Knowable Word

Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

Copyright © 2012–2026 DiscipleMakers, except guest articles (copyright author). Used by permission.

You are here: Home / Archives for Peter Krol

Identifying Longer Poems in the Body of Proverbs

By

Paul Overland has a fascinating piece on how to detect the poetic structure of Proverbs. I’ve written a full study of Proverbs 1-9, but Overland draws lessons from the structural markers in 1-9 and applies them to discern longer poems in chapters 10-29 as well.

For example, the sage uses an inclusio (repeated bookends) to mark the beginning and end of a poem in Proverbs 4:20-27. The NIV captures the repetition of “turn your ear” (Prov 4:20) and “do not turn” (Prov 4:27). In a similar way, the inclusio of “comes only to poverty” may mark the beginning and end of a larger unit in Prov 21:5-22:16.

Overland provides many specific tools to help you recognize boundary markers of poetic units within the book. And he offers the following benefits to engaging in this work:

  1. Poems reveal richer meaning to their single sayings
  2. We discover messages emerging from entire poems or lectures
  3. Adjacent poems cluster together to deliver a cumulative lesson
  4. A book-wide curriculum of wisdom training comes into view

The book of Proverbs is a tremendous gift from God to help us know him and grow up into maturity in our thinking, our piety, and our social progress. In today’s societies, we can easily witness the fruit of neglecting such wisdom from God. And Overland’s article will provide much stimulating help with considering just how this book can train us further in God’s wisdom.

Check it out!

Wisdom is Infectious, Not Contagious

By

There’s hope that anything can change. But first you must get wisdom.

Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
And be attentive, that you may gain insight,
For I give you good precepts;
Do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
Tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
He taught me
And said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments, and live” (Prov 4:1-4).

We can tell Solomon wants to get our attention because the first verse says, “be attentive,” and because it begins with “Hear, O sons,” rather than the usual “Hear, my son” (Prov 1:8). Would you like to get unstuck? Pay attention to what comes next.

After Solomon exhorts the reader to hear his instruction, he backs up the exhortation with a bit of autobiography. We’re transported back to the days when little Shlomo sat by the hearth and heard his father David talk about life. The most memorable advice was this: Hold on to my words (Prov 4:4) and get wisdom (Prov 4:5). This little story is noteworthy for at least two reasons.

1. It shows that the reason Solomon asked God for wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-9) was because Papa David told him to.

It’s easy to think Solomon’s request came out of nowhere, as though he had a flash of genius that just happened to coincide with the night when God made him the offer of a lifetime. No, instead, as we learn here, David had trained Solomon to do whatever it might take to get wisdom. Solomon was ready to ask God for it. Like Solomon, we must be taught to love and seek wisdom; it doesn’t happen naturally. Wisdom is an acquired taste, cultivated by people who have good examples to follow.

2. It implies that, if we want to inspire others to love wisdom, we must live it out and pass it on, just as David did for Solomon.

I’m not saying that David was perfect. He influenced his son both for good (loving wisdom) and ill (loving too many women). Solomon’s chief memory, however, was of his father’s quest for wisdom. It inspired him deeply.

NIAID (2011), Creative Commons
NIAID (2011), Creative Commons

To influence others, we, too, must quest for wisdom. Love for wisdom is infectious, not contagious. In other words, it doesn’t catch very easily; it requires close personal contact to be transmitted. For instance, parents ought to practice what they preach; they should be both open to learning and quick to ask forgiveness when they sin against their children. Leaders ought to tell tasteful stories about themselves to illustrate key ideas; people generally won’t get the point until they can see how it has personally affected the teacher. To save us, God didn’t hand over a philosophy or rulebook. He became a man and stood in our place, showing us in the process how to live wisely.

The first step to getting unstuck is to find good models who inspire you with hope and point you to Jesus as your wisdom. If you are a leader of any sort, your words will never be enough; you must visibly demonstrate the wisdom you seek to impart.

