# “A humble and prayerful spirit” by J.C. Ryle

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2025/10/02/a-humble-and-prayerful-spirit-by-j-c-ryle/
- Published: 2025-10-02T14:00:00-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“We all need enlightenment of our understandings.

> “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness
> unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (**
> 1 Cor. 2:14**)

Pride, and prejudice, and love of the world blind our intellects, and throw a veil
over the eyes of our minds in the reading of the Scriptures.

We see the words, but do not thoroughly understand them until we are taught from
above.

He that desires to read his Bible with profit, must first ask the Lord Jesus to 
open the eyes of his understanding by the Holy Ghost.

Human commentaries are useful in their way. The help of good and learned men is 
not to be despised.

But there is no commentary to be compared with the teaching of Christ.

A humble and prayerful spirit will find a thousand things in the Bible, which the
proud, self-conceited student will utterly fail to discern.”

–J.C. Ryle, [_Expository Thoughts on Luke_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1848711301?tag=toletaupanre-20)(
Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1858/2012), 2: 383-384. Ryle is commenting on **Luke
24:44-49**.

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