Why Is the Bible Difficult?
By Edward Byrd
Why Is the Bible Difficult?
Few people ask this question, possibly because they are embarrassed to think that a book written for everybody would be so difficult. May we deal with several factors which cause trouble in getting the meaning.
It was written a long time ago, some of it nearly three thousand years ago. But this was not in English. The dates on English Bibles only go back to about the fifteenth century. Language changes with time, including our American English. I personally use the Authorized or King James Version, first published about 1611, because it was the first which came to my attention. It has been updated several times, and is available in a readable edition much like the newspaper.
The Bible came to us through other languages. Some of the idioms are not familiar for that reason. Often the kinds of figures of speech are not the same, but familiarity soon removes these problems.
Perhaps the great reason people do not understand the Bible is that they just have not studied it, nor even thought much about it, unless they had parents or others around them who believed the Bible and practiced its teachings.
Actually, the King James Version has some advantages. For example, the number of second Personal pronouns are clearly distinguished. Modern English uses you for both singular and plural, for both nominative and objective forms. Southerners began to use you all to help overcome this weakness in modern English.
The names are a problem for many people, and some even use the slovenly practice of just skipping the pronunciation of these names. As in everything, there is a right way to do everything, so why not get a Bible with diacritical markings, or get other help so as to become familiar and be consistent. Familiar names should be on the tip of the tongue of every person, but specially every Christian.
Then there is the difference in various religious groups, all calling themselves Christians. This is very unfortunate. True, we listen to our leaders, as we ought, but God is going to hold every man accountable for his own relationship to God and to others. It was the goodness of God which has provided a written copy of His will and ways, so we could become familiar with Him. Unless we come to accept the fact that God is a real person, and is interested in His creatures, we shall always have problems with understanding.
Spiritual Understanding
Perhaps the element of "spiritual discernment" is the most important factor in understanding the Bible. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14). The context of this passage indicates that only a spiritual people can appreciate the things of the Spirit of God.
It was written a long time ago, some of it nearly three thousand years ago. But this was not in English. The dates on English Bibles only go back to about the fifteenth century. Language changes with time, including our American English. I personally use the Authorized or King James Version, first published about 1611, because it was the first which came to my attention. It has been updated several times, and is available in a readable edition much like the newspaper.
The Bible came to us through other languages. Some of the idioms are not familiar for that reason. Often the kinds of figures of speech are not the same, but familiarity soon removes these problems.
Perhaps the great reason people do not understand the Bible is that they just have not studied it, nor even thought much about it, unless they had parents or others around them who believed the Bible and practiced its teachings.
Actually, the King James Version has some advantages. For example, the number of second Personal pronouns are clearly distinguished. Modern English uses you for both singular and plural, for both nominative and objective forms. Southerners began to use you all to help overcome this weakness in modern English.
The names are a problem for many people, and some even use the slovenly practice of just skipping the pronunciation of these names. As in everything, there is a right way to do everything, so why not get a Bible with diacritical markings, or get other help so as to become familiar and be consistent. Familiar names should be on the tip of the tongue of every person, but specially every Christian.
Then there is the difference in various religious groups, all calling themselves Christians. This is very unfortunate. True, we listen to our leaders, as we ought, but God is going to hold every man accountable for his own relationship to God and to others. It was the goodness of God which has provided a written copy of His will and ways, so we could become familiar with Him. Unless we come to accept the fact that God is a real person, and is interested in His creatures, we shall always have problems with understanding.
Spiritual Understanding
I can recall when I was very confused. Before I became a believer I tried to figure out the distinction between believing on the Lord and believing in Him. There is no practical difference, but the enemy of God and the enemy of man is able to bring about the confusion. "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:4).
Taking these two passages together we see a lesson. The Bible requires spiritual discernment. The average man has no spiritual discernment. They who believe not cannot appreciate the light of the Gospel in its fullness. The Bible is not for everyone. Even people with faith to be saved are not able to understand much of God's wisdom, for they do not depend on God to give the enlightenment necessary to grasp the sense.
Why should God enable a rebel to know the sense of the Bible. Prophecy would be to him a mere satisfaction of personal covetousness. Maybe he would like to know when he should die, or when the Christ will come back, or many other things. But without submission to God he is in no position to obey the Truth, so he will not be allowed to discern the Truth. All men are naturally rebels. The historical facts of Scripture are clear to anyone who will read or hear them. Everyone can understand the sentence which says, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. If He did, then every man is responsible to believe that Creator and surrender to Him. Perhaps this is why men say they do not believe in a Creator God. But only those who have surrendered to God in willingness to obey Him, have any need to understand the whole purpose and mind of God. Even these will only be granted so much as will be of benefit to them at the time.
Jesus put it this way, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself " (John 7:17). If anyone is willing to do His will. It is not "willing to know," but willing to do.
"The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant" (Ps 25:14).
Some professing Christians who are not true in their faith may take advantage of such passages and claim to have information direct from God. We may tell the difference by measuring their language by the written Word. Such are not true shepherds of the flock, but "hirelings," whose the sheep are not (Jn. 10:11-14). Such have been around through the years. "For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ" (2 Cor. 11:13).
Do not be "willingly ignorant" (2 Pet. 3:5), for such is to be a fool (Ps. 14:1; 53:1). Your conscience is there for some reason. Is it not because the voice of God is coming through to you?
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