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As I have learned; reading the bible is not the same as reading academic books.
It requires A Divine Revelation from God before we understand the meaning.
Example;
When Jesus entered into a temple.
The equivalent of Temple in our times are the Church, Cathedral or Chapel.
But to Jesus, Temple is His Body.
Therefore: Jesus is using man's word but with different meaning.
JOHN 2:19-21
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
Another example is when Jesus talk to his disciples about Leaven. Of course in Man's understanding (literal meaning) Leaven is use in Bread.
But when Jesus explain or Reveal the meaning of Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees is The Wrong Doctrines of The Pharisees and Sadducees.
MATTHEW 16:6-12
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
This is how I learned in reading the Bible requires A Divine Revelation.
Jesus must explain the meaning because Jesus is using Man's word but different meaning.
Temple & Leaven although they are words which the meaning is very clear to us but, they are Parables.
This is why Jesus must Reveal The Meaning to his disciples because Jesus is speaking in Parables.
MARK 4:34
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples
Therefore the Baptism of John The Baptist in Water into Repentance.
The literal meaning of water is very clear to us. Water is what we drink everyday. Water is what we use when taking shower. Water is what we mix in our cooking. Water is what we use in washing our clothes & dishes.
But since Jesus is speaking in Parable (Mark 4:34).
What is the water according to Jesus that John The Baptist used in Baptism ?