{"id":296,"date":"2025-11-06T21:24:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T21:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/?p=296"},"modified":"2025-11-26T15:04:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T15:04:12","slug":"understanding-the-bible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/understanding-the-bible\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Bible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"\/index.php\">Home<\/a> &gt; <a href=\"\/content\/resources-for-christian-discipleship.php\">Resources<\/a> &gt; <a href=\"\/en\/school-of-discipleship\/\">School of Discipleship<\/a> &gt; Understanding the Bible<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.612), 21px);\">\u201cWho needs a teacher? The Bible is plain and simple. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is there to help us understand it.\u201d So goes a common refrain among Christians. Even so, anointed learning is better than anointed ignorance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have read the sacred books of other religions, you will be surprised to note that the Bible, generally, is simple, clear, and to-the-point. We refer to this as the <em>perspicuity<\/em> of the Bible. Anyone who has a reasonable knowledge of a language will be able to understand the essential message of the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it should be noted that the apparent \u2018simplicity\u2019 of the Bible might make us believe that a casual reading is all it takes for us to understand a passage correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A child who stands on a beach experiences an ocean as a body of water that is just ankle-deep until he begins to venture into the deep. Similarly, a casual reader might mistakenly conclude that the Bible is a mere puddle. Only a few take the effort to go any deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take, for instance, the case of an Indian mother who stumbled upon a secret correspondence between her son and his Christian friends. She was upset and angry that her son had chosen to follow Christ. This discovery disturbed her all the more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSo, is <em>this<\/em> what your Christian friends are teaching you? Why do they want you to kill your poor father?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her son was puzzled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLook at what they have written to you: <em>Put your old man to death.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The son heaved a sigh of relief. It was now the mother\u2019s turn to be puzzled. \u201cPutting the old man to death\u201d is a biblical expression for putting one\u2019s past ways of sin aside in order to put on a new virtuous self! That is the heart and soul of true conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, the <em>apparent<\/em> simplicity of the Bible proved to be deceptive in this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the first Bible passages that a Christian child memorizes is Psalm 23. It may not be too difficult for a person to understand the first line of that Hebrew song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cThe Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who doesn\u2019t know what a shepherd does? God Almighty was the song-writer\u2019s \u201cshepherd;\u201d therefore, the psalmist didn\u2019t lack anything. If the Lord is our shepherd, we too will not be in want. It\u2019s as simple as that, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what did Jesus mean by this statement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cI am the good shepherd.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or, take for instance what God spoke through prophet Ezekiel about Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cMy servant David will be king over them; there will be one <em>shepherd<\/em> for all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What did God mean by the word \u201cshepherd?\u201d Yes, you guessed it right. \u201cShepherd,\u201d in this verse, means <em>king<\/em>. The word is also used to refer to leaders. What a beautiful word-picture that reminds leaders and rulers of their basic duty to care for those who look up to them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"mind-the-gap\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Mind the Gap\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"491\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/mindTheGap.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/mindTheGap.webp 800w, https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/mindTheGap-300x184.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Why is the <em>apparent<\/em> simplicity of the Bible deceptive? There are many unseen gaps between today\u2019s readers and the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There\u2019s a <em>historical<\/em> gap. The Bible was written several centuries ago. Therefore, we shouldn\u2019t read it as if it were a daily newspaper. Even with newspapers, readers who do not follow the course of current events may not fully understand a news story or a cartoon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Further, there is a <em>linguistic<\/em> gap between today\u2019s readers and the books of the Bible. The Hebrew Bible was written in Hebrew. The New Testament was written in <em>Koine<\/em> (common) Greek. Even the best translations are just that\u2014translations. They may not succeed in taking us into the unique sights, sounds, and scents of ancient Hebrew and Greek cultures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, there are <em>cultural<\/em> gaps. Culture refers to the way people do things. People of the Ancient Near East did things differently from the way we do things today. Food, clothing, communication, trade, travel, currency, housing, match-making, weddings, parenting, warfare \u2026 you name it. They did it all differently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More fundamentally, there are gaps between a modern reader\u2019s <em>worldview<\/em> and the worldviews of various peoples portrayed in the Bible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The better we understand these gaps, the better we can negotiate these. If we ignore the gaps, we might end up superimposing our imaginations and biases on the biblical text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good, dynamic translation of the Bible is supposed to help bridge the gap between the ancient text and the modern reader. (Dynamic translation is also called \u201cmeaning based translation.\u201d Instead of translating words and phrases literally, the meaning of the source text is expressed in the native idiom of the target language.) However, translators are often caught between the need to be faithful to the text and the need to convey the meaning in today\u2019s idiom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Observe how different translators render the apostle Paul\u2019s exhortation to Christians in the city of Corinth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cGreet one another with a holy kiss.\u201d \u2013 New International Version<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cGive each other a warm greeting.\u201d \u2013 Contemporary English Version<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cGreet one another with a holy embrace.\u201d \u2013 The Message<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cSalute one another with religious affection.