Gregory's Pulpit Confession
Story★★★★St. Jerome tells us that once when he asked Gregory of Nazianzus for the explanation of a difficult word in St. Luke that teacher humorously replied that he would prefer to explain it in the pulpit, because when there is an applauding crowd around you, you are compelled to know that of which in fact you are ignorant. It has been the temptation of the pulpit at all times to explain without understanding, and to substitute well-sounding phrases for real discussion. The presence of a sceptic or two in a congregation does a preacher good if it induces him on occasion to say, “I do not know.” E. J. Hardy
The point
Gregory of Nazianzus humorously admits he explains better before crowds than in private—preachers risk substituting eloquent phrases for genuine understanding unless challenged.