The Jewish people loved God's word. God called them to meditate on it day and night (Jos 1:8; Ps 1:2). They considered it more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces (Ps 119:72).

However, Christians were even more devoted to God's word than the Jews. After Jesus spent the day of His resurrection teaching the Bible for about seven miles in the afternoon (Lk 24:27) and for several hours in the evening (Lk 24:45), the early Christians got the message that God's word was extremely important. From the moment the Church began at Pentecost, the members of the Church devoted themselves to learning, living, and teaching God's word (Acts 2:42). The apostles concentrated on the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4) to the point that they were repeatedly thrown in jail for their uncompromised and unstoppable proclamation of God's word (see Acts 5:42). Stephen proclaimed God's word so boldly and courageously that he became the first martyr (Acts 7:2ff). Philip preached the word even as he was escaping persecution (Acts 8:4-5). Moreover, the Spirit even told Philip to run up to a stranger from Ethiopia and teach God's word (Acts 8:29ff). The first believers ever called "Christians" were only given that name after a year of intensive Bible study (Acts 11:26). The members of the church at Beroea welcomed the word with great enthusiasm and studied God's word each day (Acts 17:11). The spirit of the early Church is well expressed by St. Jerome: "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Edward J. Gratsch, October 10, 1995

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 13, 1995