Peter Krol | Knowable Word

How to Study the Prophets

May 31, 2023 By Peter Krol

Have you ever struggled to navigate the prophetic books of the Old Testament? These ancient poetic texts speak to circumstances far removed from our own, yet with great impact on our understanding of the person and work of Christ. The apostles quoted often from the prophets when seeking to explain the good news of Christ’s kingdom.

Brian Estelle has a few brief but meaty suggestions to help you read these books with greater profit.

Investigate the context.
Recognize the role of the prophets as God’s covenant lawyers.
Learn to be aware of the prophetic idiom.
Hunt for ways in which the New Testament Scriptures cite, allude to, or echo the Prophets.

He explains each point with clear examples to help you along your way. Check it out!

How to Find Answers to Your Questions

May 26, 2023 By Peter Krol

When we study the Bible, most of interpretation consists of asking and answering questions. The questions themselves arise from our curiosity over our observations. But the answers? Do you know where to find those?

The Most Important Place to Look for Answers

At this point, conventional wisdom lists a number of resources and reference works that ought to be in a Christian’s library. I’ll get to such a list soon, but don’t let it distract you from the better portion.

The most important place to seek answers to your questions is in the text itself. Some of you reading this find this conviction self-evident and obvious, and you have already made a habit of seeking answers in the text. But for many others, it will take more practice. Seeking answers in the text itself is a habit that must be formed, and sometimes bad habits are very slow to die.

For example, I recently listened to podcast discussing the creation account of Genesis 1. The teacher based most of his instruction on the proposition that Genesis 1 is in the form of poetry. His evidence for this assertion arose from the assessments of scholars, comparisons with other ancient texts, and his philosophical framework regarding eastern vs. western worldviews.

The problem was that he never supported his primary assertion with evidence from the text itself. Now I’m open to discussing the question of the genre of Genesis 1. And all of the external evidence certainly matters. But that which trumps all of the external evidence is internal evidence from the text itself.

Genesis 1 does not present clauses in parallel lines like other Hebrew poetry does.
Genesis 1 does not use similes, metaphors, or emotive language the way other poetry does.
The Hebrew syntax of Genesis 1 uses verb forms and verb sequences standard to the narratives of Scripture. The same sort of syntax employed in most of the rest of the book of Genesis, which is clearly (and commonly agreed to be) made up of narratives.

Such evidence from the text supports a conclusion that Genesis 1 presents itself as narrative (even historical narrative), just as the rest of the book does. Now this evidence in itself does not guarantee that the events of Genesis 1 must be in a strict chronological sequence, since biblical narratives often rearrange chronology in order to communicate a particular message. But the evidence does strongly suggest that we ought to read the chapter as narrative and not as poetry.

Answers Addressed in the Text

So when your noble curiosity generates questions regarding your observation of the text (questions such as, what genre or text type is this?), your best instinct to cultivate is an instinct that searches the text itself for the answers. Search and search and search.

Let your questions drive you deeper into observation. Let observation and interpretation swirl round and round like a cyclone, in ever tighter loops.

You may be surprised to find how many of your questions can be answered within the text, if you only learn how and where to look. When such examination of the text becomes habitual, you will improve dramatically at being able to defend your conclusions and persuade others.

Answers Assumed in the Text

One obstacle for us today is when the biblical author assumes the answers to your questions. He wasn’t writing to you or me. He had his own audience. So he wasn’t trying to anticipate your questions, but those of his own audience.

This means that there is quite a bit of background information that’s not stated explicitly but nonetheless affects interpretation. For example, the author of Genesis 1 presumes prior knowledge of which “God” is the one engaging in the work of creation. Is it Yahweh, Astarte, Baal, Zeus, or last season’s winner of American Idol? Learning from external reference works about the author and audience of Genesis would help to clarify the answer to this question somewhat quickly.

For another example, comparisons to other ancient creation stories will yield great benefit. What makes this God in this story different from the Gods of Gilgamesh’s epic, or Enuma Elish? Some of these contrasts would have been obvious to those living in ancient times, but we can miss them on account of centuries of distance.

How to Determine When an Answer is Assumed

In the name of “the answer is assumed,” we run the risk of justifying just about any conclusion we can find in a reference work. How do we determine whether the answer is truly assumed, or we are simply importing it where it doesn’t belong?

This process isn’t a perfect science, but the key issue is: Do you have good reason to believe the original audience would have made this assumption? The more reason you have to believe that, the stronger will be the answers you find in reference works.

So ask: Would the original audience already have the necessary background knowledge? Would they have truly been familiar with this parallel text, cultural artifact, body of knowledge, etc.?

