“Our Bible reading is never just for seeing, never just for learning and doctrine. It is not even just for savoring, if that savoring is thought of in a private way that leaves us unchanged in our relationship with others. No. We read the Bible—we always read the Bible—for the kind of seeing and savoring Christ that transforms us into his likeness.” – John Piper

When I first saw this book in Koorong, my eyebrows were raised. I looked at the word ‘supernaturally’ and thought to myself, “how is reading the Bible a supernatural act? Why does reading the Bible need to be supernatural?”. Suspicious – but intrigued – I decided to give this book a read. 

Long story short, this book has opened my eyes and made me reflect about the taken-for-granted act of reading the Bible. And here I am recommending this book to you for a number of reasons.

First, what I really like about Reading the Bible Supernaturally is that John Piper spends a great deal of the book’s length explaining the ultimate goal of reading the Bible, which he calls the ‘natural’ part of Bible-reading. As we have learnt in previous articles and sermons these last three months, our goal and motivation are the crucial aspects that influence our approach to Bible-reading. In this book, John Piper makes sure that before we get to the ‘supernatural’ part of Bible-reading and the How-tos, we have a solid foundation grounding us as we get along.

Second, do not let the word ‘supernatural’ throw you off. The word may sound like the book is going to tell you some secret rituals or chants we must do to unlock the Gospel. But it isn’t. What John Piper aims for us to understand is that even though God has allowed the accessible and mundane act of reading the Bible as one of the ways for us to know and enjoy Him, being able to wholly understand what God intends for His people requires the work of the Holy Spirit. The ‘supernatural’ part of reading the Bible, then, is a humbling reminder that keeps our pride in check.

And this is what I particularly like about Piper’s focus on both the ‘natural’ and ‘supernatural’ aspects is that Bible-reading is perfectly balanced. The ordinary act of reading the Bible is a ‘natural’ act for all Christians who say that they follow and love God. But at the same time, just because most humans can read the Bible, it is only when God unfolds the Word to His people can we truly understand the Scripture.

The last part of the book focuses on the practical applications we can do in our Bible-reading. And what I really love about this part is that John Piper ensures his readers that studying the Bible is not a thing that only bible scholars can do. He doesn’t spend time recommending which commentaries, Bible study guides, and Christian books to read for our Bible study. God doesn’t make the Bible for only the scholars or experts, but the Bible is meant to be accessible to everyone. 

So, the tips that John Piper gives in this book are very practicable and simple, yet they are very useful and thought-provoking that I’m sure they will transform our Bible-reading/studying routine more interesting and fruitful.

While the book is quite thick (it’s about 400 pages!), John Piper’s writing is very straightforward and easy-to-follow that you won’t feel like you’re reading a 400-page book. So, I really, highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to start taking Bible-studying seriously, or even to those who already have been doing Bible-study for a long time.

Note: there’s a pdf version available for free on Desiring God website https://www.desiringgod.org/books/reading-the-bible-supernaturally