The Intellectual Necessity of Close Textual Reading in our Exhortations

There are many wonderful characteristics of Yahweh, the God of Israel, and we would also readily agree that these can be seen in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. A disciple will immediately think of qualities such as compassion, patience, kindness, empathy, forgiveness and love. These qualities cannot be diminished. The EJournal would be described as ‘intellectual’, so the question arises as to what intellectual characteristics God displays.

This question might be a shock for many of a practical way of thinking. But here are some intellectual characteristics of God based solely on describing his inspired written output—Scripture: concern for knowledge; interest in words; love of language, word-play, pun; love of literary structures; a desire to express yourself in writing; concern for truth and a passion for opposing false thinking; persuading and using rhetoric; a love of poetry; an interest in writing history; an interest in Law and legal precision; and an interest in social and political commentary (prophecy).

We might seek to be like God in terms of qualities like compassion, patience, kindness, empathy, forgiveness and love; this goal cannot be gainsaid. Equally, we may be overlooking the intellectual qualities that God has displayed about himself in his writing.  No doubt we often fail in all our endeavours to align our character with that of God, but we should not overlook anything that he has revealed about himself.

For example, speakers most often give positive practical exhortation; they do not often give close textual reading as a form of exhortation. Paying close attention to the text manifests a love for the Word and reflects the love that God evidently has for his Word as shown in the character of the writing. Speakers who only give positive practical exhortation may justify this decision by saying that exhortations should not be ‘academic’. However, anyone who reads academic writing will know that this justification is misguided. Close reading of the text and paying attention to the detail of the text, moving from exegesis to exposition, is not ‘academic’. The spiritual self-justification “exhortation should only be practical” can be a species of ‘justification by works’ because it is centred on human social life and those priorities. It manifests a disdain for the actual writing and intellectual qualities of God.