Lectio Divina
Bible Study

The risen Jesus said: “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking;
if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you” (Rev 3:20).
1. Lectio – Reading the Bible

Good Bible study must always lead participants to the sacred text itself. The Bible should not be studied
merely as proof texts to support doctrines or teachings. Through the sacred text, God speaks to us. The Bible
has been called God’s love letter to humanity. The Bible offers not just information, but promotes Christian
formation and leads to personal transformation. By developing a daily practice of Scripture reading, we create
the habit of personal communication with God.

Threshold Bible Study offers solid biblical commentary along with the Scriptures to teach us how to approach
the text with reverence and expectation. Deep respect for the text grounds all interpretation of Scripture in
its original meaning. With this foundation, the fuller meanings of the text can be understood with fidelity and
integrity. This biblical commentary encourages readers to explore the canonical, Christological, and ecclesial
meaning of the text – what the text means in the context of the whole Bible, in the light of Christ’s coming,
and as the word of God speaking to his church.
Catholic Bible study should help us not only to be informed
about the text but to be transformed by God’s Spirit
working through the text. Threshold Bible Study uses the
ancient method of lectio divina (sacred reading), offering a
time-tested way of directing readers to move from attentive
listening, to reflective prayer, to contemplative
action.  

Lectio divina is the church’s most ancient way of studying
Scripture. This ancient art is rooted in the Jewish tradition of
Jesus, and it has been nourished through the desert
spirituality of the early Christian centuries, the patristic
writers of the ancient church, and the monastic tradition
through the ages. In our day, lectio divina is
experiencing a world-wide revival as Christians are
returning to age-old wisdom to experience the
Scriptures in a deeper and more complete way.
The following elements of lectio divina help
Bible readers experience the ongoing power of
the Spirit within the inspired text: