5 Verses That Seem Offensive to Modern Readers

One Bible verse that seems offensive to modern readers is John 14:6. In this passage of Scripture, we are told by Jesus Himself that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Modern readers find this offensive because they want to believe there are many ways to heaven.

In Jesus' own words, He is telling us that eternal life is only found in Him. The world so desperately wants there to be multiple ways to heaven, but this isn't true.

No matter how much the present generation wants there to be multiple ways to heaven, the fact still stands that Jesus is the only way to the Father.

A person cannot find the way, truth, or life outside of Jesus because He is all of these things. There is a common belief among modern individuals that anyone will go to heaven regardless of their religion as long as they follow their religion faithfully.

This is not true because of John 14:6. John 14:6 rejects the idea that there are many ways to heaven, and it also rejects the idea that everything ceases to exist after death. There is life after death, and a person can only go to heaven when they die if they place faith in Jesus.

The new ideologies of the modern day are not compatible with the Bible. This is why it is difficult for many modern readers to not be offended by particular Bible verses, such as John 14:6.

They are being taught falsehood in the sense that there is no afterlife or that anyone can go to heaven if they are "good enough" or follow their religion faithfully.

Jesus tells us directly that true life is only found in Him and in Him alone. With this in mind, we need to take Jesus’ words to heart and not turn a deaf ear to them.

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A second verse that seems offensive to modern readers is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. This passage tells us, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

From these verses, we are told by the Apostle Paul that our bodies are temples. Various individuals have tried to use this passage out of context, yet what this passage is actually referring to is sexual immorality.

In the modern day, sexual immorality is rampant. This passage comes across as offensive because many individuals have not treated their bodies as temples. Rather than caring for their bodies, they have misused them.

Christians should not condemn or judge others for their past actions; however, we also have to know there are consequences of our sins. Everything written in the Bible is to help us — not hinder us.

As in the case of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, modern readers will think the Bible is restrictive on what one can do with their bodies or think Christianity is all about rules. This isn't true at all because God's instructions are there to give us a fuller life, not to take away from our lives.

Honoring God in your body means avoiding sexual immorality. Even though the modern world does not see a problem with sexual immorality does not mean it is not a real problem in the modern day.

Individuals need to wait until marriage before being intimate, as well as staying loyal to their spouse after they are married. Intimacy was created by God and is one of the deepest ways to be connected to someone.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us of this truth, and modern readers do not need to be offended by it, but rather, see it as something helpful.

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A third Bible verse that seems offensive to modern readers is 1 Timothy 2:12. In this verse, Paul makes the statement, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent" (1 Timothy 2:12).

As a woman myself, I recognize how this verse can be interpreted negatively. Before modern readers jump to conclusions, they need to understand what Paul is saying here as well as the surrounding context. Not to mention the original Greek word and how it is hard to correctly translate this Bible verse.

When Paul says that he does not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a woman, he is not downplaying women nor is God. Paul is good about separating his own thoughts from God's words.

In this certain circumstance, Paul is referring to his own views. He doesn't say God has directly given this command. In addition to this, we also have to be aware of the transition of the words used here.

Many of Paul's words are difficult to translate, which many translators have not translated correctly. The word “teach” is hard to decipher because it could have a variety of meanings.

It is also important to take into consideration the context Paul was in when saying this statement. It could have been false teachers had entered into the church and Paul was instructing the women not to teach in the church because these false teachers were targeting women.

This is a theory that is held by many scholars, and it is one to take into account. Modern readers could see this verse as offensive, yet if we look at it from a biblical perspective, we can see this verse is not derogatory towards women.

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Reading Ezekiel 23:20 through a modern lens can be difficult for many individuals because it can feel quite offensive to women. Within this passage, it is important to know the surrounding context before we take it to heart.

The Bible is known for using personification, and Ezekiel 23:20 is one of these instances. If you have come across Ezekiel 23:20 and it has many you do a double take, you are not alone. This is why it is important to understand the context and to read it through a modern lens.

Ezekiel 23:20 says, “There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.” At first look, this passage seems incredibly offensive to women.

What God is actually telling us through this passage is that Jerusalem had prostituted herself. When we look at the larger context of this passage, we see God is talking about Jerusalem and Samaria.

This passage is known as the “two adulterous sisters.” It is a personification of what God is talking about — not actual sisters.

The “she” spoken of in Ezekiel 23:20 refers to Jerusalem. Often, God refers to Jerusalem/Israel as “her” or “she.” Yet again, it is the practice of personification. Nowhere in this passage is God being derogatory toward women or men.

The Bible paints a positive picture of women, and it views men and women as equal in every way. These are important aspects to remember when you are reading Ezekiel 23:20 through a modern lens.

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A fifth verse that seems offensive to modern readers is Exodus 20:4. Within this passage, we are told, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below” (Exodus 20:4).

Modern readers will think this passage is offensive because modern-day society tells you to prioritize whatever you want. In this way, they are setting up idols for themselves.

Whether this is work, becoming popular, or getting the “perfect body,” all of these things can become idols for modern readers.

Things tend to be more offensive to modern readers because of the culture they are growing up in. This is why it is important for the Bible to be taught in the home and help the younger generations come to know the Lord. Idols are not good for us as they will only lead us away from God.

We need to follow after God and obey Him—not what social media or a magazine says. God needs to be the top priority in our lives and serving Him should always be at the top of our minds. Our lives are meant for Him and to bring glory to His Name.

Modern readers need to know that God gives us this command to help us. He is not giving it to us to hinder us or to make our lives difficult. God knows that if we set up anything as the idol of our lives, we will become a slave to it. Through Jesus, we are set free.

Since this is true, we don’t need to spend any more of our lives held in bondage to sin or to idols. They will only lead us away from God and cause us difficult times. If you are a modern reader, know there is no reason to be offended by this passage because it is written to help you.

There are many Bible verses that seem offensive to modern readers; however, with proper study, they will not be as offensive.

For further reading:

How Can We Read Ezekiel 23:20 Through a Modern Lens?

Why Jesus Said 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life' in John 14:6

How Can Busyness Become an Idol?

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