Daily Bible Nugget #212, 2 Peter 1:20

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2 Peter 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of its own solution. (Sawyer NT)

2 Peter 1:20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. (ESV)

2 Peter 1:20 Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, (NET Bible)

No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation (see The New Topical Textbook, page 240, under “The Scriptures”). I have posted above a range of translations for this passage. Most translations I looked at follow the mistaken lead of the King James Version by utilizing the word “private.” That is a bad translation. The Greek word underlying that translation occurs well over 100 times in the NT. Only here is it translated “private.” The Greek word means either “his own” or “its own” in most contexts where it appears in the New Testament.

A careful reading of the context where this verse appears will demonstrate that Peter is not talking about the response of readers as they read Bible prophecy, but the source of the prophecies as they were penned by the human authors (see the very next verse, 2 Peter 1:21). The authors God used to write the Bible did not make use of their own ideas, but wrote as God directed and moved them to write by the Holy Spirit. The issue is not “private interpretation” but “divine inspiration” in this context.

There are those among us who would usurp authority and make the claim that they are the only source of authoritative teaching when it comes to the Bible. Don’t fall for this false claim based upon a faulty translation of this verse! I suspect that any supposed authorized “teaching authority” would be condemned today by our Lord Jesus Christ with words similar to those he used in His day at Luke 11:52.

The purpose of Peter is to assure the readers of his letter that God’s Word as it is written in the Bible is absolutely sure; it can be depended upon! It is true, and there is no reason to doubt its accuracy (2 Peter 1:19).

I have expounded and explained this passage in depth several times before on this site. See my February 14, 2010 post (https://realbiblestudy.com/?p=13). I have since then developed additional material to help understand this verse, but it is likely too long to post here. Some of what I now include in the notes for 2 Peter 1:20 can be found in the October, 2010 archives where I provide 23 rules of interpretation.

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Daily Bible Nugget #211, 2 Corinthians 2:14

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

My Comment:

The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the Scriptures. Apart from that Divine Person’s help, a full and adequate understanding of Scripture is not possible. The “natural man” has reference to the unsaved reader. It also has reference to any reader who would approach the Bible and attempt to get at its meaning from the standpoint of a different worldview, different that is from the worldview presented in the Bible. The natural man does not receive or accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Just today in my reading I happened upon some older authors who followed the philosophy of Hegel and Hume, neither of whom believed in the possibility of miracle. The authors said that any testimony in behalf of a miracle would by them be discounted, no matter who the witnesses were, and be considered untrue. That surely is an example of the natural man not receiving the things of the Spirit of God. Yet on the other hand a person who is not saved may read the Bible and become saved as a result, because the Holy Spirit is given to enable anyone who truly wishes to find the truth to understand enough of the Bible to be saved.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1305 for 1 Corinthians 2:14.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 1325-1326 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 1 Corinthians 2:14.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

1 Corinthians 2:14. the natural man. Note: psukikos, the animal man, one who lives in a natural state, and under the influence of his animal passions; for psukē means the inferior and sensual part of man, in opposition to nous, the understanding, or pneuma, the spirit. While the preceding explanation of the words involved has validity, it is not strictly correct for this context. Would “natural man” be in contrast with “intellectual man” or “rational man”? Rather, “natural man” refers to unrenewed or unregenerate man, without the Holy Spirit; Hodge states “spiritual, when used in the New Testament of persons, never means intellectual. It always means one under the influence of the Holy Spirit. It therefore must have that meaning here” (p. 43). %1 Cor 3:1. 15:44, 46. Ps 92:6. Pr 28:5. +*Je 13:23. +James 3:15g (sensual). Jude 1:19g (sensual). receiveth not. FS175B, +Ge 21:16. 1 K 22:13. 2 Ch 18:12. Am 7:12. Mt 6:23. 13:11, etc. Mt 16:23. *Jn 3:3-6. 8:37, 43. 10:6, 26, 27. 12:37, 38. *Jn 14:17. *Ro 8:5-8. *2 Cor 4:3, 4. 1 J 4:5. the things. ver. 1 Cor 2:12, 13. 1 Cor 3:1. *Jn 14:26. 15:26. 16:8-15. they. 1 Cor 1:18, 23. Jn 3:4. 8:51, 52. 10:20. Ac 17:18, 20, 32. 18:15. 25:19. 26:24, 25. foolishness unto. +1 Cor 1:18. 4:10. Ge 6:5. 8:21. 31:28. 2 S 6:16. 2 K 5:11. 1 Ch 15:29. Pr 24:7. Ec 9:3. +*Je 17:9. *Mk 7:21-23. *Jn 3:19. 4:11, 15. 6:52. 7:36. *Ac 17:18. *Ro 8:7, 8. Ep 4:17-19. 5:8. Titus 1:15. neither can. *Pr 14:6. *Je 6:10. Jn 1:5. *Jn 3:3. 5:44. +*Jn 6:44, 45. *Jn 8:43, 47. *Jn 14:17. Ac 16:14. *Ro 8:7. **2 Cor 4:4-6. Col 3:3. *1 J 2:20, 27. 5:20. Jude 1:19. Re 2:17. 14:3. are spiritually. T#598. *Pr 25:14. *Pr 1:7. 16:23. *Pr 28:5. *Ec 8:5. Is 8:16. *Da 12:10. +*Jn 7:17. *2 Cor 4:6. Ep 5:8. Col 1:12, 13. 1 Th 5:4, 5. 1 P 2:9. +2 P 3:5 (T#707). 1 J 2:8-11, *1 J 2:20, 21. Re 11:8g. discerned. 1 Cor 4:3, 4. 9:3. 10:25, 27. 14:24. 2 S 14:17. 1 K 3:9. Ps 25:14. +*Pr 8:9. Mt 11:6. Lk 7:23, 35. 23:14. Ac 4:9. 12:19. +*Ac 17:11. 24:8. 25:26. 28:18g.

