Not Code, But Clarity

We tend to think the Old Testament saints and prophets walked in the world shrouded in a cloud of darkness. They knew very little about Christ, we think. They saw in a mirror dimly only rough images hardly discernible. The apostle Peter appears to confirm this thinking. "The prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow" (1 Peter 1:10-11). It seems the prophets did not know about whom they spoke. Neither did they understand the times about which they spoke.

More careful analysis is in order. Peter says the prophets did predict the sufferings of Christ. They also predicted the glory following His sufferings. In response, they sought God wanting to know "what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating." In his comments on 1 Peter 1:11, A. T. Robertson tells us the original language indicates the prophets sought to know "what time or what manner of time." The prophets did not ask, "What?" They did not ask, "Who?" These things they knew. They were asking, "When?" Robertson goes on to say, "The prophets knew what they prophesied, but not at what time the Messianic prophecies would be fulfilled." In other words, the prophets had the same questions we do. They wanted to know when Christ would come and what times would be like upon His arrival.

Coming to Scripture with this perspective helps us see Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, and other "heroes of the faith" had a better grasp of thing spiritual than we often credit them. For this reason Paul is quite able to use Abraham as an example of justification by grace through faith (Romans 4:1-10). In the midst of his argument Paul can also mention David as another model of justification by grace through faith (Romans 4:6-8). This perspective also helps us understand the drumbeat of Jesus' preaching. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). The prophetic message was clear. The time had now come.

The real questions relating to Scripture have to do with time. Among the Old Testament saints it was the question of the time of Christ's coming. In our day we wonder about the time of Christ's second coming. Content, for the most part, is clear. The who and what, for the most part, is clear.

This is hopeful. Ordinary people using ordinary means can read and understand the Bible. People like you and me are able to read and study the Bible and get an understanding of the ways of God with acceptable clarity. There is not some mystery lurking behind the pages of the Bible obtainable only by a few. There is enough clarity on the pages of the Bible we can learn the ways of God and by His grace actually follow them.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1:7) puts it this way. "All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them."

Yes, this is hopeful. You too can read the Bible, learn more about Christ, and follow Him.