If so, then it makes sense to look up your answer in a commentary, study guide, or Bible atlas. We have a wealth of tools available to us today to help us get into the mindset of the original readers. Let’s make good use of them.

When to Let it Go

But if you can’t find the answer addressed in the text, and you don’t have good reason to believe it was assumed, you probably need to make like Elsa and let it go.

Resist the urge to close the knowledge gap simply with systematic theology, denominational tradition, or prior experience. Theology and tradition are important, but they fit best not while interpreting (answering interpretive questions) but while correlating (after determining the author’s main point). We must understand the present passage on its own terms, in light of its original audience, first, before we attempt to connect it to teaching found elsewhere in the Bible.

One exception to the principle in the previous sentence lies with certain implicational questions. Because implicational questions bridge the gap from interpretation into application, they often work best after we’ve determined the main point. So it may make sense to make use of reference works to help draw out those implications and stimulate our own reflection concerning them.

So how do we find answers to our interpretive questions? By shoving our noses back into the text for deeper observation. When further observation suggests that the answer would have been assumed and self-evident to the original audience, we’re then justified in pursuing external resources to help us better understand the mindset or culture of that audience. However, if we don’t have good reason to believe the answer is either addressed or assumed in the text, we’re best off letting the question go until another passage takes it up. There’s no shame in setting aside a particular question for a brighter day.

Why the Spirit is Willing but the Flesh is Weak

May 24, 2023 By Peter Krol

Zach Hollifield has a wonderful article where he makes a keen observation and asks a crucial rational interpretive question:

It’s when Jesus returns from his own prayer to find them snoozing that he utters the infamous line “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” …

Matthew and Mark go out of their way to make it clear that Jesus says this to Peter and Peter alone. Mark even quotes Jesus as beginning the statement with, “Simon, are you asleep—?” Jesus finds all three sleeping, and yet when he makes the statement about the spirit being willing and flesh being weak, he says it directly to just one disciple. Why?

Hollifield finds in the text compelling answers to his question, leading to some really helpful application. This is a great example of strong Bible study skills.

Check it out!

The Power of Implicational Questions

May 19, 2023 By Peter Krol

Last week, I introduced three types of interpretive questions and their various uses. Of those three types, I find that implicational (or “so what”) questions tend to be the neglected second cousins of the bunch. Because people often don’t know what to do with them, they fail to give them a try.

Perhaps you’d like to see what power longs to be unharnessed by them.

Easy to Ask, Difficult to Answer

When I teach Bible study skills, people sometimes have difficulty coming up with implicational questions, but that’s usually because they’re thinking too hard about it. They believe their questions ought to be awe-inspiring and profound.

When it comes down to it, implicational questions ought to be the easiest to ask, because they all sound almost exactly the same.

So what are the implications of [state the observation]?
So what are we to understand from [observation]?
So what should we conclude about [observation]?

But though they’re easy to ask, implicational questions can be some of the most difficult to answer. They require us to learn how to think and draw inferences. They require us to reason from one proposition to another. They expect us to get into the shoes of the original audience and hear the text the way those people would have heard it.

Because of the ease of asking but difficulty of answering, we often forget to even bother asking them. Most of our interpretive questions fall into the rational category, and we camp out in exploring the passage’s “why.” And please don’t get me wrong: The “why” is the heart of interpretation, so we ought to camp out there.

But the implicational questions provide that crucial bridge from interpretation into the beginnings of application. So if you find yourself having interpreted the text, but you’re still confused about how to apply it, perhaps you ought to try some implicational questions. Utilize their power to advance your study.

An Example from Proverbs

I was recently studying the theme of truth or guidance in the body of the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 10-31), and I came across the following gem:

Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness utters deceit.
Proverbs 12:17

If I want a thorough picture of Proverbs’ teaching on the topic of truth, I must grapple with this verse. But doesn’t it sound elementary? As though it’s not doing anything but defining terms?

To speak the truth means you give honest evidence.
To be a false witness means you utter deceit.

Does the Bible really need to tell us this? Isn’t it like saying good people do good things? Or lazy people do lazy things? Isn’t that self-evident? Why did God even need to say it?

The more I thought about the verse, the more I realized my rational questions were getting me nowhere.

Why is this here?
Why does it contrast truth with a false witness?
Why does a truth-speaker give honest evidence?
Why does a false witness utter deceit?

These questions all had the same basic, elementary answer, which is that a person’s actions derive from that person’s habits or nature. But this point is rather obvious and could have been made in any number of ways. Why make that point in this way on this particular topic of truth-speaking in court?

