Daily Bible Nugget #573, Psalm 119:130

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

My Comment:

Many people do not believe what Psalm 119:130 plainly declares: the Bible is understandable.

This post is inspired by a claim I read on Facebook today: “All Christians don’t understand the Bible” (Rabbi Leichem): “Reading the scriptures outside the original language is like kissing the bride behind the veil.”

Such a claim is both ambiguous and nonsense. Christians and anyone else have the option of using scholarly linguistic tools to access what is known about any aspect of the original languages of the Bible.

But the Bible itself is very clear, for it states:

Psa 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. (KJV)

Psa 119:130 Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people. (CEV)

Psa 119:130 Your instructions are a doorway through which light shines.
They give insight to the untrained. (NET Bible)

Psa 119:130  Your word is a doorway that lets in light, and it helps gullible people understand. (GW)

Simply comparing several English translations brings added insight to understanding the range of meaning included in the original text of the Bible, as I have done for Psalm 119:130.

The Bible is understandable because:

(1) It can be taught to children:

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  (KJV)

2Ti 3:15  From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. (GW)

(2) The Bible must be understandable, for it is profitable:

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (KJV)

(3) The Bible is understandable for it equips for every good work:

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV)

(4) The Bible is understandable because it is milk for babes:

1Pe 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (KJV)

(5) The Bible is understandable for it is instrumental in producing the new birth:

Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

(6) The Bible is understandable because it is the source of faith:

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

(7) The Bible must be understandable for it is addressed to ordinary believers, called “saints,” not to kings, priests, or religious leaders:

Rom 1:7  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(8) The Bible is understandable for we have no need of a human authority to teach us:

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

(9) The Bible is understandable for it declares itself to be plain:

Pro 8:9  They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

(10) The Bible is understandable for each individual is held responsible to hear and believe for himself:

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

(11) The Bible must be understandable for individuals are deemed competent to recognize false doctrine:

Gal 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

(12) The knowledge of the Scriptures incidentally noticed of the leaders and the general populace in the time of Christ demonstrates that the Bible was and is understandable:

Joh 6:14  Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

Here is the set of cross references for John 6:14 that I have supplied in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury which confirms my claim:

This is. T1122, Joh 1:21; Joh 1:41; Joh 1:45; Joh 1:49; Joh 7:31; Joh 7:40, 41, 42; Joh 7:52; Joh 12:34, +*Dan 11:33 note. Mat 2:1, 2; Mat 2:4, 5, 6; Mat 10:15; Mat 11:2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Mat 11:22, 23, 24; Mat 12:23, Mar 6:11; Mar 6:15, Luk 2:25-38; Luk 7:16; Luk 7:19-23; Luk 9:19; Luk 10:12, 13, 14, 15, 16; Luk 19:11; Luk 23:42, 43; Luk 24:17. 18, 19, 20, 21, Act 1:6; Act 17:6, 7; Act 26:26, 27.