Using Non-Scriptural Examples in Preaching and Teaching
Using Non-Scriptural Examples in Preaching and Teaching
The use of non-scriptural examples in preaching and teaching is a common practice among Christian ministers and educators. According to 1 Corinthians 2:4, Paul's preaching was not with "persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power" [1]. This suggests that the early Christian preachers relied on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than human eloquence to convey their message.
The Bible itself provides examples of using non-scriptural illustrations to convey spiritual truths. Jesus often used parables, which were drawn from everyday life, to teach spiritual lessons [5]. For instance, the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23) and the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) are examples of using non-scriptural stories to illustrate spiritual truths.
In the New Testament, Paul also used non-scriptural examples to illustrate his points. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul uses the example of an athlete training for a competition to illustrate the importance of self-discipline in the Christian life. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 3:3, Paul compares the Corinthian believers to a letter written by Christ, highlighting the transformative power of the Gospel [4].
The use of non-scriptural examples in preaching and teaching is not limited to the New Testament. The Old Testament wisdom literature, such as Proverbs, often uses everyday observations and experiences to convey moral and spiritual lessons. For example, Proverbs 30:8 uses the example of a person being given just enough food to illustrate the importance of contentment [6].
Some Christian traditions interpret the use of non-scriptural examples as a way to make the Gospel more relatable and accessible to a wider audience. According to Adam Clarke, a Methodist/Wesleyan commentator, Paul's preaching was not characterized by "human eloquence" but by the "testimony concerning Christ and his salvation" [7]. This suggests that the use of non-scriptural examples can be a way to communicate the Gospel in a way that is both faithful to the biblical text and relevant to the cultural context.
However, other traditions caution against relying too heavily on non-scriptural examples, emphasizing the importance of grounding one's teaching in Scripture. According to Torrey's Topical Textbook, ministers should be examples to their flock, and their teaching should be characterized by sincerity and a commitment to the Word of God [2, 3].
Sources
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 2:4 (BSB) — My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,”
- I Peter “I Peter 5:3 (Webster) — Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being examples to the flock.”
- 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; ”
- II Corinthians “II Corinthians 3:3 (Darby) — being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] livingGod; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart.”
- 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”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
- 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.”