The Bible is not a book of encoded messages that must be deciphered through special decryption techniques or algorithms. However, the Bible does contain mysteries and discernments, or spiritual truths, within it. It is a spiritual book that requires spiritual illumination by God, as seen in the opening verse above this paragraph. He must open our (spiritual) eyes, that is, our spiritual understanding. So the way someone understands Truth in the Bible is from God Himself as He reveals it to them, as they carefully and prayerfully search the Scriptures.

What's more, without God's guidance, the Words of Scripture are written in such a way that they drive people away from Truth. The message of the Bible is not what people anticipate, or even desire, to hear in their natural state, so they misunderstand it to one degree or another, if not dismiss it entirely. And this is precisely the way God designed it. This is not a happy situation when considered from our natural perspective, but a very blessed thing for the true believer whom God has made submissive to His Word.


THE MYSTERIOUS GOSPEL

God, through the apostle Paul, illustrates the spiritual nature of the Bible in his letter to the church at Corinth. In this context, Paul explains that his preaching of the Gospel was a spiritual mystery that requires the power of God, rather than earthly wisdom and intelligence, to gain the knowledge of God. Carefully read I Corinthians 2:1-14 below:

1. And I, brothers, when I came to you, came not with excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2. For I determined not to know any thing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4. And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nothing:
7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9. But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.
10. But God has revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11. For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.
12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

The spiritual message of the Bible, including the depths and yet simplicity of Christ and Him crucified, cannot be properly understood by the natural mind, it cannot be appreciated through worldly or carnal wisdom. No earthly method which might be employed -- no matter how intelligent, how high, how academic, how systematic -- can bring this knowledge of God's Word. Only God can give this.

THE BIBLE IS ITS OWN INTERPRETER AND ITS OWN DICTIONARY

This doesn't mean the Bible isn't to be read and studied, however. In I Corinthians 2, quoted above, God gives instruction how we are to study the Bible given its spiritual nature. To this end, there is a foundational concept to remember: The Bible serves as its own interpreter and its own dictionary. Only the Bible is qualified to inform us how it interprets itself, how it is to be studied and understood. So, not only is it required that God give understanding in His Word, He also instructs us how to study His Word correctly. God is completely authoritative and sovereign, including to whom He reveals Truth, and it all comes entirely through His Word alone (as read or declared), not from human methodology.

We read previously in I Corinthians 2:13-14:

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

Here, the Bible speaks about the things the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. This drives home the point that the words of the Bible, the words of God, are spiritual words taught by the Spirit of God. We study them by comparing them (the spiritual words) together, allowing the Bible to define its own spiritual terms and phrases. We come to understand them, therefore, by comparing and harmonizing scripture with scripture as, and if, God is pleased to teach us by illuminating our understanding in the process. Conversely, if we do not harmonize the Scriptures, and if God does not give us understanding, then we will run afoul of what God is teaching. Many, unfortunately, study diligently, but through human reasoning and lack of reliance on God are led astray. As God says, "...the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned."

We see further corroboration that the Bible, the Word of God, is spiritual in Ephesians 6:17:

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. Then in John 6:63, Christ says it requires the Holy Spirit to give spiritual life through His Word which is spiritual in character:

It is the spirit that quickens [makes alive]; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.

So again, we see the spiritual nature of God's Word, that it requires God to give spiritual life through it and, therefore, spiritual knowledge in His Word. And, again, since we compare spiritual things with spiritual, it means we compare scripture with scripture -- we search out God's Word which is His spiritual revelation, the sword of the Spirit. The Bible interprets itself as God, as He pleases, guides us into understanding or not. He is the King and Judge of all, while the Bible, as His Law Book, defines its own spiritual terms, much like any legal document defines the terms within it to have proper meaning in a court of law.

HISTORICAL PARABLES WITH A HEAVENLY MEANING

God wrote the Bible using many historical and earthly parables which have a heavenly or spiritual meaning. The historical accounts of the Bible are absolutely true and trustworthy, of course. But they illustrate spiritual realities -- they portray some aspect of the Gospel and of God's salvation plan and of judgment.

For example, the Old Testament tabernacle and the temple with their building materials (the curtains, beams, gold, silver and precious stones) along with the holy place. The sacrifices for atonement, the priesthood, the candlestick, the shewbread, the mercy seat, the sabbath days and other ordinances, etc., all point through pattern, type, figure and shadow to the greater Gospel of salvation which is found in Christ alone. Yet historically they were very real. Throughout the book of Hebrews God illustrates the shadow nature of the Old Testament which finds spiritual reality, spiritual fulfillment in Christ and the Gospel.

Again, when Boaz the "kinsman-redeemer" purchased Ruth the Moabitess to be his bride and to raise up an inheritance for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi, it represented Christ redeeming and purchasing His bride that there might be an eternal inheritance for her.

