A clear guide through a complex book

The Bible is no easy read. It can be mystifying and confusing. Forty authors wrote the 66 books over a period of 1,500 years. How does it all fit together to convey God's message?

Author Zach Windahl offers answers in The Bible, Simplified. He explains what the Bible is, how to read it, and how each book leads to Jesus.

Readers will appreciate Windahl's light and conversational writing style. He makes his points succinctly, making sure we understand what's happening and why it matters. He also provides a recap at the end of each chapter, which reinforces key takeaways.

I found his explanations of the Old Testament particularly helpful. The first half of the Bible can be challenging with its unfamiliar customs and culture. Windahl navigates each book deftly, striking the right balance of explanation and commentary to keep things clear.

A valuable lesson Windahl offers is the importance of context. Many of us view scripture through a Greek or Western mindset that focuses on logic and facts. The Hebrew or Eastern mindset values poetry, story, and symbolism. He doesn't ask us to change the way we think, but to open our minds to how people felt about God and Jesus in biblical times.

Windahl summarizes, "In the West, we view life with a Greek mindset, which is very different from the Eastern or Hebrew mindset that Jesus, the original audience, and the Bible's authors would have held. And we need to be aware of this when reading and interpreting Scripture."

Readers should note that some of their favorite Bible stories and characters are missing from Windahl's book. This is not meant as a criticism, however. The Bible, Simplified, means precisely that.

The book is an excellent study guide. It's a superb overview of Scripture that shows how the 66 books and 40 authors come together to tell the story of Jesus.

I received an advance reading copy from Netgalley.com.