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Let the Bible Speak!

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I appreciate this brief word from Amy K. Hall on the need to teach what the Bible says before attempting to teach how it applies. As she writes:

Remember that the Bible is primarily there to show us who God is and what Christ has done for us, giving us a 2,000-year history of his works, revealing his character, our purpose and need, and his solution. Sometimes, people who are teaching the Bible try much too hard to be brilliant, giving us their own insights into life rather than letting the brilliance of the Bible speak for itself. Let the Bible speak! I would rather hear one halting, inexperienced speaker show me God in a text of the Bible than hear 1,000 polished pastors give me their three-point, alliterated instructions for life, which are often only loosely based on the actual text.

Check it out!

Context Matters: The Man of Lawlessness

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Perhaps you’ve heard of the Man of Lawlessness, otherwise known as the lawless one, who “opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess 2:4). Sometimes connected with the Beast of Revelation and the Antichrist of John’s letters, this mysterious figure appears in a rather difficult passage, which is certainly to be numbered among those writings of Paul which are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16). Yet the figure has become something of a staple in Christian fiction and end-times theology. What are we to make of him?

We always need to pay attention to the context of our favorite verses and phrases. When we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not just as a code to crack—we may find it has a deeper or different meaning than we’ve assumed.

Image by 8470024 from Pixabay

The Immediate Context

Notice how Paul explicitly introduces this character to his readers:

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself…

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

Please take a close look once again: “Now concerning the coming of … Jesus … and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed…”

So we may have great confidence that Paul is writing about the coming of Jesus and our being gathered together to him. There is much disagreement over what exactly those things mean, along with when and how they take place. But there ought to be no disagreement whatsoever regarding why Paul is writing about these events. That is, he wants to prevent his readers from being shaken or alarmed. He wants to correct the deception that abounds in Christian teaching and writing regarding these events. He wants to make sure his audience, the church at Thessalonica, knows what to look for before the coming of Jesus or gathering of the saints can take place. And this foreknowledge, when truthfully presented, will neither shake them up nor alarm them.

Therefore we can confidently conclude that, sadly, this passage has been used for centuries, contrary to its stated purpose, to create alarm among those who love the Lord Jesus. Whatever conclusions we may draw about the identity or timing of this Man of Lawlessness and his rebellion, any use of this text that provokes shaken minds or alarmed spirits among Christian brothers and sisters is a deception and a misuse of the text in direct violation of its context.

Let us ensure that the sensational but unclear parts of this text do not overshadow the abundantly clear comfort being offered to believers in Christ through it.

The Broader Context

And the broader context points in precisely the same direction.

Paul’s first letter begins with thanks to God for the people’s “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 1:2-3). This triple theme of faith, love, and hope can be traced through the letter as Paul’s chief focus. You are doing well in these three areas; now excel still more. (See my upcoming interpretive overview of 1 Thessalonians for more detail.)

But by the time he writes his second letter, only a few months later, something is missing. The object of his thanks is now that their “faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one” of them for one another is increasing (2 Thess 1:3). Some commentators have tried to identify the presence of hope in the following sentence (“Therefore we ourselves boast … about your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions” – 2 Thess 1:4), but it is telling that Paul now links their steadfastness not with hope—which was so prominent in the first letter—but with faith. Instead, Paul seems to remind them of the hope which was once theirs and could be yet again:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

In many ways, the brief letter of 2 Thessalonians is about regaining hope, receiving its comfort through grace. The church was once characterized by faith, love, and hope. They have continued abounding in the first two; they now need to regain the comfort of the third.

And Paul’s teaching on the Man of Lawlessness is delivered with this purpose in mind. Not to shake them up or alarm them, but to deliver to them eternal comfort and good hope through grace that they might be established in every good work and word.

Conclusion

We ought to be careful not to be seduced by sensational topics, lest we miss the express purpose for which the Lord has revealed such things to us. As Paul had said while he was with them (2 Thess 2:5): Yes, the man of lawlessness and his rebellion must come before the day of the Lord. This is not to alarm you but to comfort you, so you know you haven’t missed it.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

You Need Only Two for a Small Group

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Laura Denny has some encouraging thoughts on the usefulness of studying the Bible one-on-one.

