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No Good Tree Bears Bad Fruit

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oranges

Birgit (2017), public domain

Jesus was a master of metaphor and illustration. Camels fitting through the eye of a needle! A woman turning her house upside down because of a lost coin!

He also spoke of trees and fruit. If you’ve been around the church, you’ve probably heard the saying, “no good tree bears bad fruit.”

So, what does this phrase mean?

Jesus the Preacher

While we hear much from Jesus in the Gospels, we must concede that Jesus preached far more sermons than the Gospel writers recorded. He likely talked with his disciples, preached to the crowds, or taught in the synagogues most every day of his adult ministry.

“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

The phrase “no good tree bears bad fruit” shows up twice in the Gospels, in Matthew 7:18 and Luke 6:43. (The ESV translates the phrase in Matthew as “a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit.”) This is one of several similarities between Jesus’s sermons in Matthew 5:2–7:27 and Luke 6:20–49. Matthew’s account has been called the “Sermon on the Mount,” and many have assumed that Luke’s version is an excerpt from the same sermon.

But a closer look calls this assumption into question. Not all of Jesus’s sermon in Luke appears in Matthew. (The “woe” pronouncements in Luke 6:24–26 are a prime example.) Also, where the sermons overlap in content they differ in important specifics. (In Luke’s Beatitudes, Jesus blesses the “poor” and the “hungry,” while in Matthew Jesus blesses the “poor in spirit” and those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness.”)

The most straightforward conclusion is that these are different sermons. Anyone who has spent time around a preacher knows that favorite phrases and illustrations show up in different settings for different purposes.

Matthew 7

In Matthew 7, Jesus uses the tree/fruit illustration to help his disciples spot false prophets.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15–20)

Consider the larger passage. In Matt 7:13–14 Jesus speaks about the wide and narrow gates leading (respectively) to destruction and life. In Matt 7:21–23 Jesus warns that not everyone who calls him “Lord” and claims to have worked in his name will enter the kingdom of heaven. Some he will throw out as “workers of lawlessness.” Jesus is teaching about the way to life—who’s in and who’s out?

Jesus wants his disciples to identify those who do not bear good fruit, especially when they claim to follow him. And what fruit did Jesus have in mind? “Judge not” (Matt 7:1). “Take the log out of your own eye” (Matt 7:5). Ask the Father for good things (Matt 7:7–11). Treat others the same way you want them to treat you (Matt 7:12). In summary, build a solid house by hearing and obeying Jesus (Matt 7:24–27).

Luke 6

Let’s take a look at the tree/fruit illustration in Luke.

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:43–45)

The word “for” at the beginning of verse 43 points to the previous section, where Jesus commands his disciples not to be hypocrites, but to remove the log from their own eyes before taking a speck out of a brother’s eye (Luke 6:41–42). This caution flows from Jesus’s warning not to judge others (Luke 6:37–38).

Significantly, there is no mention of false prophets in this section of the sermon. Instead, Jesus speaks of fruit as the overflow of the heart.

Coming on the heels of the exhortation to “take the log out of your own eye,” the implication is clear. Jesus’s disciples must examine their own hearts. When they see bad fruit, it is the result of lingering evil in their hearts.

Context!

Back to our original question. What does the phrase “no good tree bears bad fruit” mean? I hope by now the answer is clear. It depends!

Words and phrases have little to no meaning when lifted from their context. This is true for our own words; how much more is it true of Holy Scripture!?

So, when reading Jesus’s sermons, or any part of the Bible, pay attention to the context. Observe and interpret accordingly. And as you apply the truths of the Bible, you also will bear much fruit.

This post was originally published in 2018.

Your Secret Weapon in Bible Study

By

bible pen notebook

Aaron Burden (2016), public domain

It’s still early in January, so many Christians are working hard on their Bible-related goals for 2025. Some may even be participating in our 90-day Bible reading challenge.

Some others may have recommitted to studying the Bible this year. If this describes you, you’ve come to the right place! This blog exists to help ordinary people learn how to study the Bible.

But there is a Bible study tool that many people neglect. This device is both accessible and inexpensive. It is a key ingredient in your spiritual growth. This secret weapon for studying the Bible is …

A simple pen.

The Difference Between Reading and Studying the Bible

The contrasts between reading and studying the Bible might be obvious. They typically take place at different speeds and with different levels of attention. We can summarize these distinctions as differences in engagement.

When we study the Bible, we must engage deeply with the text.

Instead of continuous reading, one verse to the next, we pause. We re-read. We live in the words of the Bible, walking among the divine sentences like massive trees in a forest. We consider their meaning, their order, their connections. We ponder the author’s main point and prayerfully consider what it means for us.

So, how does this participation happen physically? What should we do with our bodies to help our hearts and minds engage with the Bible?

