I think I’m finally grasping the difference between sermons and commentaries. It’s been a fine line for me and one I haven’t always seen clearly as I continue my Messianic training. It’s a quandary even the best diet pills can’t help me with.
So, here’s my understanding as of now: in a Torah commentary, the purpose is to teach, not to exhort. In a sermon, exhortation is just fine. Check.
Now here’s my newest insight: in a Torah commentary, you are to stick closely to the content of the parashah, not use it as a launching point for tangentially-related topics. Check.
OK, so, a good commentary on Tetsaveh, for example, would talk about the priestly garments described in the instructions of the L-RD to Moses. A less-focused commentary that strays into sermonizing would be one that picks up on the presence of a hint of Messiah in the instructions for the Tent of Meeting, and then launching into the theme of obedience to God.
Guess which way my upcoming Tetsaveh commentary went? Not the better of the two ways, I’m afraid, but in the process I did learn a lot more about how to distinguish a commentary from a sermon; so it was a great growing experience! Mazel tov!
The difference between commentaries and sermons
Thursday, March 5th, 2009
I think I’m finally grasping the difference between sermons and commentaries. It’s been a fine line for me and one I haven’t always seen clearly as I continue my Messianic training. It’s a quandary even the best diet pills can’t help me with.
So, here’s my understanding as of now: in a Torah commentary, the purpose is to teach, not to exhort. In a sermon, exhortation is just fine. Check.
Now here’s my newest insight: in a Torah commentary, you are to stick closely to the content of the parashah, not use it as a launching point for tangentially-related topics. Check.
OK, so, a good commentary on Tetsaveh, for example, would talk about the priestly garments described in the instructions of the L-RD to Moses. A less-focused commentary that strays into sermonizing would be one that picks up on the presence of a hint of Messiah in the instructions for the Tent of Meeting, and then launching into the theme of obedience to God.
Guess which way my upcoming Tetsaveh commentary went? Not the better of the two ways, I’m afraid, but in the process I did learn a lot more about how to distinguish a commentary from a sermon; so it was a great growing experience! Mazel tov!
Tags: best diet pills, commentary, sermon, Tetsaveh
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