Peter Krol | Knowable Word

Why Christians Replace Bible Reading with Other Resources

September 9, 2020 By Peter Krol

Micah Colbert offers some helpful reflections on what he sees as a dangerous trend:

With the rise of the internet, there’s been a trend that, if continued, will sap the church’s spiritual vibrancy. Sadly, more and more Christians are replacing personal time in the Bible with time spent reading books, blogs, devotionals, and/or articles written by gifted teachers about the Bible.

He suggests three reasons why honest Christians might do this:

They’re overwhelmed by the Bible
They’re bored with the Bible
They don’t have a God-exalting approach to / mindset about Bible reading

Of course, there is nothing new in these reasons, or this trend. The internet simply makes it easier than ever to bail on fatty nutrition in favor of sugary substitutes. Colbert’s exhortations are well worth taking to heart.

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Psalm 119 and the Search for Clarity

September 4, 2020 By Peter Krol

I have a love/hate relationship with the longest chapter of the Bible. I love it, in part, because I know I’m supposed to and, in part, because it speaks extensively of the the word of God, which I love. But funny thing: Loving the Bible and loving Psalm 119 are not always mutually indwelling sentiments.

The fact of the matter is that Psalm 119 has a lot of lines. And even more words. I can handle many lines and many words if there is a linear argument or a compelling plot. But Psalm 119 has neither, so it typically feels like floating amongst the stars—please suspend your disbelief while I pretend to know what that would feel like—or breaststroking my way through a lake of peanut butter.

The nice thing is that the mastermind responsible for this interminable poem had the courtesy to start every verse within a stanza with the same letter, and to move through the alphabet from stanza to stanza, perhaps to make it easier to memorize. So if you’re a native speaker of ancient Hebrew, you’ll have an easier go at it. The rest of us covenantal immigrants, however, receive no such assistance, beyond those funny Hebrew shapes and transliterated words at the heading for each stanza. Bring on the peanut butter; I have more laps to swim today.

I’ve tried counting the number of distinct terms used for the Scripture. I’ve tried counting how many times each term is used. I’ve tried labelling verses as either praise/encouragement or lament/suffering. I’ve tried many times to read it in one sitting, and I’ve tried reading it a stanza or three at a time.

None of those techniques have helped me to grasp the message of the poem, in such a way that I have any confidence to have understood it. The practice that has helped me the most has been to try identifying a single main idea for each stanza, so as to see how each stanza then contributes to the overall effect. In the last 15 years, I’ve made four attempts at writing down main points for each stanza. Each time, I adjust it further and gain more confidence that I’m closer to the true main idea than I was the last time.

I will now share with you the fruit of my labor in this poem from the last few weeks. (You can also find this on the second tab of my Psalms spreadsheet, which you can access any time through the blog’s Resources page.) I would not consider myself to have mastered this psalm yet, but I trust I’m getting closer. I can at least say the poem makes more sense to me now than it did a few months ago, so progress has been made.

This poem sheds much light on the person and work of Jesus Christ, when we recognize that he is the “I” of the psalm. And as we are conformed to his image, we ought to strive to similar trust in both the Bible and the God who delivered it to us.

I invite your feedback on anything I’ve written here. I am eager to improve my understanding of this glorious poem, to inflame greater love for it. “I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love” (Ps 119:47-48).

	SECTION	THEME/SITUATION
א	Aleph	Blessed are those who walk in Yahweh’s commands (Ps 119:1-8)
ב	Bet	Young people remain pure by storing up God’s word while they can (Ps 119:9-16)
ג	Gimel	God must deal bountifully for the word to take effect (Ps 119:17-24)
ד	Daleth	The struggle for strengthening in sorrow, from the scripture (Ps 119:25-32)
ה	He	I need divine help to persevere in God’s commandments (Ps 119:33-40)
ו	Vav	God’s love for me arouses my love for his commandments (Ps 119:41-48)
ז	Zayin	I can trust God’s words in a way I can’t trust anyone else’s words (Ps 119:49-56)
ח	Cheth	I turn to the word because through it, I inherit Yahweh (Ps 119:57-64)
ט	Teth	Your word is good, and I do it, because you are good (Ps 119:65-72)
י	Yod	He who made me will complete his work in me (Ps 119:73-80)
כ	Kaph	I persevere through persecution because I long for you to do what you have said (Ps 119:81-88)
ל	Lamed	God’s eternal word is fully consistent with how God made the world to work (Ps 119:89-96)
מ	Mem	The student who loves the law surpasses his teachers (Ps 119:97-104)
נ	Nun	Your word guides all of life (Ps 119:105-112)
ס	Samek	God’s word shapes my thinking toward evildoers to be like God’s (Ps 119:113-120)
ע	Ayin	God’s love and God’s word give me every expectation of vindication (Ps 119:121-128)
פ	Pe	I’m desperate for light from your word (Ps 119:129-136)
צ	Tsadhe	Your rules are righteous, and I do them, because you are righteous (Ps 119:137-144)
ק	Qoph	Your word occupies all of me all the time (Ps 119:145-152)
ר	Resh	Your law gives me hope for deliverance from adversaries (Ps 119:153-160)
ש	Sin/Shin	I rejoice in your words, even under fire, for you see all my ways (Ps 119:161-168)
ת	Tav	I pour forth praise for the God of this Bible (Ps 119:169-176)

