Peter Krol | Knowable Word

Exodus 18: How to Be the People of God

May 5, 2017 By Peter Krol

Yahweh has tested the people whom he delivered, to see what they’re made of, and the results were pretty ugly. Yet Moses has shown them that persevering allegiance—and not impossibly perfect obedience—is what will carry the day. How will he shepherd these disobedient people toward greater allegiance?

Observation of Exodus 18

Most repeated words: Moses (20 times), people (17x), all (14), father-in-law (13), God (12), Jethro (7), out (7), said (7), Israel (6), Lord (6), delivered (5).

The narrator shows deep concern for Moses and the people. How will this man lead this nation toward the Lord God?
Deliverance is most prominent in the first half of the chapter. All five occurrences of the word sit within Ex 18:4-10.

“Jethro” shows up only in this chapter, and right before (Ex 3:1) and after the burning bush (Ex 4:18)—which makes sense, since both events take place on the mountain of God, near Jethro’s home (Ex 3:1, 18:5).

When Moses flees Egypt (Ex 2:16, 18), and when Moses departs Sinai (Num 10:29), the same man is named Reuel.
When we first hear of him (Ex 2:16), and when he suddenly re-enters the narrative (Ex 18:1), he is labeled “priest of Midian.”
- This character plays a significant role in the narrative’s organization. He shows up; then God calls Moses from Sinai to deliver the people. He shows up again; then God gives Moses the law on Sinai. His final mention comes when Moses departs Mount Sinai for good. This guy is closely associated with this mountain and with God’s glorious revelation that takes place there.

When Moses and Jethro meet up, Jethro takes the lead in the narrative. He is the subject of most of the actions.

Jethro hears, takes, comes, and sends (Ex 18:1-6).
Moses goes out to meet him, bows down, and kisses. They ask each other of their welfare and go into the tent. Moses tells (Ex 18:7-8).
Then Jethro rejoices, speaks, and brings lunch. Aaron and the elders join (Ex 18:9-12).

The rest of the chapter consists mostly of dialogue between Moses and Jethro, with Jethro’s closing speech being the longest by far (Ex 18:17-23).

The resolution: Moses does everything his father-in-law said (Ex 18:24), and his father-in-law goes back home (Ex 18:27).

This chapter has two clear sections:

Jethro reunites with Moses – Ex 18:1-12
Jethro advises Moses – Ex 18:13-27

Interpretation of Exodus 18

Some possible questions:

Why do we get so much detail just to describe the reunion between Moses and his father-in-law?
Why does this chapter focus on Jethro as the chief actor?
What is the point of Jethro’s advice?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

With Jethro’s character, the narrator invites us to pause once more and reflect on what’s taken place so far. This slow-mo montage signals the end of Act II. We reflect on Moses’ life experience through the names of his sons (Ex 18:3-4). As we meet Moses’ wife and sons again (Ex 18:5-6), we’re reminded of Moses’ personal Passover (Ex 4:24-26). As Moses recounts the Lord’s deliverance from the hand of Egypt (Ex 18:8), we relive the amazing stories and rejoice with Jethro (Ex 18:9-10) that Yahweh is greater than all gods (Ex 18:11). We, too, would love to sit together to share a meal before God (Ex 18:12). The details all drive us to remember the Lord’s deliverance and to sing unto him, for he has triumphed gloriously.
Jethro is a priest (Ex 18:1), one who bridges the gap between men and God. He does this by directing their attention to Yahweh, causing them to rejoice in Yahweh, exposing their own insufficiency, and making them hungry for Yahweh’s laws. Perhaps the narrator wishes to move us to action through the figure of Jethro.
If we focus on the need for delegation—an important point—we may actually miss the main point. Moses: “I decide…and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws” (Ex 18:16). Jethro: “You shall warn them about the statutes and the laws…Moreover, look for able men…and let them judge the people at all times” (Ex 18:20-22). In other words: “You, Moses, can teach. But you need others to decide.” (Yes, I understand this is all about delegation. But to what end?) “You are not enough for this people. You need God’s laws to be codified and written down so that others can continue the work you have begun.” The point: These people need able leaders, acquainted with God’s laws and able to apply them to everyday situations. Moses is a great leader. There must also be thousands of able leaders among the people, since they all hop right in place very quickly (Ex 18:25-26). Jethro’s advice exposes what is truly the missing ingredient: a codified body of instruction. The Law.

