| For a more detailed answer to this question confer the book (available from Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee, WI) "Biblical Interpretation--The Only Right Way" in the section on figurative, difficult and obscure passages (p126ff). A short answer to your question would be this. There are passages in which a doctrine is touched on with only a passing reference. One can't get a clear understanding from that passage alone so it must be considered together with all the other passages of Scripture that deal with this subject. At times there are subjects that are referred to only one time (e.g. baptism of the dead in 1 Co). Since we have no other passages to help us understand this passage better, it remains an obscure or difficult passage. |