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When Scripture Gets Stale

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Glenna Marshall has some keen and practical advice for those who have hit a wall struggling to be consistent in Bible reading.

If you’re following a Bible reading plan, you might be feeling a little weary these days. You’ve plowed through a lot of Old Testament history and law, and there’s a good chance you’re in some very strange Leviticus material. Many reading plans keep you in Psalms year round, but if poetry isn’t your strong suit, you might find the psalms to be overwhelming with imagery, parallelism, and anthropomorphism (try repeating that list three times fast!).

She goes on to give some encouraging and concrete pointers for what to do when you are in this position. And she’s right on target to cheer: “Keep going! Your time in Scripture is never wasted, even if you don’t feel or see immediate results.”

We couldn’t agree more. Check it out!

The First Result of Listening to Wisdom

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“Education” by edenpictures (2009), shared under Creative Commons Attribution License

If we passively receive and actively seek wisdom, then two things will happen: We’ll start being wise, and we’ll keep becoming wiser. Solomon explains these two results and gives the rationale for each. This week, we’ll cover just the first one.

“Then you will understand the fear of the LORD
And find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice
And watching over the way of his saints.” (Prov 2:5-8)

You’ll start being wise. Verse 5 states that “you will understand the fear of the Lord.” This concept ought to be familiar from Prov 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Remember that the fear of the Lord is the very first step on the path of wisdom. Solomon now promises that listening to wisdom will result in the fear of the Lord. Therefore, if we listen to wisdom, we will begin the journey of wisdom.

Though this point may seem obvious, it nevertheless is crucial. Wisdom is not something that just happens as we live life. It doesn’t come automatically with status, education, experience, age, or leadership position. We must receive it and seek it in order to gain it. We must admit we don’t have it before we can possess it. We confess we can’t see it so we might somehow perceive it. When it is weak, it is strongest. It rises from lowliness.

Why is this the case? Because “the Lord gives wisdom” (Prov 2:6). It comes from his mouth and not our own (Prov 2:6). It dwells in his storehouse, and he loves to dole it out liberally (Prov 2:7). He is our shield; we can’t protect ourselves (Prov 2:7). He wants us to trust him for all things, including wisdom. Thus, to become wise we must grow closer to the giver of wisdom. That’s why I previously defined “the wise” as “those who are moving toward the Lord.”

Do you want to become wise? Draw near to the Lord and listen.

A Major Theme in Scripture

So listening to wisdom will make you wise. Duh.

Believe it or not, this idea is a major theme in the Bible. Adam and Eve woefully trusted themselves and not God for wisdom (Gen 3:6), and that choice initiated all our troubles. Ever since, God has graciously intervened, directing his people back to Himself (and away from themselves), as their confidence. For example, after Abram defeated the four most powerful kings of his day, the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great” (Gen 15:1).

When Jacob had to run for his life, God appeared to him in a dream and said, “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you” (Gen 28:15). It took Jacob a bit of time to get it, but eventually he did, as is clear from his declaration to his wives: “Your father does not regard me with favor as he did before, but the God of my father has been with me” (Gen 31:5).

Jesus targeted his own mission to those who knew they needed him and were willing to draw near to him. He built intimacy with and gave his wisdom to those who were spiritually:

“Scenes from Mgona” by khym54 (2007), shared under Creative Commons Attribution License
  • Sick: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).
  • Poor: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3).
  • Small: “He who is least among you all is the one who is great” (Luke 9:48).
  • Lost: “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

He came to humble the proud (Luke 1:51) and to blind those who see (John 9:39), so they might come to him (Matt 11:25-30). Those who thought they didn’t need him did nothing and ruined everything.

To summarize Solomon’s argument so far (Prov 2:1-8): If you listen to God’s wisdom, you will become wise because God wants you to depend on him for all things.

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

 

3 Mistakes with Commentaries

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Stephen Kneale warns of three mistakes we could make with commentaries.

  1. Opening commentaries too early
  2. Opening commentaries too late
  3. Not opening commentaries at all

There is some good advice here, along the lines of our continued counsel to avoid becoming a commentary junkie. I’ve given my own set of mistakes with commentaries. And just as you can disagree with someone’s advice about commentaries, so also you ought to be free to disagree with the commentaries themselves.

The goal is always to allow the biblical text to speak the loudest for itself. Commentaries make great conversation partners but lousy agenda setters.

Check it out!

How to Listen to Wisdom

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Fimb (2009), Creative Commons Attribution

To become wise, you must learn to listen. Such listening has two parts.

