The public reading of Scripture is a glorious requirement of faithful pastors. In 1 Timothy 4:13 Paul writes, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”
Reading God’s word is no easy task. It’s likely you have been to a church’s public gathering and heard a pastor rapidly read his sermon’s passage, appearing to be more eager in what he has to say about the word than what the word actually says. Or maybe you have been to a gathering where church member stands to read a text, but nervousness causes the moment to be less than it should be. Among the most disheartening things I hear, with some regularity, is monotonous reading of God’s word. Brothers, this should not be so! The word is living and active, thus God audibly speaks when His word is read. Such a reality demands care and thought go into every time His word is read publicly. Here are two simple principles to help every pastor, or church member, read God’s word with faithfulness.
2 PRINCIPLES FOR FAITHFUL READING
Read out the Word’s meaning. We want to read God’s word in such a way that an unfamiliar hearer gets a sense of its meaning. Therefore, when you stand to read be familiar enough with the passage to know what the biblical author is communicating. Which words or phrases need to be emphasized? Are there places where you should pause? Although the original languages don’t have punctuation, those little dots are quite helpful to faithful public reading as they help signal meaning. It’s usually wise to pay attention to verbs, particularly action verbs. Reading verbs right will give the passage appropriate movement and pace.
Read in the Word’s spirit. Faithful reading reflects the spirit, or tone, of the passage. It’s a terrible thing to read a declaration as a contemplation, or a warning as a comfort. Every text has a spirit that you want to unveil in your reading. This doesn’t mean that public reading needs to be theatrical. It does mean that the congregation should get a sense of John the Baptist’s power if you are reading from Mark 1 or David’s sorrow if you are reading from Psalm 51.
Lastly, it is always wise to include a statement such as, “This is the Word of the Lord,” as it heightens reverence.
The pastor must devote himself to publicly read God’s word. Let him read it with faithfulness.