John 2:19-21, Jesus spoke of destroying the temple and raising it up in three days. The disciples, the people closest around him, didn't understand it until he was risen from the dead.
John 3:4, Jesus spoke of a new birth, and Nicodemus replied, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" This is comical, but it is a natural reaction I would say. Praise God for His word and its detail and its unwillingness to sugar-coat our stupidity.
John 4:11, Jesus spoke of living water, to which the woman at the well replied, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then have you that living water." But dude, you don't have a bucket, and the well is like a million miles into the ground, how the heck are you going to get this "living water?"
John 6:51-54, Jesus spoke to the Jews about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. And they responded. "How can this man give us flesh to eat?" Man you are talking about cannibalism?! Who is this guy?
John 8:30-36, Jesus spoke about knowing the truth and the truth setting them free, to which the people in the temple questioned, "We are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how do you say, You shall be made free?" We are the descendant of Abraham, we are God's chosen people, and we are not in chains or oppression right now, so what are we being set free from?
John 11:11-13, Jesus spoke about Lazarus being asleep when he had died, to which the disciples replied, "If he sleep, he shall do well." Howbeit Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that he has spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
There is a massive divide here from the ever all cliche, dead and living. 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nothing: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
I see this all the time today, there are two different kinds of wisdom, mans and God's. 1 Corinthians also says that it pleases God to overcome the wisdom of the world with what they would consider foolishness. It may be funny to us to look at these examples, but the church is overcome with this in it's current status. Constantly debating and dividing within itself to figure out what the bible "really" means. Or what the "true core of the text," is saying. It's a constant battle between wrong and right, exegesis or eisegesis, literal or allegorical translations... the list goes on. I believe that the answer is found in the fact that people are still in the dark.
It doesn't matter what side you are on, this applies to everyone. 1 Corinthians 2:14, "The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." It is because of our unshakeable natural inclinations that we will always be at war with God, between the old and the new man, until we marry. So what does one do when they can not figure out the spiritual understanding of the bible because they are in darkness? Turn on the light.
You don't enter into a room and start swinging at the darkness with a bat to beat or scare it away. You don't yell at the darkness, or come up with what you may think is a profound rebuttal to the darkness that surrounds you. You easily turn on the light-switch. Likewise, we need to "turn on the light," in our lives to overcome the dark.
Abandon all your opinions, all of man's wisdom, approach your Father as a child, seeking understanding. It is only by His word, and His wisdom in which we gain it. The bible is not a book in which God hid Himself for us to find, so that we one day might argue over it and it's meanings. It is a credible source of knowledge that God graciously has given and revealed to us, so that we may understand Him and learn to love Him. No secrets. No agendas. Just honesty and convenience. It is not until you know someone, that you can love them truly. He has made it so simple and accessible for us to love Him. Coming to us on our terms and our level, considering how we think and how we were created to interact with His spirit. That is how much He desires to be in relationship with us. He is an all trustworthy and holy God, to question His word as anything but logical, would seem foolish. Come on guys, this is easy.
"The word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Overcome the confusion and dismay by reading His word. If your spirit is still not connecting, and you still lack wisdom, James 1:5 "Let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraides not; and it shall be given to him." This is the only way to overcome spiritual darkness. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16
