A Rule for Obscure Texts
by A.W. Tozer
THAT THERE ARE A FEW DIFFICULT PASSAGES in the Bible is well known to everyone. The enemies of the truth are adept at dragging out those obscure verses and holding them as proof that the Bible is a book of mistakes and contradictions. Teachers of false doctrine use them to teach ideas that have no scriptural support. It is well for the true Christian to know what to do with difficult passages.
When reading the Scriptures for our spiritual profit, we would be well advised to pass over the difficult verse without more ado. For instance, the book of First Peter contains 103 verses of blessed, encouraging truth designed to strengthen and instruct the reader. It also contains two verse that are, as Peter said of some of Paul's writing, "hard to understand." Those seeking after God will major on the 103 verses that they can understand and wait for clearer light on the short passages that they find difficult. To do anything else is to create a strong suspicion that we are playing with the Word of God and are glad to discover something to take the heat off our consciences.
The passages in First Peter to which we refer are these: "Through whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison" (3:19), and "For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit" (4:6). That these words are difficult to interpret will not be denied by any humble-minded Bible expositor. Personally I believe I have a satisfactory explanation, but granted that I do not and that I am forced to admit I do not know what they mean, what then?
To answer that, I would give my readers a rule of interpretation that is worthy of universal application when studying the Word of God. It is this: "If I do not know what a difficult passage means, I can at least know what it does not mean."
It is right here that the false teacher seizes the advantage over the Christian. Let the Christian admit he or she does not know the meaning of a verse and the false teacher eagerly grasps at this admission and pushes it for all it is worth. "You do not know what the verse means? Well, here is what Mrs. Eddy, or Judge Rutherford, or Mrs. Blavatsky, or Joseph Smith says it means. Now you have the meaning. The light has come to you at last." The assurance with which he speaks intimidates the meek soul who has just admitted ignorance of the meaning of the text, and he forthwith surrenders to the guidance of the blind leader.
Let us take a homemade illustration. I am trying to identify a piece of fruit I have just pulled from a tree. It is purple in color, egg-shaped, contains one large pit at its center, has a series of sharp spikes growing all over its surface, has the fragrance of a rose and the taste of watermelon. I shake my head and admit I do not know what it is. Immediately an eager-faced helper appears and says, "If you do not know what it is, I can help you. It is a banana. Now that I have given you the light, come and follow me. I know a lot more things just as wonderful as this."
But I am not so easily fooled. My answer is, "No, my friend, I will not follow you. True, I do not know what this fruit is, but I surely know what it is not. It is not a banana. That will dispose of my little helper most effectively, especially if I can produce a real banana for comparison.
Now what does all this add up to? Simply this--the fact that I may not be able to explain a passage does not obligate me to accept from another an explanation that is obviously phony. I do not know what it means, but I do know what it does not mean. I may not know, for instance, what those strange verses mean that tell us about Christ's going in His spirit to preach to the spirits in prison. But I know what they do not mean. They do not mean universal salvation, nor a second chance to be saved after death, nor the emptying and abolishing of hell. The reason I know what they do not mean is that these doctrines are simply not taught in the whole sweep of revealed truth. And more significantly, the exact opposite is fully and freely taught throughout the entire Bible.
I have used one passage of Scripture, not to emphasize it in particular, but as a fair example chosen from a dozen or so difficult passages found in the Bible. The same rule applies to each and all of them. The moral is: Let the whole Bible speak and you will find that it speaks with one clear voice. Listen to that voice and the obscure verses will not trouble you.
"He who has ears, let him hear." The wise will understand, but we may expect a certain type of religionist to continue to major on obscurities. He has a built-in talent for going askew on doctrine, and nothing I can say will cure him.
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CHRISTIAN
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