Articles
The Importance of Understanding
The wise writer, speaking as a father to his son, emphasized the importance of not just knowledge, but also of understanding. The book begins with the purpose clearly stated: “To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding” (Prov. 1:2). With the early part of the book being a record of a father’s instruction to his son, let us note that, early in this instruction, he strongly admonishes his son, “My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding…Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:2, 5). And he will urge him, “Get wisdom! Get understanding!” (Prov. 4:5). Do you get the idea the father is emphasizing the importance of wisdom and understanding?
We would do well to heed the wise writer’s admonitions even today! There is no less a need for understanding today than there was when those words were written about 3000 years ago. Men still need knowledge, still need wisdom, and still need understanding. Concurrent with gaining knowledge, wisdom, and understanding is the need for each individual to be honest with self and know when he has knowledge and when he does not, when he has wisdom and when he does not, and when he has understanding and when he does not. As Amos Bronson Alcott once said, “To be ignorant of one’s ignorance is the malady of the ignorant.” Truly, as the wise writer also said, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (Prov. 12:15). It is when we think ourselves wise when we are not that we are the greatest of fools!
But before we go further, let us clarify just what we mean when we speak of the importance of understanding. In just the book of Proverbs, the writers use seven different Hebrew words for what are translated into the English as the word understanding. And the specific meaning of each of those words does mean understanding, but even as our English word understanding has several different meanings, those seven different Hebrew words all speak to the broader meaning of the word than just comprehension when used by the writers of the book of Proverbs.
The meanings of those seven words can be summed up by the modern dictionary definitions for the word understanding. It means “comprehension; intelligence; discernment.” [Random House Dictionary] It is most certainly comprehension, but it is also the mental acuity to be able to make wise decisions and wise choices, and to discern subtle but important differences in words and/or actions. In spiritual matters more so than just about any other subject matter, what is needed is understanding.
When Philip went to the Ethiopian eunuch and found him reading from the book of Isaiah, he asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30). The question was important because a failure to understand what he was reading would have meant he would not learn of the Messiah who was prophesied, and who had already come. He would not have learned that God had a plan for his salvation! The eunuch acknowledged his inability to understand, answering Philip, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31). When Philip came up and sat with him, and after he asked Philip of whom was the writer speaking, Philip “opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:32-35).
From what happened next, we can know the eunuch gained some understanding through the teaching of Philip, for the next thing we read is, “Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’” (Acts 8:36, 37). Philip explained to the eunuch who the writer was speaking of, and further taught him Jesus. Based on Philip teaching the eunuch “Jesus,” we know that had to include the command of Jesus to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” and “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19, 20). Because of Philip’s teaching, the eunuch gained understanding and he made a wise choice to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and be baptized that he might be forgiven. Without true understanding, this would not have happened.
And let it be said now that the plan of God for man’s salvation is something man can understand, generally speaking. Paul, in fact, declared without hesitation that when the brethren at Ephesus read what he had written to them about the now-revealed plan of salvation, they could “understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men” (Eph. 3:3-6). So, don’t believe those who tell you the Bible is too hard to understand; if Paul — one specifically chosen by Jesus and inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak and write God’s now-revealed plan — said those of the first century could understand it, upon what basis would someone argue that we who live today cannot understand it?
Consider, too, that this same apostle Paul would write to these same brethren and command them to “not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). Will some today who say the Bible cannot be understood now tell us that this command is impossible to obey? Upon what basis? If anything, it is within God’s written word that we find God’s desire that we understand the truth (1 Tim. 2:3, 4), and this command to understand it, so that should tell us that it is most certainly possible to understand. Again, without understanding, salvation itself would not be possible.
And that understanding is not going to come from some supernatural outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of certain predestined individuals. Notice that Paul said that it was when they read his words explaining the now-revealed plan of God for our salvation that they could understand it. That is consistent with what he wrote to the brethren of Rome when he told them, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). That “hearing” must necessarily infer an understanding or comprehension of the message, and a conviction by and acceptance of what it teaches. Not one person is going to be saved by the mere hearing of the gospel message of salvation; it is the one who “does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21) who will be a part of His Kingdom, as Jesus noted. Many people heard Jesus in the first century who never believed; many others heard the gospel preached by the apostles, but did not believe, either. How about you?
Sadly, many people lack an understanding of God’s plan of salvation as revealed in the gospel, but it is not due to that message being too difficult or too confusing. No, the problem is all the doctrines and creeds of men that have arisen since that gospel was first revealed and written down. Too many religious leaders and organizations are more interested in retaining their positions than in the truth, and those who heed them are convinced they cannot understand it!
Jesus once said to a multitude, “Hear and understand” (Matt. 15:10). That is exactly what we all must do. Have you heard? Do you understand? — Steven Harper
