That's not Preaching!!

[coksiw]

I have done some research about it and I came to the conclusion that we have redefined the word "preaching" and as result "teaching", so you end up with misconceptions when you read the Bible.

The two conclusions I came up with that may be shocking to some are these:

* Preaching (κηρύσσω or εὐαγγελίζω or μαρτύριον): it is to the ones that have not obeyed the true Gospel, and it is about proclaiming aloud the Gospel of Christ and the Coming of the Kingdom. It announcing clear and aloud an event that will happen, is happening, or had happened. In the context of the New Testament is the Gospel. It is not used to describe the discourse to the Church: you don't preach to the church! (don't stone me please ).

* Teaching: explains something, and in the context of the Bible, targeted not to just inform the head, but to transform the heart. That's what you do to the Church.

* Exhorting: that.


The result of this confusion has caused people to misunderstand teaching tremendously. They try to define it and they end up with misconceptions as this: preaching is to the heart, teaching to the mind; preaching is yelling, teaching is telling, preaching is proclaiming the truth, teaching is explaining the truth (this one is close). Another result of this misunderstanding is that teaching for some has become an informational class, about theology, but little about transforming hearts, neglecting it to the point of becoming secondary in some congregations. I have also noticed mistranslations because of the same misconception: e.g. translating the greek word for "exhort" as "preach".

So in the context of the New Testament: Preaching is announcing the Gospel to the ones that don't know it, Teaching and exhorting is what you do to the congregation.



Now, there is one single verse that many like to use to keep saying that "preaching" refers to all public speaking of the word including the Church assembly:

[2Ti 4:2 NKJV] 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Since preaching in the rest of the NT always relates to the lost, could it be that this "preach the word" simply means "preach the word of the gospel to the lost"? I think so. I think Paul is simply encouraging Timothy in a broad sense: church, and lost. Why? Let's see the context:

[2Ti 4:2-5 NKJV] 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, [because] they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn [their] ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Notice a mix of the subject of teaching with evangelism. Paul was talking in a broad sense, not just about his service to an assembly.

You need the right orthodoxy to have the right orthopraxis. That being said, the redefinition of "preaching" is already with us, but let's not fall into the trap of neglecting or mispresenting teaching to others because we can't define it after preaching has been redefined!

What are your thoughts?

[n david]

Sound and well articulated post. No stoning from me. It's clear there is a difference and that difference isn't what many think it is.

I agree with your view of 2 Timothy 4:2 relating to the Gospel and the lost.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by coksiw

I have done some research about it and I came to the conclusion that we have redefined the word "preaching" and as result "teaching", so you end up with misconceptions when you read the Bible.

The two conclusions I came up with that may be shocking to some are these:

* Preaching (κηρύσσω or εὐαγγελίζω or μαρτύριον): it is to the ones that have not obeyed the true Gospel, and it is about proclaiming aloud the Gospel of Christ and the Coming of the Kingdom. It announcing clear and aloud an event that will happen, is happening, or had happened. In the context of the New Testament is the Gospel. It is not used to describe the discourse to the Church: you don't preach to the church! (don't stone me please ).

* Teaching: explains something, and in the context of the Bible, targeted not to just inform the head, but to transform the heart. That's what you do to the Church.

* Exhorting: that.


The result of this confusion has caused people to misunderstand teaching tremendously. They try to define it and they end up with misconceptions as this: preaching is to the heart, teaching to the mind; preaching is yelling, teaching is telling, preaching is proclaiming the truth, teaching is explaining the truth (this one is close). Another result of this misunderstanding is that teaching for some has become an informational class, about theology, but little about transforming hearts, neglecting it to the point of becoming secondary in some congregations. I have also noticed mistranslations because of the same misconception: e.g. translating the greek word for "exhort" as "preach".

So in the context of the New Testament: Preaching is announcing the Gospel to the ones that don't know it, Teaching and exhorting is what you do to the congregation.



Now, there is one single verse that many like to use to keep saying that "preaching" refers to all public speaking of the word including the Church assembly:

[2Ti 4:2 NKJV] 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Since preaching in the rest of the NT always relates to the lost, could it be that this "preach the word" simply means "preach the word of the gospel to the lost"? I think so. I think Paul is simply encouraging Timothy in a broad sense: church, and lost. Why? Let's see the context:

[2Ti 4:2-5 NKJV] 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, [because] they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn [their] ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Notice a mix of the subject of teaching with evangelism. Paul was talking in a broad sense, not just about his service to an assembly.