The best way I know to engage with the Scriptures is through writing. Writing triggers our thinking in surprising and powerful ways. You might do this on a phone or computer, but I’ve found that using pen on paper is the most effective way to push my nose into God’s word.

There are many ways to use this secret weapon to your advantage, but here are three to get you started.

  • Take notes — Grab a Bible, a pen, and some paper. It doesn’t get any easier. Write out your observations, your questions, and your conclusions; think and process what you’re reading on the paper. (If you’re new to Bible study, take a look at some of the steps we recommend.) There’s no need to be picky or fussy—any pen or pencil with any notebook, journal, or loose paper will work. We also offer free printable worksheets if you prefer a more structured writing environment.
  • Use a markup Bible — Instead of keeping your notes separate from your Bible, make your notes in your Bible. Consider dedicating one Bible as your markup Bible, your space for thinking, underlining, highlighting, connecting, and recording your thoughts on the Biblical text.
  • Copy the text — Writing out the words of the Bible is a powerful, tangible way to meditate on the Scriptures. Grab a notebook or a blank piece of paper and slowly copy the passage you’re studying. This is a great way to start observing the text, and it can help with memorization too.

Engage With God’s Word

There’s nothing special about a pen, of course. But we grow in our relationship with God as we engage with the words of God. And using a pen—writing in any form, really—can help us immerse ourselves in the Bible.

And that is a great goal for 2025.

This post has been lightly edited since it was first published in 2018.

Big Bible Words: Righteousness

By

Silvia & Frank (2017), public domain

Righteousness is among the most important words in the Bible. It’s essential for understanding who God is, who he loves, and how we pursue and obey him.

  • “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.” (Psalm 7:11)
  • “The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.” (Psalm 146:8)
  • “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)
  • “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

A Simple Definition

We can understand righteousness by way of contrast. The Scriptures consistently use “righteous” and “wicked” as opposites.

  • “…for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psalm 1:6)
  • “Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.” (Psalm 37:16)
  • “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.” (Proverbs 3:33)
  • “The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.” (Proverbs 10:30)

The word righteousness contains the word “right,” and that’s no accident. The ideas of right-ness and justice are wrapped up in this big word.

Justice always has a standard in mind. Right—according to whom? Just—by what definition? The concept of justice immediately invokes a law.

So to be righteous is to be conformed to all the demands of the law. To have righteousness is to have right standing with respect to the law.

God is righteous because he meets his own standards. He is the chief example of fulfilling the demands of the law. And those who want to be blessed by God must also be righteous.

Righteousness From Another

The Bible often speaks of righteousness from another. A law-breaker receives righteousness from a law-keeper.

  • “And [Abram] believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)
  • “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness…” (Romans 4:3–5)
  • “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19)
  • “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith…” (Phil 3:8–9)

As we explore the meaning of righteousness, we dive to the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ! God gives the righteousness he requires. He makes many righteous. Through faith, the righteousness of Jesus is given to God’s people.

For the Kids

Because the Bible is for all of God’s people, we should be able to explain every concept to the youngest in our churches and families. How should we explain righteousness?

Since children understand obedience and disobedience from their earliest years, I take this approach. Righteousness is when someone loves and obeys perfectly.

When we read the Bible with our children and talk about righteousness, the doors are open wide to talk about sin, substitution, and salvation.

(Note: I’m aware that many books have been written trying to define “righteousness” in the Bible. Meaning always depends on context, and I’m not trying to be comprehensive. I hope this brief post can serve as a starting point.)

This was originally published in 2017.

How Much of the Bible Should I Study?

By

measurement

Arek Socha (2016), public domain

It’s a natural and practical question. When you’re studying the Bible, how much should you study at once?

On this blog we write a lot about studying the Bible. But most of these articles presume you already have a section of Scripture to study. Today we’ll talk about choosing that section of Scripture.

As you read, keep in mind this is more art than science. What you’ll find below are suggestions, not rules.

Units of Thought

Though inspired by the Holy Spirit, the biblical authors were humans. In some ways, their writing is similar to ours.

Recall your most recent email. Though your message had an overall purpose, each paragraph had its own function. So it is with the biblical texts. Authors usually have one overarching point for writing. But the author builds his case for that main point by assembling arguments and examples. At the smallest level, think about these as units of thought—an author stacks and arranges these units to form larger points, all supporting the main point of the book.

When mapping out a Bible study, this is where I begin. Study complete units of thought.

The length (number of verses) will vary across genres, and remember, there’s no right answer. Your small group might study five verses in an epistle or two chapters in a historical book. The key is to identify and respect these units of thought.

