Reading of God's Word in Public Worship

How Ministers Are to Take Seriously Their Duty to Speak Well

Good Morning,

The next section of the Westminster Directory of Public Worship that we will be taking time to consider has to do with the public reading of the Bible on the Lord’s Day as the congregation gathers to worship. While today’s devotion will focus particularly on who is allowed to perform this act of grace the why should not be lost either. In the opening paragraph it is mentioned that the public reading is done for the purpose of edification. According to the dictionary to edify means to provide moral instruction by way of guidance. How that works is largely going to be determined by what we understand is happening not just in worship itself, but by virtue of the authority of the one doing the reading. Let’s get into it by first looking at the portion for today:

READING of the word in the congregation, being part of the publick worship of God, (wherein we; acknowledge our dependence upon him, and subjection to him,) is one use sanctified by him for the edifying of his people, is to be performed by the pastors and teachers.

Howbeit, such as intend the ministry, may occasionally both read the word, and exercise their gift in preaching in the congregation, if allowed by the presbytery thereunto.

I’ve written before about who is supposed to be publicly reading the word of God from the pulpit during worship and so I do not want to re-invent the wheel. The writers of the DPW do think it important enough to mention, so we will as well. The doctrines surrounding things like ordination can sound strange to our ears because the society we live in does not really promote ideas grounded in set-apart-ness (a word I just made up). Even when it comes to secular authority, i.e. – doctors, lawyers, etc... we have great doubts about credibility. Yet, it is a keen component of the way Christ has established His Church that there are roles governed by His word that only certain qualified men are to hold. Not all men, qualified and called men. It is not strictly a question of gender. Yes, only men are to be pastors and teachers (as the DPW uses that, more to explain in a bit). However, people like Timothy or Titus, or even Paul himself, gain their place in the body not by personal decision, but through the examination of the elders and the call of the Holy Spirit. We do things in the church not based on the will of the flesh, but of God.

That being related to the reading of God’s word does not for a second bring us to think that something magical happens merely because of the person reading it, as if he himself is the conduit of grace. It is the Scriptures which have the power, that cannot be denied. Go back for a second to that word edify. The Lord’s purpose here is to not merely inform, but transform. The solemn duty for this blessing is granted in His wisdom to the ones given that privilege, who have received the requisite training in knowledge and holiness in order to give a right sense of the word read. It may again sound elitist or snobbish, though it most certainly is not. Rather this honor should humble the man at the pulpit to take seriously this responsibility. If you are in the pews at Bethany you will know that I do not just blandly recite the word as if I am telling you the content of the local phonebook. The Bible should be alive in public. That does not mean one should be acting as if you are performing a Shakespearean oratory. There is no place for bringing attention to oneself in that moment. You are reading God’s word to God’s people and should bring it to them in such a way that it is clear, powerful, and passionate. In other words, like you mean it.

This is a pet-peeve of mine so if you don’t mind I’d like to go on a little bit of a rant here, my apologies. There seems to be a problem in today’s church on both sides of the road. Either you have men in the pulpit taking the word of God and reading it like everyone in the room is receiving a root canal, or you have men treating the word of God in a loose, almost goofy way, handling it without the dignity or seriousness the Holy Scriptures deserve. Both in their own measure are a third commandment violation. The Lord gave us these truths that men may understand them in clarity and see to it that they understand the experience of the reading of the Bible in worship is an honor and a privilege to be receiving. It is to be given the seriousness it deserves, but also to be spoken with the blessing it recommends to the capabilities of the hearer.

I said I would expound a little bit more on what the DPW means by Pastors and Teachers. On one hand that is a reference to Ephesians 3:11, on another it was common in those days for bigger churches to have what we would now call associate pastors. These men were specially called as teachers to the local congregation, and really the city itself, to provide lectures and educational opportunities for laity and students of theology alike. It would almost be as if they had a seminary professor on staff. They would also be ordained ministers and would play a role in the leading of worship on the Lord’s Day, a helpful explanation of what that term means.

The other people mentioned as having the right to read the Bible, testified to in the second paragraph, are men training for the ministry, students of theology and Licentiates (literally given a license) by order of the presbytery.

In closing, the reading of God’s word in the public worship of the church is a declaration from God to His sheep that He loves them, desires their edification (growing in faith and love), and is interested that they hear their Master’s voice. Part of the beauty of this regular activity in the life of the congregation is that it is something that we do together as one. The preacher may be reading but every ear present is hearing the same truth and being convicted, encouraged, and guided by the work of the Holy Spirit. As the chapter continues next week we’ll think more on the ways we are to be engaged as believers in benefitting spiritually from this act of grace.

Here is a last word:

https://journal.rts.edu/article/helping-the-congregation-to-hear-the-word-read/

Blessings in Christ,

Rev. Benjamin Glaser

Pastor, Bethany ARP Church