Question: Why Is The Bible So Hard To Understand?
Donald Bohanon: The Bible is not a typical book you read that is easily understood and that is centered on and or focused on one topic or issue. The Bible is instead a compilation of different books merged into one that all support each other in one way or another. While outlining different situations, events, or individuals. Riddled with historical events and facts supported by numerous archaeological finds that fully support those events.
It is also full of symbolism that can only be understood as the meaning of certain verses is revealed throughout its pages Isaiah 28:10. Education and knowledge alone will never be sufficient enough to properly interpret the Bible.
It can only be understood by having knowledge of it while understanding the symbolism throughout while being led by the holy spirit ( which you will never receive by the way if you are not obedient to God’s Ten commandments and word Acts 5:32 ) as the holy spirit serves as the teacher and instructor as it speaks to you and guides you while you study.
You will know if it’s God speaking to you through his holy spirit because what it’s teaching will never be in conflict with God’s word. If it’s in conflict with the Bible it’s not of or from God it is from the enemy Satan. And you can’t claim to bear the fruits of the holy spirit when you can’t receive the holy spirit because you refuse to obey God’s word Acts 5:32, Matthew 9:17. As well as understanding the absolute importance and necessity of allowing it to interpret itself.
Christ also tells us in Matthew 9:17 that a man doesn’t put new wine in old bottles lest the bottles break and the wine perish but a man puts new wine in new bottles and both are preserved. Jesus Christ is speaking from a spiritual perspective. The point Christ is making is that God won’t put his spirit in an unclean vessel. This further confirms and supports Acts 5:32. The vessel or person must first work to obey the Ten Commandments and the Bible and put sin to rest before they can or will receive the holy spirit. Until that happens the spirit is dwelling with the individual teaching, strengthening, and guiding them until they are prepared for the indwelling of the holy spirit John 14:15-17.
I have heard a number of people claim to have read the Bible from front to back and because of it, they claim to know it and have a deep understanding of it. That is a complete lie and falsehood because reading it alone will never yield true understanding about the more profound and complex verses and issues in the Bible without following everything else outlined in it. Most who claim to have read it from front to back haven’t, really, and many of those who claim to understand it don’t, and that’s easily discernable based on their complete ignorance of it and their behavior that’s in many cases in total conflict with it.
The reason the Bible is so hard to understand is because most people refuse to do what God says in relation to keeping his ten commandments and word. So they will never receive his holy spirit which is absolutely crucial to truly understanding it, and because of that, they can never come to a true understanding of it Acts 5:32. Not to mention always allowing the Bible to interpret itself, etc.
And let me emphasize, being able to quote a few bible verses, and having a deep spiritual understanding of God’s word are two totally different things. There are many people who can quote a few verses in the Bible while still being completely ignorant of it. Because they’re disobedient to it.
And that’s because they don’t follow the requirements to fully come to an understanding of it. Most also refuse to take the time to study and search for references in different books of the Bible that support or confirm the same verse or topic in other books of the Bible so they are reduced to applying their own personal interpretation to it which pushes that person deeper into confusion, darkness and deception.
Many also don’t understand the many symbolisms in the Bible and how they may be describing certain prophetic events, landmarks, individuals, or, circumstances etc. So their confusion and ignorance of it is instead compounded after reading it. That’s why it’s so hard to understand by most. So instead of being knowledgeable about it as most claim they are after reading it, from front to back, (which most haven’t) they instead become even more confused and deluded about it after claiming to have read it, while at the same time falsely claiming to truly understand it.
Because you can never truly understand it while at the same time rejecting its instruction on how to follow and obey God and his word but instead proudly, and openly, defying it and rebelling against it. God will never yield true understanding of his word to a rebellious, proud, defiant individual like that.
That person will instead grow more confused and deluded by the word of God as they study it because they refuse to fully yield to God in relation to it. They will instead continue to twist the word of God as they apply their own personal interpretation to it. Twisting it to fit or justify their own unbiblical behavior, lusts, greed, etc, in an effort to make themselves appear righteous in the eyes of ignorant listeners and observers while they continue in sin and rebellion. That’s completely unacceptable to God. That person will instead become more confused and disobedient as they read the word of God. As opposed to being enlightened, wise, obedient, and knowledgeable, for the person who obeys it, as they study it. While taking everything that it says seriously to heart.