What Verse or Passage of scripture do you find difficult to interpret?

“Gatekeeper” is just a figure of speech. Could be replaced with guard or warden. Point is, the rich man’s soul had an encounter with Abraham, and Abraham didn’t let him in, so Abraham did play an important role in there.

Hi, Amanuensis.

I've only read a few posts on the first page of this thread, so I don't know whether or not anyone else here has already mentioned what I'm about to say.

In either case, if we continue on just a bit with what Peter said, then I believe that we get more very relevant information.

Here's a fuller context of what Peter said:

I Peter chapter 3

[18] For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
[19] By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
[20] Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
[22] Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

I Peter chapter 4

[1] Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
[2] That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
[3] For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
[4] Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
[5] Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
[6] For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

It seems to me that Peter is referring to the same exact "spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing" (I Peter 3:19-20) in I Peter 4:6.

In other words, those dead to whom the gospel was preached.

Why was the gospel preached to them?

Well, it seems to me that Peter gave us the exact reason why when he said "For for this cause was the gospel preached also unto them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit" (I Peter 4:6).

This understanding would also perfectly align itself with what Peter had just finished saying in the previous verse, namely this:

"Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead" (I Peter 4:5).

Again, in both verses, we're reading about judgment.

In verse 5, it's Christ judging the quick, or the living, and the dead.

In verse 6, it's Christ preaching the gospel specifically to them that were dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Whatever type of judgment this was, we know, from other scriptures, that it wasn't the final Great White Throne judgment because that doesn't occur until the end of Christ's Millennial Reign (Revelation 20:7-15).

Anyhow, as I suggested earlier, I believe that these additional words of Peter are very relevant to the question at hand.

1 Corinthians 15:29
Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

Interesting interpretation.

Can you show from the text in 1 Corinthians 15:29 that it is speaking of Christ when referring to those who are "baptized for the dead" using hermeneutics?

It seems to refer to a practice of baptizing the dead that the Corinthians may have practiced, but that seems uncertain.

Not baptizing the dead, but for the dead (that is, for Christ if he's still dead.)
This is Pauls' point from the beginning of the chapter,

For I delivered unto you first of all...that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:...And that he was seen.....
how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?.....And if Christ be not risen....etc. Then in vs.29 Paul asks, Why are people being baptized for Christ, if he's really dead?

Paul applies the same logic in another difficult verse,

For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted,which did put all things under him. vs.27

He's comparing Adam to Jesus. Look at the preceding text. He's saying even death is under Christ, Adams' Creator.

Others here have offered their contributions to this thread prior to this one and are still addressing those verses.

When possible, and if possible I would like to discuss the following.

1 Corinthians 15:29
Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

This is a difficult verse.

Perhaps we won't know the exact meaning. Only that Paul is using these words to support the resurrection of the dead?

I'm not convinced of that interpretation.

"Baptized for the dead (βαπτιζόμενοι ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν)

Concerning this expression, of which some thirty different explanations are given, it is best to admit frankly that we lack the facts for a decisive interpretation. None of the explanations proposed are free from objection." Vincent's Word Studies

I remain in the position that "perhaps we won't know the exact meaning."

In my observation when the interpretation is wrong the person doing it does not know what the word hermeneutics means and they get irritated when you use that word. So I have concluded that most of the errors these people make is because they don't follow rules of interpretations and one who knows the rules can pinpoint which rule they are violating when they go astray. Rarely are both parties following the rules. I know that there are exceptions but that is my general observations.

I don't see it. I don't see any hint of Abraham having a part in giving the beggar access or denying the rich man access to anything.
The angels carried the beggar to Abrahams Bosom. The rich man simply dies and in hell he lifts up his eyes. The used to be rich man asks for a touch of water. That is denied based on the chasm and Abraham does not have the power to do it nor can anyone else. He can't go there, and the rich man cant come to him. It is the chasm that settles that. Abraham has not been given a job of denying access to anything in the afterlife nor does he have the job of granting anything in the afterlife. It's just not a theme in the text.

