Wrongly dividing Rightly Dividing?

[CharlieJ]

This thread concerns the meaning of the the concept presented in 2 Tim. 2:15 - "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (KJV)

Some here are probably familiar with Scofield's use of the phrase in his book Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, in which he uses an overly wooden approach to interpret the workman's action as actually dividing up Scripture passages into different dispensations. I'm sure most of the people on this board would not follow such an awkward interpretation, but I am concerned about another more plausible but almost equally erroneous interpretation. I have heard many people use this text as a proof for expository preaching, thus equating "rightly dividing (or accurately handling) the word of truth" to mean preaching according to the sense of the Bible's text. I think this too misses the point of the passage, at least in its original context.

What does Paul mean by "the word of truth" (τον λογον της αληθειας)? Is he referring to the process of systematic theology or even to the exegesis of the biblical text? Consider other occurrences of this phrase:

Eph 1:13 (ESV) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Colossians 1:5-6 Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing

James provides a similar example of this phrase: James 1:18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creation.

Paul seems to use this expression to refer not to the Scriptures, but to the message of the gospel, the kerygma if you will. It is not a call to Timothy to study the Bible to find out a system of doctrine, but a call to "be diligent" to clearly and accurately relate the gospel to those around him. Now, obviously there is some overlap here, since by that time at least some of the Gospels had been written, and this text would necessarily apply to any preaching from them. However, it seems a stretch to extend this imperative to all Scriptural exegesis, all realms of systematic theology, and/or Dispensationalism/macrohermeneutics.

 

[Sven]

Notice that in the Greek it is actually "the word of the truth," which would in this sense be better understood as doctrine or as you say kerygma. I like what Calvin says about the word translated "rightly dividing" orthotomeō, "But Paul assigns to teachers the duty of dividing or cutting, as if a father, in giving food to his children, were dividing the bread, by cutting it into small pieces."

 

[CharlieJ]

I posted this somewhere else and was told by a pastor I was ignoring context (but without explaining how). So, if anyone thinks my interpretive method is awry, please let me know.

 

[dr_parsley]

This thread concerns the meaning of the the concept presented in 2 Tim. 2:15 - "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (KJV)

In my judgment it is referring to the gospel but can, and should, be extended to the whole bible. If the workman rightly divides the gospel it will be in perfect accord with the whole revelation; he won't go against the grain or use the wrong part of the tree. The image is of a workman, an artisan, who makes something useful and beautiful out of some material (the word of truth). If he makes something sloppy and weak that won't last long, he'll be ashamed, but if he makes it how it's designed to be as a thing of beauty and usefulness the thing he has made will even last longer than he lives and he can be assured of approval from God because what he has made is eternal.

The passage is comparing those who "quarrel about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen" with what the designed product will look like after being made by the good workman: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." Predestination and repentance - what God has done and what we are to do. Those who multiply doctrines (such as the dead have already risen) into "godless chatter" will end up wandering away from the truth but the gospel should be simple - what God has done and what we are to do. I think more preaching should jettison so much of the other useless stuff and focus back on this.

Notice that it is possible to start with the same material and the best of intentions and end up with greatly differing products. You can even use the same tools! You can believe in an infallible bible, use all the exegesis and hermeneutics you can get your hands on, and you might still make a bad product because the good workman shores up the solid foundation while the bad workman disputes on useless detail. What makes a bad workman into a good one? Surely it is the work of the Holy Spirit in his life, to enable him to rightly divide his material. Mature repentance, mortification of sin, sorrow over sin and joy over what God is doing around him; if a man has these things I will be inclined to listen more carefully to how he works his material.