\u201d \u2013 Mace New Testament<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Majority of English versions render the mode of greeting as \u201ca holy kiss.\u201d A faithful rendering does help us understand that people of the Mediterranean world greeted each other with a kiss. A few versions chose alternate phrases because most people in the English-speaking world do not greet one another with a <em>kiss<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s another example of how translators choose a literal or a dynamic approach while rendering Proverbs 6:10-11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cA little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.\u201d \u2013 English Standard Version<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cSleep a little. Doze a little. Fold your hands and twiddle your thumbs. Suddenly, everything is gone, as though it had been taken by an armed robber.\u201d \u2013 Contemporary English Version<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cA nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy &#8211; do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest! Always Cooking Up Something Nasty.\u201d \u2013 The Message<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cA little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest\u201d \u2014 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man. \u2013 New American Standard 1995<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cA little sleep, a little slumber, a little clasping of the hands to rest, and thy poverty hath come as a traveler, and thy want as an armed man.\u201d \u2013 Young\u2019s Literal Translation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While literal translations give us a feel of the Hebrew world, dynamic (meaning based) translations seek to minimize \u201cthe gap\u201d between the text and the reader. It is always a good practice to check several versions of the Bible in your language in order to get a richer perspective. Fortunately, these versions are available online for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"inductive-study\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inductive Study<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We can further \u201cmind the gap\u201d by prayerfully following the three steps of inductive method in our pursuit of truth. The <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/tZMzilbpg8Q?list=PLV4wyoNOe1uUbENlDy8EN1PtRknzsG1Py\">inductive method<\/a>, as opposed to the <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/flYh6JTRc9Q?list=PLV4wyoNOe1uUbENlDy8EN1PtRknzsG1Py\">deductive method<\/a>, pays careful attention to the biblical text at hand. Instead of bringing external ideas to the text, the learner strives to unearth what\u2019s already before her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The three steps are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Observation<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Interpretation<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Application<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>These three steps address three different questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Observation<\/strong>: What does the text <em>actually<\/em> say?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Interpretation<\/strong>: What <em>did<\/em> the text mean to its author and original readers?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Application<\/strong>: What <em>does<\/em> the text mean today for me\/us? How can I obey God?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"a-prayer\">A Prayer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Our heavenly Father, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. I pray in the name of Jesus, Your son.<sup data-fn=\"e57ada2b-7203-45d5-9839-ac022a5091d4\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"e57ada2b-7203-45d5-9839-ac022a5091d4-link\" href=\"#e57ada2b-7203-45d5-9839-ac022a5091d4\">1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"observation\">Observation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step towards understanding the Bible is to read it and to make careful observations. As far as possible, read every book of the Bible in the shortest possible time. If you are able to read a book in one sitting, that will help you understand the book better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is always advisable to study the Bible using a <em>book-by-book<\/em> approach. Each book is unique. Each book is situated in a particular context. Once we consider each book as independent units, and once we understand the message of a book as whole, it is a lot easier to understand individual passages or verses correctly. Sadly, a number of Christians work their way up from a verse. Trying to find the meaning of a verse before getting a grip on the message conveyed by the book leads readers to erroneous conclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not read between the lines. Carefully observe what the text says. Ask questions. Let the text answer you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Which book is this passage taken from?<\/em>  The Bible is composed of sixty-six books. When you find a verse that interests you, try to find out where the passage was taken from. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>What kind of literature does the passage or book represent?<\/em> The Bible has various kinds of books and passages. There are historical narratives; books of law, prophecy, and poetry; proverbs and other wisdom literature. Several passages are devoted to genealogical accounts. The four accounts of Jesus\u2019 life are called Gospels. There are letters addressed to individuals and churches. Each kind of literature must be interpreted according to the rules of interpretation that apply to that particular genre. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Is the book a part of the Hebrew Bible or is it a part of the New Testament?<\/em>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The first thirty-nine books of the Bible are from the Hebrew scriptures. Christians call the Hebrew Bible <em>The Old Testament.<\/em> Those <em>books<\/em> are not the Old Testament. The books were written when the Old Testament or covenant was in force between God and Israel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jesus taught His disciples that the Hebrew Scriptures pointed to Him. Therefore, His disciples re-read the Hebrew Bible through the prism of Jesus\u2019 life and teachings. They understood and appropriated the Hebrew Bible as Christian scriptures. To these were added the books of the New Testament\u2014the sacred writings of the early Church. Thus, all sixty-six books are equally valuable to the Church irrespective of whether they are from the Hebrew Bible or from the New Testament.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is important to be familiar with the main themes of the Hebrew Bible in order to understand the New Testament.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We don\u2019t interpret the New Testament using the Old Testament. Instead, we interpret the Old Testament using the New Testament.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Who wrote the book? For Whom?<\/em> Authorship and audience of a book may not be evident at first reading. These are useful pieces of information that help us understand the purpose of a book. Certain books, like the Gospel of John, have a clear statement of purpose. In the case of epistles, it is relatively easier to know to whom it was written. However, in the case of other books, a careful reading is necessary to identify the original audience an author had in mind. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>What is the author\u2019s main flow of thought?<\/em> It is important to keep an eye on the big picture. What\u2019s the one main thing the author is trying to convey through his book? Can you trace the flow of that main theme? The book might take a deviation here and a deviation there from the main flow of thought. You may wish to read the whole book to discover this flow. Observe connecting words such as \u2018but,\u2019 \u2018therefore,\u2019 \u2018although,\u2019 etc. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>How does this particular passage fit in and contribute to the main theme of the book?<\/em> Once we determine the main theme or flow of thought, it is not too difficult to determine the importance and role of the passage under study. This is how we understand the literary context of the passage. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>What were the historical and political contexts?<\/em> Ask questions such as \u201cWhen?\u201d and \u201cWhere?\u201d to understand the historical context of a passage. Observe words indicating time, season, and place. Who are the people mentioned in the book or passage? What did they do or say? What events led up to this event? And what happened afterwards? What were the causes behind an event? Who were responsible? What were the consequences? Who was the ruler? What were the major events that happened on the world stage during those days? The context helps us to put things in perspective. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>What were the social, cultural, and religious contexts?<\/em> How did people of that time live? What did they believe? And what were their fears and concerns? What was their family or social life like? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The rules of grammar apply to the biblical text too. Observe tenses, gender, number, voice, etc. Know that there is an aorist tense in Greek that is absent in English\u2014a tense that is not intended to convey anything about the timing of an action. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Does the writer use figurative speech?<\/em> Be prepared to accept the literal meaning of the text, governed by the rules of grammar, unless the passage should obviously be read in a figurative sense. Those who read Psalm 91 know that the expression \u201cthe <em>shadow<\/em> of the Almighty\u201d does not refer to a literal shadow. We know that the promise, \u201cHe will cover you with his <em>feathers<\/em>, and under his <em>wings<\/em> you will find refuge\u201d is to be read figuratively. As we read <em>Revelation<\/em>, we know that the phrase \u201cseven Spirits of God\u201d does not mean God has seven Spirits. We know that God owns \u201cthe cattle on a <em>thousand<\/em> hills.\u201d The preceding clause \u2013 \u201cfor <em>all<\/em> the animals of the forest are mine\u201d \u2013 helps us understand that the cattle on <em>all<\/em> hills (not just a literal 1000 hills) belong to God. And yet, for some inexplicable reason, we have come to believe that Christ shall reign <em>just<\/em> for a literal thousand years! <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Do you notice repetition of words or ideas?<\/em> In ancient times, most people <em>heard<\/em> the scriptures being read out aloud. Repetition was a device used to emphasize an idea or even to mark the beginning and end of a section. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Are there words that you do not understand?<\/em> Feel free to use a dictionary or a specialized \u2018Bible Dictionary\u2019 to understand new terms. For example, you may have come across the term \u2018Philistine\u2019 or \u2018Pharisee\u2019 in local newspapers; but modern meanings of these words may have nothing to do with what the word meant to people in biblical times. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/dictionaries\/eastons-bible-dictionary\/\">Easton\u2019s Bible Dictionary<\/a> is good resource. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Are you familiar with the places mentioned in the book or passage?<\/em> Use a physical map or an <a href=\"http:\/\/bibleatlas.org\/\">online map<\/a> to locate cities or regions you read about. At times, you may have to search for a map of Palestine at the time of Jesus or that of ancient Roman Empire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"interpretation\">Interpretation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Interpretation is the science and art of determining what a text or speech meant to the author or speaker. Only when we understand <em>what the text meant<\/em> at the time of writing, can we figure out <em>what it means to us<\/em> today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Observation and interpretation often happen side-by-side. We observe and we interpret. Then again, we make further observations, and we interpret again in the light of our new observations. This process keeps repeating, and it takes us deeper into the text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Several readers treat the Bible like a medium through which God speaks <em>directly<\/em> to them, often ignoring the context of the verses they read. For example, they may close their eyes, open the Bible to some page and lay one of their fingers on some random verse! They then conclude that <em>that<\/em> verse is God\u2019s message for them for the day! That\u2019s not very different from \u201cpromise verses\u201d distributed by some churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A man once \u201cgot\u201d the verse: \u201cJudas went and hanged himself.\u201d He was disappointed. He closed his eyes and touched another verse: \u201cYou go and do likewise!\u201d Very distressed, he did it a third time and got this verse: \u201cGo quickly and do what you have to do.\u201d In each case, he plucked a portion of a verse out-of-context and applied it directly to himself! Although this is just an extreme case, such cases are not isolated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many Christians and skeptics read the Bible without any regard to the context of a passage or a book. Please bear in mind the fact that each book was written by a certain author for the benefit of a certain person or a group of people, addressing one or several of their concerns. Our aim should be to understand <em>what the author meant<\/em> and how the original readers understood it initially. Otherwise, we may end up assigning our own meaning to the text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might protest. Won\u2019t God speak to us through random verses in the Bible even when we do not know what the author meant by the statement? I do realize that God speaks to a few people using random words or phrases from the Bible. But more often than not, those are people who are total strangers to the Bible or infants in the faith. The sad reality is that many Christians do not outgrow this stage. They keep searching for cryptic messages in the Bible. Since they think every verse is a direct message to them, they tend to avoid inconvenient passages that sound like a rebuke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to understand the Bible better, it is important to pay special attention to the historical, social, political, religious, geographical and cultural context of each book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, why did Abraham ask his servant to lay his hand under his thigh while he entered into an oath with the master? Why does it say that Abraham went \u2018down\u2019 to Egypt? Why were Jesus\u2019 disciples surprised to find their Master talking to a Samaritan woman? Why was the woman surprised that Jesus asked of her a drink of water? It is not possible to answer these questions until we understand the context. Context is king!