There’s nothing better for keeping you humble as a Bible teacher than a critique by your spouse. Mine once told me that I had the irritating habit of leaving questions unanswered when I taught Scripture. I’ll admit that I like to do that. My explanation was that people need to know that there’s a lot to think about in the Bible—that they don’t have it down like they think they do. I also told her that I wanted them to keep coming back for more.
She wasn’t fazed.
I think my reasons made sense, but I also have to admit that her criticism was valid and important too. People don’t like to be left in an intellectual and spiritual lurch when it comes to the Bible. Scholars thrive on open questions. It’s like releasing a squirrel in front of a dog. But most of us want closure on whatever is being talked about. Those of us who spend a lot of time in Bible study need to remember that, since we’re often the ones who will be teaching others.
It’s a hard lesson to learn. Serious Bible students like pursuing questions too. There’s a certain “thrill of the hunt” feeling that comes with detecting a problem, framing it, and then attacking it. There’s also a compulsion to be honest. Sometimes conclusions really aren’t available or aren’t clear in our minds. But think of how frustrating it would be if, in the process of doing research, the sources you depended on were ambivalent, never quite coming to a conclusion.
This advice is pertinent to Bible study itself. We should seek conclusions when we study Scripture, especially when a passage is crucial to some point of doctrine. Granted, the Bible is clearer in some places than others, but if your Bible study results in everything being open-ended, there’s a problem with either your method or analysis, and perhaps both.
The moral of this story is that you need to land the plane in Bible study, even though you know it’ll take off again. It’s okay to reach tentative conclusions and allow yourself to revisit an issue later. But at least come down somewhere, for your sanity and the sanity of others.