They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.” (Nehemiah 8:8, NASB 95)
Bible teaching stands as the nexus of church life. We can find fellowship to encourage us on our own. We can pray for ourselves and others on our own. We can sing praises to God in the shower on our own (which is a good thing).
There’s one thing God knew we would need help with. That is being able to “grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Biblical teaching is not only integral to spiritual life but is also something that many in the church aren’t qualified to engage in.
Don’t get me wrong. There is a limited amount of Bible study and reading we can do. But there has to be those who are dedicated to keeping ahead of the rest so that God’s people can grow. That’s why we need preachers and teachers who know how to present the truth of God properly.
Biblical teaching is important because it tackles the very truth of God’s Word, seeking to understand it and explain it in a way that is accurate and yet accessible. Both elements are important.
Even though proper biblical teaching is necessary for life in the church to flourish, true biblical teaching is greatly misunderstood. This shouldn’t be. We must understand what biblical preaching and teaching are so that we can recognize when someone is giving us the truth and when they are simply tickling our ears.
Let’s revisit our good friend and Bible teacher, Ezra and his pals. In this study, I’d like to focus on how they taught the Word. It’s important to know biblically the best way to present the material so that any teaching from the Bible remains biblical teaching.
Proper biblical Teaching isn’t interpretation.
At least not in the strictest sense. The Bible needs no interpretation in the sense of giving the Word meaning. The meaning is there. A Bible teacher simply strives to discover it.
Ezra and his cohort of biblical expositors weren’t interpreting the Bible as if it were some kind of code. They didn’t have to come up with some kind of interpretive key.
Too many today incorporate a specific “hermeneutic” to interpret the Scriptures. Certainly, hermeneutics, the science of interpreting the Scriptures, has its place. We can’t simply start from scratch every time. There are many who have provided resources that have the potential to help us along. There’s nothing wrong with using those. That’s not what I’m talking about here.
The problem lies in preconceived notions that color the interpretive process too much. Most Bible teachers have their denominational overlays that shadow their thinking. Sometimes those shadows may be correct. Then again, they may create a bias in the way the Bible teacher views things.
The Bible teacher has to find ways to avoid that bias. It isn’t easy overcoming that kind of slanted thinking.
That’s why it’s always wise to start out a study of a passage by simply reading the text to get a feel for its natural meaning. No commentaries. No study Bibles. No original language sources. Just plain, good, old-fashioned reading.
Deeper study comes later, especially for more difficult passages. But most of the time, the biblical text provides enough clear clues to understand the essential meaning it holds.
Proper biblical Instruction is simply giving the meaning.
At its most basic, biblical teaching is simply discovering the meaning God put there in the first place. The Scriptures have a quality called “perspicuity.” A more modern term is “clarity.” Either term means the same thing. God has built in a clear meaning to the text.
The true preacher of the Word doesn’t interpret as much as he explains the meaning of the passage. That meaning may not be as clear as it seems because of the limitation of modern language.
That was certainly the case in Ezra’s day. The people had lost the ability to understand some of the language the Old Testament law had been written in. So God raised up men who would “give the sense” by “translating.” That means they explained the meaning to overcome the language barrier.
The word “translating” literally means “to make clear.” The “sense” is the meaning. So they were “making clear the meaning” of what God’s Word said.
This is the basic concept of biblical teaching. It is simply “making clear the meaning” of what God has already made clear in His Word. The Bible isn’t a code. It’s a clear statement of God’s heart and mind.
So What?
God provides special people to explain the Word of God. However, the Bible isn’t some kind of mysterious book that holds different meanings for different people. There’s one meaning. There may be several applications of that meaning, but there’s only one meaning.
That’s the original intent of the author, not just the human author, but also the divine Author, the Holy Spirit. That built-in meaning makes biblical teaching a whole lot less complicated for those explaining it.
If the meaning is already there, a good Bible teacher will seek to discover it.
That’s why it’s so important for followers of Christ to know what good Bible teaching is. That way they can identify when someone is simply making it up as they go.
More than likely if a biblical teacher comes up with something “revolutionary” or “fresh” when it comes to interpreting the text, they are probably spinning a yarn rather than explaining the text.
It all goes back to understanding the original language of the text. That’s the reason why a good biblical teacher will have some working knowledge of the original language the text uses. The meaning is found there. Without at least a rudimentary understanding of the language, the process of discovery becomes more difficult.
The lessons are simple:
1. Look for biblical teachers who know the original language.
2. Look for Bible expositors who stick to the original intent of the authors.
3. And look for those who simply want to mine the spiritual riches of God’s Word rather than someone who wants to find an innovative approach just to sell a point.
So be like Ezra and his buddies. Don’t interpret a code. Search out the clear meaning of the Scriptures and surround yourself with those who do the same.
Journeys of a Former Firebrand 
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