You need the right orthodoxy to have the right orthopraxis. That being said, the redefinition of "preaching" is already with us, but let's not fall into the trap of neglecting or mispresenting teaching to others because we can't define it after preaching has been redefined!

What are your thoughts?

Well done, good and faithful servant.

About the connection to evangelism and preaching in 2 Timothy, note, too, the reference to those who refuse to endure sound doctrine. Because they won't listen to healthy teaching, they forfeit their souls and become lost, and need once again to hear the Gospel preached.

[Tithesmeister]

Coksiw,

I like this. A lot! It is a timely word. You are teaching. But you are also preaching. And exhorting.

I don’t even want to disagree with you. I think you are about 95% correct. MOST references to preaching in the Bible are about preaching the gospel, or the kingdom, or baptism, or remission of sin. BUT sometimes it is preaching to the church.

So, I would agree that most preaching in the Bible is somewhat akin to what we would think of as evangelism, but it was also done to the believers.

You are absolutely right about the definition of preaching evolving though. AND I have a theory as to why it is that way. Maybe those stones will be cast my direction. I believe that the reason preaching is done to the church, is because preaching to the lost, doesn’t pay nearly as well.

So we are supposed to “go ye”?

Instead we say “y’all come”.

And the lost may incidentally be preached to, along with the church. It’s not the NT model, but sometimes it works.

Preach on!

Teach on!

Exhort on!

[Esaias]

The word "preach" is a generic word originating outside Christianity. As such "preach" does not mean "talk to the lost", but rather means "proclaim something". It can be a proclaiming to people who don't know the information being proclaimed. Or, it can be a proclaiming to people who DO know the information. Or, it can be a proclaiming to people are already part of some group.

Preaching, in a distinctly Christian theological sense, is proclaiming information from the King. It is the delivering of a proclamation or announcement from a King, whether to His subjects or to His enemies. As such it can be delivered to the lost, and it can also be delivered to the church.

For example:

Psalm 40:8-10 KJV
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. [9] I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord , thou knowest. [10] I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

This preaching is the proclamation of God's righteousness. As such it is "magnifying God" or proclaiming how great, good, and RIGHT God is. It is done "in the great congregation", a term for God's covenanted, separated, special people. Literally, preaching in the church, preaching in the assembly of God's people.

So, preaching is not strictly limited to the lost, exclusively. Notice also this:

Matthew 26:13 KJV
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Is Jesus commanding an evangelistic sermon text? If so, then every message to the lost must reference this event He spoke of. Or is it not more likely that He is using "preach" in a more generic sense, as meaning as long as the Gospel is being proclaimed, this anecdote concerning this woman's good deed is to be kept in rememberance? That is, the church is to remember her deed, and tell her story, throughout the church's existence in this world?

Acts 8:25 KJV
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

The word "testified" is a variant conjugation of one of the words in the original post identified as "preaching" and said to be only for the lost. Yet the context indicates this preaching of the apostles was likely directed to the Samaritan believers with whom the apostles were congregating.

Again, the word preach in the NT generally involves proclaiming good news to those who haven't heard it. But to say preaching is only and always for the lost and never for the church goes too far.

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by Esaias

The word "preach" is a generic word originating outside Christianity. As such "preach" does not mean "talk to the lost", but rather means "proclaim something". It can be a proclaiming to people who don't know the information being proclaimed. Or, it can be a proclaiming to people who DO know the information. Or, it can be a proclaiming to people are already part of some group.

Preaching, in a distinctly Christian theological sense, is proclaiming information from the King. It is the delivering of a proclamation or announcement from a King, whether to His subjects or to His enemies. As such it can be delivered to the lost, and it can also be delivered to the church.

For example:

Psalm 40:8-10 KJV
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. [9] I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord , thou knowest. [10] I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

This preaching is the proclamation of God's righteousness. As such it is "magnifying God" or proclaiming how great, good, and RIGHT God is. It is done "in the great congregation", a term for God's covenanted, separated, special people. Literally, preaching in the church, preaching in the assembly of God's people.

So, preaching is not strictly limited to the lost, exclusively. Notice also this:

Matthew 26:13 KJV
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Is Jesus commanding an evangelistic sermon text? If so, then every message to the lost must reference this event He spoke of. Or is it not more likely that He is using "preach" in a more generic sense, as meaning as long as the Gospel is being proclaimed, this anecdote concerning this woman's good deed is to be kept in rememberance? That is, the church is to remember her deed, and tell her story, throughout the church's existence in this world?

