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Appropriateness of Secular Examples in Biblical Sermons

The use of secular examples in biblical sermons can be understood through the broader theological principle of drawing parallels between divine truths and human experience, a practice evident in biblical texts and theological traditions. The Bible itself employs various forms of illustration, such as parables, which are comparisons or similitudes used to explain one subject by another [5].

Jesus frequently used parables drawn from everyday life to convey spiritual truths, such as the parable of the sower or the prodigal son. This method of teaching illustrates a divine precedent for connecting abstract spiritual concepts with concrete, relatable experiences. The Apostle Paul, too, adapted his communication style to his audience, becoming "all things to all people" to win some for Christ (1 Corinthians 9:22). While this does not explicitly endorse secular examples, it suggests a flexibility in presentation aimed at effective communication.

Theological traditions have long recognized the value of illustration in conveying biblical messages. John Calvin, for instance, in his commentaries, frequently explains biblical passages by drawing on common human experiences or historical events to clarify their meaning [10, 11]. Similarly, John Gill, a Baptist commentator, often contextualizes biblical teachings by referencing contemporary understanding or historical background to make the text more accessible [9, 13, 14, 15]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, emphasizes that the "testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed," suggesting that the message's inherent power transcends the specific rhetorical devices used to deliver it [12].

The concept of "example" is prevalent throughout biblical teaching. Christ himself is presented as an example in various virtues, such as sincerity (1 Peter 2:22), meekness (Matthew 11:29; 1 Peter 2:21-23), intercessory prayer (Luke 22:32; John 17:9-24), mercy (Luke 6:36), and early rising for devotion (Mark 1:35; John 8:2) [1, 2, 3, 6, 7]. Ministers are also exhorted to be examples (Titus 2:7), and believers are encouraged to exhibit virtues like meekness and sincerity in their conduct [1, 2]. These examples, whether divine or human, serve as models for behavior and understanding.

The use of secular examples can be seen as an extension of this principle, providing contemporary illustrations that resonate with the audience's lived experience. Just as ancient parables drew from agrarian life or social dynamics familiar to their hearers, modern sermons might draw from current events, literature, or popular culture to illuminate biblical principles. The key is that these examples serve to clarify and reinforce the biblical message, rather than overshadowing or distorting it.

