The Public Reading of the Scriptures

Driving home: It was to pump fresh spiritual life into the existing knowledgeable generation and it was to be instrumental to impart spiritual perspective and life to the upcoming or emerging generation.

The divinely established practice of public reading had a 'two-generation purpose': to 'pump fresh spiritual life' into the existing knowledgeable generation and 'impart spiritual perspective and life' to the emerging generation, illustrating the ongoing need for biblical instruction.

And that their children who have not known may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land whether you go over the Jordan to possess it. So this divinely established practice had a divinely defined purpose. And we might call it the two-generation purpose. It was to pump fresh spiritual life into the existing knowledgeable generation and it was to be instrumental to impart spiritual perspective and life to the upcoming or emerging generation.

8:33 - 9:15 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin illustrates the decline of Israel when this practice was abandoned and its central role in periods of national reformation and revival, citing examples from 2 Chronicles 34…

The abandonment of public Scripture reading was both a cause and effect of Israel's departure from Jehovah, while its reinstitution was central to seasons of reformation and revival, demonstrating the practice's vital role in national spiritual health.

Now when Israel forgot and departed from the Lord Jehovah one of the first and the most evident causes and effects of that departure is the abandonment of this practice. And when you trace out the history of the declension of Israel you will find that the abandonment of this practice of the regular public reading of the book of the law was both cause and effect of that departure from Jehovah. And we find this out particularly in the recorded seasons of reformation and revival and return to Jehovah in which the rediscovery of the law and its public reading are central. And I want you to look at...

9:17 - 10:26 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What the reformation did was to give the scriptures back to the common man and to place them central in the worship of the people of God.

The Roman Catholic Church effectively took the Scriptures away from the common person by using Latin and sacerdotalism, while the Reformation gave the Scriptures back to the common man and placed them centrally in worship, highlighting the historical significance of public reading.

when Bannerman addresses the question where did the synagogue take its rise and its basic structure he argues from the time of Nehemiah the reading and exposition of the scriptures with prayer and praise formed the center and substance of the whole so in the history of this matter of the public reading of the scriptures we must not only seek to see it bottomed as the old Puritans would say upon the institution ordained of God as we have seen in the Deuteronomy 31 passage but then also its place in the providence of God in the pattern of synagogue activity and then any historical overview of th...

23:12 - 24:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Set a pattern of thorough exposure to the whole of Scripture and how to shape prayer by the word.

Just as one might read a passage out of duty and see no immediate profit, only to have the Spirit bring it to remembrance later for a specific situation, illustrates that all Scripture is profitable even when its immediate usefulness is not apparent.

is profitable then matthew four four quoting from deuteronomy man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of god god has given us many mysterious things in scripture many things difficult to be understood things of unequal evenness of what we might call density of apparent usefulness given all of those qualifications nonetheless there is not one luxurious word in the whole of inscripturated revelation there's not one luxury or extra of all the things god could have revealed and how many things we wish he had he's revealed what he has revealed and man shal...

39:30 - 40:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Set an example of how to extract principles from the word of God without going into detailed exegesis.

Martin notes that he can almost always tell where Mr. Dixon has been in his devotions by his Sunday morning prayers, illustrating how personal Scripture reading fuels public prayer and sets an example for the congregation.

an example to our people of how what we read in scripture becomes fuel for what we pray I know it will embarrass him to say it but I would have said it if he weren't here anyway I can almost always tell where Mr. Dixon has been in his devotions during the week by his prayers Sunday morning I'm sure you've noticed that well that's the way it ought to be and we need to set that example right in the assembly of god's people so that the psalm we have read if we use the psalms for our call to worship or whatever portion we may use and then as we read the word of god before our more lengthy interces...

43:57 - 45:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Broaden the base of common knowledge of the word among your people, especially in a generation of bible illiterates.

Ministering to a generation of 'bible illiterates' is likened to the task of first-century pastors bringing pagans into contact with the Old Testament, emphasizing the need to broaden common biblical knowledge through public reading.

of broadening the base of common knowledge of the word among your people you see we're ministering to a generation of bible illiterates and since as you learned one of the seven axioms of all preaching we're to preach the bible biblically the bible is its own best interpreter and illustrator but you see , if you have a people ignorant of the basic contents of the bible you can't illustrate the bible by the bible without taking so much time to go back to the incident that you lose the unity of discourse and the thrust of rhetorical discourse if you can't refer to david and goliath if you can't ...

