Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:13).
Like PURPOSE and PRINCIPLE, the idea of PRECEDENT is a Biblical concept that Luke, the Apostle Paul, and the Hebrew writer use for the benefit of the New Testament church. This concept is best seen in the New Testament Greek word tupos, usually translated as “pattern”. In his book “The Cultural Church,”, F. Lagard Smith presented the concepts of “purpose, principle, and precedent” as three words that complement and flesh out the study approach of “Command, Example, and Necessary Inference,” a time-honored approach to Bible study that holds a very high view of the authority of Scripture.
When I was a university student studying Bible, I remember dormitory debates as to whether examples in the Bible were authoritative. Certain bad examples in Scripture would often be cited as evidence that examples shouldn’t be authoritative. This is where the concept of precedent really matters. With a little bit of effort, we can work out the difference between a bad example and a good example and between an incidental example and an example to be followed.
The “purpose” of an example will often establish whether or not it is a precedent to be followed. Quite literally, if we didn’t have these authoritative patterns, we would be making up Christianity as we go. As a missionary, “making it up” sounds like a recipe for man-made religion on a pretty spectacular scale. With precedent, we know things like the importance of assembly on Sundays and how often to partake of the Lord’s Supper, important and meaningful practices of Christian life!
The word precedent is so very helpful because it specifies examples that are, by context and consistency, authoritative and thus applicable to all churches in different cultures and across various times. As parents we often use good examples to teach our children. This concrete expression of teaching helps children take specific instructions and understand how to apply them in various settings. It helps a child know what is pleasing to the parent. And importantly, it helps a child know how to think and feel as the parent. Examples that meet the level of precedent are living experiences that draw us ever closer to the heart of our God in a way that we can be certain will be pleasing to our Heavenly Father!
“Examples that meet the level of precedent are living experiences that draw us ever closer to the heart of God” 
Brian Rex Davis
ACTION! is World Bible School's flagship publication. Read inspiring success stories, tips on how to share the Gospel with others and updates on WBS and its tools!
In this episode of One More Chapter, Brian Rex Davis, Noah Davis, and Bryson Davis continue their study of biblical “principle”, explaining how general teachings give inclusive guidance that can be applied in various ways, while specific commands are authoritative and must shape belief and practice.
This episode of One More Chapter continues the series on Bible study by introducing the idea of “principle” as a way to bridge what a passage originally meant and what it means today, after first stressing purpose and context. The team takes a long–but useful–detour into Bible translations and versions—covering textual preservation, the spectrum from word-for-word to paraphrase, group vs. single-translator work, Dead Sea Scrolls, and which editions they personally use (NASB 1995, ESV, NIV 1984, etc.). The discussion on ‘principle’ will continue in the next episode!
This episode explores how understanding the purpose behind a Bible passage helps bridge the gap between what it originally meant and how it should shape life today. Brian, Noah, and Bryson discuss how purpose protects against shallow, checklist-style interpretation and helps distinguish enduring principles and examples from incidental details.
Brian Rex Davis sits down with Sahadevudu Vanga of India, a fellow missionary since gospel meetings in 1995. They talk about World Bible School’s renewed work in India and the effort to put Telugu translations and advanced courses—especially The Kingdom of God—into digital form. The conversation also covers family ministry, cultural care in a changing India, and tools that serve the next generation of the church.