What Verse or Passage of scripture do you find difficult to interpret?

[GaryA]

1 Peter 4:

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

The word 'dead' in this verse is referring to the spiritually dead and not the physically dead.

 

[Amanuensis]

1 Peter 4:

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

The word 'dead' in this verse is referring to the spiritually dead and not the physically dead.

I think that the context would lead one to consider having been killed for their faith suffering from the judgments of the wicked men who put them to death. I could be wrong but that is what comes to my mine when I first read it. I haven't really considered other interpretations before today. I guess this is a good one to discuss as well.

1Therefore, since Christ sufferedA in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understandingB — because the one who suffers in the flesh is finisheda with sinC —  2in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.a 3For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires,a drunkenness, orgies,b carousing, and lawless idolatry. 4They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living — and they slanderA you. 5They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.a 6For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead,a a so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards,b they might livec in the spirit according to God’s standards.

 

[birdie]

Post-mortem evangelism seems to be a theologically sound doctrine.

1 Peter 3:19
19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

1 Peter 4:6
6For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Romans 8:38-39
38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 4:24,25
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Thanks Runningman for the excellent scriptures you placed here. Keep in mind that scriptures about death and the dead are primarily talking about those who are spiritually dead. They are not addressing physical death. Similarly 'life' is addressing spiritual life, that which never dies in Christ. Anyone who has been born again to a new life in Christ has passed from spiritual death (their former condition) to spiritual life (their present condition ever since conversion. They Bible uses the term 'were dead in trespasses and sins' or something to that effect to describe a believers prior situation - prior to hearing the good news of the gospel and believing on Christ for his atoning love.

 

[SomeDisciple]

1COR11:10 - there's a whole lot of eisegesis concerning this chapter and topic, but this verse specifically is particularly difficult.

New International Version
It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
Living Translation
For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.
English Standard Version
That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Berean Study Bible
For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Berean Literal Bible
Because of this, the woman ought to have authority on the head, on account of the angels.
King James Bible
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

I was looking for something new. But I will bring up an example. We don't have to discuss it if it has been recently worn out but it is a good example of one that is hard to understand at first read.

1 Peter 3
18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison 20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared.

Does this mean that Jesus preached to spirits in prison after he was killed, or after he was made alive? Or does this mean that Noah preached to those people while they were still alive by the Spirit of Christ that was in him before they died and were put in prison which is where they are now?

Peter said that the Spirit of Christ was in these old prophets when they preached and I was wondering if that is what Peter is referring to when he says this?

They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

"In prison" means being enslaved by sin, from which we're liberated by the Father through the blood of Christ. Jesus quoted "to set the captive free" from Isaiah and declared that this one was fulfilled today, that's the proclamation.

 

[Runningman]

Thanks Runningman for the excellent scriptures you placed here. Keep in mind that scriptures about death and the dead are primarily talking about those who are spiritually dead. They are not addressing physical death. Similarly 'life' is addressing spiritual life, that which never dies in Christ. Anyone who has been born again to a new life in Christ has passed from spiritual death (their former condition) to spiritual life (their present condition ever since conversion. They Bible uses the term 'were dead in trespasses and sins' or something to that effect to describe a believers prior situation - prior to hearing the good news of the gospel and believing on Christ for his atoning love.

Thanks for that excellent point. Sometimes death is about physical death, too. Do you think any of those verses I quoted are about physical death given the context they’re set in?

 

[birdie]

Thanks for that excellent point. Sometimes death is about physical death, too. Do you think any of those verses I quoted are about physical death given the context they’re set in?

Thanks Runningman. To me it looks like all of the scriptures you mention are about spiritual death.

 

[RichMan]

Our goal as the reader is to identify what the author intended to communicate to our understanding.

"what it says" = "what he expected us to understand by the use of those words and sentences"

This is an interpretation based on following agreed upon rules of reading comprehension. Violate one or more of those rules and you get two people arguing over "what it says" both claiming to be sticking to "what it says"

How do you identify which one is sticking to what it says? Rules of language. Word definitions. Sentence rules. Original language, immediate context, surrounding context, cultural context, theological context. etc.

