“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
The term “rightly divide” finds its origin in an ancient Greek word that means “cut it straight.” One source offers an in-depth exposition of this important term…
“The meaning of the word has to do with cutting a straight path toward a goal, as, for example, cutting a road through the woods. In this reference it can be interpreted with the ‘word of truth’ either functioning as the grammatical goal object or as the means of reaching that goal.
Depending upon the interpretation chosen, the phrase will mean either ‘cutting straight through to the word of truth’ or ‘using the word of truth to cut straight through’ to the minds and hearts of the people for whom Timothy is responsible. Again, the single Greek word carries much more information than can be represented by a single English word.” (1)
Another commentator draws our attention to the relationship of this word to various trades…
“(This is) a reference to the exactness demanded by such trades as carpentry, masonry, and Paul’s trade of leather working and tentmaking. Precision and accuracy are required in biblical interpretation, beyond all other enterprises, because the interpreter is handling God’s Word. Anything less is shameful.” (2)
In light of these things, 2 Timothy 2:15 has important implications for us today. Perhaps the most important implication involves the need to seek out a local church where the spiritual leadership is committed to expository Biblical teaching. For example, a church that studies through each Biblical book (as opposed to a weekly sermon topic that features a few supporting verses from the Scriptures) is a church that will discuss every subject contained within God’s Word in the order and frequency that each subject occurs.
This approach offers several important benefits…
- It helps minimize the potential for doctrinal errors.
- It allows us to become better informed on a variety of Biblical topics.
- It helps identify teachers and leaders who take Biblical verses out of context.
A church that communicates the Scriptures in this manner is one that is most likely to “rightly divide the word of truth.“ As we’re reminded in the New Testament book of Hebrews…
“…the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).
(1) Philip W. Comfort, Ph.D., The Origin Of The Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Copyright© 2000 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc [pg 245-246]
(2) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Ti 2:15). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.