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

The Staying Power of Wisdom

By

I’m so grateful for William Osborne’s recent piece “Wisdom Rarely Makes You Famous.” In it, he explains the end of Ecclesiastes 9 and beginning of Ecclesiastes 10 to show why wisdom is far superior a thing to pursue than the acceptance of any inner circle in society.

The temptation to stray from God’s word continues through every generation. Wisdom is not crowd-sourcing. Wisdom is not trying to guess what the next big thing will be before everyone else. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and building our lives upon his words. Wisdom believes that God’s instructions are good and life-giving, even though wisdom rarely gets a trophy.

Check it out!

Wisdom and Hope

By

I’m Stuck

I’ve been stuck for some time. There’s a certain person I’ve known most of my life who is very difficult to get along with. Our personalities clash, and our tastes diverge on just about everything. He doesn’t know Christ yet; thus, he doesn’t understand most of the life choices I’ve made. I’ve often felt personally attacked by his comments and attitudes.

I want this person to meet Christ and find life, but when we converse I end up feeling like I’m about 8 years old again and helpless to change things. After I got married, my wife helped me to see that all hope was not lost; God had provided many opportunities to build a healthier relationship. My self-protective fear had prevented me from seeing these opportunities, and the fear of the Lord would give me the wisdom to make changes. Only after I stopped worrying about protecting myself and started seeking to represent Christ, did I have hope that the relationship could get better. I have a long way to go, but I want to do whatever it takes to travel this path one step at a time.

Proverbs 4 explains the vital connection between wisdom and hope. If we don’t fear the Lord, we won’t be open to change. If we’re not open to change, we won’t change. If we don’t change, we’ll fail as agents of redemption to those around us. We won’t inspire them with hope that they can change. Then—guess what?—nothing ever changes.

Deana Archer (2006), Creative Commons
Deana Archer (2006), Creative Commons

Are You Stuck?

Are you stuck? Stuck in a bad habit, a bad relationship, or a bad situation? Has your life failed to meet your expectations? Are you always too busy? Do the years keep flying by, yet without moving beyond the “same old, same old”?

For example, have you committed sexual immorality in the past? Will you ever be able to forget the memories or mental images? Can the damage done to yourself and others ever be undone? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

Are you married to an angry, hurtful person? Is your relationship caught in the endless cycle of attack-remorse-apology without any lasting change? How could you ever forgive? Can you get more help? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

Were your parents critical of your every move? Did they care at all? As you grew up, did they miss all your major milestones? Did they abuse you verbally, physically, emotionally, or sexually? How could you possibly trust another person again? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

Have your grown children rejected the Lord? Have you tried to win them back by every available means? Might you have been part of the problem, pushing them away with ungracious legalism, unrealistic expectations, harsh judgments, or emotional neediness? Can they ever return to the Lord or to a healthy relationship with you? The fear of the Lord can give hope.

There’s Hope

I’m not saying that the answers to these questions are easy. I’m not saying that wisdom will eliminate your pain and disappointment. But what I am saying is that there’s hope. One of our own poets, speaking of that hope which rises from fearing the Lord, said:

Hope springs eternal in the human breast:
Man never Is but always To be blest.[1]

There’s always hope. Real hope that it can change. Do nothing, and it will certainly get worse. But fear the Lord, and it just might get better.

Proverbs 4:1-27 has three distinct units, each beginning with an address to one or more “sons.” The theme of “life” links the sections together. Solomon’s advice goes like this: First, do whatever it takes to get wisdom, and you’ll find life (Prov 4:1-9). Second, contrast the two roads before you to see which one leads to the life (Prov 4:10-19). Third, let the life become a part of who you are, and it will change everything you do (Prov 4:20-27). In other words, because God makes his life available in Jesus Christ, those who turn to him have hope that anything can change.[2]

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

[1] Alexander Pope, Essay on Man

[2] I’m indebted to Waltke, Proverbs 1-15, pp.274-301 for the structure and main points of Proverbs 4. (Disclosure: This is an affiliate link, so if you click it and buy stuff from Amazon, your purchase will help to support our site at no extra cost to yourself.)

