Simple Language Used in the Bible to Explain Complex Theology

The Bible frequently employs simple language to convey complex theological concepts, a characteristic noted by both ancient and modern interpreters ^{[6, 12]}. This approach aims to make divine truths accessible to a broad audience, enabling understanding even for those without extensive philosophical or theological training ^[6]. As Psalm 119:130 states, "The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple" ^[2].

One significant aspect of this simplicity is the use of anthropomorphisms, where God is described using human characteristics or actions. For instance, the phrase "finger of God" is used in Scripture, which Abraham Ibn Ezra explains as an anthropomorphism, clarifying that "the Lord’s will is accomplished by the word coming out of God’s mouth," and that "God’s mouth is employed metaphorically" ^[12]. This linguistic choice allows individuals to grasp divine activity through familiar human analogies, even though God is understood to be incorporeal and beyond human form ^{[7, 9]}. Tertullian, an early Church Father, notes that prophets and Jesus Himself adopted a style of address "fitted to gain over the multitude" ^[6].

The Bible itself is referred to as "The Book" (from the Greek "ta biblia," meaning "the books"), signifying its singular purpose and divine authorship in revealing God to humanity and outlining the scheme of redemption ^[3]. The names for God in Hebrew, such as 'El (meaning "to be strong") and 'Elohim, also reflect this directness, with 'Elohim being the more commonly used plural form throughout the Bible ^[1]. The existence of God is not argued for but taken as a given in Scripture ^[1].

This method of communication does not imply a lack of depth but rather a pedagogical strategy. Origen, another early Church Father, observed that prophecy, in proclaiming the Lord, often used expressions "capable of leading to other conceptions" to avoid blasphemy while speaking of things "beyond the ideas of the multitude" ^[10]. This suggests a layered meaning, where initial simplicity can lead to deeper comprehension.

Theologians like Charles Hodge emphasize that while the Bible uses accessible language, the truths it conveys are not merely metaphorical in a way that diminishes their reality. For example, "spiritual death is as real as corporeal death," and the language describing the sinful state of humanity and the method of recovery should not be explained away as "purely metaphorical" ^[5]. Hodge also highlights that understanding the language of the Bible requires acknowledging its specific usage, such as Hellenistic Greek having a distinct usage from classical Greek ^[4].

The principle that "knowledge... is essential to faith" means that people can only believe what they intelligently apprehend ^[11]. Therefore, the Bible's use of simple language facilitates this apprehension, making complex theological propositions understandable. However, this does not mean that all truths are intuitive or discoverable by human reason alone; many truths, such as the virgin birth or the resurrection, are revealed and depend on divine authority ^[13].

