Cunnington: "Rightly handling the message of truth".

Moffatt: "The way you handle the word of truth".

R.S.V.: "Rightly handling the word of truth".

N.I.V.: "Correctly handles the word of truth".

J. N. Darby: "Cutting in a straight line the word of truth".

Berkeley Version: "Correctly analyzing the message of truth".

The Berkeley Version is suggestive here. "To analyze" is `to divide or resolve into

constituent parts', and as the Word of God is a supreme revelation of `the eternal purpose

(or the purpose of the ages) in Christ Jesus' (Eph. 3: 10, 11) which touches the heavens

as well as the earth, we need to divide or distinguish between these wonderful facets of

God's almighty plan which lies behind the creation of the universe. If we do this and

give due weight to all the revelation that God has given in His Word, we shall be

`handling it aright' with that faithfulness which God demands from everyone who seeks

to know it and proclaim its unsearchable riches which are treasured up in Christ Jesus.

We have been considering II Tim. 2: 15, a verse of vast importance, for it impinges

upon our understanding and proclamation of the truth of the Word of God. Moreover it is

solemnly associated with a believer's service for the Lord and the Lord's approval or

disapproval which will result in the gaining or losing of a `crown' which symbolizes not

just living with Christ in the future glory, but reigning with Him over the restored

universe.

Now what are the practical implications of verse 15? First of all let us state what it is

not. "Right Division" does not mean chopping up the Bible into sections of our making

which may accord with the pet ideas that we hold. When properly understood, it is not

divisive in the wrong sense of the word. What it does in its application is to recognize

the distinctions that the Author, God the Holy Spirit, has Himself made. The margin of

Phil. 1: 10 tells us `to try the things that differ' and this is with the object of `approving

things that are excellent', in other words getting to know God's best. The word `better' is

one of the key-words of the epistle to the Hebrews and `better things' can only be

appreciated by believers who are doing this. We believe that this is the way God wants

us to approach and handle His precious Word. Right Division is therefore a great

principle of interpretation of the Scriptures and we will try to indicate its application to

this great Book of Truth.

(1) If we obey the injunction of II Tim. 2: 15 we shall note the various time periods

of Scripture and not confuse them. Time is of the utmost importance in the revelation of