Guardians of the Scripture – Our Forgotten Duty?

Responsibility in Interpreting the Holy Scriptures

Every believer carries responsibility when it comes to interpreting and understanding the biblical scriptures. However, for those who feel called – or have taken it upon themselves – to pass on biblical teaching, as is the case with me, this responsibility weighs considerably heavier.

A Personal Insight – Triggered by Ezekiel

In my specific case, my heritage also plays a particular role. This became strikingly clear to me today as I began to re-examine my interpretation series. I was asked the question: at which point in Revelation are we currently? This question led me back to the prophet Ezekiel – and it made me stumble.

A Watchman for a Lost People?

Ezekiel, himself a prophet from the biblical southern kingdom in Babylonian exile, is appointed by the LORD as a “watchman over the house of Israel” – that is, over the northern kingdom, which was already considered lost at that point. At first, this calling seemed contradictory to me. But the more I reflected, the more I realised: it is not a contradiction, but rather a prophetic, forward-looking address – a spiritual proclamation.

Martin Luther and the Prophetic Warning

This insight led me to another profound connection: what does my German heritage have to do with it – and what responsibility arises from it? In this context, I was reminded of Dr Martin Luther. He was not only the most influential reformer of his time, but was also regarded by many contemporaries as a “prophet of the Germans”.

Unfortunately, his prophetic statements are now difficult to access. However, what remains is the remarkable appendix to his 1545 Bible translation. In it, he strongly calls on the faithful reader to regularly examine and preserve the Holy Scriptures – especially against alterations by hostile groups or individuals.

A Responsibility Only We Can Truly Fulfil?

Such an explicit warning is not found in any other Bible translation. Even modern editions of the Luther Bible omit this section entirely. Thus, it is ultimately only German-speaking readers to whom this call was originally handed down – a fact that places a particular responsibility on us as German speakers.

Studying the Bible – A Royal Command

The Bible repeatedly calls us to search the scriptures. People in positions of leadership – described metaphorically as kings – are even commanded to read the scriptures day and night (cf. Joshua 1:8). This exhortation, in principle, applies to all of us – yet the more influence someone has over others, the greater their responsibility in handling God’s Word.

How Shall the Sheep Recognise the Voice of the Shepherd?

So if a prophet such as Ezekiel is appointed as a watchman over a people who were already scattered – a people that shall again become part of God’s people at the end of judgement – then this also illustrates our task today: to preserve the Holy Scriptures in their original message and interpretation.

Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

But how are His sheep to recognise their Shepherd’s voice if His words (the Bible) are altered or fragmented? How are the lost to return to the LORD if no one takes the tradition of watchfulness seriously?

Outside the Theological Mainstream

I am aware that many find my statements and interpretations unfamiliar – especially as they do not stem from any theological school, but instead follow the biblical text and historical facts. Yet I take the Scriptures seriously and strive to argue solely from the Bible.

A Responsibility I Had Not Grasped Until Now

Only now am I beginning to grasp how immense the responsibility is that I carry – as a German-speaking believer.

Perhaps the increasing numbers of people leaving the Church or converting to other religions must be viewed precisely in this light. The lost sheep long for the Shepherd’s call and are simply searching for His voice.

The countless Christian denominations do not merely testify to hopelessness in current trends – they also express hope that the true voice is still out there somewhere.

The Duty to Preserve – Now More Than Ever

But in our time, where the Word of the LORD is constantly altered – for instance through new versions of the Nestle-Aland text every four years or so – it becomes all the more necessary for us as believers to return to the biblical foundation. It is our collective duty to preserve the Holy Scriptures – at least in the form in which they existed at the time of the Reformation.