Understand the Bible/Is It Just a Small Misunderstanding?

WHY IS THE BIBLE SOMETIMES MISUNDERSTOOD?

As you can see from those examples, people often misunderstand passages they read in the Bible. But why would God allow that to happen? Some might reason:  'If God is all-wise and all-knowing, he could have provided us with a book so clearly written that everyone would easily understand it. Why did he not do that?'  Consider three reasons why the Bible is often misunderstood.

1. The Bible is designed to be understood by those who are humble and willing to learn.   Jesus said to his Father:  "I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of  heaven and earth, because you have carefully hidden these things from wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children." (Luke 10:21) The Bible is written in such a way that only those with a right attitude would understand it message.  People with a proud attitude-a common trait of "wise and intellectual ones"-tend to misunderstand the Bible.  But people who red the Bible with attitude of  "young children"-humble and eager to learn-are rewarded with a better understanding of God's message. How skillfully God has designed the Bible. 

2. The Bible is directed to people who honestly want God's help to understand it.   Jesus showed that people would need help to understand fully what he taught. How would they receive it?  Jesus explained:  "The helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things." (John 14:26)  So God provides his holy spirit-his powerful active force-to help people understand what they read in the Bible.  However, God withholds his spirit from who do not rely on him to help them, so the Bible often seems obscure to them.  The holy spirit also moves more  knowledgeable Christians to come to the aid of those seeking greater understanding. -Acts 8:26-35. 

3. Some Bible passages can by understood by humans only at the proper time in history.  For example, the prophet Daniel was told to write down a message for the future. An angel told him:  "Daniel, keep the words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end."  Over the centuries, many people have read the Bible book of Daniel but could not really understand it. In fact, Daniel himself did not understand some of what he wrote down. He humbly admitted:  "I heard, but I could not understand."   Eventually, people would correctly understand God's prophecy written down by Daniel, but only at the particular time in history that God selected.  The angel explained:  "Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up  until the time of the end."  Who will understand God's messages?  "None of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand."  (Daniel 12:4, 8-10)  So God does reveal the meaning of certain Bible passages until the right time arrives.

Has timing ever caused Jehovah's Witnesses to misunderstand the Bible?  Yes. But when God's time came to make matters clearer, the Witnesses readily adjusted their  understanding.  They believe that they thereby imitate Christ's apostles, who humbly adjusted their thinking whenever Jesus corrected them. -Acts 1:6, 7. 

A little girl's fanciful ideas about where clouds come from may be just a small misunderstanding. However, what the Bible teaches is of major importance to you.  The Bible's message is too important  for anyone to try to understand on his own by private reading.  (I beg to differ, I have learned a lot on my own before I had Bible study and later, but for some passages, you do need help) So seek help to understand what you are reading. Seek out those who study the Bible with a humble attitude, people who rely on God's holy spirit to understand the Bible, people who are convinced that we are living at a point in history when God wants us to understand the Bible as never before.  Do not hesitate to speak with Jehovah's Witnesses or to read their careful research on the jw.org website. The Bible promises:  "If you call out for understanding . . . , you will find the knowledge of God." -Proverbs 2:3-5.

Next time:  Escape From Slavery - Then And Now

From the J.w.org publications