Task 5: Compose the Big Idea with a Subject and a Complement
Essence of the task
This task calls upon us to draft a «communicative» version of the main idea of the passage: a memorable expression that, in the light of our analysis of the meaning of the passage, faithfully captures the essence of the exegetical idea.
Detailed description
At the end of the «Wednesday’s» work we concluded with the exegetical idea. This was a complete summary of what we discovered our text was saying to its original audience. Now, having delved into the contemporary meaning of that message, we can prepare a homiletical idea that seeks to convey that original message to our listeners.
Perhaps one might ask, «How does the homiletical big idea relate to the summaries we just wrote in the previous assignment for each major point in the passage?» Maybe the image of a train ride will put this in perspective.
Typically, a train ride involves several stops and a final destination. Depending on the route, it may have more or fewer stops, each one of which may be separated by more or fewer miles. But every journey has a final destination.
In our sermon, the main points are the stops along the way. Depending on the text on which we are teaching, there may be more or fewer main points and these may incorporate more or fewer verses. The applied interpretation summaries are the «names» we have specified for those main points.
Now it is time to clarify the nature and name of the final destination. That destination, like a train ride, is what marks the trajectory of the whole sermon. It is not a destination that is independent from the main points we have been traversing, but it cannot be identified entirely with any of those points. It is something that summarizes the whole message of the passage.
To Do
If it helps, you can think of this task in three steps.
- Step one. In light of what you researched and concluded in tasks 2, 3, and 4, «translate» your exegetical idea into its contemporary applicability, phrase by phrase. (Remember that the exegetical idea was the one that was intended to capture everything important in the passage, so in this step you would do that as well, only «contemporized»).
- Step two. Try to narrow that contemporized exegetical idea down into a more dynamic, perhaps succinct, homiletical idea that has both subject and complement.
- Step three. With the homiletical idea firmly in mind, try writing a memorable expression of that homiletical idea. A version that captures the main idea of the passage in an easily understandable way so that people can recall it easily and take it home with them.
As for the characteristics of a good homiletical idea, we return to the work of Haddon Robinson. He highlights several aspects to keep in mind. We will quote a few. (For further reading on this subject, along with several helpful examples, see Biblical Preaching, especially pp. 98-100).
- «Now you must state the central idea, so that it relates both to the Bible and to your audience. Publicists know that ideas are seldom taken complete, rather they are summed up in slogans» (97).
- «The language used in the homiletic idea should be attractive and convincing, without being sensationalistic. Is it a clever idea? Does it capture the attention of the hearer? Is it easy to remember? Is it worth remembering? Does the language used effectively reach modern men and women?» (100).
He then comments that not all homiletical ideas need to follow the same pattern. For example:
- «When an [exegetical] idea is a universal principle applicable to any person or time, the expression of the homiletical idea may be identical to the exegetical one» (98).
- «Other exegetical ideas become homiletical by making them precise and personal» (98).
- «Sometimes the homiletic idea will be more modern and less tied to the terms of the text» (99).
And to make the difference between an exegetical idea and a homiletical idea as clear as possible, I add one of the most illustrative examples that Robinson includes. It is found on page 99.
- Biblical Text: 1 Timothy 4:12-16
- Exegetical idea: «Paul exhorted Timothy to earn the respect of his youth by being an example in his actions and his motives, and by being diligent in the public ministry of the Scriptures.»
- Homiletical idea: «Young men earn respect by giving attention to personal life and teaching.»
- Memorable expression: (mine, not Robinson’s) «If your life and study are blameless, your ministry will flourish in the soil of respect.»
Often in a sermon I end up using all three of these expressions at different times, perhaps the exegetical idea at a time when I am formally summarizing the teaching, then the more terse, timeless expression (the homiletical idea) to emphasize that idea in a different way, or possibly a couple of times. The memorable expression, on the other hand, may appear in some of my sermons as a sort of refrain at key moments, or several times in a conclusion that builds momentum toward a strong conclusion.
Once you are satisfied with the wording of your homiletical idea, put it together with your exegetical idea and put both in a visible place for the remainder of your sermon preparation. This can be in a separate place, but often I also include them just below the title of the sermon in my manuscript draft. That way I always have the course of the sermon in front of me.
To Keep in Mind
Perhaps you intuitively arrive at the end result directly, without having to follow several steps. Without giving it much thought, you find yourself able to move directly from the exegetical idea with which you finished your work on Wednesday to a memorable expression of the homiletical idea.
However, because of the enormous importance of updating the exegetical idea (arrived at over several days of study) to a memorable homiletical idea, taking several conscious steps can be very good for safeguarding your fidelity to the original message.
Actually in this process we are doing two tasks simultaneously.
- We are interpreting the meaning of the passage (as a whole) for our contemporary audience.
- We are versioning that interpretation for a specific communicative event.
The possibility of taking a wrong step in this process is very great – even if our firm intention is to maintain maximum fidelity to the passage. Hence, taking a prudent amount of time can be very beneficial. Moreover, getting into a personal habit of going through defined steps can provide reassurance, because we know exactly how we moved from the exegetical idea to the homiletical idea to arrive at its memorable expression. We may not be among the fastest in preparing sermons, but we will be among the most faithful.
In case it helps to underscore the importance of what we intend to do in this step, I will refer to a section on this topic in Wayne McDill’s book, 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching, second edition (B&H Publishing Group, second edition). McDill develops a procedure almost identical to the one we are describing here between the exegetical idea and the homiletical idea (See pp. 88-97). McDill calls them «the text idea» and «the sermon idea.»
He describes them in this way.
- The idea of the text: The essential idea of the [biblical] text developed as a subject/complement and expressed in a complete sentence in past tense. It contains references to certain historical elements associated with the text – author or speaker, secondary persons or readers, the tone or purpose of the passage, circumstances of the writing, and special literary features.
- The idea of the sermon: The same subject/complement as the essence of the text idea, expressed in a universal sentence in the present tense, without the historical elements of the text idea.
Having explained these terms, McDill then devotes a section to defending the importance of developing both ideas. The section bears the title, «Why Two Separate Ideas?»
In response, McDill offers four reasons that I will reproduce below, without the explanations he offers in his book. I think the logic behind the reasons will be evident enough to support the effort involved in bringing out both a clear exegetical idea and a clear homiletical idea.
- God’s revelation in Scripture occurs in particular historical contexts.
- Discerning the timeless theological message requires giving adequate attention to the historical particulars of the text.
- The theological message of the text must be isolated from the text for clear expression.
- The «particularized» message of the text must be «re-particularized» for the contemporary audience.
McDill concludes his explanation in this way:
«I hope you can see how important it is not to confuse text and sermon. We are interpreters. We try to stay close to the text. But we must translate its meaning for our audience. The theological truth of Scripture is always relevant. We do not need to make it relevant. But if we fail to distinguish between the idea of the text and the idea of the sermon, we are in danger of losing theological truth in a tangle of history and platitudes.» (p. 90).