The amount is, that the light of the truth revealed in God’s word, is so distinct that the very first sight of it illuminates the mind.
John Calvin Commentary on Psalm 119:130
Sometimes the Bible is confusing. Sometimes it’s very confusing. There are some passages of the Bible with very little consensus as to the meaning, and some passages where the possible meanings are hotly debated and disputed.
But not all of Scripture.
Just as there are some areas of confusion, there are likewise many areas of crystal clarity. There are many passages where the meaning is right in front of our faces, explained so clearly that even a child could understand.
When we realize that not all parts of Scripture are as plain or clear as other parts, we have to ask how those two ends of the spectrum come together to form one seamless systematic, by which the Bible in its entirety can be understood. It is important that these sometimes seeming contradictions be reconciled, because we believe in and confess a God who is without contradiction. A God who is without contradiction does not inspire a work that contains contradictions.
The way that the Church and it’s scholars have historically dealt with the mixture of clarity contained in the Bible is known as the Analogy of Faith. The Analogy of Faith basically states that we interpret the unclear passages by the clear passages. We interpret the concealed by the revealed.
What sort of practical application does this have for the layman? This principle is a comfort to the saints, in that we know the Bible we read on a regular basis can be understood when taken in it’s entire context. There is sufficient clarity for salvation contained in the Scriptures, and it can be grasped by all who read it’s pages.
The faith (the whole body of teaching) can be apprehended by all of God’s saints.