When You Don’t Understand the Bible

Oftentimes in Christian media we see what Fr. Mike dubs a
“Hallmark” version of following Christ. There’s struggle and
hardship, but then God’s grace comes in and cures everything,
making everything nearly perfect for the characters in the story.
While these types of stories make you feel all warm and fuzzy
inside, they’re not very realistic. And while God’s grace is
essential, it’s not a magic wand that makes everything bad go away.
There are some stories in the Bible that at first glance appear
dark, difficult, or just don’t make sense. Even some of the things
Christ says to his followers can sound harsh or even scandalous at
times. But it’s in these moments of confusion and concern that God
wants to teach us something. This was something that St. Augustine
struggled with before his conversion. It wasn’t until after he had
accepted the faith and began to intentionally practice it that he
realized it’s not God’s word that’s wrong, it's our interpretation
of it. He gives us 7 things to do when trying to understand a
passage we’re unsure of: Read the text in the original language.
Or, if you’re not a scholar of Greek or Latin (more than likely),
at least realize that a lot can be lost in translation, like idioms
and turns of phrase, or context and foreign references. Try
different biblical translations and see how they compare. Weigh
what you’re reading with all of scripture (it’s ALL connected!) Be
humble and accept that you don’t know everything needed to fully
understand God’s word (and that’s okay). Sacred tradition always
trumps our own interpretations. Don't take figurative language
literally. Don’t universalize a parable to be relevant for all
situations in life. The Bible wasn’t written by Hallmark. It was
inspired by God. Hallmark is meant to help you escape reality. The
Bible is meant to help you get back in touch with reality. There’s
going to be brokenness, and sin, and unhappy endings, but there
will also be real grace that transforms those hardships into
strength, and it has the power to change your life.