It’s hip and cool for bloggers to post their top 10 posts of the year. And we want to be hip and cool. Our hearts tell us to do it, and the Bible says to “walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes” (Eccl 11:9). So here goes.
Last week, we gave you the top 10 posts from those published in 2024. Now, we list the top 10 posts from the full KW archive. If lots of other people are reading these posts, you probably should be, too.
10. Did Jesus’ Ministry Last 3 Years?
This 2019 post was #6 on this list last year. In this post, Peter considers the information from the gospels to reconsider the tradition that Jesus’ ministry lasted 3 years. Quite a few commenters are concerned that anything other than a 3-year ministry throws off their calculations from Gabriel’s message in Daniel 9. However, we’re not swayed by views that require certain assumptions about an end-times sequence of events in order to work.
9. My Favorite Way to Read the New Testament
This 2015 post makes its debut on the annual top 10 list this year. The “way” discussed in this post is not about finding time in your schedule, or deciding on a version of the Bible. The “way” is a reading plan, subdividing the New Testament into four tracks modeled after the four gospels. Read Matthew along with the Jewish epistles (James and Hebrews). Read Mark along with Peter’s epistles (since Peter was Mark’s chief source). Read Luke and Acts along with Paul’s epistles (since Luke was a companion of Paul’s). And read John along with John’s epistles and Revelation. This reading plan highlights what is distinct about each gospel, demonstrating the fulness of the kingdom Jesus brought to earth.
8. 3 Questions I Ask During Every Bible Study
Ryan asks these 3 questions during every Bible study. Do you? Would you like to? Maybe 2025 is your year to start a Bible study. Then you can ask these 3 questions, too. Lots of people are asking them, or at least discovering the value of asking them. That’s why this was our most-viewed post of the year, from those published this year. And only 7 posts in the entire archive outperformed it; no small feat, as Ryan wrote it only in August. (The second most-viewed piece published in 2024 was 18th most-viewed overall.)
7. Details of the OIA Method
This post serves as a table of contents to Peter’s series on how to study the Bible. It pretty much explains why this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of pageviews, even though it hasn’t shown up on this list since 2020.
6. What Should We Make of the Massive Repetition of Tabernacle Details in Exodus?
This 2018 post also makes its debut on the top 10 list due to a surge in views this year. In 2018, it was the third most-viewed post written that year, but has since faded into mild obscurity…until now. Sometimes people fear studying or teaching through the book of Exodus because they fear they won’t know what to do with all the tabernacle details. And then what do you do when nearly every detail is repeated? What a marvelous opportunity to strengthen our observation skills!
5. Summary of the OIA Method
Just as the title says, this post summarizes the OIA method we aim to teach. It’s basically the reason this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of page views. This is up from #7 last year.
4. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT
This post was #10 for the last few years. Though it comes from a series that analyzes not only books but also chapters and verses, this list of most-quoted books always seems to be one of the most popular.
3. 11 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament
This post was #9 for the last few years. It comes from the same six-part series—mentioned in the previous entry—analyzing every NT citation of an OT text. It’s interesting that, in that series about the NT quoting the OT, the most popular post is about the OT books that never get a direct quotation.
2. Context Matters: You Have Heard That it was Said…But I Say to You
This 2018 post was #9 on this list in 2020, but rose to #3 in 2021 and remained in that position until hitting #2 this year. This post examines the series of contrasts in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to determine, from the context, what Jesus was arguing against. Hint: It wasn’t the Old Testament Law.
1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious
The popularity of this 2015 post (republished in 2021) continues to surprise us. We really cannot explain why it has been so popular, but if you haven’t read it, you must really be missing out! Elihu is that mysterious fourth friend in the book of Job. If you even knew he existed, chances are you’ve skipped his speeches entirely. This post is Peter’s attempt to explain Elihu’s role in the drama of the play of Job. This post was #3 in 2017, but since then has alternated between the #1 and #2 slots.
Previous years’ lists: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013
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