Historical figures like Josephus, while not directly addressing sermon methodology, demonstrate an awareness of how different cultural and philosophical contexts can influence the interpretation and presentation of religious ideas. Josephus, for example, was noted for fitting the description of the tabernacle and its vessels to "Gentile philosophical notions," indicating an effort to make Jewish traditions understandable to a broader audience [8]. He also noted how the apostles or Clement explained the necessity of Christ's coming by referencing historical events like the Flood and the burning of Sodom, which served as "signs of the most amazing impenitence and insensibility" [4]. This shows an ancient precedent for using widely known events, even those outside direct religious ritual, to underscore theological points.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sincerity — Christ was an example of -- 1Pe 2:22. Ministers should be examples of -- Tit 2:7. Opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Should characterise Our love to God. -- 2Co 8:8,24. Our love to Christ. -- Eph 6:24. Our service to God. -- Jos 24:14; Joh 4:23,24. Our faith. -- 1Ti 1:5. Our love to one another. -- Ro 12:9; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jo 3:18. Our whole conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. The preaching of the gospel. -- 2Co 2:17; 1Th 2:3-5. A characteristic of the doctrines of the gospel -- 1Pe 2:2. The gospel sometimes preached without -- Php 1:16. The wicked devoid of -- Ps 5:9; ”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Meekness — Christ set an example of -- Ps 45:4; Isa 53:7; Mt 11:29; 21:5; 2Co 10:1; 1Pe 2:21-23. His teaching -- Mt 5:38-45. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22,23. Saints should Seek. -- Zep 2:3. Put on. -- Col 3:12-13. Receive the word of God with. -- Jas 1:21. Exhibit, in conduct, &c. -- Jas 3:13. Answer for their hope with. -- 1Pe 3:15. Show to all men. -- Tit 3:2. Restore the erring with. -- Ga 6:1. Precious in the sight of God -- 1Pe 3:4. Ministers should Follow after. -- 1Ti 6:11. Instruct opposers with. -- 2Ti 2:24,25. Urge, on their people. -- Tit 3:1,2. A char”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Intercessory — Christ set an example of -- Lu 22:32; 23:34; Joh 17:9-24. Commanded -- 1Ti 2:1; Jas 5:14,16. Should be offered up for Kings. -- 1Ti 2:2. All in authority. -- 1Ti 2:2. Ministers. -- 2Co 1:11; Php 1:19. The Church. -- Ps 122:6; Isa 62:6,7. All saints. -- Eph 6:18. All men. -- 1Ti 2:1. Masters. -- Ge 24:12-14. Servants. -- Lu 7:2,3. Children. -- Ge 17:18; Mt 15:22. Friends. -- Job 42:8. Fellow-countrymen. -- Ro 10:1. The sick. -- Jas 5:14. Persecutors. -- Mt 5:44. Enemies among whom we dwell. -- Jer 29:7. Those who envy us. -- Nu 12:13. Those who ”
  4. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 31: the apostles, or their amanuensis Clement, gave this reason for the necessity of the coming of Christ, that "men had formerly perverted both the positive law, and that of nature; and had cast out of their mind the memory of the Flood, the burning of Sodom, the plagues of the Egyptians, and the slaughter of the inhabitants of Palestine," as signs of the most amazing impenitence and insensibility, under the punishments of horrid wickedness.] 15 (return) [ Josephus here, in this one sentence, sums up his notion of Moses's very long”
  5. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another.--McClintock and Strong. As used in the New Testament it had a very wide application, being applied sometimes to the shortest proverbs, (1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20) sometimes to dark prophetic utterances, (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3; Ezekiel 20:49) sometimes to enigmatic maxims, (Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) or metaphors expand”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Mercy — After the example of God -- Lu 6:36. Enjoined -- 2Ki 6:21-23; Ho 12:6; Ro 12:20,21; Col 3:12. To be engraved on the heart -- Pr 3:3. Characteristic of saints -- Ps 37:26; Isa 57:1. Should be shown With cheerfulness. -- Ro 12:8. To our brethren. -- Zec 7:9. to those that are in distress. -- Lu 10:37. To the poor. -- Pr 14:31; Da 4:27. To backsliders. -- Lu 15:18-20; 2Co 2:6-8. To animals. -- Pr 12:10. Upholds the throne of kings -- Pr 20:28. Beneficial to those who exercise -- Pr 11:17. Blessedness of showing -- Pr 14:21; Mt 5:7. Hypocrites devoid of -- Mt 23:”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Early Rising — Christ set an example of -- Mr 1:35; Lu 21:38; Joh 8:2. Requisite for Devotion. -- Ps 5:3; 59:16; 63:1; 88:13; Isa 26:9. Executing God's commands. -- Ge 22:3. Discharge of daily duties. -- Pr 31:15. Neglect of, leads to poverty -- Pr 6:9-11. Practised by the wicked, for Deceit. -- Pr 27:14. Executing plans of evil. -- Mic 2:1. Illustrates spiritual diligence -- Ro 13:11,12. Exemplified Abraham. -- Ge 19:27. Isaac, &c. -- Ge 26:31. Jacob. -- Ge 28:18. Joshua &c. -- Jos 3:1. Gideon. -- Jdj 6:38. Samuel. -- 1Sa 15:12. David. -- 1Sa 17:20. Mary, &c. -- Mr ”
  8. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 15, section 7: tabernacle and its vessels, with the garments of the high priest, is taken out of Philo, and fitted to Gentile philosophical notions. This may possibly be forgiven in Jews, greatly versed in heathen learning and philosophy, as Philo had ever been, and as Josephus had long been when he wrote these Antiquities. In the mean time, it is not to be doubted, but in their education they must have both learned more Jewish interpretations, such as we meet with in the Epistle of Barnabas, in that to the Hebrews, and elsewhere among the old”
  9. Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 1:12: I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. Solomon having given a general proof of the vanity of all things here below, and of the insufficiency of them to make men happy, proceeds to particular instances, and begins with human wisdom and knowledge, which of all things might be thought to be most conducive to true happiness; and yet it falls short of it: he instances in himself for proof of it; and he could not have pitched on anyone more proper and pertinent to the purpose, who had all the advantages of obtaining wisdom, was assiduous in his pursuit of i”
  10. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 28.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:1-6 1:1-31 1:2 1:28 1:29-30 2:1 2:1-25 2:15 2:19 3:1 3:1-24 3:7 3:16 4:1 4:1-26 4:7 5:1 5:1-32 6:1 6:1-22 6:11-16 7:1-24 7:11 8:1-22 9:1 9:1 9:1-29 9:2 9:24 10 10:1 10:1 10:1-32 10:21 11:1 11:1 11:1-32 11:28 12:1 12:1 12:1 12:1-20 12:4 12:4 12:6 13:1 13:1-20 14:1-24 15:1-21 15:7 16:1-16 16:2 16:8 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1-27 18:1 18:1 18:1-33 18:19 19:1-38 20:1 20:1 20:1-18 21:1-34 21:15 22:1-24 22:18 23:1-20 24:31 25:1 25:13-16 35:7 48:1 Exodus 6:3 12:40 Leviticus 7:18 17:4 18:25 Numbers 6:2”
  11. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 8.3: event could have occurred which would have been more gladly hailed by the Jews. Lest those successful beginnings should make them wanton, he foretells that this aid will be of short duration, because both the Ethiopians and the Egyptians will soon be most disgracefully vanquished. 2. Go and loose the sackcloth from thy loins. In order to confirm this prophecy by the use of a symbol, the Lord commanded Isaiah to walk naked. If Isaiah had done this of his own accord, he would have been justly ridiculed; but when he does it by the command of the ”
  12. 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 2:1: When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, Co1 1:17. I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed. See the Introduction, Section 2.”
  13. Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 25:2: Speak unto the children of Israel,.... That is, when he should go down from the mountain to the camp: that they bring me an offering; the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call it a "separation": something separated from their substance, and devoted to the service of God, and for the use of the sanctuary afterwards to be built: of every man that giveth it willingly, with his heart, ye shall take my offering; or take what was offered to him, be it more or less, and of whatsoever person, high and low, rich and poor, so be it it is freely given from the heart; not grud”
  14. 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first, they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject m”
  15. Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 5:12: For everyone that useth milk,.... And sits down contented with the first principles of the Gospel, such as are easily taken in and digested; or makes use of the ceremonial law, as a schoolmaster to teach him the Gospel: is unskilful in the word of righteousness; the Gospel, which is a doctrine of righteousness; not of works of righteousness done by men, and of justification by them, or of a man's own righteousness; but of the pure, perfect, and everlasting righteousness of Christ: and it is called so, because it is the means of stripping a man of his own righteousn”
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