Why is it so hard to read the Bible?

It is hard to read the Bible for 4 reasons: language, culture, content, and resistance.

1) Written in ancient foreign language

Even modern-day Jews, who speak Hebrew and are currently living in Biblical cities in Israel, have a hard time understanding the Bible. For thousands of years, their Rabbis have been writing commentaries about the Old Testament to help contemporary generations understand. Some Jews have given up reading the Bible and only read the commentaries. Imagine how much more difficult it is for those of us who don’t speak Hebrew or Greek and have never been anywhere near the Biblical cities described in the Bible.

In addition, most of the human scribes, that wrote down the inspired word of God, were not learned experienced writers. They were endued with power from on high and wrote as the Spirit led them. Sometimes the sentence structure is clumsy and confusing. Sometimes the subject is ambiguous. Sometimes the point of view or perspective changes suddenly. Sometimes the content changes from concrete realism to abstract metaphor, or visa versa, without any warning.

If we had been there during the first century, it would make much more sense to us. If we knew the men who wrote the scriptures, like the Apostle Paul, and understood his style, it would help us know what he meant. If we knew the problems that people in different places faced, we would understand it better. I thank God for modern translations like the New Living Translation, which try to convey the original sense of the text in modern language.

2) Occurs in ancient foreign culture

When we read events in the Bible, they are foreign to our modern culture. What does taking your shoe off have to do with making an agreement? Who anoints one another with oil flowing down their head? Who gnashes their teeth and tears their clothes to express rage? Who needs a book to understand how people lived? Even Jews, who live in modern-day Israel, have a hard time understanding some of the cultural aspects of the Bible. Imagine how difficult it is for those of who don’t live in circumstances that are even close to Biblical culture.

3) Content must be spiritually discerned

• No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3)
• Why did Jesus speak to the people in parables? (Matthew 13:10-11)
• The mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it (Proverbs 14:6)
• The message is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18)
• Revealed to us by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10)
• So that we may understand what God has freely given us (1 Corinthians 2:12)
• The things of the Spirit are only discerned through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14)

4) Always being resisted by Satan

• Those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts (Matthew 13:1-23; Luke 8:4-15)
• Although they knew God, their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:18-32)
• The only real enemy of every Christian

The Answer is the Holy Spirit

• Jesus Christ promised to send an advocate who would teach us everything we need to know (John 14:15-31)
• The Advocate, who is the Spirit of truth, will testify about Jesus Christ (John 15:26-27)
• The Spirit of truth will guide you into all the truth (John 16:1-15)
• So we won’t be children tossed to and fro with ever wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)
• God promised we can ask God for wisdom when we need it (James 1:5-6)