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Two Things Not to Say When Leading Bible Study

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Erik Raymond writes of “A Couple Phrases I Wish Preachers Would Stop Saying So Often.” And though Raymond directs his comments at pastors, Bible study leaders would be wise to listen in:

In recent years I’ve noticed an uptick in a couple of phrases from preachers and teachers. I don’t want to go so far as to mark them as homiletical cuss words, but I do want to draw a circle around them and ask why we are saying them so much. These two phrases are “I think” and “I feel.”

Let me explain. Suppose someone is preaching through Colossians and they come to chapter 3. They then read the following words aloud:

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:1–2)

Then they say, “I think what Paul is saying here is that we need to be seeking the things above.” After a pause, he goes on to say, “I feel like this is especially hard for us today because of all of our temptations for distractions.” Later he says, “I feel like too many of us, myself included, are really susceptible to this. I think it can really hinder our walk with Christ.”

Now what’s wrong with this phrasing? On one level, nothing. He is not saying anything wrong. But, at the same time, he is not saying it like he could. If he is not completely declawing the passage he is at least filing down its nails. He is saying it in a less authoritative and offensive way. And while he may still be bouncing the ball to his congregation for application it is a bit of a deflated ball, or at least not as pumped up as it could be.

To see how Raymond would revise such comments to sharpen their claws, you’ll have to read the full article. Check it out!

However, I will make one disclaimer. When we are not (or cannot be) certain about the meaning of a passage, “I think” would be a perfectly reasonable thing to say. Or if we move off the main point into the sub-sub-sub-points of the passage, we should also avoid confident bluster and bravado. Remember, the main points are the ones worth fighting for. And they are the points whose claws must never be pared.

Exodus Overview: Who is the LORD, That I Should Obey His Voice?

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We’ve considered the principles of Bible study in great detail. Now it’s time to put them into practice through a series of sample Bible studies in the book of Exodus. We begin with a book oveview.

While you could find many of the following points by reading a decent commentary or study Bible, you’ll have more fun—and the key points will have greater staying power in your life—if you glean them by simply reading and re-reading the book many times. To prepare this overview, I’ve consulted a few helpful sources. But I’ve spent most of my time reading Exodus 8 times in the last 3 months. I hope to read it 12 more times before the end of the year. Perhaps the repetition will lead me to change my mind at a few points.

Author

The New Testament regularly quotes or references the book of Exodus and attributes it to Moses (Mark 7:10, 12:26; Luke 20:37; John 6:32, 7:19; Rom 9:15; 2 Cor 3:13-15; Heb 7:14, 8:5, 9:19). We shall do the same.

Audience

After reading Exodus a few times, it becomes clear that the book focuses on the rescue and establishment of the people of Israel as a new nation before God. The book ends with the people at Mount Sinai, ready to move on to the land of promise. In addition, Exodus fits squarely within the flow of Exodus-through-Numbers. The book was clearly written to the Hebrews on their way to Canaan. It’s not clear, however, whether the book was “finished” for the first generation who came out of Egypt, or for the following generation. Numbers was clearly not finished until the second generation, since it reports the rebellion and death of the first generation. So Moses may have written Exodus a few decades earlier (possibly with Leviticus), for the first generation, or along with Numbers, for the second generation.

Occasion

Either way, the book of Exodus serves as a charter for this new nation. What does it mean to be not only a new sovereign state but the specially chosen people of God? When God remembers his covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, what will that mean for these frightened and fearful former slaves? And how do they know God won’t eventually abandon them?

Genre

Most of the book presents itself as historical narrative. The events that take place here will shape the nation for generations to come (such as, Ex 12:1-6). Yet this narrative has frequent sub-genres: speech, dialogue, miracle story, and law code.

About a third of the way through, we get a long poem (Ex 15:1-21). Perhaps this attention-grabbing shift signals a climax of some sort…?

