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God Hath Spoken
The Use of Commentaries
The Bible says that in the multitude of counsellors there is safety (Prov. 11:14). When I do not understand a text, I go to my Teacher, and pray, "Lord, open my understanding," and since He has allowed some of His choice servants of bygone days to seal up in books their knowledge of God's Word, I consult with Matthew Henry (1662 1714). He will teach you how to take a verse apart in a legitimate and logical manner. He will teach you how to reason.
Sometimes I visit with Adam Clarke (1762 1832). He is an Arminian, being an old time Methodist, who loved the Lord. He was described by one biographer as "an ocean of learning." Sometimes he reads like a Calvinist, but when you read a little farther, you will notice that he believes in the loss of salvation, and in sinless perfection. Laying aside those two errors, you will find a choice servant of God. Adam Clarke will teach you how to take a word apart, and find out its meaning.
We can read a book of sermons if we want some general thoughts on a Scripture text, and there may be an occasion in which we may adapt a sermon, and after re working it, preach it; but when a preacher is too lazy to study the Word of God himself, and instead picks up a book of sermons to preach, he fails in his duty. We should mix the Word of God with faith. The Word preached will not otherwise profit us.
Delight Yourself In the Word
Reader, what gives you delight? What do you enjoy? Certainly it is not wrong to enjoy a football game, but if we love a football game when we do not have time to read the Word of God, it becomes sin to us. Like David, delight yourself in the Word of God. David, who as a boy killed Goliath, as well as a lion, and a bear, had such a tender spirit that he was the great Psalmist in Israel. He, who was an able ruler, and a man after God's own heart, cried out in Psalm 119:97, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." Reader, in what is your delight? We ought to hide it in our heart.
We ought to teach our children to listen to the Word of God, and NOT TO PASS NOTES during worship. If any-one is responsible for decent and exemplary children, it is the preacher. Recently, my 13-year-old daughter asked to spend the night at a girlfriend's house. We knew the girl, and we knew the family, but as she was walking out the door, I said, "Remember, Anna, whose girl you are."
We need to emphasize to our children that if they do not live for the Lord, we should not expect anyone else in the congregation to do so. If we cannot command our own household, how can we take charge of the church of God? We ought to teach our children to listen to the Word of God, and not to carry on a conversation with the young people during worship. This is the Word of God!
This is a very serious study, about very serious issues. If a minister is not sure the Bible is the Word of God, perhaps he ought to be in some other kind of business.
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