Reading the Bible is a learned art

“And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation – as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15-16 NKJV).

I enjoy maps. I am not much of a GPS person.
Electronic navigation tools may be fine for young folks who cut their teeth on computer games, but I like a good old paper map. Part of that is simply familiarity based on long time use. However a lot of it is that I enjoy the visualization of a good map. I can judge distance, gain perspectives, and get a feel for an area that I just don’t derive from hearing “Tom” talk me through the turns.

I realized long ago, however, that many people don’t use maps well. I have frequently asked preachers from Nepal or Bangladesh to locate their home area for me on a map. Most of the time they squint, look all over the sheet, and seem confused. Sometimes they place their area far away from where it actually is. In most cases this is the result of lack of familiarity with maps in general. Once they have been instructed as to how to interpret its symbols, they become much more proficient.

Reading the Bible is a learned art, just like reading a map. And it has been that way from the beginning of God’s word. Peter comments on the difficulty of understanding Paul’s epistles. If the inspired Peter had trouble, why are we so surprised that we do too? (I have always wondered if he was specifically referring to Romans).

At the beginning of the New Year, 2015, many will have made a resolution to read the Bible daily. Some will persist, while others no doubt will be distracted and perhaps discouraged and let this practice fall by the wayside. One reason often expressed for giving up is the difficulty of understanding. Some thoughts at the beginning of the process might be helpful.

First, though there are certainly difficult passages to understand in Scripture, there is much that is clear and plain to virtually anyone who will read with concentration and an open mind. The Bible was written by a variety of individuals, some of whom were “uneducated and untrained” (Acts 4:13).

God’s word was recorded in ordinary language of common people, not a special “heavenly tongue” nor in technical academic jargon. The subject matter of certain parts ensures a depth that requires more study.
Other subjects, however, are simple enough for children.

Inexperienced readers should focus on simpler thoughts and ideas and reserve the obscure and difficult for later times, when they may be more capable of understanding.

Second, the Bible should be studied specifically. One does not normally open a map and attempt to memorize every road or town on it. Usually we focus upon a route or destination which we intend to use. A frequent traveler may eventually learn an entire state or region well, but it is not done in one trip or by one look at a map. Reading the Bible completely through will give us a general familiarity; in-depth study of doctrine should be attempted one subject or text at a time.

Finally, reading the Bible should be given greater importance than any map. A map contains essential data to the traveler seeking directions. The Bible’s information is even more important. Consulting it is not optional for those who intend to travel towards Heaven. There is only one Way (John 14:6). It may be learned only from one source. Let us be persistent and faithful as we read.

–by Michael E. Brooks

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