Why is it Difficult to Understand the Bible?

Do you struggle to understand the Bible?

You’ve probably heard several reasons why this might be true. Some are obvious.

For example, apostles Paul and Peter noted that the Holy Spirit is the ultimate author, working through people to write God’s Word. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim. 3:16). And Peter wrote, “No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21). So it’s logical to conclude that those who don’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit do not have access to the understanding provided by the Author of the Scriptures.

But there’s another reason we can struggle to understand Scripture. I was recently reminded of this in a Bible study I taught. This reason is less familiar to many and yet explains so much. John Walton, an Old Testament scholar and a former professor of Wheaton College and Moody Bible Institute, has been quoted as saying:

“The Bible was written for us, but not to us.”

For us, not to us. This statement explains so much. Forty different authors wrote the Bible over a period of 1500 years. It was written to Jewish—and later Christian—readers who lived thousands of years before us.

This is why in-depth Bible study includes more than just reading God’s Word. It’s why a thorough study of Scripture includes an understanding of biblical context. “Context is king” is the rallying cry of many Bible commentators. And historical and cultural context is important for us to understand how the original recipients would have understood what they were reading.

We are also helped by understanding the different types of literature in the Bible, including poetry, parables, and prophecy, as well as history and biography. Completing word and character studies also provide greater insight into Bible passages.

Scripture was written to readers who lived significantly different lives from us today. But the Bible is still for us, even now in the 21^st century.

So before you open God’s Word, ask God’s Spirit for understanding. Then be prepared to dig deep to mine the treasures in His Word. When you do, the Bible becomes more than a historical account or an instruction book for life.

Instead, it will become to you a love letter from the Father to His children, a message of salvation from the Savior to the lost, and an encouragement from the Holy Spirit to your spirit.