Themes

Steve Day (2008), Creative Commons

Steve Day (2008), Creative Commons

Reading Exodus, you can’t miss the theme of rescue from slavery. The first part of the book (chapters 1-15) tells the story of the greatest rescue in Old Testament history. And that rescue casts a long shadow even on the laws that follow (for example, Ex 22:21).

And while we might think of Exodus as being primarily about the exodus from Egypt, that event covers less than half the book. We also see a significant chunk of laws (chapters 20-23) and tabernacle instructions/construction (chapters 25-31 and 35-40). So our summary of themes must do justice to all these major sections:

  • rescue from slavery
  • guidelines for living as God’s people
  • patterns for constructing God’s dwelling place

Interestingly, each of these three themes goes nowhere without the intercession of a mediator. God delivers the people through the hand of Moses. God issues his laws through Moses’ representation. And God passes his building instructions through the same human lips. If you happen to miss this idea early, you can no longer ignore it when the tabernacle instructions are repeated twice, in their entirety: Once in dialogue to Moses, and again as Moses’ underlings carry those instructions out.

Purpose Statements

Another thing to look for in a book overview is explicit statements of purpose from the author. In Exodus, such purpose statements abound, often placed on the lips of God.

To the Hebrews: “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Ex 6:7).

Concerning the Egyptians: “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them” (Ex 7:5).

To Pharaoh: “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth” (Ex 9:16).

From Jethro, priest of Midian: “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people” (Ex 18:11).

Regarding the tabernacle: “I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God” (Ex 29:45-46).

Beginning to end, Exodus portrays a God who wants all people and communities to know who he is and what he has done. This God wants an awareness that goes even beyond humans. He wants to take down rival deities as well. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD” (Ex 12:12).

Structure

The shifts in theme and genre are the literary clues we need to find the book’s structure.

  1. Narratives of deliverance – Ex 1-15
  2. Narratives of provision and preparation – Ex 16-18
  3. Legal instructions – Ex 19-24
  4. Construction instructions – Ex 25-40

Of course, that last section is shockingly interrupted with the Hebrew’s grievous sin with the golden calf (chapters 32-34). This incident suggests a larger shape for the second half of the book, as follows:

1. Covenant made – Ex 19-24

2. Tabernacle instructions – Ex 25-31

1′ Covenant broken and repaired – Ex 32-34

2′ Tabernacle constructed – Ex 35-40

Bringing these pieces together, we get the following big picture:

  1. Delivering from the house of slavery – Ex 1-15
  2. Preparing the house of Israel – Ex 16-18
  3. Constructing the house of God – Ex 19-40

Main Point

Connecting all the threads of occasion, genre, themes, purpose statements, and structure, we can state the main point of the book of Exodus in a single question:

“Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice?” –Pharaoh, king of Egypt (Ex 5:2).

Exodus unequivocally answers Pharaoh’s question in three parts: Who is Yahweh [in English Bibles, “LORD” in all caps], and why should you obey? He is the God who 1) demolishes the house of slavery, 2) prepares to rebuild, and 3) builds his house in the midst of his people.

Now we’re ready to dive into the details. This main point will guide us as we work our way through the book.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

One Very Good Reason to Read Your Bible

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Tim Challies writes of “One Very Good Reason to Read Your Bible.” And he’s absolutely right. This is about the best reason I can think of.

One of the great dangers in the Christian life is living first for self. One of the associated dangers, then, is seeing personal devotion as a practice that goes no further than my own mind, my own heart. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Your intimacy with God, your knowledge of God, your time with God, works its way outward to everyone around you. The good you can do them every day is the good of spending time with God.

Challies expands on how your daily Bible reading will benefit your spouse, your children, your neighbors, and your fellow church members. If you think you are not smart enough, or you are too busy—or if you ever struggle with finding the Bible too boring or Bible study too complicated—please lift your eyes off yourself and consider the good God would have you do for those around you. There is too much to lose if you don’t read your Bible.