We are always interpreting sentences. You can't read without that. The question is whether you are interpreting them correctly. Correctly means identifying what the author intended for you to understand.

If the author was here and you could ask him. "Paul, what did you mean when you said that sentence?" and he would explain it to you maybe a bit more verbose or using different words what would he most likely say? Since we can't ask him we can use rules of interpretation to get as close to that answer as possible.

I know that I am being obvious but I also know that it helps people to state the obvious sometimes.

And yet we have different people "interpreting" the same Scripture to say two or three different things and each accusing the other of not following the rules.
You are correct. We must understand the meaning of the original words, style of writing, and rules of grammar.
I find it sad that most ignore these basic rules, search out new translations, and put their own spin on Scripture, to "interpret" Scripture instead of just understanding the simple meaning that is stated.

 

[Amanuensis]

And yet we have different people "interpreting" the same Scripture to say two or three different things and each accusing the other of not following the rules.

In my observation when the interpretation is wrong the person doing it does not know what the word hermeneutics means and they get irritated when you use that word. So I have concluded that most of the errors these people make is because they don't follow rules of interpretations and one who knows the rules can pinpoint which rule they are violating when they go astray. Rarely are both parties following the rules. I know that there are exceptions but that is my general observations.

 

[Amanuensis]

1COR11:10 - there's a whole lot of eisegesis concerning this chapter and topic, but this verse specifically is particularly difficult.

New International Version
It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
Living Translation
For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.
English Standard Version
That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Berean Study Bible
For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Berean Literal Bible
Because of this, the woman ought to have authority on the head, on account of the angels.
King James Bible
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels

This is a good one. I lean toward it being a cultural custom he uses to make a rhetorical point but not a Christian custom or any kind of NT command because of this...
for her hair is given her for a covering. 16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

 

[Amanuensis]

"In prison" means being enslaved by sin, from which we're liberated by the Father through the blood of Christ. Jesus quoted "to set the captive free" from Isaiah and declared that this one was fulfilled today, that's the proclamation.

If it ended at 19 maybe. But it says 20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared.

 

[RichMan]

In my observation when the interpretation is wrong the person doing it does not know what the word hermeneutics means and they get irritated when you use that word. So I have concluded that most of the errors these people make is because they don't follow rules of interpretations and one who knows the rules can pinpoint which rule they are violating when they go astray. Rarely are both parties following the rules. I know that there are exceptions but that is my general observations.

What you are saying is that anyone who "interprets" a Scripture differently than you are not following the rules of "interpretation".
Now I understand where you are coming from.

 

[Amanuensis]

What you are saying is that anyone who "interprets" a Scripture differently than you are not following the rules of "interpretation".
Now I understand where you are coming from.

I am taught by others who present a good case for their interpretations using rules of hermeneutics almost daily as I study using many bible helps, commentaries and references. It would be foolish to hold on to a view that I had that was proved wrong by these agreed upon rules of interpretation.

But people do need to present their reasons for their interpretations and if they don't do a good job of that they should not get frustrated if people are not seeing what they think they see.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

If it ended at 19 maybe. But it says 20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared.

That’s a Torah reference from Gen 6. Before the Flood, God gave Noah 120 years to build the Ark and the rest of mankind to repent. It talks about God’s love and patience to accept any sinner who’s willing to come to him.

Also, please note that in the days of Noah, there was no rain, no ocean, no flood and of course, no ship. There was absolutely no conventional wisdom or past experience to rely on. It takes faith to overcome that normalcy bias which most people have.

 

[Nehemiah6]

We must understand the meaning of the original words, style of writing, and rules of grammar.

Above all we must understand the spiritual reality beyond and behind the words. The Bible is essentially a spiritual book to be understood by the spirit and with the guidance of the Spirit. We should also be clear that God speaks to the ages through His Word, and Christ spoke to humanity, not just the Jews (even while addressing the Jews).

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

What you are saying is that anyone who "interprets" a Scripture differently than you are not following the rules of "interpretation".
Now I understand where you are coming from.