Train of thought:

Remember where you came from; Yahweh has delivered you.
Realize you are not enough; you need God’s words to direct your people from here.

Main point: Being God’s people means we constantly remember our deliverance and look to his instruction for our new life.

Connection to Christ: Jesus is our exodus, our deliverance (Gal 1:3-5, Luke 9:30-31, “departure”=”exodus”). Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe (Rom 10:4). Jesus is our life (Col 3:4).

My Application of Exodus 18

I have been struggling with treating the good news of Christ’s kingdom in a rote way, and this passage refreshes my joy in the Lord. I must not merely recite; I must remember and rejoice in his mighty deliverance.

And as I disciple and train others, I must resist the temptation to be the focus of their hope and trust. I will never be enough. My decisions, counsel, and insight will never be enough. They need Jesus, the Word made flesh, to guide them. They need to understand the Scriptures so they can apply its truths to their own lives and lead others.

One simple way I’d like to grow in this last point: Don’t answer questions for my advice. Instead, ask people what the Scripture says, and what they think the Lord would have them do. Then, if they still need help, I can direct them to some more passages or truths to consider.

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

Exodus 17:8-16: Whose Flag Do You Wave?

April 28, 2017 By Peter Krol

Yahweh has tested the people whom he delivered, to see what they’re made of, and the results were pretty ugly. How can they walk with this powerful Lord of glory?

Observation of Exodus 17:8-16

Most repeated words: Amalek (8 times), hand (7x), Moses (7), Joshua (4), Lord (4)

When the word “hand” is used, 6 cases refer specifically to the position of Moses’ hands (Ex 17:9, 11, 12).
The last instance states the rationale for the memorial altar (Ex 17:16). Because hands are so prominent in the episode, this concluding statement must play a significant role to help interpret the passage.

Ex 17:9 is the first mention of Joshua in the Bible. He has no introduction or explanation (as in Num 11:28 or even Ex 24:13), but the text assumes you already know who he is.

Notice the setting. We’re still at Rephidim (Ex 17:8), near the water-ejecting rock of Horeb (Ex 17:1, 6), also known as the mountain of God (Ex 3:1, 18:5). Another name for this mountain is Sinai (Ex 19:1).

Because of how close Rephidim is to Sinai/Horeb, it is likely that, while the battle rages on the plain, Moses, Aaron, and Hur have ascended a low slope of Mount Sinai itself (called simply “the hill” in Ex 17:9, 10).

God took Israel through the Red Sea so they wouldn’t see war (Ex 13:17). Yet war has now come upon them (Ex 17:8).

God could easily plague Amalek, block them with his cloud, or destroy them outright, as he did with Egypt.
Yet he expects Israel to take up arms to fight (Ex 17:9).

Famously, the fight goes well when Moses’ arms are raised. It falters when his hands fall (Ex 17:11-13). This wavering is central to the narrative’s tension and climax.

The structure is not complicated:

The fight comes to Israel – Ex 17:8.
How Israel fights and wins – Ex 17:9-13.
Why Israel must always remember this fight – Ex 17:14-16.

Interpretation of Exodus 17:8-16

Some possible questions:

Why does God require Israel to fight, instead of dealing with Amalek himself?
Why does it matter that this battle is close to Sinai, or that Moses holds his hands up from that mountain?
Why does the narrator not introduce Joshua?
Why does the battle hinge on the position of Moses’ hands? Does he have magic powers?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