45:29 - 46:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate distinctness of articulation by giving full value to all vowels and adequate expression to all consonants.

The physical act of spitting when articulating words distinctly is used to humorously illustrate the necessity of proper enunciation, even if it means some moisture projection.

you do not have cardinal points C-A-R-D apostrophe N apostrophe L but you have cardinal points cardinal points now you don't need to be ludicrous and say now this is the cardinal point but neither do you seem to say this is the cardinal point you can say this is the cardinal point now that doesn't sound unnatural and then give adequate expression to the consonants words ending with T and D end with T and D and they should not be silent T's or D's you're not Frenchman if you said Bousset to a Frenchman you defend him is Bousset the T is silent but you're not Frenchman all right you're speaking ...

57:15 - 58:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Ensure correctness of pronunciation by reading over the chapter aloud at home and practicing proper names.

The difficulty of getting one's tongue to accurately pronounce proper names, even when the mind registers them, illustrates the need for practice in correctness of pronunciation.

distinctly articulate because you're bringing the tongue against the teeth and often the tongue has some moisture on it and when the tongue projects it against the teeth the teeth don't stop at all some of it passes through the lips some is on the inner ring of the lips and when you say peas in such a way that you ask your peas you're going to spit alright so spit you may spit you must but articulate is essential alright secondly enough of my foolishness correctness of pronunciation what are the requisites of good public reading distinctness of articulation correctness of pronunciation and thi...

58:43 - 60:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Strive for accuracy of emphasis, allowing it to fall by pacing, volume, or slowing down, based on an intelligent grasp of the concepts.

A quote from Broadus highlights that good reading has 'exegetical value,' helping to make the sense plain and bringing out the full interest and impressiveness of a passage, underscoring the importance of accuracy of emphasis.

okay and so correctness of pronunciation but then thirdly and this is vital brethren accuracy of emphasis accuracy of emphasis in the public reading of the word of God is vital Broadus makes a very perceptive comment on this element of our concern on page five on page five seventeen good reading has an exegetical value helping to make plain the sense it also brings out the full interest and impressiveness of the passage read there are passages which have had a new meaning for us and an added sweetness ever since we heard them read it may be long ago by a good reader so accuracy of emphasis whe...

60:12 - 61:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Strive for accuracy of emphasis, allowing it to fall by pacing, volume, or slowing down, based on an intelligent grasp of the concepts.

Reading Psalm 66:10 with two different emphases (on God's activity vs. the results of His activity) demonstrates how the reader's choices can significantly alter the perceived meaning of a passage.

morning to just refresh my mind in how different the whole emphasis can be in terms of the very thing we're talking about for example my psalm this morning was psalm 66 and I thought look how different is the emphasis of the psalm if I read it this way psalm 66 10 for thou oh god has proved us thou has tried us as silver is tried thou broughtest us into the net thou layest a sore burden upon our loins thou didst cause men to ride over our heads we went through fire and through water but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place now you see the emphasis there is upon the fact that it is God w...

61:42 - 63:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Read with sympathetic identity and imaginative sensitivity, entering into the feelings and setting of the passage.

His wife's confusion about his need for extended preparation time for Scripture reading illustrates that effective public reading, especially with accurate emphasis, requires significant labor and study.

now you've got to ask yourself in terms of your understanding of the passage where does the emphasis lie where ought it to lie and so accuracy of emphasis is absolutely vital in effective public reading of the word of God and it may mean there are times when you'll spend it's a mystery to my wife if I try to do my preparation for the reading of the scriptures if I'm leaving the evening service I don't like to be shut up in the study on the Sunday afternoon so I'll try to sit down in the living room and after I've been there for half an hour she'll start talking I'll say honey I'm still working...

63:12 - 64:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Read with sympathetic identity and imaginative sensitivity, entering into the feelings and setting of the passage.

Reading Galatians 1 with a 'white hot' soul, rather than ludicrously, illustrates the need for sympathetic identity and emotional engagement with the passage's sentiments.

secondly a sympathetic identity with the passage the author felt something the speaker felt something you must be a you must seek to feel with him how any man could read Galatians one this way but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached let him be an anathema now how ludicrous Paul's soul was white hot and we must not read as though we were preaching it but surely we must read as though we are empathetically involved with the sentiments of that passage but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that wh...