Our Famine By Choice

September 2, 2020 By Peter Krol

I’m grateful to Tom Ascol for reminding us that one of God’s threatened judgments in the prophets is that he might stop speaking to the people (Amos 8:11-12). And yet today, so many of us choose this state of affairs for ourselves by neglecting the nutritious word of God, which is so abundantly available to us.

In that vein, Ascol shared this quote from J.C. Ryle:

There are many today, who believe the Bible, yet read it very little. Does your conscience tell you that you are one of these persons?
If so, you are the man that is likely to get little help from the Bible in time of need. Trial is a sifting experience….Your store of Bible consolations may one day run very low.
If so, you are the man that is unlikely to become established in the truth. I shall not be surprised to hear that you are troubled with doubts and questions about assurance, grace, faith, perseverance, etc. The devil is an old and cunning enemy. He can quote Scripture readily enough when he pleases. Now you are not sufficiently ready with your weapons to fight a good fight with him….Your sword is held loosely in your hand.
If so, you are the man that is likely to make mistakes in life. I shall not wonder if I am told that you have problems in your marriage, problems with your children, problems about the conduct of your family and about the company you keep. The world you steer through is full of rocks, shoals and sandbanks. You are not sufficiently familiar either with lighthouses or charts.
If so, you are the man who is likely to be carried away by some false teacher for a time. It will not surprise me if I hear that one of these clever eloquent men who can make a convincing presentation is leading you into error. You are in need of ballast (truth); no wonder if you are tossed to and fro like a cork on the waves.
All these are uncomfortable situations. I want you to escape them all. Take the advice I offer you today. Do not merely read your Bible a little—but read it a great deal….Remember your many enemies. Be armed!

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The End of Exile is Praise for Yahweh’s Covenant Love: Book 5 of the Psalms

August 28, 2020 By Peter Krol

As I’ve worked through the book of Psalms, I’ve shared with you the fruit of my labors on Book 1 (Psalms 1-41) and Books 2-4 (Psalms 42-106). Now that I’m near the end of my study, I’m ready to share some reflections on Book 5 (Psalms 107-150).

Themes

As far as the themes of Book 5, the following topics are constantly repeated:

Return from exile (such as Ps 107:1-3, 120:5-7, and 137:1-6)
Reinstatement of the king (such as Ps 110:1; 116; 118:10-13, 22;)
Remembrance of Yahweh’s eternal covenant love (such as Ps 107:1-3, 43; 118:1, 29; 136)
Request for others to join in worship (such as Ps 111:1, 112:1, 113:1, 117:1-2, 118:1-4, 145:21, 146-150)

Structure

The prominent calls to praise appear at key moments to signal climaxes in each section, or transitions to the next section.

Ps 111:1 opens a section of praise poems (Pss 111-118) that appear to respond to what God did in Pss 107-110.
Ps 118 describes a parade of worship moving from the battlefield into the temple.
The songs of ascent (Pss 120-134) describe pilgrimages toward the temple, culminating in Psalm 136, which celebrates Yahweh’s eternal covenant love in every verse.
Ps 145 concludes a group of poems where the king offers his own praise, and it invites the rest of creation to join that praise—which they do in Pss 146-150.

These patterns yield four primary sections within Book 5:

Pss 107-110: Yahweh’s mighty deeds to redeem his people and their king
- Pss 111-119: Outburst of praise on behalf of both king and people
Pss 120-137: Yahweh raises up the king and people from exile, specifically so they might worship him
- Pss 138-150: The king now leads the people in the worship of Yahweh

For Further Study

I commend this masterful book of poetry to you for further reflection and consideration. You may want to consider some of the following questions:

What role does Ps 119 play as both the conclusion to the praise of Pss 111-118 and the catalyst for the reflections in Pss 120-137?
Why role does Ps 110 play in the structure, and why is this role conducive to the apostles’ quoting of this poem more than any other psalm?
How do the psalms of ascent (Pss 120-134) fit together? And why might we think that Pss 135-137 are connected, as a conclusion, to them?
How does Ps 145 transition from the king’s praise to the people’s praise? How can we use this psalm to assist our own praise?