1My son, if you receive my words
And treasure up my commandments with you,
2Making your ear attentive to wisdom
And inclining your heart to understanding
3Yes, if you call out for insight
And raise your voice for understanding,
4If you seek it like silver
And search for it as for hidden treasures. (Prov 2:1-4)

Solomon begins the chapter with a big “IF.” Receiving, treasuring, attending, inclining, calling out, raising your voice, seeking, and searching all boil down to one weighty concept: listening. He already commanded us to “hear” in Prov 1:8. He regretted our refusal to “listen” in Prov 1:24. He’ll come back to the topic of listening again in Prov 3:1, 21; 4:1, 10, 20; 5:1; 7:24; 8:6, and Prov 8:32. Listening is no small theme in Proverbs 1-9.

What does it mean to listen to wisdom? He breaks it down into two pieces: passive receiving and active seeking.

Passive Reception

First, he commands us to listen passively (Prov 2:1-2): receive, treasure, attend, and incline. There are many times when we don’t ask for advice, but it comes anyway. It might come in a form we like: a powerful sermon, a gentle rebuke, or a kind reminder. It might come in a form we don’t like: an angry critic, a disconsolate child, or a disgruntled coworker. Whatever shape wisdom takes, the question remains the same: Will you receive it? We’re like desperately hungry babies, and the food is placed right in our mouths. Will we munch on it or spit it out?

In other words, we ought to pay attention to the Bible and delight in it. We must be receptive to what wise people say — or even to wise things foolish people say — and avoid shifting blame or making excuses. In reading God’s word or in having it explained to us, we should be broken and changed by it. 

Are you approachable? How do you handle criticism? Are you willing to address weakness or failure? Do you have the courageous humility to focus more on how you need to grow than on how others need to grow? A mark of the wise Christian is the persistent and vigilant examination for logs in or around the eye (Matt 7:1-5).

Active Pursuit

Danard Vincente, Creative Commons Attribution

Second, Solomon commands us to listen actively (Prov 2:3-4): call, raise, seek, and search. Passive reception is not enough; Prov 2:3-4 instructs us to move on to active seeking. We must call out and raise our voices for understanding. We must seek wisdom as we would silver or a hidden treasure. If a woman lost her wedding ring, she would tear the house apart until she found it. She wouldn’t just wait passively for it to reappear on its own.

We can relate to this image, because we’re all treasure seekers. We arrange our lives to accommodate what’s most important to us. That’s why we bother to get married. That’s why we drag ourselves out of bed for 8:00 AM classes. That’s why we make peace with the long commute to the office. That’s why we stay up late for cinematic premieres. That’s why spend so long in front of the mirror before leaving the house each day. That’s why we go into debt. That’s why we’ll upheave our lives and relocate closer to our grandchildren.

If I fail to grow in wisdom, it’s not because I didn’t receive enough help. If I am not being fed spiritually, I am responsible to find food. If you are a teacher or a leader, you should not wait for people to give you suggestions for improvement; you should take initiative to ask for them. If you’re married, don’t wait for your spouse to bring up concerns; instead, regularly ask, “How do you think our marriage is going?” Consider asking someone to mentor you. If you want to understand the Bible better, plan time right in your schedule. If you don’t have a schedule, now would be a great time to make one.

To summarize: If you want to become wise, you must listen to wisdom. Listening involves both receiving it eagerly and seeking it passionately.

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

You Don’t Have to Choose Between Truth and Love

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I appreciate Josh Thomas’s thoughtful piece “Big Heads or Big Hearts,” where he considers the false dichotomy of truth vs. love, and he suggests we don’t have to choose between them. Especially in our Bible study.

Sure, it would be unhelpful to study the Bible only to beat people up and prove you have superior knowledge. But that doesn’t mean that a pursuit of love means you don’t need to continue learning from and about the Bible.

Truth and love ought not be thought of as if they are opposites — as if the pursuit of one will automatically detract from the pursuit of the other. Even in specific situations, we shouldn’t think that we need to decide between standing for the truth and loving. We can always do both!

Check it out!

How to Become Wise

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A few Olympic cycles ago, I wrote about what the Olympics taught me about Bible study. The Olympics deliver drama spectacularly, but they fail at imparting instruction.

Who, by watching Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt run, would get any practical help with his own stride? Perhaps exposure to the Asian badminton teams could influence aspiring champions not to cheat. But how many gymnasts will improve their own dismounts from Team USA’s example? Or who, upon seeing footage of Michael Phelps’ races and interviews, would gain concrete ideas for faster flip-turns? Perhaps a few prodigies will learn well by merely watching and imitating the world’s greatest athletes, but most of us need more personal coaching, step-by-step instruction, and encouragement in the basics.

“Becoming a Wise Owl Takes a Lot of Concentration” by Ken Bosma (2008), shared under Creative Commons Attribution License

That’s why, in Proverbs 2, Solomon gets down on our level and shows us practical steps we can take to become wise. He’s already given the big picture in chapter 1; now he gives details on the process. Here we’ll find not just what we need to know, but what we need to do.