3 Reasons to Teach Your Kids the Bible

By

Ken Mbugua offers 3 reasons to teach your kids the Bible:

  1. It is your God-given, joyful privilege.
  2. God still speaks through His Word.
  3. The Bible is a light.

If we don’t teach them the Bible, what will they find instead to guide them through life? How will they hear from God? How will they know him? For those reasons, we’ve sought to provide help with teaching not only the content of the Bible but also the skills for children to read and understand it themselves.

As Mbugua declares, “The call to teach our children about God is not a modern idea but a timeless command rooted in Scripture.”

Check it out!

When Humility is not Easy

By

It’s easy to forget humility and act like violent men when facing certain types of people. We’ll find help with three groups of people by considering the three places where New Testament authors quote Proverbs 3:34.

1. Those who have hurt me deeply

Charlie Barker (2011), Creative Commons
Charlie Barker (2011), Creative Commons

James has this first group in mind when he quotes Proverbs 3:34 to instruct the community to stop quarreling (Jas. 4:1-12). James argues that we each tend to love ourselves more than anyone else, so we fight for our rights. In the course of such conflict, we get hurt and want to retaliate. Instead, we must remember that our desires cannot give us what they promise. So we must turn to the Lord, because he always gives more grace than the world does. As we fear the Lord instead of focusing on ourselves, we become more humble people. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6).

2. Those who don’t deserve my trust

Peter has this second group in mind when he quotes Proverbs 3:34 to instruct the church to submit to the elders (1 Pet. 5:1-11). Elders are shepherds of the flock of God, but they must never be mistaken for the Chief Shepherd. When we put our leaders in the place of Jesus, they fail to deliver because they are neither divine nor sinless. When they fail, we tend to become disillusioned, anxious for the future of the church, and proud in our own opinions. Instead, we ought to fear the Lord more than we fear failure. This makes us both humble and effective, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5).

3. All the rest

Paul has all of us in mind when he draws us back to Christ’s humility to empower our own (Phil. 2:1-18). Does Christ encourage you? Does his love comfort you? Do you participate in his Spirit? Has God shown any affection or sympathy toward you? Jesus gave up what he deserved (his rights as God) and took on what he did not deserve (the role of a servant, the limitations of a human body, and the utter disgrace of death by crucifixion). He did it to rescue you from what you deserve (God’s judgment) and to give you what you do not deserve (God’s pleasure). Paul was so affected by Jesus’ humility that he was prepared to die himself if it meant his people would hold these truths more dearly.

Loving others wisely and humbly is not optional for followers of Christ. It’s the meat and potatoes of living by faith in community with other sinners. Wisdom must penetrate this crucial area of our lives. The fear of the Lord is the beginning, and when you fear the Lord you can’t help but become like him. That means dying for others, even if they’ve hurt you or if they don’t deserve it. When Jesus’ humility grips you, it changes everything about you. Don’t turn inward and deny yourself the opportunity to fear the Lord and know Jesus in his humility. As Raymond Ortlund writes:

If you would like to experience God with that humility, here is how you can. You look at the cross. You see a wise man hanging there, dying in the place of fools like you, because he loves you. You may despise him, but he does not despise you. You may be above him, but he humbled himself for you. Look there at him. Look away from yourself. Look at him, and keep looking until your pride melts. You will not only worship, you will begin to grow wise.[1]

This post was first published in 2013 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

[1] Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Kindle location 537-540.

Disclosure: This link is an Amazon affiliate link. If you click it and buy stuff from Amazon, your purchase will help support our site.

Might Your Teaching be Preventing People from Learning?

By

Bryan Elliff has a wonderful and provocative piece called “Less Lecture More Learning: Ideas for a Better Sunday School Hour.” In that article, he describes situations where church members faithfully attend Sunday school classes for decades but still don’t know how to read or study their Bibles.

