The books of the Bible(s) would be extremely challenging ancient texts in the best of circumstances— without complications, or such high stakes they would be very hard to read, even for serious scholars— So, this idea that you can just “go read the Bible” and find wisdom is frankly buck wild and dangerous. I was brought up constantly being told that I should “study the Bible” but of course I didn’t. I don’t think the people who tell you “read the Bible” really expect you to do it. 1/
