Does it matter what translation of the Bible we use?
(Hab. 2:13-27; Matt. 12:1-8; John 16:13; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 John 2:20, 27) Blog Apr. 26-May 02, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Bible tells the story of God’s mighty acts in dealing with humanity. In this way it shows us how to live now and how to obtain future salvation. Its prophecies tell us ahead of time how God will act and how we should prepare and respond. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language so that while the Bible is not inerrant in every word, in its thoughts it is an infallible guide for this life and entrance into the next. For us, human beings, it is necessary for without it we would not know how to live or how to be saved. It has absolute authority even over councils, popes and magisterium.
Essential Clarity (Hab. 2:2; John 16:13; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 John 2:20, 27)
1. What is the primary means by which the Spirit of God guides us into all truth as Jesus promised in John 16? It is the Word of God that is the sword of the Spirit that guides us into all truth.
2. What did Paul tell young Timothy that the Bible has the ability to do? That it can teach young believers how to be saved & how to perfect a righteous Christian character in this life.
3. If Paul told young Timothy that the Bible could teach him how to live an entirely godly life what should that tell us? That the Bible is essentially clear so that even young readers can understand how to live godly in this world.
4. What does Hebrews 4 tell us about the Word of God? That it clearly understands all about us so that we need not be confused when reading it & think that we can teach it something for it can clearly teach us.
5. Why does John in his first epistle say that Christians do not need another person to teach them what the Bible means by what it says? Because they have the unction of God’s Holy Spirit who will guide them into all truth.
6. Does God at times use prophets who are not authors of some portion of Scripture to speak to his people? Yes, he used Nathan, Elijah, Deborah, Hulda, John the Baptist, Agabas, & the daughters of Philip the deacon.
7. Since most of us do not read Hebrew or Greek does it matter what translation of the Bible we use? Yes, some translations are better than others & generally the more recent translations were made to promote some current aberration of Scripture.
8. Are Acts 16:30-31 and Ephesians 5:1-5 sufficiently clear to understand how to be saved and how to live in this world? They most certainly are!
9. What does Habakkuk 2:2-3 tell us about God’s written Word? That God intended his written Word to be very plain & understandable even by those who only give it a hurried glance.
What Jesus thought (Matt. 12:3, 5; 19:4; 21:42; 22:31; 24:15; Luke 24:25-26)
10. What should we learn from Jesus’ repeated phrase “have ye not read?” recorded in all the Matthew texts given here? That if just read in its literal sense he expected that his questioners should understand what was meant by what was written in the Bible – he expected them to have clearly understood what the Bible says just by believing that what it says will of necessity be literally fulfilled.
11. When Jesus spoke of the “abomination of desolation” as recorded in Daniel what was he emphasizing with the phrase “let him that readeth, understand”? That by just reading the words that Daniel wrote one should sufficiently understand their meaning – understanding comes by reading.
12. What does Jesus’ repeated quotations from and referral to Scripture imply? That they are the source for understanding God’s will without additional interpreters – he always referred to “reading” the Scriptures – not to “interpreting” them.
13. When Jesus met Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus what did he expect them to have concluded from reading Moses and the prophets? That it was necessary for their Messiah to suffer humiliation, pain, & a cruel death before entering into his glorious kingdom rulership.
What Makes the Bible Clear? (Neh. 8:8-10; Matt. 12:1-8; 26:40-41; 28:19-20; Luke 24:25-27, 44; John 5:46-47; 16:13; Acts 17:10-11, 26-27; James 1:5)
14. What was Jesus teaching in John 5:46 and on the road to Emmaus? That Scripture can only be understood by believers.
15. In John 16 who did Jesus say would make the Scriptures clear to his disciples? The Holy Spirit.
16. What does James say we need to do if we can’t understand a passage of Scripture? Pray & ask God for wisdom.
17. What do the wise men of Babylon teach us by their failure to interpret the king’s dream in chapter 4 and their inability to read with understanding the handwriting on the wall in chapter 5? That unless you accept previous revelation (light) from God & have his Holy Spirit you will be unable to read the Bible with understanding.
18. What method does Jesus use and command us to use in order to understand the Bible? To compare scripture with scripture for in Luke 24 he referred to ALL the prophets & to “Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms” & in Matthew 28 he tells us to teach people all that he has commanded.
19. Besides requiring his accusers to compare Scripture with Scripture what else should we learn from Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees in the corn field? That we are to read in context what the Bible says.
20. In Nehemiah 8 what simple, basic method for teaching and understanding the Bible is given? First read the Scripture clearly, then explain the Scripture so the people understand, & then apply the Scripture to the people in their current situation!
21. What was Jesus (and Luke about the Bereans in Acts 17) recommending when he told the disciples “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” That we should study the Bible at least one thoughtful hour a day and pray that we not be tempted to sleep as the disciples did in the Garden of Gethsemane.
22. What should we always remember when reading the Bible? That it is applicable to all cultures and times as Paul tells us in Acts 17.