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Paying Attention to the
Details
Victor M. Eskew
The Bible contains the thoughts
of God expressed in words (I Cor. 2:9-13).
A study of this divine Book is both rich and rewarding. Sometimes the thoughts of God are easily
attained. A simple reading of the
text brings the meaning to life. At
other times, however, Bible study involves paying attention to the details. Details can bother some people. They argue that God would never give us
a book that requires one to examine minute matters. This, however, is not the case. Every word, according to Christ, is
important (Matt. 4:4). In fact,
Jesus even spoke of the jots and tittles contained in Holy Writ. “For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18).
As one studies
God’s Word, he will find that some
points are made based upon a verb tense, one word, or even one letter. Let’s look at three different
examples of this. During His
earthly ministry, Jesus was confronted by a sect of Jews called the
Sadducees. These Jews did not
believe in angels, spirits, or the resurrection from the dead. This sect set forth one of their best
arguments before our Lord. When
Jesus countered their argument, He did so based upon a verb tense found in a
statement God had made in the Old Testament. Jesus said: “But as touching the
resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by
God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob? God is not the God of the
dead, but of the living” (Matt. 22:31-32). The argument is based upon the tense of
the verb God used. God said: “I am” the God of Abraham… The verb, “am,” is present tense. At the moment God spoke the words, He
was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
These patriarchs were dead, but they lived. Their spirits lived within the hadean
realm. Jesus told those Jews that
if they had properly read Exodus 3:6, they would have known this. In essence, God expected them to pay
attention to the details.
In John 21, we learn
that a rumor was started about John because individuals failed to pay attention
to one word spoken by Jesus. Jesus
had foretold the details about Peter’s death (John 21:18-19). This piqued Peter curiosity about
John’s death. “Peter seeing him saith to
Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?” (John 21:21). This should not have been a concern to
Peter. Jesus, therefore, said unto
him: “If I will that he tarry till I
come, what is that to thee? Follow
thou me” (John 21:22). From these words a rumor developed
around John that he would not die until Christ returned. The rumor was wrong, however, because it
failed to take into account one word which Jesus had said. Listen to John 21:23. “Then went this saying abroad
among the brethren that the disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall
not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to
thee?” Jesus began His words with the word
“if.” This word was ignored and a false rumor
developed about the Lord’s apostle. Details like one word, “if,” can be of grave
importance.
The last example which
we will discuss is found in Galatians 3.
Paul was writing about the seed promise given to Abraham. He noted that the promise was fulfilled
in one man, Jesus Christ. Paul knew
this because the promise was given in the singular, not the plural. In essence, one letter made the
difference. In Galatians 3:16, Paul
writes: “Now to Abraham and his seed
were the promises made. He saith
not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is
Christ.”
God’s words are the words recorded in the Bible. It is He who has chosen the manner in which they have been revealed. Sometimes He asks us to pay attention to the details. As a student of the Word, one must accept this fact. Interesting and rich nuggets of truth are often found within the details of God’s holy and divine Word. Let’s mine them with diligence and enthusiasm.
