Was the Bible written and compiled for everyone to understand fully or only for a 'chosen few' to fully understand

[JOHN BUTLER]

I have always wondered if the Bible is for 'all of us' to understand fully, or if it's only for a chosen few to fully understand.

I don't mean is it just for one 'religion' to understand, I mean is it just for say 'an anointed group of people to understand'? 

Jesus spoke in illustrations to the people, but the disciples asked Jesus what the illustrations meant. Then Jesus would explain the illustration to them fully. 

Jesus told his disciples that 'to them the sacred secrets would be revealed' but that the crowd would not get the meaning of such things. 

It was also that after Jesus was resurrected he opened the eyes of his disciples / apostles so that they began to fully understand all things.

For my part I would never expect to fully understand God's word the Bible. A lot of it is straight forward of course, and easy to comprehend.

But I think a lot of it is 'in deep code' so to speak, only fully understood by those that Jehovah chooses.. 

It still seems strange to me, but it would be a separate topic, that God allows it to be so difficult for people to find any truth amongst the huge amount of lies in 'religion'. 

However, in my opinion, there has to be a 'group of humans' 'anointed people' that do have some direct contact with God, through Jesus Christ. 

We no longer have 'miracles' being done in Christ's name, so it is difficult to know exactly who the 'chosen ones' are. 

If there was a 'body of people' that could prove that they had God's approval and God's holy spirit, that would make life much easier. 

However when those that say they are chosen either make mistakes or tell lies about the meaning of scripture, and then their predictions fail, then they seem to prove themselves false or without God's guidance.

So we go back to square one. Is there really a 'body of people' being truly guided and upbuilt by God's holy spirit at this time ? 

Is the Bible and it's prophecies being fully opened up to such ones ?

 

[Evacuated]

59 minutes ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Is there really a 'body of people' being truly guided and upbuilt by God's holy spirit at this time

Seems there must be. It's definitely not for everyone, despite it's availability:

2 Tim 3:16-17. "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness,  so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

Dan. 12:9-10. "Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end.  Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand.

Ps.25:14 "The intimacy with Jehovah belongs to those fearful of him, also his covenant, to cause them to know it"

[JOHN BUTLER]

4 hours ago, Gone Away said:

Seems there must be. It's definitely not for everyone, despite it's availability:

2 Tim 3:16-17. "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness,  so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

Dan. 12:9-10. "Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end.  Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand.

Ps.25:14 "The intimacy with Jehovah belongs to those fearful of him, also his covenant, to cause them to know it"

Those that study God's word deeply can get the sense of a lot of it. 

But, as you have quoted from Timothy, 'All scripture is inspired of God'. But not all humans are inspired of God to understand it fully.

From the 'Bible Students' onward predictions based on scripture have proven false. The GB have written books that can now be shown to either be mistakes or lies. Would God really give false information to his 'chosen ones' ? 

And the Bible also says at Psalm 146 V 3 

Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation. 

So we go back to square one. Is there really a 'body of people' being truly guided and upbuilt by God's holy spirit at this time ? 

And how do we know who they are ? 

 

[Space Merchant]

@JOHN BUTLER The Bible is for all to read and to understand, however there are those who remain ignorant to passages and verses of the Bible, cherry pick and or do not go into the Hebrew and Greek to understand something, a word, place and or thing and so forth.

1 hour ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Those that study God's word deeply can get the sense of a lot of it. 

True, that is, if we accept what is true.

1 hour ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

But, as you have quoted from Timothy, 'All scripture is inspired of God'. But not all humans are inspired of God to understand it fully.

No man is inspired, the text is indeed inspired, at the same time over the centuries uninspired text has entered the Bible, examples like the KJV.

1 hour ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

From the 'Bible Students' onward predictions based on scripture have proven false. The GB have written books that can now be shown to either be mistakes or lies. Would God really give false information to his 'chosen ones' ? 

God does not give false information, however men, even those chosen by God are imperfect, as we can see a clear example with Samuel's mother to which when she was praying, a Prophet of God assume that she was a crazed drunkard, clearly he did not know, thus he is imperfect, as is with anyone who is deemed worthy and or destined for priesthood.

1 hour ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

And the Bible also says at Psalm 146 V 3 

Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation. 

You sure you are using this verse correctly granted with how big the context of this entails?

1 hour ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

So we go back to square one. Is there really a 'body of people' being truly guided and upbuilt by God's holy spirit at this time ? 

Those of the Priesthood, spoken of in the Bible, those of the Free Woman/Bride who are invited by God, thus being chosen, although imperfect, for they are not man nor woman in this sense regarding the chosen.

This same people in Jesus' day were entrusted with commands regarding the church and such continues onward into this day and age.

Those of the Priesthood will, only a few, will be alive during the End Time Tribulations and the day of God's Judgement.

[Space Merchant]

@Gone Away Another factor is spurious text, some of which people deem true, but it is false, hence why such was omitted from many translations.

The other factor is those who do not know Hebrew and Greek, thus yielding upon their own understanding vs. what we read in the manuscripts of which the Bible comes from, so to speak.

So there is a right view and a wrong view when it comes to the Bible, no middle ground.

