--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not enough to probe the question of…" description: "\"“It is not enough to probe the question of what the text is saying. It is equally important to discover why it is saying what it says. The question of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/eugene-l-lowry-25699_truth-seeking_it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-o_1184297.jpg" --- # It is not enough to probe the question of what the text is… ![“It is not enough to probe the question of what the text is saying. It is equally important to discover why it is saying what it says. The question of why is most often the context for the transition into homiletical form.” quote by Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/eugene-l-lowry-25699_truth-seeking_it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-o_1184297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/eugene-l-lowry-25699_truth-seeking_it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-o_1184297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/eugene-l-lowry-25699_truth-seeking_it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-o_1184297.jpg) > ““It is not enough to probe the question of what the text is saying. It is equally important to discover why it is saying what it says. The question of why is most often the context for the transition into homiletical form.”” [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a text requires analyzing both its content and the author's intent, as the latter shapes its interpretive form. **In simple terms:** Know what a text says and why it says it. Key Takeaway Explore both meaning and purpose. Themes literary analysis interpretation context Mood analytical inquisitive Type scholarly educational When to use this quote - academic essays - critical reading - theology studies Key Concepts authorial intent textual meaning Questions to Reflect On - Why does the author choose this perspective? - How does context affect interpretation? A Different Perspective Intent may be ambiguous or multiple. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) ## Related quotes > [“diagnosis is central to our homiletical task.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/diagnosis-is-central-to-our-homiletical-task/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“A sermonic idea is a homiletical bind; a sermon is a narrative plot!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/a-sermonic-idea-is-a-homiletical-bind-a-sermon-is-a-narrative-plot/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“So it is that much homiletical advice tends to function in reverse—that is, it works reasonably well in evaluating a sermon already formed, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/so-it-is-that-much-homiletical-advice-tends-to-function-in-reverse/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“From where I sit, all homiletical theological perspectives are interpretations with certain strengths and weaknesses. They have a provisional character. We cannot have full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schnasa-jacobsen/from-where-i-sit-all-homiletical-theological-perspectives-are/) [David Schnasa Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schnasa-jacobsen/) > [Lie to me once, & I'll question everything you say after that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lie-to-me-once-i-ll-question-everything-you-say-after-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Question with boldness, hold to the truth, and speak without fear,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/question-with-boldness-hold-to-the-truth-and-speak-without-fear/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [When a young artist asks me a question, I want to do what I can to give them an answer if I have it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tait/when-a-young-artist-asks-me-a-question-i-want-to-do-what-i-can-to/) [Michael Tait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tait/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [ “\[T\]he question "What is everything?" has no meaning, even though it seems to be profound. \[...\] The point is, perhaps, that I am not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/t-he-question-what-is-everything-has-no-meaning-even-though-it-seems/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More by Eugene L. Lowry > [“the primary purpose of sermon introductions is to produce imbalance for the sake of engagement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/the-primary-purpose-of-sermon-introductions-is-to-produce-imbalance/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“The term plot is key both to sermon preparation and to sermon presentation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/the-term-plot-is-key-both-to-sermon-preparation-and-to-sermon/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“So it is that once a person has settled on the question as to what is wrong, the choice of cures is limited. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/so-it-is-that-once-a-person-has-settled-on-the-question-as-to-what-is/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“Transforming our intuitions into articulate form is precisely the purpose of this book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/transforming-our-intuitions-into-articulate-form-is-precisely-the/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“Sometimes a sermon idea seemed to emerge on its own, possessed of its own power, and required a developmental process more akin to pruning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/sometimes-a-sermon-idea-seemed-to-emerge-on-its-own-possessed-of-its/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“Whatever the thinking of Prof. Lowry and his editor, they obviously share the conviction that The Homiletical Plot can sit comfortably on the shelf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/whatever-the-thinking-of-prof-lowry-and-his-editor-they-obviously/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“It is a disservice to any form to elevate it as the form.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/it-is-a-disservice-to-any-form-to-elevate-it-as-the-form/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“Why not conceive every sermon as narrative—whether or not a parable or other story is involved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/why-not-conceive-every-sermon-as-narrative-whether-or-not-a-parable/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“Says Robert Roth in Story and Reality: “For the Greeks . . . words were definitions. . . . For the Hebrews, on the contrary, words were descriptions.” 14”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/says-robert-roth-in-story-and-reality-for-the-greeks-words-were/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“Hence there is more action or natural movement in describing, for example, a God who walks in the garden in the cool of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/hence-there-is-more-action-or-natural-movement-in-describing-for/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“So it is that much homiletical advice tends to function in reverse—that is, it works reasonably well in evaluating a sermon already formed, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/so-it-is-that-much-homiletical-advice-tends-to-function-in-reverse/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“I noted a second time appreciation for the author’s making room for intuition in the sermon process. Most of us give lip service to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/i-noted-a-second-time-appreciation-for-the-author-s-making-room-for/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“A sermonic idea is a homiletical bind; a sermon is a narrative plot!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/a-sermonic-idea-is-a-homiletical-bind-a-sermon-is-a-narrative-plot/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“diagnosis is central to our homiletical task.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/diagnosis-is-central-to-our-homiletical-task/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [“The plain fact was he knew how to do it intuitively, but he could not articulate what it was that he did.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/the-plain-fact-was-he-knew-how-to-do-it-intuitively-but-he-could-not/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) [Explore all 22 Eugene L. Lowry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) ## More Religion quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The love religion is all that is written here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/the-love-religion-is-all-that-is-written-here/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [No religion has mandated killing others as a requirement for its sustenance or promotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-religion-has-mandated-killing-others-as-a-requirement-for-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) [Browse all 58,737 Religion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is not enough to probe the question of what the text is saying. It is equally important to discover why it is saying what it says. The question of why is most often the context for the transition into homiletical form.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eugene L. Lowry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-of-what-the-text-is-saying-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Religion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-of-what-the-text-is-saying-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/eugene-l-lowry-25699_truth-seeking_it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-o_1184297.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/eugene-l-lowry-25699_truth-seeking_it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-o_1184297.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/eugene-l-lowry-25699_truth-seeking_it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-o_1184297.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not enough to probe the question of what the text is saying. It is equally important to discover why…” — Eugene L. Lowry", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eugene L. Lowry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is not enough to probe...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-of-what-the-text-is-saying-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/it-is-not-enough-to-probe-the-question-of-what-the-text-is-saying-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```