First of all, one-on-one Bible study opens up opportunities to study the Bible with someone who may not be able to fit into a larger group. Consider those whose schedule is not conducive to a weekly study, who may have social anxiety or concerns, or those who are housebound (like many of us experienced this past year!). If someone is new to the idea of Bible study, they also may be more likely to say yes to an invite if it’s just you, someone they’re comfortable with already.

While larger groups may have the advantage of more input and interaction, a one-on-one setting provides more opportunity—in time and attention—for asking questions and fully understanding difficult ideas and passages. I’m less afraid to admit that I came up completely blank on an answer, or that I’m really struggling to understand or agree with something I’m learning, if it’s to only one person and not a whole group. Yet I also found I’m more likely to put more thought and effort into my study and come up with more thorough answers when I know there’s only two of us in the group.

Check it out!

Mark: Can’t You See God’s King?

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Though Mark’s gospel is the shortest in length, his narratives are typically more vivid than either Matthew or Luke, who recount many of the same episodes. In other words, Mark narrates fewer scenes, but each scene tends to include more detail and description than its parallels do. For example, Matthew, Luke, and Mark all tell the story of a ruler who comes to Jesus, kneels before him, and asks him to heal his dying daughter. But only Mark tells us that Jairus falls at Jesus’ feet upon seeing him (Mark 5:22). And only Mark puts the word “saved” (or “made well”) in Jairus’s mouth and, therefore, his expectation (Mark 5:23).

Some may say the devil is in the details. But St. Mark would say instead that in those details you’re more likely to see the Son of God for who he truly is.

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

Literary Markers

Mark adorns his narrative with such garnished beauty—as befitting the Messiah who rules heaven and earth—that definite markers of distinct sections can be difficult to recognize. Mark masterfully stitches the pieces together and transitions from one scene to the next, thereby leaving few breadcrumbs of any edible size. However, he clearly wants his reader to see Jesus in all his kingly glory, as the first disciples saw him. So he tends to employ those disciples as his chief tour guides.

What do I mean? Mark’s title for his book is clear enough: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). This book presents the first part of the great news about Jesus, known here by two titles: The Christ (Messiah, Chosen One) and the Son of God (ruling king). The book then has two major climaxes where disciples have major aha! moments regarding Jesus’ identity. First, the likely disciple: Peter recognizes Jesus as the Christ (Mark 8:29). Second, the unlikely disciple: The centurion at the foot of the cross recognizes Jesus as the Son of God (Mark 15:39). So, besides the prologue of Mark 1:1-15 and the epilogue of Mark 15:40-16:8, the book divides roughly into two halves, each culminating in a declaration of Jesus’ identity and tying everything back to the opening words in Mark 1:1.

The disciples provide even further tour guidance than this. The book’s first half is structured by the calling and training of the disciples, each section beginning with either their summoning or sending, and each section ending with a narrative summary of Jesus’ work with and through those disciples. The book’s second half is structured by Jesus’ efforts to bring his disciples along with his mission to suffer and die. Three passion predictions reveal three shifts that must take place in the disciples’ expectations. Then Jesus intimately includes the disciples, through sending, teaching, and praying, in the ministry of his week in Jerusalem. For more structural detail, refer to the documents linked at the end of this post.

Prologue Walkthrough

In the first 15 verses, we’re presented with tense anticipation for the king who has come. His messenger goes before him declaring an end to Israel’s exile, once and for all, if they would but turn aside from what they’ve been doing. When Jesus shows up, heaven itself is ripped open to declare him the beloved Son of Psalm 2 and Isaiah 42. He relives Israel’s early history in the wilderness, doing for them what they could not do for themselves, and emerging with the news that, with him, the kingdom of God has finally arrived.

The king is here!

Part 1 Walkthrough

Jesus first needs to establish his authority as king. Mark shows this through an extended chiasm (where the second half mirrors the first half but in reverse order):

  • Calling by sea – Mark 1:16-20
    • 4 healings – Mark 1:21-45
      • Paralytic – Mark 2:1-12
    • 4 controversies – Mark 2:13-3:6
  • Summary of ministry by sea – Mark 3:7-12

Jesus appears to have the authority to both heal and bring salvation, as exemplified in the central story of the paralytic, which is simultaneously a healing and a controversy. In that story, King Jesus is also shown to have the authority to take on (and perhaps take down) those currently in authority over God’s people.

