Ryan Higginbottom | Knowable Word

Context Mattered to Jesus, part 3

February 17, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

In the third and final temptation of Jesus, the devil takes him to a high mountain. He promises Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” if Jesus will simply fall down and worship him.

On one hand, this sounds like an easy trap to avoid. Temptations don’t get much more obvious than worship the devil.

But for Jesus, this temptation is real. As the Son of God who will ascend to heaven, Jesus is destined for kingship, power, and glory. But the path is incredibly hard. It involves humiliation, suffering, betrayal, and a horrendous death.

Satan is proposing a way around the hardship, a back door to the main stage.

Resisting with Scripture

In response to the devil’s offer, Jesus counters with clear teaching from Scripture.

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” (Matthew 4:10)

This command is found in Deuteronomy 6:13. Here’s the larger context.

And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you—for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 6:10–15)

In response to his first temptation, Jesus’s use of Scripture showed that he was putting himself in the place of Israel. This raised the question, Will Jesus obey?

In the second temptation, Satan tempts Jesus to test the Lord, to call forth an unnecessary, dramatic rescue. Jesus turns this away as well, knowing that God is with him and that his delivery will come after the grave.

In this final temptation, Satan continues the pattern. He asks Jesus to claim now what he will receive later. To avoid the pain and rejection associated with his upcoming ministry, and to end up with glory, Jesus only needs to worship the tempter.

But Jesus refuses. He obeys. He will not forget the Lord, who brought his people out of the house of slavery and who will once again liberate his children. He will not go after another god, for he knows the Lord is in his midst—the Lord is with him. Jesus knows that the Lord is jealous and that his anger can be kindled to destruction.

Jesus is the Better Israel

We know what happened to Israel after Egypt. They grumbled, they didn’t obey the Lord, and they followed after other gods. Eventually, they went into exile because of their rebellion and idolatry.

Jesus stands where Israel fell. He walks the path from his baptism to his cross and he trusts the Lord with every step. In this encounter with the devil, Matthew shows Jesus’s intentions and first steps, and he invites careful attention to the Savior’s life and words.

Context Mattered to Jesus, part 2

February 3, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

After Jesus was baptized by John, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for a showdown. Because he was hungry after a 40-day fast, Satan suggested he turn stones into bread. In the previous post in this series, we looked at the way Jesus turned back this temptation by quoting from Deuteronomy 8.

Satan then took Jesus to the top of the temple in Jerusalem and proposed a free fall. The devil quoted from Psalm 91, indicating that God had promised to protect Jesus no matter what. We have already examined this misuse of Scripture in detail, so in this article we will take a close look at Jesus’s response.

The Context of Jesus’s Response

In reply to the devil’s temptation, we read this.

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4:7)

This quotation comes from Deuteronomy 6:16. The larger context is worth discussing at length. In the midst of a second giving of the law, God gave his people instructions for their new life in the promised land they would shortly enter.

You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has promised. (Deuteronomy 6:16–19)

Note that the primary example of Israel testing the Lord is at Massah. This narrative is found in Exodus 17:1–7.

God brought Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. He protected, provided for, and liberated his people in miraculous ways. But when they faced a water shortage at Rephidim, the people quarreled with Moses and grumbled against him. Moses feared he would be stoned (Ex 17:4)! Finally, God provided water from the rock at Horeb when Moses struck it with his staff.

It’s easy to see how Israel complained about God. How exactly did they test him? Moses tells us.

And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7)

One of the foundational aspects of the Exodus story is that God heard the cries of his oppressed people and vowed to free them. With numerous and precious promises, God told Israel that he remembered his covenant and would be their people (Ex 6:2–8). He traveled with them as a pillar of cloud and fire; they knew his awesome and mighty presence with them (Ex 13:21–22).

And yet, the people doubted their God. They thirsted and thought God was either absent or uncaring, both of which thoughts they had more than ample evidence to dismiss.

We’ve now dug down two layers—how exactly is this related to Jesus’s temptation?

A Fuller Meaning

One on level, Jesus’s meaning is clear. Satan wants Jesus to test God’s willingness to rescue him. Jesus refuses. The sort of rescue Satan proposes is artificial and boastful; God promises his protection for those who love him, not as a form of theater.