I have updated my Psalms spreadsheet with my thoughts on this last part of the book. I also added a second tab, where I try to capture the main idea of each stanza of Psalm 119. You can always find this spreadsheet on the blog’s resources page to assist your further study.

Bible Study Tips from Seasoned Teachers

August 26, 2020 By Peter Krol

Bible Study Magazine has interviewed quite a few Bible teachers over the years, and this post collects some of the most pointed pieces of advice they’ve accumulated. I especially appreciate numbers 7 and 8, regarding doing our study together in communities and families, but all of them are worth considering.

Check it out!

Give Them a Deeper Bible Study

August 19, 2020 By Peter Krol

I love Mike Leake’s reflection on what people really want when they ask for a deeper Bible study. Perhaps you’ve experienced the dynamic, where a folks express a holy dissatisfaction with superficial Bible study. They ask for more. You labor to deliver it to them. And then…

One of two things seems to happen. What often happens is that nobody shows up for our super deep Bible study. Or they show up and they get bored and they drop out. And so we conclude that they didn’t actually want deeper Bible study. Or, secondly, people do show up, they devour the Bible study, they really learn their Bibles, they get deeply educated but something is still missing. Sometimes it seems as if knowledge isn’t translating into lifestyle. But more often than not, what is happening is that these folks who are devouring the word studies are still asking for something deeper.
This is because when people say they want deeper Bible study they do not mean they want to go deeper into the Word but what they are really desiring (and what I believe the Spirit of God is prompting) is for the Word to go deeper into them. This is what they mean when they say that but we’ve often heard this request the wrong way.

Leake then shows how Hebrews 4:12 expects exactly this sort of “deeper” Bible study. His post is well worth a few minutes of your time.

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Avoid Using Greek or Hebrew to Persuade People

August 12, 2020 By Peter Krol

Tommy Keene has another terrific post on the Bible’s original languages. This time he’s aiming to persuade you that you almost never need to refer to the original Hebrew or Greek in order to make a point. In the process, he refers to a Greek phrase; but he didn’t have to. And he shows you why he didn’t have to.

Near the end, he gives a series of steps to teach you how to argue your case from the context instead of from an obscure reference to original languages. His advice here is priceless.

My favorite lines in the article come when Keene paints the picture of a person who knows Hebrew/Greek making an argument with someone who doesn’t. The only real reason the Hebrew/Greek person would reference the Hebrew/Greek is to play a trump card that can’t be questioned. This fundamentally bases the argument on the authority of the person who knows Hebrew/Greek and not that of the text itself. By choosing to leave the Hebrew/Greek out of the argument, you are doing a more to actually make disciples. Thus he concludes:

You are not only telling them what the text means, you are showing them how to arrive at that conclusion themselves. You are making yourself redundant. Go ahead. That’s the way Jesus wanted it anyway.

I highly commend Keene’s post to you. The only thing I might add is that there is one place I have found it particularly helpful and important to reference the original languages, and that is when there is a pun or repetition that the translation has glossed over. Of course, it’s not always necessary to do this, but if observing the repetition bears interpretive weight, that is part of the context required to understand the text. And that context might not be apparent in English. (Incidentally, this is why Robert Alter has a rule for translators along the lines of “Thou shalt not employ a variety of English words when the Hebrew repeats the same word.”)

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How the Parable of the Ten Minas is Different Than the Parable of the Talents

August 7, 2020 By Peter Krol

Last week I observed a few things and asked a few questions about whether the parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11-27) might have a different point than the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30). I’ve already discussed how Matthew’s parable fits into the context of the author’s larger argument. This week, I’ll walk through Luke’s train of thought to show how different his point is from Matthew’s.

I’ve already written on the main point of Luke’s gospel as a whole and on how to navigate its middle chapters (Luke 9:51-19:27). To save space here, I won’t repeat what I wrote there, but will assume you have caught up on that background.