So in the second section, Jesus lays the groundwork for his new kingdom which will end up replacing the old. He establishes his people as a new Israel (Mark 3:13-35). He gives them a new set of stories to understand what is happening (Mark 4:1-34). And he both models and praises the new kind of faith required of his citizenry (Mark 4:35-6:6). Will they see it? Will they receive him by such faith?

In the third section, Jesus doesn’t simply sit back and watch; he gets his hands dirty by training and discipling his people into the kind of followers he wants them to be. He takes them through the same sequence of events twice (feed a multitude, cross the sea, argue with Pharisees, discuss matters of bread, and heal malfunctioning senses – Mark 6:33-7:37, 8:1-26) in hopes that they themselves will acquire eyes that can see and ears that can hear (Mark 8:18-21). When he heals the blind man (Mark 8:22-26), we must see the living parable playing out in the disciples’ own lives. Do you see anything? It takes two tries? Who do people say that I am? But who do you say that I am?

Part 1 then climaxes with Peter’s glorious confession: You are the Christ. (The Chosen One.)

Ah, yes. He sees! But does he see fully? Does he understand what that means? What sort of Chosen One will this Jesus be?

Part 2 Walkthrough

Jesus now shifts from his basic identity to a fuller exposition of it: “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and … be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly.” (Mark 8:31-32). But Peter will have none of it. So Jesus now takes them through three cycles of training to reverse their expectation. Each cycle has the following pattern:

  1. Prediction of Jesus’ suffering.
  2. Misunderstanding on the part of the disciples.
  3. Clarification of what discipleship really means.
  4. Illustration of the principle.

The three cycles (Mark 8:31-9:29, 9:30-10:31, 10:32-52) result in the following three reversals of expectations: The living must die. The first must be last. The great must serve.

The second section of Part 2 is terribly easy to misread if we fail to follow the book’s argument to this point. Jesus has been talking all along about the new kingdom he’s brought to replace the old one. Now the time has come; the revolution will be televised. Chapters 11 and 12 have the explicit purpose of indicting Israel’s current management. This fig tree will not produce figs, so when Jesus curses it, it will wither and die. Then through the temple controversies and all the way to the widow’s meager mite, the witnesses have testified and the evidence is indisputable: This grand system must come down (Mark 13:1-2). But Jesus will not leave his people in the dark. He explains the signs that will mark this coming doom, and he prepares the fainthearted for the inevitable blame they will receive for it (Mark 13:3-36). Then he goes and picks his final fight to get the whole thing moving (Mark 14:1-11).

The third section (which has many parallels to the second section) shows Jesus doing all that he has said. The living one dies. The first of all puts himself last. The great one serves sinners and gives his life as a ransom for many.

In the end, they will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven (Mark 14:62). But first they want to see the Christ and have missed their chance (Mark 15:32). They wish to see Elijah, but failed to notice him back in chapter 1 (Mark 15:36). And the least likely, the Roman centurion, sees the way Jesus dies and proclaims him to be the Son of God (Mark 15:39).

Epilogue Walkthrough

Mark reminds us that others can also see the truth. Some women saw him from a distance (Mark 15:40). One member of the ruling council was, in fact, looking for the kingdom of God and found it in Jesus (Mark 15:43). The ladies then see the tomb of Jesus empty except for a young man dressed in white, who tells them that their king is not here (Mark 16:5).

But don’t worry. You’ll see him again, just as he told you (Mark 16:7).

Conclusion

Can’t you see that Jesus is God’s chosen king, that you might follow him, even to the death?

Interpretive Outline

  1. The king is here! – Mark 1:1-15
  2. The king’s credentials – Mark 1:16-8:30
    • The king establishes his authority – Mark 1:16-3:12
    • The king assembles his people – Mark 3:13-6:6
    • The king helps his people to see him – Mark 6:7-8:30
  3. The king’s pain – Mark 8:31-15:39
    • The king reverses expectations – Mark 8:31-10:52
    • The king overthrows the establishment – Mark 11:1-14:12
    • The king sacrifices himself – Mark 14:13-15:39
  4. The king is not here! – Mark 15:40-16:8

Here are links for much more detailed observational and interpretive outlines of Mark’s gospel.

