Importance of Clear Explanations in Biblical Communication
Scripture describes its own purpose as bringing light and understanding to those who receive it. Psalm 119:130 declares, "The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple" [3]. This illuminating function depends not merely on the content of divine revelation but on its intelligibility—the capacity of the message to be grasped by its intended audience. The biblical writers themselves demonstrate acute awareness that communication requires clarity, and the tradition has consistently emphasized that obscurity in presenting God's word undermines its redemptive purpose.
The Biblical Foundation for Clear Communication
The prophetic literature establishes clarity as a divine mandate. When God instructs Habakkuk to "write the vision" and "make it plain upon tables," the purpose is explicit: "that he may run that readeth it" [7]. The instruction concerns legibility and comprehension—the message must be written in "a full plain, legible hand" so that those who encounter it can act upon it with urgency [7]. This is not merely aesthetic preference but functional necessity: unclear communication fails to accomplish its intended effect.
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians addresses this principle directly in the context of congregational worship. When discussing spiritual gifts, he insists that "a message needs to be clearly intelligible if it is to communicate effectively" [4]. He uses the analogy of musical instruments: if a trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? The implication is that communication without clarity is functionally equivalent to silence—it conveys nothing actionable, nothing that can shape belief or conduct.
The Nature of Spiritual Understanding
The tradition distinguishes between the inherent clarity of Scripture and the spiritual capacity required to perceive it. John Gill, commenting on Proverbs 8:9, notes that divine wisdom's words "are all plain to him that understandeth"—specifically, to those "whose understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God" [6]. For the unregenerate, "the Bible is a sealed book," and "the mysteries or doctrines of the Gospel are hid in parables" [6]. This creates a tension: Scripture is objectively clear in its presentation, yet subjectively opaque to those lacking spiritual discernment.
Matthew Henry develops this point in his exposition of Psalm 119:130, observing that "even the entrance of God's word gives light" [8]. The word is designed as "the outward and ordinary means by which the Spirit of God enlightens the understanding of all that are sanctified" [8]. The text itself functions as "a light in a dark place," admirably answering its purpose when received by those prepared to understand [8].
Simplicity as a Communicative Virtue
The biblical concept of simplicity bears directly on the question of clear explanation. Torrey's Topical Textbook identifies simplicity as a quality that "should be exhibited in preaching the gospel" and "in all our conduct" [2]. This is not intellectual reductionism but rather the opposite of "fleshly wisdom"—a directness that trusts the power of the message itself rather than rhetorical embellishment [2]. Paul's own practice exemplifies this: he came to Corinth declaring "the testimony of God, not with excellency of speech," refusing the "arts of rhetoric" employed by philosophers, because "the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed" [9].
Christ's Knowledge and the Church's Responsibility
The risen Christ's commendation of the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 includes their theological discernment: they "had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false" [5]. This capacity for doctrinal discrimination presupposes that truth can be articulated with sufficient clarity to distinguish it from error. The repeated refrain "I know" throughout Revelation 2–3 demonstrates "Christ's total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances" [5], establishing that clarity in doctrine and practice matters to the church's head.
The imperative for clear biblical communication rests on the nature of revelation itself. Scripture is not merely a record of revelation but "the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate preservation and propagation of the truth" [1]. If the propagation of truth requires accuracy, it equally requires intelligibility—the capacity to be understood by those to whom it is addressed.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Revelation — An uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times (Heb. 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD OF [532]GOD.) The Scriptures are not merely the "record" of revelation; they are the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate presevation and propagation of the truth. Revelation and inspiration differ. Rev”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Simplicity — Is opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Necessity for -- Mt 18:2,3. Should be exhibited In preaching the gospel. -- 1Th 2:3-7. In acts of benevolence. -- Ro 12:8. In all our conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. Concerning our own wisdom. -- 1Co 3:18. Concerning evil. -- Ro 16:19. Concerning malice. -- 1Co 14:20. Exhortation to -- Ro 16:19; 1Pe 2:2. They who have the grace of Are made wise by God. -- Mt 11:25. Are made wise by the word of God. -- Ps 19:7; 119:130. Are preserved by God. -- Ps 116:6. Made circumspect by instruction. -- Pr 1:4. Profit by the correction o”
- Psalms “Psalms 119:130 (BSB) — The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple.”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 14:7: 14:7-12 A message needs to be clearly intelligible if it is to communicate effectively.”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 2:2: 2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 8:9: They are all plain to him that understandeth,.... Whose understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God; who is a spiritual man, that has a discerning, and can judge of spiritual things: as for the carnal man, let him have what natural knowledge or wisdom he will, he cannot know these things; for they are spiritually discerned, and can only be discerned by spiritual men. The Bible is a sealed book to others, learned or unlearned; the mysteries or doctrines of the Gospel are hid in parables from such; but those to whom Christ has given an understanding to know him, ”
- Habakkuk (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Habakkuk 2:2: Write the vision - Carefully take down all that I shall say. Make it plain upon tables - Write it in a full plain, legible hand. That he may run that readeth it - That he who attentively peruses it may speed to save his life from the irruption of the Chaldeans, by which so many shall be cut off. The prophet does not mean that the words are to be made so plain, that a man running by may easily read them, and catch their meaning. This interpretation has been frequently given; and it has been incautiously applied to the whole of the Bible: "God's book is so plain, tha”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:130: Here is, 1. The great use for which the word of God was intended, to give light, that is, to give understanding, to give us to understand that which will be of use to us in our travels through this world; and it is the outward and ordinary means by which the Spirit of God enlightens the understanding of all that are sanctified. God's testimonies are not only wonderful for the greatness of them, but useful, as a light in a dark place. 2. Its efficacy for this purpose. It admirably answers the end; for, (1.) Even the entrance of God's word gives light. If we begi”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 2:1: When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, Co1 1:17. I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed. See the Introduction, Section 2.”