Can We Understand the Bible?

Of all the literature that has ever been written, the Bible is among the deepest and most complex. It contains sixty-six separate books and letters that each have different writers and contexts. Within its pages, we find poetry, historical information, and even prophecies. Some books are short and straight-forward while others require deep study to fully grasp. It is undeniable that the Bible is at times hard to understand for many of us. What that can create within us is discouragement, for we think we will never fully know what the Bible teaches. That downcast spirit then produces the question, “why bother trying?” Some make the situation worse by arriving at contradictory conclusions that seem to be at odds with clear Bible passages. Even more problematic are some denominational bodies that claim no ordinary person can understand what the Bible says apart from the clergy. With all these difficulties between us and what the Bible says, is it even possible to understand it?
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No answer to our titular question is complete without acknowledging an oft-overlooked fact about God. If God is the Creator of the universe, who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present, then it logically follows that He would seek to communicate with His creation. In Scripture, we discover that God has in every era expressed His will to humanity. Early on, God communicated His will to men like Noah and Abraham (Genesis 6:13-21; 12:1-3). He spoke through Moses many years later to communicate His will to Israel (Exodus 3:7-10). Throughout the history of Israel, God sent prophet after prophet to make His will known to each generation (2 Chronicles 36:15). From the first century to today, God has communicated His will through Jesus Christ and those who heard Him, which we have recorded in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:1-4). All these passages establish that God has consistently spoken to humanity throughout the ages. God would not give us a message that is impossible to understand, nor would He leave us to our own devices. Either option would make God less than what He is. If we believe in God, or even in the concept of a higher power, we must acknowledge that such power naturally lends itself to One who could easily communicate His will in a consistent and understandable way.

It is also important to consider what the Bible writers stated about what they wrote. There is little room for missing the point of a passage like this: “by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4). In the context of this passage, Paul speaks of God’s revelation of the “mystery,” which refers to that which was hidden in the past being revealed in the present. The specific mystery of which Paul speaks is that the Gentiles, or non-Jewish people, could be “fellow heirs” and “partakers” of Christ’s promise in the gospel (Ephesians 3:6). Focus on what Paul states about these teachings: when the Ephesians read them in the first century, they could understand the meaning of Paul’s words. They too could appreciate the revelation of this mystery and glorify God for His grace shown to all people, both Jewish and Gentile. Otherwise, why would Paul note that they could understand if it was beyond their comprehension? Today, we can still understand what Paul wrote in Ephesians, and it is possible to expand that reality throughout all Scripture. While some passages present significant challenges to interpretation, that does not change the fact we can understand what God has given us in the Bible.

There is another significant point to help us answer the question we have posed. In the gospels, Jesus never gives the impression that the Scriptures were impossible to understand or interpret. In fact, on some occasions, He chides religious leaders who should have known better. Think about what Jesus told the Jewish ruler Nicodemus (John 3:9-10). Jesus indicates that because Nicodemus was a teacher in Israel, he should have understood the new birth. Would Jesus expect that knowledge if it were impossible for Nicodemus to possess it? We can see a similar situation unfold with the Sadducees. They denied the resurrection and sought to trap Jesus in His words, but He turned the tables on them. Jesus stated they were mistaken and did not know the Scriptures nor God’s power (Matthew 22:29-32). Like Nicodemus, they should have known, but they did not. Again, would Jesus expect such knowledge if it were impossible for these men to possess it? The answer should be clear based on how Jesus responds.

We have merely scratched the surface on whether we can understand what the Bible says. We again affirm that some passages in the Bible are hard to interpret, but that does not make them impossible. With diligent study and a heart that seeks to learn, we can and will grasp Bible teaching. However, the most important part of understanding the Bible is not just in what we mentally acknowledge but in what we practice. Scholars and religious leaders across the world have lengthy passages of the Bible memorized, yet they do not live out what they know. Let us take heed to what Jesus taught us concerning hearing and doing what He said (Matthew 7:24-27). The true mark of one who understands the Bible is not a person who can repeat memorized facts but someone who lives its teachings. Friends, we can understand the Bible, and because we can understand it, let us make sure we obey what it teaches us.