Understanding the Bible
- Princeton CC
- 4 days ago
- 14 min read

How many here this morning own a bible?
More importantly – How many of you here today have a bible with you?
Is there anyone here today that does not own a bible?
If there is, you see me after services today and I will see that you get a bible of your own at no cost to you… In the meantime, there are pew bibles available for you to use…
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THIS MORNING THAT UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING THAT IS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE???
It's possible for a person to know what the Bible says, but lack understanding of what God wants them to do...
I've talked to a lot of folks over the years who say they have a difficult time understanding the Bible. There are parts of the Bible I don't understand, either. Obviously, there are very difficult passages in the Bible that even BIBLE scholars disagree about… The last book of the Bible, Revelation, may just be the most misunderstood book of all…
This morning, we are going to talk about “Understanding the Bible.” In order too do that it would help us to know some facts about it… RIGHT!
Did you know that the Bible was written over a period of 1500 years by 40 different authors in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek…)
· Also, chances are that none of you have a Chronological Bible with you today… A Chronological Bible is simply a bible written in the proper order in which each book of the Bible is recorded by date…
For Example: In your bibles the Old Testament begins with Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy… While chronologically it would be Job first, as it is considered the earliest, although the date is unknown… Then would come…
· Genesis: 1445-1405 BC.
· Exodus: 1445-1405 BC.
· Leviticus: 1445-1405 BC.
· Numbers: 1445-1405 BC.
· Deuteronomy: 1445-1405 BC.
In the New Testament, your bibles begin with the Gospel Accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John… While chronologically it would be as follows:
James – 50 AD
First and Second Thessalonians – 52-53 AD
Galatians – 55 AD
First and Second Corinthians – 57 AD
Romans – 57-58 AD
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon and Ephesians – 62-63 AD
Luke – 63 AD
Acts – 64 AD
First Timothy – 65 AD
Titus – 65 AD
Second Timothy – 66AD
Then the Gospel Accounts – 67AD – with Mark being the first written…
Here is another fact, the books of the Bible were not being written continuously. For example: 400 years, also known as the Intertestamental Period, elapsed between the completion of the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, and the beginning of the New Testament with the gospel of Matthew...
· This “400 years of silence” occurred because the Spirit of God did not inspire any Scripture during that time…
And -- No! The Book of James and the other books I just mentioned were not written during the Intertestamental Period, but rather during the early New Testament era. The Intertestamental Period ended with the birth of Christ – 4 AD…
So, you might be thinking why is the Gospel of Matthew listed first in the New Testament… Because it was the most widely used and influential in the early church, providing a theological and narrative transition from the Old Testament and presenting Jesus as the Jewish Messiah… Although Mark is considered by scholars to be the oldest gospel, Matthew's perceived Jewish context, its comprehensive presentation of Jesus' teachings (like the Sermon on the Mount), and its connection to the Old Testament's prophecies made it a natural and foundational choice for the emerging Christian canon…
Here is another interesting fact concerning the bible that you may not know…
The modern system of dividing the Bible into chapters and verses was developed by two different men centuries after the original books were written…
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The chapter divisions used today were created around 1227 A.D. by Stephen Langton, a professor at the University of Paris and later Archbishop of Canterbury.
Langton introduced these divisions into the Latin Vulgate Bible to help students and scholars cross-reference passages more easily.
His system became the standard and was later incorporated into nearly all Bible translations…
Concerning the Old Testament: Jewish scribes had been using various systems to divide the Hebrew Bible into verses for centuries before the Christian system was introduced. The verses we use today are largely based on the system developed by Rabbi Nathan in 1448 A.D..
And in the New Testament: The modern numbered verses for the New Testament were introduced in 1551 by Parisian printer Robert Estienne (also known as Stephanus). He divided the text into verses while compiling a Greek New Testament.
The first complete Bible to include both the modern chapters and verses was the Geneva Bible, published in 1560…
Some of you might be thinking… Why were the divisions added…
The original biblical manuscripts were written as solid blocks of text without chapters, verses, or punctuation… The divisions were added to make it easier for people to study, find, and reference specific passages of scripture…
It is important to note here that the chapter and verse divisions are a helpful organizational tool, but are not considered part of the divinely inspired biblical text…
Some chapter and verse breaks can be awkwardly placed and disrupt the natural flow of thought… Because of this, it is recommended to read entire sections or chapters to understand “the context.”
The entire New Testament was written in about 50 years, from AD 44 to 90 or 95.
It is impossible to know how long it took each author to write his particular book or books… For Example: Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament in about 40 years (1445—1405 BC). Does that mean he was continually writing for 40 years? We just don’t know the answer…
Paul’s letters to the New Testament churches, especially the shorter ones such as Philemon, may have been written in one sitting... The same can be said of 2 John and 3 John, which are very short letters written to specific individuals...
