12/18/2025
HUMAN INERTIA and UNNECESSARY EMPHASIS
READERS REPRESENTING THE PASTOR
December 15-21, 2025
HUMAN INERTIA and OUR READING
What do I mean by human inertia? It’s a trait of human nature that causes us to do something the same way we’ve always done it. Let’s face it, most humans don’t like change. It can be uncomfortable. We much prefer stability.
Human inertia is a widespread problem in our reading because it causes us to read a given verse or sentence the same way every time we come across it.
This usually happens because we’ve heard someone else read it that way…whether it is correct or incorrect. It happens all the time. We do tend to mimic others, a habit developed since childhood—mimicking our parents and friends.
THE PROBLEM???
The way we’ve always heard something read could be wrong. Also, it precludes fresh inspiration. Both are undesirable—especially when we’re reading words inspired by God.
THE SOLUTION???
Read everything as though it is the first time we’ve ever come across it. Think about it. Analyze it. Research it. Consider the context in which we find it. Consider how it relates to the objectives of the section—and how it relates to the overall goal of the Bible Lesson. THEN, consider how we’ve heard others read it in the past. Consider what new inspiration you might find in it. Think about how you might possibly read it differently—not just to be different, but to be clearer.
SOME EXAMPLES
The following are some examples of texts we tend to read the same way all the time. They come from the Holy Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s book, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.”
Isaiah 9:6
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder:…”
This verse is generally read in a very joyous, positive tone of voice. Of course, we’re grateful that the Christ-child was born, and that God has given His son to bless us in so many ways. That’s thinking about it from our point of view.
But think about it from the standpoint of God, as a parent, and from Jesus’ standpoint. Specifically, consider the gravity of the sacrifice that God, as a parent, made in committing His very special son to a life in which he was hunted from before his birth. Consider the sacrifices that Jesus willingly made for us, ending in betrayal, being sentenced to imprisonment, torture, and a horrible death by crucifixion. Indeed, the word, “given,” in this verse could justifiably be replaced with the word, “sacrificed.” Because of that, I’m moved to read the phrase, “unto us a son is given,” with the same gravity I’d read it if it had been written, “unto us a son is sacrificed.” I know that’s a dark way to look at it, but I believe the implications are valid.
S&H 295:5-8
“God creates and governs the universe, including man. The universe is filled with spiritual ideas, which He evolves, and they are obedient to the Mind that makes them.”
I usually hear strong emphasis on the last words, “to the Mind that makes them.” But, we’ve already been told that it is God that creates and governs the universe. And, we know that “Mind” is a synonym for God. Furthermore, “creates” and “makes” mean the same thing in these sentences.
Therefore, rather than emphasize old concepts, it seems right to subdue the phrase, “to the Mind that makes them.”
In the following examples, I’ve capitalized the words I’ve usually heard emphasized because of human inertia.
John 5:2
“Now there IS at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool…”
The word, “is,” is almost always emphasized by Readers, as though it was refuting a previous suggestion that there are no pools in Jerusalem. But there is no such suggestion, so there’s no logical reason to emphasize the word, “is.” We tend to emphasize it because that’s the way we’ve always heard others read it—another example of human inertia.
Luke 1:5
“There WAS in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias…”
Again, emphasizing the word, “was,” would suggest that the writer is refuting a preceding statement declaring that there were no priests named Zacharias in the days of Herod. Such a statement doesn’t exist. Therefore, the word, “was,” should not be emphasized, even though we’ve likely heard it emphasized in the past.
Luke 2:8
8 “And there WERE in the SAME COUNTRY, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
Similarly, the word, “were,” is frequently emphasized, as though it was refuting a statement that there were “no” shepherds. But there is no such statement, so there’s no valid reason to emphasize the word, “were.” We tend to emphasize it because that’s probably the way we’ve heard others read it.
The phrase, “same country,” is often emphasized, as well. But it is simply referring to Judea, which has already been mentioned in verse 4. Therefore, “same country” is an old concept and should be subdued. Again, we tend to emphasize it because most previous Readers have emphasized it—incorrectly.
The whole phrase, “And there were in the same country,” can be subdued
Luke 2:9
9 “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came UPON them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.”
The word, “upon,” is often emphasized, probably because that’s how we’ve heard it read before. But, in this case, it simply means, “to.” We wouldn’t emphasize the word, “to,” had the phrase been written, “the angel of the Lord came to them.”
I suggest that the word, “upon,” should be subdued.
Luke 2:10
10 “And the angel said UNTO them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
The word, “unto,” is often emphasized—again, possibly because we’ve always heard others emphasize it. But, the word means, “to,” in this context. If the phrase had been written, “And the angel said to them…,” we wouldn’t emphasize “to,” therefore, we need not emphasize, “unto.”
Isaiah 42:5
“Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath UNTO the people UPON it, and spirit to them that walk THEREIN:”
Not one of those three capitalized words needs to be emphasized because “unto” means, “to;” “upon” means “on;” and “therein” means “in it.” If the verse had been written, “…he that giveth breath to the people on it, and spirit to them that walk in it,” we would not emphasize, “to,” “on,” or “in it.”
WHY MIGHT THOSE WORDS HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZED BY OUR PREDECESSORS?
Of course, I can’t really know why someone started emphasizing words that didn’t need emphasis. But I do have a theory, namely, that such words as “unto,” “upon,” and “therein” are relatively archaic words, not frequently used in today’s conversations. Because we don’t commonly use them, they visually stand out to us as unusual. They attract our attention. Therefore, the extra visual attention we give them may be transferred to extra verbal attention as we read them aloud. That’s just a theory.
There are other such archaic words that many Readers will unnecessarily emphasize, including the following:
• “within,” which means “in,” as in Psalm 42:11
• “thereat,” which means “there,” as in Matthew 7:13
• “thereby,” which means “by it” or “by that,” as in Leviticus 11:43
• “therefrom,” which means “from it,” as in Joshua 23:6
• “thereinto,” which means “into it,” as in Luke 21:21
• “thereon,” which means “on it,” as in I Corinthians 3:10
• “thereto,” which means “to it,” as in Isaiah 44:15
• “thereunto,” which means “to that,” or “to this” as in Leviticus 5:16
• “therewith,” which means “with it,” as in Proverbs 25:16
• “withal,” which means “with,” “with that,” or “with it,” as in I Corinthians 12:7.
NOTE: Though these words should usually be subdued, there are occasional cases in which it might be appropriate to emphasize them.
Also note that there are other words that are commonly incorrectly emphasized, simply because of human inertia. We need to be conscious of this temptation and be ready to make our own determination, rather than simply repeat others’ mistakes.
Happy Reading,
Don Feldheim
[email protected]
www.ExpressiveCommunicationSerices.com
