The Living and Active Word
We will be exploring the importance of reading the Word of
God aloud. To get to the importance of this act we need to come to terms with
some basic understanding of the Word of God, also known as the Bible. One of
the most critical things to understand about the Bible is that it is the story
of God in human history. Often, we get confused and think that it is a story
about humans with God. But the opposite is the truth—God's intervention,
justice, mercy and grace with humans tell us about His character. It describes
who He is and how we can know Him.
A second critical thing to understand about the Bible is
that it is a living and active document. Hebrews 4:12 states this quite
plainly. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It is God’s
revelation to us. This means that God speaks to us through it today as He spoke
to the ancient believers. God wants to be known and this is one of the ways
that He has given to us to know Him. The Bible is a collection of writings
which are from the Judeo-Christian tradition. This means that throughout
history those people to whom God spoke, and who believed that God was the only
living God, collected the history of God and His Word to them in written form.
This began long ago when God himself first wrote for the people on stone
tablets (Exodus 24:12). Moses began to write down God’s Word on his own (Exodus
24:4) and then, under the direction of God (Exodus 34:27), Moses was commanded
to write down God’s words, commands and actions. This tradition was carried on
from that time and for thousands of years. The Christian Bible includes the
Jewish Bible (sometimes called the Old Testament) and the collected Gospels, writings
after the birth and death of Jesus Christ, and letters of the New Testament. Our
Savior, Jesus Christ was born and raised a Jew and for him the ancient Hebrew
Scriptures were an important part of His ministry while on earth. It was His
great sacrifice of being crucified for our sins and then rising again from the
dead (the resurrection) that brought salvation to everyone who would believe.
We believe that God fulfilled His revelation to us through Jesus Christ, the
promised Messiah of the world. And this Word is the testimony of God’s truth.
Remember that the Word of God is
a living and active avenue for God to be speaking to us. This means we have a
dynamic and growing relationship with a living God through this text. Just as
you learn about your spouse, a friend or your child in new and fresh ways
daily, so too we learn about God in new and fresh ways daily through His Word
and in prayer.
Oral and Aural Traditions
Even though Moses wrote down the revelations of God, the importance
of an oral tradition remained. In large part this was because there were no
printing presses or means to transmit digitally. Although scribes were used for
centuries to copy texts as faithfully as possible, very few individuals could
or would own a copy of the Scriptures. Everett Fox, in The Five Books of Moses,
describes the importance and vitality of the oral tradition in relation to the
Bible.
A more fruitful approach, less
dependent upon theories whose historical accuracy is unproveable, might be to
focus on the way in which the biblical text, once completed, was copied
and read. Recent research reveals that virtually all literature in Greek and
Roman times—the period when the Hebrew Bible was put in to more or less the
form in which it has come down to us (but not the period of its composition)—was
read aloud. This holds for the process of copying or writing, and also,
surprisingly, for solitary reading. As late as the last decade of the fourth century,
Saint Augustine expressed surprise at finding a sage who read silently. Such
practices and attitudes seem strange to us, for whom the very definition of library,
for instance, is a place where people have to keep quiet. But it was a routine in
the world of antiquity, as many sources attest.
So, the Bible, if not an oral
document, is certainly an aural one; it would have been read aloud as a matter
of course.[i]
Fox, recounting the work of Buber and Rosenzweig translating
the Bible into German with the same desire to interpret it with its oral/aural
tradition, goes on to write, “Yet Buber and Rosenzweig knew that language lives
only in the mouths of speakers, human beings who face each other and who are
every moment of conversation and contact literally translate for one another.
The reading of the Bible is hopefully a cultural means for reawakening that
conversation, for in the struggle to understand and apply these texts, one may
come to perceive the importance of real words. . . Amid the overcrowded air of
cyberspace, the Hebrew Bible may still come to tell us that we do not live by
bread alone, and that careful and loving attention to ancient words may help us
to form the modern ones that we need.”[ii]
So, for us the importance of reading the Word of God aloud
is as critical as it was for our ancient forerunners of the faith. Therefore, in
modern evangelical worship services or Christian gatherings of all kinds, the
minimal or minimalized efforts toward the public reading of Scripture is really
a travesty. How we can appreciate the more liturgical traditions of lectionary
readings (both Old and New Testament readings) by both the priests/ministers
and the lay people! Without it we are
spiritually famished.
True Famine: Worst Case Scenario
In Old Testament book of Amos we read
the visions and prophecies that were a result of the Israelites disobedience.
They speak across the centuries for every people who ignore the Word of God—spoken
and written. Amos, a shepherd of Tekoa, was called by God to portend the
consequences of a famine of spiritual food. While the case is that the Israelites
had been ignoring the written word of God, the implication is also that since
they did not or could not hear it or speak it, the consequences were dire.