Proverbs 2 has a tight logic:

If you listen – 1-4

Then you’ll get started on the path of wisdom – 5

     Why? Because God wants to make you wise – 6-8

Then you’ll continue to grow in wisdom – 9

     Why? Because wisdom will change you – 10

Result: you’ll make different choices that protect you – 11

     From violent men – 12-15

     From adulterous women – 16-19

     For endurance on the right path – 20-22

Over the next few Proverbs posts, I’ll boil the argument down into three chief sections: If you listen (Prov 2:1-4), you’ll become wise (Prov 2:5-10), resulting in different choices (Prov 2:11-22).

This post was first published in 2012 and is part of a series walking through Proverbs 1-9.

The Psalms as Lament for Exile and Praise for a Return

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This wonderful piece by Nicholas Piotrowski summarizes the entire book of Psalms, showing that this collection of poems was intentionally organized to lament Israel’s exile and praise God for her return. In the process, the book generates hope for a future glorious return of God’s people through a new, resurrected David.

Here is a taste:

…while psalms attributed to David decreased over books 3 and 4, his psalms are back in force in book 5. Psalms 108–110, 122, 124, 131, 133, and Psalms 138–145 are all ascribed to David. The emphasis that emerges is that “the answer to the problem of exile is David.” Having been laid “in the dust” at the end of book 3 (Ps. 89:39), David is now literarily back from the grave.

Check it out!

3 Questions for Bible Reading and Reflection

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This is a guest post by Micah Colbert, who trains African pastors as an international theological educator with ABWE. He also serves as the discipleship and outreach pastor at Community of Grace Church in Buffalo, NY. Micah has written two evangelistic books designed to help Christians lead evangelistic inductive Bible studies with unbelievers. You can find him on Facebook.

If you would like to submit a guest post for consideration, please see our guidelines 

Do you ever pine for that perfect Instagram Bible study moment? You’ve seen the pics plenty of times before. Steam rises off the fresh cup of coffee. Highlighters form a perfect splash of color to augment the mauve leather cover of your prayer journal. And every inspiring devotional thought ends with exclamation points and heart emojis.

a man writing on the notebook
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

The reality of Bible study, however, takes a lot more time and thought. Below are a few questions to help you think deeply and reflect faithfully on the meaning and implication of God’s word to everyday life.

What does this passage reveal about God’s glory?

This may be the most neglected, yet vital question we should be asking ourselves every time we read God’s word. The Bible is not primarily an instructional manual or “how to” book, but it is God’s revelation of himself, graciously given so we would know him and the majestic depths of his character and work. 2 Corinthians 3:18 reminds us that spiritual growth happens as we behold in awe the glory of the Lord revealed in the Scriptures.

Every time we open our Bibles, we should come with a prayerful eagerness to discover, ponder, and rejoice in the glory of God. As John Piper notes, “When we seek to enjoy communion with the Lord, we read the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s words and God’s deeds reveal God himself for our knowledge and our enjoyment.”

How does this passage relate to the gospel?

The gospel is the main message of the Bible. In this good news, we discover all that God has done, is doing, and will do for his people through his Son Jesus Christ. Everything in the scriptures 1) shows us our need of the gospel, 2) reveals God’s work for us in the gospel, 3) encourages us to respond to the gospel in repentance and faith, or 4) unpacks the implications of the gospel for the Christian life. We simply cannot understand the Bible if we do not read it through the lens of God’s saving work through Christ!

Jared C. Wilson states, “Everything the Bible teaches, whether theological or practical, and everywhere it teaches, whether historical or poetical or applicational or prophetic, is meant to draw us closer to Christ, seeing him with more clarity and loving him with more of our affections.” Whether we’re reading Leviticus or Luke, we should ask ourselves how the truths of the text point to our need for the person and work of Jesus Christ.

How should I respond to what I have just read?

The Bible is a book to be not only admired, but actually applied to the nitty gritty of daily life. As you read God’s word, prayerfully consider how the gospel-shaped, God-exalting truths you are discovering influence your worldview, values, priorities, activities, and responses to life’s circumstances. Think about what your life would look like today if you lived in the reality of what you’ve just read.

I have found the following categories (and corresponding questions) helpful as I consider the application of God’s word to daily living:

  • Thinking: How do the truths of this text shape the way I view God, myself, the world, and my present circumstances?
  • Feeling: How do the truths of this text inspire greater gratitude, humility, and/or joy in Christ?
  • Living: What attitudes and actions need to change because of the truths I’ve studied from this passage? Practically, what steps need to be taken to live in the light of the truths of this text?
  • Praying: How should I respond to this passage in prayer (or worship, repentance, petition, etc.)?