Of course, the Lord’s motives in such situations mostly remain mysterious to us. However, we can conclude at least that he wanted them to experience something worth memorializing from generation to generation (Ex 17:14). Perhaps my other questions and answers will help me understand why.
Moses did all his wonders in Egypt with his staff (Ex 4:17), which acquired its connection to the signs while Moses was first on Mount Sinai/Horeb (Ex 4:2-4). Moses now brings that staff back onto the same slopes (Ex 17:9). And this staff of Moses never shows up again. (Later staff-incidents involve a different staff – Num 17:2-3, 20:8-9). In other words, Moses’ hands take the staff back to the mountain, having done the signs and having accomplished the redemption he set out to do. His hands will soon trade the staff for a new tool to carry—tablets of stone written with the finger of God (Ex 31:18). In short, with this battle so close to Sinai, we’re given further foreshadowing of the people’s need for God’s law to prosper them.
The climax clearly states that “Yahweh is my Banner” (Ex 17:15). The narrator wants us to see Moses waving the flag of Yahweh, his only God, king, and commander. While Joshua will become and important figure later, for now, he’s just an extra. He must decrease so Yahweh can increase. The people who are undeserving of a relationship with Yahweh (Ex 15:22-17:7) still have hope if their hope, their boast, their joy, their allegiance, and their banner is none but Yahweh, God of gods.
The raising of Moses’ hands pictures “A hand upon the throne of Yahweh!” (Ex 17:16). On the mountain of God, he grasps the throne of God, signifying the deepest trust and most public proclamation of Yahweh as Israel’s God. Israel does not deserve a relationship with Yahweh, yet by hoping in him and not letting go, marvelous things happen. Note: Moses has his hands raised, on the mountain of God, with the help of two men, “one on one side, and the other on the other side” (Ex 17:12). As long as those hands are raised, grasping Yahweh’s throne and picturing trust in Yahweh, the battle succeeds. I can’t help but wonder whether there is a connection to the cherubim on the mercy seat in Ex 25:19-22, “One cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end…The cherubim shall spread out their wings above…There I will meet with you.” The ark of the covenant certainly represents God’s throne (1 Sam 4:4, Ps 99:1, Is 37:16, etc.). Perhaps the cherubim are like Moses, with hands perpetually raised to demonstrate trust and mediate blessing to the people. I wouldn’t give my life for that connection, but the verbal similarities are enough to warrant consideration.

Thompson Rivers University (2011), Creative Commons

Train of thought:

God’s redeemed people can’t avoid hard times.
They will succeed only when they trust Yahweh as the only God.
Remember to wave Yahweh’s flag forever.

Main point: Your highest and most public loyalty must be to Yahweh your God.

Connection to Christ: Jesus proclaimed the Father as his only God when he faced his most severe trials (Matt 26:39, 27:46). Those who proclaim public loyalty to Christ will never regret it (Matt 10:32-33).

My Application of Exodus 17:8-16

Whose flag do I wave? Where do I find my basic identity, and where do I pledge my highest allegiance? My job? My ethnicity? My marital status? My children? My accomplishments? My ministry? My writing?

This is not a one-time decision, but something I must consider many times every day. Am I willing to publicly fly the flag of Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, King of kings and Lord of lords?

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

We Need More Bible in Youth Ministry

April 26, 2017 By Peter Krol

Seventeen-year-old Katherine Forster has some important words for the youth ministries in our churches: We need more Bible. Teenagers themselves see the need for better grounding, greater challenge, and more biblical instruction. Forster gives 4 reasons, from the teen perspective:

We desperately need the truth.
We need to see these truths for ourselves.
We need to be challenged.
We need the fellowship in God’s word.

Do you believe teenagers can learn to handle God’s word? Is there any other way we can equip them to face life’s challenges?

If you’re not sure how to start teaching your youth group to study the Bible, I’ve heard from many youth pastors who have found my book a helpful place to begin. Please consider Ms. Forster’s gracious appeal.

Check it out!

Exodus 15:22-17:7: What are You Made Of?

April 21, 2017 By Peter Krol

This week I return to my study of Exodus. Yahweh has demolished the house of slavery by training Moses as a qualified mediator, and by leading his people into a frightful deliverance. We now enter Act II of Exodus, where God prepares to rebuild by first inspecting what he’s got to work with.

Observation of Exodus 15:22-17:7

Most repeated words: Lord (33 times), Moses (25x), people (23), say/said (23), Israel (16), day (14), gather (11), grumble (10), morning (10), out (10), there (10), water (10), when (10).

By far, names make up the most repeated words. This passage gets more personal and intimate as God and Israel work on their new relationship.
The tenfold repetition of “grumble” seems rather ominous.

The length of each episode strikes me:

Bitter water sweetened – 6 verses
Manna and quail – 36 verses
Water from rock – 7 verses

These 3 episodes are all about God’s provision for the people, but the unbalanced length of the central section leads me to think that one warrants more attention.

I see a significant progression through the episodes, marked by contrast:

First, Yahweh tests the people to see if they will listen to him (Ex 15:25-26).
Second, Yahweh tests the people to see if they will obey him (Ex 16:4).
Third, the people test Yahweh to see if he is truly among them or not (Ex 17:2, 7).