But the full context of Jesus’s reply gives even more weight to his meaning. Jesus will not forget his Father’s promises or his presence. He will not doubt God’s ability or willingness to provide exactly what is needed at the proper time. And, of course, he will need to trust the Lord for the greatest rescue of all time.

That rescue will not happen at his arrest, his imprisonment, his trial, or his execution. And it certainly will not happen at the devil’s prompting, as though it were a birthday party magic trick.

No, Jesus knows the Father’s love and the Father’s plan. He trusts God in his mission and his timing. And he looks forward to his dramatic, rumbling, stone-splitting rescue from the grave on Easter morning.

Jesus will have angelic aid at his great rescue, but to agree to the devil’s terms would be to trade a precious, valuable, family heirloom for a cheap, plastic, vending machine imitation.

One Final Temptation

We have one temptation remaining, and Jesus used the Bible again to refuse the devil. Please join me next time in the final article in this series.

Context Mattered to Jesus

January 20, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

The temptation of Jesus is a fascinating exchange. In this brief passage we find four explicit quotations of Scripture and deep theological themes.

In my last article I wrote about the way Satan misused Psalm 91 when he tempted Jesus to throw himself from the top of the temple (Matt 4:6). We saw that Scripture quoted out of context can be used for evil purposes.

I’m grateful to Seth S., one of our blog commenters, who suggested we look at the other side of this face off. He proposed we examine Jesus’s use of the Old Testament in his resistance of Satan in the wilderness.

This proved too much for a single post, so I will begin the task today and continue it in my next article.

Temptation to Produce Bread

Let’s set the stage. Matthew 3 ends with Jesus’s baptism, and Matthew 4 begins with his temptation.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:1–4)

Satan tries to appeal both to Jesus’s hunger and his identity. Surely the Son of God could produce food for himself when he is hungry. Why not do it right here and now?

Jesus’s reply is worth studying in depth.

The Context in Deuteronomy

In all three instances of temptation, Jesus quotes from the book of Deuteronomy to turn away the devil. In the case of Satan’s appeal to turn stones into bread, Jesus looks to Deuteronomy 8.

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Finding this verse is important, but we must also know its context.

The book of Deuteronomy is a second statement of the law to the people of Israel, given with an eye toward their upcoming entrance into the promised land. In this book, God reminds Moses what he has done for the nation of Israel, and he charges them with obedience in the future.

Jesus in the Place of Israel

There are several details in Deuteronomy 8 worth noting.

Israel is supposed to remember the way God led them for 40 years in the wilderness (Deut 8:2).
God humbled Israel in the wilderness, testing them to know what was in their heart, whether or not they would keep his commandments (Deut 8:2).
God humbled Israel and let them hunger, feeding them with manna, so that he would make them know that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from God’s mouth (Deut 8:3).
God disciplines Israel in the way that a man disciplines his son (Deut 8:5).
Israel must keep the commandments of God because God is bringing them into a good land, a land with plenty of bread (Deut 8:6–9).

This context helps us to understand Jesus’s purpose.

Jesus has been led by God the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days (Matt 4:1–2). He voluntarily went hungry for these 40 days (Matt 4:2). Jesus knows he is the Son of God, because he just heard his father say these exact words (Matt 3:17).

And, crucially, by resisting the devil’s first temptation, Jesus shows that he knows man does not live by bread alone; he does not need to learn this through the same discipline Israel faced.

Through examining the context of Matthew 4 and Deuteronomy 8, we discover some profound truths. Jesus has voluntarily put himself in the place of Israel. Furthermore, he has taken the first step in obeying God in this role by showing he depends on God—he does not need to turn stones into bread.

This sets up a crucial question both for the rest of the interaction with Satan and for the rest of the Gospel of Matthew: Will Jesus keep the commandments of the Lord? Will Jesus trust God to bring him through the wilderness and into the land of plenty, rejecting all other gods?

Conclusion

As Christians who know the rest of the Bible, we know the answers to these questions. But Matthew is framing the launch of Jesus’s mission with the themes of obedience, sonship, and substitution.

Be sure to come back to read my next article, when we continue to look at Jesus’s quotations of Scripture to deny the devil’s advances.

Quoting Scripture Contrary to Its Purpose is Devilish

January 6, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

*Temptation of Christ* (1663), Philips Augustijn Immenraet, public domain

Have you ever tried to hammer a nail with a hand saw? When was the last time you flipped a pancake with a whisk?