This post is part of a series of interpretive overviews of the books of the Bible.

Why Obadiah is Important for the Church

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James Street wrote a marvelous piece overviewing the brief prophecy of Obadiah and explaining why it is important for us to continue studying and teaching today. He explains the historical context (without which the book will be terribly confusing) before walking through the book under three chief questions:

  1. How far will God’s love go? – 1-9
  2. How long will God’s love last? – 10-16
  3. How good will God’s love get? – 17-21

This book makes quite a contribution to our understanding of God’s love for his people, and is well worth your time. As is Street’s helpful analysis.

Check it out!

Sample Sermon on Acts 27

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A few weeks ago, I described the process by which I came to a richer understanding of the structure and main point of Paul’s shipwreck narrative in Acts 27, thanks to the help of my colleague Tom Hallman. Well, Tom just preached his sermon on that text this past Sunday, and I think he knocked it out of the park. Some of you might be interested in seeing how he did it.

Here is a link to the audio of the sermon. (We don’t record video for sermons.) Sadly, the sermon’s introduction was lost, so the recording begins with the reading of the first portion of the text. But the sermon is still worth your time, if you’re so inclined to see how this opaque text can be taught compellingly using the essential tools of OIA study.

As you listen, you’ll want to make sure to have a map handy so you can visualize the narrated events. Here is a free one for your convenience.

Photo credit: Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org, Creative Commons

How to Read Genesis 1-3

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I have benefitted much from the scholarship of Vern Poythress over the years. And in this article, he provides an excellent overview of the key issues that shape the way we ought to read the Bible’s opening chapters.

In my Wednesday posts, I usually link to articles much shorter than this one. But despite its length, Poythress’s article is effectively aimed at non-scholars in plain language. He addresses matters such as who God is, who wrote the book of Genesis, what genre Genesis 1-3 is, and how Genesis 1-3 compares with other ancient literature. Here is the abstract, summarizing the entire piece.

ABSTRACT: The beginning of the book of Genesis is not, as some claim, a mythical or poetic account of creation. It is historical narrative, telling the same story that unfolds in the patriarchs, the exodus, and the establishment of Israel. And, being from God, it speaks truly. Modern readers may not learn everything they would like to know about creation from Genesis 1–3, but they will find everything they most need to know. They also will find an account of creation unlike anything outside the Bible. Compared to the creation myths of Israel’s neighbors, Genesis stands majestically alone.

If that piques your interest, this piece is well worth a good look. Check it out!

5 Reasons to Read Your Bible Beyond Practical Application

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I believe in practical application. Here are more than ten biblical reasons why you should do it. But the dangers are legion if you come to your Bible reading with nothing but practical application on your mind. You might rush—or even worse, skip!—your observation or interpretation for the sake of that practical nugget. Your application might come unmoored from the text and take you in exactly the wrong direction. You might fall into the well-worn path of failing to identify any applications beyond the Big Three.

And there is a major opportunity cost involved. Treat personal application as the only consistent outcome for your Bible reading, and you may simply miss out on these other benefits the Lord wishes for you.

1. Storing up now for the coming winter

A regular habit of Bible reading is worth maintaining, even when no urgent or timely application comes readily to mind, because you are depositing divine truth in the storehouses of your soul from which you can later make withdrawals. “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps 119:11). “My son, keep your father’s commandments … bind them on your heart always … When you walk, they will lead you … For the commandment is a lamp … to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress” (Prov 6:20-24).

We ought to consider the ant and be wise (Prov 6:6-11, 30:24-25), not only with respect to our work ethic but also with respect to our truth ethic. It is foolish to abstain from Bible reading because it’s not practical enough for today. When the time of temptation arrives, you will have an empty storehouse—an empty heart—with no stockpile of resources available to supply your resistance.

Image by cp17 from Pixabay

2. Receiving comfort amid sorrow

It is true that suffering people need time and space to process. Yet may it never be that our “time and space” isolate us from the Lord, when they ought to bind us more tightly to him. The laments of the Bible are wonderful for giving us words when we don’t know what to say, and feelings when we don’t know what to feel. The Spirit who intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom 8:26) is the same Spirit who inspired the words of the prophets and apostles to give expression to such groanings (1 Pet 1:10-12).

