November 2008

To Understand

'Understanding is the wellspring of life …'  Proverbs 16:22

The word ‘Understand’ is used in the Scriptures in the sense of:  to bring or set together, to perceive with the mind, to comprehend, to come to know.

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A speaker at a recent meeting of Christians concerned to understand Biblical truths, said:  ‘The Bible has never been more studied  - and less understood!’ This comment started a train of thought that is the subject of this month’s Bible Theme.

First, it is clear from the Scriptures themselves that an awareness, even a familiarity with the Scriptures, does not mean the same thing as either having an actual understanding of their meaning, or the ability to apply the Scriptures themselves to our own real life experience.

Consider those who in the time of Jesus Christ were experts in the Scriptures and actually met with Him. Addressing them, Jesus said:, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to me that you might have life”.     John 5:39   


Then too, there were those who had spent time with our Lord, had followed Him and listened to His own words as well as being acquainted with the Scriptures, but who completely failed to apply the Scriptures to their own real life experience involving Christ.

Two of them, on the way to a village called Emmaus, overwhelmed by the recent death of Christ upon the cross and by the events following, are joined by the risen Lord Jesus, who having listened to their bewildered explanations, rebukes them: “ O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”. ‘And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.’  Luke 24:25-27   


However, apart from that kind of ‘lack of understanding’, there is today a common and widespread ‘misunderstanding’ and confusion about Scripture truths. For instance, these days we have a multitude of Sects* who claim to have their own separate and particular understanding of Scripture truth. One writer suggests there are over 200 such ‘Sects’ all claiming that they alone have the only correct understanding of Scripture truth.

* NB most Sects of this kind share some distinguishing features, i.e. they cut themselves off from all other Christian believers ( the word ‘Sect’ has its origin in  ‘sectus’ –to cut ) insisting that they alone have a correct understanding of the Bible and its true meaning. Often, their beliefs stem from one person and those beliefs are taught in an authoritative and sometimes autocratic way, the Scriptures being used simply to endorse what is taught, there being little encouragement to ‘Search the Scriptures’ as our Lord instructed his hearers to do.

In contrast, we read of those in Berea, who we are told,’searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so’. They are commended, in Scripture, for their attitude as ‘Being more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica’ Acts 17:11   

 
 
 Another problem these days with understanding Christian truth, is that of  the ‘independence’ of individual conclusions. Often we can have minds so full of such ready-made conclusions that there is little room for spiritual perception and understanding to enter.

Similarly, there is that of being superficially satisfied in terms of Christian belief, some one invented the term ‘easy-decisionism’ to describe such a superficial approach to Christian truth I once asked a young man how he became a Christian and was told that he had been attending a party and dancing with an attractive young lady who informed him she was a Christian, so he decided to become one too – on the spot!

Of course, these problems stem from the kind of attitude described in the closing words of the Bible book of Judges: where: ‘everyone did what was right in his own eyes’  Judges 21:25   


Where do we begin in a genuine quest for spiritual understanding?
Perhaps, by following the counsel we find in the Bible book of James chapter 4 and verses 7 to 10, counsel that begins with the words: ‘‘Therefore submit to God’ and ends with the words: ‘Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up’. Hebrews 4:7-10


There are some striking examples in the Scriptures of such genuine humility.

At the first preaching of the gospel at Pentecost, recorded in Acts chapter two, we read of those who were present, that they were ‘cut to the heart’ at what they heard, so much so that they cried out: “What shall we do?”  On being told to ‘Repent and be baptized’, they did just that, consequently we are told, there were added to the Church that day three thousand souls.

Here, we note a heartfelt conviction, a sincere seeking, and finally an act of direct obedience.

Another interesting example of humility is found in the same book of Acts, chapter eight,  where a senior member of the Ethiopian Government was returning from Jerusalem in his chariot and reading, a passage from the Prophet Isaiah, ( Chapter 53 in our Bible ). Philip, an early evangelist, drawing near to the chariot and hearing him reading this remarkable passage asks: “Do you understand what you are reading?” 

The Ethiopian Chancellor responds: “How can I unless someone guides me?” As they journey together, from that same passage we read, Philip ‘preached Jesus to him’.

Interestingly, that guidance must have included the need to be baptized since it is also recorded that the Ethiopian seeing water by the roadside, says: “See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”  Philip responds positively, “If you believe with all your heart, you may”.  After his baptism we read that the Ethiopian, ‘Went on his way rejoicing’

Is there in Scripture a pattern for understanding Scriptural truth?

Perhaps the most consistent use of the words ‘understand’ and ‘understanding’ in the Bible, has to do with a genuine repentance and humility towards God, a sincere admission of our need for instruction and guidance, that finds its fulfilment in the sovereign work of God the Holy Spirit who will, we are promised, ‘guide us into all truth’. John 16:13