The Three Most Honest Words I Heard in Seminary

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! - Paul (Romans 11:29).

In the four years I earned my M.Div. from seminary, I listened to many, many words. Throughout roughly 90 credit hours, words in the form of prayers, audio books, and personal lectures were countless over that time. Indeed, I learned much from those that I remember, but from all of them, the three most honest words I ever heard in seminary were, “I don’t know.”

As I think back now, I don’t quite remember which professor even confessed it, but only that it greatly heartened me to hear them spoken. You might be thinking why I found those three words so refreshing, especially while spending tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege of going to school there. Perhaps I was growing jaded from occasionally hearing articulations to unknowable theological questions that carried little to no practical impact. Or maybe I just wanted to spend more time majoring on the majors and less on the minors. Regardless, when I sensed that speculations were postulated as answers to objectively mysterious subjects, I was less than content. I had and still have today, little patience for any time spent by Bible students or teachers trying to hypothesize how many angels can dance on the head of a needle. To this kind of theological discussion, I offer the wise words of Col. Stonehill spoken to the young Mattie, in True Grit, “I do not entertain hypotheticals, the world as it is, is vexing enough.” 1

One of the main roles of a theologian is trying to answer the very real problems posed by a vexing world. Why are we here? Who are we? What is our purpose? Why do we sin? Why do evil and suffering exist? To try to answer these questions from a Christian perspective, one must synthesize the Bible into a coherent system of beliefs and at times offer insight into the “deep things of God.” 2 Yet, this pursuit and practice must be coupled with theologians’ honest acknowledgment of their own intellectual limit. A major aspect of being a pastor, theologian, or a Christian apologist (which we all are to various degrees) is offering genuine answers for our faith and hope in Jesus with a sense of humility. Anyone who engages in offering answers to life’s biggest questions or just coherently systematizing the Bible knows that it is no easy task.

Unfortunately, defining and defending a Christian worldview can often lead to the temptation of offering less than authentic answers in areas that have not been clearly revealed in the Bible. And so, in an effort to play the part, the words “I don’t know” become anathema.

But that shouldn’t be. The doctrine of scriptural sufficiency means that the Word of God does not contain everything we may want to know, but it does contain everything we need to know for Christian life and salvation. Therefore, many subjects in the Bible are simply too lofty for us to know. Like Elihu stated in the book of Job, “How great is God — beyond our understanding!” 3 Even Moses, whom God revealed Himself to unlike any other person, even conceded that there are “secret things” which “belong to the Lord our God.” 4 This implies that these secret things, or mysteries beyond our understanding, do not belong to us. As students and teachers of God’s word, it is critical to know what can be understood and therefore belongs to us and what cannot and therefore belongs to the Lord. If there are “secret things” that “belong to the Lord,”as Deuteronomy 29:29 states, then maybe we should be more honest and humble in our pursuit and communication of biblical truth. One of the greatest theologians of history stated it well:

“If, however, we cannot discover explanations of all those things in Scripture which are made the subject of investigation, yet let us not on that account seek after any other God besides Him who really exists. For this is the very greatest impiety. We should leave things of that nature to God who created us, being most properly assured that the Scriptures are indeed perfect,…but we,…are on that very account destitute of the knowledge of His mysteries.” St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, (Book II, Chapter 28).

So if you find yourself searching for answers to the Bible’s many questions and life’s vexing problems, good! But do not become so wise that you cannot find contentment in the uncertainties of God. Work diligently to answer those things which He has revealed to us while finding peace and rest in His deep mysteries. Knowing the difference between the two is paramount. In your understanding and communication of biblical theology, it is not only permissible to admit you don’t know; it could very well be the right and godly answer.

But what do I know? If my three favorite words from seminary were “I don’t know,” maybe not much.

Micah Coate, President and Host of Salvation and Stuff

1. The Art of Negotiating a Dispute-Uploaded per 17USC§107, freaklemon, accessed from youtube, December 18, 2022. Or in similar words, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34, NIV.

2. 2 Cor. 2:10 NIV.

3. Job 36:26 NIV.

4. Deuteronomy 29:29 NIV.