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people who read the Bible with the sole aim of finding fault with it come up with interesting observations. They might read about levirate marriages in the <em>Old Testament<\/em>. Some are fascinated by the <em>Song of Songs<\/em>. Some others stumble upon the passage that describes Amnon\u2019s rape of his half-sister. They then go to town with their findings, claiming that the Bible is a lewd book full of incest, killings, war, and bloodshed. Obviously, they missed the author\u2019s intent and the specific contexts of those passages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several online and print resources that will help you understand the Bible. For example, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/resources\/ivp-nt\/toc\/\">online IVP New Testament Commentary<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I hope these tips will encourage you to read the Bible prayerfully. Even if you may not be able to understand everything in the best way, it is vital for you to read the Bible and get familiar with its contents. A fuller and better understanding awaits all of us. Therefore, instead of being rigid and dogmatic about anything, you should allow God to teach you more about everything. A willingness to learn, and to submit to God\u2019s authority in His Word, are the most important marks of a humble Christian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"application\">Application<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal of Bible reading or study should be to apply God\u2019s Truth in our life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we seek to apply the Word to our life, we ask, <em>What does a passage mean to us today?<\/em> If we have correctly understood what the passage or book meant to its author and to the original audience, it is relatively easier to understand how the Word applies to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If God spoke a certain message to a people who faced a certain situation several centuries ago, that message applies to all who go through a similar situation regardless of when or where they live. We should match our situation with that of the original audience. In order to do that, we need to know the context of the passage under study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"context-is-king\">Context is king!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, if the Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, assured the church in Philippi that God would supply all their needs according to His riches in glory, that assurance applies to all Christians who are as generous as the Philippian church were despite their extreme poverty. Philippians 4:19 does not apply to <em>all<\/em> Christians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Were you ever given a \u201cpromise card\u201d? A verse that\u2019s a hit among those who create \u201cpromise cards\u201d is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cFor I know what I have planned for you,\u201d says the LORD. \u201cI have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"e11699f7-93f3-41c4-852d-dbfa561216ba\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"e11699f7-93f3-41c4-852d-dbfa561216ba-link\" href=\"#e11699f7-93f3-41c4-852d-dbfa561216ba\">2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/jeremiah29.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/jeremiah29.webp 800w, https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/jeremiah29-300x158.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This surely is a \u201cfeel good\u201d verse, isn\u2019t it? Who doesn\u2019t like to be assured of God\u2019s plan for their life? Indeed, God has a perfect plan for everyone. But do we need to cite this verse to tell someone that God has a plan for their life? If a random nice-sounding verse can apply to anyone, why don\u2019t we consider this verse as applicable to every Christian?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cGod is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fn3\"><\/a><sup data-fn=\"de155ede-4148-477b-8f43-8d955a7f187a\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"de155ede-4148-477b-8f43-8d955a7f187a-link\" href=\"#de155ede-4148-477b-8f43-8d955a7f187a\">3<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s exactly what should be said about Jeremiah 29:11 too. That \u201cpromise\u201d was given a specific set of people in a particular situation. To be precise, God spoke to exiles in Babylon through Jeremiah. When Jewish prisoners of war arrived in Babylon, false prophets misled them by predicting a quick return to their homeland. Therefore, the Jews refused to unpack their bags and settle down in Babylon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, God had another plan for them. Jeremiah prophesied that their exile would last seven decades. He encouraged them to build houses and to plant vineyards. God even asked them to pray and work towards the prosperity of pagan Babylon!<sup data-fn=\"234701d9-301b-498b-8b15-4f266dd5bccd\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"234701d9-301b-498b-8b15-4f266dd5bccd-link\" href=\"#234701d9-301b-498b-8b15-4f266dd5bccd\">4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Jews may have found that message quite counter-intuitive. How could a loving God ask them to \u201csettle down\u201d in a strange land? They couldn\u2019t bear to even sing a song in a foreign country. They bound themselves with curses if they should ever forget Jerusalem.<sup data-fn=\"c94d92c7-f588-48dc-a181-8abcd3ecf95f\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"c94d92c7-f588-48dc-a181-8abcd3ecf95f-link\" href=\"#c94d92c7-f588-48dc-a181-8abcd3ecf95f\">5<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is when God reassured them of His well-designed plans. God commanded them to do what was told even if it did not match their idea of a blessed life. Christians struggling to believe God\u2019s counter-intuitive word in the midst of adversity can appropriate the message of Jeremiah 29:11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cultural-versus-supra-cultural-teachings\">\u201cCultural versus Supra-cultural Teachings\u201d<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>What about Paul\u2019s exhortation to the Corinthian Church?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cGreet one another with a holy kiss.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"1e8fc0e3-e3a6-482b-aac9-0509caa0d96f\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"1e8fc0e3-e3a6-482b-aac9-0509caa0d96f-link\" href=\"#1e8fc0e3-e3a6-482b-aac9-0509caa0d96f\">6<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Should Christians actually <em>kiss<\/em> one another as a form of greeting? The British might say, \u201cWe\u2019re not like the French; Englishmen don\u2019t kiss each other.\u201d South Asian men and women might prefer to greet one another with folded hands. West Asians may not have any problem greeting a loved one with a kiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most western evangelicals are aware of cultural nuances. They might say, \u201cThat\u2019s cultural; we don\u2019t have to follow culture-specific instructions.