Challies’s article is excellent and worth full consideration. Check it out!

Better Than Wine: Logos 7 Now Available

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A few months ago, I made the acquaintance of Logos Bible Software (version 6). And like a mare among Pharoah’s chariots, this software captivated my heart with a single glance of the eyes (Song 1:9, 4:9). Logos 6 had hair like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead (Song 4:1) – and, thanks to the software, I finally understand both how mountainous Gilead truly is and why said goats would want to leap down its slopes. So a new love was born. Because Logos has been so helpful to my Bible reading and Bible study, I’ve barely touched a physical Bible since I began using the software.

If you want to learn the basics of what Logos does and how, I refer you to my previous two-part review:

  1. Unlimited Power.
  2. Does It Help With Bible Study?

And this short video explains the essence of Logos: a theological library and a feature set.

But in this review, I want to focus on the new features available in Logos 7 that you couldn’t get in Logos 6. As you can imagine, Logos 7 has many more new features than those on my list. But these are the features I believe ordinary people would most appreciate as they learn to study the Bible.

1. Repeated Words

Logos 7 has a “Concordance Tool” that will supercharge your observation of repeated words like never before. With Logos 7, you can:

  • Generate a list of the most repeated words within any defined chunk of text.
    • Whole Bible? (Top 5: Lord, not, all, God, said.)
    • Books of Moses? (Lord, not, all, people, said.)
    • Exodus? (Lord, Moses, people, all, said.)
    • Exodus 1-19? (Lord, people, Moses, said, all.)
    • Exodus 1? (people, all, Egypt, midwives, Israel.)
  • See exactly how many times each keyword occurs, and in exactly which verses. (“People” = Ex 1:7, 9, 9, 12, 13, 20, 22)
  • Export this list to a spreadsheet to save or print.

Logos 7 also has a helpful feature when a Bible translation is open, called Corresponding Words. Once I’ve discovered that “people” is the most repeated word, I can hover my mouse over the word “people” in Exodus 1:7. Logos then automatically highlights every instance of the word “people” in the entire chapter. This sort of analysis used to take me 30 minutes or more, and now I can do it with Logos in about 10 seconds.

The Concordance Tool is incredibly robust. It can show me every instance of not only the word “Pharaoh” but also the person Pharaoh. The former occurs only 4 times in Exodus 1, but the latter occurs 17 times (including “a new king” in Ex 1:8 and “he” in Ex 1:9). No physical concordance can provide such information so quickly. Take a peek yourself, through this short video.

2. Logical Outlines

Logos 6 had logical outlines for every New Testament book, and Logos 7 now adds this feature to every Old Testament book. These outlines break out every sentence and phrase into its parts, showing how the parts are related to one another and flow from one to the next. These outlines give quick access to observation of the passage’s basic grammar and train of thought. And this careful observation paves the way for more vigorous interpretation and application.

3. Text Comparison

Logos 7 lets you quickly examine different translations of the same passage side by side. The software automatically highlights the differences so you can explore how the translators’ choices may affect the way you’d read the verse. You can do this yourself with 5 or 6 open Bibles and excessive jumping from tome to tome. Or you can do it in seconds with this lovely software.

Conclusion

Logos 7I was delighted to receive a pre-release copy of Logos 7 in exchange for an honest review. And I’m happy to say I heartily recommend it. If you take my warnings to heart, and don’t allow Logos to distract you too much from the text, this software will help you get more out of your Bible study, faster. And for a limited time, readers of this blog can get 10% off a base package (new Logos users only), along with a free commentary on James. Once you try Logos, I bet you, too, will end up among the choirs of Jerusalem, crooning “rightly do they love you” (Song 1:4).

Use this link or the coupon code KNOWABLE7 to get 10% off a Logos base package (new users only). Disclaimer: If you buy Logos with the code or links above, this blog will receive a commission. Thanks for supporting this work so we don’t have to neglect our own vineyards (Song 1:6).

