Bibliology - Lesson 2 by O. B. (Oscar Brian) Mink

Scripture:
Matthew 13:13-17 "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. {14} And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: {15} For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. {16} But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. {17} For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

    In our first lesson we emphasized the FACT that the Bible is the inspired word of God, every word in the original manuscripts being given by the Holy Spirit. (II Timothy 3:16).
    Men did the actual writing. They were left to their own style of writing and manner of expression. Yet, every word of what they wrote was given to them by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Bible is the supernatural Book and being supernatural, it transcends the powers of natural comprehension. (I Corinthians 2:14).
    The Bible being authored by the Holy Spirit, is spiritual and requires a spiritual faculty in harmony with the Author before correct understanding and proper appreciation of the book can be realized. Abroad in our land today are many false teachers which claim for themselves great ability in theological matters. The devil is able to make them appear as angels of light (II Corinthians 11: 13-14). But every claim to theological scholarship is vain when the claimant has never been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Christ speaking to His disciples of the Holy Spirit said, "... He shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you," (John 14:26).

The Infinite Superiority Of The Bible

The Bible is the Divine Book. It is unique in the absolute sense. It stands solitarily being removed from all other books. It is above all other books, as much so as the ultimate Heaven is above the earth. The nature and character of the Bible is not of this world. Therefore, it cannot be studied as other books which are the products of human intellect. Recognizing the supernatural and spiritual element which characterizes the Bible, is also to recognize the necessity of a spiritual mind to discern the teaching of Scripture.

The Means Of Receiving Spiritual Light

    Matthew 6:22, "The light of the eye is the body ..." The eye is the vehicle or channel by which light is transmitted to the body. Light without power of vision or means of receiving it, is of no value. All the light in the universe is of no benefit to the person who has no faculty to receive it. The same is true regarding Bible truth. Where there is no spiritual organ or faculty to receive the spiritual light emanating from the Bible, there remains gross darkness and consequently no appreciation of the light.
    The ultimate natural intellect is of no avail in discerning the things of God's Book. Appropriation of Divine truth can only be realized by Holy Spirit enabling. Even the "born again" person Divinely equipped with the spirit of discernment must continue to study the Bible in order to receive greater light in spiritual matters. This being true of a renewed mind, one endowed with ability to comprehend spiritual things, how much more is the natural mind the exact opposite of the spiritual mind? Not only is the natural mind UNABLE to receive spiritual light, but has an insatiable hatred of the light (John 3:20).
   Romans 8:7, "Because the carnal (natural) mind is enmity against God: For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The natural mind being filled with intense hatred for spiritual things cares not to be a partaker of those things which it hates. Hate shuts the door and bars it with a double lock. Hatred of God and hatred of His word has doubly secured the total spiritual ignorance of the natural mind.
    A person may lock their door against an enemy, but the language of friendship and love is; "I will leave the door open for you." So, when a person experiences the redemptive love and grace of Jesus Christ he will love the Lord. He will forever want to know more about his Gracious Lord. The only way he can increase his knowledge of God is by a prayerful, reverent and open minded study of the Bible. "The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple," (Psalms 119:130). A reverent study of God's word does not make the student a bibliolater. It simply means the child of God should never study the Bible in a way that equates it with any other book. There has been no time allotted for a haphazard or insincere handling of God's word. The believer is commanded to study and search the Scriptures (II Timothy 2:15) (John 5:39), and the result of obedience to these commands is the ability to rightly divide the word of truth.

All The Spiritual Illiterate In One Category

In the world of lost mankind we have the learned and the unlearned. We have the exceedingly rich and the pitiful poor. But as to spiritual understanding they all fit into one class; foolish, That may seem, to some, to be a harsh and unjust description. But it is the adjective the Holy Spirit uses on several occasions to describe those which lean to their own understanding. (Titus 3:3, I Peter 2:15, etc. etc.). Paul refers to the crucifiers of Christ as "The princes of this world," (I Corinthians 2:8). The princes of this world are the intellectual elite which are looked up to as having been instrumental in erasing the dark clouds of ignorance which for centuries hung over the human family. Yet, all the great advance in human learning has left the natural man at zero knowledge concerning God and His word. Paul said, they are, "Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," (II Timothy 3:7).
The unlettered and uncultured followed Christ as long as they received physical sustenance at His hand. But when He told them the Messiah must die, they understood not and quit His ranks. So, they too, are in the same category with the worldly wise and they together are spiritually unprofitable.

Supernaturally Revealed

    I Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." This text does not say, the eye does not see, or that the ear does not hear, nor does it say the heart cannot imagine great things. What it says is; "All that enters the eye gate, the ear gate and all the moral devisings of the heart, combined together cannot produce any measure of spiritual truth. "Neither have entered into the heart of man." The context limits, the word "man", making it refer to the natural man, exclusive of the spiritually awakened man.
    The need of contextual study cannot be over emphasized. Reading verses nine and ten together (I Corinthians 2: 9-10) the distinction between the natural man and the spiritual man is readily seen in that the spiritual man is the blessed recipient of Divine revelation. Verse ten reads, "But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."
    The Apostle Peter had been with the personal Christ for three years. His intimacy with Christ excelled that of the very closest friends. Yet, the deity of Christ had to be supernaturally revealed to Peter. Matthew 16:15-17 "He (Christ) saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? {16} And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. {17} And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."
    The futility of human wisdom and prudence, as means of gaining spiritual truth is made plain in Christ's words recorded in Matthew 11:25 "... I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." The worldly wise exults over what he considers to be errors in the Bible and looks with scorn upon those that esteem the Bible to the infallible word of God. The prudent man is wise in practical things, he is careful of consequences, judicious and cautious. He considers himself too intelligent to get involved in matters that must be accepted by faith. He loves the status quo, and rejects Bible demands on the ground that he is getting along well independent of' the Bible. Prudence ceases to be a beneficial quality when it leads to self-sufficiency and independence of God.
    The unlearned, meek and lowly having trusted Christ for eternal salvation, and waiting on the Holy Spirit to teach him about his Saviour; to him God reveals things the wise and prudent of this world have never seen and have no means of understanding.

Questions
Lesson - 2

1. What is essential in order to understand and appreciate the Bible?

4. Can the ultimate natural intellect rightly comprehend any measure of spiritual truth?

5. What must the "born again" person do in order to further his spiritual knowledge?

9. Obedience to the commands to search and study the Scripture, results in what?

10. What one word heading is it that all unregenerate persons come under in regards to spiritual understanding?

11. Have the great strides in human learning been instrumental in opening doors to spiritual understanding?

13. Is it necessary to be wise and prudent in the ways of the world in order for the child of God to receive spiritual instruction?