The deeper you go into the academic study of the Bible the more you will be exposed to problems, or difficulties, or challenges. Sometimes these problems lead people to leave the field of biblical studies or even abandon their faith. (For an example, see Bart Ehrman’s book Misquoting Jesus.)
I admit that the challenges have seemed enormous to me at times. It’s one thing to struggle with one problem and not have an answer, but to struggle with problem after problem without any conclusive answers is frustrating to say the least.
I’m not talking about theological problems over which Christians disagree, like Calvinism vs. Arminianism or baptism or communion. I’m talking about problems that could destroy one’s trust in parts of the Bible or even the entire Bible.
Here’s my non-exhaustive list of such problems along with links to the blog posts where I’ve struggled with them:
- Apparent differences between biblical statements and modern scientific views (ex., creation vs. evolution and the vault or dome of day 3.)
- How to determine what is metaphorical from what is literal in the Bible. Much controversy in biblical interpretation can be found here.
- God’s command to Israel in the Old Testament to carry out herem warfare.
- The seemingly failed end-times predictions or expectations of Jesus and the authors of the NT.
- The allowance and even support of slavery in the OT and slavery in the NT. Yes, there are hints at freedom but the biblical evidence is somewhat ambiguous, which led to much controversy among Christians prior to the Civil War.
- The idea that there is a development of ideas between different authors of Scripture or between different writings from the same author (ex. Paul.) That would mean some parts of Scripture are inferior to other parts of Scripture because they do not contain the fully developed ideas of other parts.
- The idea that disagreement exists between different biblical authors (ex. James vs. Paul).
- The problem of violence in the NT. In the Gospels, Jesus taught and practiced a radical form of nonviolence (Matt. 5:38-39; his arrest and crucifixion) and even love for enemies, but in Revelation he strikes down the nations with the sword of his mouth and rules them with an iron scepter (19:15). How do we combine these alternate images? (John Dominic Crossan offers a solution.)
- The authority of the Spirit in altering an established interpretation of Scripture (ex. the requirement of circumcision and the dietary laws that were set aside by the church in Acts 10-11). How do we know that this process doesn’t continue in the church? Jesus said, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (Jn. 16:12-13) When did the Spirit stop guiding God’s people into all the truth?
These are only some of the issues you will have to consider if you get involved in the academic study of Scripture. And yet despite these challenges, I still find the Jesus of the Gospels to be an incredibly realistic character, and I still think we have good reasons to trust the basic account of his life in the Gospels. Finally, I know of nothing better that meets our deepest needs and longings than the gospel.
After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. For a deep dive into church history and the character of God, see my book Surprised by Hell.