Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15)

In some Bible translations the word, “study,” is translated, “be diligent.” Taken together it means, “be diligent in your study,” showing yourself approved unto God. The Bible says, “Much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) Studying the scriptures diligently is hard work.

One man said, “The first thing a serious preacher or teacher of the Word of God needs to purchase is a log chain with which to chain himself to his chair at his desk so he will give diligence to the study of the Bible.” Avoid the temptation to be jumping around like a cricket from one thing to another to the neglect of studying the Scriptures.

The late scholar, C. I. Scofield reminds us that the Word can be “wrongly” divided is the reason the instruction to “rightly divide” the Word is there. So we must “dig in” to rightly divide it.

To “rightly divide” is like the carpenter who measures and marks a piece of wood then makes a precise cut. The mechanic overhauling an engine may plane the cylinder heads of the engine by thousandths of an inch. That’s precision. The Word must be studied, measured and rightly divided or else it may be wrongly divided to the eternal ruin of a precious soul.