Page 92 - Homiletics I Student Textbook

4. Significance

a. But be ye (scattered believers) doers (those who perform an activity) of the word, and
not hearers (those who understand) only…

(1) This signifies that believers should be those who act upon God’s truth.

(a) The verb be is an imperative.
(b) The term doers is linked to the word, a reference to the Word of God or God’s
truth.
(c) The term doers is used in the sense of performing or carrying out an activity.

(2) This signifies that believers should not just be hearers of God’s truth.

(a) The imperative calls believers to be doers.
(b) The use of the phrase not hearers only indicates that something more than
being a hearer is required.

(3) This signifies that one must first be a hearer of God’s truth before he can be a doer
of God’s truth.

(a) Being a hearer is not discouraged.
(b) Being a hearer only is discouraged.
(c) It makes sense that one can only act upon God’s truth after he has first
understood it.

b. deceiving (believing and acting upon that which is not true) your own selves.

(1) This signifies that it is possible to be deceived.

(a) The participle deceiving is descriptive of one who is a hearer only.
(b) The contrast doer implies that one would not be deceived.

(2) This signifies that thinking one can be a hearer only is to believe a lie.

(a) The nature of deception is the believing of a lie.
(b) Being simply a hearer is the action taken upon the lie.

c. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man
beholding (closely considering) his natural (by-birth) face in a glass:

(1) This signifies an illustration.

(a) The use of the term like establishes the metaphor.
(b) The development of the metaphor makes it clear.

(2) This signifies that a hearer is like a man who looks in a mirror.

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