One of the biggest contributors to the problem is lecture-style teaching. That may surprise you, but I think it’s true. Let me paint the picture. One willing and perhaps gifted person spends a lot of time at home preparing during the week. On Sunday, he marches to the front of the classroom to speak at the group for an hour. Maybe a few minutes are given for discussion at the end and the listeners file out to go to the worship meeting where they will listen to a speaker again.

The problem with this is that it doesn’t teach the people how to read the Bible. It just serves up a finished product that they think about for a few minutes. Most likely, unless the teacher is an exceptionally good speaker, they’ll forget it rather quickly. It’s kind of like inviting someone over for a meal once a week and expecting him to learn how to cook.

In other words, there’s too much teaching and not enough learning.

Elliff goes on to suggest some practical ways you can turn your lectures into an academy for vibrant learning. His suggestions are quite close to my model for teaching Bible study in church.

Check it out!

Logos Bible Software: The Subscription Model Seems to be Working

By

About a year ago, I reviewed some major changes undergone by Logos Bible Software in switching to a subscription model. The biggest complaints against Logos over the years have been 1) affordability and 2) the huge learning curve required. It appears that the subscription model is truly working to address that first issue. And the second issue is largely addressed by the huge library of tutorials and training videos accessible not only on the web but also through the software.

As a reminder: You can select which tier of access you want to the software, including the size of resource library you want access to. And the truth is that only full-time Bible scholars really need the highest tier. A bottom- or middle-tier plan is more than sufficient for the average Bible student.

Why I still love Logos

For years, I have used Logos every day. So it was a no-brainer for me to agree to write an honest review for you in exchange for another year’s complimentary subscription. Now in no particular order, here are the reasons why I love Logos:

  • Access to the Scriptures on laptop, tablet, and phone.
  • I can pull up a quick search or library resource on the fly to help during a conversation or discipleship time with someone.
  • I click on a word to automatically all instances where that word is repeated in the text.
  • The Sermon Builder is a wonderful word processor designed from the ground up with preaching and preachers in mind.
  • I preach and teach from the Logos app on my iPad.
  • I read church history and theology in Logos like an ebook reading app.
  • I regularly watch videos from courses in Logos mobile ed.
  • I mark up my text in a certain way, which Logos saves. I can turn those highlights on when I want to revisit my work, and I can turn them off when I want a clean text.
  • I make use of a lectionary and a prayer book in Logos for personal devotions.
  • The Sermon Manager enables me to maintain a database of everything I’ve ever taught, when and where I’ve taught it, and how many times (and in what scenarios) I’ve taught the same text.
  • I can check many English translations of the text I’m studying in a few instants.
  • I can search my entire digital library and my entire print library for anything. Topic? Text? Quotation? You name it. Logos will find it, and even give me the exact page number for a print resource sitting on my shelf so I can get to the right spot instantly.

What I don’t love about Logos

I’m frankly concerned with the extent to which Logos has incorporated AI into the software, without granting users a setting to opt out of it. As with most other software available today, AI is being pushed on us whether we want it or not.

Some of the AI features are wonderful, such as Smart Search. To perform a robust search in Logos, I used to have to spend lots of time looking up the proper search syntax for what I was seeking. But AI now enables me to search for anything in plain language, and the search results come clearly footnoted with sources in my library, so I can click on any source to verify the AI is not hallucinating on me.

However, the AI incorporation into the Sermon Builder is nothing short of troubling. So far, I have been repulsed by handing my work in teaching and preaching over to AI, but it is only becoming easier for students and teachers of the Bible to do so, with few safeguards. It’s packaged in Logos as mere suggestions for outlines, discussion questions, or illustrations. But with a single click, you can then insert those “suggestions” right into your notes or manuscript, presenting them as your own work.

