The title of this article isn’t as strange as it may sound. It says we’re going to try to gain some understanding of the subject of understanding as it relates to the Bible. Another way to say the same thing is that it’s important to understand Biblical understanding.

In a previous article, Experiencing Truth, I claim there is a distinction, and a relationship, between knowledge and understanding. Knowledge is mental, and acquired through your physical senses. You learn about the world around you by seeing, smelling, hearing, touching and tasting. Understanding is not a physical function, rather it is a spiritual activity. It is secured though the spiritual eyes and ears of your heart as the following verses indicate.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:18)

‘“For the heart [the seat of spiritual understanding] of this people has become dull, with their [spiritual] ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their [spiritual] eyes, otherwise they would see with their [spiritual] eyes, hear with their [spiritual] ears, and understand with their heart and return [repent], and I would heal them.’” (Matthew 13:15)

Thus, knowledge and understanding are complete opposites, but, they are at the same time related. Since you can’t understand something without first having knowledge of it, knowledge must necessarily come before understanding. However, gaining knowledge should not be your end game. Rather it should be considered as a stepping stone to understanding.

It is important for effective Bible study to recognize the precept that knowledge is necessary, but when it is not connected to understanding its value is limited at best. On the other hand, understanding is of limitless value. Solomon (at the direction of the Holy Spirit) agreed.

13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding.

14 For her [understanding’s] profit is better than the profit of silver, and her gain better than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her.

16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast. (Proverbs 3:13-18)

Understanding is something that should certainly be sought most earnestly. Solomon instructs us to do that very thing.

1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding,

2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction.

5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

6 “Do not forsake her [understanding], and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you.

7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding.

8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.

9 “She will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” (Proverbs 4:1-2, 5-9)

Knowledge corresponds to the words on the page, what I call the content of the Bible. Every word of the printed text of the Bible is true, but they are one dimensional. Here’s what I mean: Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt, He parted the Red Sea, and the people crossed on dry land. You can read that story a hundred times and it remains the same. Or read of David’s victory over Goliath, and the story is always the same. So, as we read the Bible we become acquainted with all that it says. In that way, we acquire knowledge.

Understanding, on the other hand, is multi-dimensional. Consider again the story of David and Goliath. Many have found strength to tackle big problems in their lives after reading of young David’s faith and courage in the face of a seemingly undefeatable foe. This story projects unlimited shades of understanding drawn from a bottomless reservoir of meanings. Thousands of sermons have been preached on its myriad themes.

The Holy Spirit is the source of the understanding. What does this mean for your Bible study? Simply and profoundly this:

The Holy Spirit has an unlimited wellspring of understanding from which you may draw wisdom and encouragement which can be applied to your particular situation at any given time.

He is willing and able to utilize this ability with everything you read in the Bible … with every story … every passage … every verse … even a single word. This is how a document several thousand years old  remains current and right for every situation in every age.

Seeing & Hearing

“Did you see that?” You’ve surely heard that phrase before. In fact, there’s a very good chance you actually spoke it at one time or another. Similarly, we’ve all heard and uttered the query, “Did you hear that?” We aren’t baffled by these questions. We understand them as asking if we saw something with our eyes or heard a sound with our ears.

However, Biblical usage of the words see and hear, especially in the New Testament, have dual meanings. The word ‘see’ is used for either physical or spiritual sight. In the same way, the word ‘hear’ can mean to hear with either physical or spiritual ears. The matter is complicated further by the fact that the same words, see and hear, are used to express both meanings. So when you read ‘see’ or ‘hear,’ each could be referring to either physical or spiritual seeing or hearing.

Spiritual seeing and hearing is the understanding you receive from the Holy Spirit for the words you read in the pages of the Bible. Jesus explained it to the disciples as follows:

“That while seeing, they [the people] may see [with physical eyes] and not perceive [they see but not see with spiritual eyes, i.e., they do not understand], and while hearing , they may hear [with physical ears] and not understand [but not hear with  spiritual ears] otherwise they might return [repent] and be forgiven.” (Mark 4:12)

The words ‘see‘ and ‘seeing‘ and ‘hear‘ and ‘hearing‘ are used regardless of whether physical or spiritual meanings are intended. Therefore, when you encounter these words as you read the Bible, it is necessary to determine whether the text is referring to their physical or spiritual meaning.

This duality of meanings can produce some interesting word play. The following passage illustrates the point. Jesus had just told the parable of the sower to the people and the disciples. Following this, the disciples asked Jesus an important question.

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 

11  Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven [to receive spiritual understanding], but to them it has not been granted.