“My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!” (Ps 119:28). Such strengthening does not typically result in an item for the to-do list or a practical application to go on the calendar. These words are shaping us to know where and when to find true solace.

3. Motivating future obedience

Reading your Bible saturates your mind and heart in the love of God for you, which will motivate you to even greater obedience in the future. Though you may not get a nugget of practical application right now, the good news will inflame your desire for such obedience in perpetuity.

“Let your steadfast love come to me, O Yahweh, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me … And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth … I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts” (Ps 119:41-45).

4. Learning to both love and hate the right things

Sometimes Bible reading does not produce immediate behavioral change, but instead trains our senses to distinguish good from evil, to discern right from wrong. And it trains not only our mind’s acuity but also our very affections, that we might love what is good and hate that which is evil. “Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that Yahweh, the God of armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15).

Our Bible reading shapes our hearts in immeasurable and incremental ways, with respect not only to ourselves but also to those around us. “Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning” (Ps 119:53-54).

5. Spending time with the Beloved

A marriage relationship is not merely a socioeconomic contract wherein two parties engage in mutually beneficial transactions and improve their financial benefits. Yes, it is at least that, but more often than not, a relationship characterized by love involves simply spending time together. There is a delight to be had from communing together, living life together, sharing experiences, and growing old together as lovers and companions. So, too, in this marriage between the Lord Jesus and his Bride. We meet together corporately to worship the father through him. And we read the Bible that we might simply know him and enjoy his sweet companionship.

To ensure we don’t wander off with a “Jesus” of our own invention, our communion with Christ must involve a communion in his word. God is revealed most clearly in his word, so knowing God must involve knowing his word. “Yahweh is my portion; I promise to keep your words … The earth, O Yahweh, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!” (Ps 119:57, 64). “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

Conclusion

Whoever desires practical application to result from Bible reading desires a noble thing. But it’s not the only thing. Please keep reading your Bible, even when you can’t see immediate, outward life change by the end of the day. I assure you: Though you may not see quick and immediate change in yourself, others will certainly perceive the gradual and lasting change that transpires in you as the seasons come and go. As you spend time with your Beloved, you can’t help but become more like him.

7 Characteristics of Good Bible Teachers

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Doug Eaton has a thoughtful piece on “7 Characteristics of Good Bible Teachers.” He presumes good and accurate understanding of the Bible as a prerequisite, and then posits that good teachers will also demonstrate the following characteristics:

  1. A good teacher is concerned about wasting their student’s time.
  2. A good teacher is more concerned with clarity than appearing highbrow.
  3. A good teacher explains why what they are teaching is important.
  4. A good teacher is more concerned with delivering content than face time.
  5. A good teacher has their objectives clearly defined before they begin to speak.
  6. A good teacher has learned the importance of subtraction.
  7. A good teacher will find a weakness in their student’s thinking and ask them questions that will help them grow.

We spend much time at this blog helping you to learn how to get the text right. Eaton’s list is a helpful supplement, enabling us to improve at getting the message of the text across as we teach it.

Check it out!

What Should We Make of Paul’s Shipwreck Narrative?

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When our church’s team of preachers decided to preach through Acts, I knew chapter 27 would be a doozy (notice how I cleverly ignored this chapter in my interpretive overview of Acts). I have always been confused by this chapter and its role within the book, and though I’m sure compelling sermons have been preached on this text, I have yet to hear one of them. I’m used to hearing otherwise fantastic preachers punt on this chapter, in the name of practicality, to talk about “weathering the storms of our spiritual lives.” So the extraordinarily detailed travelogue of Acts 27 is reduced to a parable and a few minor observations (typically surrounding verses 23-25) seeking to inspire us toward deeper trust in Christ—a wonderful thing to be inspired toward, of course!

Therefore, since I’m in charge of managing our sermon schedule, I made sure to assign Acts 27 to someone else. Pro tip: When you don’t know what to do with a text, require a friend or colleague to deal with it instead. This resulted in one of the most exciting “aha!” moments in my Bible study this year.