Acts 8:25 KJV
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

The word "testified" is a variant conjugation of one of the words in the original post identified as "preaching" and said to be only for the lost. Yet the context indicates this preaching of the apostles was likely directed to the Samaritan believers with whom the apostles were congregating.

Again, the word preach in the NT generally involves proclaiming good news to those who haven't heard it. But to say preaching is only and always for the lost and never for the church goes too far.

I agree. Not to take anything from Coksiw though. Because he is right that the meaning has evolved.

[Esaias]

Kerusso means to announce or herald. Evangelizo means to announce good news. Marturion is a source for the word martyr, and means to testify as a witnessing.

All of these are suitable for the lost. And all of these are suitable for the church as well.

There are other words identified as preaching in the Bible, though. Such as lalesantes, meaning to have spoken or declared with the voice. It is translated "preached" in Acts 8:25 above.

Acts 15:21 KJV
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Here, the word preach is kerussontas (a conjugation of kerusso). Moses is preached in the synagogue every Sabbath. These are not Mosaic evangelism sermons, this is the reading and teaching of the Mosaic covenant to those who are members of that covenant or to those who believed in that covenant's God. Not preaching Moses to heathen sinners, but to the covenanted people and all those who feared God. Thus is proven that "preach" is not intrinsically defined as persuasion of outsiders.

Acts 20:7 KJV
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

More preaching to the church, this time it is dialegeto, "dialogued". Literally a talking-through. The word "speech" is logon, literally "word". He preached to them, and continued his word until midnight.

So "preaching" is an English word denoting a variety of things: heralding, announcing good news, testifying as a witness, declaring with the voice, dialoguing, etc. These things can be directed towards the lost. And they can be directed towars the church.

1 Corinthians 9 demonstrates that "preaching" is a term that includes not only announcing good news to the lost, but also includes feeding the flock. Again, it is a general term for what speakers of the Word do, regardless of who the audience is.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

I agree. Not to take anything from Coksiw though. Because he is right that the meaning has evolved.

Yes, the modern evolved definition is often (erroneously) based almost entirely on decibel level and how animated the speaker is.

[Esaias]

If preaching can be for the church, can teaching be for the lost? YES.

Matthew 28:19 KJV
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Acts 5:25 KJV
Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

2 Timothy 1:11 KJV
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Teaching is the impartation of information. One can teach sinners the truth about Jesus. One can teach Christians the truths of God's Word.

Teaching is in large measure the content of preaching. The purpose of preaching is to teach people about God, and teach them to believe and obey Him.

Teaching is often how God's truth is proclaimed (preached) to both the lost and the saints. Can there be any preaching that is utterly devoid of teaching content? Can you preach at all without teaching (or attempting to teach) SOMETHING? And when teaching God's Word, are you not proclaiming Christ? Are you not testifying as a witness, delivering the testimony of His original witnesses? Are you not announcing some good news?

Why, YES.

[coksiw]

Originally Posted by Esaias

If preaching can be for the church, can teaching be for the lost? YES.

Matthew 28:19 KJV
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Others translate this as "make disciples", which could include preaching the Gospel first, to get them baptized and then teaching them to keep Jesus commandments (in the next verse of that).

Acts 5:25 KJV
Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Verse 42 says: [Act 5:42 KJV] And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

So, they were teaching and preaching in the temple. Could it be that there were Christians there too being discipled?

2 Timothy 1:11 KJV
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Paul taught to the Gentiles as well, not just preached to them. This doesn't indicate that the Gentiles at that point were not already saved.

Teaching is the impartation of information. One can teach sinners the truth about Jesus. One can teach Christians the truths of God's Word.


Teaching is in large measure the content of preaching. The purpose of preaching is to teach people about God, and teach them to believe and obey Him.


Teaching is often how God's truth is proclaimed (preached) to both the lost and the saints. Can there be any preaching that is utterly devoid of teaching content? Can you preach at all without teaching (or attempting to teach) SOMETHING? And when teaching God's Word, are you not proclaiming Christ? Are you not testifying as a witness, delivering the testimony of His original witnesses? Are you not announcing some good news?

Why the scripture in, for instance, Acts 5:42 differentiates between two different activities as disjoint concepts, not as preaching includes teaching?