“It’s All Sermon Prep to Me”
October 20, 2009 at 8:30 pm | In preaching, seminary, sermon, writing | 10 CommentsTags: exegesis, greek, hebrew, sermon, sermon prep
When I was in high school and chatting with a teacher about our churches, he said “I don’t think I could ever respect a pastor who didn’t know Greek and Hebrew.” That statement stuck with me. Heck, it probably kept me going through some rather challenging times in both my Greek and Hebrew courses.
For a few years now, however, I’ve been wondering how much credence my teacher’s comment really has. I preached about forty sermons in Scotland two years ago without my Greek or Hebrew resources over there (I opted to take golf clubs, not books 
). I didn’t get too many complaints from church members about my lack of declining Greek nouns or parsing Hebrew verbs.
Now, though, I have my Greek and Hebrew books on my new pastor’s study bookshelf, but I haven’t been inclined to pull them out. Sure, I could check out a perplexing phrase in a text if I really wanted to, but I just rarely ever want to. So I wonder, what’s the rub: am I a sermon writing slacker or reality claiming time-manager?
The point, I suppose, is not that one uses Greek and Hebrew in one’s exegesis necessarily, but that sermons are well planned and delivered, deeply grounded in the word and call others to do the same. I’d never want to intimidate someone with knowledge of Biblical languages (what little knowledge I have), or put someone off with a flippant Greek or Hebrew remark in a sermon. On the other hand, I wonder what was the point of all those sweat and tears in Greek, Hebrew, and exegesis courses? Maybe they were supposed to teach me how to think, and did that. But how, also, might my sermon direction change if I took the time to read the original language each week?
When I have a conundrum, I often try to solve it with technology. The problem is, technology isn’t always the answer. (I don’t want to become like another Adam and blame my Weight Watchers struggles on the lack of iPhone app.) I do wonder, though, if investing in a good Bible translation program might provide me the added boost to work more with the original language? If you think so, what program for my Mac would you recommend?
And, in any sermon prep discussion I always wonder: and how might I involve our congregation more in the exegesis?
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Thanks for a good post. I occasionally use Hebrew and Greek in a sermon, but it is relatively rare. And I confess that whatever I might lift up I tend to pick up from another commentary!
That said, I can recommend Accordance for the Mac. It is pretty pricey, but it did give me a little boost for using Greek and Hebrew for a little while. I tend to use it mostly to produce an easy printout of each week’s readings or paste scriptures into another document.
Comment by Andy James — October 20, 2009 #
well, you know how much of an ivrit nerd i am but i do see your point. perhaps for me, it is sometimes fruitful just to read the lectionary texts in hebrew or greek to see and listen to the original language. it puts me in the right frame of mind to attend to the text. i don’t necessarily use whatever i’ve gleaned from that process in a sermon but i like to sit with it in hebrew or greek for a bit. here’s a website i like to use to hear someone cant (cantor?) the hebrew: if anything, i listen to that to hear the rhythm of the words (again – nerd alert!).
thanks for the thought-provoking post.
peace ajc!
Comment by taylor — October 21, 2009 #
I always use Greek and Hebrew in sermon preparation; I never (well, OK, hardly ever) use Greek and Hebrew in a sermon. I think there’s a grave temptation to demonstrate to the congregation how much work you put in to the exegesis by throwing the original in their faces, but that needs to be resisted. For me the focus in exegesis is to keep it faithful but the focus in exposition is to keep it simple.
Like Andy said, Accordance rules the Mac. I made a decision early to go electronic because I travel a lot and would rather cart a laptop around than a pile of books and commentaries.
And if you haven’t got the NET Bible, get it; the notes are absolutely golden. Here’s an example. They cover most of the major textual and exegetical points you need right there. You get it with Accordance, so that’s another reason to get that…
Comment by Simon Cozens — October 21, 2009 #
Thanks, folks. I’ve been curious re Accordance for years so maybe that is the way to go for me. I’ll keep thinking.
