Things Hard to be Understood? What are they?

[Eccl12and13]

2 Pet.3
[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

 

[lovely]

It seems like the context is that believers are being assured of Christ's return, a new Heaven and a new Earth, and that they are also being exhorted to walk in holiness.

To the pure in mind, Peter is reminding them that the lasting things are those things done for Christ, in Christ, and that even though God is longsuffering to bring more into the fold of God, (It's for the purposes of salvation that He waits.) that believers should be living as if God was coming today...they are being exhorted to be dilligent about walking in holiness today as if it were their last day so that they have the peace to stand pure before God. A Bride set apart, preparing herself in purity.

Those who are willingly ignorant are mocking, and are not convinced of Christ's return, and are not converted to a life of holiness, but walking in their own lusts apart from belief...having no faith in Christ's return. Paul's letters about this issue of Christ's return, and about walking in holiness, may have needed some clarification, since he was no longer around to make them clear.

This is my understanding, the Lord bless you.

 

[samuel]

Paul did indeed wright of some things hard to be understood, one such is Romans Ch-7. I have heard a lot of bad teaching from these verses.

 

[Ret]

2 Pet.3
[15] And account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

Consider....Jesus also said some 'HARD' things!

John 6:53-54
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.....
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? KJV

Compared to what Jesus said, was what Paul said any HARDER?

Peace....Ret

 

[samuel]

John 6:53-54
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.....
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? KJV

Looking from here back, not so hard. But had I been looking at it from the Apostles time, I guess I would have been scratching my head also.

 

[A-Christian]

Looking from here back, not so hard. But had I been looking at it from the Apostles time, I guess I would have been scratching my head also.

Do you understand those verses fron John 6? What do they mean and is that your understanding or someone elses?

Thanks

 

[Ret]

2 Pet.3
[15] And account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

Hebrews discusses what is 'hard' to understand.....

Hebrews 5:11 Concerning him (the Son of God/high priest/Melchisedec) we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull [hard/KJV] of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. NASU

The 'hard to understand' things are the mature things, and yes, those who partake only of milk, are infants and have not been trained to discern between good and evil. If these don't mature beyond the milk of the word, thy will distort the 'mature things' God, not only things revealed to Paul, but the things of Jesus as well. John 6...because of the 'hard' saying of Jesus...v66 many people left and walked no more with Christ.
Ret.

 

[Eccl12and13]

2 Pet.3
[15] And account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

Consider....Jesus also said some 'HARD' things!

John 6:53-54
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.....
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? KJV

Compared to what Jesus said, was what Paul said any HARDER?

Peace....Ret

No not really! Because Jesus always explained what He meant to His disciples. Which is what He did in the next few verses:

[61] When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
[63] It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

So right away we know just what Jesus is talking about. It was not His actual flesh and blood He was talking about, it was His WORDS! His WORDS are spirit and are life. Pretty simple, just as the scriptures say:

2 Cor.11
[3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Christ = simple! Paul = hard!

 

[Ret]

Christ = simple! Paul = hard!

Ummmmm......so what is Hebrews saying?

Hebrews 5:11 Concerning him (the Son of God/high priest/Melchisedec) we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull [hard/KJV] of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. NASU

Peter himself, says...2 Pet.3:15 ....
..Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him [from God] hath written.. unto you;

Peter acknowledges that Paul spoke 'according to the wisdom given him', so why did Peter call this 'wisdom'...'hard'? If Peter called something 'hard' by inspiration, then that same inspiration defines what 'hard' means...this is the message in Heb 5:11-14 above.

In Christ....Ret

 

[A-Christian]

No not really! Because Jesus always explained what He meant to His disciples. Which is what He did in the next few verses:

[61] When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
[63] It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

So right away we know just what Jesus is talking about. It was not His actual flesh and blood He was talking about, it was His WORDS! His WORDS are spirit and are life. Pretty simple, just as the scriptures say:

He did not explain this doozy. That is why so many walked away because they thought that Jesus was speaking in a carnal sense. He really was speaking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, but not in a carnal sense, but rather a supernatural sense. Jesus has the power to give of himself in the bread and wine and he alludes to that in verse 62 that you left out in your verse quotes. It is as follows:

62 If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

Jesus basically says that if you don't think I can do what I just said, what would you say if you saw me lift off right now and rise to heaven? Pretty remarkable sight don't you think? If I can do that I bet you won't doubt that I can provide a way for you to chew my flesh and drink my blood that isn't carnal.

The following verse, verse 63, actually says that he is not talking about his fleah and blood in a gross, bloody, fleshy manner because that is useless, he is refering to the supernatual. So when Jesus concludes verse 63 by saying that the words that he has spoken concerning the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood are spirit and life, he isn't explaining anything but is simply stating the supernatural connection. In John 6, Jesus makes it clear that he wants us to partake of him in a manner which involves chewing and drinking, but not in a bloody sense but in a way that he will supply in the near future (the Last Supper), and that way is supernatural. Paul makes it clear to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34 that the purpose of coming together as a church is to receive Jesus' body and blood in this supernatural way and there is a right way of doing so and a wrong way. So if it was "simple" as you say above, and that Jesus was only saying in John 6 that it was his "words" that is body and blood that you would eat, Paul sure seems to think differnetly as do the earliest Christians. Jesus wasn't talking about his words in John 6, he was prefiguring the Last Supper, a command that the apostles carried out as evidenced in 1 Corinthians and also witnessed to by the writings of the earliest Christians. This command is still carried out to even to this day by the Catholic Church.

