Biblical knowledge -

[Rose2020]

I do think it important to know the Bible, build solid knowledge as well as feeding myself spiritually, so I read daily. I try to choose parts I've not yet covered or I feel drawn to.
Yet is it important to know all of it? Strange question perhaps. I cite Exodus 25 and 26. The highly detailed descriptions of how to build the Ark and it's components. Is that important for a Christian to know or is it relevant to Jews only? I understand Muslims accept the first 5 books of the Old Testament too, so is this something they need to know in detail too?

Excuse my ignorance but I wondered about this!

[Difflugia]

Is that important for a Christian to know or is it relevant to Jews only?

At the expense of sounding pithy, everything in the Bible is relevant to the Bible. My recommendation is to read any sections that are relatively new or confusing to you along with a commentary. While what you get out of it will obviously be colored (coloured?) by the theological bent of the particular commentary you're reading, you'll often get much insight into the text and at least an idea of the things you "don't know you don't know." You mentioned Exodus 25, so as an example, here's the section on Exodus 25:1-9 from the New Collegeville Bible Commentary volume on Exodus by Mark S. Smith:

The first phase in the standard format for the construction of sanctuaries involves instructions for gathering building materials, the actual building and furnishing of the tabernacle or temple; these appear in the priestly chapters 25–31 (to be carried out in chs. 35–40). This section shows priestly adaptations to the older biblical and ancient Middle Eastern pattern that appears in Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem (1 Kgs 5–8) as well as the palace of the storm god Baal (the Ugaritic Baal Cycle). A command is given to take up a collection from the Israelites for the various materials needed (vv. 1-7). The metal and wood are for furnishings and tent frames, the cloth materials for the tent curtains, the stones for the priestly vestments.

A first-person divine speech explains the sanctuary’s purpose: it is for the Lord to dwell in its midst (v. 8). A transition from named materials to instructions for construction refers to the “pattern of the tabernacle” (v. 9), the model to be followed in the construction (25:40; 26:30). Like Moses’ vision, King Gudea of Lagash has a vision showing the pattern of the temple commanded by his patron-god. Though following a traditional motif of building stories, these passages show that, for Israel, Moses was a leader who possessed prophetic capabilities.

If you don't have the budget for a recent commentary, there are many excellent ones from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the public domain available online as scans at Internet Archive and Google Books. If you're not sure how to get started, try searching for "<book name> commentary". At Internet Archive, click the "Always Available" check box on the left to filter for books that are free to read online or download.

Results for "Exodus commentary".

Here are links to Exodus 25 in two of the commentaries:

Homiletical Commentary on the Book of Exodus.
A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Exodus

Using an academic or theological commentary as a devotional can be daunting at first and seem like you're trying to drink from a firehose. You might start with a book that you already consider yourself familiar with, like one of the Gospels, or one that is particularly short, like Ruth. Then when you're used to the pace and flow, you can move on to something like Exodus that takes a bit more of an investment in time and motivation.

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to Rose2020 in post #1]

I do not think one needs to know the whole bible. You should in the very least read one of the gospels and fully understand it by looking into church history and such, and read Romans and Corinthians.

But if you believe the bible is from God, you should read the whole thing from cover to cover at least once. If you get the bible on audio, it is 58 hours.

I think more important though is understanding church history. We need to understand historically what the first believers believed and how they understood the verses, otherwise, we are going to misunderstand much of it.

[Miles]

I do think it important to know the Bible, build solid knowledge as well as feeding myself spiritually, so I read daily. I try to choose parts I've not yet covered or I feel drawn to.
Yet is it important to know all of it?

From what Christians have said, all that's important is to "believe in him" so as to gain eternal life.

John 3:16
16 Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.

which is reiterated by

Romans 10:13
13 Yes, “everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved.”

All else is filler. Do with it whatever you wish.

.

[Rose2020]

[Replying to Miles in post #4]

Yes. agreed but, a solid base of knowledge of the Bible is surely important. I know Christians who never read the Bible on their own. They just listen to sermons. That cannot be good. The Bible teaches us how to live and what God wants from us.

[1213]

...
Yet is it important to know all of it? Strange question perhaps. I cite Exodus 25 and 26. The highly detailed descriptions of how to build the Ark and it's components. ...

Maybe not crucial, but I think it deepens the understanding of what happened and to me it makes it more convincing.

[RIP]

[Replying to Rose2020 in post #1]

Yes. The whole Old Testament is important for the Christian to study and know. Because the whole Old Testament is about Jesus Christ.

(Luke 24:27) "And beginnning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."

(Luke 24:44) "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."

And yes, the Tabernacle should be studied by every Christian for it too speaks of the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

Rip

[sridatta]

I do think it important to know the Bible, build solid knowledge as well as feeding myself spiritually, so I read daily. I try to choose parts I've not yet covered or I feel drawn to.
Yet is it important to know all of it? Strange question perhaps. I cite Exodus 25 and 26. The highly detailed descriptions of how to build the Ark and it's components. Is that important for a Christian to know or is it relevant to Jews only? I understand Muslims accept the first 5 books of the Old Testament too, so is this something they need to know in detail too?

Excuse my ignorance but I wondered about this!

When the aspiration is absent, the fruit will be the best. When God is pleased, the fruit is seen here as well as there. If God is pleased with you, you will receive the fruit here as well as there because God is the Lord of both the worlds simultaneously. If His grace exists in the upper world, it must also exist here also. Some people say that their welfare in the upper world is protected even though their welfare here is damaged. This concept is meaningless. If God blessed you, you will be blessed here as well as there simultaneously. If you are well here, you will be well there also.

God will not show anger on you here and show grace in the upper world. Either grace or anger is shown simultaneously here as well as there. You may be troubled for some time here for the sake of divine test but that is not permanent. If you are permanently suffering in this world, it means, you are the sinner forever. The anger of God on you is constitutional only. You are punished for your sins only according to the computerized divine constitution and personally God does not favor or does not curse you (Nadatte kasyachit papam….Gita). Therefore, such eternal sinners need very much the spiritual knowledge, so that they get a permanent solution. Hence, while serving them externally for temporary relief, you should preach the spiritual knowledge and turn them in to devotees.

Today some are doing the social service to the downtrodden people, but that is not a permanent solution. Social service with divine background is very much required. People who concentrate on the social service only will get temporary heaven and the people who receive such social service also get a temporary solution only. It is a temporary concept on both sides. Today the Government is concentrating on social service without touching the element of God in the name of secularism. In the ancient times, kings were also doing social service but they were combining it with divine mission so that both the donor and receiver get permanent solution. The ancient kings went to the permanent abode of God and the served beggars also became devotees and got permanent solution. The present Government of secular policy will go to the temporary heaven and the present poor people served by this Government also get the temporary relief limited to this life and to this earth only.