\u201d Yes, they are right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key word in this verse is \u201cgreet.\u201d A kiss is a cultural expression of love. Therefore, Christians should greet one another in love. Just about any kiss won\u2019t suffice. If there\u2019s physical contact during a greeting, it must be kept within the bounds of holiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please note that Paul doesn\u2019t enforce holiness by prohibiting physical contact between members of the same sex or between members of the opposite sex. Instead, he insists that the intention behind the greeting be kept pure. Instead of kissing one another, Christians could embrace each other or shake each other\u2019s hands or bow to one another. Certainly, a kiss is a cultural expression. Such expressions vary from culture to culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if the husk (outer covering) of cultural expression might vary, the inner kernel of truth remains supra-cultural (applicable to all cultures). Therefore, Paul\u2019s apostolic exhortation can be safely translated from the original Greek to another language in one or the other culturally appropriate manner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cGreet one another with a holy handshake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or, as<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cGreet one another with a holy embrace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does this rule apply to the entire Bible? Do all biblical injunctions have a disposable cultural covering? Certainly not!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, let us examine Jesus\u2019 teaching on divorce. Jewish men in the first century, who followed Rabbi Hillel, believed that a man could divorce his wife citing reasons as trivial as an accidental burning of the husband\u2019s toast! The rival school of thought followed Rabbi Shammai. He taught that a man could divorce his wife only for a serious transgression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some Pharisees, in order to test Jesus, brought this controversial topic to Him. They asked, \u201cIs it lawful to divorce a wife for any cause?\u201d Jesus affirmed the permanence of marriage. He replied, \u201cWhat God has joined together, let no one separate.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"b43bcef2-a7fb-45c5-9268-d663d935be5f\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"b43bcef2-a7fb-45c5-9268-d663d935be5f-link\" href=\"#b43bcef2-a7fb-45c5-9268-d663d935be5f\">7<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When they pressed him further, Jesus said there was only one valid reason for a man to put his wife away\u2014infidelity. Jesus said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:20px;padding-left:20px\">\u201cMoses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way. Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"e9c8ef5a-144e-48e3-acfe-0f97f26391be\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"e9c8ef5a-144e-48e3-acfe-0f97f26391be-link\" href=\"#e9c8ef5a-144e-48e3-acfe-0f97f26391be\">8<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The dissolution of a marriage for any reason \u2013 other than what is approved by God \u2013 will be laughed out of God\u2019s court. A divorce certificate, in God\u2019s eyes, is mere a piece of paper. As per heaven\u2019s records, a \u201cdivorced\u201d couple continues to be man and wife. That is why Jesus warned the Pharisees that remarriage after divorce leads to adultery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\">\u201cEveryone who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.<sup data-fn=\"a5d229a8-77ca-442a-8536-7cb76926b3cb\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"a5d229a8-77ca-442a-8536-7cb76926b3cb-link\" href=\"#a5d229a8-77ca-442a-8536-7cb76926b3cb\">9<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If couples live apart for whatever reason, they have to abstain from remarriage. There are thousands of Christians who, according to Jesus Christ, are living in adultery. Jesus\u2019 words do not trouble them because they think Jesus\u2019 teaching on divorce does not apply to today\u2019s world. And even if it does, they say, \u201cWhat\u2019s the big deal? The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why must we take Jesus\u2019 teaching on the permanence of marriage seriously? It\u2019s because Jesus anchored his teaching in the creation narrative in <em>Genesis<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\">\u201cHave you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, \u2018For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh\u2019?<br>So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any teaching that is anchored in the creation narrative is supra-cultural. It is applicable to all human societies and cultures.<sup data-fn=\"84b05e68-efd2-4afa-9bb5-d2d43e1e7912\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"84b05e68-efd2-4afa-9bb5-d2d43e1e7912-link\" href=\"#84b05e68-efd2-4afa-9bb5-d2d43e1e7912\">10<\/a><\/sup>  Similarly, teachings that are anchored in God are supra-cultural.<sup data-fn=\"21fedc42-1d5b-48a1-a2ad-152f1adb324c\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"21fedc42-1d5b-48a1-a2ad-152f1adb324c-link\" href=\"#21fedc42-1d5b-48a1-a2ad-152f1adb324c\">11<\/a><\/sup> We cannot brush those aside saying, \u201cThat\u2019s cultural.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"thats-from-old-testament\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cThat\u2019s from Old Testament\u201d<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A common objection we hear from Christians regarding certain teachings is, \u201cThat\u2019s from Old Testament. It does not apply to Christians.\u201d<br>Now, where does the Bible say that some books are to be called \u201cOld Testament\u201d and the rest have to be called \u201cNew Testament?\u201d Those are titles given by people, not God. Jesus and the apostles referred to the Hebrew Bible as \u201cthe Scriptures.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"e898da5b-db67-4007-980a-41d6b2beb2c4\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"e898da5b-db67-4007-980a-41d6b2beb2c4-link\" href=\"#e898da5b-db67-4007-980a-41d6b2beb2c4\">12<\/a><\/sup> The apostle Peter acknowledged that Paul\u2019s epistles were part of the scriptures; he spoke of ignorant and unstable people who twist Paul\u2019s words \u201cas they do the other Scriptures,\u201d<sup data-fn=\"1b79c7de-4664-4f8c-9377-0cf9a4e49243\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"1b79c7de-4664-4f8c-9377-0cf9a4e49243-link\" href=\"#1b79c7de-4664-4f8c-9377-0cf9a4e49243\">13<\/a><\/sup> thereby testifying that Paul\u2019s epistles were as divinely inspired as the Hebrew Scriptures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>All sixty-six books<\/em> of the Bible are binding on Christians. No book was abolished or declared obsolete by God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWhat about the law? Was it not abolished?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which law? The Law of Moses? If the Law of Moses had been abolished, why would you consider Jesus\u2019 death as having any value? Why do you worship Him as the \u201clamb that was slain?