Have you ever found yourself in situations where you are reading the bible for the third, fourth and fifth time and see a bible verse that you do not recognize, and it is as if it was not there previously?
1. Example
There was someone who told me about a verse that I had not noticed before. I do not think most Christians know this bible verse, although they might have read it many times. It is Genesis 5:2..
Genesis 5:2 says, “Male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created (KJV).”
According to the verse, God named both the man and woman Adam. This means that the woman’s name was also Adam, which makes sense since Adam means mankind.
Genesis 3:20 explains that it was Adam who called his wife Eve. He said that he called her Eve because she is the mother of all living creation. And I suppose that it might have created confusion every time God said Adam, and they did not know whether He was speaking to the man or the woman.
Genesis 5:2 is also a good bible verse to illustrate the trinity. There is one Adam that has 2 persons. In the trinity, there is one God that has 3 persons.
The above is an example of some of my experiences with the bible and what some people noticed in the bible, which many others, including myself, have not noticed. Maybe you knew about Genesis 5:2 but have been blind to other bible verses.
I have also noticed that when I hear a sermon about a topic that I have not heard of before, the next time I read the bible, I seem to see more bible verses relating to the topic, which I had previously not noticed. I am not sure if others in the forum have had this phenomenon?
2. What could be the cause?
2.1. Prejudice
I believe that we sometimes see in the bible what we want to see. For example, I have come across atheists who have read the bible, and all the talk about was the negatives and did not see that the love and goodness of God. So they read the bible with negative preconceived ideas and get evidence of what they believe.
Because people see in the bible what they want to believe and read it with prejudice, it becomes difficult to convince any Christian that a certain doctrine is a false teaching because the bible is viewed and interpreted in a way that suits what they want to believe and are “blind” to what contradicts their beliefs.
It is like with Catholics; they seem to always miss 1 Timothy 2:5 since they believe that it is fine for Mary and the saints to be mediators and not only Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (KJV).”
I suspect that it is why we can have one bible, but have different interpretations and opinions, since the only bible verses that stand out to most of us seem to be the ones that appeal to us and tend to be blind to the rest.
2.2. The devil
I believe that the devil causes us not to see certain truths in the bible and causes us to be blind.
The bible says that the devil has the ability to steal the Word from us so that we do not believe. (Luke 8:11-12)
The bible also says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 says that the devil blinds the minds of non-believers.
3. Who is susceptible to spiritual blindness
3.1. Non-believers can be blinded
2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
3.2. God’s people and religious leaders can also be blind
The bible refers to the Pharisees as blind (Matthew 23:24). They knew the Old Testament very well, but they could not see that Jesus was the Messiah. According to historians, the Pharisees rejected Christ because they focussed on the scriptures that spoke about the Messiah as some who will triumph over the enemies of Israel and ignored the ones that spoke about the Messiah being a suffering servant.
The bible talks about some people are blind, and various reasons can cause spiritual blindness.
The other possible reason for sometimes missing bible verses could be because of a lack of concentration when reading the bible and also a lack of focus or fatigue.
4. Proposed solution
The problem of missing bible verses could increase the risk of misinterpreting the bible and causing a person to be deceived like the Pharisees.
- I have found that sincerely praying before reading the bible and asking for clearness of mind from God is helpful.
Psalm 119:18 says, “Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law”. (KJV).
Therefore we can ask God to open our spiritual eyes.
- I have also found that reading the bible in the morning straight after waking up results in me retaining more and concentrating more than reading in the evening when I am more tired.
- I have also found that one of the methods that have helped me to ”see” most of the bible verses is writing as I read. i.e., sometimes I will write the main keywords or rewrite the bible verse. This has increased my focus, and I tend to “see” more bible verses. I have also found reading aloud to be helpful, although it is not as helpful as writing out the verse.
I have found that the passive reading of the Bible causes me to forget a lot of things that I have read and causes me to lose focus.
It would be nice to know if other people have other suggestions.
