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Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses: Clear Explanations for the Difficult Passages
The instruction and wonder of the Bible can be clouded when readers are uncertain about the meaning of some verses. Bible scholar and popular author Ron Rhodes (more than 1 million copies in combined sales) draws on his many years of studying and teaching Scripture to empower readers with knowledge, background, and truth. With clear and helpful explanations, Whether read to satisfy curiosity, pursue deeper Bible study, or prepare for discussions with non-believers, this practical resource will open up the promises and meaning of God's Word and gives readers confidence in all of Scripture.
304 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 18, 2019
Good guide to answer people objections. Especially the alleged contradictions.
February 19, 2017
The Bible covers a lot of ground in 66 books. Written over a period of 1600 years, in a variety of genres by multiple human authors, its readers have often puzzled over its meaning in any number of places within its pages. Ron Rhodes is here to help, with his book
Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses: Clear Explanations for the Difficult Passages
.
Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses is a mini-commentary covering the entire Bible. It tries to focus on just the sorts of questions the average church-goer would have. The questions are even pulled from Rhodes' own ministry experience as a traveling speaker. Rhodes does an excellent job of providing succinct and simple answer to most of them.
This book can't cover every issue or every question, but the following list provides a sampling of the sorts of points that are covered in this nice little volume.
- Are the 6 days of Creation 24 hour days?
- What was the mark of Cain?
- Who is the “angel of the Lord”?
- How can capital punishment be justified in light of God's command to not murder?
- Should Christians worship on Saturday (the Sabbath) or Sunday?
- What does it mean when the Bible says God “repents”?
- Is Proverbs 22:6 a promise or a principle regarding raising our children?
- What is the new covenant?
- What is the abomination that causes desolation?
- Is it wrong to take oaths?
- Did Jesus really die on Friday?
- Is baptism necessary for salvation?
- Are Christians required to evangelize going house-to-house (or door-to-door)?
- Does God have blood?
- Should I be seeking the gift of tongues?
- What is “baptism for the dead”?
- Are Christians permitted to drink wine?
- Does the Bible condone slavery?
- In Tit. 2:13, is Jesus called “God”?
- Can a Christian skip church?
- Is James really teaching a person is justified by works?
- How are the elect chosen by God?
- Why are Dan and Ephraim excluded from the list of tribes in Rev. 7?
- If Jesus is the beginning of God's creation, is He then a created being?
- What is Armageddon?
Not everyone puzzles over each question, nor are they equally important. But this is just a smattering of the kinds of issues addressed in Rhodes' book. The book is arranged by Scripture reference, so it can be a handy companion to your personal Bible study. If you are in a passage and have a question or can't understand a verse, try out this book. If your verse isn't listed in the book, check the topical index, in case the question is still answered by the book.
Rhodes' approach seems to be from a conservative, dispensational, creationist position. He will address alternate views often, and tries to be fair to other interpretive viewpoints, but the book is clearly biased by his own theological perspective. Then again, which book written by a human author isn't? Sometimes his answers are given as his personal perspective, as in his treatment of the tongues' question. He lists his reasons for believing tongues have ceased. Other times, as with the question of the “baptism for the dead”, he is content to give a few positions and not really come down on any one view. With other questions, he presents another view and then details problems with that view. Occasionally, he just gives his own perspective and doesn't discuss an alternate view. On a few points, he is very careful in laying out a systematic case for his view, as in his discussion of the differing positions on election (he prefers the Calvinistic position).
Some of Rhodes' questions would only come from a conservative evangelical or even a fundamentalist perspective. That makes the book perhaps more useful to these readers. He explains how Prov. 22:6 isn't a guarantee that one's children will automatically turn out right if we just do the right thing as parents. He shows how “house to house” was a description of teaching being done from home-group to home-group, not a prescribed method for evangelizing. He discusses that the Bible permits moderate drinking, but holds that wine in Bible times was weaker than it is today.
Sometimes I found myself upset with the simplicity of the answers. Other times I was impressed. For someone who is aware of all the above points of controversy, the book may not be as useful. But for many Christians, it will be a great tool for help in understanding Scripture more. So I'm happy to recommend the book.
My thanks go out to David Bartlett of Harvest House Publishers, for supplying me with this review copy.
Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses is a mini-commentary covering the entire Bible. It tries to focus on just the sorts of questions the average church-goer would have. The questions are even pulled from Rhodes' own ministry experience as a traveling speaker. Rhodes does an excellent job of providing succinct and simple answer to most of them.