Another contrast shows a similar regression:

First, the people grumble, wondering what they can drink (Ex 15:24).
Second, the people grumble about their hunger, wishing they had died in Egypt, and they accuse Moses of trying to kill them (Ex 16:2-3).
Third, the people quarrel, demanding water to drink (Ex 17:2) and accuse Moses of trying to kill them and their children and livestock (Ex 17:3). Then they try to kill Moses (Ex 17:4).

One more thing really strikes me. In Ex 3:15, God told Moses, “I am Yahweh your God.” He promised the same to the Israelites in Ex 6:7. But other than that, we’ve had many repetitions of the shortened phrase “I am Yahweh” (Ex 6:2, 6:6, 6:8, 6:29, 7:5, etc. – 11 times). Now, after their frightening deliverance, he is no long simply “Yahweh” but “Yahweh your God” (Ex 15:26, 16:12), even “Yahweh your healer” (Ex 15:26). The relationship is now in place.

Xander Matthew (2014), Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 15:22-17:7

Some possible questions:

Why does the testing progress in this way?
Why is the second section so much longer than the first and third sections?
Why would these people try to kill Moses? How can they possibly think Moses (or Yahweh) would bring them out here just to kill them in the desert?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

Two things are clear: 1) Yahweh tests his people to see what they are made of, and 2) they don’t do so well on the test. First, Yahweh tests to see if they will trust him; if so, he promises never to treat them the way he treated the Egyptians (Ex 15:25-26). The following two scenes clearly show they don’t trust Yahweh. Second, Yahweh tests them to see if they will obey his law (Ex 16:4). Of course, he hasn’t given his law yet! All he gives them is a basic set of instructions for gathering manna (Ex 16:16). At first, they obey (Ex 16:17-18). But it goes downhill after that (Ex 16:19-20, 23-29). Third, the people take matters in their own hands by turning things around to test Yahweh (Ex 17:7). Why this progression? To paint a picture of a community that fails to trust and obey God. To show the downward spiral and ugly consequences of refusing to trust and obey. To show how life-giving God’s law could be for them.
The second section gets into the details of God’s provision (both bread and quail from heaven). It outlines the downward progression of disobedience (obedience to first instruction—Ex 16:17-18, failure to listen to second—Ex 16:20, flat refusal and God’s displeasure with the third—Ex 16:28-29). In addition, this episode with the manna leads us to anticipate the giving of the law (Ex 16:4) and to see what’s really at stake: the identity and glory of Yahweh their God (Ex 16:6-7, 10).
If they trust Yahweh, he will not treat them like Egyptians (Ex 15:26). But in seeking to murder Moses, they are still acting like Egyptians (Ex 17:4, 2:15). These episodes of lack and provision show us that, while the people have come out of Egypt, Egypt has not yet come out of the people.

Train of thought:

Will they trust Yahweh?
No. Nor will they obey his law.
How can Yahweh be their God when they are still Egyptian (worldly, acting like pagans) through and through?

Main point: Yahweh must give his law to expose how completely distrustful, disobedient—and thereby undeserving—his people are of his fatherly care.

Connection to Christ: In no way did Jesus lower God’s standards (Matt 5;17-20, 48; 6:1, etc.). Grace doesn’t oppose law but elevates it, because only those who have been crushed by a standard of perfection will turn from themselves to trust and obey the savior of the world. And since the law has no power to save (Gal 2:16), Christ broke its curse for our sake (Gal 3:13-14), by being struck with the rod of fury and spewing the water of life for the world (1 Cor 10:4).

My Application of Exodus 15:22-17:7

I love hearing and meditating on God as my provider and healer. But when he fails to heal or provide on my time-table, I must remember his fatherly love and discipline (Prov 3:11-12). He tests us to expose what’s going on in our hearts; his righteous law is the greatest test. I must not resent his good law or his impossible standards. Instead, I can cling more closely to Christ, my righteousness.

As I shepherd others, I need never apologize for God’s law, especially it produces an ugly mess in someone’s life. And though the pain of life provides a good opportunity to empathize and show care, it also provides an opportunity to help people see what’s going on in their hearts. That’s okay, and it makes Christ shine all the more brightly.

