Imagine for a minute what our Bible study, sermons, and scripture memory would look like if the Bible had no chapter or verse numbers – what we’ll call “the addresses” of Scripture – where the book is the city, the chapter is the street, and the verse is the house number.
Sunday mornings would go something like this: “Turn to place in the “city” of Hebrews where the author talks about…”.
The “city” of Proverbs would be pretty difficult. Just imagine the page turning if the preacher or Bible study leader said something like, “Turn to the “address” that talks about raising children.” What “street” and “house number” would you turn to?
Perhaps Prov 13:24 is something that you’ve recently read, and you turn there because it is fresh in your mind. Maybe Prov 22:15? Or Prov 29:15, Prov 29:17, Prov 1:8–9, Prov 6:20–23, Prov 4:1–4, Prov 23:22–25, or the much-beloved Prov 22:6?
To that end, having addresses in the Bible allows groups of people to all be on the same page for the purposes stated above. But everything has a price. My suggestion here is that we have paid a dear price for this convenience. Whatever we think we understand about what Scripture says about memorizing itself is shaped by our academic mindset, centuries of Greek educational philosophy, and by this man-made organizational structure.
We understand memorization. Anyone who has graduated high school, even more so anyone who has graduated college, has memorized vast amounts of information in order to graduate. Most of that memorization likely happened during exam cramming sessions and was quickly forgotten after the exam. That was true for me.
In seminary, I needed 2 more education hours to graduate and decided the Public Relations course would be an easy way to do that. There were two exams. Every class was a brainstorming session. The professor would ‘borrow’ notes from students every session so that he would have the content of those brainstorming sessions. He told us the midterm exam would cover everything we discussed in class (but not from the $45 textbook, from which we only read one chapter).
I can use mnemonic devices. I memorized list after list from my thorough notes. I made an A on the midterm because it asked us to regurgitate the brainstormed lists from the class sessions. The second half of the semester went exactly as the first. As we approached the final exam, we asked the instructor whether the final would be in the same format as the midterm. He told us that it would be.
Imagine our surprise, after mastering the mnemonic, when we showed up for the exam and there was only one question. “You are a staff member in the local church responsible for the public relations communication for your church. What do you do?”
He wrote that question on the board and then quickly exited the room. Everyone in the class had a stunned expression on their face. We all looked around at each other with a sense of helpless betrayal. (Hence the quick exit by the prof.)
I made a B in the course, because I made a C on the exam. My response to the question began with this statement:
“I would remember everything we discussed in the second half of my Public Relations course in seminary, and do this:”
And then I regurgitated every list …. from memory.
As an educator, I applaud questions that demand reasoning skills. But as an educator, I also deplore the classroom method that employs no reasoning skills at all, then dares to test reasoning skills.
Did I forget to mention that in less than a week, I could not recall most of what I had ‘memorized’?
We live in a world that tests a believer’s spiritual reasoning skills every day. Should we not give them experience with that at every opportunity, which at best is likely no more than two hours a week?
Our exams begin the minute we leave the church or small group property. And they continue every waking moment until we set foot back on. Ours is the classroom. The world is the exam. Too many Bible study groups and sermons are playing checkers, when the world is playing chess. The game that is defeating us is not linear or simple. We must do something different, and do it more consistently, than simply telling people to push the play button, repeating what the literature says, or telling them how to apply a verse or passage to their lives. They don’t have to practice any reasoning at all to hear, like, and ignore such teaching.
Let’s begin with this truth: the Scripture never tells us to memorize itself the Greek way. It tells us to synthesize it the Hebraic way.
Corollary 1: The ancient Hebrews did not memorize snippets of Scripture out of context.
Corollary 2: The ancient Hebrews were not concerned with precision. They were concerned with being pleasing to their God.
Let’s break this down with our favorite scripture memory passage in the Bible – Psalm 119:11.
I have kept your word in my heart that i might not sin against you. (NIV)
If we interpret “hidden your word in my heart” through the Greek memorization lens, then we pick a verse and rehearse and rehearse and rehearse this passage until we can say it perfectly, including the address along with our particular church’s approved “nationality” (NIV, ESV, NASB, KJV, etc.).
Memorizing Scripture the Greek way is like taking one nail out of the box, holding its tip to a piece of wood, and hammering it repeatedly until we’re sure it is firmly in place.
We prove we “know” this verse by quoting it whenever the subject of scripture memory comes up. This sureness puts an end to the question.
I’ve done no research. I only have my life to speak from, along with many pastors and people I’ve spoken with over my decades of ministry. While many can speak to the value of Scripture memory in their lives, many more speak to the guilt associated with repeatedly failing to do the same. I believe many pastors advocate for its value yet struggle with guilt and a little fear of being found out. And I believe many more pastors rarely, if ever, advocate for the practice because they don’t want to preach what they don’t practice (good for them!). This begs the question, how can this be pleasing to God?
