Begging Exegetes

“We are guilty of arrogance, not merely neglect, when we fail to beg for the Spirit’s help in the study of Scripture. We may even have such arrogance even when we seem to be seeking the Spirit’s aid- I think of those times when in a light-headed tokenism we utter our slap-happy prayer that the Lord would ‘guide and direct us as we study this passage.’ One shudders to think how flippant we are. But how many more times we neglect any overt seeking of the Spirit’s help!…

Deep into our study time the thought occurs to us that we have not looked- nor did we think of looking- to the God who breathed out this Scripture to give us an understanding of the Scripture. He will likely give that understanding through the tools we use, but when we use tools while neglecting Him the tools have become idols…

Yet in our own Scripture work we easily ignore its chief Interpreter. Professionalism rather than piety drives us. We needn’t be surprised at our sterility and poverty if we refuse to be beggars for the Spirit’s help…

We must begin with the Spirit and we must not only begin with him but we must keep returning to him again and again. We always must begin with begging…”

~Dale Ralph Davis, The Word Became Fresh