When I finally tried out some implicational questions, however, I started getting somewhere.

So what are we to conclude from a truth-speaker’s giving honest evidence?
So what is implied by the fact that a false witness utters deceit?
So how should these self-evident truisms shape my perception of the world or people around me?

Such questions are easy to ask but difficult to answer. I had to slow down and consider them extensively. And as I did, the more I realized that saying “a false witness utters deceit” was somewhat like saying “boys will be boys.” Or better yet: “haters gonna hate.”

Yes, we understand intuitively that a persons actions derive from that person’s nature. And our world is filled with people who say that their word is their bond, but who keep acting in deceitful and underhanded ways. Actions truly speak louder than words.

So when a person utters deceit, it is appropriate to grow wary of them and begin to perceive them as “a false witness.” And when a person consistently gives honest evidence, it is only natural for them to acquire a reputation as a “truth-speaker.”

So considering the implications of the verse helped me to understand that it may be here, at least in part, to teach us that our words will always catch up with us. I may be able to deceive some people some of the time, but I’ll never be able to deceive all the people all the time. My deceit will catch up with me, and people will take notice. Or alternatively, my integrity will catch up with me, and people will take notice.

When I’m faced with a situation where I might be tempted to lie sinfully, I ought to consider not only the present consequences but also future ones. What I say right now will affect my reputation going forward. It will affect whether or not people can trust me. Can I live with that, in light of the choice presently facing me?

Bridge to Application

I’m sure you can see I’ve now transitioned into application. I still have only principles and general ideas. But it shouldn’t be too hard to take those principles, remember Jesus, and get specific.

Getting Together to Read (Not Study) the Bible

May 17, 2023 By Peter Krol

T.M. Suffield has a rather novel idea. Well, it seems novel to us, though the church before us had done it for centuries. Let’s meet together to read the Bible. A lot of it.

Paul commanded Timothy not to neglect the public reading of Scripture (1 Tim 4:13), and yet many evangelical Protestant churches read barely more than a few verses during their worship services. Sadly, to get a large dose of public Bible reading, you often have to go to a liberal or Roman Catholic church.

But Suffield has begun hosting gatherings in both his church and his home to simply read Scripture together. At a recent gathering, they read the entire book of 2 Timothy.

Suffield offers compelling reasons for such a practice, including:

Hearing Scripture read in context.
Following the thread of an author’s argument.
Hearing the structure.
Experiencing Scripture the way generations of believers have engaged with it for centuries.

This is worth your and my further consideration. How can we organize our local believing communities around extended public reading of Scripture together?

Check it out!

Different Uses for Different Questions

May 12, 2023 By Peter Krol

When we observe a text, we collect all the raw materials for interpretation. And that which drives interpretation forward is the asking of questions. To interpret well, we must be intensely curious and investigate our observations as fully as possible.

But the asking of questions ought not be a complete free-for-all. Different kinds of questions have different uses. Let’s take advantage of those differences.

Spinning Cyclones

The OIA method of Bible study is not intended to be strictly linear. It’s not as though you follow a list of 12 steps from number 1 through to number 12, such that you end up with a clear and relevant set of answers from your text.

No, the method is much more like a funnel or cyclone. The sort of funnel or cyclone you get when you drain a sink filled with water. It spins round and round until the substance all makes it through the access point.

In a similar way, observation and interpretation ought to cycle round and round, back and forth, until you’ve mastered the text to the point of grasping the author’s main point. So good observation will naturally raise questions you’ll want to explore. And those questions generally ought to be answered by further observation. Such observation raises more questions, which require deeper observation. And on and on, back and forth—or more precisely: round and round, in tighter and tighter circles—until you have zeroed in on the big idea. The chief message. The main point.

Crossing Bridges

With that said, I find it helpful to recognize the role our interpretive questions can play to help us cross bridges between observation and interpretation, and between interpretation and application. Keep in mind that this is not a straight-line process, but more of a cyclone. Yet your questions still help you to constantly cross those bridges from one aspect of your study to the next, in ever tighter spirals as you get close to the main point.

How do different types of questions help you to cross those O-to-I and I-to-A bridges?

In his seminal work Methodical Bible Study, Robert Traina puts interpretative questions into three categories: definitive, rational, and implicational. In my book Knowable Word, I sought to simplify his schema into the three categories of “what,” “why,” and “so what” questions.

Definitive or “what” questions build a bridge from observation to interpretation.
Rational or “why” questions make up the primary work of interpretation proper.
Implicational or “so what” questions build a bridge from interpretation to application.

