--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is there within the Bible?\" \"It is a…" description: "\"“What is there within the Bible?\" \"It is a dangerous question. We might do better not to come too near this burning bush. For we are sure to betray wha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/karl-barth-3434_bible_what-is-there-within-the-bible-it-is-a-d_2939713.jpg" --- # What is there within the Bible?" "It is a dangerous… ![“What is there within the Bible?" "It is a dangerous question. We might do better not to come too near this burning bush. For we are sure to betray what is—behind us! The Bible gives to every man and every era such answers to your questions as they deserve. We shall always find in it as much as we…” quote by Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/karl-barth-3434_bible_what-is-there-within-the-bible-it-is-a-d_2939713.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/karl-barth-3434_bible_what-is-there-within-the-bible-it-is-a-d_2939713.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/karl-barth-3434_bible_what-is-there-within-the-bible-it-is-a-d_2939713.jpg) > ““What is there within the Bible?" "It is a dangerous question. We might do better not to come too near this burning bush. For we are sure to betray what is—behind us! The Bible gives to every man and every era such answers to your questions as they deserve. We shall always find in it as much as we seek and no more: high and divine content if it is high and divine content that we seek; transitory and "historical" content, if transitory and "historical" content that we seek. Nothing whatever, if it is nothing whatever that we seek. The hungry are satisfied by it, and to the satisfied it is surfeiting before they have opened it. The question, "What is in the Bible?" has a mortifying way of converting itself into the opposing question, "Well, what are you looking for, and who are you, pray, who make bold to look?”” [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Bible offers answers matching seekers' intent; superficial reading yields limited insight. **In simple terms:** Interpretation depends on what you seek. Key Takeaway Seek depth, not shallow answers. Themes faith interpretation spirituality search Mood reflective contemplative Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal study - religious counseling - academic research Key Concepts theology exegesis human desire Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly seek in scripture? - How does intention shape understanding? 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And why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-comes-back-to-the-old-question-how-can-the-bible-be-so-wise-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that most art is asking a question or is looking for something, looking for answers and that is what life seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-think-that-most-art-is-asking-a-question-or-is-looking-for/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [Faced with the Divine, people took refuge in the banal, as though answering a cosmic multiple-choice question: If you saw a burning bush, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/faced-with-the-divine-people-took-refuge-in-the-banal-as-though/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [“While an ever-increasing number of people consider themselves agnostic, the great majority of these people live as if they are atheists, bereft of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/while-an-ever-increasing-number-of-people-consider-themselves/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [It is difficult to undo our own damage, and to recall to our presence that which we have asked to leave. It is hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/it-is-difficult-to-undo-our-own-damage-and-to-recall-to-our-presence/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“She was satisfied with the answer God had given Moses from the burning bush when Moses had seen fit to question. Who are you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/she-was-satisfied-with-the-answer-god-had-given-moses-from-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“We are walking through a field of burning bushes, of the everyday heroes God puts in our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-august/we-are-walking-through-a-field-of-burning-bushes-of-the-everyday/) [Chris August](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-august/) > [“If it please you, the lady's name again?" says Reginald. His quill is poised. If God had come to Reginald and not to Moses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-it-please-you-the-lady-s-name-again-says-reginald-his-quill-is/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“This is how Heaven works. They're practical. We are always looking for rays of light. For lightning bolts or burning bushes. But God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/this-is-how-heaven-works-they-re-practical-we-are-always-looking-for/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [Bahá'u'lláh is not the Intermediary between other Manifestations and God. Each has His own relation to the Primal Source. But in the sense that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoghi-effendi/bah-u-ll-h-is-not-the-intermediary-between-other-manifestations-and/) [Shoghi Effendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoghi-effendi/) > [I became a student of the history of religion. I am fascinated by how religions often center on mystical experience, and in the Old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/i-became-a-student-of-the-history-of-religion-i-am-fascinated-by-how/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [“October Fire In the churchyard, flames, the Burning Bush, a maple touched to fire, by autumn fanned. Were I possessed as Moses was, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettie-m-sellers/october-fire-in-the-churchyard-flames-the-burning-bush-a-maple/) [Bettie M. Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettie-m-sellers/) > [Justice requires lawyers who are prepared, witnesses who tell the truth, judges who know the law, and jurors who stay awake. Justice is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-levine/justice-requires-lawyers-who-are-prepared-witnesses-who-tell-the/) [Paul Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-levine/) > [The entire cosmos is one vast burning bush, permeated by the fire of the divine power and glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kallistos-ware/the-entire-cosmos-is-one-vast-burning-bush-permeated-by-the-fire-of/) [Kallistos Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kallistos-ware/) ## More by Karl Barth > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admiration-and-self-praise/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“Godlessness is not… a possibility, but an ontological impossibility for man. Man is not without, but with God. This is not to say, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/godlessness-is-not-a-possibility-but-an-ontological-impossibility-for/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [When we are at our wits' end for an answer, then the Holy Spirit can give us an answer. But how can He give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/when-we-are-at-our-wits-end-for-an-answer-then-the-holy-spirit-can/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Radically and basically, all sin is simply ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/radically-and-basically-all-sin-is-simply-ingratitude/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Dogmatics is the testing of Church doctrine and proclamation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/dogmatics-is-the-testing-of-church-doctrine-and-proclamation/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [God listens to Bach while the angels listen to Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/god-listens-to-bach-while-the-angels-listen-to-mozart/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“Holy Communion is offered to all, as surely as the living Jesus Christ is for all, as surely as all of us are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/holy-communion-is-offered-to-all-as-surely-as-the-living-jesus-christ/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [I don’t believe in universalism, but I do believe in Jesus Christ, the reconciler of all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/i-don-t-believe-in-universalism-but-i-do-believe-in-jesus-christ-the/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [In Jesus, God wills to be true God not only in the height but also in the depth - in the depth of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/in-jesus-god-wills-to-be-true-god-not-only-in-the-height-but-also-in/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [The term 'laity' is one of the worst in the vocabulary of religion and ought to be banished from the Christian conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-term-laity-is-one-of-the-worst-in-the-vocabulary-of-religion-and/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [No one can be saved - in virtue of what he can do. Everyone can be saved - in virtue of what God can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/no-one-can-be-saved-in-virtue-of-what-he-can-do-everyone-can-be-saved/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Society is now really ruled by its own logos; say rather by a whole pantheon of its own hypostases and powers... we are beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/society-is-now-really-ruled-by-its-own-logos-say-rather-by-a-whole/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [There will be no song on our lips if there be no anguish in our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/there-will-be-no-song-on-our-lips-if-there-be-no-anguish-in-our-hearts/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [With an ear open to your musical dialectic, one can be young and become old, can work and rest, be content and sad: in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/with-an-ear-open-to-your-musical-dialectic-one-can-be-young-and/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) [Explore all 131 Karl Barth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) ## 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": "“What is there within the Bible?\" \"It is a dangerous question. We might do better not to come too near this burning bush. For we are sure to betray what is—behind us! The Bible gives to every man and every era such answers to your questions as they deserve. We shall always find in it as much as we seek and no more: high and divine content if it is high and divine content that we seek; transitory and \"historical\" content, if transitory and \"historical\" content that we seek. Nothing whatever, if it is nothing whatever that we seek. 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