Reading, Hearing, Speaking

How do we read when we read scripture? If your church reads a Bible passage aloud in worship, who reads and how do they read it? How do they or you read when someone in the text is speaking? Does the reader read without inflection or emphasis? Do they read it without emotion as they might read a passage from an economic text? Do they read it in a solemn voice? Or do they read with changes in tone, volume, and pace as people actually speak?

How do you read scripture to yourself?

In modern texts when a character speaks we are given some direction about how to read it.

Mary hollered. Bill whispered. Karen bemoaned. Jeff scolded.

Biblical authors very seldom give us these hints. They almost always use “said”. And that leaves us with questions about tone, volume, pace, volume and attitude open.

In the book of Ruth, 1:16

But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge, your people will be my people, your God my God.”

How do you think she said this? Was she pleading? Was she angry? Did she shout? Did she step close to Naomi and whisper?

Or Jesus in the Temple,

“He said to them, It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a den of robbers.” (Matt 21:13).

Do you think Jesus is lecturing? Is he shouting? Is he angry? Is he sad?

Try reading Matthew 22:15-22 aloud. Think about the different people who are speaking.

Are the Pharisees hostile? Sneering? Dismissive? Condescending? Cunning?

How does Jesus respond? “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites. Show me the coin used for the tax.” (Matthew 22:18). Is he angry? Show. Me. The. Coin. Is he matter of fact? Is he sad? Exasperated? Amused? Bemused?

Does your understanding of the text, your sense of what is happening change depending on how you “hear” the dialogue? Pick some texts yourself. Try reading them in different ways. What do you notice?

If a text is ambiguous or confusing, problematic or familiar, I find it helpful to read it in a variety of ways, experimenting with tone and voice¹. What didn’t make sense as a pronouncement may make some sense as sarcasm. (See some of Paul’s writing). Were they joking? Being ironic? Argumentative? Pleading? Inviting? This can be a helpful practice. It can also help bring some new insights.

How words are said informs how we interpret them. How we imagine the dialogues in the Bible affects our understanding and our theology. How we “hear” Jesus speak affects our ideas about who Jesus is. How we “hear” God speak affects our ideas about God. What would happen if we expanded how we read and hear?

1. What’s the difference between Tone and Voice? ↩︎