Active Reading: A Method For Deeper Engagement
Mar 22, 2022
How to Actively Read:
Last week we began exploring the difference between passive reading and active reading, and how this relates to our own particular Bible reading style.
It is natural to sit back and just listen to a sermon, including Scripture being read. But is this active engagement? When I teach college students how to engage with biblical literature, often they are frustrated that they were not taught this method earlier. If they have read other books or works of literature, they may have used critical reading strategies, but they were never encouraged to do so with the biblical text. Thus, they tune out when the Bible is read, or they just assume it just says whatever they heard growing up.
A simple system to become a more active reader:
- Read the passage through one time just trying to get the basic information (passively)
- Read through the passage a second time and underline any unknown words or phrases (slow, meditative)
- Read the passage a third time and make comments or questions in the margins (questioning: Who? What? Where? Why?)
- Respond in a few sentences what you think the passage is saying
The goal of active reading is to question. What is the author’s intent? When was this passage/book written? Who is the intended audience? Are there any names or places I should look up on a map? Are there any conflicts of interest or assumptions being made? What evidence do I have for the information that is provided?
Too often we take things at face value, instead of examining what it is that we believe or value. Engaging with biblical literature is an exciting adventure, but we must be willing to engage with the text from a fresh perspective.
Let’s practice with two verses from Isaiah 5. If you read my previous blog on Isaiah 5, you will remember that this passage comes with a lot of emotion. But, let’s examine just the first two verses:
As you can see, I wrote down questions along the side of the passage to explore further. You might want to print out whatever passage you are going to read that day and have your highlighters and pen ready to mark up or investigate various sections. I find that being to able to physically mark up a text is very helpful with critical analysis.
Below, I give written explanations for some of the questions. I have studied this passage many times before, so my comments will be a bit more involved that you might find. But, the majority of these questions can just be for contemplation.
What is the genre of this passage?
The heading of the Song of the Vineyard (vs. 1a) gives the impression that this text is going to be a love song since the singer states that the song is for “my beloved.” The grape-picking season and the vintage festival occurred in the fall months and were often accompanied by wedding celebrations. Men and women were both present on these occasions and the mood was light. Singing, dancing, and drinking were all part of the festivities (Isa 62:9; Joel 2:24-26; Isa 16:10). The singer of this song may have been the bridegroom, a friend of the bridegroom, or even the bride herself. If you look up “beloved” in the OT, it occurs 38 times. Predominantly in the Song of Songs, which is considered love poetry.
What steps were involved with wine-making?
This first section of Isaiah 5 details the painstaking labor that the vintner invested in his vineyard. This farmer found a pristine location (probably on a terraced hill), cleared the soil of the larger boulders, built a watchtower with the removed boulders, planted it with prized vines, and hewed a winepress out of stone. The watchtower would have been found at more lucrative vineyards, but its mention in the text testifies to the attention the vintner took to protect and fortify the vineyard. A quick google search “wine vat in Ancient Israel” will produce images of vats found from the time period when much of the Old Testament was written down.
What is the tone of the song?
The opening lines of the Song of the Vineyard conjure images of love, a possible love song akin to the love poems in Song of Songs. The catchy tune sparked the curiosity of the people listening and they became eager participants, wondering what the singer would say about the beloved. The first canticle of the song then beautifully articulates the beloved’s devotion and concern for his vineyard.
How does the tone change from one section to the next?
Isaiah 5:2b abruptly alters the tone of the song from love and anticipation, to shock and disappointment. Since viticulture was one of the staple crops of the agricultural cycle in ancient Israel, most people would have had some knowledge about the steps involved in the vintage process. The vintner took every precaution to create an ideal habitat for his grapes, yet his harvest burgeoned into odious and worthless wild grapes.
The listeners would have sympathized with the protagonist’s confusion and disillusionment, since they invested possibly five or six years into a futile pursuit. The vintner expected the grapes to be sweet and luscious because they had dutifully followed all the necessary steps to ensure the harvest was a success. This is the point in the song that speaks to the brilliance of the author because he/she has moved the audience through various stages of emotion, and disappointment was not the expected outcome of such a lovely dirge. The song goes on to explore the vintner's frustration and anger, but we are only examining the first two verses here.
In Conclusion
At Religion For Her, we are committed to providing tools to engage with Scripture in a fresh light. Active Reading is one strategy to add to your tool box. Active reading is methodological, but really only requires a questioning mind. Instead of just skimming for details, active reading digs deeper into the crevices of the text. Consider trying this strategy for the next few weeks of your Bible reading. You will be amazed at what you will uncover!
Jennifer Metten Pantoja, author
