Expository Preaching #7 - "Accurate Interpretation!"

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 Why do I believe so strongly in expository preaching? Because I believe it is the only right and proper way to truly preach the Bible. I do not determine the subject of the sermon. The scripture passage determines the subject and the main point of the sermon. The passage verse by verse and thought by thought are the content of the sermon. This is true exposition.

The first paragraph might look familiar. That is how I opened the first blog post. Good expository preaching all hinges on accurate Bible interpretation. How do you do that? It is really not that difficult and it is not at all impossible. Congregations hear different interpretations of the same passage. How do they know which one is correct? Can a scripture passage have 2 different interpretations? I don’t believe so. How do we know we have the right one? It takes some work.

First is simply reading the text and the context. If you don’t look at the context you may not interpret the text correctly. Does the interpretation of the text match the surrounding context? If not something is wrong.

Secondly to you have a reliable English translation? I don’t like and I don’t use paraphrases. They take too much liberty with the text. I like a good translation that translators have wrestled over for years. They have translated from the original languages and have done the work. More about that in a future blog.

What does plain sense say? “If plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense!” That is a good rule to live by.

Use tools like a concordance. Does your interpretation match up with other passages of Scripture? Use a lexicon. We will go into detail about that in a later blog. You do not need to be a Greek or Hebrew scholar to use a good lexicon. Check with a trustworthy commentary after you have wrestled with the passage yourself. Use a good interlinear Bible. There are many tools you can have at your disposal and use in your Bible study.

Most of all after you understand the context, work through the passage in a slow methodical manner. Are the statements and/or arguments of author have sensible flow and understanding to them? If not, why not. The author is writing to present an idea. They don’t introduce something out of left field all of a sudden for no reason. Why is it there? What is there? How is it there? Ask those questions with every verse and seek out the answers.

No scripture is of private interpretation! We have no right to just make it mean what we want it to mean. We must stay true to the interpretation of God’s Word whether we like it or not.

 

Rev. David Johnson

Former Pastor

First Baptist Church of Austin, MN

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