Why Did God Allow Confusing Bible Verses?

Summary

Summary prepared by Acts 2:38 Life from the transcript below — the preacher’s words follow in full.

The question — and principles first

• The question posed (in the host's frame): in your book The Oneness of God, you ask a question — why did God allow confusing verses of Scripture? In your book you cite the example of Matthew 28:19: if Jesus intended for all baptisms to be done in the name of Jesus Christ, then why did he even allow this verse — this reference to baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — to even be included in Scripture? People can read verses like these, and others, and come to wildly different conclusions about what God requires from us. So why didn't God give us his word in a way so that every person who ever read it would come to the exact same conclusion? The answer: that's an important question. And I would say: in general, we talk about principles of interpreting Scripture. If we would use sound principles, that would eliminate a lot of confusion; make a lot of things clear to us. And I've written a book called Understanding God's Word. So many things can be cleared up, if we would study the proper interpretation and use of Scripture. If we would go back to the culture, and the history, and the biblical context, some things that might seem confusing or difficult become a lot easier to understand. However, there are some things that are difficult. In fact, the Apostle Peter said in Second Peter (as the book is named) that some of Paul's writings were difficult to understand. And so the question remains: why would God allow that? And you brought up the example that I've used, of Matthew 28:19: baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And when we dig into this statement in its own context — comparing it to other gospel accounts, and then looking at the Epistles, and certainly the book of Acts — we find, consistently, the apostolic church interpreted this to mean: to invoke the name of Jesus Christ. And I discuss that extensively in my little book, In the Name of Jesus.

Scriptures: Matthew 28:19; 2 Peter (book-only)

The disciples asked the same question: the parable principle

• But that does raise the question some have asked: well, why did — why did Jesus even give Matthew 28:19? Because it seems just to muddy the waters — when, if he hadn't said that at all, or if it would have just said 'in the name of Jesus Christ', we would never have that question. Well, actually, the disciples had the same question. I would like to go to Matthew chapter 13, and verse 10. So, using the New King James, Matthew 13:10: and the disciples came and said to him: why do you speak to them in parables? So they were having that same problem, during his earthly ministry: why are you saying parables, when, you know, we're having a hard time understanding? And so I would regard Matthew 28:19 — in fact, one of our pioneers, Frank ubert (as the name is heard), called it a parabolic statement. It's not a parable, but it does have some of the nature of a parabolic statement. And the simple answer is this: if you think about a parable — a parable is a true-to-life story that illustrates a central truth. So it has a twofold purpose. First of all, a parable reveals truth to those who are seeking it. So when you — everybody likes to hear a story; and everybody perks up — with somebody preaching or teaching and going through a bunch of points, when you tell a story or an illustration, everybody's attention immediately goes to that, because that just brings it home. So a parable has a way of revealing truth, because it makes it concrete. So you remember that story — and when you remember that story, you remember the main point. So if you had to remember what was the main point of a sermon a year ago, you probably couldn't. But if you remember the story, now you remember the main point of that sermon.
• On the other hand, a parable will — maybe you could say — hide truth, or disguise truth, from those who are not sincerely seeking it. So go think of Jesus' time, or even today: somebody hearing a message, they just get into the story. It's entertaining; it's interesting; it's enlightening. But they're not really hungry for God, so they just listen to the story. It's a good story; they don't ponder it; they don't apply it to their lives. And so that's the end of it — because the point is never, or may not be, expressly stated. So therefore, because it's just a story, they treat it as just a story; they never really ask: why the story? And so they miss the deeper significance. So a parable — or, I would now say, a parabolic statement — has the quality of revealing truth to those who are seeking it, but at the same time disguising truth, or hiding truth, for those who are not sincerely seeking it. And that seems to be exactly Jesus' answer. Because in Matthew 13:11, he answered and said to them: because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them — that's the other people listening — it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given: he will have abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away. Therefore I speak to them in parables: because seeing, they do not see; hearing, they do not hear; nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: hearing, you will hear and shall not understand; seeing, you will see and not perceive. For the hearts of this people have grown dull; their ears are hard of hearing (as read, 'heart of hearing'); their eyes they have closed — lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears; lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For assuredly, I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. So he says: you know, this people — they're not really spiritually sensitive. And so I tell them a parable that has the truth embedded in it — but if they're not spiritually sensitive, they'll just never get the point. But those that are sensitive, they'll think about this story — and now that story will be embedded in their minds and their hearts, and they will remember it for the rest of their lives.

Scriptures: Matthew 13:10; Matthew 13:11-17; Isaiah (book-only)

Matthew 28:19 worked through — to the fullness in Jesus

• And so, maybe that's the case when you study Matthew 28:19, and you compare it to the book of Acts. It does create a problem: why did Jesus say: baptize in the name — singular — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? And if he meant to just utter three names, of three persons — well, first of all, there's no teaching of three persons, to this point, in Scripture. So that's confusing. Second of all, the reader goes and sees what the apostles did: apparently they didn't obey him. So it becomes a problem; it forces you to say: okay, why did they not seemingly obey? And then you come to the conclusion: well, they really did. So that means: the name of Jesus is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Well, how can that be? Then you get to Colossians 2:9: in Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead. You realize: oh — because Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is all in Jesus. So now you come to an understanding of the Oneness of God: there aren't three different persons in the Godhead, but there's one true God, fully revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God — and, as he himself said in John 14: when you've seen me, you've seen the Father. So the Father is revealed in the human life of Jesus Christ. And also, in John 14, Jesus said: I'll send my Spirit. So when you receive the Holy Spirit, you're not receiving a different Spirit: you receive the same Spirit that was in Jesus; you're receiving Jesus in your heart. So when you go through that study — although it may be difficult and arduous — at the end of it, you understand the fullness of the Godhead is in Jesus Christ. You understand who the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit really is. And the name of Jesus encompasses it all. And there's power in the name of Jesus. And so now you have faith: for deliverance, for healing, the washing away of sins — everything you need is in Jesus Christ. So you would never get to that point, perhaps, if you weren't forced to reconcile these statements.

Scriptures: Colossians 2:9; John 14

Difficult for a reason: the sieve, and the study it forces

• So maybe, as a teacher, I might say: boy, I wish that wasn't in there — because it'd be so much easier just to convince people. But then I have to say: wait a minute — if that was God's intention, actually — maybe some students are put off by it, but that's kind of like the sieve (heard as 'the Civ') that God uses, the test that God uses. And then yet, when I lead students through that process, and they really get it — well, now they're convinced for life, of the Oneness of God. They know who Jesus is. It changes their whole life. So I think we have to submit: well, it may be difficult — but it's difficult for a reason. And the reason is: to force us to study, to pray, to compare Scripture with Scripture, to dig it out, and develop a comprehensive understanding of what God really wants us to know.

Scripture index: Matthew 28:19; 2 Peter (book-only); Matthew 13:10; Matthew 13:11-17; Isaiah (book-only); Colossians 2:9; John 14.