It is sad to see people who believe that the Bible cannot be understood. God certainly wants everyone to understand His word (Ephesians 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:3-4). Why would God desire that all men come to a knowledge of the truth, but reveal that truth in a way that is impossible for all men to understand?
Jesus taught in a way that everyone understood. He purposely directed His message to the simple (Matthew 11:5, 25; Mark 12:37). He used words, phrases, and illustrations that would be familiar to everyone. Why would Jesus speak in a way that was easy to understand, yet allow His words to be recorded in a way that could not be understood?
The apostles claimed that their writings could be understood by their readers. Paul said that when the Ephesians read their epistle, they could understand it (Ephesians 3:3-4). Would the same not be true for us today? Peter acknowledged that some of the things that Paul wrote are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16). They were hard, but not impossible. We have to study the Bible in order to understand it (2 Timothy 2:15). The promise of scripture is that when we read, we can understand.
God should not be charged with making His word too hard to understand when the real problem is that many people are not willing to put in the effort to study the Bible for themselves. The claim that the Bible cannot be understood not only contradicts the Bible, it is also an indictment against its Author. The Bible can be understood by anyone who is willing to ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7-8). Are you willing?
Adapted from Heath Rogers