Using tools or utensils for unintended purposes just doesn’t work.

Context Matters

When it comes to the Bible, proper usage is even more important, because we are dealing with God’s word.

We have devoted many articles on this blog to the importance of context in the Bible. We have called attention to numerous examples of the proper use of Scripture, respecting the location of phrases and verses within paragraphs, chapters, and books.

But we can learn through both positive and negative examples. So today, we’ll look at a Bible quotation used out of context. And we won’t just look at any example, we’ll look in the Bible itself at an example of the misuse of Scripture.

The Temptation of Jesus

After Jesus is baptized, he is led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). Jesus rebuffs Satan’s three-part temptation by quoting the Bible at each turn. (This narrative is found in both Matthew 4:1–11 and Luke 4:1–13. I’ll use Matthew’s version.)

This section of Scripture is often used to illustrate the value of knowing the Bible. Memorizing God’s word is a mighty tool in resisting temptation. This is all very good.

But in one of Satan’s temptations, he quotes the Bible, and that is worth exploring.

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”(Matthew 4:5–6)

The devil cites Psalm 91:11–12 and, taken as quoted, the verses are compelling. God seems to promise protection in angelic form, without a qualification in sight. If we stick to Satan’s words, his case is persuasive.

Exploring Psalm 91

Jesus’s reply to the devil is simple, coming straight from Deuteronomy 6:16.

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4:7)

How exactly is what Satan offers a test of God?

Instead of a blanket promise of safety, Psalm 91 is about God’s protection for those who seek their shelter in him. This thread runs throughout the psalm.

It is he who “dwells in the shelter of the Most High” that will “abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).
The psalmist replies to this promise by calling God “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust” (Psalm 91:2).
The psalmist says that “Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place,” “no evil shall be allowed to befall you” (Psalm 91:9–10, emphasis mine).
God says, “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name” (Psalm 91:14).
Finally, this “holding fast” to God takes a specific form: “When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him” (Psalm 91:15).

Psalm 91 does not offer a safety net to rescue everyone from the consequences of reckless behavior. Rather, God promises his protection to those who make him their dwelling place. To those who call to him. To those who hold fast to him in love.

Consider the Text

In the title of this article, I claim that the quoting of Scripture contrary to its purpose is devilish. I mean, very simply, that this is a tactic of the devil.

Not everyone who quotes Scripture in this way is evil or is possessed by a demon. But we should be sobered as we observe this strategy. The Bible can be used as a tool to accomplish evil purposes. The words of God are not a magical incantation of righteousness.

This understanding should affect the way we listen to sermons, digest proof texts, and read theological arguments. Let’s give ourselves to a careful study of the Bible, that we might recognize and avoid this devilish error.

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Context Matters: Peace on Earth

December 9, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Perhaps you’ve heard that Jesus came to bring peace on earth, that the angels sang this very phrase when his birth was announced to the shepherds. You’ve got piles of cards (and maybe boxes of ornaments) bearing this phrase. And at this time of year, the words “peace on earth” invoke a warm, reflective mood, just right for hot cocoa and soft-focused photography.

But is this how we should read the divine birth announcement? Did Jesus really come to bring peace on earth?

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

The Immediate Context

We begin with the immediate context of the phrase in question. In Luke 2, after the angels tell the shepherds about the birth of the Savior, we read this:

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13–14)

The angels are not announcing a general, earth-blanketing peace. They announce and pray for peace “among those with whom he is pleased.” This is an important first qualification.

The Broader Context in Luke

There is certainly a need for peace at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel.

Luke deliberately calls attention to the political setting of his narrative in the first two chapters; he mentions King Herod (Luke 1:5), Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1), and the Syrian governor Quirinius (Luke 2:2). Mary praises her God who has “brought down the mighty from their thrones” (Luke 1:52). During the Roman occupation of Jewish land, these markers and desires were pointed.

Additionally, many of the characters we encounter could use a healthy dose of peace. Mary is troubled by her angelic visitor (Luke 1:29) and so is Zechariah (Luke 1:12). Zechariah remembers the enemies of the Lord’s people when he prophesies over his son (Luke 1:71, 74), and he points forward to the work of the Messiah. At the end of the prophecy, we get a partial description of the peace about which the angels will sing.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:76–79)

Later, in the midst of a long string of teaching, Luke records a striking statement from Jesus about his purposes for coming.

