HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE

By Peter C. Cay-ohen

 

 

“It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the light and encourage others to follow his example. We should day by day study the Bible diligently, weighing every thought and comparing scripture with scripture. With divine help we are to form our opinions for ourselves as we are to answer for ourselves before God.” Great Controversy, p. 598.

“There is nothing more calculated to strengthen the intellect than the study of the Scriptures. No other book is so potent to elevate the thoughts, to give vigor to the faculties, as the broad, ennobling truths of the Bible. If God’s word were studied as it should be, men would have a breadth of mind, a nobility of character, and a stability of purpose rarely seen in these times.” Steps to Christ, p. 90.

A. DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

1. Why were God’s people in ancient times destroyed?

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast…”.
Isaiah 5: 13 “my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.”

2. Why did the Jewish leaders err in many of their decisions and actions?

Matthew 22: 29 “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

3. Why is it that the Jews did not understand the Scriptures when it is being read in their synagogue every sabbath?

2 Cor. 3: 14, 15 “But their minds were blinded…But even unto this day, when (the book of) Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.”

B. MEDECINE FOR SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS

4. Who blinds the minds of men and by what means were they blinded?

2 Cor. 4: 3, 4 “In whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not…”

Satan uses the spirit of doubt and unbelief to blind the minds of men “lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Peter 4:4 second part. When a man listens to the reading of the Scriptures with his heart full of doubt and unbelief, there is a vail that effectively bar the entrance of the truth in the mind.

5. Is it possible for the vail of doubt and unbelief to be taken away from man?

2 Cor. 3:16, 17 “…When it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away…”
Revelation 3:17, 18 “…thou art…blind…I counsel thee to…anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

Spiritual blindness due to doubt and unbelief is curable. “The eyesalve is that spiritual discernment which will enable you to see the wiles of Satan and shun them, to detect sin and abhor it, to see truth and obey it.” -Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 233.

“The eyesalve is obtained by earnest seeking of the Lord. We are to come to God confessing our sins and humbling our hearts before him.” General Conference Bulletin, June 6, 1909.

C. NO CURE FOR WILLFUL BLINDNESS

6. Why is it that many could not come to the knowlege of the truth in spite of their efforts to learn from the scriptures?

2 Timothy 3:6, 7 “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

What sort of people are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth? Verse 6 said that this “sorts” of people are they who refuse to be zealous and repent of their sins, but instead they “creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.” They do not obtain eyesalve because they do not seek it “by earnest seeking of the Lord.” They do not come to God confessing their sins and humbling their hearts. Therefore they cannot see.

7. What is commonly given as a reason why many people were not able to come to the knowledge of the truth?

2 Peter 3:16 In the bible there “are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures…”

Many people complain that the Bible is hard to be understood and this is true for the author of Scriptures is infinite in wisdom and no doubt many passages may never be understood in this life. This fact gives occasion for people with unstable mind to wrest the scriptures unto their own destruction. But we need not be discouraged, for when we study the word of God under certain conditions, the Lord promised to open our minds to understand the Scriptures.

8. What is God’s desire for all men with regards to the truth contained in the Holy Scriptures?

1 Timothy 2:3, 4 “This is good…in…God…who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.”

D. CONDITION FOR UNDERSTANDING GOD’S WORD

1). What is one condition that we must observe in our study of the Bible?

2 Peter 2:20 “… no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”
Proverbs 3:5, 6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
2 Timothy 3:1, 7 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Private interpretaion of the bible is forbidden. We should let the Bible interprete itself. How this is done will be discuss later in this book when we come to the lesson on the biblical method of Bible study.

2). What is a second condition for understanding the Bible aright?

James 1:5, 6 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally…and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting…”
John 16:13 “the Spirit of truth… shall guide you into all truth…”
Psalms 119:18 “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold…things out of thy law.”

To ask wisdom of God means to pray. Before the disciples could understand the scriptures Christ has to open their mind first. “Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures…” Luke 24:45. Christ could open the mind of all who today ask for wisdom to understand the Scriptures.

