Wouldn’t it be cool if the bible itself told you how to read it?

Actually, it does.

Jesus said the entire bible is about him and his salvation.1,2

From cover to cover, the bible repeatedly shows us that the truth of the gospel about Jesus is like a jewel with an infinite number of facets, each displaying some aspect of the beauty of God’s perfection and grace.

So how do we see and trace those facets?

Themes.

The entire storyline of the bible has roughly 20 major themes, and a bunch of minor themes that point to the truth and meaning of the cross of Jesus. We didn’t create these; they are right there in the text. Themes like Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration and tons more. Yes, they really have been there all this time.

These themes are like, ahem, “gospel threads” running through every passage, chapter and book of the bible. And every theme culminates in the towering person of Jesus himself.

So, instead of using dry academic categories that remove us from the story of Jesus, we are going deeper into the story of his redemption by following themes that each run toward Jesus and reveal a unique facet of his glory.

When we seek Jesus in and through the scriptures, the Holy Spirit begins to teach and remind us of everything Jesus did and taught.3 Our hope is that these themes help you see Jesus in every passage, and that seeing him, you may have life.4


1 Luke 24:27

2 John 5:39, 46-47

3 John 14:26

4 John 5:40