12 “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have [spiritual understanding], even what he has [God’s blessings of peace and safety] shall be taken away from him.

13 “I speak to them in parables; because while seeing [with physical eyes] they do not see [with spiritual eyes], and while hearing [with physical ears] they do not hear [with spiritual ears], nor do they understand [seeing and hearing with spiritual eyes and ears is to understand]

14 In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing [with physical ears], but will not understand [will not hear and understand with spiritual ears]; you will keep on seeing [with physical eyes], but will not perceive [will not see and understand with spiritual eyes];

15 for the heart [the seat of understanding] of this people has become dull, with their [spiritual] ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their [spiritual] eyes, otherwise they would see with their [spiritual] eyes, hear with their [spiritual] ears, and understand with their heart and return [repent], and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your [spiritual] eyes, because they see; and your [spiritual] ears, because they hear. [The disciples saw and heard with spiritual eyes and ears because Jesus explained the parables to them. Parables are briefly discussed below and explained more fully in a later section.] (Matthew 13:10-16)

That bit of verbal gymnastics is an indication of an important principle:

Seeing & Hearing Have Dual Meanings

This is an important foundational principle of Biblical understanding. In the Bible, especially the New Testament, seeing can mean either physical or spiritual sight, and hearing can refer to either physical or spiritual hearing.

The physical and the spiritual correspond to knowledge and understanding respectfully. Knowledge of the Bible is obtained principally by reading, listening to sermons or attending Bible Studies. However, it is an erroneous belief that understanding is acquired merely by participating in those activities. Consider the following description of one of Jesus’ post crucifixion appearances to the disciples.

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” [Thomas wants physical evidence.]

26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side, and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to Him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see [with physical eyes], and yet believed [spiritually, with all their heart].” (John 20:24-29)

The writings of the Bible were selected and arranged by God so they could be utilized by the Holy Spirit to reveal any and all truths about the nature and ways of God. Therefore, any understanding you gain must stand solidly on the entirety of the words in the Bible, both the Old and New Covenants.  Any other understanding you may receive is simply not from God.

A Brief Discussion Of Parables

I want to return to something Jesus said to say something about parables.  Jesus said in His response to the disciples’ question about the parable of the sower:

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.” (Matthew 13:16)

Parables are similar to the seeing and hearing phenomenon in that they also have dual characteristics. Parables are: simple stories used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson such as those told by Jesus in the Gospels. For example, the parable of the sower had a lesson on the way the word of God was received by varyious types of people.

Even though the disciples asked Jesus why He spoke to the people in parables, I suspect they were also asking because they also did not understand the parable. Jesus then went on to explain the parable to the disciples. In fact it was His practice to explain the parables to the disciples privately.

33 With many such parables He was speaking the word to them [the people], so far as they were able to hear it;

34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples. (Mark 4:33-34)

Jesus’ practice of explaining the parables to the disciples is itself a parable. Jesus was showing the disciples, and His followers who would come later, how the parables are to be understood. Believers are after all supposed to understand all of the parables. We learn this in Mark’s account of Jesus telling the parable of the sower. At the conclusion of the parable, Jesus asks the disciples two pointed questions.

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? [Jesus knew they did not understand] How will you understand all the parables?” (Mark 4:13)

The conclusion you should come to from these two questions is that the disciples were, and all born again believers today are, expected to understand all of the parables. The question then is: How is it that you are to understand all of the parables in the Bible? Jesus showed you the answer: He explained the parables to His disciples. Before He was crucified and resurrected, He gave the meaning of the parables to the disciples face to face. Following His crucifixion and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Jesus began explaining the parables to His disciples by means of His Spirit, that is, the indwelling Holy Spirit. He continues to do so today.

In light of this, we understand what Jesus meant when He told the disciples, “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.” (Matthew 13:16) They were blessed with eyes and ears to see the meaning of the parables because they had an interpreter, namely Jesus Christ. Today, believers are blessed to have the same interpreter, Jesus Christ, not face to face but through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. It is He who will reveal to you the meaning of all of the Bible’s parables. The apostle, John, wrote:

“But when He,  the Spirit of truth, comes, He will  guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (John 16:13)

The Holy Spirit speaks to believers and reveals all of the truth to them. This is how believers gain understanding of the lessons hidden in all the parables in the Bible.

The duality of meanings for seeing and hearing is not meant to confuse you. Quite the contrary, the dual meanings of these words leads us to discover a great insight regarding duality. We’ll look at this in the next article.

May you be blessed with knowledge and understanding from the Lord,

Peter Giardina