Actually, the correct interpretation often comes from messianic Jews who understand the original Hebrew and Jewish culture. There’re cultural and OT references everywhere in the NT. You’ll never know what these verses and passages really mean without that backdrop.

 

[Amanuensis]

That’s a Torah reference from Gen 6. Before the Flood, God gave Noah 120 years to build the Ark and the rest of mankind to repent. It talks about God’s love and patience to accept any sinner who’s willing to come to him.

Also, please note that in the days of Noah, there was no rain, no ocean, no flood and of course, no ship. There was absolutely no conventional wisdom or past experience to rely on. It takes faith to overcome that normalcy bias which most people have.

Yes. Those that were disobedient while the Ark was preparing in the patience of God. They did not take advantage of that preaching from Noah and repent and so they were killed and reserved in prison of hell until the final judgment. They were preached to by Christ in the sense that Noah was inspired by the Spirit of Christ which was in him. They were preached to while they were still alive. Peter is saying that those who are in prison now were preached to by Noah before they were in that prison they are in now.

But not that Jesus went there to preach while he was in the grave.

This seems like what Peter was getting at based on the rest of his sayings. He is the one who said that holy men of God spake by the Spirit of Christ which was in them. He also spoke a lot about God judging those before the flood and reserving for judgment to come.

It seems that it was just a clumsy way to say it or translate it, and people have tripped over it and created a theory about Jesus going to preach to people in hell while he was in the grave. The problem is that hardly anyone ever has Jesus preaching to only those who were disobedient while the ark was preparing but instead they theorize Jesus preaching to all sorts of other folks that Peter does not mention. And with no scriptural support to theorize this stuff. They just make it up. And I have a problem with that.

 

[Amanuensis]

Actually, the correct interpretation often comes from messianic Jews who understand the original Hebrew and Jewish culture. There’re cultural and OT references everywhere in the NT. You’ll never know what these verses and passages really mean without that backdrop.

Old Testament Survey and New Testament Survey books are very helpful in this regard. I used to think negative about them because of the name. I was ignorant and thought they were just giving people brief information about each book of the bible. Boy was I wrong. They bridge that gap of cultural context and help to reveal what was in the minds of the people at that time and where to find supportive information in ancient literature in extant. Now I have several of these books in my library and plan to read them all several times over.

 

[Lafftur]

This is where we would need to see of there any other scriptures that support the idea that the disobedient in hell get another chance to receive Jesus.

I suppose we also need to stick to only this select group of disobedient while the Ark was preparing.

Not all the disobedient from the creation of the world until the flood, but just those who were disobedient while the Ark was preparing which would be about 120 years according to Gen 6:3

So why just them?

Jesus said in Luke 12:5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

We don't think that these get a second chance. Why would only those who were disobedient when the Ark was being prepared get a second chance?

The more we analyze it the less likely it is that this would be a correct interpretation. Disobedient people in hell getting a second chance to repent? It does not say they repented. It just says he preached to them. It does not say they got out of prison. It just says he preached to them that were in prison.

What about the Rich Man in the story about the Rich Man and Lazarus? Does he finally get out? Who would not repent and believe in hell if they get another chance?

My inclination would be to doubt that as a correct interpretation because the implications of such an interpretation would violate so many other areas of theology. Therefore on the basis of the hermeneutical rule concerning theological context I would reject such an idea as not what Peter intended to communicate.

The Grand Finale of God’s Judgment is at The Great White Throne of Judgment when ALL the dead appear and God still searches for their names to see if they are listed in the Book of Life…

Why is God still searching for their names?

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-15 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Revelation 20:11-15&version=KJV

 

[Lafftur]

Jesus Christ is the ONLY One given the keys of Hell/Hades. There is a great chasm between Heaven and Hell that ONLY Jesus Christ can cross.. Abraham cannot, neither could Lazarus….

Jesus Christ is the ONLY Savior… He is Lord of the Living and the Dead both physically and spiritually alive and dead.

God is able to save even to the uttermost! Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name! Amen.