Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758): God gave us the Bible to be studied – Series on why all Christians must endeavour to become proficient in theology (part 8 of 12)



This is the eighth part of a 12-post series from Jonathan Edwards’ (1703-1758) sermon on Hebrews 5:12, titled The Importance and Advantage of a Thorough Knowledge of Divine Truth.  The first part covered Edwards’ definition of divinity (theology), the second focused on what kind of knowledge is included in divinity, the third considered the usefulness and necessity of knowing divinity, the fourth discussed knowledge in divinity as the chief end of man’s faculty of understanding, the fifth asserted that there is nothing more worthy to be studied than divinity, the sixth declared why divinity is of infinite importance to all people, and the seventh argued for the infinite worth of divinity based on God’s great works of revelation. Now we turn to his discussion of the necessity of studying the Bible:


The necessity of studying the Bible.


This book was written for the use of all; all are directed to search the Scriptures. John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they that testify of me”; and Isaiah 34:16, “Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read.” They that read and understand are pronounced blessed. Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that understand the words of this prophecy.” If this be true of that particular book of the Revelation, much more is it true of the Bible in general. Nor is it to be believed that God would have given instructions in such abundance, if he had intended that receiving instruction should be only a by-concern with us.

It is to be considered, that all those abundant instructions which are contained in the Scriptures were written that they might be understood; otherwise they are not instructions. That which is not given that the learner may understand it, is not given for the learner’s instruction; and unless we endeavor to grow in the knowledge of divinity, a very great part of those instructions will to us be in vain; for we can receive benefit by no more of the Scriptures than we understand, no more than if they were locked up in an unknown tongue. We have reason to bless God that he hath given us such various and plentiful instruction in his Word; but we shall be hypocritical in so doing, if we, after all, content ourselves with but little of this instruction.



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