The Bible contains many surprises: reversals of fortune, shocking victories, demoralizing deaths, and (spoiler!) resurrection. But plenty of claims and commands in the Bible remain elusive. Despite reading the Bible for years, some Christians have missed important truths.
I’m here to change that.
Three Bible Surprises
Now readers may not like what they are about to read. They may find it shocking or even offensive. But I’m only reporting what the Bible says.
Windows are evil. Most readers can probably look out a window where they are sitting right now, but perhaps they should reconsider. Here is how this truth emerges in God’s word.
- “Windows” — 1 Kings 7:5
- “are” — Ecclesiastes 12:3
- “evil” — Proverbs 2:14
(Should this principle be used to advocate against certain computer operating systems? I’ll leave that for personal application.)
Everyone should own four camels. Readers may be tempted to dismiss this as antiquated advice that modern Christians no longer need to follow; remember, this is found in Scripture!
- “Everyone” — Genesis 16:12
- “should” — Psalm 25:12
- “own” — John 10:12
- “four” — Isaiah 11:12
- “camels” — Judges 6:5
Dance all night on your neighbor’s roof. Here we have another clear command from the Bible. Will following this command cause persecution? Perhaps! But God’s people have frequently suffered for the truth.
- “Dance” — Psalm 150:4
- “all” — Genesis 2:20
- “night” — Joshua 1:8
- “on” — Genesis 1:11
- “your” — Genesis 3:5
- “neighbor’s” — Exodus 20:17
- “roof” — Deuteronomy 22:8
Quoting Verses
I’ve never seen anyone use the Bible in the way I did in the previous section (though some “word studies” aren’t far off). It’s ridiculous to pick words from all over the Bible, string them together in an order of my choosing, and then claim the resulting statement is from God.
The sobering truth is that when we pluck phrases or words from their Scriptural context and string them together, we’re not doing much better. We have an entire series of articles on this website as evidence. When we use a verse outside of its original context, we risk missing some of the meaning or getting the point wrong entirely.
- Did Jesus come to bring peace on earth, as we commonly sing at Christmas?
- Is Jesus especially present when two or three of his followers are gathered in his name?
- Did Jesus promise to give us abundant life on earth?
- Has God promised not to give Christians more than they can handle?
The common answers to these questions are likely missing the nuance, depth, or intention of the original author. It’s as true for the Bible as it is for a legal document or even your text messages: context matters.
Avoiding Laughable Mistakes
How can we use the Bible faithfully? How can we learn the truths of Scripture while avoiding these contextual mistakes?
We must learn how to read and study the Bible. Sometimes, we need to relearn how to read and study the Bible. The Bible is not a one-cup coffee maker that we visit for a daily shot of spiritual caffeine; it is a book to which we must give careful attention.
Learning to study the Bible is a process, one done best in the company of other Christians with similar ambitions. We have lots of articles and resources to help!
- We advocate the OIA Bible study method. The name doesn’t matter much—others use different names for this framework that has a long history. But the steps of observing, interpreting, and applying Scripture—in that order—are vital.
- Our articles are extensive, but my co-blogger Peter Krol has collected even more teaching into a book to help people learn to study the Bible. (We also offer a free, printable booklet that summarizes the key principles of the book.)
- We have developed many resources as Bible study aids. (I have found the OIA worksheets particularly helpful.)
- We have tried to model these Bible study principles (even as we grow in them ourselves) in our writing. Check out articles about Exodus, Proverbs, the feeding of the 5000, or the resurrection of Jesus.
Bible Study is for Everyone
In our Christian circles, sometimes we absorb the truth that serious Bible study is for professional Christians—pastors, preachers, seminary professors, or counselors. But studying the Bible is for everyone!
God’s word is not beyond your grasp. Reach out your hands and take hold of it, for the Bible contains the best, most important, most hopeful news you’ll ever read.
Leave a Reply