Write Scripture, Monk-Style: Hand-Copying Scripture Builds Bible Confidence for You and Your Kids
This post was originally shared on youthapologeticsnetwork.com.
Have you ever copied an entire book of the Bible by hand? We have, and we know a number of folks who have, not to mention the many people whose faithful copying of scripture enabled us to have a copy of the Bible in our hands today. If you haven’t given it a try, or haven’t engaged in copying lately, let me try to convince you that it might be worth revisiting!
What I Learned from Copying the Book of Mark
My first foray into copying Scripture was the book of Mark. It took me a few weeks, but they were rich weeks.
I looked more closely at the text than I ever have and noticed things I hadn’t before.
My kids saw me spending intense time focused on the word. Not just focusing, but having fun writing and demonstrating that I was choosing the Bible over entertainment and my to-do list.
I developed a routine of reading and paying attention to what things ACTUALLY said and not what I thought they said.
How This Strengthens Your Trust in Scripture
Yes! Hand writing scripture gave me a deeper confidence in the written transmission of scripture. Copying words by hand isn’t my profession or life’s work, but I was able to do it accurately. The people who passed this down were far more practiced and competent than me. I noticed:
I made mistakes, but was typically able to catch them
Even when I made a mistake, it didn’t change the whole meaning
Hand writing is a slow enough process that allows the writer to plan ahead and look back on their work
After I finished, others were able to compare my work to the copy I was working on and see if I had changed anything intentionally or otherwise
For more on manuscript transmission and reliability, the Christian Research Institute has a great article (http://www.equip.org/article/the-bibliographical-test-updated/).
Getting Started: Simple Tools and Tips
Don’t overthink or overcomplicate it
Go at your own speed
Set simple goals (ex. I’ll write 2 chapters a day)
Enjoy spending time closely reading the word in a different way
Free and Budget-Friendly Options
In the past, my husband has typed out verses on his computer. It doesn’t require quite the same amount of concentration or care to avoid mistakes, and you may retain a bit less by typing quikly, but this is a free option to get in the habit!
The “Almost” Free Way:
Grab a notebook and pen you already have laying around the house and get to copying that Word.
Going Deeper with Quality Tools
Pick up a notebook that makes you excited to write: Moleskine Lined Journal
Pick up a Journible that is totally made for this use: Journible
Pick up a pen that’s color fast, doesn’t smudge (shout-out to lefties), and writes smoothly: Pigma Micron Pen
A Blessing for Your Journey
If copying scripture sounds like something you’d enjoy, give it a try! If copying scripture sounds like something your KIDS would enjoy, set aside some time to work on it as a family, or set them up with a journal and your blessing. How sweet would it be to have a hand written family Bible a few years down the road? Pretty sweet, I think.
*This post was originally shared on youthapologeticsnetwork.com.