\u201d Slain under which law? Do you see my point? Jesus came under the law of Moses. He <em>fulfilled<\/em> the law of Moses in his life and through his sacrificial death on our behalf once and for all. If you set aside the law of Moses, you might as well set aside the sacrificial death of Jesus. That\u2019s why Jesus said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\">\u201cDo not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"331d5897-277a-4b9e-863a-8bf0b64cd4a1\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"331d5897-277a-4b9e-863a-8bf0b64cd4a1-link\" href=\"#331d5897-277a-4b9e-863a-8bf0b64cd4a1\">14<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All the laws related to sacrifices, rituals, etc., were fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Through His blood we have forgiveness of sins. Through the torn veil of His body, we have access to the holy of holies in heaven. The <em>covenant<\/em> that was mediated by Moses through the shedding of a lamb\u2019s blood<sup data-fn=\"f6bbacc1-a6cd-4a2d-985f-500019ceac2c\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"f6bbacc1-a6cd-4a2d-985f-500019ceac2c-link\" href=\"#f6bbacc1-a6cd-4a2d-985f-500019ceac2c\">15<\/a><\/sup> was replaced by an eternally valid covenant ratified by the blood of Jesus our redeemer.<sup data-fn=\"08d5c53d-5e05-44c7-9719-a4648d195086\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"08d5c53d-5e05-44c7-9719-a4648d195086-link\" href=\"#08d5c53d-5e05-44c7-9719-a4648d195086\">16<\/a><\/sup> Mind you. It was that older <em>covenant<\/em> that was abolished\u2014not any portion of the holy scriptures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cDo we need to keep the regulations in the Hebrew Bible?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any regulation that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ is not applicable to Christians. That covers all regulations regarding the tabernacle (including sacrifices, offerings, tithes, priesthood, <em>et cetera<\/em>); regulations regarding purification, festivals, foods; and civil laws that governed the social life of Israelites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christians in today\u2019s world do not live in a \u201cChristian country\u201d the way Israel constituted a \u201choly nation\u201d before the birth of Christ. Therefore, there is no need for a Christian civil law. The entire body of civil laws was replaced by the teachings and commands of Jesus Christ. The new commandment, to love one another as Christ loved us, takes the prime spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to the Ten Commandments, it is another story. The Ten Commandments constitute the moral law of God. Each of the Ten Commandments was affirmed and confirmed by Jesus and His apostles. They are as binding on God\u2019s people today as they were, on ancient Israel. This is why Jesus said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\">\u201cTherefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"eff3acd2-7635-422d-8277-720a5ad0dd3a\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"eff3acd2-7635-422d-8277-720a5ad0dd3a-link\" href=\"#eff3acd2-7635-422d-8277-720a5ad0dd3a\">17<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also useful to remember that the word \u201claw\u201d is used in five different senses in the New Testament. When biblical authors used the word \u201claw\u201d while talking about its abolition, they were referring to Judaism. When James wrote about the perfect law or the royal law, he had the Moral Law of God in mind. If we don\u2019t understand such distinctions, we risk being lawless antinomians who may have to face the wrath of Christ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\">\u201cAnd then will I declare to them, \u2018I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.\u2019\u201d<sup data-fn=\"fc6fe3a7-6d34-405d-93c4-674ad3d48085\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"fc6fe3a7-6d34-405d-93c4-674ad3d48085-link\" href=\"#fc6fe3a7-6d34-405d-93c4-674ad3d48085\">18<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Should Christians study the ritual and civil laws of ancient Israel? Of course, we should. Those laws reveal the heart of God\u2014His concern for justice, mercy, and truth; for the poor and defenseless; and for the environment. In those laws, we see how much God detests sin. Some of those regulations inform today\u2019s legal systems and public policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider this verse, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\">And you shall have a trowel with your tools, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig a hole with it and turn back and cover up your excrement.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fn19\"><\/a><sup data-fn=\"64ee76e0-d143-46de-b75b-6fe08826d7ec\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"64ee76e0-d143-46de-b75b-6fe08826d7ec-link\" href=\"#64ee76e0-d143-46de-b75b-6fe08826d7ec\">19<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If only people in South Asia and other yet-to-be developed regions had heeded the wisdom in the above regulation! The simple acts of digging a hole and covering up human refuse would have prevented adverse effects of open defecation, such as the rampant spread of water-borne diseases! Other religions prescribe detailed instructions regarding toilet habits. But none of those laws require adherents to dig a hole or to cover their refuse with soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christians were encouraged to ignore the regulation in Deuteronomy 22:5 that prohibited cross-dressing. \u201cWe are not Jews,\u201d we were told. We certainly are not under Mosaic law. Most of us, being Gentiles, were never under the Mosaic law before we became Christians. Let\u2019s see what the text says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA woman shall not wear a man\u2019s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman\u2019s clothing; for whoever does these things is utterly repulsive to the LORD your God.\u201d<sup data-fn=\"73dc3034-5c93-44ab-814f-badd56eab3a7\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"73dc3034-5c93-44ab-814f-badd56eab3a7-link\" href=\"#73dc3034-5c93-44ab-814f-badd56eab3a7\">20<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If something was utterly repulsive to God back then, how can it be pleasing to Him today? Did anyone care to warn the Church that, even though we are not Jews, the principle underlying this regulation was never abolished by Jesus or His apostles? Human sexual differentiation as males and females is fundamental to human existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God clothed Adam and Eve after the Fall. He should know a thing or two about the expression of sexual differentiation through clothing. Our choice of male or female garments is a way of acknowledging and affirming God\u2019s creation of humans as male and female.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If Christians in the West had held on to this biblical principle, the onslaught of gender ideology could have been prevented or its impact minimized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First came unisex-this and unisex-that. Most Christians had no problems with those \u201cminor\u201d cultural changes. That\u2019s where we faltered first. Then came the widespread propaganda about \u201cgender-fluidity.