How the Bridges Work

The most important thing to remember about all interpretive questions is that the questions should be about your observations. They are not random questions, nor are they merely intuitive insights. You don’t come up with your questions by staring at the ceiling, nor by going off on a mountaintop and thinking really hard.

You don’t have to be particularly insightful to ask great questions. You only have to be intensely curious about what you observe.

Here’s a simple example from the brief episode in Luke 18:15-17. I observe a clear contrast between the disciples’ rebuke of the children or parents, and Jesus’ call to invite them (“…they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him…”). Now with that simple observation, I can utilize different kinds of questions to different ends.

“What exactly is being contrasted here?”
- This definitive or “what” question helps me to define the contrast. Is Luke contrasting only the words or also the attitudes? Is the rebuke/call directed at the infants, the parents, or both? Is the rebuke/call directed to the bringing of the infants, or to the desire for Jesus to touch them (Luke 18:15)?
- By defining precisely what Luke is contrasting, I’m able to move from observation into interpretation proper.
“Why does Luke contrast these things?”
- This rational or “why” question helps me to interpret the observation. Having seen and defined what it says (the contrast), I can now explore what it means. Why it’s here. What role it plays in Luke’s message.
“So what should we conclude from this contrast?”
- This implicational or “so what” question helps me to move toward application. It doesn’t do all the work of application for me, but it yields some initial ideas or principles that will help me get more concrete and specific later.
- By recognizing the observation’s implications, I’m well suited to discern how the text would have landed with the original audience—getting me one step closer to the author’s main point.

Different Uses

Let your questions work for you. If you are observing lots of great stuff and you’re not sure what to do with it, try some definitive questions to make sure you’ve got the right information. If you’re struggling with what it all means, you can’t go wrong with more rational questions; just keep asking “why?” And if you can perceive the message but you struggle with application, ask some implicational questions to ensure you’ve figured out how the message of the text should have impacted the original audience.

The right question at the right time might be just what you need to get you unstuck and moving forward.

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The Truth about Spirit-Led Bible Study

May 10, 2023 By Peter Krol

I’ve sometimes heard people oppose rigorous Bible study skills with being “Spirit-led,” as though academic reflection might get in the way of what the Sprit of God wishes to do in our lives. Faithlife recently published a piece I wrote to explain that rigorous Bible study skills are right in line with the work of God’s Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God inspired the Scriptures. He illuminates the Scriptures. And he gives his people wisdom to know God through Christ in the Scriptures. By developing good habits and skills, we partner with this same Spirit to attain to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Check it out!

Soaring Farther Than a Flying Ring

May 5, 2023 By Peter Krol

Nearly seven years ago, I found myself enchanted by Champ Thornton’s Radical Book for Kids, and I couldn’t wait for my kids to grow into it. I even asked for more of it. So when Thornton published his follow-up, The Really Radical Book for Kids, I had to check it out. I’m grateful to New Growth Press for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows a similar format to its precursor, with 41 brief chapters on a wide variety of topics. The chapter that most interested me with respect to Bible study are:

Chapter 3: Exploring Proverbs
Chapters 14-15: Exploring Genesis
Chapter 16: Snakes, Dragons, and the Bible
Chapter 19: Humor in the Bible
Chapter 21: Battles of the Bible
Chapter 27: Exploring Romans
Chapter 28: Reading the Bible in 3D
Chapter 31: Exploring Mark
Chapter 33: Two More Battles of the Bible
Chapter 34: The Story of Jesus

One of the great strengths of this book is that it seeks to instill hunger for the scriptures. For example, on page 137, in a chapter overviewing the book of Romans, Thornton says straight out, “You can use the circle chart on the next page to get the big picture of the whole letter of Romans. Check it out, then go read Romans in your Bible.” He provides just enough information to help teens grasp the Scripture, and then he sends them on their way to chow down!

Along the way are some fun facts or goofy ideas, showing teens that God’s world is an amazing place to live. For example, chapter 29 offers a few metaphors for using the Bible to view the world: two circles showing the distinction between creature and creator, and a triangle with three corners showing three possible perspectives on any question. And then for fun, Thornton provides directions for making a magic flying ring out of a piece of paper—a flying ring that will go farther than most paper airplanes!

I must note that the final chapter, on the true meaning of Easter, is one of the simplest and best explanations of the resurrection I have seen in a work for young people. It is pure gold.

I confess that this book wasn’t quite as enthralling as the original Radical Book was, but perhaps that’s just because it’s no longer as novel an approach. But with that said, the book is jam-packed with rich, biblical teaching and reflection on the world. I am delighted to pass this on to my teenagers to provoke both consideration and conversation.