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Daily Bible Nugget #210, 2 Corinthians 2:13

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

My Comment:

The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the Scriptures. The writers of the Holy Scriptures were themselves inspired by the Holy Spirit. Man’s wisdom alone will not bring you to a full and valid understanding of what the Bible teaches. Yet, we must be very careful about claiming for ourselves that what we teach has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. Any time someone makes the claim, “God told me…” and then follows that with what they suppose is what God told them, watch out! The Holy Spirit expects and requires that we do our homework when it comes to understanding what the Bible means and teaches. Now, as for the portion of this verse that reads in the KJV, “comparing spiritual things with spiritual,” the proper interpretation of those words is not altogether clear on the surface. Many have taken it to mean we are to compare Scripture with Scripture. That may be a very valid application, or an idea that is true in itself regardless what the text may mean, but exactly what Paul intended when he penned these words is not clear, at least to me, in the words of the King James Version. Some other versions read: “connecting what is spiritual with what is spiritual” (Noyes NT); “with spiritual things spiritual things comparing” (Young’s Literal Translation); “in this way fitting spiritual words to spiritual truths” (Williams NT); “explaining spiritual things to spiritual people” (NET Bible); “judging the things of the spirit by the help of the Spirit” (Bible in Basic English); “interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (English Standard Version). Now, you cannot just “take your pick” when comparing English translations and expect to come to the right understanding either. But if quite a number of translations appear to support a particular rendering of the verse or clause in question, it is likely that the translations they offer are at least supportable from the original Greek text. The only real way to settle on the right and correct translation would be to study some rather difficult (for most people, I’m sure) to read translators handbooks and exegetical guides for the passage. I have some of those right handy, but I won’t further belabor the point, that sometimes to arrive at the most correct understanding you must be sure you are reading a correctly translated text, and that means you must do your homework, or learn from someone who has done their homework that does not have a bent-out-of-shape theological agenda to support.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1305 for 1 Corinthians 2:13.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1325 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 1 Corinthians 2:13.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

1 Corinthians 2:13. we speak. 2 Cor 11:6. not. ver. 1 Cor 2:1, 4, 6. *1 Cor 1:17-19. 2 Cor 1:12. 2 P 1:16. 2:18. *2 P 3:15. 1 J 2:20. the words. This is a specific claim to verbal inspiration. Divine inspiration of Scripture is asserted also at 2 Tim 3:16, as is the divine inspiration of the Scripture writers, 2 P 1:21. Failure to accept the Bible’s own testimony to itself has closed this Book to so-called “modern scholarship” (a misnomer if ever there was one!). Much modern scholarship is dishonest, for instead of explaining the Bible, it attempts to explain away the Bible, refusing to honestly come to grips with its claims and message. In an effort to escape the Bible’s obvious message, dishonest scholarship has tried to deny its authenticity and authorship, ascribing, for example, the books of Moses to multiple late authorship; denying the unity of Isaiah; asserting that the gospels, particularly John, are of late origin, and do not reflect the so-called “historical Jesus,” but views and traditions of the early Church of the third or fourth century—not explaining, of course, how books can be quoted or translated before they were written, or how such stupendous claims could be foisted upon a gullible public long after the possibility of disproof by eyewitnesses has passed. The only way to get at the message of the Bible is to be completely open to its message. To approach Scripture with humanistic and naturalistic (i.e. anti-theistic) presuppositions is to try to twist Scripture to fit a world view which it most emphatically will not support. The only valid approach to Scripture is to be honest to its claims and message and grant its right to set forth a theistic, supernaturalistic world view. To deny the possibility of miracle (as Hume and his modern counterparts) is to deny the possibility of history, for both are based upon the record of eye-witness testimony, and such denial is absurd. There are more pathways to truth and knowledge than an arbitrarily narrowly defined so-called “scientific method.” Like missing the right exit on a freeway, continued advance in the wrong direction is not progress; genuine progress will require a return to where we went wrong, and a fresh start in the right direction. Much “scholarship” needs to recognize it has pursued a wrong path, and recognize that it needs to return to sound principles of former generations of reverent, truthful, believing scholarship. It is neither truthful nor fair scholarship to approach a work of literature from a consistently unsympathetic and hostile world view in the attempt to legitimately understand its message. Rather, in our attempt to understand a work of literature, we must let it speak for itself. The task of scholarship is to place the reader as close as possible in sympathetic relationship to the viewpoint of the original writer and recipients of the literary work, and not to attempt to explain it away in an effort to force it to agree with popular contemporary philosophical presuppositions. Mt 10:20. **Lk 8:15. **1 Th 2:13. +*2 Tim 3:16. 1 P 1:10, 11. 2 P 1:20, 21. 3:1, 2. man’s wisdom teacheth. Gr. didaktos (S#1318g). 1 Cor 1:26. Ec 8:1. Jn 6:45g. Ro 1:14. but which. FS63I1A, +Ex 12:4. By ellipsis supply “but (things) which.” *1 Cor 12:1-3. 14:2. Mk 13:11. *Lk 12:12. Ac 2:4. *Ac 13:32-37. 1 P 1:12. Holy Ghost. Gr. pneuma, +Mt 1:18n. Micah 3:8. teacheth. Is 11:3. Je 3:15. +*Jn 14:26. Ac 26:24. +*1 J 2:27. comparing. or, interpreting. Gr. sunkrinō (S#4793g). Note: Or, as Bishop Pearce renders, “explaining (sugkrinantes) spiritual things to spiritual men” (pneumatikois). To this alternative, however, Hodge rightly objects, for it is inconsistent with the context. Paul is rather asserting that he explained spiritual things in spiritual words. The word rendered “comparing” here means interpreting or explaining. T#1033. Ge 40:8, 16, 22. 41:12, 13, 15. Da 5:12, 16, 17. +*Lk 4:18n. +*Jn 5:39. +*Ac 17:3, 11. 2 Cor 10:12g. spiritual things. Gr. pneumatikos (S#4152g, Ro 1:11). FS147I, +Jn 1:11. ver. 1 Cor 2:14. 1 Cor 9:11. 10:3-5. 12:1. Ep 5:19. *Col 3:16. with spiritual. +Ro 1:11g.

