 |  |
distinctly, giving it point and precision. The usage of the word in Prov. 23: 32 will
help to emphasize this lesson for the teacher:--
"It biteth like a serpent, and STINGETH like an adder."
There must be some "sting", some distinct "point", about teaching if it is to be
effective.
(To be continued).
#14.
(Concluded).
pp. 179, 180
"Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, so as to
instruct others, than ten thousand words in an (unknown) tongue" (I Cor. 14: 18).
In Neh. 8: 8 the Talmud understands the word "distinctly" to mean "gave a distinct
reading", i.e., that they gave a Chaldee paraphrase as well as reading the Hebrew original.
In any case the meaning of the subject was made clear.
While dealing with this feature it may not be amiss to remark that there is another
sense of the word in which the reading should be "distinct". Speakers should remember
that unless words are finished off, listeners at a little distance will miss many of them.
Their words will sound "woolly" and have no "sting". Let the reader who is interested
read aloud the following sentence: "He sang his song with the greatest tenderness."
Probably the untrained speaker will fail to read correctly. "His song" will become
"Hisong", "with the" will become "withe", and greatest tenderness" will be lost in
"greatestenderness". It is a duty, both to the hearer and to the Lord Who sends us, that no
one should fail to "hear distinctly" through slipshod reading or speaking on our part.
The next item of importance in Neh. 8: 8 is: "They gave the sense." This word is
variously translated "discretion", "knowledge", "policy", "prudence", "understanding",
"wisdom", "wise", and has the idea of discernment, of careful weighing of things that
differ. No teacher should stand up before men, and attempt to use a passage of Scripture
as a basis for either doctrine or exhortation, who has not been at some pains to ascertain
the viewpoint of the passage. The A.V. contains all that is necessary for the
enlightenment of the seeking sinner and for the guidance of the believer who does not
undertake instruction, but the responsibility that attaches to teaching others and of
influencing their belief and practice should compel all who handle the Word of God to
see to it that they have ascertained the "sense", and this must involve some kind of
comparative study of the words actually used by God and not only those found in
translations.
It is possible that in the passage in Neh. 8: 8, "gave the sense" has reference to
giving particular heed to the division of the passage into sentences. Those acquainted