We hear a lot these days about preaching methods. All kinds of innovations are suggested to make the message more appealing to the public. The need to move with the times and to keep up to date is often emphasised. Of course there are many valuable preaching aids that we can utilize in our work and we would not wish to underestimate the contribution they can make to our presentation of the Gospel. However, we should never forget that the message has its own appeal. It needs no props, and certainly no gimmicks, to make it more palatable, for “the good and honest heart” will always be ready to receive it, and whatever the means might be by which the Truth is first introduced, the challenge of the Word of God cannot be evaded and must be faced by everyone who seeks after God. Perhaps there is a need for us to study more closely the preaching methods of the Apostles themselves who spoke the Word with Spirit Power.
Certainly they had none of our modern preaching aids; but they relied almost exclusively on the Old Testament Scriptures to illustrate their teaching about Jesus. In an age when men consider the Old Testament of little value and even in the Brotherhood voices sometimes question its usefulness for preaching, the example of the apostles is particularly relevant, and surely it would be wiser to follow more closely their preaching methods than to listen to the oft-times ill-advised comments of men who, however well intentioned, lack the Spirit guidance that the apostles enjoined. We will look at two illustrations from Acts, firstly a section of Peter’s discourse on the day of Pentecost, and secondly his address to the people following the healing of the lame man, at the Beautiful gate of the temple (in our next essay).
Acts 2: 22 – 36
This section of Peter’s address could well be subtitled “Christ in the Psalms”, for almost in its entirety it is composed of quotations from, and allusions to, the Psalms, interspersed with brief interpretative comments.
The 24th verse states,
“Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it”.
We suggest that these words are drawn from the 116th Psalm:
“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me” (v.3).
“For thou hast delivered my soul from death….I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living” (v. 8 & 9).
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints…I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds” (vs 15 & 16).
If these allusions are accepted, we might well ask ourselves if Peter’s argument in this and subsequent verses comprised only the quotation of the scriptures concerned, or whether in fact he expounded these scriptures in more detail. The entire second chapter of Acts could be read in about the space of ten minutes. It is reasonable to assume that Peter spoke for a much longer period, and if this is so, the inspired narrative gives us a synopsis of his exposition, highlighting the scriptures around which the argument was developed, and leaving the reader, thus guided, to follow, and fill out, the reasoning of the apostle for himself.
In his reference to Psalm 116, for example, as proof of his remarks contained in verses 22 & 23, Peter might well have emphasised the Lord’s suffering in Gethsemane, the sacrificial nature of his death and possibly even the manner in which he partook of our nature, although he was the only begotten Son of God, for one of the very passages to which direct reference has been made (v.16) refers to Jesus as “the son of thine handmaid”. Surely a reference to the virgin birth – remember Mary’s words, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord” (Luke 1:38 also v.48). Of course, all this involves the question of his sinlessness by which he was made an acceptable offering for sin, and it is not difficult for us to see how the apostle’s reasoning in Psalm 116 would have led smoothly on to his next quotation from Psalm 16 (contained in Acts 2 verses 25 to 28). “For David speaketh concerning him”.
The assurance or confidence with which Peter applies these words to the Lord Jesus should be a lesson to us. Of course we are not inspired of God as he was, but if we have allowed ourselves to be educated by the Spirit through the Word then we will find that spiritual perception that will enable us to see Christ not only in the Psalms but in all the Old Testament scriptures.
The point of the quotation from Psalm 16 is emphasised in verse 29.
David could not have been speaking of himself, for “he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day”. They had only to make a short journey to see with their own eyes the tomb of David. He had not risen from the dead, and of course, implicit in these words there was a challenge, for yet another short journey would have taken them to a different tomb – an empty grave where they had laid Jesus who before was crucified. It was an implicit challenge to consider the evidence of the empty tomb:
“Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruits of his loins…God would raise up Christ to sit on his throne (Psalm 132:11); he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption” (verses 30 & 31).
That the Davidic covenant concerning the everlasting stability of his throne might be fulfilled it was necessary that Christ should see no corruption, his soul should not be left in hell, therefore, “This Jesus hath God raised up” (v.32). It is sometimes suggested that the apostles in their preaching placed no emphasis upon the Davidic throne. How carelessly men read scripture, for implicit in these quotations is not just the fact of his resurrection, but how necessary this divine act was if Christ was to sit on that throne; and applying the scripture to Jesus, how important it was that he should come a second time to the earth,
“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he (Jesus) hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool” (vs. 33-35).
This final quotation from the Psalms (110:1) follows logically on from Psalm 16 and 132, for Jesus had been raised to sit on David’s throne; why then was he not manifest in his glory now? Because first he must be exalted to his Father’s right hand and there sit until. What opportunities might this passage give to expand the priesthood of Jesus:
“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4).
The second coming when “The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies” (v.2),and finally the divine commission to Adam to “have dominion over the works of mine hand” (Gen. 1:28, see also Psalm 8) “Until I make thy foes thy footstool” – “Thou hast put all things under his feet”. Truly could Peter exclaim, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (v.36).
Just four references to Psalms 116, 16, 132, and 110, and yet in our brief analysis we have illustrated that all the Gospel is there. We do not know what Peter said, but we can say with confidence that it is possible from these quotations and their immediate contexts to demonstrate:
- That Christ suffered for sin
- That he was of our nature, yet sinless.
- He was born of a virgin and consequently was the Son of God.
- Because he was holy, the grave could not hold him, and God raised him from the dead.
- He has been exalted to God’s right hand.
- He sits there until God will send him again.
- He will come in judgment.
- He will sit on David’s throne in Zion.
- He now mediates in heaven on behalf of his brethren.
- The inspiration of the Old Testament scriptures.
Could we by the judicious use of four quotations from the Psalms have established so many first principles? Would we dare to suggest, now, that the Old Testament is unnecessary for our preaching? How can men understand these words of Peter if they do not also understand the words of the Psalms he quoted so aptly? Can we in preaching ignore the apostolic method with impunity? The Old Testament is the foundation of the New. Loose thinking; false ideas; unsound teaching, so often arise because of the failure to take account of the Old Testament teaching. The New Testament of itself is not sufficient, for we need the “whole counsel of God”, and the one writing supplements the other. Of course if we are to use the Old Testament as Peter did it demands effort on our part – we must be diligent Bible Students, else all our preaching and teaching will be but a vain scratching at the surface and will never rise above the superficial. Yet truly there is no greater joy than to feel our hearts burn within us, as, in meditation upon the Word, we see wonderful things out of God’s Law.
The Solution