Is It Okay to Skim?

This read-the-Bible-in-a-year resolution is a challenge (even though the daily portions — about three-and-a-half pages — are smaller than I had imagined). So in an effort to catch up and get on track I am tempted to skim. Of course, most Bible readers skim the genealogies, the long sections of law, and the prophetic passages that oscillate between post-millennial optimism and pre-millennial despair. But what about skimming the familiar parts? Most Bible believers who have been in the church for at least a decade are familiar with books like Genesis and the Gospel of Matthew — the books that begin the annual reading plan.

I confess that I’ve done a little skimming.

But even while hastily digesting the biblical material, a couple of matters caught my eye.

First, it looks to this average reader that marriage in the Old Testament, aside from being polygamous, was also something completely removed from the civil authorities. Laban seemingly marries his daughters to Isaac — in a rather sneaky way, I might add but then craftiness seems to be one of the patriarchs’ virtues even if not part of the fruit of the Spirit. What would happen if we reverted back to this system and got the state out of marriage entirely? Oh, the benefits.

Second, the conflict between Jacob and Esau sure seems to pair well with Jesus’ words, “Don’t think that I cam to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. I have some so that ‘a son will be against his father; a daughter against her mother; a daughter-in-law will be against her mother-in-law. A person’s enemies will be members of his own family.'” (Matt 10:34-36)

In the modern world the people who are known to promote family values surely do have a different estimate of who is responsible for marriage and the nature of family life. Jesus didn’t even mention the obvious friction that most modern husbands confront from their wife’s mother.

Which reminds me of M. Stanton Evans‘ great line: “behind every great man is a surprised mother-in-law.”

(Image: Prospero Fontana (circle) Isaac and Jacob)