21/09/2026
The Bible isn't presented as a secret book whose meaning is reserved for a select few.
It was given so that we can know God, understand His purpose and discover the way of salvation.
In fact, the Bible describes God's Word as "a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105), and tells us that the scriptures "are able to make thee wise unto salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15).
If God's Word is described as something that gives light and can make us wise unto salvation, why are we sometimes told that we need someone else to tell us what the Bible really means?
Of course, there is nothing wrong with learning from other people. But there is a crucial difference between learning from a teacher and having to accept a teacher's authority over what the Bible means.
A teacher can help us understand the Bible while encouraging us to examine it for ourselves. Or, they can simply tell us what the Bible means and expect us to accept their interpretation without examining it for ourselves.
The Bible is meant to be a beacon of truth for those looking for it. But when people are told they cannot understand it for themselves, it can instead become a tool for human authority and control.
That matters, because if someone claims that only they have the authority to tell you what the Bible means, how can you check whether their interpretation is actually correct?
Jesus didn't treat God's Word as something that people had to leave to religious authorities. He repeatedly directed people back to the Scriptures themselves, asking questions such as, "Have ye not read...?"
That doesn't mean every part of the Bible is immediately easy to understand.
Some passages take more study. Some subjects become clearer when we compare different passages of Scripture, and sometimes we discover that something we've always believed doesn't actually fit what the Bible says.
God hasn't given us His Word simply to hand us every answer without any thought on our part. He wants us to make the effort to read, examine and understand it for ourselves. Jesus often taught in parables, for example, which required people to listen carefully and think about what he meant.
But difficulty isn't the same as impossibility. You don't need to be a theologian to start reading the Bible. All you need is an open Bible and a willingness to read carefully, letting God's Word challenge anything you've always assumed.
So don't be afraid to read the Bible for yourself.
Don't assume that:
- because someone has spent years studying it, that makes their interpretation automatically right
- because a particular teaching has been accepted for centuries, it must therefore be biblical.
Read it. Compare with other parts of the Bible. Think about it. Then keep searching.
✅ We encourage you to get started today! We have a free, self-paced course on our website to help you “Learn to read the Bible effectively”. Link in the comments. 👇
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