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Daily Bible Nugget #209, 1 Corinthians 2:12

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

My Comment:

The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the Scriptures. We have not received the spirit of the world. Just what is the spirit of the world? The world has its own worldview and philosophy. The world’s philosophy of naturalism and anti-theism is hostile to the worldview found in the Bible. To approach the Bible from a hostile worldview prevents understanding. We must approach the Bible with the spirit which is of God. The spirit which is of God is the new nature possessed by the child of God who by conversion to Christ has had a transformational change produced by the Holy Spirit called regeneration. When we come to the Bible with an open mind and heart, open to its truth, then we can know the things that are freely given to us of God. God gives us the remarkable privilege to understand the Scriptures, and He provides His Holy Spirit to enable us to understand the Scriptures. Of course, if we don’t read and study the Bible, we will miss the opportunity to benefit from this privilege in our lives.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1305 for 1 Corinthians 2:12.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1325 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 1 Corinthians 2:12.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

1 Corinthians 2:12. have received. ver. %*1 Corinthians 2:14. Jn 3:27. Ro 8:15. not. ver. 1 Cor 2:6. Ro 8:1, 5, 6. **2 Cor 4:4. Ep 2:2. James 4:5. 1 J 4:4, 5. 5:19. +*Re 12:9. spirit. Gr. pneuma, FS121A2, +Mt 26:41n; FS121A10, +Ge 26:35. Here, “spirit” is put for reason (see Charles Hodge, Commentary on 1 Corinthians, p. 40). Ezr 10:11. world. Gr. kosmos, +Mt 4:8. but. Ro 8:15, 16. spirit. Gr. pneuma, FS121A2, +Ro 8:1n. Nu 11:17. is. FS63B1, +Ge 25:28. of God. Je 3:15. Micah 3:8. Jn 3:5. *2 Cor 1:12. *1 P 1:10-12. *2 P 1:21. that we might know. Zc 4:5. Ro 8:15, 16. Col 1:27. 2:2. +*1 Th 5:21. *1 J 4:6, 13. freely. 1 Cor 3:22. *Is 55:1. Jn 16:14, 15. **+Ro 8:32. **1 J 2:20, 27. 5:20. Re 21:6. 22:6, 17.

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Daily Bible Nugget #208, John 16:13

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

My Comment:

The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the Scriptures. But the Holy Spirit does not do our homework for us! To begin to understand the Scriptures better, we need to read them, hear them, and study them. One fairly recent poll found that 85% of the homes in the United States of America have a Bible in the home. It would be a wonderful thing if all those Bibles were being used at least every week, preferably every day. The Bible is spiritual food. We need physical food every day. We need spiritual food daily from the Bible (Psalm 1:1, 2; Acts 17:11). Yet, if the Holy Spirit really enables us to understand the Scriptures, why are there so many different opinions about what the Scriptures say? I don’t think that is the Holy Spirit’s fault. It is our fault for not doing a thorough study of the Bible. When there are two (or even more!) different opinions about what the Bible teaches, if the differing opinions are contradictory, they cannot all be right. I have claimed in my discussions and responses to questions and challenges on this site that when there are different interpretations of a Bible text or doctrine, it really is possible to iron out what the correct view or interpretation must be. To arrive at the correct answer to a question you must follow the rules of interpretation. I’ve posted my list of 23 rules of interpretation in the October 2010 archives on this site. To come up with the correct answer, you absolutely must dig deep enough into the Bible to consider all the evidence it provides on the subject. But we also must be open to the Holy Spirit’s teaching. He teaches us by means of His written word in the Bible. You absolutely cannot get at the right answer by studying Tradition! You cannot get at the right answer by studying the Church Fathers–the writings of Christians from the first centuries of the Christian Church. Their writings are valuable, but sometimes contradictory. Some of the Church Fathers are known to have been very poor interpreters of the Bible. I have been amazed in my study to see how much truth present in the New Testament appears to have been lost sight of or grossly misunderstood by even the earliest Christian writers. An example would be what was understood about John 3:5. At a fairly early period things were added by way of practice or belief that are surely not represented by anything directly taught in the New Testament. We really need to get back to the Bible and learn by proper study what it teaches.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on pages 1200-1201 for John 16:13.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1219 or in Logos 5 Bible software for John 16:13.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

