Bible Study: What the Bible Teaches

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n our last lesson, we noted that the Bible is inspired by God; that is, God guided the authors of the Bible so that what they wrote was according to the “mind and heart” of God. It is for this reason that we call the Bible “the Word of God.” What then does the Bible teach us? Does the Bible teach us everything about life, that is, every detail of our life?

Does the Bible teach us how to brush our teeth and comb our hair? Does the Bible teach us how much one should charge a tenant for a monthly board and lodging? Does the Bible teach us about science, mathematics or languages? We may be amused by these questions today, but oftentimes we have taken for granted what the Bible really intends to teach. So, we ask the wrong questions in the Bible and get the wrong answers from the Bible!

A classic example of misunderstanding what the Bible teaches is the story of Galileo. He was a genius, a scientist living in Italy in the 16th century. During his time, everybody believed that the earth was located at the center of the universe and the sun and the planets revolved around it. This theory was based on the teaching of an ancient philosopher, Aristotle and developed by Ptolemy, an astronomer and mathematician. This theory was considered by people at that time to affirm the biblical teaching that man was the highpoint and center of God’s creation.

Galileo, however, followed the scientist Copernicus who taught that the earth and the other planets revolved around the sun. By the use of the telescope for astronomical observations, he was able to prove that Copernicus was right. Understandably, Church authorities upheld the theory of Aristotle and Ptolemy, because for them, the theory did not contradict their religious convictions. They then concluded that the Bible literally taught that the earth was the center of the universe. Consequently, they denounced Galileo and asked him to retract his theory.

Let us learn a lesson from the mistake of the Church authorities at that time. The Church authorities confused the religious truth taught by the Bible with the scientific truth not taught by the Bible. They were right in insisting that God is the Creator and the crown of God’s creation is man. They were wrong, however, in concluding that because of this truth, the earth where man lives was at the center of the universe and the sun and the planets revolved around it. In truth, the Bible did not teach this!

Let us be clear then: what the Bible teaches is religious truth! This means that the sacred authors of the Bible aim to teach us about God, how God made known himself to man and how God relates with man. When reading the stories and teachings of the Bible and especially when reading about the person, words and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth, we come to know God better, his love for us and how God deals with us and how we relate with God, with one another and with the whole creation.

The other details of our life, we can deduce from this general teaching of the Bible. If I have to take care of my health, it is because the Bible teaches me that God loves me and so I have to love myself properly. If I have to be honest with my tenants, it’s because the Bible teaches me that I must love them as Jesus would love them.

Truths discovered by science do not actually deny religious truths taught by the Bible. The “Big Bang” theory of the origin of the universe or the theory of evolution that man came from the most primitive living forms do not deny that God is the Creator or that man is the highpoint of God’s creation or that man has a soul. Properly studied, scientific teaching does not contradict biblical teaching.

We’ll speak more about what the Bible teaches in our next lesson. In the meantime, read, reflect and pray this longest Psalm, perhaps not in one sitting. I suggest you read a few verses at a time for several days.

Psalm 119:1-176.