I’ve been meeting weekly with a group of pastors for a lectionary text discussion that has been fantastic. We don’t get into the original languages, really, but have some great insights and perspectives.
I suppose another question behind this all is time management. How much time, for real, can a 3/4 time pastor take on sermon prep? It’s different in every place and for every person, but Greek/Hebrew reading is certainly part of the equation.
Peace, and thanks. AJC
Comment by adamjcopeland — October 21, 2009 #
I can’t make MAC recommentdations, but when I preach – and write curriculum – I always look at the text in Greek or Hebrew and use either online tools or Bibleworks. I chart a little, maybe do some searches on words or phrases that are calling out to me. It’s been helpful – sometimes go deeper than other. Can’t say about time mgt – when I lead worship it’s in addition to my day job so it always is “extra” time! So glad you are in a good lectionary group – sounds life-giving.
Comment by Sarah — October 21, 2009 #
I’m surprised that you use the Hebrew and Greek so little. I’m over four years in a congregation, and at least half the time I check the underlying text.
The reasons for checking the original languages are several. For one, you catch it when a particular root word is being used in a frequency not matched in the translation. The flip side is also true – you catch when the expected word isn’t being used. I’m surprised how often something pops out at me through the Hebrew or Greek text. Ephesians 4 has lots of “one’s”, yet these are from different roots, with some things possibly related based on the “one” used with it.
The main reason for going to these Biblical languages is to avoid the error of relying upon the English translation. Before seminary, I was working on a Bachelors in Christian Ministry, and had been introduced to the Concordance and how it can be used to look up the root words and read up on them. For a class, I wrote a paper on 2 Samuel 9. I outlined, researched the major words, etc. Each part had to be included in the paper according to the method we were given. Then I wrote about how things relate to each other, and to life today. Finally I was ready to write the final portion – which is basically a sermon. Then I was ready to lead a Bible study on this text. Later, when pastor needed to be gone, as an Elder, I shared the text with the congregation.
Shortly after this, a lady in the congregation brought me a cassette of a charismatic pastor preaching this passage. She said she loved the take of this other pastor – so apparently she was hoping to widen my understanding of the text.
I listened to the text, and I was appalled. Sure, it came across as a terrific sermon. But, the pastor didn’t stay with the text–he went to the prior text, about how Mephibosheth was dropped. He made an emotional plea about how we’ve all been dropped – it was the whole last half of the sermon. We need Jesus, cause we’ve all been dropped by people in our lives. Won’t you come forward for healing???
It’s been seven years since I heard that tape, so I don’t remember all the particulars. He had the text saying things it didn’t say (isogesis), he reached conclusions not supported by the underlying text, he missed many things of significance, and he basically “used” the text to get what he wanted (people coming forward for an “altar call”).
The words of the text are instructive here. Where did Mephibosheth live – before and after? Contrast his condition with the meaning of the name of the servant. The preacher making the tape could have gotten emotional over this text, but he missed the hard living in a dry place of “no pasture”, he caught the eschatological feast–but not that it was only by the grace of the Lord. He took the physical condition of Mephibosheth as needing repair, spiritualized the text, and made no reference to the low self-esteem. I’m not saying all things found in the study need to be in the sermon, but the text does inform what we are to understand and preach.
Unfortunately, I run across too many who believe the KJV 1611, in English, is the exact word-for-word translation of what God wants us to know. There are too many unsupported sermon points today. I didn’t go look up the preacher on cassette – what could I have said to someone who hasn’t studied the Biblical languages, and is ordained to preach in that denomination?
I have a friend who can only get around in a motorized wheelchair, can’t feed himself, etc. He’s a terrific theologian and preacher. People will suggest to him that he’s looking forward to Heaven so that he will be “healed” and able to run and play, etc. But, that’s not how he envisions it. Who’s to say that there won’t be wheelchairs in the presence of God – on earth or in heaven? Does he have to walk to be whole? Is outward beauty and ability going to be a function of true healing? If every tear is wiped away, does that mean all that identifies us is gone?
Ephesians 6, with the armor of God – think about what it means that several of the verbs are in the “middle”. “Put on” the full armor of God? Some would take that to mean you just go out to the armor shed and grab up some armor and throw it on. If it were real armor, you would need someone to help put it on. And this is spoken of in the middle. Ever think about how the armor might need to be forged, fitted, fastened? Sure, some “take” (middle) the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and they thrust it at others. But how might the meaning change if we think about a cooperative effort with the Spirit? The same “take” refers to the helmet of salvation, and reminds that we aren’t just “taking” salvation and the Word, but we are “receiving” them as well.
Please at least read the Hebrew or Greek of the text you are preaching. And please don’t use a commentary until you’ve done your own study. The text means so much more to me if I find something, rather than simply finding what someone tells me about it.
Comment by DennisS — October 22, 2009 #
When I read the quote, ““I don’t think I could ever respect a pastor who didn’t know Greek and Hebrew.” It made me think about all the negative sides of the “Original Text Mystique”. So this morning I threw up a quick post criticizing it. Instead of copying and pasting, here is the link to that post. Please come and visit.
Your post gets right to some points I mention. I love your writing style. But at the end of your post you say: “On the other hand, I wonder what was the point of all those sweat and tears in Greek, Hebrew, and exegesis courses?” To which I ironically composed a post this weekend called the Sunk-Cost Fallacy which I will put up tomorrow — if you care to visit.
Trust me, I get that, I put time in German, Hindi/Urdu, Japanese and Chinese. Darn it, I should be able to flaunt them ! Indeed, the allure of the dark side is strong.
Keep up the good work !
Comment by Sabio Lantz — October 26, 2009 #
One interesting thing about the original languages is that they don’t seem to be taught in seminary in the form that you’ll use them in preaching.
I didn’t go to seminary I got a theology degree from a secular university, but I got taught Greek and Hebrew as languages in their own right. Seemingly to get to the point where I could read and manipulate them comfortably in their own terms (a point I reached in Greek, but not Hebrew).
But in preparing a sermon you end up fixing on language *features*, on the glosses of a word in a lexicon, on (as in Dennis’ comment), the voice of the verb, and so on. That is a different use entirely. You need exegetical training for that, not language training. You need to learn to manipulate the resources, not the text itself.
I don’t preach, so I can’t speak to that side of the post, but it strikes me that a preacher doesn’t actually need to know the language at all. In fact all the comments seem to be recommending some form of knowing *about* the language instead.
I haven’t met any preachers who could read the Greek or Hebrew, let alone who had a scholarly knowledge of it (I’m not claiming a huge sample size). All of them were able to manipulate Strong’s to some extent and ‘preach from the Greek’.
Comment by Ian — October 26, 2009 #
I read a story recently about a desert father who was visited by a hermit who had heard of the abba. The hermit began to talk about scripture and theological things. The abba turned away from him. When the hermit asked the mutual friend who introduced them, the friend asked the abba why he ignored someone who had traveled hundreds of miles to talk with him. The abba said that he knows little about scripture or theology. If the hermit wanted to talk about the internal life that loves and needs healing, he would be happy to talk with the hermit. The abba and the hermit had a long and mutually satisfying conversation after that. I have looked upon the sermon as a way to reflect on how God is present and healing in lives and what the scriptures collected by the church tell us of these things in the past to help us understand the present in faith terms.
Comment by rpage — October 26, 2009 #
Some pastors have a lectionary discussion group each week, with parishioners offering insights on upcoming texts for preaching. Others use an e-mail list with parishioners for the same purpose.
To involve your congregation indirectly in exegesis, I’d say listen deeply to their lives. Listen to them as intently as you listen to scripture. In the intersection between listening to your parishioners and listening to scripture sermons will emerge.
Peace to you.
Comment by Chris — October 27, 2009 #