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

Translating God’s Name

April 19, 2017 By Peter Krol

To build your confidence in your English Bibles, we don’t often get into issues of translation from the Hebrew and Greek scriptures. But Jesse Johnson wrote a recent article at the Cripplegate about why English Bibles should translate God’s personal name as Yahweh instead of the typical “the LORD.” Johnson walks through each argument presented in the prefaces to most English translations about why they keep the superstitious Jewish tradition of not using the name God revealed to us. And then he gives his own reasons why the personal name, and not the title, should be used.

My favorite part is when he answers the objection—often considered the trump card—that we don’t actually know how YHWH would have been pronounced, since its vocalization has been long lost.

This misses the point. We don’t know with “certainty” how any of the Hebrew words were pronounced. I’m not even sure Yahweh spoke Hebrew to Adam in the garden anyway. How did Adam pronounce Eve? Is it the same way Americans do it? We can’t even agree on how to pronounce Isaiah, much less Yahweh. But the solution is not to render Isaiah as “ISH,” and it is certainly not to replace Isaiah with “The PROPHET.”

One commenter on the post asks why Johnson is okay with “Jesus” over the original “Yeshua.” Johnson replies:

At least “Jesus” is a name, not a title. Imagine replacing every use of Jesus with “The SAVIOR.” Wouldn’t that undercut his personhood? I think so.
And, btw, your point about Yeshua — Jesus is exactly the argument that should be made for Yahweh. Nobody says Jesus was pronounced that way, yet we don’t blink about using it. But then we change a name that is thousands of years older than that? Ba humbug.

Johnson’s arguments explain why I repeatedly refer to God as Yahweh in my Exodus series, and why I will continue to do so when I read the Old Testament out loud.

Check it out!

The Resurrection of Jesus According to John

April 14, 2017 By Peter Krol

Phong Nguyen (2014), Creative Commons

Why did Jesus rise from the dead? Each Gospel author answers this question differently. In this post, I’ll unpack John’s account. I’ll start wide before zooming in on the passage.

The Book

John leaves no doubt about why he wrote his Gospel:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

John’s Gospel records numerous signs and their explanations. Many more signs could have been included, but John chose to report those that best fit his intentions: to show Jesus to be the Messiah (Hebrew for “Christ”), the Son of God, and to help people believe in Jesus and have life.

The Resurrection, Before Chapter 20

John narrates nine signs performed by Jesus that show his identity as the Messiah, the Son of God. He also recounts extended conversations surrounding the nine signs, where people consider whether they can trust what the sign means about Jesus’ identity. For a complete list of the nine signs and verse references to their role as “signs,” see my post on the feeding of the 5,000 according to John.

The point I’d like to make here is that the resurrection of Jesus is one of the most important signs in the book. John telegraphs it early, and he gives it much fanfare. Unfortunately, when commentators discuss the signs in John’s gospel, many don’t think to include his death or resurrection. Many speak only of the “seven” signs in John’s Gospel. For example, see Wikipedia and Bible.org.

But consider the following about the resurrection:

1. One of the first things John tells us about Jesus is that “in him was life” (John 1:4). And a quick look at a concordance shows that Jesus, as portrayed by John, cares deeply about life (John 3:15, 16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:21, etc.—47 times); he is not a bringer of death (John 3:16-17, 12:47, etc.).

2. Right after performing his first sign, Jesus reboots the temple system. Let’s not separate those two events in chapter 2! His rampage through the temple courts is nothing short of turning ceremonial water into the wine of the kingdom. The sign of John 2:1-12 (changing water to wine) pictures the fundamental truth of John 2:13-25 (the new covenant has come in Christ, replacing the temple system). And the Jews ask Jesus to justify his behavior with a “sign” (John 2:18). What sign does he give?

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” …But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:19-22)

In other words, Jesus’ resurrection would be the sign, or proof, that he was the one to usher in the new covenant, the best wine, the glory of God.

3. Jesus proclaims the purpose of his resurrection again in chapter 10:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. (John 10:17-18)

According to the logic of verse 17, Jesus’ voluntary death and authoritative resurrection are the reasons why the Father loves him. Take careful note: Jesus was not willing to die and rise because he knew his Father loved him. No, the Father loved him because Jesus was willing to die and rise. This mission was the Father’s charge. Jesus’ willingness to obey that charge secured the Father’s love and his unique place as God’s Son. (Of course, there was a fundamental love between Father and Son from eternity past—see John 17:26. But there is an even fuller love, a completed love, a requited love that takes place when the Son obeys his Father’s will by dying and rising again.)

