Popular Misconceptions About the Bible
OVER 8,000,000 pounds sterling! What a fabulous price to pay for one book! Yet, when the auctioneer’s gavel came down at the sale held in London during December 1983, that was the price paid by the buyer, representing the Federal Republic of Germany. What book could possibly be worth that much? It was a part of the Bible, actually a 12th-century illuminated book of the Gospels.
Whatever the reasons for paying this enormous sum for this manuscript book, it is of interest that such a price for a work of art should be for a portion of the Bible. It reflects the view of many people that the Bible is priceless. Others, however, consider the Bible with suspicion or even hostility. Why?
Popular Misconceptions
Many people, particularly in Protestant lands, claim that the Bible is like an old fiddle that can be used to play many tunes. They feel that the Bible can be used to prove many conflicting doctrines. They say: ‘It all depends upon the way you interpret it.’ Is this correct?
Admittedly, the Bible can be quoted in attempted support of differing viewpoints. But if statements are taken out of context, cannot the work of any author be made to appear to contradict itself? Would this be honest, though? Jehovah’s Witnesses maintain that an honest reading of the Bible does not allow for conflicting interpretations of key doctrines.
The Bible itself states, “For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:20) In other words, the force instigating the writing of the prophetic Scriptures was no mere native human force, but it was the holy spirit, or active force, of God. He is the first of all prophets and Inspirer of all true Bible prophecy by means of his invisible active force.
Another popular misconception is that, whereas the God of the inspired Christian Greek Scriptures is kind and loving, the God of the inspired Hebrew Scriptures is cruel and vengeful. French essayist Stendhal wrote that God “is a despot, and, as such, is full of ideas of revenge; his Bible speaks only of dreadful punishment.” This opinion is not surprising, coming from a man known as an atheistic libertine. Unfortunately, that same opinion is shared by many who call themselves Christians, including some clergymen.
The fact is that both in the portion originally written in Hebrew and in the portion written in Greek, the Scriptures state categorically that there is only “one God.” (1 Corinthians 8:6; Deuteronomy 6:4) Both parts show God to be merciful, just, loving, and firm. (Exodus 34:6, 7; Psalm 103:6-8; 1 John 4:8; Hebrews 12:28, 29) Some of the most tender passages of Scripture are found in the Hebrew part of the Bible, such as in the Psalms. Conversely, the “New Testament” contains striking descriptions of severe judgment meted out to the wicked. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Revelation, chapters 18 and 19) The Bible from beginning to end holds out a wonderful hope to the righteous. (Genesis 22:17, 18; Psalm 37:10, 11, 29; Revelation 21:3, 4) Thus, the Bible is in agreement with itself from start to finish.
A “Protestant Book”?
A misconception common among the world’s hundreds of millions of Catholics is that the Bible is a “Protestant book.” Sincere Catholics are not to be blamed for this view. For centuries the Roman Catholic Church forbade the reading of the Bible in any language other than Latin. This put the Scriptures beyond the reach of most lay Catholics. True, since 1897 and more particularly since the second Vatican Council (1962-1965), Catholics have had the right to read common-language Bibles approved by Rome. But traditions die hard. So in predominantly Catholic countries, Bible reading is still associated with Protestantism.
Many of the practicing Catholics who in recent years have obtained a Bible cannot yet pick it up without some apprehension. Why is that? Because their church still teaches that reading the Bible can be dangerous. Why? Because the Roman Catholic Church says that the Bible does not contain the complete revelation of Christian truth; it needs to be completed by “tradition.” In his book La Parole de Dieu (The Word of God), Georges Auzou, Catholic professor of Sacred Scripture, wrote: “Tradition precedes, envelops, accompanies and goes beyond the Scriptures. . . . [This] helps us to understand why the Church has never made Bible reading or Bible study a strict obligation or an absolute necessity.”
Why Read the Bible?
Nevertheless, many sincere Catholics the world over are procuring a Bible and are seeking help to understand it. The same is true of many disappointed Protestants and even of some who had placed their hopes in communism, socialism, or science.
Analyzing the reasons for the renewed interest in spiritual matters, religious correspondent Alain Woodrow wrote in the Paris daily Le Monde: “This is firstly a natural reaction to the disillusionment brought about by the failure of the great systems of thought, ideologies, politics, and science.” He gave as further reasons “disappointment in the institutional churches because of their compromising with the political and financial powers of this world,” and, lastly, what he called “apocalyptic fear.”
You may be one of those who has begun reading the Bible. If so, you will need to know how to make your Bible reading fruitful.