2 Timothy 2:15

Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.

Practically all of the exegesis one encounters on this verse regards the Greek words here rendered "handling aright," and in the KJV, "rightly dividing" the word of truth. The words have the following basic meaning:

The compound verb (rightly dividing) means to "cut straight." Vincent defines the word, "to hold a straight course" (as plowing a straight furrow); and the Greeks used the word for "expound soundly."[22]

The old expositors understood this as a reference to making the proper division between the law and the gospel, between the Old Testament and the New Testament; and, in view of the basic meaning of the words here rendered "handling aright," there is absolutely nothing wrong with such an exegesis. Certainly no preacher can "cut it straight," "tell it like it is," or employ "sound exegesis," without making these very distinctions clear in his preaching. How deplorable, therefore, is the attitude of some expositors who use the newer versions to poke fun at the old interpretations. As Lenski put it, "Certainly plenty of exegesis is crooked enough to call for careful cutting to set it straight."[23] Alan G. Nute summed up the meaning of this verse as "An appeal for a straightforward, balanced exegesis of holy Scripture."[24]

[22] Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies from the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1973), Vol. II, 2Tim., p. 135.

[23] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 799.

[24] Alan G. Nute, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 521.