The simplicity of biblical language has sometimes led to accusations of Christians being "simple persons" or lacking wisdom ^[8]. However, Tertullian counters this by quoting Jesus: "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and simple as doves," suggesting that wisdom and simplicity are not mutually exclusive but can coexist ^[8]. This approach ensures that while the message is clear, its profound implications can be explored and understood at various levels of spiritual and intellectual maturity.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
Psalms “The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple. -- Psalms 119:130”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Bible — The Bible is the name given to the revelation of God to man contained in sixty-six books or pamphlets, bound together and forming one book and only one, for it has in reality one author and one purpose and plan, and is the development of one scheme of the redemption of man. I. ITS [301]Names.-- (1) The Bible, i.e. The Book, from the Greek "ta biblia," the books. The word is derived from a root designating the inner bark of the linden tree, on which the ancients wrote their books. It is the book as being superior to all other books. But the application of the w”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 96: could the Gospel be preached to heathen? to the Hindoos, for example, if they were forbidden to attach to the words God, sin, repentance, and a holy life, no other ideas than those suggested by the corresponding terms of their own language? The Bible, so far as written in Greek, must be understood as Greek. But the “ usus loquendi ” of every language varies more or less in different ages, and as spoken by different tribes and nations. Every one admits that Hellenistic Greek has a usage distinguishing it from the language of the classics. ”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 140: and spiritual, and such being the consequent law of thought and language which is universal among men, and which is recognized in Scripture, we are not at liberty to explain the language of the Bible when speaking of the sinful state of men, or of the method of recovery from that state, as purely metaphorical, and make it mean much or little according to our good pleasure. Spiritual death is as real as corporeal death. The dead body is not more insensible and powerless in relation to the objects of sense, than the soul, when spiritually ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. II. (part 1): I have made these remarks in reply to the charges which Celsus and others bring against the simplicity of the language of Scripture, which appears to be thrown into the shade by the splendour of polished discourse. For our prophets, and Jesus Himself, and His apostles, were careful to adopt(6) a style of address which should not merely convey the truth, but which should be fitted to gain over the multitude, until each one, attracted and led onwards, should ascend as far as he could towards the comprehension of th”
CCEL (Patristic) “Athanasius of Alexandria, Select Works and Letters, section 203: the essence of God; but let them reflect, that in thus considering they utter two blasphemies; for they make God corporeal, and they falsely say that the Lord is not Son of the very Father, but of what is about Him. But if God be simple, as He is, it follows that in saying ‘God’ and naming ‘Father,’ we name nothing as if about Him, but signify his essence itself. For though to comprehend what the essence of God is be impossible, yet if we only understand that God is, and if Scripture indicates Him by means of these titles, we, wi”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. II.--THESE HERETICS BRAND THE CHRISTIANS AS SIMPLE PERSONS. THE CHARGE ACCEPTED, AND SIMPLICITY EULOGIZED OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES.: For this reason we are branded(2) by them as simple, and as being merely so, without being wise also; as if indeed wisdom were compelled to be wanting in simplicity, whereas the Lord unites them both: "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and simple as doves."(3) Now if we, on our parts, be accounted foolish because we are simple, does it then follow that they are not simple because they are wise? Most perverse, however, are they who are n”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XXXVIII.: Since we hold that the great God is in essence simple, invisible, and incorporeal, Himself pure intelligence, or something transcending intelligence and existence, we can never say that God is apprehended by any other means than through the intelligence which is formed in His image, though now, in the words of Paul, "we see in a glass obscurely, but then face to face."(1) And if we use the expression "face to face," let no one pervert its meaning; but let it be explained by this passage, "Beholding with open face the”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XV.--DIFFERENT DEGREES OF KNOWLEDGE. (part 8): and of the mystic teaching that was to be delivered by Him. Rightly then, prophecy, in proclaiming the Lord, in order not to seem to some to blaspheme while speaking what was beyond the ideas of the multitude embodied its declarations in expressions capable of leading to other conceptions. Now all the prophets who foretold the Lord's coming, and the holy mysteries accompanying it, were persecuted and killed. As also the Lord Himself, in explaining the Scriptures to t”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 12: They repudiate the rationalistic doctrine that we can believe only what we understand and what we can prove, or, at least, elucidate so that it appears to be true in its own light. What Protestants maintain is that knowledge, i.e ., the cognition of the import of the proposition to be believed, is essential to faith; and, consequently, that faith is limited by knowledge. We can believe only what we know, i.e ., what we intelligently apprehend. If a proposition be announced to us in an unknown language, we can affirm nothing about it. We c”
Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Exodus 31:18: TABLES OF STONE. I have already explained this. 91 See I.E. on Ex. 24:12. [WITH THE FINGER OF GOD.] Scripture’s statement with the finger of God is an anthropomorphism, 92 The Torah employs human language so that those who hear its words will understand. for the Lord’s will is accomplished by the word coming out of God’s mouth. God’s mouth is employed metaphorically. God is said to act like human kings. This is how For He commanded, and they were created (Ps. 118:27) is to be understood. 93 I.E. makes the same point in his comments on Gen. 1:3. God’s words app”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 42: of the seed of Abraham, and of the house of David; that He was to be born of a virgin, to be a man of sorrows; that He was crucified and buried; that He rose again the third day; that He ascended to heaven; that He is to come again without sin to salvation, although truths on which our salvation depends, are not intuitive truths; they are not truths which any exaltation of the religious consciousness would enable any man to discover of himself. 4. According to this theory the Bible has no normal authority as a rule of faith. It contains n”

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