Coffee. It clears the mind, stimulates the senses, increases productivity, and I love it, but I can’t drink it black. I’ve tried to, but I have a hard time swallowing even a sip. Coffee alone is just too bitter for my delicate taste buds, so I sweeten it up with Stevia and almond milk. I’ll take sweet over bitter any day of the week.
Sometimes we can come across a scripture that is hard to swallow. For example, the following verses can leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many women.
- 1 Corinthians 14:34 KJV- Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
- 1 Timothy 2:11-12 KJV- Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
- Colossians 3:18 KJV- Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
How should we handle those difficult Bible verses so we can interpret, understand, and apply them properly?
The Bible is the Final Authority
Women who read scripture through the lens of their preconceived notions, previous experience, and personal preferences will find these scriptures offensive and oppressive. But women who study their Bible and are sober-minded will submit to the authority of God and obey those difficult Bible verses.
If we don’t study the Bible, then we can misinterpret and misapply the scriptures, which can hinder our spiritual growth and spread false doctrine. This can result in disorder, division, and destruction in the home and church, which is exactly what Satan wants. He provokes our pride and tempts us like he did Eve in the garden, with “yea, hath God said…?” (Genesis 3:1)
Pride and hard-heartedness can lead us to conclude that the Apostle Paul was a sexist jerk, and those verses are outdated and don’t apply to us now. Sadly, many women have come to this conclusion, which is why I am sharing this post, so we can interpret and apply difficult Bible verses properly.
Believers have to be humble and teachable and affirm that the Bible is the final authority on every issue of life.
When we care more about being righteous than about being right or having our rights, then we have a heart like Christ and can learn from the Lord and mature in godliness. Click To Tweet2 Timothy 2:15 KJV~ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
3 Study Tips to Sweeten the Bitter Scriptures: Understanding Difficult Bible Verses
Julie Andrews was on to something when she sang “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” in Mary Poppins. Think of these 3 study tips as sugar to help those sour scriptures easier to swallow.
- Establish the Context
- Investigate the Culture
- Compare scripture with scripture
Study Tip #1: Establish the context of difficult Bible verses
Context is the setting in which the passage exists, and is the most important Bible study rule to follow. Scripture taken out of context is detrimental to the Believer. We want to be Christian women who know, live, and teach sound doctrine, so we must establish the context, especially with verses that are controversial.
When establishing the context of a passage, determine the theme of the chapter, book, and how it fits into the Bible as a whole. Discover what doctrine is being explained, and look at the historical context.
A study Bible is a great tool to aid in that process. I have this one:
Study Tip # 2: Investigate the culture behind the difficult Bible verses
Scriptures that seem harsh can be confusing when we try to understand them with our Western world mindset and modern culture. We have to find out when, where, and to whom the text was written, and answer questions like:
- What was church/home life like for the original listeners of these scriptures that we deem cringe-worthy?
- What was the political climate and religious culture?
- Were there cultural practices that would help make sense of these instructions?
Answering these questions is essential to understanding the culture and establishing the context. Having this information also gives us insight as to why the verses were written, and how we should interpret and apply them as 21st-century Christian women.
A great tool for establishing the historical context and investigating the culture is:
Study Tip #3: Compare scripture with scripture when dealing with difficult Bible verses
I always study my Bible using Blue Letter Bible, because it is fast and so easy to use. BLB has several great Bible study tools like concordance, commentaries, and dictionaries. I can click on a verse, tap it, and go to the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge for cross-references. When I read those related scriptures, I get a better understanding of the verse or passage I’m studying.
When I’m sure to establish the context, investigate the culture, and compare scripture with scripture, those bitter scriptures sweeten up, my countenance shifts and my heart softens. I am confident yours will do the same the more you simmer in the scriptures and allow God to renew your mind.
Romans 12:2KJV~ And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Filter Your Feelings and Renew Your Mind
Always remember that God has your good in mind and His glory is at stake. Always. So the next time you come across difficult Bible verses that don’t sit well with you, apply these 3 study tips to sweeten up those bitter scriptures.
Filter your feelings through what you know to be true, align your heart and mind with God’s, and be sober-minded. Ask the Lord to help you process His truth and put it into action for His glory.
If you need help understanding a difficult Bible verse, leave a comment below or email me and I’d be glad to assist you!
Psalm 119:103 KJV~ How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Want to know more about how to study the Bible? See my Bible Study Basics page here: Bible Study Help
Articles related to dealing with difficult Bible verses:
What Every Disciple Needs to Know About Sound Doctrine
How to Study the Bible in 7 Simple Steps
Bible Study for Busy Women~ 20 Minute Word Study
10 Simple Steps to do a Bible Word Study
9 Characteristics of a Teacher of Good Things
New Resource Library and FREE guide to How to Study the Bible
I have created a resource library with tools for spiritual growth here at Daily His Disciple. It includes a 17-page guide to How to Study the Bible, with step-by-step instructions, study sheets, and much more! There are also bookmarks and scripture lists for topical study and memorization (including 14 Scriptures for a Sober Mind).
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Pray With Confidence
Prayer is vital to helping us understand tough scriptures. If you would like to grow in your prayer life, then check out Pray with Confidence. It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the regular contributors. Here are a few links I think will be a blessing to you:
3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability
2 Things to Remember to Find Peace in Chaos
19 Bible Verses that Reveal the Will of God
You also want to check out the prayer resources, Bible verses, and challenging questions tabs. There are many great options to boost your spiritual growth!
Thank you for such incredible insight! We so often take everyday face value instead of diving into the deeper meaning of it all.
Jessie
Your Story Matters.
http://www.onelostcoin.com
Yes, I definitely do that sometimes. I think it’s a blessing to simply ask the 6 investigative questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how. With Study Bibles, Bible dictionaries etc, and online resources we can find answers pretty quickly. And then we’re in a better position to understand and apply the scriptures! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your insight into this. Those verses always confused me as well especially knowing the current culture we live in that promotes gender equality. So looking back at those ind of passages can be confusing and hard for people, but when we dig into it, looking at the cultural context of the time and supporting verses, we can find what God was intending. I’d love to hear your thoughts on those passages sometime 🙂
Thank you for your feedback! Those example scriptures can definitely rub us women the wrong way. Oftentimes our pride gets provoked and because those scriptures don’t line up with our previous thinking, prior experience in life, or personal preferences, we either ignore them or twist them to fit our lifestyle. But once we’ve done proper Bible study and correctly interpret the scripture we can see God’s heart behind it. It’s still the same truth, and we’re still expected to obey it, but it softens as we see it the way God does. I may do a follow up to this post and expound those scriptures further! Blessings to ya! 🙂
Thanks for posting. It is very important to know the context and have the correct principles of Biblical interpretation, otherwise we can easily get the wrong message and allow error to creep in, or allow others with the wrong interpretation to take advantage of these scriptures for their own purposes.
Exactly. Thanks for your comment, I appreciate the feedback. Blessings to ya! 🙂
Excellent Bible study tips!
Thanks!