Tomorrow night at 7pm, we’re gathering to read the next book of the Bible that will be preached expositionally on Sunday mornings. This has become a favorite tradition at Providence.
Yet, one might wonder why we do this. Certainly, we are excited to learn which book we’ll be studying next. But there are a number of great reasons to read the Bible publicly, not only at Context & Cookies, but in our regular worship services.
The Bible itself commands the public reading of Scripture. Paul very straightforwardly commanded Timothy, “…devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Tim 4:13). Apparently, there is great spiritual value to simply reading the Bible together in addition to our times of teaching.
This was not a Pauline invention. We could think of it as a New Covenant echo of the Mosaic call to read the law publically at regular intervals: “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing” (Deut 31:10–11).
The Bible itself models the public reading of Scripture. The Old Testament not only gives the command to read the Word corporately, but shows the people doing it at various times. The first public reading is recorded in Exodus 24:3-7, taking place immediately after Moses received the law from God on Sinai.
After Israel was defeated at Ai (Jos 7:1-5), the people renewed their covenant with the LORD and Joshua read the entire law of Moses to the assembled congregation (8:1-29). Other such public readings can be found in 2 Kings 23:1-3, 2 Chronicles 34:29-32, and Nehemiah 8:1-8.
Luke 4:16-17 records that it was Jesus own custom to enter the synogogue on the Sabbath and read the Word publicly. We find this to be Paul’s custom as well (Acts 13:15, 15:21). Strikingly, Paul instructed the Colossians to read his own letter publicly before having it read in the church at Laodicea (Col 4:16, see also 1 Thess 5:27).
Public Scripture reading reminds us of our need for the Word and for God Himself. Why did God allow the people of Israel to suffer hunger in the wilderness? “That he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deut 8:3). The command to read the law publicly in Deuteronomy was given with this explicit purpose: “that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God…” (Deut 31:10-13).
Public Scripture reading reminds us that devotion to Christ rightly takes place within the context of local church membership. Certainly, we do read the Bible and pray privately. Yet, clearly Bible-reading and prayer are to be staples of corporate life. Why? Ephesians 2:11-22 teaches that when God reconciled us to Himself through the blood of Christ, he also reconciled us to one another. Therefore, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph 2:22). God through Christ is building one corporate structure, the church. Consequenctly, the apostle goes on in Ephesians 4:7-16 that spiritual growth takes place in the context of mutual service within the corporate local body. As I hear others reading the Scriptures to me, I’m reminded, “I need them on my journey toward maturity in Christ.”
Public Scripture reading reminds us that context matters. We preach expositionally, among other reasons, because every passage of Scripture is found within the context of a larger book of the Bible. We do our best to preach each message being sensitive to the context and its bearing on the meaning of the text. Reading the whole book in one sitting allows us to take in the entire text together, appreciating that each passage we’ll consider in the coming weeks/months is part of a larger, unified message.
May the Lord bless the public reading of His Word tomorrow night! Hope to see you there!
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