Establishing a Definition of and Defense for Expository Preaching in the Book of Hebrews

Abstract

The thesis of this work is that a definition for expository preaching can be established directly from an examination of NT examples of preaching, which will serve to strengthen a commitment to expositional sermons.

Chapter 1 establishes a working definition for expository preaching by synthesizing elements that proponents claim must be present to constitute authentic expository preaching. This definition functions to test examples of various NT sermons.

Chapter 2 examines Luke 4:16-21 and Acts 2:14-36 to reveal their use of OT texts in light of the adopted definition of expository preaching.

Chapter 3 develops the argument that the book of Hebrews is a complete sermon and examines the author’s exposition of Psalm 95:7-1. It is a perfect model of expository preaching.

Chapter 4 analyzes the results and offers a significant modification of the working definition of expository preaching. The conclusion is made that a definition for expository preaching can be derived solely from an examination of NT sermons and a defense can be established that this model for preaching should be exclusively followed today.