Answer
Apart from the Spirit, we can't understand the mind of God in his Word. So, the Holy Spirit is the gift of Jesus, to understand the testimony about Jesus that's given to us in the Scriptures. And so, practically what that means is when we study the Bible, and we seek to know Christ through the Scriptures, that we have to seek that understanding of who Jesus is through the Spirit's guidance. So, one of the principal reasons we do that, when we study the Bible, is we pray. And we remember that it's not just an academic activity, but it's a spiritual activity. And that, even as we grow in grace, and as the Spirit makes us more and more like Jesus, we're better able to understand that Word, too the Spirit working in our sanctification.
Answer by Rev. Michael J. Glodo
Rev. Michael J. Glodo is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL.