Westminster Larger Catechism (Q 156-157)

Dear Church Family,

This past Sunday, in our weekly Sunday school lessons in the Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC), we studied and discussed question 156-157. Here is a brief review.

WLC 156  Is the word of God to be read by all?
A. Although all are not to be permitted to read the word publickly to the congregation, yet all sorts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves, and with their families: to which end, the holy scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar languages.

All sorts of people ought to read God’s Word. Individuals ought to read the Word on their own (Revelation 1:3). In the early church there were some Jews who were commended for their “noble-mindedness” because when they hear the preaching of Paul and Silas, they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether the preaching that they heard was true (Acts 17:10-11). And in the family, parents are encouraged to read the Word together with their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Ephesians 6:4). For this reason, Scripture ought to be translated into the vulgar (or common) languages.

At the same time, not all people are permitted to read the Word publicly to the congregation in corporate worship. By the command of Moses (Deuteronomy 31:9-13) and the example of Ezra (Nehemiah 8:1-8), only the priests were permitted to publicly read the Scripture to the people. In the New Testament, Paul commends Timothy to give special attention to the public reading of Scripture, exhortation, and teaching (1 Timothy 4:13) as those duties that are part to his ordination and commissioning (1 Timothy 4:14).

Who may read Scripture in public worship has sometimes been a topic of controversy, especially in our egalitarian age. It is helpful to remember, however, that our corporate service of worship is a form of covenant renewal between God and His people. Therefore, when a pastor or elder leads worship, he is either representing God to the people (e.g., in the reading and preaching of the Word and administration of the sacraments) or he is representing the people to God (e.g., in prayer and leading in song).

The Westminster Directory for the Publick Worship of God (written in 1644) helpfully explains how the Word of God ought to be read in public worship:

“Because the hearing of God’s Word is a means of grace, the public reading of the Holy Scriptures is an essential element of public worship. He who performs this serves as God’s representative voice. Thus, it ordinarily should be performed by a minister of the Word. Through this reading, God speaks directly to the congregation in his own words. For this reason, the reader should refrain from interspersing the reading of God’s Word with human comments. He should use an accurate, faithful translation in the language of the people. He should read clearly and with understanding, and the congregation should attend to the reading with the deepest reverence.” (Westminster Directory for the Publick Worship of (Ch II, A, 2)

For further reading on this topic, here is a helpful article entitled, “Who is Permitted to Read the Word Publicly to the Congregation in the PCA?” at the Gospel Reformation Network.

WLC 157  How is the word of God to be read?
A. The holy scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them; with a firm persuasion that they are the very word of God, and that he only can enable us to understand them; with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed in them; with diligence, and attention to the matter and scope of them; with meditation, application, self-denial, and prayer.

Having established who ought to read the Word of God in particular setting, we turn now to how the Word of God ought to be read. We may summarize the teaching of this question and answer in this way: the Word of God ought to be read in three ways: (1) with proper reverence and humility (Psalm 19:9-10; 2 Peter 1:19); (2) with desire and diligence (Acts 17:10-11); and with the proper practices of meditation, application, self-denial, and prayer (Psalm 1:1-2; Proverbs 3:5-6).

Conclusion

In a day when we have a proliferation of copies of the Bible, it may become easy to take for granted the privilege that we have in reading God’s Word by ourselves, in our families, and in our corporate worship. The WLC reminds us of the great gift and blessing of being able to hear directly from the Lord in His Word. We are reminded of the diligence with which we ought to read, study, and submit to the Lord in His Word. And, we are remined of the longing with which we ought to pursue the Lord in His Word (1 Peter 2:2).

I hope you will join us on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am in our continuing study of the Westminster Larger Catechism!

The Lord be with you!
Pastor Peter M. Dietsch