Page 49 - Apologetics Student Textbook (3 Credits)

99.5% of all the manuscripts agree 100%. That means that the copyists were careful not to change the
text throughout the ages of time. Also, there are really only 400 variants that affected the sense of the
passage, and only 50 of these have doctrinal significance. We have over 5,300 copies ancient
nd
manuscripts, some back to the 2 Century. By comparing the various manuscripts, we can pretty much
see when a variant was introduced and why.

Can you take the Bible literally?

All Scripture is to be taken literally except those portions which are clearly intended to be symbolic. And
generally, the symbolic portions are easy to identify. For example, Psalm 17:8 says, “Keep me as the
apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings…” We know from other verses that God is a
spirit and does not have eyes like men do. We know that God does not literally have wings.

The majorities of verses in the Bible are straightforward and understood in their literal sense. But there
are some passages that are difficult to interpret literally. There are a few basic principles to dealing with
difficult passages in the Bible.

First, we must believe that the Bible itself contains no contradictions whatsoever. If there is any
question about interpreting a section of Scripture, it can be called a difficult passage but not a
contradictory passage.

Second, in dealing with difficult passages, we should study it in conjunction with other passages before
we can arrive at any conclusion. No difficult passage can be in conflict with the teachings contained in
other parts of the Bible. When God wrote the Bible, He did not write one portion without regard for the
other portions. It is totally consistent. So if one interprets a passage and find the interpretation in
conflict with other passages of Scripture, his interpretation is invalid.

Sometimes we find passages that just don’t make sense. In such case we have to believe them at face
value. We should not doubt God’s Word simply because our little minds cannot follow the thought or
because of our prejudice or lack of reason.

For example, the Bible makes it very clear that a person must respond to the Gospel by faith to be
saved. It also says God is not willing that any should perish, but that every person should come to
repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Yet, the Bible also says that before the foundation of the world God elected
people to be saved according to His foreknowledge (Eph. 1:4). One aspect involves the free will of man;
the other the sovereignty of God. We may not be able to put both of those thoughts together to
become totally consistent, but needless to say, both are true.

One of God’s good gifts to the Church throughout the centuries has been commentaries on Scripture,
written by learned, wise theologians who love God and his Word. We should always try to interpret
what we’re reading with the help of the Spirit and other Scriptures before reading other interpretations
since they can influence our thinking. But listening to or reading these Bible scholars can shed a lot of
light on a passage of Scripture and help us put it into perspective with other passages of the Bible.

If a passage of Scripture still confuses you after seeking context and reading commentaries, ask a friend
or small group or perhaps your pastor to look at the verses with you. Share your struggles with it, pray

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