Volume 52 Number 2 February 2010
First of all, remember there is always a BLESSING in reading! Do not think you cannot understand the Bible: YOU CAN if you are willing. In Revelation 1:3, we read,
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” It is interesting to note that this verse is found in one of the books of the Bible considered most difficult to understand.Jesus expects understanding from those who are capable of hearing with comprehension. In Matthew 13:9,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Likewise in Revelation 2:29, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”Jesus also expected His hearers to understand what the Scriptures mean, as we see in Matthew 24:15,
“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand)”.When Paul wrote his epistles, they were written to be understood by the readers.
“How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:3-4).We see that Paul wanted his epistle to the Colossians to also be read at Laodicea, and that the Colossians read the letter he wrote to Laodicea:
“And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.” (Colossians 4:16).Remember to be spiritual (mature) as we strive to understand the Scriptures and which passages apply to us today. Do not be childish, or carnal, in our thinking. Paul writes in 1Corinthians 2:9-16,
“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”We must try to always speak as an "oracle of God”, so that not only is God not misrepresented, but He is glorified in all things!
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10,11).
One of the basic principles of understanding a verse or passage is based on the fundamentals of journalism - when reading a passage we need to determine
“who, what, when, where, and why?” Applying these questions to the passage will enable us to determine context, which is the key to understanding. Who wrote the letter or passage, what are they writing about, when were they writing, to whom were they writing, what was the purpose, etc.. Considering what time they wrote is essential, i.e., was it written under the Law of Moses given to Israel, or was it written under the New Covenant to followers of Christ? Some things that applied under the Old still apply today, but must be determined by context. For example, the prohibition against eating blood from after the flood is brought forward for us as well in Acts 15. But there are many things in the Old Law that have been nailed to the Cross which are no longer applicable to the church today.Above all, keep in mind that all the Law hangs upon the first and second commandments (Matthew 22:40), and that love is ‘the end of the commandment’ (I Timothy 1:5). This love of God will always help in determining if a passage applies today. With this godly perspective, we realize that
‘all things are lawful, but not all things are edifying or expedient” (I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23.), and that we don’t want to do anything that will bring us under its control. This answers a lot of the questionable items that come up in life. The Bible will not have a direct comment on every specific thing that comes up in life, but love is a reliable guideline for understanding not only what the Bible means, but how we should direct our steps. Walk in love and do the things that tend for peace, not our own selfish ways.Sometimes we may not like a passage that applies to us, then try to say it doesn’t apply to us. For example, fasting is something the Lord is still pleased with and very appropriate for a Christian, based on the teachings of the New Covenant in Matthew 9:15; Acts 14:23; I Corinthians 7:5, but some might not like the idea of skipping even one meal and might tend to think that fasting must no longer apply today. On the other hand, others may like a passage that no longer applies and look for ways to make it apply to us. The Judaizing teachers were an example of the latter when they tried to make circumcision a requirement for Gentiles when Jesus had not. The answer to the question is once again context, who is speaking, when it was spoken, to whom was it spoken, etc.. - these are so critical.
Whatever passage is under consideration, we must always remember the admonitions throughout the Bible not to add to or take away from his Word, as found in
Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:5,6; Revelation 22:18,19. This is a healthy attitude to have toward all of God’s revelation, so that we do our best to honestly find out what does, and does not apply to us today. May we always make it our goal to be honest with ourselves, and honest with God as we seek His Will as revealed in the Bible.