To get more specific: With a few keystrokes, you can submit a Scripture text, audience demographic, and general theme you want to cover. Logos AI will then spit out a full sermon outline, with summaries of sections, suggested applications, teaching objectives, and a main point. All you’ve got to do is take that with you into a small group or class, and you can lead a discussion or present a lecture that is just as soulless and Spirit-empty as the machine that disgorged it onto your screen.

This is not good for humanity, especially for the church of Jesus Christ, and we need heartier speed bumps for such dangerous tech.

Conclusion

I don’t refuse to ever use AI in my life. It just requires self-discipline and thick boundaries. So if you’ve got the self-discipline and boundaries for it—and you’d better, no matter what software you use these days to do anything—and you want to give Logos a try, feel free to shop plans here and test it free for 60 days. If you buy a subscription after clicking this link, our blog will receive a small commission, which enables us to cover the fees associated with maintaining the blog. Thank you!

Your Buying Guide for Bible Study Resources: Updated for 2025

By

If you’re in the market for gifts to encourage Bible study, here are our top recommendations. We’ve reviewed most of these products on this site at many times and in many ways, but here they are in one place for you.

Bibles

readers-bible-6-volumeYou can’t beat a good Bible. Our top recommendation is to get yourself or someone you love one of the best editions of the Bible to hit the western world: the ESV Reader’s Bible, 6 Volume Set.

Our first review. Second review.

Get it at Amazon

And while we use the ESV translation more than any other, we must mention that the 4-volume NIV Sola Scriptura Bible Project has perhaps the most innovative layout and presentation of the Scriptures, which make it a sheer delight to read.

ESV Reader's BibleIf 6 volumes seem too much to you, the single volume ESV Reader’s Bible is still well worth picking up.

Our review

Cloth over board: Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Reader’s Bibles are arriving with increasing frequency in other translations as well. See our reviews of the CSB, NIV one-volume, NIV 4-volume, and ESV Gospels. They’re even producing some editions for kids.

And for something completely different, consider getting an entire book of the New Testament on a single page spread, with the ESV Panorama New Testament.

Chronological Bible

The ESV Chronological Bible is worth your attention. It’s not what you want for deep study, but it’s wonderful for extended reading or reference. Here is our review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Study Bibles

There are so many options. See our buying guide for recommendations about which ones succeed at promoting OIA Bible study.

Markup Bibles

For something you can write in with greater ease, see our recommendations. Also consider large print and journaling Bibles. Or Scripture journals. If you prefer more space between lines of text, see the Inductive Version of the Journaling New Testament.

Journibles

If you or a loved one like the idea of copying out the Scriptures by hand, you might want to consider a Journible.

Audio Bibles

The Dwell app for mobile devices is a remarkable tool designed completely for listening to the Bible. NIV Live is a terrific dramatized audio Bible.

Bible Study

For a snapshot of the OIA process, see this blog post.

For a little more explanation of the principles, see our free booklet.

To go even further, with lots of illustrations, examples to follow, and exercises to practice, see One-to-One Bible Reading or Peter’s book Knowable Word (now revised and expanded).

If you’re familiar with the OIA model, and you’d like to hone your skills to perfection, consider getting Methodical Bible Study by Robert Traina. This book is dry and doesn’t tell many stories. But it delves the depths of the model like nothing else.

Leading

If you’d like to grow as a Bible study leader see Peter’s book Sowable Word or Colin Marshall’s terrific book Growth Groups.

Commentaries

See our page with recommended commentaries that promote OIA Bible study skills. We don’t have recommendations for every Bible book yet, but we update this page as we come across helpful volumes.

Beginners

Great places for beginners to start in gaining familiarity with the Bible’s layout and message are The Beginner’s Guide to the Bible (see Peter’s review), The Visual Theology Guide to the Bible (see Ryan’s review), and The Visual Word (see Ryan’s review).

Software

Peter still happily recommends Logos Bible Software, as it has drastically improved the speed and quality of his Bible study. See his reviews of Logos 7, Logos 8, and Logos 9 for details. Logos is now more affordable than ever through subscriptions (see Peter’s review of this latest development). Here is a link for a 30-day trial.

