"Our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
(2 Pet. 3:15-16)
Peter was a forgiving and humble man. I say this because in spite of the fact of being openly rebuked before other brethren by Paul, he still refers to him as "Our beloved brother Paul." The greater, at the time, was rebuked by the lesser. Not many of us could or would react or respond so. The wise man in Proverbs teaches us that reproofs are a way of life.
From what Peter tells us, many of Paul's epistles were then in circulation. He goes on to inform us that he had read all of them even though there were some things, "hard to understand." Although he was considered the chief spokesman of the twelve and Spirit filled, he had the same problems that we do in the reading of the scriptures.
But not understanding some things did not hinder him from reading the other things. He knew, when eating fish and you come to a bone, you don't stop eating; you simply lay it aside and continue your tasty meal. He didn't spend his time and attention on analyzing the bone[s]. Far too many of us waste our time on things we don't understand.
Personally, in my Bible reading through the years, I have accumulated quite a sizable portion of bones; the stack has grown considerably. Had I gone ahead and eaten some of them, I have no doubt I would have choked to death. Some things are better left alone until God sees fit to open our spiritual understanding. We need to learn to wait for God's timing.
It is good to remember, when reading the Word, that we should never take an obscure text over a plain text. Witty Mark Twain commented, "It is not the things in the Bible I don't understand that bother me, it is those parts I do understand." A man or woman that goes by, and obeys the light they do have, will find more light will be given them in time.
By An Old Disciple
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