How to Understand the Bible: Tips for Growing Believers
How to Understand the Bible: Tips for Growing Believers
Topic: Understanding Scripture | Audience: Growing Believers
DIRECT ANSWER BLOCK
The Bible is not written to confuse you. It is written to reveal God — his character, his works, and his will. Understanding it requires the same things any serious reading requires: attention, context, and time. Add to these the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who illumines the Word to those who seek him, and the Scriptures open in ways no human effort alone can achieve.
KEY VERSE
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
— Psalm 119:18 (KJV)
DEVOTIONAL BODY
Every believer, at some point, encounters a passage that resists easy understanding. A prophecy that speaks in symbols. A law that seems foreign. A letter that references a situation we know nothing about. The temptation is to close the book and assume it is not for ordinary people.
This is a mistake.
The Bible was written to be understood — not exhaustively, not immediately, but genuinely. The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 was reading Isaiah and did not understand it. Philip came alongside him and explained. The process is the same today: reading, asking, receiving help, reading again. Understanding is not instant. It is incremental. And it is available.
Principle 1: Pray Before You Read
The Scriptures are not merely a human document. They are God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). The same Spirit who inspired their writing is able to illumine their meaning. Before you open the Bible, ask for his help.
The Psalmist modeled this: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). He did not assume he could see on his own. He asked God to open his understanding — and so should you.
Charles Spurgeon wrote: “The Spirit of God does not work upon us as upon the passive clay that has no thought; he works upon us as upon thinking, willing creatures, and he works upon us through the truth.” Prayer does not replace study. It empowers it.
Principle 2: Read in Context
Every verse exists within a paragraph, a chapter, a book, and a testament. Lifting a sentence from its surroundings and building a doctrine upon it is the source of most misunderstanding.
When you encounter a confusing passage, ask: Who is writing? To whom? Why? What comes before this verse? What follows? Many difficulties resolve when context is considered.
Matthew Henry counseled readers to study “not detached verses here and there, but whole chapters, that we may have a connected view of the sense.” The Bible is a unified story. Verses are not isolated fragments — they are threads in a tapestry.
Principle 3: Let Scripture Interpret Scripture
The Bible is its own best commentary. If a passage is unclear, look for other passages that address the same subject. The clearer texts shed light on the harder ones.
For example, Hebrews 11 defines faith by pointing to examples throughout the Old Testament. James explains how faith and works relate by pointing to Abraham. Paul explains the purpose of the law by pointing to its inability to save. Scripture cross-references itself constantly.
When you encounter something confusing, do not build your interpretation on that text alone. Find what the rest of Scripture says about the topic — and let the weight of evidence shape your understanding.
Principle 4: Accept That Some Things Remain Mysterious
Not everything in Scripture will be clear this side of eternity. Some truths are too high for us. Some questions are not answered because we are not ready for the answers.
Moses wrote: “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever” (Deuteronomy 29:29). There are secret things — and there are revealed things. Your job is to obey what is revealed, not to solve what is secret.
Do not let what you cannot understand keep you from acting on what you can. The Bible is sufficiently clear on everything necessary for salvation and godliness. The rest is invitation, not requirement.
Principle 5: Read Consistently Over Time
Understanding deepens with exposure. A passage that puzzles you today may become clear next year — not because you have become smarter, but because you have become more familiar with the whole of Scripture.
Andrew Murray wrote: “The Word of God is seed. It needs time to take root; it must be waited on in quiet trust before its power can be felt.” The person who reads the Bible daily for a decade will understand more than the person who reads it intensely for a month and then stops.
Do not rush. Do not despair at confusion. Keep reading. The Word works slowly, but it works deeply.
CALLOUT
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us.” — Deuteronomy 29:29
You do not need to understand everything. You need to obey what you understand. The revealed things are sufficient for life and godliness. The secret things can be left with God.
APPLICATION
Five practices for understanding Scripture:
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Pray first. Never open the Bible without asking the Holy Spirit to open your understanding. This is not a formality — it is a necessity.
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Read in paragraphs, not verses. Resist the urge to pull single verses out of context. Read the surrounding material. Ask what the author intended the original audience to understand.
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Use cross-references. When a passage is unclear, look for other places where Scripture addresses the same topic. Let the clearer texts illumine the harder ones.
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Accept mystery. Not every question will be answered. Learn to hold tension. Trust that God has revealed what you need and withheld what you do not.
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Be patient. Understanding comes with time. A passage that confuses you now may become clear after you have read more, lived more, and prayed more. Keep reading.
FAQ BLOCK
Q: Why is the Bible so hard to understand?
The Bible was written across thousands of years, in multiple languages, to audiences with different cultural assumptions. Some difficulty is unavoidable. However, the core message — who God is, what Jesus has done, how to be saved — is clear. The difficulties are at the edges, not the center.
Q: Do I need a Bible commentary to understand Scripture?
Commentaries can be helpful, but they are not required. The Holy Spirit is the primary interpreter of Scripture. Begin with prayer and careful reading. When you are stuck, a trusted commentary (such as Matthew Henry’s) can provide historical and theological context.
Q: What if I interpret the Bible wrong?
Reading in community helps protect against error. Share what you are learning with other believers. Be willing to be corrected. Hold your interpretations humbly — especially on secondary matters — and let Scripture correct Scripture.
Q: How do I know what a passage means for me today?
First, determine what it meant to the original audience. Then, identify the timeless principle behind the specific instruction. Finally, apply that principle to your own situation. Not every command is directly transferable (e.g., Levitical laws), but every scripture reveals something about God’s character or will that remains relevant.
Q: How long will it take before I understand the Bible well?
Understanding is lifelong. Even scholars who have spent decades in Scripture continue to discover new depths. Do not measure yourself by a finish line. Measure yourself by faithfulness — are you reading, praying, and growing? That is enough.
CALL TO ACTION
The Bible is not a locked book. It is an open invitation. The God who inspired it wants you to understand it — and he has sent his Spirit to help you do exactly that.
Begin with prayer. Read with patience. Trust the process.
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