BOOK SUMMARY: PREPARING SERMONS FROM THE PAGE TO THE PULPIT: EXEGESIS TO EXPOSITION IN SEVEN STEPS - CHAPTER 2 - KEEPING IT TOGETHER: DETERMINING THE OUTER LIMITS

 

Psalm 14 states, "There is no God." Is that what the text means? No. In context we see that this is what the fool says. The reading of the whole verse dramatically changes our understanding. It's vital to know when a complete unit of thought starts and ends in Scripture. (My note: Simply identifying a complete unit of text does not guarantee you'll arrive at proper exposition as it relates to Christ. But identifying proper boundaries helps to ensure that you're moving in the right contextual direction.) So how do we figure out the upper and lower part of textual boundaries? These several ways are helpful:

 

CONTENT AS A BOUNDARY MARKER

The passage of interest is different from the verses around it and reads like a self-contained unit of thought. Philippians 1:1-30 could be preached as a whole unit. But it could also be broken down into smaller coherent subunits:

• Philippians 1:1-2
• Philippians 1:3-8
• Philippians 1:9-11
• Philippians 1:12-26
• Philippians 1:27-30

 

INCLUSIO AS A BOUNDARY MARKER

Inclusio is an effective communication device where the first and last verses of a unit are conceptually or linguistically parallel to each other. For example, the complete passage of Genesis chapter 1 actually rolls over into chapter 2. Here we see two boundary markers designating this entire section as one unit. Of course, it can be subdivided but textually there's a bigger cohesive unit which contains smaller subunits within.

• Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
• Genesis 2:4a These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created

 

CATCHWORDS AS BOUNDARY MARKERS

Words like therefore, and, but, now or then can signal a new unit of thought. That doesn't mean the previous unit is necessarily disconnected, but it does signal a shift cuing you into the author's intent to start a new thought (possibly related).

 

VOCATIVE CASES AS A BOUNDARY MARKER

(MY NOTE: The author doesn't explain what vocative means and assumes the reader understand Greek. Vocative comes from the Latin word vocare--which means call. It refers to when you are calling out to someone or directly addressing them. Non-vocative is when you are speaking about someone as opposed to speaking to someone. The vocative case highlights relationship, emotion, clarifies who is being spoken to and sometimes signals a shift in tone.)

 

Ephesians 5:15-25 has a couple of vocative cases that signal complete units of thought which can be preached as subunits of a larger text. That means you can preach one sermon with subpoints relating to these vocative cases or you can preach separate sermons and let them stand alone, while still connecting surround passages for larger context.

• Ephesians 5:22  Wives (vocative/direct address)
• Ephesians 5:25  Husbands (vocative/direct address)

 

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS AS BOUNDARY MARKERS

Romans 6 shows Paul's use of rhetorical questions which subdivides a larger unit of text and thought as it relates to the justifying and saving grace of Christ.

• Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning that grace may increase?
• Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?

 

CONCLUSION

With boundaries of the passage established, the next step in sermon-writing is to examine the neighboring textual-literary context. This helps to see how the text is affected by its surroundings. (MY NOTE: I've often referred to this a zooming in and zooming out. Look at the pollen under a microscope, but then back away to see the whole flower so that you know what you're actually looking at.)