“Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (1 Tim. 4:13).
This verse provides a good summary of a portion of the preacher’s responsibilities. He is to give attention (occupy or devote himself) to reading, exhorting, and teaching from the Scriptures.
The original Greek text contains only the word for reading, as is rendered in translations like the King James Version – “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” However, there is strong evidence that the instruction pertains to the audible reading of Scripture in a public setting.
The Greek word in the passage is anagnosis. This is a compound word (ana - “again” and gnosis - “knowledge” – thus signifying knowledge gained through repeated reading. This is not the common word for reading in the New Testament. Anagnosis appears only two other times (Acts 13:15; 2 Cor 3:14), both of which refer to the reading of the Old Testament Scriptures.
“But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, ‘Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it’” (Acts 13:14-15).
“But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ” (2 Cor. 3:14).
W. E. Vine has a lengthy and enlightening entry on the word anagnosis. “In nonbiblical Greek denoted ‘recognition’ or ‘a survey’ (the latter found in the papyri); then, ‘reading’; in the NT the public ‘reading’ of Scripture (Acts 13:15; 2 Cor 3:14; 1 Tim 4:13), where the context makes clear that the reference is to the care required in reading the Scriptures to a company, a duty ever requiring the exhortation “take heed.” Later, readers in churches were called anagnostai” (508).
The public reading of Scripture has always played an important role in educating and promoting the faithfulness of God’s people. The Law was to be read to all the people every seven years when they assembled for the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut. 31:10-13). Nehemiah had the Law read by Ezra to all the Jews who had returned from captivity (Neh. 8:1-8).
Reading selections from the Law and Prophets became a regular part of the synagogue service every Sabbath. “For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath” (Acts 15:21). Even Jesus participated in this practice when He read from Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21).
From Paul’s instruction to Timothy, it is apparent this practice continued in the Lord’s church. False teachers were appealing to myths, genealogies, and worldly fables (1 Tim. 1:4; 4:7). Timothy was to combat this error, in part, with the reading of Scripture.
Although he did not specify that it be done in an assembly, Paul charged the churches in Colossae and Thessalonica to make sure his letters were read by all the brethren (Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27). It is evident the Lord intended His letters to the seven churches of Asia to be read in the assemblies. “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3, ESV). His admonition, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” is repeated to all seven churches (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
History tells us the early church continued the Synagogue practice of reading Scripture. As the inspired writings of the apostles began to be copied and circulated, the church incorporated them into their public reading as well. “…on the Lord’s day in the Lord’s assembly there would be two public readings, first from the Old Testament Scriptures (from the law or the prophets or both) and then from the apostolic writings” (Stott 121). Justin Martyr (writing about 150 AD) indicated the writings of the apostles were read when the Christians gathered together in one place every Sunday (Apologia I.67).
Denominational commentator William Hendriksen makes the following observation: “In the early church, when very few individuals owned private copies of the sacred writings, and all such material had to be copied by hand, one can imagine how important was the public reading of Scripture” (159). Such readings would have also been helpful to those who were illiterate. Today the Scriptures are more accessible than ever before, but this has not diminished the need for their reading in the assemblies.
Time spent just reading the text of Scripture to the church is not wasted time. I remember the story told by an older preacher who has since gone to his reward. When he was young, he read a lengthy portion of Scripture in his sermon, then apologized to the congregation for the lengthy reading. He said his father later challenged him about this apology. The gist of his rebuke was, “As long as you are reading Scripture, we know what you are saying is true.”
The simple reading of Scripture is an important part of our assemblies. Let’s make sure we give it the attention and respect it deserves.
References:
- Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are taken from the New American Standard Bible.
- Hendriksen, William. “New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles”
- Stott, John R. W. “The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus”
- Vine, W. E. “Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words”