Conclusion

Ultimately, the purpose of reading the Bible is to deepen our relationship with the Lord. As you read the Scriptures, look for the glory of God revealed in the text. Ponder how the passage deepens your understanding and appreciation of the gospel. Carefully consider how the eternal truths you have just read transform your thoughts, actions, and attitudes today. As you do so, you will find your time spent in the Scriptures greatly enriching and rewarding!

Originally posted on Rooted Thinking on Sept. 19, 2018.

Hospitality in Ancient Cultures

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This post by Michael Kruger provides an excellent example of how cultural context ought to inform both interpretation and application. The New Testament repeatedly commands Christians to show hospitality. Unless we understand what that meant to the original readers, we will miss much of the purpose of the command today.

Harnack also highlights the extensive travel of later Christian leaders such as Justin, Hegesippus, Julius Africanus, and (especially) Origen.

Origen travelled to Sidon, Tyre, Bostra, Antioch, Casesarea, Nikomedia, Athens, Nicopolis, Rome, and number of other cities (some of which he visited more than once). Such travel was made possible because of the advancements made in the first-century Roman roads, though journeys were still slow and often dangerous.

But, Christians didn’t just travel for missionary work. They traveled for two additional reasons. First, travel was the way they spread Christian writings in the ancient world. It wasn’t just a generic message that these missionary-teachers were promulgating, but particularly Christian texts. Even in the first century, we see that early Christians had a remarkably well-organized network for distributing their writings. For instance, Paul frequently names the letter-carriers who would often have to travel great distances to deliver his epistles.

Second, and equally important, Christians traveled for the purposes of fellowship, networking, and encouraging one another. Despite the lack of modern travel conveniences, Christians traveled great distances just to be with one another. They were so highly networked, that one recent writer referred to early Christians as having a “Holy Internet.”

Check it out!

Congratulations to Winners of the Drawing!

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Many thanks, and great job to all who participated in this year’s 90-day Bible reading challenge. This year, we had 68 people complete the Bible reading challenge—the most ever. With the bonus entries granted for those who recruited others to complete the challenge, there were 84 total entries.

Michael C. won the first grand prize of a 12-month pro-level subscription to Logos Bible Software. Jennifer B. won the second grand prize of a premium book rebinding from Pro Libris Rebinding.

With 68 participants, we had six additional prize packages, offered to the following folks:

  • Elizabeth B.
  • Annette K.
  • Michael H.
  • Lou C.
  • Becca B.
  • John L.

I have emailed each of these winners to notify them of their prize. If it seems like your name might be on this list, and you haven’t seen an email from me, you may want to check your spam filter. Or email me at peter.krol@knowableword.com to double check. If I don’t hear back from you by April 8, new winners will be selected to receive the prize.

What People Thought

As usual, there were a variety of perspectives on the rapid reading experience. Some loved it:

  • Someone who completed the Bible in 67 days: “This was a great experience! It was really nice having the story of scripture fresh on my mind from start to end. I will definitely be doing this again.”
  • 30 days: “You see the major themes more clearly and you see the interconnected-ness of the Bible by being in different sections just days apart.”
  • 41 days: “This is my ninth year with this challenge. This time I was inspired by a friend to make time to read large books in one sitting. So I allocated several Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons for two to three hour reading blocks. This greatly improved my understanding of the stories of God. Something that came to light for me this year is what God says about other nations — Edom, Syria, Egypt, and so on. Through this, I saw parallels to our own culture and God’s judgment amidst salvation and redemption. Convicting and encouraging!”
  • 90 days: “It was very exciting and profitable. It was my first time reading the Bible this quickly and felt like my grasp of the Bible and individual books of the Bible grew exponentially.”

Others were not as enthusiastic, but still endured through the challenge:

  • 79 days: “It is not my favorite way to read the whole Bible. I’ve read the NT quick in another Bible challenge. I’ve not read the whole Bible this fast. I prefer to read a few chapters or a chapter at a time-in a day.”
  • 60 days: “I was not a big fan of it. Made me feel rushed and not able to digest it.”
  • 67 days: “I was not able to get everything. Most of what I have already studied jumped out in the context even more, and made me appreciate the when and where. Similarly, I have come to realize that the Bible is not just a tool to be studied, but instead something to simply enjoy. God’s word is also a story meant for our enjoyment which also gives us incredible, life saving truth as well.”

Perhaps my favorite response came from a first-timer, who completed the Bible in 81 days:

I’ve read through the Bible chronologically, but not in such a short time period. This method was superior for getting a good overview of scripture, as well as remembering related details. This was so effective, I plan on doing this again next winter… Thank you for this challenge. It was a fantastic experience and its own reward.

Thanks

Thanks for the great time in God’s word. May it set you up for a profitable time the rest of the year, as you continue delighting in the Spirit-inspired scriptures handed down to us.

Please keep the ideas coming for future Bible reading challenges!