1. Example
There was someone who told me about a verse that I had not noticed before. I do not think most Christians know this bible verse, although they might have read it many times. It is Genesis 5:2..
Genesis 5:2 says, “Male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created (KJV).”
According to the verse, God named both the man and woman Adam. This means that the woman’s name was also Adam, which makes sense since Adam means mankind.
Genesis 3:20 explains that it was Adam who called his wife Eve. He said that he called her Eve because she is the mother of all living creation. And I suppose that it might have created confusion every time God said Adam, and they did not know whether He was speaking to the man or the woman.
Genesis 5:2 is also a good bible verse to illustrate the trinity. There is one Adam that has 2 persons. In the trinity, there is one God that has 3 persons.
The above is an example of some of my experiences with the bible and what some people noticed in the bible, which many others, including myself, have not noticed. Maybe you knew about Genesis 5:2 but have been blind to other bible verses.
I have also noticed that when I hear a sermon about a topic that I have not heard of before, the next time I read the bible, I seem to see more bible verses relating to the topic, which I had previously not noticed. I am not sure if others in the forum have had this phenomenon?
2. What could be the cause?
2.1. Prejudice
I believe that we sometimes see in the bible what we want to see. For example, I have come across atheists who have read the bible, and all the talk about was the negatives and did not see that the love and goodness of God. So they read the bible with negative preconceived ideas and get evidence of what they believe.
Because people see in the bible what they want to believe and read it with prejudice, it becomes difficult to convince any Christian that a certain doctrine is a false teaching because the bible is viewed and interpreted in a way that suits what they want to believe and are “blind” to what contradicts their beliefs.
It is like with Catholics; they seem to always miss 1 Timothy 2:5 since they believe that it is fine for Mary and the saints to be mediators and not only Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (KJV).”
I suspect that it is why we can have one bible, but have different interpretations and opinions, since the only bible verses that stand out to most of us seem to be the ones that appeal to us and tend to be blind to the rest.
2.2. The devil
I believe that the devil causes us not to see certain truths in the bible and causes us to be blind.
The bible says that the devil has the ability to steal the Word from us so that we do not believe. (Luke 8:11-12)
The bible also says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 says that the devil blinds the minds of non-believers.
3. Who is susceptible to spiritual blindness
3.1. Non-believers can be blinded
2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
3.2. God’s people and religious leaders can also be blind
The bible refers to the Pharisees as blind (Matthew 23:24). They knew the Old Testament very well, but they could not see that Jesus was the Messiah. According to historians, the Pharisees rejected Christ because they focussed on the scriptures that spoke about the Messiah as some who will triumph over the enemies of Israel and ignored the ones that spoke about the Messiah being a suffering servant.
The bible talks about some people are blind, and various reasons can cause spiritual blindness.
- Ephesians 4:18 - Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (KJV)
- 2 Peter 1:9 - But he that lacketh these things is blind, cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.(KJV)
- 1 John 2:11 - But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. (KJV)
The other possible reason for sometimes missing bible verses could be because of a lack of concentration when reading the bible and also a lack of focus or fatigue.
4. Proposed solution
The problem of missing bible verses could increase the risk of misinterpreting the bible and causing a person to be deceived like the Pharisees.
- I have found that sincerely praying before reading the bible and asking for clearness of mind from God is helpful.
Psalm 119:18 says, “Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law”. (KJV).
Therefore we can ask God to open our spiritual eyes.
- I have also found that reading the bible in the morning straight after waking up results in me retaining more and concentrating more than reading in the evening when I am more tired.
- I have also found that one of the methods that have helped me to ”see” most of the bible verses is writing as I read. i.e., sometimes I will write the main keywords or rewrite the bible verse. This has increased my focus, and I tend to “see” more bible verses. I have also found reading aloud to be helpful, although it is not as helpful as writing out the verse.
I have found that the passive reading of the Bible causes me to forget a lot of things that I have read and causes me to lose focus.
It would be nice to know if other people have other suggestions.