In the 8th chapter of Amos, his visions are followed by several oracles that
describe the shameful behaviors of the Israelites and the resulting judgment of
God for each. These are terrifying images. Verses 11 and 12 are the most
astonishing of this passage. Verse 12 exhibits the result of the lack of
the Word. "Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east,
searching for the word of the LORD . . . " Here the astonishing effect of
the need for the Word of the Lord is more fully reflected in the Hebrew word for
stagger. This term covers a wide range of meanings including tottering, faint
and uncertain, quivering, wavering, and in many respects it implies sickness
rather than drunkenness.[iii]
Suddenly, in this fourth vision a more
frightening oracle is spoken—a religious famine—a famine of hearing the words
of the Lord! Previous to this, famine and thirst have been presented and
experienced in their most literal sense—as physical. In fact, famine was at
times a demonstration of God’s anger throughout Old Testament texts.[iv]
This word of the Lord is so important that it sets a pattern for all
living and relating—religiously as well as civically. The New Jerome Biblical
Commentary makes this point well. "This word was important to the nation
not only in the religious realm but in the political as well. Without it—at
least in theory—it would be impossible to select new leaders, to know when to
wage war, etc."[v]
The famine of the word of the Lord, if dwelt upon, must surely be
recognized as the worst kind of famine known to mankind. Elizabeth Achtemeier
portends that it was the religious leaders of Amos' day who brought on the
famine of the word of the Lord, as it does today.[vi] The very temple dwellers were the ones feeding
their own sinfulness with the rotting and empty-caloried water and bread of
corruption and idolatry. "[A]re we starving people for the Word of God because
somewhere along the line, we have stopped believing it ourselves?”[vii] In
Amos and many other places in the Bible, although leaders do carry a great
weight in their influence, the responsibility of "hungering and thirsting
after righteousness" seems to fall on all of humanity. And so it falls at
our feet, individually and corporately, to read the Word of God aloud.
In this Western Hemisphere, American culture reflects the famine
of the word of the Lord. Here many have the supplies of food, riches and power which—if
"properly acquired" through the American dream—can lead to lives of
leisure and the responsibility to maintain the status quo, including the oppression
and pity of those "less fortunate". So, again, we are to return, repent and seek
the Lord. Let His Word go forth again and again! For God said, “It will not
return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose
for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
Biblical Examples of the Word Being Read Aloud
There are many examples throughout the Bible where the Word
of God is read aloud—and with great impact. Let’s review a few of these as
examples. The first comes from the life and work of Ezra, an Israelite scribe in
the Old Testament. Because of the Israelites’ disobedience and idolatry, many
had been taken into exile into pagan nations. After many years of exile, God worked
through pagan kings to allow them to return. A few, the remnant, had remained
in Jerusalem and scattered across their former homeland. The walls of Jerusalem
had been destroyed and the Temple had been ripped down. When a large contingent
of exiles returned around the mid-500’s BC, they found rubble of what once had
been their glory. Through the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, the rebuilding
of the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem had begun. In the book of Nehemiah, we
find a particular instance where the Word of God was read aloud. Imagine having
been exiled from your homeland into a pagan culture and what it would have
meant for you to return. A call goes out to all of the Israelites in Jerusalem to
gather at the Water Gate.
Nehemiah 7:73b-8:4a
When the seventh month came and the
Israelites had settled in their towns, [8:1] all the people came
together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher
of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded
for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the
priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women
and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon
as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women
and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the
Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden
platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah,
Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah,
Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him
because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood
up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their
hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord
with their faces to the ground.
Ezra and his companions continued to read and in v. 8 we see,
“They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it
clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was
being read.” In the hearing of the Word of God and in the
explanation of its meaning, we read that the Israelites came to a visceral understanding
of God and his Word. As you read further you see that they wept and mourned for
their sinfulness, repenting and turning to God. But the leaders guided them
into a time of rejoicing for God’s Word and his forgiveness was made plain once
again.
The second and third examples comes from the life of Jesus.
In the New Testament we can read when he went out into the desert and was tempted.
(Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:13). What was his best defense? Speaking aloud the Word
of God! By knowing the Scriptures well enough, and he would because he was the
Author, he vocalized the words to defeat the temptations of Satan. After that, Jesus
returned to his home town of Nazareth. Oh, that we knew the Scriptures well
enough to be unbound from a physical book to declare truth and freedom from sin
and temptation! In times of our greatest need, may we speak it as Jesus did as
His Word dwells within us.
The third example comes from the very
next portion of Luke 4.
Luke 4:14-22
14 Jesus returned to Galilee
in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole
countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where
he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as
was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah
was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is
on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim
freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the
scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the
synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this
scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and
were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s
son?” they asked.
We find here that it was not unusual for Scripture to be
read aloud at religious gatherings. It was quite commonplace. However, in this
instance it was much more than that. Initially the folks gathered there were
amazed and delighted—a warm and heart-felt response to the reading of God’s
Word. But what they did not sense in that moment was declared unequivocally by
Jesus in the next. In verses 23-30 Jesus confronted them with their unbelief about
who he was. With that they drove him out of town determined to kill him. This
is where we must pause for another warning. As you read aloud the Word of God
be prepared for not only comfort and joy, but also for rebuke and conviction.
Then be prepared to respond, by God’s grace, for restoration and redemption!
