What does that phrase mean in II Timothy 2:15? Read the verse a couple of times, slowly, focusing on the words and especially that two-word phrase.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
We are told to study. This studying ought to be done with an eagerness on our part. When we study we have the stamp of approval of the Lord. As a little boy I remember my grandmother talking about the “Good Housekeeping seal of approval.” The product had been tested and proven in their kitchens, so grandma trusted it. A workman is a person willing to labor and toil for long periods of time on a project. It carries the idea of someone that truly wants to do a good job. I have loved this saying for decades, “when signing your name to a project, autograph your work with excellence.” Ashamed is to be embarrassed or guilty because of our action or lack of action once the inspection has taken place. Paul wants young Timothy to read and study the Bible and not to one day be embarrassed by the lack of ransacking the Bible. Word of truth closes the verse. The word of truth defines the very nature of the Bible. Its words are truth. It is a lighthouse to give direction for safety on a dark stormy night.
The Greek word used for “rightly dividing” is a word that means to cut straight. Let me give you some occupational pictures. A farmer plowing most often wishes to cut the furrows straight. A stone mason, cutting stone, wishes his cuts to be straight so the project fits tightly. A master carpenter likes to cut the boards so there are no gaps at the joints. Paul wasn’t taught as a Jewish boy to farm, be a stonemason or a carpenter. He was taught to sew tents. Every young boy in Israel was to be taught a trade to which he could make a living to provide for his family, and Paul’s family no doubt were tent makers. Was Paul an educated man? Yes, he learned at the feet of a well-known and well-respected Rabbi, Gamaliel. But if times were hard and the situation called for it, Paul could survive by making tents. We find Paul having to earn a living as a tent maker with Aquila and Priscilla in Acts 18. He learned early that if the tent was to be a quality dwelling the fabric or skin must be laid out smoothly, a trusted pattern must be laid on top, and the cutting must be precise. Why? The straight seams would produce a good, consistent, and solid suture that was waterproof with great strength and long lasting.
As we study the Bible, we must be extra careful to “cut the scriptures straight” when teaching it to others. In the context of I Timothy, Paul is instructing a young minister. I and II Timothy, along with Titus, are called the Pastoral Epistles, but every Christian should benefit from the instruction. You have children to instruct. You have friends needing to hear the words of truth. The Bible is the word of truth, but it can be twisted. Cults constantly twist the scripture making assertions, as though they are God’s edicts, when in reality they are no more biblical than the recent Farmer’s Almanac given to me.
How do we “rightly divide” and “cut it straight” when we are trying to make sure we understand, teach and share the Bible in a truthful, kind, loving way? Let me share three ways to get you started.
- Have the default position that the Bible means what it says! A literal understanding is always best. Words mean things, at least they did at one time. Some words no longer mean what they did in the past. Don’t seek to place new meanings on old words and come up with an accurate understanding. We don’t read a passage and then begin to mentally acrobat seeking to make the words agree with our preconceived notions. Let the Bible speak for itself, literally.
- Consider the context. This means we look at the verses that surround our focus verse or verses. We ask questions. Who wrote this? To whom were they writing? What does the grammar in the verse teach? What was the historical time in which they wrote? What was the culture of the day? The answer to questions like these gives a deeper understanding to our text. Use the mental filter of those times, that era of history, instead of a 21st century filter.
- Let the Bible interpret the Bible. What I mean is to let the other portions of scripture shed light on your current passage. We take the Bible as a whole, comparing passage to passage and subject to subject, giving a solid teaching; a firm foundation as we seek to cut straight.
Let’s learn to rightly divide the Word of God.