John 16:13. when he. FS96G2, +Ge 2:18. FS163. Syllepsis; or, Change in Concord F/S 701. Grammatical Syllepsis, by which there is a change in the ideas rather than in actual words, so that the concord is logical rather than grammatical. For other instances of this figure see Jn 21:12. 2 Cor 5:19. Re 17:16. The use of ekeinos, the masculine personal pronoun, surely marks the personality of the Holy Spirit. The fact that Greek employs grammatical gender, unlike English, which employs natural gender, all the more emphatically points to the personality of the Holy Spirit, since in Greek “spirit” or pneuma is neuter, and most naturally would require “it.” John’s departure from grammatical gender to indicate natural gender emphasizes the personality of the Holy Spirit. See Jn 14:26. 15:26. 16:8, 13, 14, where this phenomenon occurs. Some MSS. and authorities (Tischendorf’s 8th edition of his Greek N.T.) read os, “who is the earnest of our inheritance” at Ep 1:14, in reference to the Holy Spirit of promise, ver. Ep 1:13. Compare Ro 8:16, 26, where “the Spirit itself” reflects grammatical gender, and does not deny the personality of the Holy Spirit. See Ro 8:27, “he maketh intercession.” Spirit. Gr. pneuma, +Mt 3:16. +Jn 7:39. *Jn 14:17. *Jn 15:26. Is 11:2. Ac 10:19. 11:12. 1 J 4:6. of truth. +*Jn 14:17. is come. *Jn 15:26. Ps 68:18. he will. FS159, +Ezk 36:23. In this passage (ver. Jn 16:12-15) the verbs “shall” and “will” are repeated eleven times in these four verses, in order to impress us with the importance of the promise and the absolute certainty of its performance (F/S 263). ver. Jn 16:7, 23. +Jn 14:26. guide you. *Jn 14:26. 2 Ch 32:22. Ne 9:19. +*Ps 23:3. 31:3. 48:14. 73:24. 139:24. 143:10. Is 58:11. Mt 15:14. Lk 6:39. **Ac 8:31n. +*Ac 15:28. 1 Cor 2:16. +**Ga 5:18. Re 7:17. T#1057. *Jn 14:26. +*Ps 32:8. Ac 8:31. *1 Cor 2:9-14. Ep 4:7-15. *1 J 2:20, 27. all truth. or, into all the truth, referring to ver. 12 (De Burgh, p. 282). Jn 1:17. **Jn 8:32. 14:6, 7, *Jn 14:26. Ps 25:5. 86:11. Mt 10:27. Ac 20:27, 32. Ep 3:5. 2 Tim 2:7. 1 J 2:27. 4:2. 5:6. Re 7:17. for. Jn 3:32. 7:16-18. 8:38. 12:49. not speak of himself. or, from himself. The Holy Spirit works to glorify Christ (ver. Jn 16:14), He does not draw attention to Himself. Just as any reading of Old Testament Scripture which fails to find Christ “in all the Scriptures” (Lk 24:27n, 44) is defective, so any work or ministry alleged to be that of the Holy Spirit, which in balance draws more attention to Him, or gives more emphasis to Him or His manifestations and gifts, than to Christ, is similarly defective. Regularly studying Scripture by means of well-chosen cross references will assist the student of the Bible to maintain the necessary and proper Biblical balance in all things (+*Jn 5:39. +*Is 8:20n. *Is 43:10n. Mk 7:9. +*Ac 17:11. **Ac 20:27, 32. Phil 1:9, 10. Col 1:10. +*2 Tim 1:7. **2 Tim 3:16, 17. +*2 P 1:20n). The study of Scripture in this manner will soon reveal to earnest students any imbalance or wrong perception of Biblical truth on their part, if they are willing to take the Bible as the sole authority for faith and practice (**Ps 119:18. +*Is 8:20n). This method of Bible study is “self correcting” (2 Tim 2:15. +*2 Tim 3:16), the surest corrective for the human tendency to fall into error or go off on tangents (Ga 1:6. Ep 4:14. Col 1:23. 2:7. 1 Tim 4:16). Note that neither Jesus nor the Holy Spirit presume to speak on their own, but speak as directed by God the Father. In this, therefore, they are both subordinate to the Father (Jn 6:38n), and the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Son. +Jn 7:17. Ge 42:23. but. Jn 5:19. he will shew. or, tell. or, report. or, declare. ver. Jn 16:14, 15, 25. Jn 4:25. 5:15. 15:15. +*Jl 2:28. Ac 2:17, 18. 11:28. 14:27. 15:4. *Ac 20:23. *Ac 21:9-11. 27:24. 1 Cor 2:6-10. Ep 1:17, 18. 2 Th 2:1-3, 12. *1 Tim 4:1-3. *2 Tim 3:1-5. 1 P 1:12. 2 P 2:1, 14, 19-21. 1 J 1:5. Re 1:1, **Re 1:19. chapters 6-22. things to come. Is 41:22. Mt 11:3. Ga 5:5. Re 4:1. 19:10.

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Daily Bible Nugget #207, Luke 24:45

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

My Comment:

Christ enables us to understand the Scriptures. Immediately after His resurrection Jesus addressed two groups, explaining to each group out of the Scriptures the things they revealed about Himself. The first group was two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus met them and gave the royal key to understanding Messianic Prophecy. They were discouraged because, they reported to the stranger who met them, “Today is the third day since these things were done.” The stranger began discussing with them what the Bible teaches about the Messiah. He said, “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:26). Jesus gave the same lesson again that day to the eleven disciples who at first were terrified when they saw Him. But He carefully expounded to them out of all the Scriptures what they said concerning Him. He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. We need to go to the Scriptures ourselves today in our time. There is much in the Bible God has placed there for our learning. Is there really anything more important in life than to truly know God, to know the Lord Jesus Christ, to be taught by Scripture itself with the help of the Holy Spirit? No one made a tape recording or a video of the lessons the risen Christ taught that day. But we have the same Old Testament Scriptures they had, the very Scriptures Christ taught out of. We can trace out what His lesson must have contained that day by the Royal Key to Messianic Prophecy that Jesus gave the two mournful disciples on the Emmaus road. I have placed the cross references to the relevant passages (Luke 24:26 and 1 Peter 1:11) on this site.

Luke 24:26. Ought not. ver. Lk 24:46. Mt 26:54. Jn 10:35. 20:9. He 2:10. 7:26. Christ. ver. Lk 24:46. +Mt 1:17. suffered. ver. Lk 24:7, 44, *Lk 24:46. Lk 9:22. 17:25. +Lk 18:31-33. Ge 22:6. Ps chapter. 22, 69. Is chapter. 53. **Da 9:26. *Zc 13:7. Mt 16:21. 17:22. 26:24, 54. Mk 8:31. 9:31. 14:21. Jn 11:49-52. 12:23, 24, 32. 20:9. +Ac 3:18. 14:22. +*Ac 17:3. *Ac 26:23. Ro 1:4. 14:9. +*1 Cor 15:3, 4. Phil 2:6-11. *He 2:8-10. 9:22, 23. 12:2. 1 P 1:3, +**1 P 1:11. 2:21. and to enter. Lk 23:42. Ps 110:7. Is 30:18. 49:4. Je 30:21. Ac 1:3. 3:18-26. +**1 P 1:11. 4:13. his glory. +Lk 9:26. Is 55:5. +**Zc 6:13. Mk 10:37. Ro 8:17. 1 Cor 15:17. +**1 P 1:11.

