Encouraging Listeners to Seek Scripture for Themselves
The Bible consistently emphasizes the importance of listening to God's word, urging individuals to seek and understand Scripture for themselves. This theme is evident from the Old Testament calls to "incline your ears to the words of my mouth" [1] to New Testament exhortations to hear the voice of Christ [7, 10].
The concept of hearing God's word is foundational. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the Lord God giving "the tongue of disciples" to sustain the weary and awakening the ear "to listen as a disciple" [2]. This suggests an active, receptive posture toward divine instruction. Similarly, Psalm 78:1 begins with a direct appeal: "Listen, O my people, to my teaching" [1]. Matthew Henry interprets this as a call from the psalmist, acting as a "secretary of state" for David, to the people under his charge to heed his instruction, which he calls "his law" [9]. This highlights the authoritative nature of the teaching being presented.
Jesus himself frequently used the phrase, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" [3], underscoring the necessity of spiritual receptivity to his teachings. This is not merely passive hearing but an active engagement with the message. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 10:17, articulates the direct link between hearing and faith: "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" [6]. John Gill explains that "hearing" here refers to the preaching of the Gospel, which God uses as a means to convey faith [6]. one tradition notes that some manuscripts and versions specify "the word of Christ," indicating that the holy Scriptures, with God as their author and Christ as their subject, are the source of this hearing [6].
The New Testament further reinforces this emphasis on personal engagement with Scripture. In 1 Timothy 4:13, Paul instructs Timothy to give attention to "reading," particularly in public congregations [5]. This practice of reading Scripture, transferred from the Jewish synagogue to the Christian Church, included both Old Testament texts and the newly written Gospels and Epistles, which were recognized as inspired [5]. The early church thus continued the tradition of public and presumably private engagement with the sacred texts.
The call to hear and obey the voice of Wisdom is central to the book of Proverbs. Matthew Henry notes that the purpose of Wisdom's discourse is not merely to fill heads with speculation but "to rectify what is amiss in our hearts and lives" [7]. This requires an "entire subjection to the laws of religion" and discerning "the voice of Christ" in the word of God [7]. James 1:19 encourages believers to "be swift to hear," not just anything, but "wholesome advice, good instructions, and the gracious experiences of the saints, and, above all, the word of God" [8]. This implies a proactive pursuit of God's word, making haste to attend to it and receive it [8].
The accessibility of God's word and the ability to understand it are also affirmed. Isaiah 30:21 promises that the people's "own ears will hear and follow God’s instructions" [11]. This suggests an internal capacity, divinely enabled, to comprehend and respond to divine guidance. The Scriptures are described as "given by inspiration of God" and "by inspiration of the Holy Spirit" [4], making them the authoritative "word of God" [4]. Christ himself sanctioned the Scriptures by appealing to them and teaching from them [4].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 78:1 (LEB) — Listen, O my people, to my teaching. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.”
- Isaiah “Isaiah 50:4 (NASB) — The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.”
- Mark “Si quis habet aures audiendi, audiat. -- Mark 4:23”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
- 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 4:13: Till I come--when Timothy's commission would be superseded for the time by the presence of the apostle himself (Ti1 1:3; Ti1 3:14). reading--especially in the public congregation. The practice of reading Scripture was transferred from the Jewish synagogue to the Christian Church (Luk 4:16-20; Act 13:15; Act 15:21; Co2 3:14). The New Testament Gospel and Epistles being recognized as inspired by those who had the gift of discerning spirits, were from the first, according as they were written, read along with the Old Testament in the Church (Th1 5:21”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 10:17: So then faith comes by hearing,.... That is, by preaching; for the word hearing is used in the same sense as in the preceding verse; and designs the report of the Gospel, or the preaching of the word, which is the means God makes use of, to convey faith into the hearts of his people; for preachers are ministers, or instruments, by whom others believe: and hearing by the word of God; or "of Christ", as some copies read, and so do the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions; and intends either the holy Scriptures, which have God for their author, and Christ for the subje”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 8:32: We have here the application of Wisdom's discourse; the design and tendency of it is to bring us all into an entire subjection to the laws of religion, to make us wise and good, not to fill our heads with speculations, or our tongues with disputes, but to rectify what is amiss in our hearts and lives. In order to this, here is, I. An exhortation to hear and obey the voice of Wisdom, to attend and comply with the good instructions that the word of God gives us, and in them to discern the voice of Christ, as the sheep know the shepherd's voice. 1. We must be dilig”
- James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 1:19: Wherefore, my beloved brethren,.... Since the Gospel, the word of truth, is the means and instrument which God makes use of in regeneration, and in forming people for himself: let every man be swift to hear; not anything; not idle and unprofitable talk, or filthy and corrupt communication; but wholesome advice, good instructions, and the gracious experiences of the saints, and, above all, the word of God; to the hearing of which men should fly, as doves to their windows; should make haste, and be early in their attendance on it, as well, as constant; and receive it w”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 78:1: These verses, which contain the preface to this history, show that the psalm answers the title; it is indeed Maschil - a psalm to give instruction; if we receive not the instruction it gives, it is our own fault. Here, I. The psalmist demands attention to what he wrote (Psa 78:1): Give ear, O my people! to my law. Some make these the psalmist's words. David, as a king, or Asaph, in his name, as his secretary of state, or scribe to the sweet singer of Israel, here calls upon the people, as his people committed to his charge, to give ear to his law. He calls his ins”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 95:7: The latter part of this psalm, which begins in the middle of a verse, is an exhortation to those who sing gospel psalms to live gospel lives, and to hear the voice of God's word; otherwise, how can they expect that he should hear the voice of their prayers and praises? Observe, I. The duty required of all those that are the people of Christ's pasture and the sheep of his hand. He expects that they hear his voice, for he has said, My sheep hear my voice, Joh 10:27. We are his people, say they. Are you so? Then hear his voice. If you call him Master, or Lord, then d”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 30:21: 30:21 The people’s own ears will hear and follow God’s instructions (see 6:9-10; 29:18; 35:5).”