A friend of mine invented a new word to describe what is happening in many churches today—and I absolutely love it.
“Narcegesis.”
Narcegesis is exegesis gone wrong.
Exegesis means “exposition or explanation.” Biblical exegesis involves the careful examination of a particular text of Scripture in order to properly understand it. Exegesis aims to arrive at the intended meaning of a biblical text from the text itself.
Narcissism, among other things, involves an inflated sense of self-importance, entitlement, and exploitative behavior, often masking deep insecurity.
One of the fundamental building blocks of biblical exegesis is acknowledging that the Bible is not about me. The Bible is about God and God’s plan to save His people through Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the central message of the Bible, not me.
Therefore, the biblical exegete works hard to understand and explain each biblical text in light of God’s plan of salvation and how each passage points to the Lord Jesus.
Once the meaning of the text is discovered, it has great implications for me. The text’s implications are for me; the text itself is not about me.
The Bible is for me, but it is not about me.
For example:
Joseph is the one who unjustly suffers in order to bring about the great salvation of others.
Moses is the great prophet of God who brings God’s Word to God’s people.
David is the unexpected king who conquers the great enemy of God’s people.
All Old Testament characters and accounts ultimately point us to Jesus and His saving work on the cross.
Narcegesis is the exact opposite.
Narcegesis makes each biblical text not about God and His great plan of salvation, but about me and my issues. I become the object and hero of each passage.
For example:
Joseph becomes me being mistreated by others but still remaining faithful.
Moses becomes me being called out of my worldly pursuits to serve God.
David fighting Goliath becomes me conquering all the obstacles in my life.
All Old Testament characters and accounts end up becoming moral lessons that teach me how I should conduct (or not conduct) my life.
Sadly, with this me-centred approach to understanding the Bible, the text never points me to Jesus. Instead, me and my supposed faithfulness are always paramount.
The result is that the Bible becomes a book of moral and “spiritual” lessons teaching me to be good and faithful, rather than reminding me of my sinfulness, my inability to save myself, and the greatness of the Saviour—Jesus.
Instead of understanding the Bible through the lens of the gospel, the Bible becomes a self-help guide, full of tips and strategies to improve my life.
Unfortunately, many pastors today practice narcegesis instead of exegesis. And the people they serve seldom hear the life-saving, life-transforming gospel.