What Little League and the Olympics Can Teach About Bible Study

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This week, I’m taking off from writing to take my family on our annual trip to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. In honor of the season, I have two brief posts to recommend:

Check it out!

Making the Most of Your Bible Reading

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Writing at For the Church, Godwin Sathianathan has some great ideas for making the most of your Bible reading.

  1. Anticipate God speaking to you through it.
  2. Set aside regular time for it.
  3. Pick one thing and read it the way it was intended to be read.
  4. Study it.
  5. Meditate and pray through it.
  6. Memorize it.
  7. Take it into your day.
  8. Apply it.

Sathianathan’s article has more explanation for each point. Check it out!

5 Times to Use Your Cross-References

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Last week I wrote about how cross-references often cause us to flap our wings without achieving liftoff. They certainly keep us busy, but often at the cost of missing the point of the text at hand. This week I’d like to explain some pertinent and helpful uses for cross-references.

In writing this list, I want to clarify that cross-references are sometimes a necessary part of Bible study. In many cases, failing to check the cross-references may leave you with poor interpretation. However, keep in mind that cross-referencing is not always a necessary part of Bible study. If you leave your passage behind like a solitary child in a grocery store, you should always have good reason to do so. And typically the only compelling reason for such behavior is if you’ll be right back after grabbing an emergency item from the car or service desk.

So in what situations are cross-references appropriate?

1. When your passage is quoted by or alluded to by another passage.

The Holy Spirit did not leave us without direction on how to read the Scriptures. Each instance of divinely inspired interpretation of another passage should be for us as a tent-peg firmly driven into the temple. A clear example: Matthew 1:22 shows that Isaiah 7:14 is about something bigger than the prophet’s own wife and child (Isaiah 8:1-4). A less clear, but no less compelling, example: In Acts 7:25, Stephen definitively reveals Moses’ intentions in killing the Egyptian (Ex 2:11-12). This fact should do away with our common condemnation of Moses as a young, brash, and insecure young man foolishly committing an impulsive murder.

2. When your passage quotes or alludes to another passage.

This point is same as the first but in reverse. When your passage has a clear quote or allusion, don’t skim lazily past it. Look it up and study it in context! Connect that chain.

Simon Lutz (2013), Creative Commons

Simon Lutz (2013), Creative Commons

For example, too many people propagate the notion that Jesus told parables to confuse people, all because they read the words quoted from Isaiah 6 (Matt 13:14-15, Mark 4:12) without exploring their context. Isaiah’s larger point has to do with idolatry blinding the eyes of those who persistently cling to it. As G.K. Beale marvelously put it, we become what we worship. Jesus came not to speak confusion, but to speak with utmost clarity—a clarity that would open many blind eyes, while simultaneously driving committed idolaters deeper into their idolatry.

Allusions can be difficult to pick up on unless we continue devouring large portions of Scripture in our reading, getting more familiar over time with the language and ideas. Recently I was studying Psalm 106 with a small group, and we were struck by how much Psalm 106:20 sounds like Romans 1:23. They are so close that it can’t be mere coincidence. Thus our study of Psalm 106 in context gave us deeper understanding of the point Paul appropriates for his purposes in Romans 1.

3. When an earlier passage holds crucial context.

I’m studying Mark 15:1-20, where Jesus is called King of the Jews but not treated in a kingly manner. I must go back to Mark 10:32-34 to see that things are playing out exactly as this king intended.

Or I’m studying Joshua 24, and there appears a sudden reference to Joseph’s bones. I must go back to Exodus 13:19 and Genesis 50:25 for context.

4. When a later passage offers a crucial explanation.

Over the last 2 months, I’ve read Exodus 6 times to prepare for preaching through the book. As I read, I’ve tried to make sense of the tabernacle sections in Ex 25-31 and Ex 35-39.