Putting these three reflections together, we see that Jesus’ resurrection shows Jesus as:

The source of all life.
The Messiah of the new covenant.
The beloved Son of God.

In short, Jesus’ resurrection climactically bundles up everything John wants us to know about Jesus (John 20:31). We see this before we even get to the narrative of the resurrection’s discovery.

The Resurrection, In Chapter 20

The main character in John 20:1-18 is a woman named Mary Magdalene, who shows up in the Gospels only to support Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:2) and to witness his death and resurrection. She comes to the tomb while it’s still dark (John 20:1), sees that the stone was taken away, and runs to tell Peter and the beloved disciple (John 20:2). Having returned to the tomb with the disciples, she waits there, weeping, after they leave (John 20:11), sees two angels at either side of the sepulchral bench (John 20:12), converses with the angels and with Jesus (John 20:13-17), and returns to the disciples to announce what she saw and what he said (John 20:18).

Mary pictures for us the response of faith John desires for all his readers:

Though she begins in the dark (John 20:1), she eventually sees the light (John 20:18).
She must tell others what she has seen and heard (John 20:2, 18).
She doggedly seeks her Lord (John 20:2, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17).
She finds her Teacher (John 20:16).
In finding the Son of God (“ascending to my Father”), she can proclaim good news to many sons of God (“and your Father”), making Jesus the firstborn among many brethren (“to my God and your God”)—John 20:17.
Like the disciples in the upper room (John 13:36-37, 14:5, 16:17-18), she fears Jesus’ being taken away (John 20:2, 13, 15) but must content herself with his imminent departure (John 20:17).

Mary is neither perfectly cheery nor spiritually sentimental. But she trusts her Lord. She asks, seeks, knocks—and she receives the kingdom. Would that we could all declare with confidence, “I have seen the Lord!” and announce the things he’s said to us.

Time will fail me before I could ever delve the depths of these 18 glorious verses. I could write about Peter’s preeminence in entering the holy place, as a first step to his restoration. I could write about Mary’s entrance into the new Holy of Holies, with mirrored angels overlooking the seat of atonement. I could write about the new man in the new garden, naming his woman and ushering in a new creation.

The Main Point

But I’ll have to settle for the main idea, which is no less wonderful than the colorful easter eggs set throughout this text. Through narrating Jesus’ resurrection, John wants you to know that Jesus truly is the Son of God, the Messiah who makes all things new, the source and essence of life. You can trust him with your life.

How to Analyze a Psalm

April 12, 2017 By Peter Krol

On the Ligonier blog, W. Robert Godfrey does an outstanding job analyzing Psalm 69. He shows how to break the psalm into sections, outline the structure, follow the train of thought, and draw practical implications. Along the way, he addresses the New Testament’s use of the psalm, Jesus’ experience of the psalm on the cross, and the question of whether Christians should pray down curses on their enemies.

I highly recommend this clear and careful example of how to read a psalm. Check it out!

The Resurrection of Jesus According to Mark

April 7, 2017 By Peter Krol

Milana (2013), Creative Commons

Why did Jesus rise from the dead? Each Gospel author answers this question differently. We’ve already looked at Matthew and Luke. Today we turn to Mark.

Mark’s Big Idea

As I’ve written before, Mark’s Gospel is the simplest and most concise account of Jesus’ life. But this simple narrative poses a challenge to interpreters by rarely coming out and stating its points explicitly. Mark is the Gospel of showing, not telling. The Jesus portrayed by Mark wants us to investigate his remarkable deeds and pursue our own process of discovery.

And the result leads in one direction. At key points, Mark shows his cards. His book describes “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). From that first verse, Mark’s presentation of Jesus’ identity has two parts. After the book’s first half, Peter nails the first bit: “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29). After the book’s second half, a Roman centurion can’t deny the second bit: “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). Together, these pieces drive to a singular conclusion: Jesus is the appointed King of heaven and earth. He is the Christ, the Messiah, the one anointed to take up God’s cause on earth. And he is God’s Son, the one in close fellowship with the Father, appointed to represent God’s interests in the well-being of his people.

Both titles, Messiah and Son of God, have to do with the kingship of Israel, mediating God’s blessing to all nations. “I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill…You are my Son…Now therefore, O kings, be wise…Serve the LORD with fear…Kiss the Son” (Psalm 2:1-12).

So Mark wants us to see Jesus as God’s reigning king. But how does the resurrection narrative advance this idea?