I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. (Luke 12:49–51)

Jesus goes on to speak primarily about divisions within a family, but it is clear that universal peace is not one of Jesus’s immediate objectives.

There is one last cry about peace in Luke, as Jesus is approaching Jerusalem for the last time.

As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:37–38)

We can now tie off this thread of peace that runs in the background of Luke. The disciples hail Jesus as the king, and Luke captures their praise as an echo of the earlier angelic song. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!

The Peace that Jesus Came to Bring

Jesus came to bring peace. But his peace is not the world’s peace. It is not for everyone, and it is not immediate.

Peace often requires confrontation, sacrifice, and suffering, and this describes much of Jesus’s time on earth. He came primarily to bring us peace with God, and that required his obedient life, his brutal death, and his resurrection.

But the thing about peace with God is that it spreads. The angels announced peace on earth among God’s people because that is a fruit that the Spirit of Christ brings. The church now is to be a glimpse of what the world will be. It happens slowly and imperfectly, two steps forward and one step back. But it happens.

Jesus came to bring peace. That peace is not for everyone, and it does not arrive in fullness now. But it is real and life-giving and earth-rocking. It is worthy of a sky full of angels.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Don’t be a Commentary Junkie

November 29, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Darren Larson (2006), Creative Commons License

Let’s be honest: a good Bible commentary is awesome. A scholar spends years studying a book of the Bible, gathering wisdom both from centuries of Christian history and from his own encounters with God in his Word. Then you get a chance to peek over his shoulder! Commentaries can be a great blessing from God.

While they can be terrific as a reference, commentaries are a poor substitute for studying the Bible yourself. I understand the temptation to rely on commentaries. The research! The analysis! The footnotes! But when we become enamored with the work of a Bible scholar, we miss out on the beauty of the Bible’s author.

The Lure of the Instant Fix

In this era of the smart phone, we’re used to getting everything quickly, from weather forecasts to bank transactions to pizza delivery. We think waiting five seconds for our email to load is an eternity. So if we feel stuck or lost when studying the Bible, we naturally want immediate aid. Study Bibles appeal to this desire by printing explanations and commentary on the same page as the Bible text. Just shift your eyes three inches for your answer.

But this need for instant gratification can short-circuit our Bible learning. You’d be troubled if your eight-year-old completed her math homework with the answer guide next to her, right? We’re not that much different from the math cheat if we camp out in a Bible commentary without poring over the Bible itself first.

Answers are not the Ultimate Goal

Part of interpreting the Bible is asking questions of the text. And, as much as the text allows, we should try to answer those questions.

But we need to be careful here. An obsession with answering interpretive questions can reveal a misplaced goal. Why are you studying the Bible? If you want to figure everything out, solve tricky theological puzzles, and generally become a Bible genius, you’re pointed in the wrong direction.

The aim of Bible study is love—love for God through his son Jesus, and love for others made in God’s image. Jesus said that all the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matt 22:35–40) If you’re not growing in love as a result of studying the Bible, you’re doing it wrong.

If you skip right to the commentary, you might acquire some temporary knowledge. But if you take a shot at the interpretation first, you are more likely to internalize the author’s main point. This will lead to deeper, Spirit-fueled application.

Five Suggestions

Used in the right way, Bible commentaries can be tremendously valuable. We’ve published two posts which caution against the misuse of commentaries and study Bibles. Let me offer five additional suggestions.

Don’t treat a commentary as an infallible expert. Bible commentaries are written by imperfect sinners like you and me. Always weigh the commentary against the Bible.
Watch out for speculation. A good number of Bible commentators seem prone to this error.
Take advantage of the strengths. Commentaries are usually helpful in developing a book overview and in answering interpretation questions. On the whole, they tend to be less helpful in the realms of observation and application. (Though there are exceptions!)
Recognize the weaknesses. Commentators often have different priorities than you. Don’t be frustrated when a commentary doesn’t address your entire list of unanswered questions.
Choose good commentaries. Though the most trustworthy recommendations come from friends, I’ve found Best Commentaries to be a helpful resource.

Keep the Whole Book in Mind

November 25, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Luke 20 begins with a confrontation.

