Appealing to the Constitution won't help us here. We'll need a higher authority.

Reading the Bible right begins with reading it regularly.

He has found a holy treasury in the holy book,/he has prophetically seen the Saviour's Godhead in the flesh.

  - Sechnall, Audite Omnes Amantes (Irish,  5th century)

"Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

  - Matthew 13.52

Sechnall, we recall, was writing about Patrick, his pastor. You can't read very far in Patrick's Confession (see The Scriptorium) and not realize that Patrick knew and loved the Word of God. It was, indeed, a treasure to him, both in the Old and New Testaments.

That much we understand, and we realize we probably have some work to do bringing our affections into line with Patrick's at this point. We all need to pray and seek the Lord more so that we truly regard His Word as a treasure, the riches of which we draw from daily.

But the idea that Patrick "has prophetically seen" the glorified Savior and King - now that's very interesting. Patrick had at least three visions in his lifetime, and they were compelling. But the way Sechnall links this idea with Patrick's love of Scripture makes me think he has something other than Patrick's visions in mind.

Patrick loved the Scriptures because he saw Jesus there. He knew full well what Jesus had done for him and what He had commissioned him to do. Everywhere he looked in the treasure of God's Word, the risen and reigning King of Kings looked out at Patrick, teaching and affirming and guiding him in all his ways.

Patrick knew how to practice what Paul calls for in Ephesians 1.15-23 and Colossians 3.1-3. He knew how to gaze, into and through the Scriptures, into that true but unseen realm where Jesus rules at the right hand of God. There, in His glorified flesh - as described in numerous places in Scripture - Jesus is advancing His Kingdom, interceding for the saints, and putting all His enemies under His feet.

Is this what you see when you read the Scriptures? All Scripture is about Jesus, as He Himself explained (Jn. 5.39). Therefore our reading and study of Scripture is incomplete until wherever we are reading makes a contribution to our vision of the unseen Jesus. He is unseen, but He is really there, and, though we don't see Him, we love Him (1 Pet. 1.8, 9).

When you go the Scriptures, ask the Lord for the prophet's eye, for the ability to see through the veil of materiality into that vast unseen realm which gives real shape to everything else. Call out to your Father, "Sir, I would see Jesus." Because once you begin to see Him everywhere in Scripture, your reading of Scripture will never be the same.

And if you didn't treasure Scripture before, you will after this.

Today at The Fellowship of Ailbe

ReVision - Science catching up with Scripture again, this time concerning feedback loops.

In the Gates - Part 2 in our series "The Worldview of God's Law" outlines the portrait of God set forth in the books of Moses.

T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.