“We can attain to an understanding of God’s word only through the illumination of that Spirit by which the word was given. ‘The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God;’ ‘for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.’ And the Saviour’s promise to His followers was: ‘When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth. . . . For He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.'” Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 703:2.

3. What is a third condition that God sets forth for understanding his words?

Matt. 11:25 Jesus said, “I thank thee, O Father… because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes (those who possess the humble and treachable spirit of a child).”

“Whenever the study of the Scriptures is entered upon without a prayerful, humble, teachable spirit, the plainest and simplest as well as the most difficult passages will be wrested (distorted) from their true meaning.” Great Controversy, p. 521.

4). What is a fourth condition for understanding the Scriptures?

2 Tim. 2:7 “Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things.”

The word consider means “To fix the mind on, with a view to a careful examination; to think on with care; to ponder; to study; to meditate on.” Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. A casual reading of the Bible yields no good understanding. But he who consider, carefully examine and medidate on what he reads shall have the promise fulfilled in him that “the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things.”

5). What is a fifth condition that God gave for understanding the Bible?

John 7:17 “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.”

Our motive and attitude in studying the Bible will determine which angel will stand by our side. If we study the Bible in order to know the will of God for us with the intention of obeying it for his own glory, holy angels will be on our side to help us understand what we are studying. But if our motive is wrong, having no desire to know and do God’s will, evil angels will be by our side to impress our mind with wrong interpretations of the Bible.

“The spirit in which you come to the investigation of the Scriptures will determine the character of the assistant at your side. Angels from the world of light will be with those who in humility of heart seek for divine guidance. But if the Bible is opened with irreverence, with a feeling of self-sufficiency, if the heart is filled with prejudice, Satan is beside you, and he will set the plain statements of God’s word in a perverted light.” Gospel Workers, page 127.

“Whenever men are not seeking, in word and deed, to be in harmony with God, then, however learned they may be, they are liable to err in their understanding of Scripture, and it is not safe to trust to their explanations. When we are truly seeking to do God’s will, the Holy Spirit takes the precepts of His word and makes them the principles of the life, writing them on the tablets of the soul. And it is only those who are following the light already given that can hope to receive the further illumination of the Spirit. This is plainly stated in the words of Christ: ‘If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.'” Testimonies, Vol. 5, page 705:1.

6). What is a sixth condition for arriving at the knowledge of the truth?

Jeremiah 29:13 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

1 Peter 1: 10 “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify…”

Proverbs 2:2-6 “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”

We must really search for truth like a miner going deep into the earth looking for precious metals. Even if we have all the true principles for studying the Bible, if we do not spend sufficient time studying, we still will not find God’s truth for today.

“The word of God is plain to all who study it with a prayerful heart. Every truly honest soul will come to the light of truth. “Light is sown for the righteous.” Psalm 97:11. And no church can advance in holiness unless its members are earnestly seeking for truth as for hid treasure.” The Great Controversy, p. 521.

“But the most valuable teaching of the Bible is not to be gained by occasional or disconnected study. Its great system of truth is not so presented as to be discerned by the hasty or careless reader. Many of its treasures lie far beneath the surface, and can be obtained only by diligent research and continuous effort. The truths that go to make up the great whole must be searched out and gathered up…” Education, p. 123.

7). What is a seventh condition for understanding truth?

John 8:31, 32 Jesus said “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

We must follow what we already know to be truth. Why should God reveal more truth to us if we are not following what He has already revealed to us? It will only increase our accountability.

CONCLUSION:

“Let us study more diligently the Word of God. The Bible is so plain and clear that all who will may understand… The study of these precious volumes will teach us how to form characters that will reveal the attributes of Christ.”

“Thy word have I hid in mind heart that I might not sin against thee…I will not forget thy words” (Psalms 119:11, 16). God’s words must be lodged in our hearts and become part of us, not as the Pharisees who deligently searched the scriptures and then reject the Christ of the Scriptures.” Selected Messages, p. 359.3

 

This is an excerpt from the book “The Bible and How to Understand It” by Peter C. Cay-ohen