The Spirit's Teaching

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
What, then, does explain prophecy? That which explains all scripture — the Spirit of God alone. His power can unfold any part of the word of God. Do you ask, if I mean to say, that it is of no importance to know languages, understand history, and so on? I am not raising a question about learning: it has its use; but I deny that history is the interpreter of prophecy, or of any scripture. And if there are Christians who know the history of the world, or the original tongues of Scripture, it is Christ that has to do with the spiritual intelligence, and not their knowledge or learning. Besides, even if men are Christians it does not necessarily follow that they understand Scripture. They know Christ, else they would not be Christians. But real entrance into God’s mind, in Scripture, supposes that a person watches against self, desires the glory of God, has full confidence in His word, and dependence on the Holy Ghost. The understanding of Scripture is not a mere intellectual thing. If a man had no mind at all, he could not understand anything: but the mind is only the vessel — not the power. The power is the Holy Ghost acting upon and through the vessel; but it must be the Holy Ghost Himself that fills a soul. As it is said, “They shall be all taught of God.”