DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PASSAGES
Since God does not make mistakes, we can also expect that His Word, in its original writings, is without error. Critics often accuse the Bible of having errors or contradictions, but in reality, most of these can be resolved. Still, we cannot deny that there are things in the Bible that are hard to understand. Even the religious leaders during Christ’s time, who were experts in the Scriptures, were told by Jesus that they did not really know the Scriptures; that’s why they were in error (Matt 22:29). Think about it: they were part of the very community that was the original audience of the Bible! Even Peter, one of the leading apostles taught directly by Christ, admitted that some of Paul’s writings were hard to understand (2 Pet 3:15–16). Imagine that—Peter himself!
How do we deal with these difficult-to-understand issues in the Bible? The following suggestions were adapted from Paul Copan’s How Should We Handle Unresolved Questions About the Bible?
Clarify a passage by examining its context.
Many questions and issues can be resolved simply by reading the context of each passage. If we would only take time to read carefully, many of our questions would already be answered! The problem is, many of us are too lazy to do so. No wonder we often assign all sorts of meanings to verses. For example, who is the thief Jesus referred to as one who came “to steal and kill and destroy” (Jn 10:10)? Was it Satan? While Satan could also be considered a thief, the context shows that the “thieves and robbers” mentioned (vv. 1, 8, 10) were the religious leaders Jesus was rebuking at that time (vv. 1, 6).
Use clear passages to examine the unclear.
Some verses may appear at first to contradict others. Since we believe the Bible has unity, we can trust that one passage will not truly contradict another. By comparing unclear passages with the clearer ones, we can immediately discern which interpretations are unlikely since they don’t align with the rest of Scripture. For example, Philippians 2:12 says, “work out your salvation.” Does this mean salvation is by works? Since many clear passages teach that salvation is by grace and not by works (Eph 2:8–9; Titus 3:5; Rom 11:6, etc.), we can be sure that this is not the correct interpretation of Philippians 2:12.
Absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence.
Some critics claim that many things in the Bible are imaginary because there is no evidence to support them. But the absence of evidence does not mean something never existed—it may simply mean that evidence has not yet been discovered. Over time, more and more discoveries have confirmed the Bible’s reliability and provided insights for better understanding it. In 1993, at Tel Dan in Israel, a stone inscription mentioning King David was discovered, proving he was indeed a historical figure. In 1961, a stone with the name “Pontius Pilate” was unearthed, confirming the existence of the governor who sentenced Christ to crucifixion.
Be charitable toward the author.
Some immediately assume that the biblical author must be wrong whenever there’s a difficult passage. But we should give the author the benefit of the doubt—it is only fair to assume that the writer is innocent until proven guilty. This is not asking for special treatment for biblical authors, but simply the right and fair thing to do.
What the Bible describes is often different from what it prescribes.
Just because the Bible records something doesn’t mean it approves of it. Many improper actions were recorded simply for the sake of accuracy. The disobedience of Adam and Eve (Gen 3) was recorded, but the Bible doesn’t encourage us to follow their example. Peter’s denial of Jesus (Lk 22:54–62) was also written, but nowhere does Scripture suggest that this was right or that we should imitate him.
Consider the author’s style and intent.
The Bible is a compilation of many books written by different authors. Each had unique purposes for writing and used a variety of literary styles. Some parts are meant to be taken literally; others are symbolic or figurative. For example, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all wrote about the life of Jesus, but each narrated events differently. These slight differences in storytelling do not mean their accounts are unreliable.
We’ll have to be content to live with unanswered questions.
Though more and more questions have been resolved over the years, some passages remain open to debate and deeper study. For instance, what exactly does “baptism for the dead” mean (1 Cor 15:29)? Who were the “sons of God” in Noah’s day (Gen 6:1–2)? We can only speculate. There is still much to learn, for we see only a reflection as in a mirror (1 Cor 13:12). Stay Curious.
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