Date Posted: 2025-10-17 00:23:53 | Video Duration: 00:23:28
At Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, the congregation was invited to delve deeper into the art of biblical interpretation through a concept known as “midrash.” This sermon explored the ancient practice of reading scripture with question marks, encouraging a wrestling match of sorts with the text, rather than seeking straightforward answers. The sermon underscored the idea that scripture is not merely a source of answers but an ongoing conversation with God.
Imagine your ideal Bible study setting: you’re at home with a warm cup of coffee, or perhaps gathered with friends in a cozy room. In both scenarios, the study of scripture feels serene and enlightening. But as the sermon suggested, what if studying the Bible were more like an intense workout or wrestling match, demanding effort and leaving us spiritually exhausted yet enriched?
Midrash: A Journey of Seeking
The sermon introduced the congregation to the Hebrew word “midrash,” which means to seek, study, or examine. It’s both a process and a product, a way of engaging with scripture that invites questions and dialogue rather than definitive conclusions. Rabbi Sandy Sasso, referenced during the sermon, describes midrash as reading the Bible with question marks, emphasizing that each generation is meant to read its own story into the text.
The Old Testament itself refers to midrash in 2 Chronicles, highlighting a tradition of ongoing conversation and interpretation. Such a tradition invites us to imagine scripture as a living document, continually inspiring new insights and understandings.
Jacob’s Wrestling Match: A Metaphor for Midrash
The story of Jacob wrestling with a mysterious stranger in Genesis 32 serves as a powerful metaphor for this approach to scripture. Jacob, who was returning to Canaan and preparing to face his estranged brother Esau, found himself in a nocturnal struggle with a divine being. This encounter was not just physical but deeply spiritual, culminating in Jacob’s renaming as Israel, meaning “God rules” or “God preserves.”
The sermon highlighted how this story captures the essence of engaging with scripture: it’s a confrontation that leaves us changed, marked by both wounds and blessings. Jacob’s limp, a souvenir from his divine wrestling match, symbolizes the transformation and growth that come from such spiritual encounters.
The Call to Wrestle with Scripture
The sermon posed thought-provoking questions to the congregation, urging them to consider what or whom they might be clinging to that stands between them and God. It challenged listeners to reflect on what God is asking of them and what they are reluctant to give. Such questions are central to the practice of midrash, inviting believers to engage with scripture in a way that is both personal and communal.
In closing, the sermon emphasized that the scriptures are more than mere text; they are a means to encounter God, an invitation to be read and read again. They are inspired by God through the Holy Spirit and point to Jesus Christ. As stewards of the mysteries of God, we are called to embrace the complexities and questions embedded in scripture, recognizing that in doing so, we may receive both a limp and a blessing.
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