Why is the Bible so Hard to Understand?

(Introduction and Lesson One)
 
How is it that the Bible is thought to be hard to understand?

When one considers that it was written in the common language of the day, to common people of the day, using examples common to the culture, it seems clear to me that too much is made of the Bible being beyond the understanding of most people.  Hopefully when you finish this study you find such to not be so.  In fact, my prayer and hope is that you actually get a feel for Scripture as opposed to knowing  separated and unrelated facts that seem to have no connection with one another.

The Plan

Someone once said the key to a good lesson is,

“Tell ‘em what you are going to tell ‘em, tell ‘em, and then tell ‘em what you told them. “

Of course the key to this teaching method is repetition.  So it is that as one works their way through these lessons, the key will be repetition.  Therefore if something is not clear return to the previous lesson and review.

Faulty Assumption

The problem, it seems, is that our assumptions get in the way of reality. Yet, when we look at the various writers of the Scriptures and as well, those to whom the writings were address, it seems clear that "available to the common man" was a very high priority. That is not to say that there were not those who liked to plumb the depths of theological discourse (e.g. Paul in Romans); those who knew the king’s court and the statesmanship that accompanied such a life style (e.g. Esther, David, etc.) but most were of common ancestry and accomplishment.

Obstacles to Cross

For the present consider that among the obstacles that one needs to factor into the matter of understanding the Bible are the following.  The next blog submission will treat this subject.

Language:  The issues involved here are that between languages at times there are only rough equivalents.  For example in the Greek language the most important element of the sentence began the sentence.  Their system of word beginning and endings allowed for such to be so.  Of course in English the language is phonetic and so in order to make the original sentence readable the sentence at times is rearranged.

Culture:  Again it is difficult for one to cross this barrier for understanding is lost in the process.  For example in the Books of Moses, to name was to establish position.  So when God brought the animals He had created to Adam to name, it was not just calling a duck a duck or a dog a dog, but it was to establish Adam’s position in relationship with that duck and that dog.

Mind set:  Another element to consider is that in the oriental thinking of the time, chronology was not an important item.  So it was that in English sequence is important, in that culture it was more a shot-gun approach.

Setting:  All of the writings of the Scriptures were within a context.  It may be the writing itself or the story but all were in a situation.  It may have been within an historical context, a geographical context, or some other setting.  Therefore, it is important to understand something of the setting. 

First Panorama

Now turn your attention to the first look at the Panorama of Scripture.  Of course in later views each of these areas will be viewed on a deeper and deeper level.  If you follow the program your insights and understandings of Scripture will deepen. Actually it is a panorama that sets the Bible in the context of reality.

The Eternal Past:  “What was there in the eternal past?”  Very simply God created, that is called all things into being from nothing.  Before those events listed in the Book of Genesis, the Bible is silent as to the conditions present.

As to the age of the earth, there is much speculation.  It is beyond the purview of this lesson to treat the subject.

The Old Testament:  The Old Testament (testament means covenant) tells the story of beginnings.  In its pages are the beginning of nature, man, the Jewish people, the Law, sin, and so much more.  It also is the story of the Children of Israel and their growth into a nation and some of the problems and challenges that faced the nation as it grows and matures, fails and is then re-established.  

The Old Testament is cyclical, that is the books fit comfortably into two cycles.  Later we will see how it lays out in terms of those cycles.

The Inter-Testamental Period:  Between the last book of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament there was a 400 year period in which significant Geo-political events took place to prepare for the events of the New Testament.

The events in this period of time are foretold in the Old Testament and then came about just as prophesied.  Reading the prophecies is like reading a history book except that they were given years and years before the actual events.

The New Testament:  The New Testament begin with the coming of Jesus into the world.  it goes on to tell the story of the life and times of Jesus.  it continues with His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension back to the Father.  It goes on to tell of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the Church and the growth of the fledgling Church.  It tells how amidst trials and challenges the Church was established.  It ends with the telling of future events. 

The Eternal Future:  Although the Bible provides more information about the eternal future than it does about the eternal past, still in all there is much mystery associated with it.  Drawing from Old Testament writings as well as New Testament writings one finds that themes which originated in the opening pages of the Old Testament find their culmination in this period in which there is no time.   

The five sections just described are the foundational framework which underpins the remainder of the study.  The various lessons as they are prepared will push deeper into four of these eras, the Old Testament, the Inter-Testamental Period, the New Testament, and the Eternal Future.

Basic Diagram

Once the above sections are brought together it results in a diagram which approximates the following.  In order to begin to lay the foundation it might be a good idea to sketch out this diagram and label it.  Then repeat doing it until you can accurately reproduce it from memory.  Remember the key is repetition.