Communicating Theology in Everyday Language and Examples
Paul's declaration that he would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue [4] establishes a foundational principle for theological communication: clarity serves the church better than eloquence. This priority runs throughout the New Testament's treatment of speech, teaching, and the transmission of doctrine.
The Apostolic Model
The apostles themselves modeled plain communication even when addressing complex theological truths. Paul acknowledged that while he might be "a simple person in speech," he was "not in knowledge," making truth manifest "in all things" to his readers [1]. When he came to the Corinthians, he deliberately avoided "excellency of speech" and the "arts of rhetoric" used by Greek philosophers, recognizing that the gospel's inherent excellence dignifies any language that conveys it [11]. His preaching was not characterized by "persuasive" human wisdom but by demonstration of the Spirit's power [8], leaving no room for rhetorical flourish to compensate for lack of substance.
This approach reflected a strategic choice. Paul argued that speaking in tongues—however spiritually impressive—profits an audience nothing unless accompanied by revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching that hearers can actually understand [3, 9]. The gift of prophecy proves superior to tongues precisely because it is "immediately intelligible and beneficial as a word from God that strengthens, encourages, and comforts those who hear" [12]. The criterion is not the speaker's spiritual sophistication but the hearer's edification.
Compact Formulations
Early Christian teachers developed concise theological statements that could be readily grasped and transmitted. The letters to Timothy and Titus contain what appear to be "adapted bits of creeds, hymns, or prayers that were known to the churches" [7]—compact teachings addressing core doctrines like the one mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5-6). These formulations served dual purposes: they countered false teaching that "undercut the universal appeal of the Good News" while providing memorable summaries of orthodox belief [7]. The practice suggests that theological precision need not require elaborate exposition; sometimes a carefully crafted statement carries doctrine more effectively than extended argument.
The Teacher's Distinct Role
The New Testament distinguishes between prophets, who "communicate to the community a message received directly from God," and teachers, who "address the church on the basis of studying the word of God" [10]. This distinction matters for communication strategy. While prophecy delivers immediate divine revelation, teaching involves explaining, connecting, and applying established truth. Both gifts serve the body, but teaching particularly requires translating studied knowledge into accessible instruction—what Paul calls speaking "with my mind so that I may instruct others" [4].
The Power and Danger of Language
Scripture acknowledges that "the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things," capable of spreading influence like a small fire igniting a large forest [5]. This recognition cuts both ways. Language wields enormous power to build up or tear down, to clarify or obscure. The call to sincerity in preaching the gospel [6] reflects awareness that theological communication can be corrupted—the gospel "sometimes preached without" genuine sincerity [6], and fleshly wisdom can masquerade as spiritual insight [6].
The biblical pattern of example reinforces verbal teaching. Christ provided the supreme example [2, 6], and pastors are called to model truth for their flocks [2], recognizing that lived theology often communicates more persuasively than abstract propositions. The prophets' example of suffering affliction [2] demonstrates that theological truth sometimes requires embodied witness rather than merely verbal explanation.
Augustine's description of sacrament as "the visible word" [13] captures how theological truth often needs concrete expression beyond verbal formulation—words "clothed with outward symbols" that make abstract doctrine tangible and memorable.
Sources
- II Corinthians “II Corinthians 11:6 (Darby) — But if [I am] a simple person in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in everything making [the truth] manifest in all things to you.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Example — Of Christ (1 Pet. 2:21; John 13:15); of pastors to their flocks (Phil. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3); of the Jews as a warning (Heb. 4:11); of the prophets as suffering affliction (James 5:10).”
- 1 Corinthians “But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? -- 1 Corinthians 14:6”
- 1 Corinthians “1 Corinthians 14:19 (NASB) — however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.”
- James “So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! -- James 3:5”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sincerity — Christ was an example of -- 1Pe 2:22. Ministers should be examples of -- Tit 2:7. Opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Should characterise Our love to God. -- 2Co 8:8,24. Our love to Christ. -- Eph 6:24. Our service to God. -- Jos 24:14; Joh 4:23,24. Our faith. -- 1Ti 1:5. Our love to one another. -- Ro 12:9; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jo 3:18. Our whole conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. The preaching of the gospel. -- 2Co 2:17; 1Th 2:3-5. A characteristic of the doctrines of the gospel -- 1Pe 2:2. The gospel sometimes preached without -- Php 1:16. The wicked devoid of -- Ps 5:9; ”
- 1 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Timothy 2:5: 2:5-6 Compact teachings, as in this passage, occur throughout the letters to Timothy and Titus (see also 1 Tim 3:16; 2 Tim 1:9-10; 2:8, 11-13; Titus 3:4-7). They might be adapted bits of creeds, hymns, or prayers that were known to the churches. The doctrines referenced probably relate to Paul’s trouble with the false teachers; it appears that their teaching undercut the universal appeal of the Good News and the effectiveness of the Gentile mission. The false teachers also had a deficient understanding of Jesus and his salvation. 2:5 There is one God and therefo”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:4: my speech--in private. preaching--in public [BENGEL]. ALFORD explains it, My discourse on doctrines, and my preaching or announcement of facts. enticing--rather, "persuasive." man's wisdom--man's is omitted in the oldest authorities. Still "wisdom" does refer to "man's" wisdom. in demonstration of . . . Spirit, &c.--Persuasion is man's means of moving his fellow man. God's means is demonstration, leaving no doubt, and inspiring implicit faith, by the powerful working of the Spirit (then exhibited both outwardly by miracles, and inwardly b”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 14:6: Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues,.... The apostle exemplifies this matter in himself, and supposes it his own case, that should he who was the apostle of the Gentiles, and to be received by them as such, when he came to them, come with this gift of tongues, which he was capable of, as much, or more than any, see Co1 14:18 and only make use of that, what shall I profit you? of what use would my ministry be to you? what instruction, comfort, and edification, could you receive by it? except I shall speak to you, either by revelation; by ”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 12:7: 12:7 teacher: The gift of teaching comes third in the list of gifts in 1 Cor 12:28 and fifth in Eph 4:11. While prophets communicate to the community a message received directly from God, teachers address the church on the basis of studying the word of God.”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 2:1: When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, Co1 1:17. I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed. See the Introduction, Section 2.”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 14:2: 14:2-4 The problem with the gift of speaking in tongues is that hearers cannot readily understand the message; the gift of prophecy, however, is immediately intelligible and beneficial as a word from God that strengthens . . . encourages . . . and comforts those who hear.”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 11:25: things . . . showed me--literally, "words"; an appropriate expression; for the word communicated to him was not simply a word, but one clothed with outward symbols "shown" to him as in the sacrament, which AUGUSTINE terms "the visible word" [CALVIN]. Next: Ezekiel Chapter 12”