1 Peter 1:11. Searching. Gr. ereunaō (S#2045g, Jn 5:39). ver. 1 P 1:10. Pr 15:14. *Da 8:15. Mt 13:17. Lk 10:24. what manner of time. **Da 9:2, 24-26. 12:5-13. Hab 2:1-4. Ga 4:4. Phil 4:5. He 9:9. the Spirit. Gr. pneuma, +Mt 3:16. 1 P 3:18, 19. Zc 7:12. Mk 12:36. Jn 14:17. 16:7. Ac 1:16. +Ac 16:7. Ro 1:4. +*Ro 8:9. 1 Cor 10:4. *2 Cor 3:17, 18. *Ga 4:6. Phil 1:19. Col 3:16. 1 Tim 3:16. *He 9:14. 10:15. *2 P 1:21. Re 3:1. *Re 19:10. of Christ. ver. 1 P 1:20. +*Jn 12:41. 1 Cor 10:4, 9. 2 Cor 3:17, 18. *Col 1:15-17. which was in them. or, with them. Other translations handle as in, within, but this is not correct. Though God was with His people under the old economy, the Spirit of God did not indwell anyone until Pentecost (cf. Jn 14:17-18 and notes) [LNT, fn e]. *Ne 9:30. Ac 10:17. did signify. or, point. Gr. dēloō (S#1213g, 1 Cor 1:11). Da 12:8. 1 Cor 3:13. 2 P 1:14. when it testified beforehand. Gr. promarturomai (S#4303g, only here), to be a witness in advance, that is, predict (Strong). Ps 40:7. 110:7. +Mt 26:24. +**Jn 5:39. Ac 2:31. 7:52. 8:35. 1 Cor 15:4. Ga 3:17, 23. He 2:6. the sufferings. Gr. pathēma (S#3804g, Ro 7:5). 1 P 2:21. 3:18-22. 4:1, 13. 5:1. *Ps 22:1-21. *Ps 69:1-21. chapter. 88. *Is 52:13, 14. *Is 53:1-10. *Da 9:24-26. *Zc 13:7. Mt 16:21. 26:24. Lk 9:22, 31. 22:22. +*Lk 24:25-27, 44. Ac 2:23. +Ac 3:18. *Ac 17:3. 26:22, 23. +*1 Cor 15:3, 4. 2 Cor 1:5. He 2:10. 11:26. 12:2. the glory. or, glories. A common objection among the Jewish people who do not believe Jesus Christ is their Messiah is that there are many prophecies Jesus did not fulfill when He came. Peter here, and Jesus (Luke 24:26) furnish an absolute answer to that objection: (1) the prophecies Jesus did fulfill pertain to “His sufferings.” (2) the prophecies Jesus did not fulfill are reserved for the future when He comes in His full glory (Ps 102:16. Zc 14:1-5. Matthew 24:30, 31). Several prophecies are recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, our Old Testament, that present exactly this order even within a single chapter, as seen in these cross references to specific chapters in the Bible that present this order: Ps 22:1-21, the sufferings; Ps 22:22-31, the glory. Ps 69:1-21, the sufferings; Ps 69:30-36, the glory. Is 53:1-10, the sufferings; Is 53:11-12, the glory. Those who disbelieve in the Messiahship of Jesus Christ do so in the face of the evidence: just how can we account for the many prophecies (T#1874 to T#1976) Christ did fulfill at His First Advent? These things really did happen. The argument from Historicity is unanswerable and irrefutable (2 P 1:16n). In terms of the provisions of the Abrahamic (+**Ge 12:2n) and the Davidic Covenants (+**2 S 7:10n), you cannot have a Messiah who fulfills one aspect (the glory) without the other aspect (the sufferings) being fulfilled first. It takes both aspects to fulfill the predictions presented in the Messianic Prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures. ver. 1 Peter 1:3, 7, 13, 21. 1 P 3:21, 22. 4:5, 13. +**Ge 3:15. 45:13. +*Ge 49:10. *Ps 22:22-31. 45:3-7. *Ps 69:30-36. *Ps 72:17-19. +*Ps 102:16. *Ps 110:1-6. *Ps 145:11. +*Is 9:6, 7. *Is 11:10mg. *Is 49:6. *Is 53:11, 12. 55:5. 60:1-3, 9, 13, 19. *Da 2:34, 35, 44. +*Da 7:13, 14. **Zc 2:8-12. +**Zc 6:13. +*Zc 14:9. Mt 6:13. *Mk 10:37. Lk 19:38. *Lk 23:42. +**Lk 24:26. **+Jn 12:41. *Ac 26:22, 23. 1 Cor 2:7. +*1 Th 2:12. 1 Tim 1:11. Re 19:7. that should follow. or, after these things. Re 22:6.

Now I have made it easy for you to study about what Christ must have taught on the Emmaus road. All you have to do is hover your mouse pointer over each cross reference above to read it. I engaged in on-line discussions with some very devout Roman Catholics some years ago. One of their number had posted a challenge for Protestants to prove that the Bible itself teaches we are to go by the Bible alone. I think I met the challenge. He also made the challenge that only his church, the Roman Catholic Church, has “the rest of the story.” His argument was that the Roman Catholic Church possesses unwritten traditions from the time of Christ, for not all we need to know about what Jesus said and did was recorded in the Bible (John 20:30; 21:25). I challenged the Roman Catholics to furnish a link to any information preserved in their vaunted Tradition about what Jesus said or did that I do not already have in my 27 primary source documents preserved in the New Testament. I had told them that Tradition is like a mysterious black box, the contents of which remind me of the nursery rhyme, “nothing in it, nothing in it, but the binding ’round it.” They never proved otherwise, and admitted they could not furnish me any such link to “the rest of the story.” Tradition, so called, is very misrepresented by some apologists or defenders of the Roman Catholic Church. The word is misrepresented in their arguments as they commit the logical fallacy of equivocation. What that means is that the word is used with two altogether different meanings, without clearly distinguishing the meanings when using the same word in more than one way. Tradition can mean information from the past preserved orally. It may later be written down, or it may not be. That kind of tradition or teaching is mentioned in the epistles in the New Testament. Tradition can mean a set of religious practices followed by the religion that holds to or believes or practices it. Tradition in that sense is mentioned in the New Testament and always, when Jesus mentions it, it is condemned. But the other kind of Tradition as held to or believed and practiced by the Roman Catholic Church has to do with the ongoing development of Christian doctrine taught in the Roman Catholic Church, such as doctrine pertaining to the infallibility of the Roman Catholic Pope, praying to Mary, veneration of Mary, and many other distinctives practiced in the Roman Catholic Church such as the Sacrifice of the Mass, things which are nowhere to be found in the Apostolic record contained in the New Testament, but have been developed since then. Now it certainly is possible to study the Bible and learn truth that though it was there all the time had not been recognized or understood until recently because of ongoing careful study of the Scriptures. That kind of new information about Bible doctrine is valid because it rests firmly upon what the Scriptures specifically teach. But that is not related to Roman Catholic Tradition in the modern sense of the word as they use it. It is clearly safe to go by what the Bible teaches; it is unsafe to go by Traditions not grounded and found in Scripture.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1159 for Luke 24:45.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1180 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Luke 24:45.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Luke 24:45. opened. T#1056. ver. +Lk 24:32. +*Ge 3:7. *Ex 4:11. Ne 8:8. Jb 33:16. 36:10. Ps 18:36. **+Ps 119:18. Is 29:10-12, *Is 29:18, *Is 29:19. 42:7. 54:13. *+Jn 2:22. *Ac 16:14. *Ac 26:18. 1 Cor 2:11-13. *2 Cor 3:12-18. %*2 Cor 4:4-6. Ep 1:18. 5:14. *1 J 5:20. Re 3:7. their understanding. Lk 18:34. 21:15. Ps 119:12, 19, 135. Da 9:13, 24. 11:33. Mt 11:27. 13:11. 15:16. 16:17. Mk 9:32. Jn 12:16. 16:13. Ac 16:14. 28:26. 1 Cor 2:14. 2 Tim 2:7. that they might understand. Mt 15:10. Ac 8:30, 35. the scriptures. ver. Lk 24:27, 32. +Mt 21:42. +*2 Tim 3:15.