[Evacuated]

3 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

not all humans are inspired of God to understand it fully.

Can't see a scriptural support for this observation.

3 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Would God really give false information to his 'chosen ones' ?

No, in principle. However, we would would need to agree that the "chosen ones" would need to be living up to that choice.

3 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Psalm 146 V 3

Invaluable counsel from God 's word.

[JOHN BUTLER]

54 minutes ago, Gone Away said:

Can't see a scriptural support for this observation.

No, in principle. However, we would would need to agree that the "chosen ones" would need to be living up to that choice.

Invaluable counsel from God 's word.

If we were all inspired of God and all had the same communication with God via Jesus Christ then why would we need a 'faithful and discreet slave' to 'feed us the right food at the proper time' ?  We could all get fed directly from God via Christ. 

However the GB claim to be the only ones capable of feeding us in the proper way, as they say that they (those 8 men) are the only 'Faithful and discreet slave'. 

Quote : "However, we would would need to agree that the "chosen ones" would need to be living up to that choice".

Do you mean that they would need to be deserving of such true communication ? 

[Evacuated]

Two points.

1. The assessment of the "slave" to be "faithful and discreet" lies entirely in the hands of "the master". 

2. The "appointment" of the slave to their role of food distribution also lies entirely in the hands of "the master".

Just a simple consideration of the literal way Jesus handled food distribution through his disciples when feeding the crowds miraculously will give us the sense of how this occurs.

The important thing for "the domestics" is that the food is distributed, and that it is eaten by those for whom it is intended, not who it is that does the distributing.

"The master" is quite capable of dealing with his "slaves" if there is to be any question regarding their faithfulness or discretion. 

[JOHN BUTLER]

3 hours ago, Gone Away said:

Two points.

1. The assessment of the "slave" to be "faithful and discreet" lies entirely in the hands of "the master". 

2. The "appointment" of the slave to their role of food distribution also lies entirely in the hands of "the master".

Just a simple consideration of the literal way Jesus handled food distribution through his disciples when feeding the crowds miraculously will give us the sense of how this occurs.

The important thing for "the domestics" is that the food is distributed, and that it is eaten by those for whom it is intended, not who it is that does the distributing.

"The master" is quite capable of dealing with his "slaves" if there is to be any question regarding their faithfulness or discretion. 

I entirely agree with your last sentence and that is what I am hoping will happen very soon. 

Remember that the scripture says at Luke 12 v 45 & 46. :-

But if ever that slave should say in his heart, ‘My master delays coming,’n and starts to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and get drunk,o ⁴⁶  the master of that slave will come on a day that he is not expecting him and at an hour that he does not know, and he will punish him with the greatest severity and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones.

I am hoping that the GB will be removed from the JW Org and replaced by honest hearted ones. 

But your illustration concerning Jesus and his disciples brings up other issues. In that case the people could easily see who Jesus was using to help him feed the crowd. It was clearly visible to the eyes. And the food was proven to be good food too.

However, it is not so easy for anyone to see who is chosen to distribute the spiritual food at this time. And also to know if the food distributed actually is approved of by God or Jesus Christ. 

Add to this that those who give themselves the title of 'Faithful and discreet slave' actually judge others of the anointed. And that the food they give is often withdrawn by them later, because it is not good food at all. It is proved to be poison. 

'The important thing for "the domestics" is that the food is distributed'

Is it ? Or is it that the food is truthful and correct and that it does actually come from the Master and not men's own thinking. 

[Evacuated]

6 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

'The important thing for "the domestics" is that the food is distributed'

Is it ? Or is it that the food is truthful and correct and that it does actually come from the Master and not men's own thinking. 

I stand by what I said. We are well equipped enough to balance the counsel at Acts 17:11; 1John 4:1; in discerning the value of the food that is distributed. Ps.4:4 and Pro.14:28 help us in how we handle those matters which need adjustment  The judging of who and who isn't living up to their assigned duties is in the hands of "the master".

In light of Jesus words at John 10:14, and with full confidence in the basis for Jehovah's promise at 2Tim.2:19, I think it is possible to handle appropriately any issue in connection with our ongoing development in understanding and applying the word of God. 

[JOHN BUTLER]

21 hours ago, Gone Away said:

I stand by what I said. We are well equipped enough to balance the counsel at Acts 17:11; 1John 4:1; in discerning the value of the food that is distributed. Ps.4:4 and Pro.14:28 help us in how we handle those matters which need adjustment  The judging of who and who isn't living up to their assigned duties is in the hands of "the master".

In light of Jesus words at John 10:14, and with full confidence in the basis for Jehovah's promise at 2Tim.2:19, I think it is possible to handle appropriately any issue in connection with our ongoing development in understanding and applying the word of God. 

We will have to agree to differ but I did find your last scripture funny in as  much as it finishes with “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.” 

If only the GB would obey scripture ....... 

[Evacuated]

3 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

We will have to agree to differ but I did find your last scripture funny in as  much as it finishes with “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.” 

If only the GB would obey scripture ....... 

Funny eh? "Who are you to judge the house servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Jehovah can make him stand."