Anointing the Anointed One

In Mark alone, of all four Gospels, are we told that the women took spices to the tomb that morning “to anoint him” (Mark 16:1). In Matthew 28:1, they go to see the tomb. In Luke 24:1, they take spices, but we’re never told what they intended to do with said spices. In John 20:1, they merely come early and see that the stone was taken away. And though the women want to anoint Jesus, he had already been anointed, by his own account, by the woman who blew 300 denarii worth of ointment on his kingly pate (Mark 14:8).

When did they go to the tomb? Not just “while it was dark” (John 20:1), nor “toward dawn” (Matt 28:1, Luke 24:1), but “when the sun had risen” (Mark 16:2). This temporal setting signifies another day, an arrival, a new age.

On the way, they don’t contemplate how to roll the stone away, but who will roll it away. They need a patriarch like Jacob (Gen 29:2-3, 10), a judge like Samson (Judg 16:3), an emperor like Darius (Dan 6:17-19). They need someone with either strength, authority, or—preferably—both, because this stone is “very large” (Mark 16:4).

They enter the tomb only to find a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe. The right side, hmm? Isn’t that where the Lord’s ruler sits (Psalm 110:1)? Where Jesus himself will ascend to take his post (Mark 16:19)? Now this young man is not the King; he merely tells them of the king who is not here. Note that Mark’s sepulchral messenger is not an “angel” but a “young man” robed in white. Jesus’ resurrection, according to Mark, is not so much about heaven coming down to earth (à la Matthew) as it is about humanity being glorified and lifted up to God. Mark’s portrayal of Jesus is certainly divine, but with a clear focus on being a human king, glorified to God’s right hand.

Remember, the Greek word Christ = the Hebrew word Messiah = the English phrase Anointed One. Or more colloquially, the Chosen One. The king of the ages. The ruler of all nations. Jesus Christ = King Jesus.

Seeing and Serving Your King

“All hail King Jesus! All hail Emmanuel!”

“Hail Jesus, you’re my king.”

“Rejoice! The Lord is King!”

We celebrate Jesus’ kingship in our songs, as we ought to do. But have you ever actually entered the presence of royalty? Have you spoken with the Queen of England? Have you shaken the President’s hand? Have you visited the Principal’s office?

Such experiences expose our insecurities and raise fundamental questions about our worthiness. No wonder these women were alarmed (Mark 16:6)—though they need not be (Mark 16:7)—trembling, astonished, and seized with fear (Mark 16:8). If you can’t relate, you may need to revisit your understanding of Jesus’ kingship. When the true king is elevated on high to God’s right hand, everything changes. You can’t hide. You can’t mind your own business and be left alone. You can’t settle for the applause of men.

What’s the Main Point?

In recounting Jesus’ resurrection, Mark wants to communicate that the King has come, but he is not here; so everything must change. Seek him. Look for him. Tell others about him. Tremble. But…don’t be alarmed. All is just as he told you.

Excursus: The Difference Between Matthew and Mark

In Ryan’s excellent post on Matthew’s account of the resurrection, he offered the following main point: The risen Jesus is the gracious king of the Jews, the Messiah. How is my analysis of Mark any different? Or is it the same?

I propose the following. Though both Matthew and Mark focus on Jesus’ role as King, ushering in the promised Kingdom, they still present Jesus differently:

In Matthew, Jesus is primarily God, who has come to dwell with us (Matt 1:23). In Mark, Jesus is primarily human, though elevated to his rightful place at God’s right hand (Mark 16:19). Both perspectives are crucial to understanding the person of Jesus Christ.
In Matthew, Jesus’ kingship focuses on his authority to determine who is in the kingdom and who is outside of it. In Mark, Jesus’ kingship focuses on his authority to rule the world benevolently. Both perspectives are crucial to understanding the kingly office of Jesus Christ.

Reflections on Rapid Bible Reading

April 5, 2017 By Peter Krol

I love challenging people to read the Bible like they’d read any other book. And when folks have been trained their whole Christian lives to read just a few verses at a time, such rapid reading can be thrilling. Here’s what some of you have said about your Bible reading in the last few months:

I was pleasantly surprised to find how much more enjoyable I found reading larger chunks of Scripture as opposed to the choppiness of reading smaller sections. It was also nice not to get bogged down in the typical sections but to sprint through them as part of their larger story.