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Daily Bible Nugget #206, Acts 13:27

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Acts 13:27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

My Comment:

Ignorance of the Scriptures is a major source of error. The Jewish people in the time of Christ heard the Scriptures read every Sabbath day. Yet they did not know the Scriptures. At least the influential leaders did not know them. Nor did many of the common people, for they raised their voices against Jesus when Pilate found no fault in Him and was determined to let Him go. It was the crowd, no doubt spurred on by Pharisees planted among them, that shouted “Crucify him.” Jesus had told them, “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me” (John 5:46). By their own ignorance of Scripture, the Jews acted in a manner that actually fulfilled them. They condemned Christ for blasphemy. The Jewish people were looking forward to the coming Messiah, but when He came, they failed to recognize Him. The trap they fell into is a snare yet today: we might not recognize the truth when we see it because the truth runs counter to our expectations. In spiritual matters, we can readily be mistaken when we do not know the Scriptures. The truth God wants us to know is in the Scriptures, but if we don’t read and study them, that truth remains hidden for us. We can miss the best that God has for us when we do not take the time to read and study the Bible for ourselves.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1241 for Acts 13:27.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1262 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Acts 13:27.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Acts 13:27. that dwell. Ac 2:5. their rulers. +Lk 24:20. Jn 19:6. because. +*Ac 3:17. Is 10:7. Mt 12:7. *Lk 23:34. *Jn 1:10, 11. *Jn 8:28. *Jn 15:21. *Jn 16:3. *Ro 11:8-10, 25. **1 Cor 2:8. *2 Cor 3:14, 15. *2 Cor 4:4. *1 Tim 1:13. nor yet the voices. ver. +Ac 13:15. Ac 15:21. +*Ps 119:139. *Da 9:6. **Mt 22:29. *Lk 24:25-27, 44, 45. +Jn 6:45. of the prophets. Ac 26:22, 23, 27. Mt 11:13. Lk 4:17. Ro 3:21. 1 P 1:10. Re 19:10. which are read. ver. *Ac 13:14, *Ac 13:15. *Ac 15:21. Ne 8:3. *2 Cor 3:15. every sabbath day. or, throughout every sabbath. they have fulfilled. Ac 1:16. 2:23, 27. 4:28. 13:29. 17:3. *Ac 26:22, 23. *Ac 28:23. +*Ge 50:20. 1 K 12:15. +Mt 1:22. 12:17. *Mt 26:24, 54-56. Lk 22:37. *Lk 24:20, 24, *+Lk 24:27, 44. Jn 12:38. *Jn 19:24, 28-30, 36, 37. **+1 Cor 2:8. in condemning. or, having judged. Ac 3:13. 10:39. **Mt 26:66. Mk 10:33. 12:7. 14:21. Lk 9:22. 13:33. 22:22. Jn 19:11. Ro 3:7. James 5:6.

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Daily Nugget #205, Matthew 22:29

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

My Comment:

Ignorance of the Scripture is a major source of error. In a parallel account in Mark, Jesus said “Ye do greatly err” (Mark 12:24, 27). Many of the people I have met who have been lured into false cults were once faithful attenders of a so-called “mainline” Protestant denomination. I suspect they were not taught well while they were going to a church that ought to be known for standing on the truth of the Bible. I have known of good, faithful Baptist pastors who were not equipped to answer the questions of a family seeking answers seriously, and so the family began attending the services of another church that some would class as a false cult. What is the solution? We all need to develop a better knowledge of the Scripture. We need to develop a doctrinal knowledge of the Scripture, based upon what the Bible itself teaches, not on what a man-made doctrinal system claims the Bible teaches. We need to understand the Bible basis for the doctrine of the Trinity, the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the personality of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of eternal punishment for the lost, the doctrine of the Atonement of Christ (no current well-known Bible teachers or theologians have a correct understanding of this most important Bible doctrine today, far as I have been able to discern). A very good place to start a study on these issues is right here on this website. I believe I have posted as much teaching on these matters that is true to the Bible as you are likely to find anywhere. There are no distracting advertisements on this site! In the articles I have written and in the answers I have posted to questions and issues raised by those who post comments and questions for discussion, I have explored many Bible doctrines to a depth you will not find in any standard printed resources. I have presented what the Bible says, and have furnished Bible cross references that are more complete than can be found in any published source for hundreds of verses. With all the good information provided here, there ought to be many more people reading this site. For any reading what I have written here, I am thankful that you are, and trust what I’ve been posting has been an encouragement to you. To protect yourself, your family, perhaps those you know or teach, dig into the Bible carefully for yourself to learn what it teaches.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1059 for Matthew 22:29.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1078 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Matthew 22:29.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Matthew 22:29. do err. Gr. planaō (S#4105g, Mt 24:4). **Mk 12:24, 27. 2 Tim 2:18. James 1:16. not knowing. Note the negative, implying their unwillingness to know, not stating a mere fact. All are sure to err who do not know the Scriptures (CB). T#1055. Mt 5:18. 12:7. Jb 14:14. +**Jb 19:25-27. +*Ps 16:9-11. *Ps 17:15. *Ps 49:14, 15. *Ps 73:25, 26. +*Ps 119:139. +**Is 8:20n. *Is 25:8. +*Is 26:19n. *Is 57:1, 2. +*Da 12:2, 3. *Ho 13:14. **Lk 16:29-31. +*Lk 24:44-47. Jn 3:10. +**Jn 5:39. %+Jn 6:14. 7:49. *Jn 20:9. Ac 13:27. +*Ro 15:4. 1 Cor 15:34. Ga 4:21. %+**2 Tim 3:15. the scriptures. In this particular instance, their denial of the resurrection—see ver. Mt 22:31, 32. Jb 14:14, 15. 19:25-27. Ps 16:9-11. 17:14, 15. 49:14, 15. Is 25:8. +*Is 26:19. Da 12:2, 3. Ho 13:14. Lk 24:46 with Jn 20:9. In general, Dt 6:6-9. Ps 19:7, 8, 11. 119:2, 3, 9-11, 104, 105. Is 5:13. +*Is 8:20. Ho 4:6. **2 Tim 3:14-17. Compare also, in addition to ver. Mt 22:31, the appeals to the Scripture by the Lord, +Mt 12:3. 19:4. 21:16, 42. +*Jn 5:39. Lk 24:25, 44, 45 (De Burgh, p. 102). +Mt 21:42. +2 P 3:16. nor the power of God. As to the instance in question, compare Ge 18:14 with Ro 4:17-21. Ac 26:8. Ep 1:19, 20. 1 Cor 6:14. 15:25, 26, 54-57 with Phil 3:21. In general, Nu 11:21-23. Is 50:2, 3. 59:1. Je 32:17. Lk 1:37 (De Burgh, p. 102). *Ge 18:14. Je 31:11. *Je 32:17. Zc 13:9. *Lk 1:37. *Ac 26:8. 1 Cor 6:14. 15:43. Ep 1:19. *Phil 3:21.

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Daily Bible Nugget #204, 2 Corinthians 3:6

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

My Comment:

The letter of the Scriptures without the spirit killeth. Several times I’ve had individuals throw this verse in my face. I first heard it misused back in the 1960s when the Jesus People and Hippies appeared on the scene. Some of them wanted to avoid doctrinal discussions from the Bible at all costs. I’ve had a few Pentecostal believers use this same text that way too. It is as if they read this verse to mean that careful Bible study and doctrinal teaching represented the “letter,” and supposedly spirit-led free-wheeling discussion about spiritual things was the way to go. They even preached this theme, in one service I attended, using the illustration of a bird must have two wings to fly, representing the Spirit and the Word. Of course they implied that anyone who centered their life on the Word in the Bible was lacking the Spirit. Such a stance opens up the highway to heresy in a hurry.

Paul was writing about the Ten Commandment Law, which brings death, which he called the “letter.” If we think we must obey the Ten Commandments in order to be saved, we will be lost, for no one except Christ has ever kept the Law perfectly. That truth hardly represents antinomianism, the mistaken notion that anything goes since grace covers it all. Paul’s enemies used this notion against him (Romans 3:8). Yet many who understand and teach that we are saved by grace through faith still over-emphasize one particular commandment, the Fourth Commandment regarding keeping the Sabbath holy. Such an emphasis is legalism. Such an emphasis fails to acknowledge that in Christ we are no longer under the Law, but under grace. Nine of the commandments are addressed to Christian believers by repetition in the New Testament, but the Fourth Commandment regarding the Sabbath is never once given as a commandment anywhere in the New Testament. That surely is a significant omission. Any emphasis upon keeping the Law is a mistaken emphasis. The emphasis must be on establishing a right relationship with God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done for us (Romans 10:9-10). One who has true faith in Christ experiences the regenerative change (Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17) that accompanies the experience of the new birth (John 3:7). The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of true believers (Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 8:4). Paul wrote to the Galatians that those who are led of the Spirit are not under the law (Galatians 5:18). John begins the Gospel of John by asserting that the law came by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1331 for 2 Corinthians 3:6.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1354 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Corinthians 3:6.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

2 Corinthians 3:6. also. FS77, +Ex 3:19. hath. 2 Cor 5:18-20. *2 Cor 12:9. Ps 78:72. 119:25. Mt 13:52. Ro 1:5. 1 Cor 3:5, 10. 12:28. *Ep 3:7. 4:11, 12. *Col 1:25-29. *1 Tim 1:11, 12. 4:6. 2 Tim 1:11. made us able. 1 Ch 26:8. Col 1:12g. ministers. Gr. diakonos (S#1249g, Mk 9:5). ver. 2 Cor 3:3. 2 Cor 4:1. 5:18, 20. 6:4. 11:23. =1 Ch 26:8. Jl 1:13. Ep 3:7. 4:12. +*Col 1:23, 25. 1 Tim 1:12. 2 Tim 2:15. the new. Gr. kainos (S#2537g, Mk 2:22n). ver. 2 Cor 3:14. *Je 31:31-34. Mt 9:17n. *+Mt 26:28. Mk 14:24. Lk 22:20. 1 Cor 11:25. He 7:22. *He 8:6-10, 13. 9:15-20. 12:24. 13:20mg. testament. or, covenant. Gr. diathēkē (S#1242g, Mt 26:28). This is the covenant of Je 31:31. See Mt 26:28. Compare He 8:6-13 (CB). not. *Ro 2:27-29. 6:14. *Ro 7:6. of the letter. Gr. gramma (S#1121g, Lk 16:6). This is the Siniatic covenant, called “the ministration of death” in ver. 7 (CB). Ro 2:29. spirit. Gr. pneuma, FS121A2, +Mt 26:41n. Here, “spirit” is put for the gospel (so C. Hodge). Horne states “But by the spirit is intended the saving doctrine of the Gospel” (Introduction, vol. 2, p. 455). +*Mt 26:41. Jn 6:63. Ro 8:2. letter killeth. FS121I2, +Ge 2:17. T#1054. This often cited but misapplied text is used too frequently to belittle faithful adherence to the teaching of written Scripture (misidentified as the “letter” that killeth) as opposed to following the “spirit” as identified with the nebulous experience of the objector who alleges a disdain for doctrinal teaching. More correctly, “letter” refers to the Mosaic law written on stone (thus a direct reference to the Ten Commandments), which brings death because it condemns all who cannot keep it (Le 18:5n), but the gospel of Christ, here called “spirit,” written in the heart, brings life to all who will receive it. ver. 2 Cor 3:7, 9. Dt 27:26. Jn 6:63. Ro 3:20. *Ro 4:15. *Ro 7:5, 9-11. *Ga 3:10-12, 21, 22. but the. *Jn 6:63. Ro 8:2. 1 J 1:1. spirit. Gr. pneuma, FS121A2, +Mt 26:41n. FS121A3, +Nu 11:17. ver. 2 Cor 3:8, 17. **Ga 5:25. 1 Th 1:5. giveth life. or, quickeneth. *2 Cor 5:15. Jn 5:21. *Jn 6:63. Ro 4:17. *Ro 8:2, 11. 1 Cor 15:45. *Ga 5:4-6. Ep 2:1, 5. Col 2:13. 1 P 3:18.