64:34 - 66:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Read with sympathetic identity and imaginative sensitivity, entering into the feelings and setting of the passage.

Imagining Sarah hiding behind her tent, giggling, and then her embarrassment when God confronts her, illustrates the need for imaginative sensitivity in reading narrative passages.

secondly a sympathetic identity with the passage the author felt something the speaker felt something you must be a you must seek to feel with him how any man could read Galatians one this way but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached let him be an anathema now how ludicrous Paul's soul was white hot and we must not read as though we were preaching it but surely we must read as though we are empathetically involved with the sentiments of that passage but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that wh...

64:34 - 66:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in general cultivation of reading skills by reading aloud to your wife or children, seeking their critique, and practicing empathetic and imaginative faculties.

Alexander Scorby's professional reading of the Scriptures is presented as the finest example of mastering the art of meaningful public reading, despite his not knowing the Author, highlighting the impact of skilled delivery.

the Bible of what I regard as the finest expression of these principles is Alexander Scorby's reading of the scriptures if you've not heard Alexander Scorby reading the scriptures I even wrestled with buying a set and giving you each one a cast set I may still do that for a late Christmas present and with the understanding that you make a covenant with me that you'll listen to Scorby at least once a month for a few minutes a wonderful example of someone who as a professional actor mastered the art of reading the scriptures in a very meaningful way many times when I've listened by the hour on a...

69:17 - 70:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in general cultivation of reading skills by reading aloud to your wife or children, seeking their critique, and practicing empathetic and imaginative faculties.

Reading 'Jack and the Beanstalk' to children in a way that makes them 'see that beanstalk going right up through the clouds' is used as an example of general cultivation of imaginative sensitivity.

well acquainted and in full sympathy besides such reading for practice he should embrace every fit occasion of reading for the pleasure and profit of those who hear selecting something full of interest so that he may forget himself in the sentiment of what he reads and preachers inclined to be lugubrious that's sad or mournful it's a word not used in our day ought by all means to read in private some humorously selections in order to maintain the equilibrium so if you're overly serious he says read mark twain in private till you laugh out loud and of course you who have children you have a mar...

72:13 - 73:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in general cultivation of reading skills by reading aloud to your wife or children, seeking their critique, and practicing empathetic and imaginative faculties.

Seeking one's wife's ears to listen and critique one's reading, asking if she can 'see it coming to her,' is suggested as a method for general cultivation of empathetic and imaginative faculties.

well acquainted and in full sympathy besides such reading for practice he should embrace every fit occasion of reading for the pleasure and profit of those who hear selecting something full of interest so that he may forget himself in the sentiment of what he reads and preachers inclined to be lugubrious that's sad or mournful it's a word not used in our day ought by all means to read in private some humorously selections in order to maintain the equilibrium so if you're overly serious he says read mark twain in private till you laugh out loud and of course you who have children you have a mar...

72:13 - 73:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Consult a dictionary to ensure correct pronunciation, especially of proper names, to avoid giving offense and blaming the ministry.

Mispronouncing 'Philistines' as if they were 'second cousin to the Bernsteins' is used to illustrate how poor pronunciation can be an offense that turns people off from the ministry, even if it's a 'little thing'.

dictionary to make sure that the pronunciation is the generally accepted one be a terrible thing if you have a well educated person with some background in the bible who have been turned off by the religion of his parents because they were hypocrites and for the first time he comes into the church and he hears some bumbler up there mispronouncing words that he says any half educated man ought to know that that's not the way you pronounce it it's not the philistines as though they were second cousin to the bernsteins who lived down the street and owned a local and he could say if a man doesn't ...

76:16 - 77:46 Read in full sermon

The point: If commenting on Scripture, do so with preparation, not 'winging it,' to avoid trite, excessive, or unwarranted remarks.

His joy in seeing the congregation expound Titus on their own, saying 'Lord help me to be yet more vile,' illustrates the fruit of years of public reading and judicious commenting in equipping people to understand and apply Scripture.

though not perfect at least a viable workable example of that in the way in which we attempt to handle that here each man doing it a little differently but I think you see the common denominator when we are approaching a new book we give a little poor man's mini introduction to the book it means many times that I go back and read my standard introductions on the book and I may read I may read 20-30 pages for just two minutes of commenting but again our end is the edification of our people and I tell you brethren when it all pays off is when you can stand like I could last Sunday morning and ha...

80:44 - 82:13 Read in full sermon