Photo by Olga Tsai on Unsplash

A Key Structural Observation

The sucker fortunate fellow to receive the assignment was a good man and marvelous student of the word named Tom Hallman. Tom eagerly set himself to observe the text inside and out, to give him the raw materials for a series of interpretive questions. Our practice is that our team of preachers gives feedback on every sermon before it is preached. We collaborate in two phases: the study of the passage and the delivery of the sermon. So in that first phase, Tom regularly laid before us the fruit of his study for comment and evaluation.

And Tom made a key structural observation that shed tremendous light on the passage for me. In following the narrative’s plot, Tom observed that the main conflict centers on the centurion’s failure to listen to Paul’s counsel in Acts 27:11. This led Tom to recognize a few arcs within the plot:

  • Acts 27:9-20: Paul speaks, and the centurion pays more attention to others. The result is that all hope of being saved is abandoned.
  • Acts 27:21-44: Paul speaks, and the Romans start listening to him. The result is that all are brought safely to land.

These observations of the primary narrative tension and its accompanying resolution gave us hope that we could sift through the flood of details to discern the author’s main point in this chapter.

Further Dialogue

As we discussed it further and kept staring at the text to observe it more closely, we eventually realized that there were not two arcs but three. Paul actually makes three sizable speeches (Acts 27:10, 21-26, 33-34). He also speaks in Acts 27:31, but that briefer statement does not have the same appearance of introducing a new scene. It is a response to what’s happening in the moment (Acts 27:30).

So we’ve actually got three main speeches from Paul. Do we correspondingly have a clear resolution with each one, to make three complete arcs? This question drove us back into the text.

And sure enough, there it was. So plain and obvious we couldn’t believe we had missed it or ever believed this passage to be opaque to us.

  • Acts 27:9-20: Paul speaks, and the centurion pays more attention to others. The result is that all hope of being saved is abandoned.
  • Acts 27:21-32: Paul speaks, and no-one immediately rejects him. But eventually the soldiers heed him. (The centurion and soldiers both hear Paul’s words in Acts 27:31, but only the soldiers are mentioned as acting on them in Acts 27:32.) There is no immediate “salvation,” but only a sense of “let’s wait and see; we hope this works.”
  • Acts 27:33-44: Paul speaks, and all are encouraged and choose to eat (Acts 27:36). The result is that the centurion has heard enough, and he now wishes to save Paul (Acts 27:43). “And so it was that all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:44).

These three arcs showed us that the primary tension revolves around whether the Roman centurion (prominent enough to be named in the text—Acts 27:1,3) will listen to Paul or not. And in particular: Will he listen to Paul with respect to salvation? This salvation goes in two directions: Paul wants to save the centurion—along with everyone else on the ship; the centurion, in the end, wishes to save Paul.

In the first arc, Julius will not listen to Paul, and all hope is lost. In the second arc, the soldiers listen to Paul, and it is as though the centurion is watching and deliberating before rendering judgment on this most unusual prisoner. In the third arc, the centurion fully listens to Paul and doesn’t want him to die.

Conclusions About the Text

I’m not weirded out by this chapter any more. It fits cleanly within the book’s main idea that the world’s salvation cannot be stopped. It also masterfully advances Luke’s primary agenda to petition for Paul’s exoneration before Caesar. “Julius was uncertain at first, and unwilling to listen to Paul. But he has been convinced that this Paul is who he says he is, and he refuses to let anyone execute him. Caesar: Why wouldn’t you do the same?”

And not only that, but Acts 27 also serves Luke’s secondary purpose to lead all of Abraham’s children to salvation through the Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “Julius was uncertain at first, and unwilling to listen to Paul. But many have been convinced that this Jesus, whom Paul preaches, is who he says he is. Don’t just stand there watching others listen and find rescue. Noble reader: Why wouldn’t you do the same?”

Conclusions About Our Study Methods

If Luke can have two simultaneous purposes in mind, so can I. While I wanted to help you observe and interpret Acts 27 along with me, I also wanted you to see how I got there. And the events that took place this past week in my dialogues with Tom highlight a few conclusions. First, Bible study needs to be a community project. Second, structure conveys meaning. And third, the most important tool for observing the structure of a narrative episode is plot structure.