This resprouter caught my eye. It’s a tree that’s growing directly on the stump of an older tree that’s been logged. Trees like this are literally standing on the shoulders of giants.
From the very earliest days of the church, we’ve been standing on the shoulders of Giants. Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna and Papias of Hierapolis all had close ties to John the Apostle. Perhaps those names mean nothing to you, but they are some of the early church fathers who held the gospel dear in the generation that followed the first Apostles.
Clement of Rome and Linus (the first pastor or bishop of Rome) knew Paul personally.
Both Linus and Polycarp knew Timothy. Paul admonished Timothy about his doctrine.
The line of people who, with the power of the Spirit, helped write, preserve, transmit and protect the Scriptures through the ages is incredible. Men and women gave their lives to protect the Word. Countless people risked their lives to distribute it.
Men and women have fought to keep true doctrine and to clearly articulate the traditions and theology we hold dear. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants.
We have the Scriptures in many languages and translations. We have the extant writers of the early church fathers. We have the thoughts of the great theologians and preachers available at our fingertips. We have the works of many related disciplines to help us study.
Commentaries. Lexicons. Dictionaries. Maps. Sermons. And more are more available to us than to any generation that went before us. Yet our Bibles are often dusty, and we frequently remain babies in the faith.
We are without excuse in not knowing more. This side of glory, we will never understand it all (and maybe not even then), but God has generously given us the tools we need to grow.
What’s holding you back?
Be blessed
Kevin
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