Alan Gross
Well-Known Member
How to Enjoy the Bible
by E. W. Bullinger, 1916, Part I.
III. The One Great Requirement of the Word:-"Rightly Dividing" It.
"The one great requirement of the Word is grounded on the fact
that it is "the Word of truth."
"And this fact is so stated as to imply that,
unless the Word is thus rightly divided we shall not get "truth";
and that we shall get its truth
only in proportion to the measure in which we divide it rightly.
The Requirement is thus stated in 2 Timothy 2:15:
"Give diligence to present thyself approved to God,
a workman having no cause to be ashamed
rightly dividing the word of truth."
The word in question here is orqotomounta (orthotomounta).*
* From orqoV (orthos), right, and temnw (temno), to cut.
"As this word occurs in no Greek writer, or even elsewhere in the New Testament, we can get little or no help from outside, and are confined to Biblical usage.
"It is used twice in the Septuagint
for the Hebrew r#$ayaf (yashar), to be right, or straight.
"In Proverbs 3:6, 11:5, the Hebrew is Piel (or causative),
to make right (as in 2 Chron 32:30; Prov 15:21; Isa 40:3, 45:2,13).
"But it is the Greek word that we have to do with here,
in 2 Timothy 2:15;
and we cannot get away from the fact
that temnw (temno) means to cut;
or, from the fact that we cannot cut without dividing.
"To divide belongs to the very nature of the act of cutting.
"Even as applied to directing one's way, it implies that we divide off one way from others— because we desire to follow the right way and avoid the wrong.
"The only Biblical guide we have to the usage of the word is
in Proverbs 3:6:
"In all thy ways acknowledge Him
And He shall direct thy paths."
"Our ways can only be made straight or plain by God's causing us to proceed on our way aright—i.e., by avoiding all the ways that are wrong, and going in the one way that is right;
in other words, the right way is divided off from all the wrong ways.
"What else can the word mean in 2 Timothy 2:15?
"We need to stick with the Biblical usage,
which associates the word with guidance in the right way.
"The scope of the verse plainly teaches that:
if we do not rightly divide it;
"and that we shall get the truth only in proportion
to our "rightly dividing" it.
"Other titles of the Word have their own special requirements.
"As "the engrafted Word" it must be received with meekness
(James 1:21).
"As "the Faithful Word" we must hold it fast (Titus 1:9).
"As "the Word of life" we must hold it forth (Phil 2:16).
But, because this is "the Word of truth," its paths must be well noted, the sign-posts must be observed, the directions and guides which are in the Word itself must be followed.
We are to "give diligence" to this great Requirement of the Word
just because it is "the Word of truth."
It is true that there are many who altogether ignore this precept;
and have no thought as to obeying this command
in their study of the Word.
There are many who make light of our insistence
on obedience to this precept.
On what ground, we ask, are we to treat such an important command as though it had never been given?
Why is not this command as binding on Bible students
as any other command in the Word of God?
What motive can such have to blunt the point
and dull the edge of this "Sword of the Spirit" in this matter?
NOR | How to Enjoy the Bible - Part 1 - III | The One Great Requirement of the Word: "Rightly Dividing" It.
by E. W. Bullinger, 1916, Part I.
III. The One Great Requirement of the Word:-"Rightly Dividing" It.
"The one great requirement of the Word is grounded on the fact
that it is "the Word of truth."
"And this fact is so stated as to imply that,
unless the Word is thus rightly divided we shall not get "truth";
and that we shall get its truth
only in proportion to the measure in which we divide it rightly.
The Requirement is thus stated in 2 Timothy 2:15:
"Give diligence to present thyself approved to God,
a workman having no cause to be ashamed
rightly dividing the word of truth."
The word in question here is orqotomounta (orthotomounta).*
* From orqoV (orthos), right, and temnw (temno), to cut.
"As this word occurs in no Greek writer, or even elsewhere in the New Testament, we can get little or no help from outside, and are confined to Biblical usage.
"It is used twice in the Septuagint
for the Hebrew r#$ayaf (yashar), to be right, or straight.
"In Proverbs 3:6, 11:5, the Hebrew is Piel (or causative),
to make right (as in 2 Chron 32:30; Prov 15:21; Isa 40:3, 45:2,13).
"But it is the Greek word that we have to do with here,
in 2 Timothy 2:15;
and we cannot get away from the fact
that temnw (temno) means to cut;
or, from the fact that we cannot cut without dividing.
"To divide belongs to the very nature of the act of cutting.
"Even as applied to directing one's way, it implies that we divide off one way from others— because we desire to follow the right way and avoid the wrong.
"The only Biblical guide we have to the usage of the word is
in Proverbs 3:6:
"In all thy ways acknowledge Him
And He shall direct thy paths."
"Our ways can only be made straight or plain by God's causing us to proceed on our way aright—i.e., by avoiding all the ways that are wrong, and going in the one way that is right;
in other words, the right way is divided off from all the wrong ways.
"What else can the word mean in 2 Timothy 2:15?
"We need to stick with the Biblical usage,
which associates the word with guidance in the right way.
"The scope of the verse plainly teaches that:
- Our one great study is to seek GOD'S approval, and not man's.
- We are to show all diligence in pursuing this study.
- As workmen, our aim is to have no cause to be ashamed of our work.
- In order to gain God's approval and avert our own shame we must rightly divide the word of truth.
- To do this we must direct our studies in the right way.
- This great requirement is associated with the Word in its special character as being the Word of truth; i.e., "the TRUE Word."
if we do not rightly divide it;
"and that we shall get the truth only in proportion
to our "rightly dividing" it.
"Other titles of the Word have their own special requirements.
"As "the engrafted Word" it must be received with meekness
(James 1:21).
"As "the Faithful Word" we must hold it fast (Titus 1:9).
"As "the Word of life" we must hold it forth (Phil 2:16).
But, because this is "the Word of truth," its paths must be well noted, the sign-posts must be observed, the directions and guides which are in the Word itself must be followed.
We are to "give diligence" to this great Requirement of the Word
just because it is "the Word of truth."
It is true that there are many who altogether ignore this precept;
and have no thought as to obeying this command
in their study of the Word.
There are many who make light of our insistence
on obedience to this precept.
On what ground, we ask, are we to treat such an important command as though it had never been given?
Why is not this command as binding on Bible students
as any other command in the Word of God?
What motive can such have to blunt the point
and dull the edge of this "Sword of the Spirit" in this matter?
NOR | How to Enjoy the Bible - Part 1 - III | The One Great Requirement of the Word: "Rightly Dividing" It.
