Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible

Reading List

Overview

Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible is part of The Great Adventure Catholic Bible study system. This parish-based study provides an excellent introduction and overview of the Bible from a Catholic perspective in eight sessions. For more information please see The Great Adventure Website.

This reading list contains the reading to be complete before each session.
There is no reading to be completed prior to Session 1.

Session 2

Early World:

Genesis 1-3 | Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall
Genesis 4 | Cain and Abel
Genesis 6, 9 | Noah and the Flood
Genesis 11:1-9 | The Tower of Babel

Session 3

Patriarchs:

Genesis 12:1-9 | God calls Abraham
Genesis 15, 17, 22 | God’s covenant with Abraham
Genesis 25:19-34 | Jacob and Esau
Genesis 29:1-30:24 | Jacob gets married; Jacob’s children
Genesis 32:22-32 | Jacob wrestles with God and gets a new name
Genesis 37-50 | Joseph and his brothers: to get just the gist of the story, focus on chapters 37 and 41-44

Session 4

Egypt and Exodus:

Exodus 3 | Moses and the burning bush
Exodus 7-10 | Plagues on Egypt
Exodus 11-14 | The last plague (Passover), the Exodus, the Red Sea
Exodus 32 | The golden calf

Desert Wanderings:

Numbers 13-14 | Rebellion and forty years of wandering
Numbers 25 | Israel’s apostasy with the Baal of Peor

Session 5

Conquest and Judges

Joshua 2 | Rahab and the spies
Joshua 6 | The fall of Jericho
Judges 1:1-3:6 | Conquest; overview of sin cycle
Judges 13-16 | Samson and Delilah

Royal Kingdom

1 Samuel 8 | Israel asks for a king
2 Samuel 7 | God makes a covenant with David
1 Kings 9; 11:1-13 | Solomon’s reign and folly

Session 6

Divided Kingdom:

1 Kings 11:26-13:10; 14 | The Royal Kingdom divides; sins of the North
Hosea 11, 14 | A message to the North (Israel; aka Ephraim)
Jeremiah 31:1-14 | A message to the South (Judah)

Exile:

2 Kings 17 | Exile of the North (Israel)
2 Kings 25:1-21 | Exile of the South (Judah)

Return:

Ezra 1, 3 | Cyrus foretold; the Return; foundations of the Temple laid
Ezra 4-6 | Samaritan opposition
Nehemiah 1, 2, 6 | Nehemiah’s return; rebuilding of Jerusalem walls

Session 7

Maccabean Revolt:

1 Maccabees 1, 2 | Maccabean revolt
2 Maccabees 7 | Seven martyrs and their mother

Messianic Fulfillment – Part 1:

Luke 1-4 | The announcement and birth and temptation of the Messiah
Luke 6:12-36 | The Twelve Apostles; “Sermon on the Plain”
Luke 9:1-36 | Sending out the Twelve; feeding the 5,000; Peter’s confession of Christ; the Transfiguration

Session 8

Messianic Fulfillment – Part 2:

Luke 22-24 | Last Supper, Passion, Resurrection

The Church:

Acts 1:1-11 | The Ascension
Acts 2 | Pentecost
Acts 7-8 | Stephen’s martyrdom; the message begins to spread
Acts 9-11 | Saul’s conversion; Peter’s vision

Continuing Study

You are done! Try following the 90-day Reading Plan:

Ge, Ex, Nu, Jos, Jdg, 1 Sa, 2 Sa, 1 Ki, 2 Ki, Ezr, Ne, 1 Mac, Lk, Ac

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