"And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying" (Matthew 5:2).

Now, some folks might say that that sounds kind of silly: "Well, duh! Unless He were a ventriloquist or something, wouldn't Jesus have to open His mouth to speak?"

Yet, as we are Biblical thinkers, we do recognize that if this is Scripture, God's holy Word; therefore, it must be important and there must be a reason behind it.

Scripture presents the Messiah's ministry as PROPHET (Deuteronomy 18:18), as PRIEST (Psalm 110:4), and as KING (2 Samuel 7:12-13). The Messiah would also be eternal; although born in Bethlehem, He was present at the creation because the Hebrew Scriptures declare that He is Miymiy Olam, "from everlasting" (Micah 5:2).

When the gospel tells us that Jesus "opened His mouth" it expresses that He is the fulfillment of each of the offices of Messiah:

PROPHET

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him" (Deuteronomy 18:18).

PRIEST

"The law of truth was in His mouth, and iniquity was not found in His lips: He walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at His mouth: for He is the Messenger of the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 2:6-7).

KING

"A divine sentence is in the lips fo the King: His mouth transgresseth not in judgment" (Proverbs 16:10).

CREATOR

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth" (Psalm 33:6).

The very Holy Spirit inspired words of Matthew 5:2 tell us that Jesus is the Prophet, Priest, King, and Creator, as each are roles fulfilled in the Messiah.

Our problem as Christian believers is that, in an age where a Christian household can have several Bibles lying around the rooms of the home, we spend more time doing other things than reading what God has to say to us in His inspired and inerrant Word.

Allow me to use the wording of James 4:2-3 to express our attitude concerning Bible reading and Bible study:

"Yet ye have not understanding, because ye read not. Ye read, and receive not understanding, because ye read amiss, that ye may apply the Word upon your own lusts."

Sadly, in these last days, Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible teaching have been reduced, for the most part, to treating the Bible as some sort of self-help book for living our lives; some sort of owner's manual to operate our lives; or some kind of technical manual for repairing and overhauling our lives.

God forbid that it would be this way for the Christian who is surrendered completely into the hand of the Almighty God!

The details of Scripture speak of the incarnate Savior, Jesus of Nazareth. He said,

"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39).

Every jot and tittle of Scripture is fulfilled in Jesus Christ and founded upon the Redemption. Again, Jesus said,

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass fromm the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18).

I believe that we take the wrong approach when we look at Scripture as if it were a written text God provides as some kind of applicational tool for human lives. When we use the Bible as a mere instruction manual, we miss the more important aspect of our spiritual lives, walking by faith rather than by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and trusting in God with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Remember, we are told this in Scripture:

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

"...for whatsover is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23).

These amazing details given in Scripture, such as this very tiny one found in Matthew 5:2, should cause us to walk in awe of the living God who has put it all together. With that, how could we not but walk by faith with Him, placing absolute trust in Him?

Alas, these details so seldom spring forth from the pages of Scripture because we have made ourselves foreigners to the Word God gave and preserved through the centuries.

When we ingest Scripture for our nourishment, sweat Scripture as we work, rise with Scripture when we wake, find comfort in Scripture as we lie down to sleep, be invigorated by Scripture when we play, and encouraged through Scripture in our fellowships and relationships, it wouldn't be such a tremendous effort or a confusing mystery during the times we come together to worship the living God!

We should be so overflowing with the Word of God that it fills our speech, thoughts, and actions as naturally and effortlessly as breathing.

England's great "prince of preachers," Charles Haddon Spurgeon, said this of John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress:

"Prick him anywhere; and you will find that his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his soul is full of the Word of God."

O, that our blood would be Bibline!

I am ever...

in His service by His grace,