By Andrey Mironov – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Placement

The first thing I’ll point out is that the parable of the ten minas is the very last thing in Luke’s travel narrative. The very next episode has Jesus going up into Jerusalem on the back of a colt. So this parable concludes not only the fourth sub-section, which focuses on the timing of the kingdom—when will these things regarding the kingdom take place? It also concludes the entire travelogue. This parable is the capstone and climax of Luke’s meandering description of life in Jesus’ new kingdom.

The Question on the Table

In this fourth division of the travel narrative, the presenting question is “When will the kingdom of God come?” (Luke 17:20). And Jesus clearly responded that it “is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:21). I understand that the translation of that last phrase is hotly debated, but regardless of the variety of options, all suggest that the kingdom is here and now. It is tangible and present. Jesus goes on to suggest that, if you can’t see it now, you will not be able to see it in the future either (Luke 17:22). Though there are signs and suggestions for then (Luke 17:23-24), make absolutely sure you don’t miss the significance of what is taking place now (Luke 17:25).

So Jesus tells them how to prepare for it (Luke 18:1-8). He executes the admission and dismissal of its citizens (Luke 18:9-17). He paints a picture of the current behaviors of those who look ahead to eternal life (Luke 18:18-30).

So in short, Jesus acknowledges that there is surely something yet to come. But in this section of Luke, he resists the impulse to direct people’s gaze to the horizon. He’s redrawing their attention to the here and now.

A View of What’s Happening Today

Then in Luke 18:31, Jesus claims, on the way to Jerusalem, that “everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” This includes being delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, treated shamefully, spit upon, flogged, killed, and resurrected. The disciples simply can’t see it, however (Luke 18:34).

But a blind man can see it. Though his eyes cannot yet see, the eyes of his heart can see the Son of David (heir to the throne) passing by right in front of him (Luke 18:35-43). And astonishingly, Jericho’s chief tax collector wants to see it (Luke 19:3).

The sight of Jesus changes Zacchaeus forever. One greeting, a meal at his home, and a modicum of reflection was all he needed to turn his life around (Luke 19:8). This demonstration of repentance (compare with Luke 3:12-13) provokes Jesus to make a shocking declaration: “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10).

Jesus spoke all about feasting with Abraham in the kingdom (Luke 13:28-30). Those who cannot recognize the master of the house of Israel will likewise go unrecognized by him (Luke 13:24-27). And here he is, in flesh and blood. He grants sight to the blind and calls Zacchaeus by name.

Here now is the “salvation” he’s been talking about through the entire book. That “salvation” is the fruit of the kingdom, which is currently present among them. The Son of Man seeks the lost, just like a shepherd with a lost sheep, a woman with a lost coin, and a father with a lost son (Luke 15:1-32). Now that salvation has come today on the unlikeliest of candidates. That fact is what spurs the people’s anticipation that the kingdom of God will appear when Jesus gets to Jerusalem (Luke 19:11).

The air is electric, and energy is at an all-time high. They wonder if this is it, if this is what they’ve been waiting for. If salvation is really present, right in front of them, embodied as a rabbi from Nazareth who has an awful lot to say about the way things ought to be.

The Prophets

And let’s not forget what the prophets had to say about this moment in history. Jesus said the prophets would be fulfilled as he came to Jerusalem (Luke 18:31).

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap…
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 3:1-5

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey…
“My anger is hot against the shepherds,
and I will punish the leaders;
for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
“I will strengthen the house of Judah,
and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,
and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.
Zechariah 9:9-10:12

So when Luke brings the travel narrative to an end by having Jesus tell a parable about a God, the divine King, returning to inspect his people and temple to bring judgment on the shepherds of Israel—the words are loaded with centuries of anticipation. Who can stand before him when he appears?

It is no coincidence that the first thing Jesus does in Jerusalem is inspect the temple (Luke 19:45-46).

Judgment Falls on This Generation

Luke has spared no expense to tell Theophilus that Jesus sat in judgment over his contemporary generation of Jewish leadership. He pronounces judgment on them time and again. This judgment is something in the future, yet to come. But it will not be long. It will take place within the current generation’s lifetime (Luke 11:49-51; 12:42-48; 13:3, 5, 9, 28, 34-35).

Subsequent to the parable of the minas, Jesus will continue presenting himself in the spirit and power of the prophets, proclaiming condemnation on the corrupt shepherds of Israel (Luke 19:41-44; 21:32). Like Jeremiah, he weeps over the fate of his generation. Like Isaiah, he describes political and social upheaval by means of apocalyptic language and cosmic metaphors.

