This is a very important question for Christians, who believe the Bible to contain God’s words to us.
The Bible can be intimating and confusing:
1. The Bible is a printed book. Our culture has a shrinking preference for reading books, especially complex ones. We can get our information from things like blog posts, news summaries and video clips. These are informative, but they are brief. They do not require in-depth analysis or thoughtful reasoning.
2. The Bible can be complex. Its stories, poetry, letters and laws were written in ancient times and written in ancient languages. The assumptions and attitudes of the authors are not the same as ours. In many cases, interpreting the Bible requires our patience and work, which can sometimes be discouraging.
The Bible is not TOO hard to understand:
1. It’s original authors were writing for the common person, not the educated elite. The Old Testament law and New Testament epistles were read in their entirety to whole congregations. In another words, the Bible was intended to be understood by all of us.
2. There are many tools and resources to help us understand and apply the Scriptures. There are pastors and teachers who are called to this ministry. Study Bibles, commentaries and reference guides are written for laity with no formal training. Small groups provide places where people can learn from each other.
God does not speak in a way we can’t understand. Prayer, meditation, stillness, fasting, and study put us in a place where we can hear God. We can get discouraged from studying God’s Word not because it is hard to understand or because it is boring. We can get discouraged because study sometimes involves discipline and work.
The Other Six Days 
I don’t think the Bible is TOO hard to understand – – IF we don’t try to read between the lines. I understand all about being written in a different time, etc., but we still can read the Bible and absorb its stories and lessons for their face value – which is A LOT!! Truly God opens our eyes and ears when we take the time to commune through His Word.
It is like a lot of literature, it takes time to read and absorb and challenge our thinking process. It takes dedication.
The more we stay focused, the easier it is to understand. My study Bible has helped me to understand the Bible better, in addition to Bible Studies. I will never understand it all but I won’t give up trying.
Reblogged this on The Other Six Days.
No, the Bible is not too hard. What is sometimes hard is finding the discipline to stick with it. To think “what is God telling the people of THAT time and how does that relate to the people of THIS time.” Look further than the one verse you are focusing on – put it into context. Look at commentaries (which you can sometimes find in the library). Discuss with someone else. Sticking with it is the key.