Thank you for the question on understanding the Scriptures, “If we are to read and understand Holy books for ourselves, why are scriptures the only writings that seem to require particular skills or supernatural abilities to understand?”
Almost anyone can read the Scriptures. Both non-Christians and Christians, children to adults have read portions of the Bible. The problem is not the reading of the Bible but the acceptance of the underlying assumption if the Bible,
A. The difficulty of readers is the acceptance of the existence of Creator God.
If one has already concluded that God can’t existence, then opening this Book would be nonsense and whatever the context asserts would be viewed as false or fable. The heart and mind is not open to the possibility of the existence of a Creator God.
For those individuals who are open to considering the declarations/assertions of the Bible, the Bible may make sense, but may question the truthfulness of its content. If there is a God, would he lie about our world or would he be truthful? How does one reconcile the difference between the Science and the Scriptures?
B. The difficulty of readers is the acceptance of the condition of mankind.
As one reads the Scriptures, the Biblical text describes humans in a contrasting manner with our contemporary view of humans. The Scripture describes humans as evil, selfish and spiritually dead in his nature, while Science describes humans as evolving socially responsible physical being without any spiritual aspect to him/her. The problem is not humans, but the environment or the social setting of a child’s home.
For those individuals who reflect upon their own lives, the moral philosophy of what is good or evil is subjective either based on one’s own moral standard or society’s norm. However as one looks at one’s own attitude or actions, what are human beings really like? As human beings one doesn’t really want to look in the mirror to see what one is really like. Are humans truly good or truly evil?
C. The difficulty of readers is the absence of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.
As one reads the Scriptures, the Biblical text provides the solution to man’s dilemma before the Creator God. Humans think that they can solve their own problem of themselves or of the world. It is within their control to do it, but is that really true. Science says that humans can fix themselves but the Scriptures says that humans can’t fix themselves unless one has a spiritual transformation. It is this new spiritual birth that enables a person to read, understand, and to apply the truth in their own lives.
The Biblical narrative of a conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus illustrates the problem. Jesus said this in John 3:
“5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages).
Nicodemus, one of the premier teachers of the Law, read and understood the Law as it is written but didn’t grasp the spiritual truths of the Law. It’s not about facts but about faith. The Scriptures have a manner to discern one’s thoughts and intents for it cuts through our appearances to the very core of oneself (Heb. 4:12)-13).
The Scriptures are different from other religious writings in that it asserts/declares that the words come from the Creator God, being divinely inspired by God and trustworthy (II Tim. 3:16, II Pet. 1:16–21). Without a new spiritual birth, one can’t see or believe the spiritual truths of the Scriptures. It is foolishness to the one who is perishing to believe there is a Creator God and the Creator sending his One an Only Son to atone for the sins of the world and one’s own sin.
SUMMARY: The physical eyes of humans can’t perceive the spiritual truths of Scriptures. There isn’t any capacity to perceive or believe it.
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