The fourth example comes from Apostle Peter’s first sermon
after Pentecost. Peter, the fallen and restored, was filled with even more zeal
and, better still, the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel. In Acts
2:14-41 we see that as Peter declared the Gospel, he employed the public
reading (most likely from memory) of Old Testament prophecies. The consequence
of his preaching and use of the Scriptures in such a manner brought about the
conversion of 3,000 people!
The final example comes from the experience of Stephen. In
Acts 7 Stephen’s entire sermon to a rebellious audience is filled with
Scripture and the call to repent. It was with the appropriate aural interpretation
of the familiar Old Testament passages that the Holy Spirit worked through Stephen
to confront the listeners with their sin and to offer them the way of salvation.
Stephen suffered death for this reading aloud of God’s Word
and his rebuke to the corrupt powers. Across our world today there are those who
suffer in the same or similar ways simply for make God’s Word plain through their
voices.
Reading Aloud as a Physical Event
When words are read aloud something very physical happens.
You can feel the vibration in your chest and throat and the sound surrounds your
head and sometimes even your whole body. There is a very tangible connection
between the voice of the reader (either someone else or yourself). Miriam-Webster Dictionary has this entry for The Tie
Between Visceral and Biology:
The
"viscera" are the internal organs of the body-especially those
located in the large cavity of the trunk (e.g., the heart, liver, and
intestines). The word viscera comes from Latin, in which it has essentially the
same meaning. Something "visceral" has to do with the viscera. In a
more figurative sense, something "visceral" is felt "deep
down." Even in the early years of its use, "visceral" often
referred to things emotional rather than physiological. For example, in 1640,
an English bishop named Edward Reynolds wrote, "Love is of all other the
inmost and most visceral affection." This figurative use is the most
common use of "visceral," but the word continues to be used in
medical contexts as well.[viii]
Beyond what Everett Fox and others have done in attempting
to translate the Hebrew text for an aural experience, the actual voicing of the
text takes us to, if not too strange, another dimension. Let’s think about the
difference between getting a text from someone, hearing their voice on the
phone and sitting across the table from them in conversation. The first two
instances are divorced from the person. Although we can recognize the phone
number of the person, we miss much in the digital translation of that message. On
the phone, although we can hear the inflections of their voice, we cannot see
the multitude of non-verbal messages coming through. It really is little more
than information transferal. So it is at times with the Word of God. Simply reading
the scripture silently separates us from the physical reality of the intent of
those very words and the work of the Spirit of God through His Word. When we
speak the Scriptures we make physical contact that can then be integrated into
our being. Visceral experiences of reading the Scriptures are unlike simply
reading the words. And when that is experienced, the mind, body, soul and
spirit connect with the person of the living God.
Some of us are schooled in the dramatic arts or reading
aloud and find it easy to interpret written words. Each interpretation is just
that—an interpretation. Different emphases at different times lend different
understandings. But for those of us who are not schooled in such ways, reading the
Word of God aloud in less than dramatic fashion can still render the connection
of mind, body and spirit.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
We now understand that our living God wants us to know Him
in his fullness. The presence of the Spirit of God is rife throughout the Old
and New Testament and that presence continues to work through every generation.
He has given believers the gift of the Holy Spirit—the third Person of our Triune
God—who is present in all situations to reveal and teach us when others are not
present or when others may not teach or preach correctly. It is the work of the
Holy Spirit not only to convict of sin, but also to comfort us and lead us
throughout our lives. Thus, when the Scriptures are read aloud, the Holy Spirit
is the go-between, the final interpreter, the translator. When we read a
portion of Scripture that is less discernable, even after being read aloud, it
is the work of the Holy Spirit to teach us what we need to know in that time
and space. Later, as many of us who have walked in the Way have learned, deeper
and broader understanding is given to us. Thus, reading aloud the same text
many times over a lifetime, may open us to new and greater truths. Allow the Holy
Spirit to work through the reading of God’s Word.
The Challenge
So, we come to the challenge of actually reading God’s Word
aloud. To the timid, please be brave and try it out. To the discouraged, open
your Bible and read it aloud to yourself as if ministering to someone else. Minister’s,
please do not cut out portions of Scripture to get to your wonderful sermon
points. To the rebellious, pick up your courage and be confronted by the
reading aloud of God’s Word. There is grace and forgiveness for you!
When you read God’s Word, imbue it with tenor and bass.
Interpret with voice and sing-song. Give it radiance, depth, beauty and
violence, peace, consolation and hope. Don’t flinch from its obscurities or
difficulties. It is the full, un-hindered Word of God given to us to grapple
with, to be strengthened by, to be taught by, and most importantly, to be led
by.
M.R. Hyde – Copyright 2019
[i] The
Five Books of Moses: A New Translation with Introductions, Commentary and Notes,
Everett Fox, Word Publishing, 1995, x-xi.
[ii]
Ibid. xxv.
[iii] Brown-Driver-Briggs:
A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament
[vi] Ex Auditu, 'The Famine of the
Word", Elizabeth Achtemeier, 9:1993, 138.
[vii] Ibid.
139.
[viii]
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/visceral#other-words
