More than Words
- Gary Fritsch
- Apr 2
- 2 min read
The letter to the Hebrews tells us: "Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart." We must always remember that the Word of God is Jesus Christ incarnate. He is God's chosen mediator, His means of communication to humanity.
So scripture is never just ink arranged on a page. It's meaning and its power extend far beyond what could ever be captured in a mere book. The very second that we scribe a single word in an attempt to capture the essence of the ineffable God, we fall short of His Glory. It like trying to describe a sunset to someone born blind, or a symphony to someone who has always been deaf. Our excitement and effort in trying to describe them would likely make the recipient desirous of experiencing these things, maybe even make them dream of it often, but we certainly could not fully capture it no matter how eloquently we are able to express what WE have experienced.
This is why Jesus, in speaking to the Jews (those in authority who are seeking to stone Him) refers to things beyond words. He talks about the works that He does because witnessing these things firsthand stirs the heart in a way that words on a page cannot. He points out that they lean on the words of Moses, but they don't see that Moses speaks of Jesus because they are caught up in the 'letters on the page'.
Don't get me wrong, exploring the meaning or words and language used in scripture is powerful and meaningful, but we always have to remember that this is merely a hair on the trunk of an elephant. Like one of those super magnified pictures that make it almost impossible to imagine the whole thing. This is why Scripture should always be considered in the context of all of Scripture - so that we can piece together these micro views to understand the fuller picture.
More importantly, we must consider that Scripture is intended to be accompanied by a life that is modeled after Jesus Christ. This is the job of the Church - to hand down from generation to generation not just a book, but a way of life, that when lived with humility and devotion begins to look a little like the life of Jesus. When many lives lived in this way are put together, miraculous things happen. The Church has survived many difficulties and even the scandalous behavior of some of its members and leaders, not because we carry and study a book, but because the majority are allowing their lives to be shaped and affected by The Word and they therefore become the testimony that Jesus speaks of today.
Is your life a testimony in some way? If it is, that is likely the great joy of your every day. If it's not yet, ask Jesus for it. Tell Him you desire it. Ask Him to help you 'see' the sunset through His Word, not to totally comprehend it, but to desire to someday see the fullness of it.
Komentarze