\u201d Several Christians too bought into this farce that presented manhood and womanhood as a continuum that could be traversed by anyone who felt like \u201ctransitioning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I could cite dozens of examples that illustrate proper application of the Bible. But I would like essay to be just a primer on biblical interpretation. If I have succeeded in whetting your appetite for Bible study, feel free to explore further. A list of useful books is given below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If Christians should be like the \u201cgood soil\u201d in Jesus\u2019 Parable of the Sower, producing a rich harvest of obedience, they must <em>understand<\/em> and <em>retain<\/em> God\u2019s Word in their heart. Proper understanding of the scriptures is vital because God will, one day, judge us by His Word. Let us study God\u2019s Word, in all humility, examining the text with diligence. The more accurate our observations are, the more accurate our interpretations will be. The better we understand what a passage or book <em>meant<\/em> to the author or the original audience, the better we will know how God\u2019s Word applies to our life\u2019s situations. Finally, none of us is higher than God to be able to pick and choose favourite verses that should be believed or obeyed. It\u2019s either all or none. We need to submit to God\u2019s authority by submitting to His Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Philip P. Eapen is a Bible teacher and author. This article was first published on his <a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html\">website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Go to <strong><a href=\"\/content\/read-online-bibles-study-resources.php\">the Bibles page<\/a><\/strong> to read or listen to the Bible now<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"further-reading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further Reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">Gordon D. Fee &amp; Douglas Stuart. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/24109.How_to_Read_the_Bible_for_All_Its_Worth\"><em>How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">Gordon Fee. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/757275.How_to_Read_the_Bible_Book_by_Book\"><em>How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">Andreas J. K\u00f6stenberger and Richard D. Patterson. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/12775992-invitation-to-biblical-interpretation\"><em>Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">Richard Alan Fuhr Jr.&nbsp;and Andreas J. K\u00f6stenberger. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/29227863-inductive-bible-study\"><em>Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application through the Lenses of History, Literature, and Theology<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">Frank Viola. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/18938904-the-untold-story-of-the-new-testament-church\"><em>The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Guide to Understanding the New Testament<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">F. F. Bruce. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/659705.Hard_Sayings_of_Jesus\"><em>Hard Sayings of Jesus<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">Walter C. Kaiser <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/659703.Hard_Sayings_of_the_Bible\"><em>Hard Sayings of the Bible<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">John A. Beck. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/34020304-the-baker-illustrated-guide-to-everyday-life-in-bible-times\"><em>The Baker Illustrated Guide to Everyday Life in Bible Times<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">John A. Beck. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/19041699-zondervan-dictionary-of-biblical-imagery\"><em>Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">D. A. Carson. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/590736.Exegetical_Fallacies\"><em>Exegetical Fallacies<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">John R. W. Scott. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/989766.Understanding_the_Bible\"><em>Understanding the Bible<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">N. T. Wright <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/9892361-scripture-and-the-authority-of-god\"><em>Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"notes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-footnotes\"><li id=\"e57ada2b-7203-45d5-9839-ac022a5091d4\">Psalm 119:105,130,18,135,10-11,15-16; John 15:16 ESV <a href=\"#e57ada2b-7203-45d5-9839-ac022a5091d4-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 1\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"e11699f7-93f3-41c4-852d-dbfa561216ba\">Jeremiah 29:11.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref2\"><\/a> <a href=\"#e11699f7-93f3-41c4-852d-dbfa561216ba-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 2\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"de155ede-4148-477b-8f43-8d955a7f187a\">Acts 23:3 NET.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref3\"><\/a> <a href=\"#de155ede-4148-477b-8f43-8d955a7f187a-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 3\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"234701d9-301b-498b-8b15-4f266dd5bccd\">\u201cBuild houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and allow your daughters get married so that they too can have sons and daughters. Grow in number; do not dwindle away. Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the LORD for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.\u201d &#8211; Jeremiah 29:5-7 NET. <a href=\"#234701d9-301b-498b-8b15-4f266dd5bccd-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 4\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"c94d92c7-f588-48dc-a181-8abcd3ecf95f\">\u201cIf I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand be crippled! May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, and do not give Jerusalem priority over whatever gives me the most joy.\u201d &#8211; Ps 137:5-6 NET. <a href=\"#c94d92c7-f588-48dc-a181-8abcd3ecf95f-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 5\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"1e8fc0e3-e3a6-482b-aac9-0509caa0d96f\">2 Corinthians 13:12 ESV. <a href=\"#1e8fc0e3-e3a6-482b-aac9-0509caa0d96f-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 6\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"b43bcef2-a7fb-45c5-9268-d663d935be5f\">Matthew 19:6.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref7\"><\/a> <a href=\"#b43bcef2-a7fb-45c5-9268-d663d935be5f-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 7\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"e9c8ef5a-144e-48e3-acfe-0f97f26391be\">Matthew 19:8-9 NET.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref8\"><\/a> <a href=\"#e9c8ef5a-144e-48e3-acfe-0f97f26391be-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 8\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"a5d229a8-77ca-442a-8536-7cb76926b3cb\">Luke 16:18 NET.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref9\"><\/a> <a href=\"#a5d229a8-77ca-442a-8536-7cb76926b3cb-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 9\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"84b05e68-efd2-4afa-9bb5-d2d43e1e7912\"><em>Cf<\/em>. 1 Tim 2:12-14.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref10\"><\/a> <a href=\"#84b05e68-efd2-4afa-9bb5-d2d43e1e7912-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 10\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"21fedc42-1d5b-48a1-a2ad-152f1adb324c\"><em>Cf<\/em>. 1 Corinthians 11:2-8. <a href=\"#21fedc42-1d5b-48a1-a2ad-152f1adb324c-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 11\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"e898da5b-db67-4007-980a-41d6b2beb2c4\">John 5:39 \u201cYou search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.