---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But when the teaching of the Bible is…"
description: "\"“But when the teaching of the Bible is plain, then continuing to maintain an open mind is a sign not of maturity, but of immaturity.”\" — John R.W. Stott"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ec/john-r-w-stott-15425_bible_but-when-the-teaching-of-the-bible-is-pl_1315430.jpg"
---

#  But when the teaching of the Bible is plain, then…

![“But when the teaching of the Bible is plain, then continuing to maintain an open mind is a sign not of maturity, but of immaturity.” quote by John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ec/john-r-w-stott-15425_bible_but-when-the-teaching-of-the-bible-is-pl_1315430.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ec/john-r-w-stott-15425_bible_but-when-the-teaching-of-the-bible-is-pl_1315430.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ec/john-r-w-stott-15425_bible_but-when-the-teaching-of-the-bible-is-pl_1315430.jpg)

> ““But when the teaching of the Bible is plain, then continuing to maintain an open mind is a sign not of maturity, but of immaturity.””

[John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Blindly accepting biblical teaching shows immaturity, not openness.

**In simple terms:** Maturity means thoughtful engagement.

Key Takeaway

Engage critically with scripture.

Themes

faith maturity interpretation

Mood

reflective serious

Type

theological philosophical

When to use this quote

- church study groups
- personal Bible reading

Key Concepts

theology critical analysis

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you differentiate maturity from immaturity?
- What role does context play in interpretation?

A Different Perspective

Rigid literalism can ignore context.

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[Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Plain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-plain-4366342/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Immaturity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immaturity/) [Maturity Immaturity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maturity-immaturity-4366343/) [Open mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-mind/) [Plain Continuing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plain-continuing-4366344/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Teaching Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-bible-1144296/)

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