I am not advocating that we throw away our study Bibles. I love my ESV Study Bible. I love Strong’s Concordance. I love the scholars who give us context.
But the .txt exercise taught me that the Bible doesn't need my help to be powerful. the bible txt
It was unnerving.
It cannot defend itself. It cannot put a disclaimer at the top of Psalm 137 ( "This is imprecatory, please don't literally bash babies" ). It just sits there. Raw. Honest. Messy. I am not advocating that we throw away our study Bibles
Listen for the breathlessness of the narrative. Notice how fast Peter (the source for Mark) tells the story. Notice the lack of fanfare. I love the scholars who give us context
And maybe that’s the point. When you remove the training wheels—the headings, the verses, the study notes—you have to actually lean on the Spirit.