\u201d ESV<br>2 Tim 3:16 \u201cAll Scripture is breathed out by God \u2026\u201d ESV.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref12\"><\/a> <a href=\"#e898da5b-db67-4007-980a-41d6b2beb2c4-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 12\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"1b79c7de-4664-4f8c-9377-0cf9a4e49243\">2 Peter 3:16 ESV.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref13\"><\/a> <a href=\"#1b79c7de-4664-4f8c-9377-0cf9a4e49243-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 13\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"331d5897-277a-4b9e-863a-8bf0b64cd4a1\">Matthew 5:17 ESV.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref14\"><\/a> <a href=\"#331d5897-277a-4b9e-863a-8bf0b64cd4a1-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 14\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"f6bbacc1-a6cd-4a2d-985f-500019ceac2c\">\u201cFor when Moses had spoken every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, and said, \u2018This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.\u2019\u201d Hebrews 9:19-20 NET.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref15\"><\/a> <a href=\"#f6bbacc1-a6cd-4a2d-985f-500019ceac2c-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 15\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"08d5c53d-5e05-44c7-9719-a4648d195086\">\u201cBut now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.\u201d Hebrews 8:6. NET. <a href=\"#08d5c53d-5e05-44c7-9719-a4648d195086-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 16\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"eff3acd2-7635-422d-8277-720a5ad0dd3a\">Matthew 5:19 ESV.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref17\"><\/a> <a href=\"#eff3acd2-7635-422d-8277-720a5ad0dd3a-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 17\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"fc6fe3a7-6d34-405d-93c4-674ad3d48085\">Matthew 7:23 ESV. <a href=\"#fc6fe3a7-6d34-405d-93c4-674ad3d48085-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 18\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"64ee76e0-d143-46de-b75b-6fe08826d7ec\">Deuteronomy 23:13 ESV.<a href=\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref19\"><\/a> <a href=\"#64ee76e0-d143-46de-b75b-6fe08826d7ec-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 19\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"73dc3034-5c93-44ab-814f-badd56eab3a7\">Deuteronomy 22:5 Amplified Bible. <a href=\"#73dc3034-5c93-44ab-814f-badd56eab3a7-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 20\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"burst-pageviews\">This page has been viewed 0 times.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cWho needs a teacher? The Bible is plain and simple. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is there to help us understand it.\u201d So goes a common refrain among Christians. Even so, anointed learning is better than anointed ignorance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"Psalm 119:105,130,18,135,10-11,15-16; John 15:16 ESV\",\"id\":\"e57ada2b-7203-45d5-9839-ac022a5091d4\"},{\"content\":\"Jeremiah 29:11.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref2\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"e11699f7-93f3-41c4-852d-dbfa561216ba\"},{\"content\":\"Acts 23:3 NET.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref3\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"de155ede-4148-477b-8f43-8d955a7f187a\"},{\"content\":\"\u201cBuild houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and allow your daughters get married so that they too can have sons and daughters. Grow in number; do not dwindle away. Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the LORD for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.\u201d - Jeremiah 29:5-7 NET.\",\"id\":\"234701d9-301b-498b-8b15-4f266dd5bccd\"},{\"content\":\"\u201cIf I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand be crippled! May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, and do not give Jerusalem priority over whatever gives me the most joy.\u201d - Ps 137:5-6 NET.\",\"id\":\"c94d92c7-f588-48dc-a181-8abcd3ecf95f\"},{\"content\":\"2 Corinthians 13:12 ESV.\",\"id\":\"1e8fc0e3-e3a6-482b-aac9-0509caa0d96f\"},{\"content\":\"Matthew 19:6.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref7\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"b43bcef2-a7fb-45c5-9268-d663d935be5f\"},{\"content\":\"Matthew 19:8-9 NET.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref8\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"e9c8ef5a-144e-48e3-acfe-0f97f26391be\"},{\"content\":\"Luke 16:18 NET.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref9\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"a5d229a8-77ca-442a-8536-7cb76926b3cb\"},{\"content\":\"<em>Cf<\/em>. 1 Tim 2:12-14.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref10\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"84b05e68-efd2-4afa-9bb5-d2d43e1e7912\"},{\"content\":\"<em>Cf<\/em>. 1 Corinthians 11:2-8.\",\"id\":\"21fedc42-1d5b-48a1-a2ad-152f1adb324c\"},{\"content\":\"John 5:39 \u201cYou search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.\u201d ESV<br>2 Tim 3:16 \u201cAll Scripture is breathed out by God \u2026\u201d ESV.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref12\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"e898da5b-db67-4007-980a-41d6b2beb2c4\"},{\"content\":\"2 Peter 3:16 ESV.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref13\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"1b79c7de-4664-4f8c-9377-0cf9a4e49243\"},{\"content\":\"Matthew 5:17 ESV.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref14\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"331d5897-277a-4b9e-863a-8bf0b64cd4a1\"},{\"content\":\"\u201cFor when Moses had spoken every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, and said, \u2018This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.\u2019\u201d Hebrews 9:19-20 NET.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref15\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"f6bbacc1-a6cd-4a2d-985f-500019ceac2c\"},{\"content\":\"\u201cBut now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.\u201d Hebrews 8:6. NET.\",\"id\":\"08d5c53d-5e05-44c7-9719-a4648d195086\"},{\"content\":\"Matthew 5:19 ESV.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref17\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"eff3acd2-7635-422d-8277-720a5ad0dd3a\"},{\"content\":\"Matthew 7:23 ESV.\",\"id\":\"fc6fe3a7-6d34-405d-93c4-674ad3d48085\"},{\"content\":\"Deuteronomy 23:13 ESV.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/philipeapen.com\/articles\/Bible_understanding.html#fnref19\\\"><\/a>\",\"id\":\"64ee76e0-d143-46de-b75b-6fe08826d7ec\"},{\"content\":\"Deuteronomy 22:5 Amplified Bible.\",\"id\":\"73dc3034-5c93-44ab-814f-badd56eab3a7\"}]"},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teaching"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Understanding the Bible - Bethel Christian Assembly<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Bible is plain and simple. So, understanding it must be a breeze, right? Wrong. Never approach the Bible casually.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bethelchristianassembly.ie\/en\/understanding-the-bible\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Understanding the Bible\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Bible is plain and simple. So, understanding it must be a breeze, right? Wrong. 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