Question:   Dear Greg,

            Thanks for always being so kind in your answers.  I was noticing in some of your answers you seem to stress that everything in the Bible must be taken in context and that we might even consider researching the time period, customs, literary styles and so forth.

            My question is how can simple and common folk understand the Bible?  Doesn’t the Bible speak for itself?  I’m not suggesting people are ignorant, but God has gifted some to be more intellectual than others.  Can the average Joe just read the Bible and form his own opinion of what God is telling him?

            I hope I don’t sound sarcastic because this not my intention.  I just want to know what you think about this because I respect your opinion as a fellow  Christian.

            Thanks from your brother in Christ,

            Ray

Answer:  Dear Ray,

            Yes, I do stress that the Bible must be taken in context because so much abuse and “scrip-torture” of the Bible happens when the context is ignored.  Same with the original audience, culture, milieu, etc.  Why?  Because so many, I’m sure out of sincerity in their zeal to make the Bible relevant and meaningful for our lives today, skip over what the verse or passage meant originally.  A rule of thumb here—the passage in question had a meaning to the original audience.  One should attempt to apply the Bible to our lives today only AFTER finding and understanding what it meant originally.  Of course, that meaning will help safeguard and govern applications we make today, helping to prevent gross misunderstanding of the Bible.

            Of course the Bible speaks for itself.  But when the Bible says that God has wings or that God is a rock, what does it mean?  When it says to greet each other with a holy kiss, what does that mean?  When it says that we should not wear clothing that includes a mixture of fabrics, what does it mean?  What does it mean when Jesus says to turn the other cheek?  What does it mean when John says that he wishes that we would “prosper and be in good health” (3 John 2)?  The list is endless.

            3 John 2 is a good example.  The average Joe may read 3 John 2 and conclude (or what is far more likely have someone tell him) that this verse means that it is God’s will for all Christians to always be in good health and to always prosper financially.  But is that what the Bible is saying in this passage?

            Yes, the average Joe needs to read the Bible—and needs to form his own opinions.  If the average Joe wants to read and understand the Bible for all it is worth he may wish to go a little deeper.  When he does, the Bible yields greater insights and treasures.  The Bible can be read on many levels and for the person who has little capacity, time, resources or training the essential message of the gospel is plain and easy to understand.  One does not need to be a rocket scientist to understand the plain and main teachings of the Bible and to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

            But the average Joe reading the Bible is not as much of a problem today as the average Joe who says to a pastor, or to some Christian media ministry: you tell me what the Bible says.  Ironically, that is a huge problem today—at a time when more, easy to understand resources are available to help the average Joe read and understand the Bible.  During such a time many average Joes are content to have someone just tell them what to do, when to do it, how to do it, etc.

            There really is no need to run out and buy all kinds of Bible helps, but a good study Bible would help.  This kind of study becomes important to those who have either personally, or through friends and relatives, seen people fall for all kinds of bogus views of the Bible without critically challenging the thinking.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht