There are dozens of reasons for our collective lack of Bible study, but here’s one we need to address: I’m not smart enough.
Few people use those words, but this captures the general sentiment. Many people feel inadequate or intimidated by the task of studying the Bible, so they never attempt it.
How does this happen?
Célio Silveira (2011), public domain
The Quicksand of Comparison
We live in a culture of experts. And in the church we propogate more of the same.
We cite brilliant philosophers and commentators in our sermons. We watch polished teachers on video in Sunday school. Over and over we see examples of those with great training, ability, and insight. They make the Bible come alive.
We compare ourselves to all-stars and find ourselves lacking. How can we compete? If I can learn from experts, why should I study the Bible myself? I’ll never learn as much on my own.
This argument is easy to believe but important to reject. Gifted scholars and communicators are blessings to the church, but they do not replace the need for individual time with the Bible.
Bible study is never about bare facts or ideas. We study the Bible to know Jesus and have eternal life, to love God and obey him. We aren’t cramming for a test; rather, we need God’s truth to sink deep into our souls. Instead of borrowing the work of others, we need to digest and rejoice over the Bible ourselves.
Here’s the bottom line. You don’t need to be smart to study the Bible. As Peter wrote, Bible study “should be simple enough to engage young children yet profound enough to occupy erudite scholars.”
You don’t need seminary training. You don’t need a full bookcase or years of experience or an understanding of Greek and Hebrew. You don’t need a high IQ or a big vocabulary. You don’t even need a high school diploma.
I don’t dismiss any of the education, intellect, or training God gives. But only a few things are necessary to study the Bible. You need a Bible, a pen, paper, a heart that seeks God, and the Holy Spirit. Gather the first three, ask God for the last two, and you’re ready to go.
We must remind each other that there is no intellectual barrier to the Bible. When Christians come up short in their comparison to others and withdraw from Bible study, they miss a vital connection to Jesus.
What We Miss When We Neglect Bible Study
Do you believe we need the Bible? That it is not merely an add-on, but that it is more essential than bread (Matt. 4:4)?
We forget, and in the Bible God reminds us of the truth.
We sin, and in the Bible God corrects us and teaches us about forgiveness.
We despair, and in the Bible God gives us hope.
The Scriptures are not a burden or a weight, but a privilege and a blessing. We get to study the Bible! The Bible is truth from our loving God who wants us to know him and be transformed. And we miss out on these blessings—in fact, we miss God himself—when we neglect Bible study.
How to Begin
Whether you’ve been away from the Bible for years or you’ve never picked it up—you can start studying the Bible.
Pray. Ask God humbly and confidently to teach you by his Spirit. Only he can give you the understanding you need for life.
Next, pick up a Bible and read. We have a series of blog posts written to help you learn how to study the Bible. You might also check out our printable resources.
Finally, contact a friend from church. Ask them to pray. Arrange to meet every week or two to discuss what God is teaching you.
Buckle up. God will teach you and change you in ways you never imagined!
I don’t think I’m intelligent enough for the Bible. I’ve tried to study it for 50 years and can’t understand a word if it. I’ve gone to church all my life and meet one on one with my pastor and I’m totally lost. I have no idea what Jesus did.
I’m sorry you feel this way, Alan. While some of the Bible takes a lot of work to understand, I think that much of it is accessible to every believer. I am so glad to hear that you’re seeking the Lord and involved in a church. I’d encourage you to pray and ask God for understanding. Keep prayerfully reading on your own and ask a friend or two from church to read and discuss with you. God loves to make the message and work of Jesus clear to those who are seeking him.
Im the same. Im so confused by blogs about lerning about the bible. They are not written to be easily understood by people like me. They are too full of words that i dont understand. If i dont understand the help, how can i understand the bible. I wish some bible teacher coud make something that would make it easier to understan. Something like what kids do to lern.
This great website (that you are currently on) is full of help to understand the Bible. All it takes is hunger, humility, the help of God and diligence if you truly want to understand. God’s wisdom says, “I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.” Prov. 8:17 NAS
Grantgibbon1@gmail.com
Hi! Please contact me by email. I’d love to help you understand 🙂
Grantgibbon1@gmail.com
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is such an important message for the church. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this article. Ryan, I can’t tell you how much of a timely blessing it was to read this article. I just finished last night before I went to bed the outline of a teaching I believe God has worked in my heart to share with our local church on two fallacies: 1) All of God’s Word is simple and 2) I can’t understand God’s Word.
Portions of it are simpler than others and maybe that depends on the person to some degree which portions are which easier and which portions are more difficult. But I don’t think you can say that “all of God’s Word is simple”. Think about any topic or subject, e.g., taxes or WW2 history, etc, there are aspects that are easy to understand and there are aspects that are more difficult. How much more with something as vast and deep and all encompassing as “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3)? God’s Word itself comes out and says that “some [of God’s Word] is hard to be understood” (2 Peter 3:16)! But that DOESN’T mean I can’t understand it. It takes hunger, humility, help from God and diligence (2 Timothy 2:15). I believe God has not made His Word intentionally complicated, but that’s not to say that what He has revealed is simple. The Scriptures teach deep, spiritual truths. I think perhaps one reason that people want to believe that all of God’s Word is simple to understand is out of the noble (and right) belief that God is not a respecter of persons. But, then the implication of that logic is that He must have communicated only simple truths otherwise it would give smart people an unloving advantage. I think this is a fallacy to assume this though. There are two ways I can think of for communicating deep spiritual truth to people with average minds. 1) Dumb down the truth or 2) elevate the average minds. I think what God does is the second. I believe this is the point of Matthew 11:25 when “Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” God elevates the minds of the babes to understand things that people who pride themselves on their intellectual ability cannot understand because of their pride. The Scriptures “make wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7) they don’t “simplify wisdom to reach the simple”.
BTW – I think Duffy’s post above is a troll.