension requires engaged, attentive reading, not mere recitation. The core question Christians are taught to bring to any passage is: How does this point to Jesus? This Christological lens, formalized by theologians like Augustine (354–430 CE) and later Martin Luther (1483–1546 CE), shapes the entire interpretive tradition.

Jesus himself modeled interrogative engagement with scripture. In John 5:39, he challenges his listeners: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me John 5:39. The Greek word eraunaō (translated "search") implies rigorous investigation — not casual reading. Good questions to ask when reading the Bible from a Christian perspective include: What does this reveal about God's nature? What does this teach about human sinfulness and redemption? How does this passage fit the larger biblical narrative? What does this demand of me ethically?

Scholars like Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, in their influential 1981 work How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, argue that asking about genre, historical context, and authorial intent is essential before asking what a passage means for today. Mark 9:16 shows even Jesus asking clarifying questions — What question ye with them? Mark 9:16 — modeling intellectual humility and curiosity as virtues in textual engagement.

Islam's relationship with the Bible is complex and contested. Muslims believe the original Torah (Tawrat) and Gospel (Injil) were revealed scripture, but hold that the texts as they exist today have been altered (tahrif). Classical scholars like Ibn Hazm (994–1064 CE) and later Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406 CE) developed frameworks for critically reading biblical texts. When a Muslim engages the Bible, the primary questions are: Does this passage align with Quranic teaching? Does this reflect the original revelation or a later corruption? What does this say about the prophets God sent?

The Quran itself commands inquiry and diligent seeking — principles that Muslim scholars apply to all textual study. Isaiah's command to seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read Isaiah 34:16 is seen by some Muslim commentators as an authentic remnant of divine instruction, consistent with the Quran's own emphasis on reading and reflection (tadabbur). Similarly, the principle in Deuteronomy to enquire, and make search, and ask diligently Deuteronomy 13:14 resonates with the Islamic scholarly tradition of ijtihad (independent reasoning).

It's worth noting there's genuine disagreement within Islamic scholarship about how much engagement with the Bible is appropriate. Some scholars, like the contemporary academic Shabir Ally, encourage Muslims to read the Bible carefully to understand Christianity and find points of convergence with Islam. Others caution against it without proper guidance. The question What hath the LORD spoken? Jeremiah 23:37 — asked of prophets in Jeremiah — reflects the Islamic emphasis on prophetic authenticity, a lens Muslims bring to any biblical reading.