QT: Delegated teaching to reach all Nehemiah8:7–8 Week 31: 28/07/2023. Fri
Delegated teaching to reach all
https://www.esv.org/Nehemiah8:7–8
Week 31: 28/07/2023. Fri
Chefs know that nutrition is not a one-time activity. We saw yesterday that the ultimate response to God's Word was worship in humility and obedience. This is also not a one-time process. It involves more than one person Ezra, and more than a once and for all solo jab.
Nehemiah 8:7–8 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. [8] They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. (ESV)
While others stood next to Ezra while he read from the book, the above 13 Levites helped the people understand. In the square facing the Water Gate where they gathered, these 13 persons could probably reach all the worshippers without them moving. There was a cultural gap between the text and the audience's 70 years immersed in Babylonian culture.
Be they "translators" or "interpreters", these 13 people were delegated to give the "sense" to the text, possibly (1) Translating from Hebrew to Aramaic, their familiar language (2) Reading the text, "What does it say?" (3) What does it mean to Moses then? (4) How should we live it out today?
REFLECTION: Are you aware that you are by default, "teacher" to someone already? That person might be closely related, or you are possibly the last link to God's kingdom and word? Have we put in effort to learn "the sense" of the text and live it out together with others in the community that God had placed you in to belong?