One question I had was why the order of instructions (Ex 25-31) differs from the order of production (Ex 35-39). And while I don’t have a great answer yet, pursuing that question led to another one: Why are the census tax (Ex 30:11-16) and priestly ordination service (Ex 29:1-46) the only sets of instructions not repeated in the production chapters? Especially when the production chapters repeat the phrase that Moses did all the things exactly as the LORD had commanded him (Ex 39:1, 5, 7, etc.)?

As for the census tax, this brought my attention to the incident where David takes a census but doesn’t collect the tax (2 Sam 24, 1 Chr 21). Suddenly, another mystery unlocks for me: why David’s census was so egregious in God’s sight.1 And why the resulting plague is stopped when David purchases the land later used to build the temple. It’s all connected to Moses’ census tax to support the building of the tabernacle.

As for the priestly ordination service, I didn’t get an answer until I kept reading into Leviticus. The service does take place, word for word, in Leviticus 8. According to the structure of Exodus, I would expect it between Exodus 40:3 and Exodus 40:34. But Moses pulls it out of there and delays it until after the instructions for sacrifices (Lev 1-7). Again, I don’t have a crystal clear answer about why Moses did this, but the later text (Lev 8) highlights for me how important those instructions will be when I come to teach them in Ex 29. They are important enough to warrant a delay before we see them fulfilled.

5. When another passage illumines otherwise unknown historical or cultural background.

For example, our generation has no idea what it means to cut an animal in half and pass between the pieces. So no Bible study of Genesis 15 can be complete without first referring to Jeremiah 34:18-20 to clue us in.

 

As with most tools, the blessings or curses come not from the tool itself but from how we use it. I could use a blow dryer on an extension cord to defrost my windshield; but why would I want to? Likewise, let’s make great use of cross-references.

1My colleague Mark Fodale made this point in a talk years ago, and I’m now appreciating the depth of his insight.

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Better Than a Commentary on Zechariah

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I remain much impressed by the videos being produced by The Bible Project. If you haven’t seen these videos, you really should check them out. I’ve begun having longer out-loud Bible reading times with my children (30-60 minutes at a time), and when we start a new book we always watch the Bible Project’s video first. Right now we’re in Leviticus—and my kids understand and love Leviticus!

However, I’m writing now to highlight their recent video on the book of Zechariah, which I consider the most difficult book in the Bible. This video does a better job communicating the main message of Zechariah than a long commentary I recently read. I suddenly have much hope for my study of this mysterious book.

This is top-notch Bible study in visual form. What a tremendous gift we have in these free videos.

Check it out!

How Cross-References May Cause You to Flap Your Wings Without Achieving Liftoff in Your Bible Study

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My ministry’s Board of Directors recently met with a consultant, who, among other things, warned us to watch out for “wing-flapping reports” from the Chief Executive. Such reports deftly avoid reporting on tangible progress toward required objectives, and they do so by describing the flurry of activities undertaken by the organization during the reporting period. “We did this event…and this conference…and began this program…and updated these employee benefits…and connected with all these people…and we just did a great job, didn’t we?” Such wing-flapping isn’t usually sinister; it merely flows from a lack of clarity regarding results and production. When we’re unsure what we ought to produce, we seek assurance instead from how busy we were.

Of course, this concept taught me an invaluable lesson about leadership and accountability, but, surprisingly, it also taught me about Bible study. I’ve attended countless Bible studies that were busy, active, and engaging—but that also left me feeling like we didn’t get anywhere. We can spend lots of time in Scripture and make use of many resources, but do we know God through Jesus Christ any more deeply than when we began? We flap our wings and feel great about it. But there’s something more to be done.

And while I could nominate many potential culprits in the “wing-flapping Bible study” cartel (search engines, commentaries, and word studies come quickly to mind), there is one chief culprit I see more than any other: cross-references.

