Friends,
I have often noticed that many people have a difficult time when they read the Bible. But, they have an even harder time when they try to ‘interpret’ what they have read.
WHY?
There are many reasons for these problems.
But, the largest reason, and the simplest, is being too far away from God.
There are other issues, language has changed meanings, culture is totally different today than it was then. And the Bible uses many different genres of writing, and even more figures of speech. Many people with doctoral degrees in languages have problems trying to read and interpret the Bible.
But, I still go back to the biggest problem.
If you do not follow God and his prophets, it is really hard to understand what and why they wrote what they wrote.
It is like a boy who has never been in love trying to describe to you his older sister, who is now in love. But, it is not the same. It is just ‘like’ it.
He can tell about her blushing and giggling. He can tell you the boy’s name. But, he doesn’t feel what she feels. He has never felt what she feels. So, it is all ‘SILLY’ to him. It has no true meaning.
When she says her boyfriend would ‘die for me,’ he has no rational understanding of that. He knows he would not want to die for his sister, so why would another boy make her believe that he would? So, he explains that as an extended metaphor, and he dismisses it as ‘false.’
And many modern ‘scholars’ are like that.
And the modern, that should usually be read as ‘liberal,’ scholars mislead millions of people. Because they say that the Bible meant something it was never intended to mean, or they write that it does not mean what it was intended to mean, many people today find the Bible even more difficult to understand.
And I find this very ironic.
My grandfather was not a man of ‘letters.’ He was not college, or university, educated. He did not read the Greek New Testament, or try to read the Hebrew Old Testament, like I do. BUT, he understood the Bible just as well as I do.
Pretty much as Luther did. And Augustine did. Just like Peter and Paul if they were here with us today.
So, why do so many people truly struggle to get real meaning from the Bible?
They don’t seem to have that same problem with other Holy Books like those from Islam or Hindu.
The only rational explanation is that the further you are from the true author’s intent, the more you mis-understand. Said differently, if you are not following God, His internal Spirit will not fill you and guide you.
That is consistent with Scripture, and it is consistent with History, and it is consistent with modern Interpretation.
Most, if not ALL, alternate ‘modern’ readings of the Bible are not consistent with Scripture, with Historical reading, or with modern Interpretation.
But, you will find people quick to quote the new and modern interpretations.
Who would you believe?
Who do you think I will believe?
Wayne
luvsiesous 
This was a great read.