Understanding

I was reading an article recently where the writer implied all we needed was to read revelation to be blessed, understanding what we read was unnecessary. This was an old argument out of unity in diversity theology proposed by Karl Ketcherside and others. In a nutshell he taught we did not have to understand the purpose of Baptism to be saved, we simply had to obey.

The argument from Revelation 1 is something like this.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

Revelation 1:3 only mentions reading and hearing the prophecy of Revelation with no requirement of understanding it. The word understand is not in the text. The idea being understanding was not a condition of the blessing.

It is true the word is not translated understand, but the words read and hear can mean to come to understand. Plus it is hard to keep what you do not understand. To be blessed we have to keep it.

Christians were saved before Revelation was written, thus a full knowledge of Revelation was not necessary to be blessed in salvation, unless a person's condition in life warranted the necessity of knowing it to stay faithful.. If deception was occurring so that people would be led away without the knowledge provided in the prophecy. A person could know many facets of the Gospel without Revelation, but there were blessings one could only have from coming to know it.

Read in Greek can be "come to know" or "Know accurately"

G314

ἀναγινώσκω

anaginōskō

an-ag-in-oce'-ko

From G303 and G1097; to know again, that is, (by extension) to read: - read.

Total KJV occurrences: 33

G314

ἀναγινώσκω

anaginōskō

Thayer Definition:

1) to distinguish between, to recognise, to know accurately, to acknowledge

2) to read

Part of Speech: verb

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G303 and G1097

To be blessed by Revelation someone surely has to come to know it. Ketcherside aired in confusing the Greek words and in confusing the necessity to know basic principles vs hard things like symbolized prophecy.

Matthew 13 surely declares from Christ's own words that understanding is necessary.

Mat 13:15  ForG1063 thisG5127 people'sG2992 heartG2588 is waxed gross,G3975 andG2532 their earsG3775 are dull of hearing,G191 G917 andG2532 theirG848 eyesG3788 they have closed;G2576 lest at any timeG3379 they should seeG1492 with their eyes,G3788 andG2532 hearG191 with their ears,G3775 andG2532 should understandG4920 with their heart,G2588 andG2532 should be converted,G1994 andG2532 I should healG2390 them.G846 

Mat 13:23  ButG1161 he that received seedG4687 intoG1909 theG3588 goodG2570 groundG1093 isG2076 he that hearethG191 theG3588 word,G3056 andG2532 understandethG4920 it; whichG3739 alsoG1211 beareth fruit,G2592 andG2532 bringeth forth,G4160 someG3588 (G3303) an hundredfold,G1540 (G1161) someG3588 sixty,G1835 (G1161) someG3588 thirty.G5144 

Using the statement from Revelation to overturn the necessity of understanding basic principles to be saved is in my view deceptive and satanic.

Also realize the word "heareth" in Revelation 1:3 implies understanding what is reported.

G191

ἀκούω

akouō

ak-oo'-o

A primary verb; to hear (in various senses): - give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), ([shall]) hear (-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.

Total KJV occurrences: 437

Revelation does provide a blessing for those who know it, unfortunately most Christian sects such as premillinialists fail to understand it. They use it to twist doctrines so that people come to be lost through their guidance.