Here's a 'pet peeve' of mine...

Some preachers, while reading the Scripture text before the sermon, will interrupt at various points to explain things. While I have no problem with doing such explanations before or after the Scripture reading, interspersing comments throughout the reading irks me something terrible.

I see it as being very disrespectful of the Word. When a preacher announces that he is going to read from the bible, doesn't adding additional comments violate Revelation 22:18 in some fashion? Does such a practice suggest that the preacher is much better at expressing the Word on the page than the Holy Spirit who authored it? Are Christians so simple and dense that they cannot simply hear the Word without commercial interruptions?

Note that I am specifically referring to a time in worship set aside for scripture reading (usually right before the sermon, but not always) and not the sermon itself. I expect such 'tearing down' of Scripture during the sermon.

Theognome

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Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.

it would distract and irritate me as well.

Just as music being played during a time someone is praying..

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Bobbi Clark
Covenant Member
Pinewood Pres. (PCA) Middleburg

When I kept Silent, My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

If it is quite obvious that it is an aside, no. As for the rest, I'll let those more astute answer. (I don't do it, but it is not adding to the Word.)

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soli Deo gloria!
~Nicholas~ Ordained Pastor
Member, Fulton PCA; GPTS Student
Christians are like snow covered dung; it is the purity of the covering which the Father sees. -Luther-
There is nothing more ugly than a Christian orthodoxy without understanding or without compassion.
-Francis Schaeffer-

The Directory for Publick Worship spoke to this:
Though it hardly seems that such is a "violation" of the admonition in Revelation 22.

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Paul Korte
OPC
Flint, MI

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Perhaps an RP issue then?

Theognome

I agree that it would be annoying/distracting, but I bet it is not an issue of RPW.
I think it is more along the lines of form or style.

And I agree that it is not a violation of Rev. 22, because we accept extrapolations immediately following the scripture.

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Shalom,
jessi
PCA
Steelers fan exiled to Virginia


“Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”
Martin Luther

My reaction would depend on what they are explaining. If it has to do with a translation difficulty, or or clarifying an English word whose meaning is now ambiguous, I see no problem with it. If it is tangential, however, I might also be less than pleased.

But without more information, I'd join in disagreeing with the extent of your concerns.

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Edward
Deacon
PCA
Texas

Spurgeon used to do this too. When reading the Scriptures during worship, I do this very minimal. If I do it, it is to briefly explain something about the location or an action. I read and preach out of the KJV, so sometimes it may be to clarify an archaic word. I keep all of this to a minimum. I would also find it distracting as a listener if the reader kept making comments all the way through. As mentioned above, it was prescribed in the Directory for Public Worship, probably for the reasons I mentioned, except of course the archaic language of the KJV. I know someone will probably say something like, "why not use a different translation" so I will answer now. I don't have to explain words that often, because the KJV is not that hard to understand. Also, I like the faithfulness of the translation as well as the beauty of the language. It just sounds like the Bible!

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Rev. Andy Eppard
Associate Minister
First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Springfield, MO

Joe Morecraft has an excellent series on preaching which he's posted on SA recently. And in one of the messages he tackles this very thing. He very adamantly tells the young men he's exhorting to not add comments as they read the text.

Exegesis of the passages is what the sermon is for. It's very distracting to be reading the verses along with the preacher's recitation of them and then hear his commentary. I always want to say, "You only have 10 verses left to read. Can't it wait?"

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Toni Cunningham, Wife of Bill (Theognome)
Parkwoods OPC, Overland Park KS

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace." ~ Alexander Pope

This is obviously an issue of preference. Is the reading of an entire chapter dictated? The reading of one verse? Who put those verse breakdowns in Scripture anyway? Chapter breaks? Now THAT's an imposition that annoys me.

If the reader is right, what he says is helpful and he isn't simply attempting to show others how much he knows then it sounds like a blessing to me. But, sometimes we're frustrated at what blesses others.

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For the Glory of our King,
Joe Johnson
Slave of Christ, husband, father, Preacherboy at Cornerstone Community Church, Escanaba, MI. and TMS graduate. Personal website - SoundLife.org

I do not know, and I do not say, that a person cannot believe in Revelation and in evolution, too, for a man may believe that which is infinitely wise and also that which is only asinine. ~ CHS

My pastor gives a bit of an explanation before he reads the text. He does it so he can give a sort of "what to expect" in the reading. His reasons for giving a brief explanation before reading is to help those who are possibly new Christians or children understand what is being read. It is not his practice, though, to interject during the reading. I am of the opinion that ministers should not assume that everyone in the congregation is going to understand what is being read. An explanation before or after can be quite helpful to new believers or to children in the congregation.

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Steven J. Carr (Sven)
http://beholdingthebeauty.blogspot.com/
Eagan, MN
PCA
"Weak is the effort of my heart / And cold my warmest thought / But when I see thee as thou art / I'll praise thee as I ought."--John Newton
Trophy Wife/Arm Candy: Crystal Ann Children: Steven Jr. and Hannah Grace

The pastor should only break in to the reading of the text in instances where the Word is giving a call to go green http://greenletterbible.com...in this way, the congregants can be reminded of the central theme of the bible, which is to save the glaciers...I mean, how much more clear could God have made Himself in the text?

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Joel Batts
Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) - Memphis, TN

I believe that many would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand. - CS Lewis

I've heard it done in a way that is not irksome but, as a general rule, I don't think it wise. People might get confused where the text ends and commentary begins. The hearing of the Word ought to be the Word.

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Rich
PCA, Northern VA
Student, New Geneva Theological Seminary

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Bill, find it a bit annoying if it is the sermon text. But I consider it just another style of preaching, not the best or most clear IMO.

However I get very annoyed if the scripture lesson, or the gospel reading is interupted for a "helpful" word of explanation.

My reading of the DPW is that the scriptures are to be read & expounded, and in an other part of the service, not the sermon, read without exposition.

My preference is that scripture reading always start with an admonition to "hear the words of God", and that it be ended with a clear break, i.e. "here endith the lesson", or "thus far God's word", or "Amen", etc.

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

Pastors should feel free to ignore the chapter divisions (and the verse divisions, at times, too) and begin to read or expound where a chapter really begins, or ends. After all, the verse and chapter divisions are not inspired.

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Richard T. Zuelch, M.Div
Ruling Elder, OPC (not currently serving)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, CA (OPC)
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Devout souls do not take offence at the depths and difficulties of God's Word, but are, thereby, drawn to intenser contemplation of them. - Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910)