While Logos is remarkable with its reference libraries and powerful features, it’s not for everyone. If you are more interested in slimmer, free software, you may want to check out E-Sword or STEP Bible.

Children’s Resources

The best thing you and your church can do for your children is to buy them a Bible and teach them to use it. In my household, that means we buy ESV pew Bibles (the cheapest we can find) almost by the case. These things will get beat up and need to be replaced often, so there’s no use in getting the authentic-porpoise-leather-imported-from-Mars-heirloom-editions just yet.

When children are first learning to read, it may be helpful to give them the NIrV. This builds their confidence in reading the very words of God in their own language. Remember, the story Bibles are good, but God’s undiluted word is even better.

And before dipping into the supplemental resources below, perhaps you’d consider printing out a few simple devotional pages for your kids, so they can explore the Scriptures for themselves before hearing what others have to say about the Scriptures.

Ages 0-2

The Big Picture Story Bible – A marvelous overview of the Bible’s rich storyline: The people of God under the rule of God in the place God gives. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Read Aloud Bible Stories – Brief Bible stories that draw in young children, letting the children know these are their stories. Get it at Amazon.

Ages 3-5

The Gospel Story Bible – Retellings of 156 Bible stories, synchronized with the Gospel Story for Kids curriculum, and devotionals Long Story Short and Old Story New. The best part of these stories are that much use is made in the retelling of the actual text of Scripture. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

God’s BIG Promises Bible Storybook – Traces 5 major promises through the Bible from beginning to end. Great to read aloud to preschoolers, or to have young elementary students read themselves. See our review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

The Jesus Storybook Bible – Gripping gospel focus, though it sometimes seems to suggest that Bible stories are not meant to serve as examples (contrast with 1 Cor 10:6, 11, etc.). Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Ages 5-7

Mark’s Marvellous Book – I still hope this becomes more of a trend: A children’s story Bible that follows the shape and themes of a book of the Bible (rather than cherry-picking certain stories, ignoring the fact that they were written to an audience in a context). See my review. Get it at Amazon.

God’s Daring Dozen – Similar to Mark’s Marvellous Book, these short volumes each follow the shape and theme of a book of the Bible. These sets work through the twelve minor prophets, from Hosea to Malachi. And they are simply extraordinary. See my review. Get box 1 (Amazon | Westminster), box 2 (Amazon | Westminster), or box 3 (Amazon | Westminster).

The Big Picture Story Bible – A marvelous overview of the Bible’s rich storyline: The people of God under the rule of God in the place God gives. Read this to your kids at ages 0-2; then have them read it to themselves at ages 5-7. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

radical-book-for-kidsAges 8-14

The Radical Book for Kids – This is the kind of gift you get for your kids, but it’s also, sort of, partly, perhaps, for you. You know, like Legos, football tickets, or family room surround sound systems. It’s an engaging and delightful handbook of the Christian faith. See my review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

The Really Radical Book for Kids – Just as wonderfully radical as the first one, only really so. See my review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster. Or get a deal on both Radical books at Westminster.

Or perhaps you’d like to consider getting them their own beginner reader’s Bible.

Family Devotions

I highly recommend the series of devotionals by Marty Machowski. These volumes don’t merely communicate Christian truth, as important as that is; they train children to study the Bible and find that truth for themselves. In addition, the “daily” family devotions take only 5 days/week, and they truly take only 10 minutes per day. The payoff is high, but the price of entry is low. This makes it more likely you’ll be able to stay consistent with them. Every volume in this series has the same high quality; each also has the same basic structure for each day’s devotion. See my review.

Happy gift shopping!

Disclaimer: Links in this post to Amazon, Westminster, and Logos are affiliate links, which means this blog receives a small commission when you click those links. Doing this helps us to cover our costs, enabling us to continue recommending decent resources. Thank you.