Question 1

What can cause misunderstandings?

Accepted Answer

Joshua 22:11-12The rest of Israel heard that the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at Geliloth at the edge of the land of Canaan, on the west side of the Jordan River. So the whole community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against them.Misunderstandings are often caused by the people involved not having all of the facts.Acts 8:30-31, 34-35Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. . . . The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.A lack of instruction can lead to misunderstanding.Psalm 56:5They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me.2 Peter 3:16Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.Misunderstandings can come from distorted or confusing messages.Job 6:29“Stop assuming my guilt, for I have done no wrong.”Acts 7:25Moses assumed his fellow Israelites would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, but they didn’t.Wrong assumptions can lead to misunderstandings.Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.Proverbs 30:33As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.Matthew 13:14-15“This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’”Luke 2:9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified.2 Corinthians 6:11-13Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.Anger, fear, stubbornness, and other emotions can cause misunderstandings.Proverbs 17:19Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.Proverbs 20:3Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.Ecclesiastes 10:13Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness;Foolish individuals often cause misunderstandings, some even do so intentionally.

Question 2

How should I respond to misunderstandings?

Accepted Answer

Joshua 22:10-13While they were still in Canaan, and when they came to a place called Geliloth near the Jordan River, the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh stopped to build a large and imposing altar. The rest of Israel heard that the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at Geliloth at the edge of the land of Canaan, on the west side of the Jordan River. So the whole community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against them. First, however, they sent a delegation led by Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, to talk with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.Matthew 5:17“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”Luke 19:11The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.1 Corinthians 12:1Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this.We should want to correct misunderstandings and proactively resolve them. When left uncorrected, misunderstandings can lead to very undesirable outcomes.Joshua 22:16, 21-23, 29“The whole community of the Lord demands to know why you are betraying the God of Israel. How could you turn away from the Lord and build an altar for yourselves in rebellion against him?” . . . Then the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the heads of the clans of Israel: “The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! He knows the truth, and may Israel know it, too! We have not built the altar in treacherous rebellion against the Lord. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day. If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn away from the Lord or to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings, may the Lord himself punish us. . . . Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord or turn away from him by building our own altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. Only the altar of the Lord our God that stands in front of the Tabernacle may be used for that purpose.”To communicate openly, we must both speak and listen so we can fully understand. Asking thoughtful questions and giving thoughtful answers helps avoid or overcome misunderstandings.Joshua 22:30-31When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of Israel—heard this from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were satisfied. Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, replied to them, “Today we know the Lord is among us because you have not committed this treachery against the Lord as we thought. Instead, you have rescued Israel from being destroyed by the hand of the Lord.”Once the truth is known, misunderstandings should be resolved and perceived offenses should be forgiven.Joshua 22:32-33Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the other leaders left the tribes of Reuben and Gad in Gilead and returned to the land of Canaan to tell the Israelites what had happened. And all the Israelites were satisfied and praised God and spoke no more of war against Reuben and Gad.Resolving misunderstandings can bring a great sense of satisfaction.

Question 3

What are the dangers of unresolved misunderstandings?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 8:1Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.Galatians 5:6When we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.Galatians 6:15It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.1 Timothy 1:6Some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions.Unresolved misunderstandings can cause us to dwell on trivial details and miss what is important.Galatians 2:2I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing.Unresolved misunderstandings can interfere with serving God.2 Peter 3:15-17Remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.Unresolved misunderstandings can be disastrous for those involved and for others as well.Proverbs 17:14Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.Misunderstandings can lead to quarrels, which can lead to even further friction and damage to relationships.

Question 4

How can I avoid misunderstandings?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 1:13Our letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can’t understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us,Being straightforward in our communication and clear with our words will help avoid misunderstandings.2 Samuel 20:17As he approached, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. So she said, “Listen carefully to your servant.” “I’m listening,” he said.Hebrews 13:22I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation.To avoid misunderstandings, we should make sure others are listening to us and, even more importantly, be sure we are listening ourselves.Deuteronomy 31:9So Moses wrote this entire body of instruction in a book and gave it to the priests, who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and to the elders of Israel.Isaiah 36:11Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, “Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don’t speak in Hebrew, for the people on the wall will hear.”Habakkuk 2:2Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.”2 John 1:12I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.3 John 1:13-14I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.To avoid misunderstandings, we should be flexible as we communicate, adjusting to the language appropriate for the people involved.Philippians 3:15Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.Colossians 4:3-4Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.To avoid misunderstandings, we should pray for clarity and understanding so the misunderstanding can be resolved quickly. ***

Question 5

How can I avoid misunderstanding God?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 3:14The people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.Colossians 1:15Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,Colossians 2:9In Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.We can avoid misunderstanding God by focusing on his nature and attributes. The better we understand who God is the better we will understand his ways.Matthew 16:23Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.We can avoid misunderstanding God by learning to look at life from his point of view—from the perspective of eternity.Psalm 119:105Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.Acts 17:11The people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.We can avoid misunderstanding God by reading and studying his Word. The lamp of God’s Word is a constant source of clarity and understanding.John 14:26“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”2 Corinthians 2:12When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.1 John 4:1-3Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.We can avoid misunderstanding God by paying attention to the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The Holy Spirit guides us in recognizing God’s voice and remembering his truth. This was why Jesus sent him to us. Often the Holy Spirit reminds us of certain truths at just the right time or connects Bible verses together in ways we hadn’t thought of before, leading us to a deeper understanding of God’s Word. Still, not every insight that comes to our minds is from the Holy Spirit. We must be careful, testing each idea against the foundational truths of Scripture.Matthew 15:9“‘Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”1 Corinthians 11:1-2You should imitate me [Paul], just as I imitate Christ. I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.Colossians 2:8Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.2 Thessalonians 2:15With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.Tradition can be either a source of misunderstanding or a source of clarity. The Pharisees created rules with the intent of helping people follow God’s law, but these rules eventually overshadowed the purpose of the law itself: loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:36-40). These empty traditions created misunderstandings and led people astray. On the other hand, Paul encouraged his churches to cling to the traditions they had been given. Traditions can help preserve God’s truth in memorable ways, helping to pass it down from generation to generation. They reduce the danger of miscommunication down the line. Tradition should never be placed above God’s Word, but it offers essential perspective in our interpretation of it.