The value of the biblical languages is found in understanding the whole package that the original languages bring (lexical, syntactical, discourse analysis, etc.)–something that a congregation does not need to hear unpacked from the pulpit, but can help a pastor preach the text more faithfully.

Line by line, word by word, the preacher amazed the congregation with his knowledge, his understanding of theology, and the fact he could preach so long on that one verse. One member exclaimed to another, “Pastor really dug deep today; he pulled out more from that verse than I ever could’ve!” Another chimed in, “He knows so many books and authors! We are blessed!” 

The congregation was impressed. They now knew the Greek words, the interpretive options, and the history of how Calvin, Luther, and Ryle interpreted the verse. 

But no hearts were changed. No sinners were brought to repentance. No mourning widows comforted. No parents equipped for the week. No Jesus exalted. No gospel. 

That preacher was me. 

I am immensely thankful for pastors who take the Scriptures seriously and preach exegetical sermons. As a man who often has the privilege of sharing God’s Word on Sunday mornings,  I am thoroughly committed to exegetical preaching. We need more serious exegesis from the pulpit, not less. Yet the job of the pastor is not to preach like a Bible commentary.

Yes, give God’s people the text! Yes, go deep! Yes, careful exposition should be the bedrock of preaching. But a sermon should never sound as if it were ripped from the pages of a commentary. Anyone can exegete—even nonbelievers! But the aim of the pastor is not to make people exegetes. The aim of the pastor is to make God’s people faithful followers of Jesus who embody the Christian message of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

This is not to say, of course, that pastors shouldn’t want to help believers exegete the Scriptures. With the Apostle Paul, we desire that God’s people rightly handle the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15)! But Bible commentary preaching tends to shape people into intellectual tombs. Where some are prone to the error of zeal without knowledge, commentary preaching makes people prone to knowledge without zeal. 

Here are three symptoms of a sermon that might be more akin to Bible commentary preaching than truly discipling a congregation.

1. Appealing to Hebrew and Greek

The biblical languages are a lot like underwear—you need to have it wherever you go. But we don’t want to see it! 

Whenever a pastor is tempted to include a word from the Hebrew or Greek in your sermon, a hard question should be considered: why does the flock need to hear the pronunciation of a Hebrew or Greek word? Will it edify them?  Will it make them more mature in Christ (Eph. 4:12)? 

Pronouncing Hebrew and Greek words, or telling the congregation the form of a verb (e.g., “This is an Aorist…”), distances the preacher from his congregation. Appealing to Hebrew and Greek from the pulpit can create an unnecessary intellectual and emotional barrier. It wrongly encourages the congregation to view these original words as magical doors that will open a whole new level of spirituality to them.  

Using Hebrew and Greek words in a sermon may even be a tell-tale sign of a pastor’s anxiety and discomfort with how his congregation perceives him.

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