"Canon" within a Canon
"Canon" within a Canon
This phrase caught my attention when Dr T mentioned it during our last lecture on Tuesday, and I had also been wanting to write about it. In fact, I guess it catches Xiao-di's attention too for I saw this phrase in his msn message as well.
Now just what is a "canon with a Canon"? Dr T commented that many preachers of God's Word seemed to have favourite books or verses within the 66 books of the Bible (the Canon) that they choose to expound and preach on. And as such, they created their own "canon" (aka their favourite books/verses) within the Canon - resulting in some verses being overly "used" and preached on, and others not even mentioned. I'm sure you and I are not unfamiliar with topics such as the different parables, the birth narratives of Jesus, the creation accounts, the fall of men, Daniel and his 3 friends, etc, etc. Let's then think about how often we have heard sermons from the book of Ezekiel, Lamentations, Revelation, Chronicles, and so on.
Why is this so? Have we, as preachers of God's Word, been entrapped in the pitfall of being "uncomfortable" with God's Word ourselves that we dare not speak the truth about it to our audience? After all, we can't deny that there are some portions in Scripture that are easy to swallow, and some that are just bitter pills which perhaps doesn't ring a good response if we do speak about them.
To be honest, I think we need to take personal responsibility for creating a "canon" within a Canon - especially if we are people who have been tasked to preach or teach the Word of God.
1) Maybe we should ask ourselves if it is because we are not familiar with those passages that are not common - if that is so, then it's time we get ourselves rooted firmly in the Word of God, even if those passages contain very dry instructions or hard teachings.
2) Maybe we should ask ourselves if it's because we are fearful of men's response when we choose to speak those difficult/hard teachings of the Lord - especially if those passages contain warning, judgment, rebuke, etc. If so, then I guess it's time we reflect upon who is it that we fear - God or men? The transformed apostles Peter & John, chose to obey God than men (Acts 4:18-20).
3) Maybe we are concern that those difficult teachings are hard for our audience to understand?? Well, if that is so, I guess we undermine the power of the Holy Spirit to illumine the hearts of men?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - dare we to exercise our rights of selection here over what we should or are capable of preaching on?
This phrase caught my attention when Dr T mentioned it during our last lecture on Tuesday, and I had also been wanting to write about it. In fact, I guess it catches Xiao-di's attention too for I saw this phrase in his msn message as well.
Now just what is a "canon with a Canon"? Dr T commented that many preachers of God's Word seemed to have favourite books or verses within the 66 books of the Bible (the Canon) that they choose to expound and preach on. And as such, they created their own "canon" (aka their favourite books/verses) within the Canon - resulting in some verses being overly "used" and preached on, and others not even mentioned. I'm sure you and I are not unfamiliar with topics such as the different parables, the birth narratives of Jesus, the creation accounts, the fall of men, Daniel and his 3 friends, etc, etc. Let's then think about how often we have heard sermons from the book of Ezekiel, Lamentations, Revelation, Chronicles, and so on.
Why is this so? Have we, as preachers of God's Word, been entrapped in the pitfall of being "uncomfortable" with God's Word ourselves that we dare not speak the truth about it to our audience? After all, we can't deny that there are some portions in Scripture that are easy to swallow, and some that are just bitter pills which perhaps doesn't ring a good response if we do speak about them.
To be honest, I think we need to take personal responsibility for creating a "canon" within a Canon - especially if we are people who have been tasked to preach or teach the Word of God.
1) Maybe we should ask ourselves if it is because we are not familiar with those passages that are not common - if that is so, then it's time we get ourselves rooted firmly in the Word of God, even if those passages contain very dry instructions or hard teachings.
2) Maybe we should ask ourselves if it's because we are fearful of men's response when we choose to speak those difficult/hard teachings of the Lord - especially if those passages contain warning, judgment, rebuke, etc. If so, then I guess it's time we reflect upon who is it that we fear - God or men? The transformed apostles Peter & John, chose to obey God than men (Acts 4:18-20).
3) Maybe we are concern that those difficult teachings are hard for our audience to understand?? Well, if that is so, I guess we undermine the power of the Holy Spirit to illumine the hearts of men?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - dare we to exercise our rights of selection here over what we should or are capable of preaching on?
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