--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, first I would ask them if they had…" description: "\"“Well, first I would ask them if they had read the Bible; then I would ask them if they had understood it.”\" — Jurgen Moltmann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/j-rgen-moltmann-9122_bible_well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had_1686505.png" --- # Well, first I would ask them if they had read the Bible… ![“Well, first I would ask them if they had read the Bible; then I would ask them if they had understood it.” quote by Jurgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/j-rgen-moltmann-9122_bible_well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had_1686505.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/j-rgen-moltmann-9122_bible_well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had_1686505.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/j-rgen-moltmann-9122_bible_well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had_1686505.png) > ““Well, first I would ask them if they had read the Bible; then I would ask them if they had understood it.”” [Jurgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding scripture requires both reading and comprehension; faith without insight is shallow. **In simple terms:** Read and understand the Bible. Key Takeaway Seek deeper comprehension of spiritual texts. Themes faith interpretation education Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type theological educational When to use this quote - Bible study groups - seminars - personal devotion Key Concepts theology biblical studies critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify your understanding? - What role does context play in interpretation? A Different Perspective Interpretation varies across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-read-1010587/) [Ask Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-understood-1010586/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-ask-1010585/) [Read Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-bible/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) ## Related quotes > [“The first step in reading the Bible is to ask God to help you understand it … Don’t go to Scripture looking for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-first-step-in-reading-the-bible-is-to-ask-god-to-help-you/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [I am so worried for those people who do not even listen to what the bible say's about. The end it is coming soon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-jessenia/i-am-so-worried-for-those-people-who-do-not-even-listen-to-what-the/) [Jess Jessenia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-jessenia/) > [Let us read the Bible without the ill-fitting colored spectacles of theology, just as we read other books, using our judgment and reason. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/let-us-read-the-bible-without-the-ill-fitting-colored-spectacles-of/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) > [“To study theology involves entering into a long, ongoing conversation, one that we did not begin. Others have been talking about God long before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/to-study-theology-involves-entering-into-a-long-ongoing-conversation/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [Sometimes my readers ask me what else they should read, and I recommend Sebald.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/sometimes-my-readers-ask-me-what-else-they-should-read-and-i/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [To those who ask if I have read their book, I reply: I have not yet read Homer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-clifford-barney/to-those-who-ask-if-i-have-read-their-book-i-reply-i-have-not-yet/) [Natalie Clifford Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-clifford-barney/) > [Especially since having children, a lot of the time if you ask me, 'Have you read that book?' the answer would be 'not personally.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/especially-since-having-children-a-lot-of-the-time-if-you-ask-me-have/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“good way is to study Bible characters—take them right from the cradle to the grave. You find that skeptics often take one particular part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/good-way-is-to-study-bible-characters-take-them-right-from-the-cradle/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Go ahead—read your Bible through in a year from a sense of duty. Pray for hours each day. Go to church every time the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilkerson/go-ahead-read-your-bible-through-in-a-year-from-a-sense-of-duty-pray/) [David Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilkerson/) > [“We do not read the Bible aright until we learn to read it as the Story of Israel that comes to completion — fulfillment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tremper-longman-iii/we-do-not-read-the-bible-aright-until-we-learn-to-read-it-as-the/) [Tremper Longman III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tremper-longman-iii/) > [This is the Book. I have read the Bible through many times, and now make it a practice to read it through once every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/this-is-the-book-i-have-read-the-bible-through-many-times-and-now/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [Read the Bible for the salvation of your soul, not the solution to your problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-joshua/read-the-bible-for-the-salvation-of-your-soul-not-the-solution-to/) [T. B. Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-joshua/) > [“If you read the bible from cover to cover you will want to start it all over again. You find something new each time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-penland/if-you-read-the-bible-from-cover-to-cover-you-will-want-to-start-it/) [Amanda Penland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-penland/) > [I read novels but I also read the Bible. And study it, you know? And the more I learn, the more excited I get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-read-novels-but-i-also-read-the-bible-and-study-it-you-know-and-the/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) ## More by Jurgen Moltmann > [That is why faith, wherever it develops into hope, causes not rest but unrest, not patience but impatience… Those who hope in Christ can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/that-is-why-faith-wherever-it-develops-into-hope-causes-not-rest-but/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [To reinvent your own country you need a great audacity of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/to-reinvent-your-own-country-you-need-a-great-audacity-of-hope/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“Here the crucified Christ was seen less as the sacrifice which God creates to reconcile the world to himself, and more as the exemplary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/here-the-crucified-christ-was-seen-less-as-the-sacrifice-which-god/) [Jurgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [God weeps with us so that we may one day laugh with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/god-weeps-with-us-so-that-we-may-one-day-laugh-with-him/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“When the fear of death leaves us, the destructive craving for life leaves us too. We can then restrict our desires and our demands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/when-the-fear-of-death-leaves-us-the-destructive-craving-for-life/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [ “\[Faith\] sees in the resurrection of Christ not the eternity of heaven, but the future of the very earth on which his cross stands.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/faith-sees-in-the-resurrection-of-christ-not-the-eternity-of-heaven/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [No where else in Christianity does the terrible or heroic name of Armageddon play such role as in America. Not even in the Revelation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/no-where-else-in-christianity-does-the-terrible-or-heroic-name-of/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [Despair can be like an iron band constricting the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/despair-can-be-like-an-iron-band-constricting-the-heart/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“The problem of modern man is no longer so much how he can live with gods and demons, but how he can survive with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/the-problem-of-modern-man-is-no-longer-so-much-how-he-can-live-with/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“with Christ in faith a wholly new life begins. It is not a restored life, and it is not a rejuvenated life either. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/with-christ-in-faith-a-wholly-new-life-begins-it-is-not-a-restored/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“It can be summed up by saying that suffering is overcome by suffering, and wounds are healed by wounds. For the suffering in suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/it-can-be-summed-up-by-saying-that-suffering-is-overcome-by-suffering/) [Jurgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“When the crucified Jesus is called "the image of the invisible God," the meaning is that THIS is God, and God is like THIS.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/when-the-crucified-jesus-is-called-the-image-of-the-invisible-god-the/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“But the ultimate reason for our hope is not to be found at all in what we want, wish for and wait for; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/but-the-ultimate-reason-for-our-hope-is-not-to-be-found-at-all-in/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [Even the disciples of Jesus all fled from their master's cross. Christians who do not have the feeling that they must flee the crucified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/even-the-disciples-of-jesus-all-fled-from-their-master-s-cross/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“Just as they were formulated to express Jewish or Greek reasons for faith in Jesus, it is possible on principle to formulate new titles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/just-as-they-were-formulated-to-express-jewish-or-greek-reasons-for/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) [Explore all 75 Jurgen Moltmann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Well, first I would ask them if they had read the Bible; then I would ask them if they had understood it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jurgen Moltmann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had-read-the-bible-then-i-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had-read-the-bible-then-i-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/j-rgen-moltmann-9122_bible_well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had_1686505.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/j-rgen-moltmann-9122_bible_well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had_1686505.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/j-rgen-moltmann-9122_bible_well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had_1686505.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Well, first I would ask them if they had read the Bible; then I would ask them if they had understood it.” — Jurgen Moltmann", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jurgen Moltmann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Well, first I would ask them...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had-read-the-bible-then-i-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/well-first-i-would-ask-them-if-they-had-read-the-bible-then-i-would/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```