“Where is that found in the Bible?” the student asked as he flipped through the worn out pages of his black leatherbound Bible.
“You will not find those exact words,” replied the seminary professor. “It comes from carefully studying the Bible and understanding what it teaches.”
“So isn’t that just an assumption?” the student asked, “If the Bible doesn’t say it directly, how do you know your interpretation is right?”
The professor turned to the class and answered in a calm but direct tone, “It is based on logical reasoning that fits with the clearest teachings of scripture. If a conclusion does not contradict the Bible and makes good sense, then it can be a reasonable interpretation.”
The student paused for a moment and said, “So it’s kind of like understanding the lyrics of a song? Sometimes the real meaning isn’t just in the words, but in what the songwriter is trying to say.”
The professor smiled and said, “Exactly. The Bible often requires us to look beyond the words themselves to understand the deeper meaning and apply its message correctly.”
The professor then turns to the white board and writes two words in bright blue ink with the dry erase marker:
Implicit
Explicit
“Write these two words down,” he said. They will be on the test.”
“Explicit means something is clearly stated and easy to understand. Implicit means the idea is suggested rather than directly stated, so it requires careful thought and reasonable conclusions.”
“When the Bible calls Jesus the ‘Lamb of God’, it doesn’t mean He is literally a lamb. It means He is the sacrifice for our sins.”
The professor gazed intently around the lecture hall at his inquisitive students. All of them were nodding their heads and writing in their notebooks.
“Any more questions?”
Stephen Beagles
(July 11, 2026)