How Cross-References Get Us to Flap Our Wings Without Achieving Liftoff

Sinclair Ferguson wrote an excellent commentary on the book of Daniel. In fact, it’s the only Daniel commentary I’ve read that I’m happy to recommend as promoting OIA Bible study. I love this commentary, and you should check it out if you study Daniel.

But notice how the good Dr. Ferguson flaps his wings a bit, filling the page with cross-references without moving his argument forward. On Daniel 5, he writes:

From all we know of Belshazzar, he had fallen into the sin of Rehoboam. He once sought the advice of his elder statesmen and was counseled: “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” Rehoboam rejected this counsel, however, and consulted those who had grown up with him (1 Kings 12:7-8); the result was the division of the tribes into two camps, Israel to the north and Judah to the south. Similarly, Daniel’s counsel appears to have gone unheeded and eventually unsought. Finally, however, he was brought into Belshazzar’s presence. (pp.117-118)

A lengthy catalog of Daniel’s credentials is provided by the queen…. He had “light and understanding and wisdom” and “an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, [and abilities to interpret] dreams, solv[e] riddles, and explain enigmas” (vv.11, 12). This description is reminiscent of the prophetic description Isaiah gave of the Messiah [quotes Isaiah 11:2-3].

Daniel had a share in the Spirit of the Messiah just as surely as what Christians now experience is a share in the Spirit of the Messiah and a taste of the powers of the age to come (cf. Heb. 6:5). No wonder there were so many ways that Daniel resembled Christ. This was what the queen tried to express. Daniel was in fellowship with another world; he knew God. (pp.119-120)

Why did Daniel refuse the king’s offer? Probably there were two reasons for his refusal. (1) It was important for him to make plain that spiritual gifts cannot be bought. Instinctively we are reminded of Simon Magus [quotes Acts 8:18-20]…. (2) It was important for him to make plain that God’s servants cannot be bought [quotes 1 Thess. 2:4-5]. (pp.120-121)

Alan Vernon (2010), Creative Commons

Alan Vernon (2010), Creative Commons

“Similarly…This description is reminiscent of…Instinctively we are reminded of…” Such is the language of wing-flapping cross-references. Unfortunately, after romping our way through 1 Kings, Isaiah, Hebrews, Acts, and 1 Thessalonians, we don’t know the text of Daniel any better. But we certainly feel like we’ve accomplished something. Ferguson is much more helpful when he sticks to the text at hand, applying his marvelous insights to analyze, explain, and apply it for us.

What This Looks Like in Practice

I once led a Bible study attended by a sweet, godly older woman. She had been walking with Christ for decades, and she was very familiar with God’s word. Week after week, however, she left me wondering whether she wanted to study the Bible with us.

We might be studying Matthew, and she’d want to jump to Romans. Or we’d study a Psalm, and she’d try to take us to 1 Peter. Much of our discussion was a tug-of-war between her, wanting us to turn to different passages, and me, asking whether the cross-reference would help us with the passage at hand.

One week, I experimented by giving her the reins. When she wanted to pull us to a new passage, I went with her. Once we got there, she read it, and I asked her what it meant. For her answer, she said it reminded her of another passage. So we went there. After reading it, she took us to yet another passage. This went on until we read a passage that reminded her of the original one, and we ended up back where we had begun.

With each jump, we read the text and treated its message as self-evident. When it made us think of something else, we were off. After an hour of such discussion, one thing was clear: We had not understood the message of any of these passages. But because we flipped so many pages and moved so quickly, some people felt we had accomplished something spectacular.

Now I don’t think cross-references are inherently unhelpful. There are times when they are good and necessary in Bible study. More on this next week.

But I do get nervous when someone treats “cross-references” as a standard step in Bible study. Or when someone wants to leave the current passage without good reason to do so, or without having first put in the time to get the point. In most cases, the original audience didn’t have access to all the cross-references (or the full canon of Scripture). But they still could understand and apply the text’s main point. So should we.

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