Peace

 

[Imagican]

What about; Love?

Blessings,

MEC

 

[Ret]

2 Pet.3:15...16...
Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

Eccl...since you asked the question...
what, do you think are SOME of those things that are hard to be understood?

In Christ...Ret

 

[Eccl12and13]

2 Pet.3:15...16...
Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

Eccl...since you asked the question...
what, do you think are SOME of those things that are hard to be understood?

In Christ...Ret

Rom.7
[15] For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
[16] If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

1 Cor.9
[27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Gal.2
[16] Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Rom.3
[20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
[28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

I have studied and have found the answers, but for others, some of these verses may be confusing.

 

[Ret]

Eccl...appreciate your comments...yes, some things are 'confusing'!

2 Pet.3:15...16...
Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood?

SOME things that were HARD for Peter....Jesus makes it plain, Peter repents.

Matthew 16:22-23
22 Peter took Him [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, " God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You." 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." NASU

Matt 26:33-35
33 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away."
34 Jesus said to him, " Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
35 Peter said to Him, " Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too. NASU

Did Peter BELIEVE that he would deny his Lord?....NO....this was a 'HARD' saying to Peter.

John 13:8-9
8 Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, " If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." NASU

Acts 10:9-16
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;
11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,
12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.
13 A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!"
14 But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean."
15 Again a voice came to him a second time, " What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy."
16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky. NASU

There are HARD things from Genesis to Revelation, left on record for us, so we need not give up if we don't understand at first. To the sincere of heart, God does give understanding on things HARD to understand....but it's usually after HE has 'washed our feet' or given the vision 'three times'...getting us do do something we 'don't like' or 'don't want to do'.

Peace and Blessings......Ret

 

[Eccl12and13]

Eccl...appreciate your comments...yes, some things are 'confusing'!

2 Pet.3:15...16...
Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood?

SOME things that were HARD for Peter....Jesus makes it plain, Peter repents.

Matthew 16:22-23
22 Peter took Him [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, " God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You." 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." NASU

Matt 26:33-35
33 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away."
34 Jesus said to him, " Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
35 Peter said to Him, " Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too. NASU

Did Peter BELIEVE that he would deny his Lord?....NO....this was a 'HARD' saying to Peter.

John 13:8-9
8 Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, " If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." NASU

Acts 10:9-16
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;
11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,
12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.
13 A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!"
14 But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean."
15 Again a voice came to him a second time, " What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy."
16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky. NASU

There are HARD things from Genesis to Revelation, left on record for us, so we need not give up if we don't understand at first. To the sincere of heart, God does give understanding on things HARD to understand....but it's usually after HE has 'washed our feet' or given the vision 'three times'...getting us do do something we 'don't like' or 'don't want to do'.

Peace and Blessings......Ret

So true! From Gen. to Rev., there are many things that can be hard to understand. But we are to do as the Bereans:

Acts 17
[11] These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

 

[Ret]

So true! From Gen. to Rev., there are many things that can be hard to understand. But we are to do as the Bereans:

Acts 17
[11] These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Thanks & AMEN!

 

[Joe67]

2 Pet.3
[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

Rom 3:7
7 ... the truth of God has more abounded through my lie unto his glory...

Joe

 

[dan p]

Hi Eccl12 and 13 , Some have wandered from what Peter is trying TO say , to those who can not understand what he meant to say .

1) Some have hit on the first point that has to be made , and that this that Paul has written to the Jews, and that is the book of Hebrews in 2 Peter 3:15 .

2) V16 , the hard things is that salvation is by Grace , the Rapture , that a Dispensation has been given to the apostle Paul , the judgment seat of Christ , the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit , redemption, santification , that we are in Christ , and that we don't have to KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES , and the one baptism of 1 Cor 12:13 , and that there is NO difference of Jews and Gentiles Gal 3 :27,28 .

3) Where in the gospels can we find the Gospel of the Grace of God , like is found in Acts 20:24 ?

4) Can anyone show where in the Gospels what I have posted in #2 can be found in the Gospels or the Old Testament or where the 12 preached any of these topics .

5) Because I see nothing but Jews , from Genesis thru Acts and from Hebrews thru Revelation .

 

[Cornelius]

2 Pet.3
[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter gave us the warning! Should we not investigate just SOME of those things that are hard to be understood? Is this not a valid search?

The Bible calls it hidden manna , because indeed it is hidden from most.(Rev 2:17)
Here is a link to a book called "Hidden Manna" . Not all will read it, nor will all understand it.It is however 100% scriptural.
Here is the link if you feel like reading it, its for free. You can download the whole book for free.

http://www.unleavenedbreadministries.org