One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” (Luke 20:1–4)

Before digging into this passage, whenever I heard this chapter I thought Jesus was simply countering a question with a question. The chief priests and scribes were trying to serve him a trap, so he volleyed back a puzzle. I didn’t see much connection.

I should have known better.

Authority and Baptism

Since John baptized Jesus, when Jesus referred to John’s baptism he was not pointing toward something abstract. For Jesus, this could not have been more personal and meaningful. Jesus’s ministry began with his baptism.

For Luke, the surrounding context of Jesus’s baptism (Luke 3:21–22) was all about authority. John spent time answering questions from tax collectors and soldiers, two groups of people in authority (Luke 3:12–14). This led to questions about whether John was the Christ, but he pointed to one who was coming who would have so much authority that he could baptize with the Holy Spirit and serve as judge (Luke 3:15–17).

John was then thrown into prison for opposing Herod’s evil ways (Luke 3:18–20). Without an eye toward the topic of authority, this might seem a strange section of the passage. But when we know the theme, we see Herod’s obvious abuse of authority.

Finally, we read of Jesus’s baptism. Luke doesn’t explicitly tell us that John baptized Jesus, but this is a reasonable deduction (see Luke 3:7 and Luke 3:21), confirmed in other Gospels.

The Baptism of God’s Son

When Jesus was praying immediately after his baptism, a special guest arrived.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21–22)

We usually read this voice as divine words of comfort and affirmation; they were this and much more. The title “son of God” was a kingly title, stretching back to the Old Testament and finding its clearest illustration in 2 Samuel 7:8–17. From that point forward, Davidic kings were “sons of God.” The one with ultimate earthly authority toward God’s people was the son of God.

Luke proceeds from the baptism of Jesus to the genealogy of Jesus. Unlike modern Christians, Luke’s first readers would not have nodded off at a list of “begats.” Especially not this list.

The genealogy begins with Jesus and ends with God, with lots of sons in between. Luke is repeating his point in case we didn’t hear it the first time: Jesus is the son of God.

The Confrontation Fizzles

The chief priests, scribes, and elders thought that Jesus’s question in Luke 20 was about John. But Jesus’s question answered theirs. Who gave Jesus the authority to do what he did?

God did. In John’s baptism of Jesus, God declared Jesus to be his son, and Luke wants us to see there is no higher authority.

Context Matters

We write a lot on this blog about how context matters. But we aren’t only concerned with the sentences and paragraphs surrounding your favorite verse.

This example from Luke 20 shows the importance of at least three different Scriptural contexts. The location of the question in Luke 20 and the baptism in Luke 3 reminds us that the immediate context matters. The reference from Luke 20 to Luke 3 reminds us to keep the whole book in mind—the context within the book matters. And the references to the phrase “son of God” remind us that the whole Bible is connected. Old Testament context informs New Testament usage.

This is not just an argument for careful Bible study and for regularly re-reading the book of the Bible you are studying. It’s also a reminder that the whole Bible matters when we interpret the whole Bible.

When You’ve Led a Bad Bible Study: Preparing

November 11, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

You’ve led a bad Bible study and tried to learn from the mistakes you’ve made. What comes next?

Well, usually there’s another study to lead! As you prepare for that meeting you have an opportunity to avoid the problems that turned your last meeting sour.

Remember the Gospel

Coming out of a recent bad experience, it’s easy to approach your next Bible study meeting with an unanchored heart. On the one hand, you might take this as an opportunity to prove yourself, to show the last meeting was an aberration. On the other hand, you might limp into the meeting, wounded and wearing failure on your sleeve.

There’s a better way. The gospel of Jesus keeps you from both extremes. When you know the love of God deep in your bones, you don’t have anything to prove. An outstanding Bible study this time around doesn’t earn you any points with God. The gospel also reminds you that Jesus came for sinners. Your mistakes are not a surprise to God; the price has already been paid. That penance you are trying to complete by wallowing in your sin is unnecessary.

Hear this loud and clear: You cannot lead well enough for God to love you any more. And you cannot lead poorly enough for God to love you any less.

You are God’s precious child, adopted and perfectly loved. This should give you confidence to face your next Bible study with hope and excitement, knowing that God is at work in you and in your friends as you read and discuss his Word.

