"Secondly, the Bible is not a clear and intelligible guide to all. There are many passages in the Bible which are difficult and obscure, not only to the ordinary person, but to the highly trained scholar as well. St. Peter himself tells us that in the Epistles of St. Paul there are 'certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and the unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction' (II Peter 3:16)." (The Faith of Millions, pp. 152-153).
"We must, therefore, conclude that the Scriptures alone cannot be a sufficient guide and rule of faith...because they are not of themselves clear and intelligible even in matters of highest importance..." (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 73).
The passage quoted above by the Catholic writer (2 Pet. 3:16) does not state that the Scriptures
are not clear and intelligible to all. Peter simply said that in Paul's writings are certain things
"hard" (not "impossible") to be understood. He said that the unlearned and unstable wrest (twist,
distort) these, as they do the other Scriptures (the Old Testament ones) to their own destruction.
In other words, their misuse (twisting, distorting, mis-applying) of the Scriptures would cause
their eternal destruction.
Peter went on to say in the next verses, "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand,
beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the
wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Pet.
3:17-18). Thus, Peter admonished Christians to grow in knowledge lest they, too, like the
unlearned and unstable, wrest or distort difficult passages to their own destruction. This
instruction of the beloved apostle is far removed from the Catholic claim.
There is much misunderstanding of the Bible when men try to harmonize Catholic teaching with
the Bible for in many instances it is contrary to it. For example, the Catholic Church practices
pouring water as a mode for baptism, but the Bible teaches immersion or a burial in water (Rom.
6:3-4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:38-39). Thus, in such matters, instead of rejecting the false teachings of
the Catholic Church, many conclude that the Bible is not a clear and intelligible book. Many
so-called Protestants do likewise. When comparing their human traditions with the Bible, instead
of abandoning their man-made doctrines, they say, "the Bible is a mysterious and difficult book."
The inspired writers declared that the things which they wrote were understandable (1 Cor. 1:13; Eph. 3:3-5). The many passages which compel us to read, study, search, and grow in knowledge imply that the Scriptures are understandable. The fact that God commanded these things shows that He Himself considers His Word understandable. God made the mind of man and is fully capable of addressing man in words which he can understand. God will judge all men by the Scriptures in the last day (Rev. 20:12). Will He judge men by a standard which cannot be understood?