Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 4:20-21 (New International Version)

²⁰Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, ²¹and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus had returned to His home town of Nazareth. He was in the Synagogue – the local Jewish religion school. He had read some of the scriptures, what we call the Old Testament, and was about to discuss what He had read.

Notice his physical posture – He sat down.

Jesus does this on many occasions in the New Testament. In Matthew 5, the sermon on the mount, He did not stand to speak. Rather, He sat down to speak. Sitting to speak goes against everything taught about public speaking. Nevertheless, that is how Jesus did it. He usually sat to speak.

Perhaps we should rewrite all the public speaking books about physical posture. Perhaps we should humble ourselves a bit when we are speaking to a group. Perhaps we should place ourselves on the same level as our audience. Perhaps we should simply sit down when we speak to others.