Use What You’ve Learned

In my previous post, I suggested there might be valuable lessons to learn from that bad Bible study meeting. As you think toward your next meeting, now is the time to turn those lessons into actions.

If your bad meeting was a result of leader error, make sure you budget extra preparation time. Be sure to study the text carefully and ask God to change you through his Word. Approach your group with humility, knowing that even though you’ve studied the passage more than others, you might still have a lot to learn. Take the necessary time to write out good questions, leading your friends through the text to the main point (as you understand it).

If your last Bible study flopped because of conflict in the group, be sure to have any necessary conversations (no matter how uncomfortable) before the group meets next. As much as it depends on you, make sure the air is clear. You might also prayerfully consider where difficult questions or sharp opinions might arise during the upcoming study and develop a plan for handling touchy situations.

Pray

My first post in this series was all about prayer, so this might sound redundant. But, like Paul (Phil 3:1), I don’t mind repeating myself.

The whole process of leading a small group Bible study should be submerged in prayer from start to finish. Pray as you study the Bible on your own. Pray as you write your leader’s notes and your study questions. Pray as you drive to the meeting! Pray after the meeting ends.

No effective Bible study leader will neglect this essential part of the ministry.

Talk it Through

When my math students ask for advice about studying for exams, I tell them to talk to someone about the problems they’re completing. I think there’s something in the brain that snaps into place when we speak out loud what we had previously only been thinking.

In the same way, I’d encourage every Bible study leader to talk through the goals of their upcoming meeting with a friend. Describe the main point of the passage and how you plan to help your group make the connections. Explain the applications you’ve made personally and the reasons behind the specific application questions you’ve planned.

Learn and Improve

That Bible study you led? We don’t need to pretend it was good. But the God who brings life from death may have something important for you in it.

By praying, learning, and preparing for the next Bible study meeting, you can make the most of that experience you’d rather forget.

When You’ve Led a Bad Bible Study: Learning

October 28, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Kyle Gregory Devaras (2017), public domain

If your last Bible study meeting was a clunker, all is not lost. It happens! Take some time to pray and sort things through with God.

After you’ve prayed, you might be tempted to bury that meeting deep in the forest. But don’t get out your shovel just yet; that bad meeting might offer some lessons as you look to improve as a Bible study leader.

Diagnosing the Problem

A Bible study can turn sour for many reasons. In my experience, bad meetings fall into two main categories: leader error and group conflict.

Leader Error

When I look back at Bible studies gone wrong, I often spot my own lack of sufficient preparation.

not enough study time — Sometimes I simply haven’t spent enough time in the text of Scripture. And if I haven’t wrestled with the text myself, I shouldn’t be surprised if I struggle to help others understand.
no personal change — To prepare for a meeting, I need to apply the passage to my own head, heart, and hands. And yet leaders often skip this crucial step. This may be due to a lack of time, but it may also be due to an unwillingness to face some hard parts of life that need to change.
unhealthy expectations — God speaks through his Spirit and through his Word. And sometimes he uses other Christians (aside from me!) to explain the truth of the Bible. If I assume that my interpretation is perfect and I expect everyone to see what I have seen and agree with me immediately, I’m likely to be disappointed. I need to pray for and welcome observations and correction from others.
poor questions — For my small group leadership, the top predictor of a bad Bible study is a lack of good questions. The less I prepare, the more I talk (instead of encouraging discussion), and this often results in vague or rambling questions that drop to the floor like an anvil. Preparation needs to involve not just understanding the text but drawing a clear line from text-based observations to the main point of the passage. If I’m unwilling or unable to put the work in on this level, I shouldn’t expect a good study.

Perhaps the way to correct these mistakes is clear: leaders need to address any deficiencies in their own preparation.

Group Conflict

Sometimes the bad Bible study didn’t have as much to do with your preparation as it did with interaction among the group during the meeting. This isn’t unusual—any time sinners (which is to say, humans) gather, there’s a potential for conflict or misunderstanding. These usually show up in two ways.

the leader fumbles — A Bible study leader needs to know how to handle questions, silence, unexpected answers, and criticism. If you’ve dropped the ball on any of these matters, you’re not alone! I’d suggest seeking counsel from someone in your church who knows you and others in your group; they might be able to suggest how to prepare for these aspects of the meeting and respond with grace. And if you’ve sinned against any of your friends out of impatience, frustration, or self-protection, you should ask for their forgiveness as soon as possible.
conflict among group members — On rare occasions, a Bible study meeting might be compromised by a conflict between group members. Regardless of the cause of the flare-up, the tension caused by a vocal disagreement can spoil the night. In this situation, you’ll need to talk to the people involved and encourage them to resolve their conflict in a way that squares with the Bible.