We do know that each of the Bible’s authors wrote only, as much and, as long as, they were led to do so… Each author wrote at the direction of the Holy Spirit who “breathed out” Scripture to him. Peter explains this process when he wrote: “Prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21)…
And don’t forget 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.)…
Did you know that the Bible says, “There is no God?”
Really — it does… Psalm 14:1… Four little words that look like atheism carved into scripture…
Some of you are undoubtedly checking your phones and bibles right now, as some of you are about say --“YOU’RE TAKING IT OUT OF CONTEXT…” And yes, I am…If you didn’t quickly check me out, here is the entire verse: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” Technically, I wasn’t incorrect in asserting that the Bible says, “there is no God”, but the full context of the verse means quite the opposite…
So, before we throw around “out of context” like confetti in the comments section, let’s slow down and look at what “context” actually is…
You need to consider these five things:
· The scripture itself: We must remember that the words were chosen by God through the Holy Spirit...
· The conversation: We need to consider what came before and after the text…
· The setting: The event, the audience, or the medium… This last one is important. Who is revealing the text?
· The history: What led the speaker to this place and what was the message he was attempting to communicate …
· The consequences: How were his words received and used…
Each one adds meaning… Leave any of them out, and you don’t have the whole picture…The same sentences shouted at a protest might look very different, if whispered into the ear of an assistant at a private meeting…
They can carry one meaning if they’re a joke and another if they’re part of a policy speech…
A comment made in 1965 may not convey the same thing in 2025… And even the consequences matter, because words are not inert — we have assigned deep meanings to them that shape how people feel and act… “Context” is all of these pieces together, not just the transcript of a single line...
Sometimes people do get the context wrong and misinterpret a short snippet when the speaker actually meant something different… And sometimes dropping the words “out of context” in the comment section is a way of waving off words without being forced to examine them. Sometimes, even when all the context is laid bare, reasonable people will still disagree about what was meant… The speaker’s tone might be ambiguous. The historical moment might be complex...
But simply adding the words “out of context” is not a magic wand that makes uncomfortable words disappear... It’s a lens, and sometimes, when you widen the lens, the picture becomes sharper, not softer…
Remember: it’s technically true that the Bible says, “There is no God.” Context doesn’t erase those four words, but when you see what was said before and after it reveals what they actually meant…
Consider the two greatest “OUT OF CONTEXT” subjects recorded in Scripture… “BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER!!!”
Time does not permit me the opportunity to go into a full discussion of these two subjects… But I can tell you that they have divided religious groups for decades and will probably not be resolved before Christ returns…
So, as the discussions rage on — whether about biblical text, public figures, or with the person contradicting you…
You need to:
· Consider the words you chose...
· The exchange they belonged to
· What is being discussed…
· The audience that was listening, the pattern of what was said before and after…
· The reaction that followed.
That is what must be examined… Context doesn’t erase words… It makes them mean what they actually mean... And that’s the test every quote has to pass...
But it's not enough to just know Bible facts… You must know the Lord of the Word… You can backslide with a Bible under your arm… You need to understand the Bible...
James 1:22-25 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
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At the beginning of this message, I asked you, “How Many here this morning owns a bible…”
I would dare to say that some of you read your bibles at least once a day, others not so often and still some of you are not committed at all and only read it occasionally…
The Bible, over the ages, has often been one of the most misinterpreted and misused books in human history…
People from various backgrounds have devoted time to reading the Bible by inserting their personal opinions and worldviews into the sacred text, rather than allowing the text to speak for itself...
They’ve let their cultural lenses and assumptions guide their understanding of the Scriptures, which leads to serious errors in interpretation…
One of the greatest errors they make -- is taking a single verse and saying that is all one needs to do to be saved… For Example: Romans 10:9 - If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And then they will neglect Mark 16:16 - Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Instead of being conflicting statements, they actual complement each other…
Just in case you were unaware of it… The problem of biblical misinterpretation didn’t start today... Even in the time of Jesus Christ—the Jews struggled with it…
Jesus addressed this directly in John 5:37–39 - And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.
They read the Scriptures, which were all pointing to the Messiah—yet they failed to recognize Him when He came…
Why did they not recognize him?
Because they searched with bias... They had a veil over their understanding, and they refused to come to Christ for clarity and truth...
Consider also: John 7:26–27 - Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
This passage shows their flawed theology…
Here are a few reasons why the Jews rejected Jesus, as the MESSIAH…
· Political Leader – They anticipated a physical king from the line of David, who would restore Israel’s sovereignty…
· Military Deliverer – Many expected a warrior who would defeat oppressors and bring peace through strength…
· Spiritual Redeemer - They disagreed with his theological claims, particularly his apparent claims of divinity, which conflicted with their strict monotheism and view of God...
