“Never man spake like this man.” Jn.7:46

     Just how did Jesus speak? What was His tone of voice, His phrasing of words, His expression of face? How we read the Scriptures determines how we view the character of GOD and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. This applies to how we accept a minister’s rendering of the Sacred Word as well. I know men who are afraid to read the Bible because they view GOD’S voice in Scripture as being harsh and unforgiving. While others take great delight to read their Bibles but have a pompous, self-righteous spirit as they read. It is a range from being too shy to being overbearing. But as with the old story of Goldilocks And The Three Bears, we need to find the one that is “just right.”

     The Bible passages where Jesus is speaking are far too often given a tone that stands “outside the gate” of the foundational character of GOD. “God is love;” and He is nothing else; therefore, everything He does is an expression of His love. A grave misunderstanding exists with many in the church. In the great controversy between Christ and Satan, GOD is limited to intervene in so many of life’s afflictions. This is because when Satan took the dominion of this world he was given authority over this world, and the Bible decrees that he is the author of all suffering, war, disease and death. And it is the purpose of Jesus Christ to remove that authority and restore it to where it stood “In the beginning” when all was tranquil and all together lovely.

     Let us look at a few verses from the Bible to establish the foundation by which we can safely measure a man’s reverence to GOD.

“Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.” Ps.18:35—GOD is gentle.
“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.” Ps.36:7.—GOD has lovingkindness.
“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Ps.86:15.—GOD has every attribute of a loving and devoted father.
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.” Matt.12:20.—GOD never antagonizes, or discourages, and He has gained the victory on the behalf of His children’s eternal future.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Rev.21:4.—GOD will remedy every aspect of life’s burdens that we bear in this world.

     With these qualities, when we read in Genesis, “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” (Gen.3:9) we hear a tone of voice not of condemnation but one of compassion and care. When we read the words of the LORD to Job (chapter 38) after his incredible struggle with the devil’s afflictions of destroying his livelihood, his family, plus giving him boils from head to foot, and then sending three false accusers pretending to be his friends, only to torment his soul, we see GOD’S words not as a loveless reproof but words of majesty and sovereign authority mingled with pathos, compassion and care.

     But among the clearest displays of heaven’s love toward man is found in the life of Peter at the time when he had promised to Jesus with absolute confidence that he would not abandon Him no matter what obstacles stood in his way, as he said: “LORD, I am ready to go with thee, both to prison, and to death.” “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” Lu.22:33; Matt.26:35. Peter believed this to be true about himself. But Peter did not understand the flaws of his character, nor the power of sin over his beliefs in life. And this assurance he extended to his LORD was merely a rope of sand, because Peter did abandon Jesus in the time of His betrayal, torture, and crucifixion as Christ gave prophecy. Peter's faith in Jesus was not fortified to meet the test and he dishonored the very One he promised to honor by publicly denying Jesus as his LORD three times, even with profanity.

     But Jesus prayed for Peter, that his faith would not be swept away and his eternal ruin result from that failure. The Father in heaven answered the prayer of Jesus for Peter at the very moment Peter denied for the third time his "Master" (at the place where Jesus was being held prisoner after His arrest). In the book of Luke, chapter 21, we read, "And the LORD turned and looked upon Peter." At the very moment of Peter's third denial of Christ he turned and saw Jesus beholding him. Peter focused on the face of his Master. When Peter saw that look in His eyes, the tender expression of His face, that quiet, merciful countenance showing to Peter the holy depths of unreserved love and forgiveness the Bible says, "And Peter went out and wept bitterly." The look that Jesus gave to His beloved disciple was not that of condemnation, anger, or frustration, but one of immeasurable compassion.

     Peter’s denial had brought him to the place where he was most vulnerable to his own destruction; for the waves of guilt were about to flood the soul of Peter in which suicide would seem the only remedy. But Christ would never betray Peter's vulnerability just as it was written of the Christ of GOD centuries before His coming: "A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice and truth." The sweet expression on Christ’s face melted Peter’s heart, and he left and wept in repentance over his inability to stand shoulder to shoulder with the one he dearly loved. Christ's love covered Peter’s guilt, nakedness, and shame. This moment of deliverance was to reign over Peter’s character until the day he died. Peter now understood true love because he had seen the true glory of the LORD, and His glory is love.

     As an adoring follower of Christ and His Word I pay careful attention to the minister’s tone of voice. The manner in which he speaks the Words of Jesus Christ measures his reverence for GOD. I regret to say that nearly every voice from the pulpit as they read the words of Jesus have a level of irreverence and/or abrasive quality that is disheartening to the Gospel. “To walk, even as He walked” includes our manner of speech; and should Christ have followed their example of vocal quality during His ministry, He would have failed to reach the hearts of men. There are too many examples where Jesus sat with sinners and they felt safe with Him. He didn’t need to reprove them. They knew they were in the presence of LOVE. All who are sensitive to heaven’s love toward man will work redemptively in every situation and not step outside of that boundary because by doing so they threaten the souls of those they minister to.

     More often than I care to remember I have heard the Holy Word of GOD read from the pulpit reflecting a tone of voice unbefitting Christ. The Holy Scripture’s call of the “still, small voice,” whose tender entreaty, “Follow me,” was overruled and replaced with a pompous and even threatening character: the character of popery, not of Christ. This is an offense to holy angels and the LORD Jesus Christ. The Word that spoke all into existence, the Voice that said, “thou art mine” deserves a tone of reverence that should make us tremble and weep with joy and love for the GOD Who has redeemed us by His blood. Truly, “The word of God is...a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The saddest part of these ministers bearing false witness against the Love in GOD’S Voice is the fact that the words they speak following the reading of the Sacred Scriptures are typically given a greater pathos than that given to the Word of GOD, creating the illusion that their own words are of more value than GOD’S Holy Word—that their love is superior to the love of Christ displayed in the Word of GOD. This is the spirit of self- supremacy that is conveyed, however innocent the intentions may be.

     Long ago, the LORD warned against this and all ungodliness that is associated with it: “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.” Ps.50:21.