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What’s the Point? Moving from Exegetical to Homiletical

By Ken Burge

Furthermore, the interpreter should look for various themes that reveal the abiding truths in a passage. Ramesh Richard lists the following: Motifs that reflect the nature of God, man, sin, evil, salvation, morality and Satan; motifs that exhibit the created order (e.g., marriage); motifs that transcend culture and time (e.g., homosexuality); motifs that reflect individual or corporate spirituality; and motifs that are repeated by words or events in Scripture (e.g., "God opposes the proud" in Prov. 16:16; James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5).[xvii]

Now, let's apply what we've learned to an Old Testament and a New Testament text. Let's say you are preaching through the book of Jonah and the next preaching portion you will proclaim is Jonah 4. After you have applied F.I.R.E. to your sermon preparation, then you are ready for the exegetical points.

You have observed the text (vv. 1-11) has two major parts. Perhaps your first exegetical point might be: Jonah is displeased that God spared Nineveh (vv. 1-3). The second exegetical point could be: God corrects Jonah for pitying the plant and not the people (vv. 4-11). Remember, the exegetical point states names, places, dates, etc.

Next, you want to find the timeless truths in the passage that relate to God's people today. Sadly, Jonah didn't treasure God's precious nature as do many people today. The first theological point could be: Appreciate God's gracious and merciful nature (vv. 1-3). Jonah is guilty of a problem that transcends his place and time: He doesn't pity the lost. The second theological point could then be asserted: Pity the perishing whom God has created. To finish off the development of points, you then would write your homiletical points, which are derived from the theological points and are specifically designed for the congregation to which you are preaching.

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What’s the Point? Moving from Exegetical to Homiletical