Jesus did not fulfill their expectations…
Yet Scripture clearly foretold that the Messiah would come through the lineage of David: Jeremiah 23:5–6 - “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
Also consider Isaiah 11:1–3 - A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might,the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots..."
You might be wondering: why couldn’t the Jews in Jesus' day understand these simple prophecies?
This morning I’m going to give you five key reasons:
1. Reading with a Biased Mind - They didn’t pay close attention to what the Scriptures truly said. Instead, they interpreted the Scriptures based on how they wanted them to sound…
2. Disbelief in Divine Revelation - They rejected God's revealed truth. Jesus said:
Luke 24:25 - "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." To put it simply: Their hearts weren’t open to receiving revelation…
3. Lack of Understanding the Overall Message of the Bible - The central theme of the Bible is God’s redemptive plan to save mankind. To understand this theme, they needed to consider:
A Person – God in Christ
A People – The Redeemed
A Problem – Sin
The Solution – God through Christ
4. Lack of Understanding of the Savior and the Redeemed - They misunderstood who the Savior was, and they also misunderstood the identity of those He came to save.
This includes their understanding of:
* Identity in Christ
* Authority in Christ
* Realities and inheritance in Christ
In any field of study, the key to understanding is reading “in context”—allowing the subject to explain itself without introducing personal opinions or preconceived ideas…
5. Man made Traditions – The Jews had over 700 Traditions covering a multitude of various things that they must do. For Example: Jewish traditions and customs encompass a wide range of practices centered on the weekly observance of Shabbat, including restriction of things that could be done on that day like how far one could travel and no labor, daily prayer, the Torah, a life-cycle cycle of rituals like Brit Milah and Bar Mitzvah, and observing Kashrut (kosher dietary laws). Key practices include communal prayer in a synagogue, the preparation of holiday meals, and the performance of charitable acts…
As a word of caution to you this morning, any one of these five things can trip you up and cause you to travel a different path than the one God wants you to travel…
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Today, we will outline practical and useful methods that every Bible student must keep in mind when studying the Scriptures…1. UNDERSTANDING THE SUBJECTThe law of cause and effect teaches that every effect has a cause... Likewise, the Bible is not a random or mythical compilation of stories—it has a clear purpose and reason… It is not a book of fables, nor merely inspirational content; it is the divine documentation of God’s eternal plan to save mankind...The central subject of the Bible is salvation… Let me repeat that - The central subject of the Bible is salvation… Everything else—whether history, poetry, or prophecy—serves this main subject… When the Bible is read apart from the redemptive plan of God, it results in misinterpretation, misapplication, and practices born out of human imagination.Listen carefully to 1 Peter 1:10–11 – Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.
From Genesis forward, salvation—not prosperity—is the message of Scripture… Listen to the gospel preached to Adam in Genesis 2:17 - but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. This carried the promise of life through faith and the consequence of death through disobedience…2. UNDERSTANDING THE SAVIORIt is impossible to understand the subject of salvation without a clear understanding of the Savior… Many acknowledge that the Bible is about God’s plan to save rebellious humanity, yet they lack the proper knowledge of the Savior…The Savior is the Author of salvation…WHO IS THE SAVIOR?There is no Savior, but Jesus Christ, Himself… Many believe that God is the only Savior but they forget He has given all authority to Jesus…. God’s grace has always been evident—even in man’s first rebellion... In Genesis 3:21, God clothed rebellious Adam and Eve, who deserved nothing… That was grace in action...When Scripture reveals that Christ is the Savior, some groups become confused... This confusion stems from a lack of understanding of God's nature and character...While we cannot fully comprehend God… He has revealed Himself to man... Instead of man searching for God, God has sought man…HOW DID GOD SEEK MAN?God sought man by becoming flesh:John 1:1–14 – "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."Some may ask, “How can God become flesh?” The answer is simple: He is God… Becoming flesh does not violate His nature... Rather, it demonstrates His character—which is LOVE!!!Turn with me in your bibles to Romans 5:6–8 - You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Now listen carefully… Understanding the Savior—God through Christ—is key to understanding the entire Bible… Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15 - The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation).
He is also the radiance of God's glory (Hebrews 1:3 - The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.). Any claim to know God outside of Christ is not rooted in Scripture...
I know that this was not an exhaustive study of how to “Understand the Bible”, but hopefully it was a kick start to motivate you to read the word of God daily…
Let me close with this… No matter how much you read or study the Bible you will never know or learn everything there is to know… That is because "the Bible is alive"… The Bible is not a dead historical text but a living and active word from God... This is supported by biblical passages like Hebrews 4:12, which states, "the word of God is alive and active," and is understood to mean the text has the power to guide, transform, and impact lives today, as opposed to just providing information…
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If there is anyone present today that is struggling with making that final decision about becoming a disciple of Jesus... Now, is the time to come forward and say that I want Jesus, as my Lord and Savior and I want to be baptized…
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