This article is written to explain the correct and only way to understand the Bible.
The Bible is like a box of puzzle pieces, and each denomination employs a team of
Greek and Hebrew scholars to put the pieces together.
The Catholics put the pieces together and stress church authority, intercession by the
saints, and the presence of God in communion. The Methodists put the pieces together
and do good works. The Presbyterians put the pieces together and see the predetermined
plan of God. The Pentecostals put the pieces together and see water baptism as the new
birth. Each church, or rather, club, uses the same puzzle pieces, but each group comes
up with a different picture. Why?
The reason why each denomination comes up with a different picture is because they
try to understand the Bible with the carnal, natural, intellectual mind, and the Bible
cannot be known through the intellect of man.
Jesus prayed in Matthew 11:25, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them
unto babes.” Please notice the word revealed. The only way to understand the Bible is
through divine revelation.
I know some groups reject divine revelation and proudly proclaim, “God speaks only
through His word.” When a person tells me, “God speaks only through His word,” I
accept his declaration of ignorance and leave him alone. Without divine revelation of
what the Word means, the Bible cannot be understood.
Jesus said in John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will
guide you into all truth.” The only way to know the truth is for the Holy Ghost to open
one's eyes to see the truth. All the Bible experts at the time of Jesus completely missed
the mark, but one day on the road to Emmaus, Jesus walked with two disciples and
opened their eyes to understand the scriptures. Until Jesus opens one's eyes, it is
impossible for one to understand the Bible.
Luke 24 relates the story of the walk with Jesus. When the Bible class was over,
Jesus vanished out of their sight, and the disciples said one to another, “Did not our heart
burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the
scriptures?”
The only way to understand the Bible is to have Jesus Christ himself teach you the
Bible. Now don't get me wrong: Bible commentaries are good if one knows the correct
way to use them. The correct way to use a Bible commentary is to tear the pages out
one by one and use them to build a nice fire in your fireplace. After the fire has started,
kneel down and pray, asking Jesus to open the scriptures unto you. Get comfortable,
read your Bible, and enjoy that which Jesus reveals to you.