Conclusion

So where does this data lead? I believe we have good reason to read the parable of the talents primarily as a description of the judgment that will take place at Jesus’ second coming (“That day”: Matt 24:36-25:46). The parable of the talents seems to direct our attention to “that day,” when humanity will be sorted for either eternal punishment or eternal life (Matt 25:46).

But the parable of the ten minas hits much closer. In context, it appears that Jesus speaks primarily of his first coming and what is about to happen to and through him at Jerusalem. The reckoning has come for the Jewish nation and its leaders. Those who have been serving faithfully, and who recognize their master, will be rewarded with cities (Luke 19:17-18). Those who have not, and who do not, will either have their deposit taken from them (Luke 19:24) or face the executioner’s sword (Luke 19:27).

For those reading this who are immigrants to the covenants of promise (Gentiles) and not natural-born citizens (Jews): Do not become proud. For if God was willing to wipe out a generation to make room for the Gentiles to enter, will he not do the same thing with another generation who presumes upon his kindness and drifts from loyalty to him (Rom 11:17-24)? Though the parable speaks primarily about something that’s already occurred (Jesus’ first coming), it still has serious and sobering ramifications for those who would serve the King in any generation.

The Trinity in 1&2 Thessalonians

August 5, 2020 By Peter Krol

Guy Waters has a fine piece showing us how to trace a theological theme through a book (or pair of related books) of Scripture. He draws out the implications of Paul’s doctrine of the trinity from 1&2 Thessalonians.

What did a body of new believers need to hear? They needed to hear the gospel. It was through the gospel that the church in Thessalonica had come to faith. It would be through the gospel that the church in Thessalonica would grow in faith. And the gospel, according to Paul, is a message centered upon the triune God – one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit.
These two letters afford rich reflection upon the triune God. We may trace four lines of teaching about the Trinity from these two letters. And then we may draw some implications from these letters about the place of theology in Scripture and in the Christian life.

Check it out!

The Reckoning of the Minas

July 31, 2020 By Peter Krol

Have you heard the parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11-27)? It’s sort of the creepy, leering uncle to the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). I say that because it seems sensible enough for the most part, but it has those quirky parts that would never make it into the children’s Bibles.

But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.
Luke 19:27

For the bulk of my Bible-reading life, I’ve assumed the parable of the minas was just a repetition of the parable of the talents that somehow lost a few things in transmission. It has ten servants instead of three. Each is given one coin, instead of differing amounts. And, of course, those citizens don’t want the guy to be their king, so he has them executed.

But for a number of years now, I’ve argued that we ought to understand such parallel passages on their own, within their own context. Perhaps these two parables really have different things to say to different audiences. So in my current study of Luke, I gave this one a fresh shot.

The Question of When

And now I arrive at my second assumption with respect to this parable. Because of my first assumption (that it’s basically the same as the parable of the talents), I’ve always assumed that it speaks of Jesus’ second coming and the future judgment of humanity.

A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
Luke 19:12

It seems so self-evident:

As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.
Luke 19:11

They supposed the kingdom of God was to appear immediately, and they were mistaken. So he tells them this parable to inform them of the great delay that must take place before his return. Easy peasy.

But hold on. Luke doesn’t say that they were mistaken. He doesn’t say, either, that Jesus aims to correct them. What if he told the parable not to correct their mistake, but to affirm the fact that they’ve finally started listening to him (see, for example, Luke 17:21)? Maybe it’s not the timing of the kingdom that they’re wrong about, but the nature of it. That, in other words, though it will appear immediately, it will not bring good news for most of them. The time has arrived for a reckoning.

Help from the Context

From the first phrase of Luke 19:11, we must ask: “What things did they hear, which prompted their enthusiasm for the kingdom’s appearance when he got to Jerusalem?” And we get much help in the immediate proximity. Check out Luke 19:9-10.

And we also ought to ask: When did Jesus, and the original audience to this parable, expect this severe reckoning to take place? What exactly is he describing by telling a story about a great king returning home to check on his appointed servants? We get much help in the succeeding vicinity. Check out Luke 19:41-44.

At this point in Luke’s gospel, Jesus has—yet again!—just reminded his disciples why he is going up to Jerusalem (and Luke has spent 10 chapters describing that single-minded journey):

See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.
Luke 18:31

So what did the prophets have to say about this arrival in Jerusalem? And how does the parable of the ten minas connect with what those prophets had to say? Help is available, especially in Malachi 3:1-5 and Zechariah 9:9-10:12.

Your Turn

I’ll leave it there for now, so you can examine the text yourself and consider these questions. Hopefully I’ll get to write more on it next week, after you’ve had time to ponder the matter.

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