Then what’s point of the whole conversation between Abraham and the rich man? His access was denied, was it not? Why not just tell the audience that Lazarus was carried into heaven to see Abraham while the rich man was condemned into hell where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth?

He goes straight to hell. There is no request for access.

His request was for Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. Abraham tells him no one can do that. There is a great Chasm.

The conversation is about him getting what he deserved and the beggar being comforted. And the next request is about sending Lazarus to warn his brothers. And he is told they have Moses and the prophets to warn them. And if they won't believe Moses and the prophets then they wont believe if one rose from the dead.

At no point is there any reason to think that Abraham has the power to do anything that the rich man is asking for.

Abraham represents that popular understanding of the Jews that Jesus was preaching to about the kingdom of God being represented as a day when the righteous (which they believed to be Jews who kept the Law according to how the Pharisees taught it) would sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. This is the scene that Jesus is using in this parable to make a point. The ones they think are going to be there are not and the ones they think are not worthy like the beggar will have the best seat. This lesson he taught in Luke repeatedly with several parables starting in Luke 14. But there is nothing here about Abraham making decisions about who is at that table with him.

19“There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen,a feasting lavishly every day. 20But a poorr man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate.a 21He longed to be filleda with what fell from the rich man’s table,
but instead the dogsc would come and lick his sores. 22One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side.a a The rich man also died and was buried. 23And being in tormenta in Hades,b he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. 24‘Father Abraham! ’a he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agonyb in this flame! ’

25“ ‘Son,’A Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things,a just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here,b while you are in agony. 26Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’

27“ ‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house —  28because I have five brothers — to warna them, so that they won’t also come to this place of torment.’

29“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets;a they should listen to them.’

30“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31“But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’ ”a

Thank you Journeyman I appreciate your efforts, and thank you Amanuensis for a refreshing and edifying thread.

I was looking for something new. But I will bring up an example. We don't have to discuss it if it has been recently worn out but it is a good example of one that is hard to understand at first read.

1 Peter 3
18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison 20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared.

Does this mean that Jesus preached to spirits in prison after he was killed, or after he was made alive?

Or does this mean that Noah preached to those people while they were still alive by the Spirit of Christ that was in him before they died and were put in prison which is where they are now?

Peter said that the Spirit of Christ was in these old prophets when they preached and I was wondering if that is what Peter is referring to when he says this?

They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

Genesis 4:17
Who was Cain’s wife?
Where did she come from?
Who were her parents?

What Verse or Passage of scripture do you find difficult to interpret. Let's see if we can discover authorial intent using the rules of hermeneutics.

OK, if you say so. This part is really hard for me to swallow, even harder than Revelation because of the weird terminologies. This version of heaven and hell is so vastly different than the canonical portrayal of the eternal destinations.

there’s a story or parable in the ot I’ve never been able To make any sense of I don’t know why it’s there , what relevance it has and I’ve never heard a good explaination for it other than it’s “just a random recorded event “ which doesn’t make sense as to the rest of the Bible but judged 19 is a mystery to me

“And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah. And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there four whole months. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way. And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them. And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him. And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah. And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah. And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging. And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Beth-lehem-judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house. Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing. And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink. Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go. Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her Lord was, till it was light. And her Lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.”
‭‭Judges‬ ‭19:1-30‬ ‭KJV‬

I notice similarities with the story of sodom and Gomorrah but never have really made any relevant sense of this chapter

This passage has always left me wondering with more than a few questions. What could Jesus mean by these words. That there was no real peace and fellowship intended to be within a family? Are there no happy families? I get that God wants us to be happy and look to Him for guidance. Is this Jesus' way of telling us that there will always be battles to fight at home and that we should all individually look to God for help and guidance. Sure, God is worthy of our love more than any other in the world. But this passage was and still is an enigma to me. If you could give your thoughts on it, it's great.

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; 36 your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.

37 “Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples. 38 Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. 39 Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.

Matthew 10:34-39