TEXT!

Many a happy hour I have spent in this building—Aberdeen University’s Special Libraries and Archives. This is a fascinating place! A collection of over 4,000 manuscripts and archives, dating from antiquity to the 21st century: an outstanding collection of medieval and early modern texts, relating to science, medicine, philosophy, as well as an important gathering of ancient oriental specimens, papyri, and ostraca (broken pots with writing on them). The University itself, dating from the late 1400s, generated a significant number of those documents.

It was indeed a delightful experience to pore through ancient books on preaching, at least one of which made it into my thesis. A book by John Wilkins (1651) with the most impressive title: ECCLESIASTES, or A discourse concerning the Gift of PREACHING As it fals under the Rules of Art: Shewing The most proper Rules and Directions, for Method, Invention, Books, Expressions, whereby a Minister may be furnished with such abilities as may make him a Workman that needs not to be ashamed. Very seasonable for these Times, wherein the Harvest is great, and the skilful Labourers but few.

Repository for posterity. Texts are particularly suited for the purpose of preservation that those in the future may profit thereby. Unlike speech, for which the hearer has to be in physical proximity of the speaker—within earshot—texts can move. Across space, across time. The mobility of texts enable them to speak to any and to all who volunteer to read.

No wonder God chose to work among His people primarily through a text. Though the Word—the ultimate revelation of God—is the Son, Jesus Christ, in whom dwells the fullness of deity, we see this incarnate Word only through the inscripturated Word, the Bible.

The Bible. The Text. Written, archived, disseminated. Under the governance of the Spirit. Read, preached, applied. Under the governance of the Spirit.

It is no surprise, then, that the Bible itself affirms the validity of its content for all generations.

These words, which
I am commanding you today,
shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently
to your sons
and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house
and when you walk by the way
and when you lie down a
nd when you rise up.
Deuteronomy 6:6–7

For whatever was written
in earlier times
was written for our instruction ….
Romans 15:4

Indeed, the entire ancient text of the Scriptures is archived for our gain.

All Scripture is inspired by God
and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness;
so that the (wo)man of God
may be adequate,
equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16–17

Earnestly must we read this text. Diligently must we heed this text. For in it are the words of life.

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.
Philip P. Bliss, 1874

May this text be our focus, our lamp, our delight. For its contents …

They are more desirable
than gold, yes,
than much fine gold.
Sweeter also than honey
and the drippings
of the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:10

Practical. Prescriptive. Priceless. Potent. Protective. Purifying. Only this Text. And, of course, providential. From the hand of God. Only this Text.

So, this week, don’t forget to pay attention to that sermon from this sublime Text. (And thank your pastor for his hard work!)