Avoiding Unbiblical Illustrations in Teaching and Preaching
Scripture warns against "profane and old wives' fables" in teaching [4], a category that extends beyond ancient myths to include any illustration or narrative device that distorts biblical truth or distracts from sound doctrine. Paul instructs Timothy to "refuse profane and old wives' fables" and instead "exercise thyself rather unto godliness" [1, 4], establishing a clear priority: teaching must build up faith, not entertain with foolish stories.
The Biblical Standard for Teaching
The apostolic pattern emphasizes substance over novelty. Paul warns against "teachings manifold and strange" [2] and instructs believers not to give heed to "stories and endless genealogies" that "bring arguings, rather than that stewardship of God which is with faith" [3]. John Gill notes that such content is "foolish and impertinent" and should be "rejected with abhorrence and contempt" when compared to "the words of faith and good doctrine" [4]. The criterion is utility: does the illustration edify, or does it merely provoke curiosity?
Matthew Henry observes that teachers must "shun" idle and foolish enquiries "tending neither to God's glory nor the edification of the people" [5]. This principle applies directly to illustrations. An unbiblical illustration—one that contradicts Scripture, trivializes sacred truth, or imports worldly wisdom—functions as "vain babbling," which John Gill describes as "a sound of words, but no solid matter in them; great swelling words of vanity, like large bubbles of water" [7]. Such content is "unprofitable and unedifying" and may even be "profane, contrary to the nature and perfections of God" [7].
Guarding Against Distortion
False teaching often enters through seemingly harmless vehicles. Paul warns the Colossians to beware lest anyone "spoil you" by robbing them of gospel truth and stripping them of spiritual armor [8]. An illustration that misrepresents God's character, imports pagan concepts, or subtly undermines biblical authority performs this very function. Teachers must avoid content that, however engaging, leads hearers away from the "stewardship of God which is with faith" [3].
The corrective is straightforward: prioritize clarity and fidelity to the text. Paul urges believers to "covet to prophesy"—to teach the way of God to the ignorant—because this is "the most valuable, because the most useful gift of the Spirit" [6]. Illustrations serve the text; they do not replace it.
Sources
- I Timothy “I Timothy 4:7 (BBE) — But have nothing to do with unclean and foolish stories. Give yourself training in religion:”
- Hebrews “Hebrews 13:9 (YLT) — with teachings manifold and strange be not carried about, for <FI>it is<Fi> good that by grace the heart be confirmed, not with meats, in which they who were occupied were not profited;”
- I Timothy “I Timothy 1:4 (Rotherham) — Not to be teaching otherwise, nor yet to be giving heed to stories and endless genealogies,—the which, bring, arguings, rather than that stewardship of God which is with faith;—”
- 1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 4:7: But refuse profane and old wives' fables,.... Either Jewish ones, the traditions of the elders; or those of the Gnostics, concerning God, angels, and the creation of the world; or those doctrines of demons, and which forbad marriage, and commanded abstinence from meats before mentioned; which are called profane, because impious and ungodly, and old wives' fables, because foolish and impertinent; and which were to be rejected with abhorrence and contempt, in comparison of the words of faith and good doctrine. And exercise thyself rather unto godliness; either to th”
- Titus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Titus 3:9: Here is the fifth and last thing in the matter of the epistle: what Titus should avoid in teaching; how he should deal with a heretic; with some other directions. Observe, I. That the apostle's meaning might be more clear and full, and especially fitted to the time and state of things in Crete, and the many judaizers among them, he tells Titus what, in teaching, he should shun, Tit 3:9. There are needful questions to be discussed and cleared, such as make for improvement in useful knowledge; but idle and foolish enquiries, tending neither to God's glory nor the edif”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 14:39: Covet to prophesy - Let it be your endeavor and prayer to be able to teach the way of God to the ignorant; this is the most valuable, because the most useful gift of the Spirit. And forbid not to speak with tongues - Let every gift have its own place and operation; let none envy another; nor prevent him from doing that part of the work to which God, by giving the qualification, has evidently called him.”
- 2 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Timothy 2:16: But shun profane and vain babblings,.... The ministry of false teachers is mere babbling; a voice, and nothing else, as the man said of his nightingale; a sound of words, but no solid matter in them; great swelling words of vanity, like large bubbles of water, look big, and make a great noise, but have nothing in them; contain nothing but vain, empty, idle, and trifling stuff; what is unprofitable and unedifying, yea, what is profane, contrary to the nature and perfections of God, and not agreeable to the doctrine which is according to godliness; and being palmed u”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 2:8: Beware lest any man spoil you,.... Or despoil you; rob you of the rich treasure of the Gospel, strip you of your spiritual armour, take away from you the truths and doctrines of Christ, and divest you of your spiritual privileges and blessings; suggesting, that the false teachers were thieves and robbers, and men of prey: or drive and carry you away as spoils, as the innocent harmless sheep are drove, and carried away by wolves, and by the thief that comes to steal, to kill, and destroy; intimating, that such as these were the heretics of those times; wherefore it ”