This book can't cover every issue or every question, but the following list provides a sampling of the sorts of points that are covered in this nice little volume.
- Are the 6 days of Creation 24 hour days?
- What was the mark of Cain?
- Who is the “angel of the Lord”?
- How can capital punishment be justified in light of God's command to not murder?
- Should Christians worship on Saturday (the Sabbath) or Sunday?
- What does it mean when the Bible says God “repents”?
- Is Proverbs 22:6 a promise or a principle regarding raising our children?
- What is the new covenant?
- What is the abomination that causes desolation?
- Is it wrong to take oaths?
- Did Jesus really die on Friday?
- Is baptism necessary for salvation?
- Are Christians required to evangelize going house-to-house (or door-to-door)?
- Does God have blood?
- Should I be seeking the gift of tongues?
- What is “baptism for the dead”?
- Are Christians permitted to drink wine?
- Does the Bible condone slavery?
- In Tit. 2:13, is Jesus called “God”?
- Can a Christian skip church?
- Is James really teaching a person is justified by works?
- How are the elect chosen by God?
- Why are Dan and Ephraim excluded from the list of tribes in Rev. 7?
- If Jesus is the beginning of God's creation, is He then a created being?
- What is Armageddon?
Not everyone puzzles over each question, nor are they equally important. But this is just a smattering of the kinds of issues addressed in Rhodes' book. The book is arranged by Scripture reference, so it can be a handy companion to your personal Bible study. If you are in a passage and have a question or can't understand a verse, try out this book. If your verse isn't listed in the book, check the topical index, in case the question is still answered by the book.
Rhodes' approach seems to be from a conservative, dispensational, creationist position. He will address alternate views often, and tries to be fair to other interpretive viewpoints, but the book is clearly biased by his own theological perspective. Then again, which book written by a human author isn't? Sometimes his answers are given as his personal perspective, as in his treatment of the tongues' question. He lists his reasons for believing tongues have ceased. Other times, as with the question of the “baptism for the dead”, he is content to give a few positions and not really come down on any one view. With other questions, he presents another view and then details problems with that view. Occasionally, he just gives his own perspective and doesn't discuss an alternate view. On a few points, he is very careful in laying out a systematic case for his view, as in his discussion of the differing positions on election (he prefers the Calvinistic position).
Some of Rhodes' questions would only come from a conservative evangelical or even a fundamentalist perspective. That makes the book perhaps more useful to these readers. He explains how Prov. 22:6 isn't a guarantee that one's children will automatically turn out right if we just do the right thing as parents. He shows how “house to house” was a description of teaching being done from home-group to home-group, not a prescribed method for evangelizing. He discusses that the Bible permits moderate drinking, but holds that wine in Bible times was weaker than it is today.
Sometimes I found myself upset with the simplicity of the answers. Other times I was impressed. For someone who is aware of all the above points of controversy, the book may not be as useful. But for many Christians, it will be a great tool for help in understanding Scripture more. So I'm happy to recommend the book.
My thanks go out to David Bartlett of Harvest House Publishers, for supplying me with this review copy.
December 27, 2008
When we study our Bibles, we often come across passages that are peculiar when taken at literal face value. Perhaps there is a historic cultural context that will shed light on that particular passage. Maybe there is a broader meaning to the Hebrew or Greek words than how they are rendered in our English translations. When we are faced with these types of questions and concerns, it is wise for us to consult our study Bible notes, commentaries, and Bible handbooks. Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses by Ron Rhodes falls somewhere in between a selective commentary and Bible handbook. This new resource that may be just what you’ve been looking for to help you better understand those difficult passages in the Bible.
In Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses, Ron brings together his many years of experience sharing and interacting with his audiences. During his travels and speaking engagements, it was not uncommon for someone in attendance to ask for further explanation of a Bible verse that they found difficult or troubling. It’s the many questions Ron answered over the years that became the basis for this book.
The book begins with a section titled Understanding Hard Sayings. While I know some of you may be inclined to skip introductory material, I’d encourage you to read this section first. Here Ron lays the groundwork for the rest of the book by explaining eleven principles for interpreting scripture that have served him well over the years. The eleven principles are as follows:
1. When the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.
2. Submit all “preunderstandings” to Scripture.
3. Pay close attention to the context.
4. Make a correct genre judgment.
5. Consult history and culture.
6. Interpret the difficult verses in light of the clear verses.
7. Interpret the Old Testament in light of the New Testament.
8. Distinguish between the descriptive and the prescriptive.
9. Realize that some Biblical truths are explicit; others are implicit.
10. Distinguish between promises and principles.
11. Affirm the benefit of proper interpretation.
Following the introductory chapter, the book is broken up into brief chapters, beginning with Genesis and in the canonical order of our English protestant Bibles running all the way through Revelation. Each chapter has a select number of questions related to a difficult scripture passage or passages in that particular book of the Bible and it’s explanation. Here are a few examples of the types of questions Ron answers throughout the book:
• Deuteronomy 29:29 – What are the secret things that belong to the Lord?
