Hard Sayings; Hard Sentences
What Are Hard Sayings?
The phrase "hard sayings" or "hard sentences" appears in Scripture to describe words or statements that are difficult to understand, either because they are cryptic and enigmatic or because they challenge deeply held assumptions. In both Daniel and the Gospel of John, these expressions point to the reality that divine truth often exceeds the limits of human comprehension.
Hard Sentences in the Book of Daniel
In Daniel 5:12, the ability to interpret "hard sentences" (also translated "dark sentences" or "riddles") is attributed to Daniel as a mark of his God-given wisdom. When King Belshazzar saw the mysterious handwriting on the wall during his great feast, the queen mother reminded him that Daniel possessed "an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding" capable of solving such puzzles (Daniel 5:11-12). The Aramaic term used here refers to enigmatic utterances or riddles that require preternatural wisdom to decode. This passage underscores that true understanding of divine mysteries comes not from human intelligence alone but from God's Spirit.
Hard Sayings of Jesus at Capernaum
The most memorable use of this phrase in the New Testament appears in John 6:60, where many of Jesus' disciples responded to His teaching by saying, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" Jesus had just delivered His Bread of Life discourse in the synagogue at Capernaum, declaring, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53). The Greek word used here, skleros, means harsh, rough, or difficult to accept. For the listeners, these words were not merely intellectually puzzling but spiritually offensive, clashing with their expectations of what the Messiah would say and do.
The Response to Difficult Teaching
John 6:66 records that after this hard saying, "many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him." Jesus then turned to the Twelve and asked, "Do you want to go away as well?" Peter's response stands as a model of faith in the face of hard sayings: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:67-68). This episode reveals that hard sayings serve as a dividing line between superficial followers and those with genuine faith.
The Purpose of Difficult Words in Scripture
Throughout the Bible, God's communication sometimes takes the form of parables, riddles, and statements that resist easy interpretation. Proverbs 1:6 lists "proverbs," "sayings of the wise," and "their riddles" as forms of instruction that require attentive study. Jesus Himself explained that He spoke in parables so that those with spiritual ears would hear, while others would remain in confusion (Matthew 13:10-17). Hard sayings, then, are not obstacles to faith but invitations to deeper understanding.
Approaching Hard Sayings Today
For modern Bible readers, the concept of hard sayings remains deeply relevant. Many passages in Scripture continue to challenge, disturb, and perplex. The biblical pattern suggests that the proper response is not to walk away but to press in with humility, prayer, and trust that God's Word will yield its meaning to those who seek it earnestly (Psalm 119:18). The difficulty of a saying does not diminish its truth; rather, it points to the inexhaustible depth of divine revelation.
Biblical Context
Hard sayings appear in Daniel 5:12 as enigmatic riddles requiring Spirit-given wisdom, and in John 6:60 as Jesus' challenging Bread of Life discourse at Capernaum. The concept also appears in Proverbs 1:6 regarding riddles of the wise, and in Jesus' parables throughout the Gospels (Matthew 13:10-17). These passages show that God's revelation sometimes takes forms that stretch human understanding.
Theological Significance
Hard sayings reveal that God's truth is not always immediately accessible to the human mind. They demonstrate the necessity of the Holy Spirit for understanding divine revelation (1 Corinthians 2:14), serve as tests of genuine faith versus superficial discipleship (John 6:66-68), and remind believers that God's ways and thoughts are higher than human ones (Isaiah 55:8-9). They teach humility before God's Word and trust in His wisdom even when understanding is incomplete.
Historical Background
In the ancient Near East, riddles and enigmatic speech were valued forms of wisdom. Kings prized advisors who could interpret dreams and solve mysteries, as seen in the courts of Egypt and Babylon. The Jewish rabbinical tradition later developed extensive methods for interpreting difficult Scripture passages. In the Greco-Roman world of the New Testament era, Jesus' audience at Capernaum would have found His language about eating flesh and drinking blood particularly shocking given Jewish dietary laws and the prohibition against consuming blood (Leviticus 17:10-14).