In addition, I believe all those who have found value in Scripture memory have found that value in the fact that they also synthesize God’s word in their study, service, ministry, conversation, evangelism, and prayer.
I recall hearing Chuck Swindoll some 30 years ago or so, telling a story about how scripture he memorized helped him stand against a particular temptation. I don’t deny that. But I believe there was more. By that time in Chuck’s life, it was evident by his teaching and preaching that he had synthesized massive amounts of God’s word in the center of his being. It wasn’t that he had memorized just the right snippet of Scripture that God pulled up at just the right time – it was that the whole of God’s word consumed his innermost being, and he would have thought of that truth without having memorized it the Greek way.
Let’s analyze Psalm 119:11.
Scripture memory is an activity of the mind – the seat of all knowledge according to Greek philosophers like Plato and Hippocrates. Knowing God’s word by “heart” resonates with Greek philosophers like Aristotle, who aligned knowledge with sensations and the soul.
Memorizing Scripture the Greek way is like taking one nail out of the box, holding its tip to a piece of wood, and hammering it repeatedly until we’re sure it is firmly in place. And that place is the mind or heart. Unfortunately, as happens often with snippets, when we don’t understand the context and full truth of what we’ve memorized, we’ve likely nailed that wood to the wrong place or the wrong direction.
The Hebraic method of remembering Scripture is like soaking the wood in hot water, softening it by making its fibers more flexible. This method changes the wood’s hardness – from the inside out – making it more malleable and more useful. Immersing it in water allows the Carpenter to change the wood’s shape and purpose.
Homer had it right. Homer believed that knowledge rested in our internal organs. Our bowels. This is what the word “heart” in scripture refers to. It is closer to what we call ‘gut knowledge’ or ‘gut feelings’ than any mental activity.
The nail strikes from the outside in. Water changes things from the inside out.
The nail is useful for holding the wood in place. Water is useful for creating woodworking masterpieces.
So, what did David mean when he wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart”?
Did he mean he had memorized Genesis and Exodus, and perhaps was working on Deuteronomy?
Or did he mean that along with reading and meditating (not at all the same as memorizing) on the scriptures, every experience, every leading, every moment of victory, grace, and correction were hidden in the very core of his being, that he “might not sin” against the one that called him, led him, strengthened him, and forgave him even in worst moments?
What David hid was not linear, academic, Greek memorization. It was not precise, complete with addresses. And we should stop demanding and expecting as much – of others and ourselves – as a measure of mature discipleship.
What David hid was the synthesis of God, His word, and His activity in David’s life – he hid it in the very core of his being. This inner change affected his outside behavior far more than any external behavior we might promote could change us on the inside.
And in case you’re wondering, synthesis is a Biblical concept.
The Greek word σύνεσις (synesis) appears seven times in the New Testament. It comes from the same root as another Greek word (though not used in Scripture), synthesis – συνέθησις. They both come from the verb συνίημι (suniēmi), whose literal meaning is “to bring, flow,” or “come together,” as in the union of two rivers. In suniēmi, the water from the lesser river is indistinguishable and inseparable from the water of the greater.
None of these uses evoke our concept of scripture memory:
Luke 2:47 — those who heard Jesus were amazed at his understanding
1 Corinthians 1:19 — “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent…”
Ephesians 3:4 — You will be able to understand Paul’s insight into the mystery of Christ
Colossians 1:9 — Paul prays that believers be filled with knowledge of God’s will through all the wisdom and understanding …
Colossians 2:2 — Paul’s goal is that believers have the full riches of complete understanding, in order to know the mystery of God, namely, Christ
2 Timothy 2:7 — Reflect on what Paul is saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this
Mark 12:33 — To love God with all your heart, with all your understanding …
Synthesis will result in lifelong remembrance of what God’s word means. It empowers believers to engage well in a world, living a life pleasing to our God.
So, pastors, leaders, and believers who struggle with scripture memory, you have synthesized more scripture than you’ve memorized. Memorization might help, but it is not a precursor to synthesis. Embedding God’s word deep in the core of your being is pleasing to God. You simply may not have known what to call it.
The Solomon’s Quest framework gives you the tools to easily create thought-provoking and life-changing Bible study experiences that:
Are memorable rather than simply informative
Generate organic opportunities for Biblical reasoning
Soften the fibers of the core rather than striking at the heart
Create chess players rather than those who play checkers
It is organic. It is easy. It works best with no homework.
We can show you how. Find out more by contacting us at:
Solomon's Quest 
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