Just like Jesus’ rebuke to the Pharisees, each part of God’s word is to be viewed in light of Christ Himself. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40). Jesus wanted to make sure they placed the emphasis in the right place.

During the Christmas season, we were driving around looking at Christmas lights with the kids when we came across a rather unimpressive neighborhood. My wife saw a house with its curtains open, and, just being funny, said, “Look! It’s a man eating supper!” My boys looked around in wonder, and my oldest said, “What’s a man-eating supper?” It’s amazing what a hyphen can do. We joked about that long into the night with tales of spaghetti monsters and rogue dinner rolls trying to catch the boys for supper. We laughed at the misunderstanding, but isn’t it amazing how putting the emphasis in the wrong place skews the meaning?

This is true spiritually too. If you misplace the emphasis, then you are certain to get things wrong in your theology. This was too true for me. When I first began to seek the Lord and read His word, I wasn’t sure where the proper emphasis was. I elevated certain doctrines like family, children, money, and marriage to gospel status. Prick me and I’d bleed these everywhere. God gives great clarity on all these subjects, but they are not preeminent. I was like a man with a nose that was one foot wide: It’s a still a nose, but it’s been blown out of proportion.

Read the Bible Like Jesus

And before you say, “Yeah, Jake. But isn’t all Scripture breathed out by God and profitable?”, hear me out. I want to hold that truth out as long as I have breath. Every single word from God is good and profitable.

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