Though I have been a believer for years, I have never successfully finished a cover to cover reading plan. I learned in this challenge that a short term goal is easier for me to attain. I found that consuming large portions of Scripture increased my understanding and led to wonderful discussions with my husband. This Bible reading challenge was life changing.

Previous to this I struggled with actually wanting to read the Bible, since to me it was kind of boring in places. When I heard about your challenge, I was originally just doing it for the prize. However reading through the Bible in such a short period of time was very enjoyable for me. Never staying in the same book for more than a couple days kept me interested through the whole Bible.

I felt spiritually so much more alive diving into Scripture evert single day for three months, and getting a broad overview of Scripture. I would not trade this time in God’s word, as He really used it to strengthen my faith and give me a fuller picture of who He is.

I have read through the Bible using a one-year plan many times, but reading it in 90 days was life-changing. God knew I needed this challenge, as He has used this concentrated time His Word to humble me and increase my awe of Him. Glory to God!

When you read 16 chapters in a row (many times whole books all at once) you can truly grasp and remember the context of the situation a whole lot more.

After spending weeks in the prophets with their largely unheeded calls to repentance, getting to Matthew was like a breath of fresh air! This helped me appreciate various parts of scripture for explaining different things clearer and more vividly.

I had been very far from God for the past several years and hadn’t read the Bible in a while, and now that I have repented and am following Jesus again, I thought it would be good to read the whole thing through. 30 days wasn’t really that hard for me because I read really fast. What was hard for me was not stopping to analyze everything or ask a million questions. As I read I kept a list of my overall impression of what each book revealed about God’s heart and character. Overall it was an amazing experience and I’m super glad I did it.

It was difficult at times, yet it was such a blessing to develop the discipline of consistently reading long portions of the word. I developed a feel for the flow of the Bible.

I have to say that it was a life changing experience. I never considered such a thing as helpful. I had read the Bible many times in the past, but never in such big portions and never in such a short time. It amazed me the impact and insight this practice had on my life. The discipline was invaluable. This practice of reading through the Bible will be part of my daily life from now on.

I feel more like I have “the whole bible” in my mind now than I ever have before. It was also great to get to see all the interconnections, like for example I read Joel and the first chapters of acts on the same day. It has made me think that I want to get the benefits of breadth even while doing deep study.

Reading the Bible at this pace was so much fun. I hadn’t read the Bible in chunks like this since freshman year in college, when I wasn’t a Christian, but figured I should read the whole Scriptures to get a better idea what it was all about. Returning to this approach after 5 years of following Christ was thus pretty neat. Like the first time, I was struck by the unity of the Scriptures from front to back. Jesus Christ truly is the same yesterday, today and forever.

I’ve always loved reading any book like this, and the Bible is unique in the diversity and unity within it. Getting lost in history, or a running argument between Job and his friends, or multiple Psalms all has value it’s hard to get in the morning bursts of drilling into a particular passage. And meditating on the trajectory of God’s work in history is really cool. This is going to be an annual tradition for sure, external incentives or not.

This has actually inspired me to try to read whole books of the Bible in as close to one sitting as possible.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that reading the whole Bible in exactly 90 days or less is not for everyone:

Reading the NT is not so bad, but reading the OT tends to hit a wall somewhere around Psalms/Proverbs/prophets, where there’s less of a narrative to follow.

I do believe that listening to the Bible on a regular basis will be doable, I just can’t stand sit and read through it quickly.

Honestly, it bothered me to read through/listen to the Bible so quickly. I am the type of person that likes to focus on one book for an extended period, about a month for Ephesians, for example.

I started with Genesis, and thoroughly enjoyed the process. But next I went for Job, and really struggled to not let my mind wander. I thought that listening to Matthew next would be ‘easier’. But I still struggled to pay proper attention. So I decided to stop last week, as there didn’t seem much point doing it just to say that I’ve done it. I was listening while walking, so the distractions should have been limited. But I was doing so at the end of a working day. So perhaps I was too tired.

But despite the fact that not everyone was in a position to complete the reading, I’m encouraged by how many came to see the value of reading larger portions of Scripture. Whether it’s a 90-day full read-through of the Bible, or simply an occasional one-sitting read-through of a single book, may the Lord help us to encourage others to read the Bible like a masterpiece of literature. May the Lord use this process to deepen our understanding of him, as we receive his revelation, in context, with deeper understanding and greater benefit for the world.

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