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Daily Bible Nugget #203, John 6:63

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

My Comment:

The letter of the Scriptures without the spirit killeth. That is the heading in The New Topical Textbook under which this passage (John 6:63) and another similar passage (2 Corinthians 3:6) are given under the general topic of The Scriptures on page 240. It is possible that the compiler understood “spirit” to be the Holy Spirit, though perhaps not, since the small rather than the capital “s” was used for the word “spirit.”

But it is likely that “spirit” has reference to spiritual food, according to Henry Alford, a respected Greek scholar. In this sense, it is the food, the spiritual food, in the words of Christ and the Bible as a whole that brings life. These words awaken spiritual life in the soul. These words continue to sustain life in the believer.

I think many readers have read these words at John 6:63, and especially the words at 2 Corinthians 3:6 to mean that the “letter” which kills is the “letter” represented by the inability of an unsaved person to understand the Bible. It is very likely that the ordinary person in the sense of the “natural man” (1 Corinthians 2:14) cannot understand the Bible in the way that a person who is saved, born again, born of the Spirit, can understand the Bible. It is probably accurate to affirm that those who are caught up in false cults and religions are not able to rightly understand the Bible. But wide experience shows that some who at first do not understand the Bible become enlightened through the work of the Holy Spirit as they continue to read and study the Bible, and come to the point where they understand enough of the Bible correctly to become saved or truly regenerated. The words of the Bible have at last become life giving and life sustaining food for the soul.

But this matter of who can understand the Bible or who does understand the Bible is sometimes on the surface a very subjective thing. It is highly possible that those who are truly saved also misunderstand the Bible at times. Fortunately, the Bible is a self-correcting Book, in the sense that as you continue to read it carefully, important matters and sometimes even minor matters that you at first misunderstood are cleared up by the statements read in other parts of the Bible, or even the immediate context of the verse or passage you misunderstood.

We can be thankful that though we are commanded to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), in almost the same breath we are told “For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). This work of God “in you” is called by some “prevenient grace.” The basic idea is that God works in us as we continue to read the Bible and hear His word. This continuing interaction or transaction is an evidence for the doctrine of synergism, which is affirmed by the Bible in the light of Greek grammar in the New Testament. The idea is that God by His Holy Spirit works with us in this matter of salvation and coming to true faith.

Those that hold to a Calvinistic system of belief deny the doctrine of synergism, and argue strenuously for monergism. Monergism is the belief that God does all the work in salvation, and that man has no part whatsoever in his salvation. Not even cooperation with or obedience to God and His command or invitation to believe. But the fact that we are commanded to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved (Acts 16:31; 1 John 3:23) proves monergism wrong. A command appeals to the will and intellect of another person who is responsible to respond with obedience to the command. Man, therefore, is not passive in salvation, but must believe to be saved. Now, Calvinists see that differently. They get the cart before the horse. They argue that a person must first be saved in order to believe. That may be sound Calvinistic logic, but that is not what I read in my Bible!

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1177 for John 6:63.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 1198-1199 or in Logos 5 Bible software for John 6:63.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

John 6:63. the spirit. Gr. pneuma, +Mt 3:16. Jn 3:5, 6. Ge 2:7. Ro 8:2. *1 Cor 12:13. *1 Cor 15:45. *2 Cor 3:17. Ga 5:25. *1 P 3:18. 4:6. quickeneth. or, giveth life. i.e. the life spoken of in the discourse preceding. See the references to Jn 4:14 (De Burgh, p. 248). Jn 5:21. Ps 119:50, 93, +*Ps 119:150. Ezk 47:9. Ro 4:17. **2 Cor 3:6. Ep 2:5. *Col 2:13. *He 4:12. the flesh. ver. 54. *Ro 2:25, 28, 29. 3:1, 2. 7:18. *1 Cor 11:27-29. 2 Cor 5:16. Ga 5:6. 6:15. *1 Tim 4:8. *He 13:9. 1 P 3:21. profiteth nothing. 1 Cor 13:3. the words. Gr. rhēma, Mk 9:32n. ver. *Jn 6:68. Jn 3:34. 4:41. +*Jn 5:39. 8:47. 12:49, 50. 17:8. *Dt 32:47. Ps 19:7-10. *Ps 119:50, 93, 130. **Is 55:11. *Je 23:29. *Mt 4:4. Mk 2:11. Lk 4:32. 24:32. Ac 5:20. 10:22. **Ac 11:14. Ro 10:8-10, **Ro 10:17. *1 Cor 2:9-14. **2 Cor 3:6-8. **1 Th 2:13. +*2 Tim 3:15. **He 4:12. **James 1:18. **1 P 1:23. spirit. Gr. pneuma, FS121A2, +Mt 26:41n. “Spirit” put for living or life-giving food by the operation of the Holy Spirit (Alford). FS121A1, +Jn 3:34. **2 Cor 3:6. life. ver. Jn 6:53, 68. Pr 16:22. Ac 5:20. 7:38. Phil 2:16. **James 1:21.

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