Home  Articles  Site map

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life" (Jn.5:39,40). The Jewish leaders who were experts in the law could not recognise the Word standing in front of them! They could hold debates about the nuances of Hebrew words, but not understand what God was speaking through them. This made crucial truths of life slip through their minds while they thought they were great scholars (Mt.23:24). Sad to say, this is extremely common among today's Christians too! The problem is when we depend on the written words in the Bible without relating to God as a Person, we are not able to hear from Him what He has to say through His word.

Take one common example. When a ruler came to Jesus thinking that he was perfect in all his ways, Jesus pointed out his reliance on his wealth that was coming in the way of depending entirely on God. The man was unable to see that, and went away. Then Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Mt.19:24). See how many teachers misunderstand and mishandle this saying, showing a lack of connecting to the heart of God.

Some wonder how it could be that rich people would find it difficult to enter the kingdom of God. In order to reduce the tension in that idea, some have even invented the story of a small gate in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus where camels could be made to pass through with difficulty. Some preachers beat around the bush by focusing on the layout and the culture of Jerusalem in those days, trying to give an impression that what Jesus said does not apply now! They assume that they are just explaining the 'context' according to the rules of hermeneutics!

But they miss the real context. Coming to Jesus, this ruler was self-righteous and self-sufficient, perhaps expecting praise or recognition. If they had contrasted this with the attitude of people who recognise their own unworthiness and come to depend entirely on the grace of God for their acceptance, they could have understood what Jesus really meant. They could have also seen that this would apply not only to money but also to any other thing in ourselves that we might boast in or depend on for acceptance from God.

Many times, the understanding of the word is intellectual, even with looking at Hebrew and Greek words. People look at words and sentences in the Bible in the same way as scholars study secular subjects. "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1Co.2:14). But when the starting point of our connection with Jesus is a recognition of our need for His grace, the eyes of our understanding get open. Then our understanding goes on to a spiritual realm and beyond intellectual thinking.

Tweet