Public Bible-Reading as Part of Worship
To read the Bible well in public, we must first love it, eliminate ourselves from the transaction, and let God speak through our imperfect voices.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of loving the Bible in order to read it effectively in public worship. He argues that true reverence for the Scriptures cannot be faked, and that a reader must feel the solemnity of God's Word to convey its message authentically. Tozer warns against the pitfalls of artificiality in delivery and stresses the need for readers to understand the text deeply, allowing it to speak for itself without personal embellishments. He encourages beginners to practice reading aloud in private to develop their skills and cultivate a respectful and dignified approach to Scripture reading. Ultimately, Tozer calls for a higher standard of Bible reading in Protestant churches, asserting that it is the responsibility of the readers to elevate this practice.
Text
To read the Bible well in public we must first love it. The voice, if it is free, unconsciously follows the emotional tone. Reverence cannot be simulated. No one who does not feel the deep solemnity of the Holy Word can properly express it. God will not allow His Book to become the plaything of the rhetorician. That is why we instinctively draw back from every simulated tone in the reading of the Scriptures. The radio announcer's artificial unction cannot hide the absence of the real thing.
The man who stands to declaim the Scriptures like a schoolboy reciting a passage from Hamlet can only leave his hearers with a feeling of disappointment. They know they have been cheated, though most of them could not tell just how. Again, to read the Bible well, one must know what the words mean and allow them to mean just that, without putting any body English on the passage to make it take a turn of meaning not found in the text. Probably the hardest part of learning to read well is eliminating ourselves.
We read best when we get ourselves out of the transaction and let God talk through the imperfect medium of our voice. The beginner should read aloud whole books of the Bible in the privacy of his own room. In that way he can learn to hear his own voice and will know how he sounds to others. Let him consult a pronouncing Bible to learn the correct pronunciations of the names and places of the Bible. Let him cultivate the habit of reading slowly and distinctly with the reverence and dignity proper to the subject matter. Surely Protestants deserve a better sort of Scripture reading than they are now getting in our churches. And we who do the reading are the only ones who can give it to them.
Sermon Outline
- To Read the Bible Well, We Must First Love It
- Eliminating Ourselves from the Transaction
- Reverence Cannot Be Simulated
- The Importance of Knowing What the Words Mean
- Learning to Read Aloud in Privacy
- Cultivating the Habit of Slow and Distinct Reading
Key Quotes
“That is why we instinctively draw back from every simulated tone in the reading of the Scriptures.” — A.W. Tozer
“God will not allow His Book to become the plaything of the rhetorician.” — A.W. Tozer
“We read best when we get ourselves out of the transaction and let God talk through the imperfect medium of our voice.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Practice reading the Bible aloud in private to develop your skills and confidence.
- Cultivate a slow and distinct reading style with reverence and dignity to honor the Holy Word.
- Eliminate yourself from the transaction and let God speak through your voice, rather than adding your own interpretations or emotions.