Always Learning

The steps to learning after a bad study are familiar: identify the mistake or problem, think through its cause, address the root concern, and seek wisdom to move forward.

When we lead a bad Bible study, we can view it as a setback or an opportunity. If we take the time to learn, we may just become better leaders who help people walk more closely with God.

When You’ve Led a Bad Bible Study: Praying

October 14, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Every Bible study leader has been there. You leave the meeting, sit in your car, and think, “Wow, that was a stinker.”

Bad Bible study meetings take lots of different forms, but they’re all disappointing. And, depending on how you handle a bad meeting, this disappointment can cling to you and affect your outlook on your friends, your calling, and the church itself.

In this post and the two that follow, I will suggest some ways to move on from a bad Bible study meeting. I hope this helps you process what happened and plan for the future with faith and love.

The first step is to pray.

Why Should We Pray?

Leading a Bible study is a great ministry opportunity, so when a meeting goes sour, it is good to speak with God. After all, we seek supernatural transformation during these meetings! We depend on God to work in us and in our friends.

When we pray, we acknowledge both God’s control and our small place in the world. We need him more than we can fathom, and prayer is the best expression of our dependence on our Father.

Praying can—and should—take several forms. Below, I’ve suggested six ways to pray.

Lament

That Bible study did not go the way you wanted. It did not go the way it should have gone. Bad Bible studies won’t happen in heaven.

It’s okay to sit in the grief of this disappointment before the Lord. It’s more than okay—it’s a good thing. Most Christians need more Biblical lament in their lives. We mourn what’s wrong; we grieve what has been lost; we long for God to make things right.

Invite God to search you

Like King David (Psalm 139:23–24), invite the Lord to search you. Ask him to expose any sin and any mistakes that contributed to the bad Bible study meeting.

Be prepared to sit in silence. Invite and receive conviction from the Holy Spirit. You may find it helpful to journal as you pray.

Confess your sins

If God has convicted you of any sin, confess it to him. It may be impatience, laziness (lack of preparation), failure to love, a critical spirit, or pride. No matter what you have to confess, do so understanding the seriousness of the offense and the warm embrace of God who is eager to assure you of his forgiveness.

Not every bad Bible study meeting is the result of sin on the leader’s part. But this may be a good opportunity to humble yourself before God and repent of any sins related to your study-leading ministry.

Pray for your people

Pray for those people who come to your Bible study group, especially those who attended the bad meeting. Pray that God would protect them from error and frustration, that they would continue to seek God in his Word and grow. Ask God to keep them faithful in their personal devotions, that he would remind them of his presence with them, and that they would return to the next group meeting with enthusiasm.

Pray for each of your friends in the group by name. Pray especially for any people who you think might have contributed to the meeting not going well. Be sure not to harbor bitterness in your heart against them.

Pray for the next meeting

Pray for yourself as you prepare for the next meeting of your Bible study group—that God would give you understanding of his word and love for his people. Pray that God would gather your group together again and that your friends would participate, be honest with each other, and grow in their understanding and application of the Bible. Pray that the Holy Spirit would bless the next group meeting richly.

Give thanks

There are so many reasons to thank God; don’t let one frustrating ministry experience leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Thank him for his Word and for the chance you have to study and help others understand it. Thank God for each of the people in your Bible study group by name—not just for their participation, but for all the gifts they bring to each gathering.

Finally, don’t forget the gospel when you’re giving thanks. God’s love for you does not depend upon your performance or any “good” outcomes from your ministry. Thank God that his love for you is fixed and firm and that you can know this for sure by looking to the work of Jesus: his cross, his empty tomb, and his kingly throne.

It’s Easier Not to Pray

After a bad Bible study meeting, it’s tempting to brush it off, to think it’s no big deal, and to try to forget it as quickly as possible. That’s far easier than praying.

But if we skip this step we miss an opportunity. And we may be overlooking some of the work God is doing in us and in our group. Sometimes these bad experiences show up for just that purpose.

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