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Matthew 5-7 – Is Understanding the Bible Easy or Hard?
“It is clear that there must be difficulties for us in a revelation such as the Bible. If someone were to hand me a book that was as simple to me as the multiplication table, and say, ‘This is the Word of God. In it He has revealed His whole will and wisdom,’ I would shake my head and say, ‘I cannot believe it; that is too easy to be a perfect revelation of infinite wisdom.’ There must be, in any complete revelation of God’s mind and will and character and being, things hard for the beginner to understand; and the wisest and best of us are but beginners.” –R.A. Torrey
Is the Bible easy or difficult to understand? With the above quote in mind, let me “throw out” some ideas and if they are really bad, you can also “throw out” my ideas!
What I am about to present is not a conclusion on my part. I am “thinking out loud.” Consequently I am asking you to think with me. When it comes to learning and teaching, what is my “job?” Sometimes I sense people expect the preacher to do their thinking for them because he has all the answers. Not only do I not know all of the answers, I do not even know all of the questions. If anyone thinks I have all the answers, just spend a little more time with me! Plus, I consider it part of my “job” to make people think, not to tell them everything to think.
First, let me establish some foundation statements about how the Bible communicates truth:
- I believe that the N.T. does establish for us patterns (Hebrews 8:5) of conduct, whether for us individually, as families, as workers, citizens, or as a congregation.
- I believe that these patterns are communicated and understood through common sense. Commonly we teach and learn through principles of truth, commands, statements, examples, and conclusions based upon all of the above called “necessary implications” or “necessary inferences.” What is important to remember hermeneutically is that none of the above methods can contradict any of the others: scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35).
We want to understand the Bible…and we can. We want to know what does God expect of us…and it is possible Again, let’s ask questions:
- Is it always easy to know and understand what God expects of us?
- Does God expect the same things from everyone?
Some immediately want to answer yes to both questions. I hesitate but say “no.”
In understanding the Bible, we need to see that the following two scriptures are not contradictory:
- Ephesians 3:3-4 – [3] that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. [4] By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
- 2 Peter 3:14 – [14] Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, [15] and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, [16] as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Apparently the Bible is not always easy to understand. Apparently we can misunderstand even the difficult parts and it is considered important enough by God that we destroy our own selves spiritually…and others.
Let’s lay the foundation for our syllogistic thought:
- Major Premise in the form of a question – Should the N.T. be interpreted as nothing more than looking for laws as much of the O.T. was? I would suggest the possibility that the answer is no.
- Minor Premise in the form of a question – Should the N.T. be interpreted as “easy’ and “obvious” in trying to find God’s expectations? I again would suggest the possibility that the answer is no.
What would possibly lead me to these “absurd” questions? When I look at the teachings of Jesus, I see something deeper than surface commands, although obvious commands are issued, and obviously required. Commands, statements, principles, examples, inferences are all used, but more to the point is why are they used?
- How does knowing them help me become more of what God expects me to become?
- How does the process of discovering them also affect me spiritually?
For example, in looking at the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus went beyond the obvious and tried to get them to see the principle behind the precept which could extend them beyond obeying law only, leading to becoming godly while obeying the law. In other words, the goal was not obeying law, but becoming godly which included obeying law…and the principle behind it: External and Internal. Apply Matthew 9:13 and Matthew 12:7 using this principle. Did Jesus deny that law existed? Jesus wanted His hearers to go behind the law to see the God of the law, and to see themselves. Both are difficult tasks at times, and yet obviously clear at other times.
The theme of the Sermon on the Mount is a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees and Scribes (5:20). The key to obeying that pursuit is being poor in spirit (5:3). The end is becoming what the God of the law intended for us become by giving us the law.
In another example, when looking at the parables of Jesus, we see some obvious teaching, but often even the apostles did not understand. What they needed was a change of heart to interpret – which is needed to see the implication by inferring the truth. Too often nowadays people dismiss implications by asking, “Inferred by whom?” What we see in Jesus’ teaching methodology is that He – amazingly so – was not simply interested in making the law so obvious that anyone could obey. If He did that, then we would become deceived into thinking we are righteous for no other reason than we are obeying law. Jesus was trying to separate those who wanted to pursue righteousness, from those who just were content to obey laws. This is how we should understand Matthew 13:10-15 and Luke 8:9-10. Apparently Jesus wanted to make understanding difficult to separate those who were truly interested from those only marginally so.
Where does this lead me? First, I have to continue to look at myself to see how godly I am. Second, I have to continue to look at the law of Christ and try to see what it includes and the principles behind it so that I do not be Pharisaical in becoming only a law-seeker. Third, I have to be more patient with others, because maybe God expects more of me than them due to my current level of maturity. Fourth, I cannot denigrate law or patterns, because that is included. Fifth I need to not be content with law or patterns, because that is not all that is included. Sixth, I need to see what effect the laws, commands, principles, examples, and inferences have in making me spiritually mature.
So, is the Bible easy to understand? Yes…and no. It depends on how deeply we want to get involved in understanding the God of the Bible, and how deeply we want to become like the God of the Bible. That’s what He expects. Sometimes that is easy…and sometimes it is hard.
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