• Daniel 4:13 – What kind of angel is a “watcher” (KJV)?
• Malachi 2:11 – What is meant by “the daughter of a foreign god”?
• Luke 6:24 – Did Jesus teach that a rich person cannot be saved?
• Romans 8:14 – What does it mean to say believers become sons of God?
• Revelation 13:18 – Why are the numbers 666 used in reference to the antichrist?
Following the chapter on Revelation, there is a select bibliography and a very useful topical index.
I’ve enjoyed working my way through Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses. There are a number of ways one could choose to work through this sort of a book. I chose to read the book straight through. Others may want to keep it at hand as they are doing Bible study and consult the appropriate chapter to see the explanations given for difficult passages. You could also use this book as a reference work for difficult topics in scripture. The topical index allows the reader to selectively browse the material by subject matter rather than book, chapter, and verse. Regardless of how you choose to work through this book, it would make a great addition to your personal library.
Ron Rhodes is the president of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries. He holds a Th.M. and Th.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary. Some of Ron’s other publications include Christianity According to the Bible and What Does the Bible Say About…? You can learn more about Ron’s ministry and other books at www.ronrhodes.org.
In Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses, Ron brings together his many years of experience sharing and interacting with his audiences. During his travels and speaking engagements, it was not uncommon for someone in attendance to ask for further explanation of a Bible verse that they found difficult or troubling. It’s the many questions Ron answered over the years that became the basis for this book.
The book begins with a section titled Understanding Hard Sayings. While I know some of you may be inclined to skip introductory material, I’d encourage you to read this section first. Here Ron lays the groundwork for the rest of the book by explaining eleven principles for interpreting scripture that have served him well over the years. The eleven principles are as follows:
1. When the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.
2. Submit all “preunderstandings” to Scripture.
3. Pay close attention to the context.
4. Make a correct genre judgment.
5. Consult history and culture.
6. Interpret the difficult verses in light of the clear verses.
7. Interpret the Old Testament in light of the New Testament.
8. Distinguish between the descriptive and the prescriptive.
9. Realize that some Biblical truths are explicit; others are implicit.
10. Distinguish between promises and principles.
11. Affirm the benefit of proper interpretation.
Following the introductory chapter, the book is broken up into brief chapters, beginning with Genesis and in the canonical order of our English protestant Bibles running all the way through Revelation. Each chapter has a select number of questions related to a difficult scripture passage or passages in that particular book of the Bible and it’s explanation. Here are a few examples of the types of questions Ron answers throughout the book:
• Deuteronomy 29:29 – What are the secret things that belong to the Lord?
• Daniel 4:13 – What kind of angel is a “watcher” (KJV)?
• Malachi 2:11 – What is meant by “the daughter of a foreign god”?
• Luke 6:24 – Did Jesus teach that a rich person cannot be saved?
• Romans 8:14 – What does it mean to say believers become sons of God?
• Revelation 13:18 – Why are the numbers 666 used in reference to the antichrist?
Following the chapter on Revelation, there is a select bibliography and a very useful topical index.
I’ve enjoyed working my way through Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses. There are a number of ways one could choose to work through this sort of a book. I chose to read the book straight through. Others may want to keep it at hand as they are doing Bible study and consult the appropriate chapter to see the explanations given for difficult passages. You could also use this book as a reference work for difficult topics in scripture. The topical index allows the reader to selectively browse the material by subject matter rather than book, chapter, and verse. Regardless of how you choose to work through this book, it would make a great addition to your personal library.
Ron Rhodes is the president of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries. He holds a Th.M. and Th.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary. Some of Ron’s other publications include Christianity According to the Bible and What Does the Bible Say About…? You can learn more about Ron’s ministry and other books at www.ronrhodes.org.
June 16, 2011
In diesem Buch werden Fragen zu schwierigen Bibelstellen beantwortet. Besonders gut gefällt mir daran, dass häufig mehrere Interpretationsmöglichkeiten geboten werden und es dem Leser überlassen wird, welche davon er glauben möchte.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews