⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 6 min read
Christ at the Center of Scripture: How Christians Should Read the Bible Faithfully
Show: Contending for the Word Q&A
Host: Dave Jenkins
Date: April 13, 2026
Show Summary
How should Christians read Scripture in a way that recognizes and honors Christ as the center of God’s revelation?
In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains why the whole Bible must be read with Christ at the center. Drawing from Luke 24:25–27 and John 5:39, this episode shows that Scripture is not merely a collection of moral lessons, inspirational stories, or theological concepts. It is God’s unified revelation centered on the person and saving work of Jesus Christ.
Dave helps listeners see how Christ-centered Bible reading protects us from moralism, self-centered interpretation, and misuse of God’s Word while deepening worship, strengthening faith, and anchoring obedience in the gospel.
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Key Scriptures
- Luke 24:25–27
- John 5:39
Episode Highlights
- Jesus teaches us how to study the Word of God.
- Christ is the goal of Scripture, not a side note.
- Christ-centered reading guards us from misuse of the Bible.
- Christ is revealed in many ways throughout redemptive history.
- Faithful Bible reading keeps Christ at the center, not ourselves.
Full Article
All right everybody, welcome back to Contending for the Word Q&A podcast. I’m Dave Jenkins, your host. As we move into this next section of the Scripture Questions Month, we’re shifting our focus in a deliberate and important direction. After laying foundations for how to read and interpret the Bible faithfully, we now ask a question that lies at the heart of a Christian reading of the Word of God:
What does this passage teach about Christ?
The Bible is not merely a collection of moral lessons, inspirational stories, or theological ideas. It is God’s unified revelation centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ. So when we miss Christ, we may still read Scripture, but we will not read it as God intended.
The question that we’re addressing specifically today is this: How should Christians read Scripture in a way that recognizes and honors Christ as the center of God’s revelation?
Our first anchor biblical text is Luke 24:25–27:
“And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Our second anchor biblical text is John 5:39:
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”
Together, these texts show us that Scripture’s ultimate purpose is to reveal Christ and His saving work. So here’s our big idea today:
Every passage of Scripture ultimately teaches something about Christ—His character, His work, His promises, and our need for Him. Reading the Bible faithfully means reading it with Christ at the center, not ourselves.
1. Jesus Teaches Us How to Study the Word of God
In Luke 24, the risen Christ corrects His disciples not for reading the Word of God, but for reading it incompletely. They knew the text, but they missed its focus: Christ Himself.
Jesus shows us that Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms all point to Him. This does not mean that every verse mentions Jesus explicitly, but that every passage fits within God’s redemptive plan fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Since Jesus Himself read Scripture this way, so should we.
2. Christ Is the Goal, Not a Side Note
Many Christians read the Bible primarily looking for practical advice, encouragement, or moral instruction. While Scripture does provide guidance for life, its central aim is not behavior modification. It is the revelation of Christ.
When Christ is treated as a footnote rather than the focus, Scripture becomes moralistic or self-centered. But when Christ is central, obedience flows from gratitude, faith, and love.
The Bible is not first about what we must do, but about what Christ has done.
3. Christ-Centered Reading Guards Us from Misuse
Reading Scripture without Christ often leads to misuse—turning commands into legalism, promises into self-help slogans, or narratives into lessons detached from the gospel.
Christ-centered reading keeps us grounded. It reminds us that salvation is by the grace of God alone, that Scripture reveals God’s redemptive purpose, and that every command flows from God’s saving work in Christ alone.
This approach protects us from reading ourselves into the text as the hero and keeps Christ where He belongs—at the center.
4. Christ Is Revealed in Many Ways Across the Word of God
Not every passage teaches us about Christ in the same way. Some passages point forward to Christ through promise or prophecy. Some reveal our need for Christ by exposing sin and weakness. Some foreshadow Christ through types, sacrifices, or kingship. Some proclaim Christ directly in the Gospels and Epistles.
The question is not whether a passage teaches us about Christ, but how it does so within the story of redemption.
So when you read the Word of God, ask this question regularly: What does this passage teach me about Christ? Ask how it reveals God’s holiness, humanity’s need, or Christ’s saving work. Let Scripture draw your eyes away from yourself and toward the Savior.
Over time, reading the Bible this way will deepen your worship, strengthen your faith, and anchor your obedience in the gospel.
Dear Christian, God has given His Word to reveal His Son. As we read Scripture, may we do so with hearts eager to see Christ, trust Him more deeply, and follow Him more faithfully.
The Bible cannot be rightly understood without Christ at its center, and neither can our reading of it.
Thank you for listening to or watching today’s episode of Contending for the Word Q&A. Until next time, read God’s Word with Christ in full view, rest in the sufficiency of His grace, and I’ll see you tomorrow.
God bless you and keep you, and have a great rest of your day.
Takeaways / Reflection Questions
- Do I read Scripture primarily for myself, or do I read it to see Christ more clearly?
- How does this passage fit within God’s redemptive plan fulfilled in Jesus?
- Am I tempted to turn the Bible into moralism rather than gospel-centered truth?
- How does seeing Christ in Scripture deepen my worship and strengthen my faith?
Call to Action
If this episode helped you think more clearly about how to read the Bible faithfully, please share it with a friend, subscribe to the podcast, and visit Servants of Grace for more biblical resources to help you grow in Christ.
