ABSTRACT
The Bible is self-evidently a public book. By that the author mean that people with different interests read it for quite different purposes. Some people read the Bible because they are interested in history or literature; others find it interesting as a record of ancient religious beliefs. This chapter describes the three legs of interpretation and their importance for any truly public examination of the Bible. The first leg of interpretation is the matter of constituency. The concept of constituency is not precise; groups of people who share common interests or purposes are not always clearly identifiable. The second leg of interpretation is the matter of location. One of the most interesting aspects of this leg of interpretation is that readers' locations shift from time to time. The third leg of interpretation is the matter of function. The function of the Bible as historical evidence is a far cry from its function as divine address in the liturgy.