When God spoke light into being out of the void of darkness in the beginning of the creation, it demonstrated the light of Christ (the Word in the flesh) and the Gospel shining in a dark world of sin to save His people:

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

The examples are far too numerous to speak of here. But these true, historical events point to the Gospel which is fulfilled in Christ. Thus, the underlying spiritual illustrations of the historical accounts is what is "hidden" within the pages of Scripture. And in order to understand the spiritual message, one must allow the Bible to define its own terms by comparing scripture with scripture while praying to and relying upon God for spiritual understanding. For example, knowing that Christ is the true Kinsman-Redeemer who purchased the elect to be His bride for an inheritance, those who before were "Moabites" (strangers and foreigners to Israel), helps us to understand the spiritual portrait that God paints through the book of Ruth.

Christ spoke in parables when He taught the people, so we know without question that the spiritual nature of the Gospel continues into the New Testament. Many who heard Christ preach became saved and believed on Him, because it is the Gospel which God applies to the hearts of His elect that brings them to salvation. It is His spiritual Word that gives life. Others heard the parables and were hardened in unbelief. They did not understand the declarations, nor did they care, because they did not believe God. Their hearts and minds were set on the things of this present world, and on themselves, so the heavenly message found no place in their souls. So the spiritual nature of God's Word divides between the spiritual and the earthly, between the saved and the unsaved. It is a double-edged sword that brings salvation to one and judgment to another.

Christ's speaking in parables illustrates this spiritual nature of His Word, where He said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Matthew 11:15, 13:9, 13:43; Mark 4:9, 4:23, 7:16; Luke 8:8, 14:35; Revelation 2:7,11,17,29, 3:6,13,22, 13:9). We must be given spiritual ears (spiritual understanding) by God Himself in order to comprehend His spiritual Word, in order to know the deeper things of God. Just as Christ spoke in parables, thus is the spiritual message of the Bible conveyed to confound the earthly or worldly wisdom of the hearers. This purposefully keeps the earthly-minded in darkness while drawing the elect into faith in Christ, into a spiritual mindset as the Holy Spirit dwells within them.

We read in Matthew 13:10-15:

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why do you speak unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 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: 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.

Christ spoke in parables to keep many in their blindness, in the carnal state of their minds. This actually drove many away from Christ who were not of His elect, even amongst his own professed disciples who initially claimed to believe on Him. Consider this spiritual language that Christ spoke which was a test for His followers. In John 6:53-58, we read:

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live for ever. (John 6:53-58)

For those in Christ's immediate hearing who were not spiritually-minded, who were not truly saved, this was very difficult to receive:

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard [this], said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?....From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:60,66)

Yet Christ clarified that the intent of His words were spiritual, knowing that they would would drive them away:

It is the spirit that quickens [gives life]; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. (John 6:63-64)

Those who went back were exposed as spiritual frauds by the spiritual nature of Christ's words. But for the true believers, Christ's words (God's Word), the Bible, is eternal life and salvation:

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. (John 6:67-69)

Even today there are those who literalize Christ's words here, claiming that the bread and wine mysteriously "become" the very body and blood of Christ -- even as Christ clarified that His intent was spiritual, that is, that we eat and drink of Christ as we partake of His Word, which is spirit and life to us as we abide in Him.

Later, in speaking to His disciples, Christ demonstrates how the Old Testament scriptures point to Himself (through the spiritual lessons of the Old Testament passages, such as God speaking the light out of darkness, and Boaz the "kinsman-redeemer" purchasing Ruth to be his bride-inheritance), and it required that He open their understanding. We read in Luke 24:44-45:

And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

Remember that Christ is God Himself who must open our spiritual understanding to His Word. These things could not have been properly understood before, even by the Old Testament saints, because they did not have the whole Bible to know with clarity how they pointed to the coming Messiah. Only once Christ came and opened their understanding could they begin to grasp what He taught them, and how the Old Testament was fulfilled in Him.

With the completed Bible today, we can understand the same through comparing Scripture with Scripture as God illuminates our understanding. Only because God's Word is spiritual, or God-breathed by His Spirit, can it be the power of salvation unto those who believe. The Word neither came from human inspiration, nor is it understood through any private human interpretation, as we read in 2 Peter 1:19-21:

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke [as they were] moved by the Holy Spirit.


THE PURPOSE

God's Word is written as a hidden mystery because it is His plan to save His elect through spiritual hearing and to bring them to greater Truth throughout the New Testament era. But it is also His plan to keep the non-elect in blindness.

Those who don't believe the Bible is authoritative, those who do not believe God and the power of the Gospel, will reject the Gospel outright or follow the teachings of others who merely imitate the Gospel. These teachings are fraught with false ideas that limit Bible interpretation to earthly forms, undermining reliance upon God to illuminate the spiritual understanding and denying the spiritual nature of God's Word.

Of course, this is ultimately of Satan, the master deceiver, who comes as an angel of light, and his ministers as ministers of righteousness. Those not given to truly believe from the heart will be blinded and come under the judgment of God through the way God has inspired the Bible. We see this in Isaiah 28:7-13, where God judged the rebellious priests and prophets of Ephraim for their spiritual drunkenness in which they had distorted the Word of God to the point of serious error:

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble [in] judgment. For all tables are full of vomit [and] filthiness, [so that there is] no place [clean]. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts. For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word....He that is of God hears God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God. (John 8:43,47)

Jesus answered them, I told you and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:25-27)

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16)

7.14.2002, Last updated 10.5.2023