4 common obstacles to study the scripture

1. 4 COMMON OBSTACLES TO
STUDY THE SCRIPTURE
WORD OF GOD

2. For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully
understand—
2 Corinthians 1:13
WORD OF GOD IS DIFFICULT
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or
wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:1-2
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
1. MYTHS/OBSTACLES/HURDLES/DECEPTION IN STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD

3. 2. MYTHS/OBSTACLES/HURDLES/DECEPTION IN STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD
WORD OF GOD CAN BE UNDERSTOOD ONLY BY POPE, PRIEST,
GODLY MEN
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things
from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
Matthew 11:25
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men,
they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were
powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God
chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even
things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
1 Corinthians 1:26-28

4. 2. MYTHS/OBSTACLES/HURDLES/DECEPTION IN STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD
WORD OF GOD CAN BE UNDERSTOOD ONLY BY POPE, PRIEST,
GODLY MEN
All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to
whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 66:2

5. 3. MYTHS/OBSTACLES/HURDLES/DECEPTION IN STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD
SCRIPTURE IS NOT CLEAR, CONFUSING
And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention has to a lamp
shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
2 Peter 1:19
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise
for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:14-15

6. 3. MYTHS/OBSTACLES/HURDLES/DECEPTION IN STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD
SCRIPTURE IS NOT CLEAR, CONFUSING
The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:130
So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand
what they heard, won the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the
Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could
understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
Nehemiah 8:2-3

7. 4. MYTHS/OBSTACLES/HURDLES/DECEPTION IN STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD
BIBLE IS BORING
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11
I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my
portion of food.
Job 23:12
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the
eyes;
Psalm 19:8

8. AN INSPIRING HISTORY WORTH READING
Source: https://archive.org/details/storyofmaryjones00rope/mode/2up
The story of Mary Jones
and her Bible

9. HERMENEUTICS
THE SCIENCE AND ART OF INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning himself.
Luke 24:27
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
Luke 24:45
So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are
reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And the invited Philip to come up and sit
with him.
Acts 8:30-31

10. HERMENEUTICS
THE SCIENCE AND ART OF INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and
explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Acts 18:26
And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast
seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.
Nehemiah 8:18
To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the
milk, those taken from the breast? 10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line
upon line, here a little, there a little.”11 For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will
speak to this people
Isaiah 28:9-11

11. HERMENEUTICS
THE SCIENCE AND ART OF INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE
And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon
line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Isaiah 28:13

12. HERMENEUTICS
DANGERS OF WRONG INTERPRETATION
Authenticity of the scripture is challenged
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,3 a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly
handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s
word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight
of God.
2 Corinthians 4:2
For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the
sight of God we speak in Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:17

13. HERMENEUTICS
5 GROUND RULES OF HERMENEUTICS
Things NOT TO DO
1. Do not take a word out of context, if so, then scripture ceases to be scripture
2. Eisegesis: do not add meaning to a text when the meaning is very clear
3. Do not over-spiritualize/allegorize/super-interpret the text
4. Do not mis-interpret the scripture
5. Do not sub-interpret/selectively interpret the scripture

14. HERMENEUTICS
THE ART OF INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE
Observation Interpretation Application
1. Never sub-interpret the scripture
2.Never mis-interpret the scripture
3.Never super-interpret the scripture