The Bible demands that we read with Christ as the key. Since Christ and his church are united as one (1 Cor 6:15–17),¹ this necessarily involves reading with the church in view:
Christ is the “answer” key, whose very story, patterned by the OT, becomes the story the church itself lives (Col 2:6–7; Phil 1:27).
He is the “house” key, who unlocks the Bible for the church, helping us see where and how the Spirit was speaking for and about the church all along (1 Pet 1:10–12).
He is the “ignition” key, who empowers the church to fear the God of the Bible and to obey his Word.
He is the “keystone,” who unites the church to the plot, people, power, and promises of God.
So, as we read with Christ as the key, we must also read the Bible with the church in view. The Bible is God’s book about Jesus for the church. One group of scholars rightly states: “If we are following the patterns of the NT authors, an ecclesial reading ought to follow a Christological reading of Israel’s story.”²
Reading the OT with the Church in View
The OT anticipates Christ’s person and work. Therefore, in and through Christ, it also anticipates the church’s identity and mission. When reading, ask: In and through Christ, how does this OT text anticipate and reveal the church’s identity and mission?
When we read an OT text with Christ as the key, we must first consider how Christ fulfills that OT text, whether a law, a promise, an example, a pattern, or a story. But as those united to Christ by faith, we must then consider how this OT text speaks to the church. For laws, we must consider how that fulfilled OT law comes through Christ and teaches the church how to love God and represent Jesus rightly.³ For promises, we should consider how that prophecy or promise now belongs to the church in Christ.⁴ For examples and patterns, we should consider how that example instructs the church to walk in Christ’s way. (Lesson 8 will dive more deeply into some of these questions.)
For example, the book of Ruth presents Boaz as an example of covenant righteousness.⁵ In a sense, he fulfills the Law by walking in merciful justice and redeeming love. As a redeemer in David’s line, he clearly anticipates Christ’s person and work. Like John the Baptist, Boaz walks ahead of Christ, preparing us to know Jesus as the true redeemer.
But Boaz’s example does not stop with Christ. Just as Boaz walks ahead of Christ, so the church walks after Christ. Therefore, Boaz’s example comes to us through Christ and calls the church to represent Jesus rightly by walking like Boaz in redeeming love. This involves loving others generously, committing ourselves to justice, and extending mercy to the marginalized.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.
1 Corinthians 10:11 NIV
Reading the NT with the Church in View
The NT reveals Christ. Therefore, in and through Christ, it also reveals the church’s identity and mission. When reading, ask: By revealing Christ, what does this NT text reveal about the church’s identity and mission?
When we read a NT text with Christ as the key, we must first consider how that NT text reveals Christ, whether directly or indirectly. But we must then read with the church in view. For NT commands, we must first understand how the gospel produces and empowers that command and then how that command directs the church. For NT promises, we must first consider how the gospel produces such a promise and then consider how that promise shapes the church. For NT examples, we must first see how that person’s example is rooted in Christ and then how that example encourages the church.
For instance, in Colossians 4:16, Paul commands the church in Colossae to ensure that the Laodiceans also receive his letter and read it aloud. Some might see this as a throwaway verse at the end of an epistle, not worth the time or effort to interpret. But this verse reveals Christ! The key here is remembering that Paul writes as an “apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (Col 1:1 NIV). In other words, Paul writes as an authorized representative of the Lord, commissioned by God himself. He speaks on behalf of Jesus with his divine authority. In this sense, his words are Christ’s words.
Therefore, the command in Col 4:16 arises out of Jesus’s identity as “the head of the body, the church” (Col 1:18 NIV) and out of his kingly and prophetic work. Paul commands his letter to be read in Laodicea because his apostolic words bear Christ’s life-giving authority for all churches. And we should worship Christ for his generosity and wisdom in giving us such life–giving wisdom through his apostle.
Him We Proclaim
Reading the Bible with Christ as the key necessitates that we read with the church in view. Colossians 1:28–29 clearly establishes this principle as Paul connects his Christ-centered ministry of proclaiming Christ with his Christ-centered motive of presenting the church complete in him.
Take some time to review the arc of Colossians 1:28–29 below. If you are new to arcing, you can click on the relationship labels to see a description of their meanings. Focus on how Paul connects his mission of proclaiming Christ to his goal of presenting the church complete in Christ. Then, reflect on this text by listening to the sermon clip below from Pastor H. B. Charles, Jr.