I’m happy to recommend it to you. Find it at Amazon or Westminster. And if you don’t have the original yet, Westminster has a special deal on both volumes.

Disclaimer: Amazon and Westminster links are affiliate links, providing a small commission to this blog at no extra cost to yourself. Thank you for helping us to make hard decisions (chapter 4) and continue reviewing great Bible study resources.

Proclaiming the Gospel from Old Testament Narrative

May 3, 2023 By Peter Krol

Some friends of mine recently pointed me to this article from Steve Mathewson on preaching the gospel from Judges. Mathewson wrestled through an old debate about whether we ought to teach OT narratives as foreshadowings of Christ or as examples to follow or avoid. And in the end, Mathewson cogently demonstrates that we shouldn’t have to decide between those options.

After wrestling through a philosophical framework for reading the OT, Mathewson gives a few examples from texts about Ehud and Barak.

I agree with many of Mathewson’s conclusions. One thing I would add to his reflection is that, before we even attempt to connect the text to Christ or to application, we must first grasp the author’s main point for the original audience. Mathewson essentially does this in his examples, but he doesn’t state outright that he is doing so. But much trouble would be resolved if didn’t race immediately from the text to the cross, or from the text to today. Taking the time to consider the full meaning for the original audience is the very practice that will enable us to grasp its teaching about Christ and its true implications for people today.

And though Mathewson frames his article around preaching, his framework applies just as much to personal or small group Bible study.

Check it out!

HT: Mark Fodale, Andy Cimbala

How Jesus Overcame His Enemies

April 28, 2023 By Peter Krol

I’ve been writing on the theme of strife in Proverbs. It’s wise to avoid it whenever possible. But when that’s not possible, we must recognize its complexities. This enables us to overcome our enemies by dying, because “when a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Prov 16:7).

For Real?

But is that for real? Is it possible to achieve peace? Is it possible to please the Lord?

Well, it’s not a magic formula, such that if you plug in certain inputs you are guaranteed an immediate output of peace. Often that peace is a long time in coming, and it comes through much sweat and pain.

‌But the Lord can do it.

‌And If you wish to have peace with your enemies, you’ll never get there by shouting, defending, attacking, or taking revenge. You can’t earn true peace by winning the argument. And you can’t win true peace by letting the enemy steamroll you. Such peace is only God’s to grant when a person’s ways please him.

‌So the big question is: What does it take to please him? What must God’s people do in order for God to grant them victory over their enemies?

‌Look at Christ

The best thing we can do is look at our Lord Jesus Christ to see how he did it, because, make no mistake: He certainly triumphed over his enemies.

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Colossians 2:15

‌Jesus conquered all the demonic spiritual powers who declared war on him. He put them to shame and triumphed over them.

‌But what was his tactic? How did he do it? The two verses immediately prior to this explain it.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 2:13-14

‌We were Jesus’ enemies. We were dead in our sins. And if you pledge your allegiance to him, it shows that he made you alive by forgiving all your trespasses. Every vile thought, and every rebellious word we spoke—all of it was forgiven, having been nailed to the cross along with Jesus.

‌And his death was his greatest triumph.

‌1 Corinthians says that if the demonic powers of the world knew what was happening, they never would have crucified him (1 Cor 2:8),‌ because they thought they were cutting off his work once and for all.

‌But in reality, his death was his victory. The cross was his throne.

‌So Jesus makes the spiritually dead come to life, and he defeats the supernatural powers by giving his life so we could be forgiven. This. This is what empowers our obedience to God’s call of wisdom, because the call of wisdom is a call to come and die with Jesus.

‌Not to defend your rights or set the record straight. Not to win the argument or get your way. But to die to your self-interest for the good of others. These are the Bible’s marching orders for God’s people when they are surrounded by enemies.

‌Because in dying, we transmit life. By pursuing peace, we win the war. By laying down our arms, we disarm those who attack us.

‌This is the only way we could ever waive our rights, ask questions when we want to explain ourselves, persuade with truth, when it would feel better to just win, or confess to our own wrongdoing, when the other person’s wrongdoing seems so much bigger and clearer.

‌The Christian’s Fight

‌So in the end, Christians see their enemies the way the Lord Jesus saw us: Not as vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, but as needy sinners awaiting redemption. That shift in perspective will empower you to do something they’d never expect.

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Proverbs 25:21-22

‌If you try to win the fight, you will lose. But if you are willing to die to your own interests, if you waive your rights, ask questions instead of making demands, speak compelling truth, make authentic confession whenever appropriate, and in all things seek only to please the Lord—

You will overcome your enemies, and the Lord will reward you for it.

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