Here’s a simple example. Suppose an author’s main point rests on supporting points A and B. Perhaps A is established by a, b, and c, while B is established by d and e. Your Bible study might consist of just the text for point a (one unit of thought) or for points a, b, and c (three units of thought forming one larger unit). I’d advise against studying the texts for points a–d all at once.

Finding the Units of Thought

If an author’s units of thought are so important, how do we find out what they are? The simple answer is to read the entire book as many times as possible. This is part of what we suggest when completing a book overview.

The more you read the text, the more you’ll understand the author’s flow of thought. You’ll see the transitions and the divisions in the text will become clearer. Some of these markers are obvious—a change of location or main character, a shift in topic, a transition word. Some authors use structural cues to signal their units of thought. These were more obvious to the original audiences of the writing, but we have to work a bit harder to see them.

Here are two of the often-overlooked structural tools used in the Bible.

  • Inclusio — An inclusio occurs when an author places the same idea, word, phrase, or character both at the beginning and end of a unit of thought. What falls between these two markers should be included (inclusio!) in the same unit of thought. Without the space to explore this further, I’ll point you to this page for an explanation and an example.
  • Chiasm — In a chiasm an author presents a series of ideas and then repeats them in the opposite order. This can be used to mark off the text or to emphasize the point in the middle. The structure might look like A-B-C-B‘-A’. In this case A and A’ would share something in common, as would B and B’. This would help the reader identify the author’s focus on C. (Here’s a short reference on chiasms.)

Wisdom from Others

When you’re trying to decide how much of the Bible to study at once, don’t be afraid to ask for help! God has placed us in a body of believers across space and time, so we’re not in this by ourselves. Here are some resources to consider.

  • Book outlines in your study Bible or in other reference material can help you see a book’s structure.
  • Bible commentaries can be a great aid. Devotional or pastoral commentaries are usually more helpful than academic commentaries on this front. (Check out our recommended list of commentaries.)
  • The chapter divisions in the Bible can be helpful. They aren’t divinely inspired, but they weren’t inserted at random either.
  • Don’t ignore your church! Ask your elders, friends, and family for help in setting up your Bible study. In addition to offering you wisdom, sometimes talking through the matter with a friend can help you understand a book more clearly.

In Service of the Main Point

Deciding how much of the Bible to study might seem like a small matter, a tiny decision before you get to the “important stuff.”

But in fact, this is one of the key parts of studying the Bible! If your divisions follow the author’s flow of thought, you’ll be swimming with the current of the book, making it easier to see the main point of each passage.

And if you can understand and apply the main point of a Bible passage, genuine change in your life is next!

This was originally published in 2017.

Help Your Small Group See the Big Picture

By

Jiuguang Wang (2010), Creative Commons License

When I find myself in a new city, it takes me a while to get my bearings. I need an idea of a city’s structure before I can move around with confidence.

In Pittsburgh—the biggest city near me—everything is organized by bridges and neighborhoods. If I feel lost, I look for signs for the closest bridge, stadium, or college campus. Knowing the big picture keeps me moving.

When studying the Bible, a book overview serves this same function. Knowing the themes, structure, and main point of a book is a great help when you wade into the chapters and verses. We’ve written before about how to do a book overview in your personal Bible study; today we’ll address leading a small group through the process.

Homework is Required

A fair warning: This particular small group meeting requires homework. Your group members may balk, but without homework, a book overview discussion will become a lecture. Nobody wants that.

My small group recently started Luke, and we kicked things off with a book overview meeting. Here’s what I expected my group to do before the meeting.

  • Read the whole book. I asked them to read it at least once, and two or three times if possible. I encouraged them to jot down thoughts on the book’s structure and major themes as they read.
  • Watch two videos. We’ve written before about The Bible Project’s book overview videos. They’re excellent. Here are the two videos that were produced for Luke. (This was the easy part of the homework!)
  • Read an overview article. Either in a study Bible or an online source, I asked my group to find an article about the big purpose and themes of the book. (Here is one article I recommended for Luke. And here is another great resource on Bible book overviews.)

My group had five weeks between meetings to accomplish these tasks. Stating my expectations up front made leading the book overview meeting a snap.

The Meeting Itself

I told my group we’d discuss five simple questions at the meeting.

  1. Who wrote this book?
  2. To whom was this book written?
  3. Why did this person write this book to these people at this time?
  4. What are some key themes of the book?
  5. How is the book structured?

We hit all five questions, and because my friends had prepared, we had a lively discussion.

The goal of a book overview meeting should be to come up with a main point for the book you’re studying. Once you agree on this as a group, you can return to it to make sense of smaller passages. Even if you don’t hit on application during this meeting, you’re laying the foundation for future discussions.

Like a Compass in a Storm

The book overview won’t solve all of your Bible study problems. But it is a wonderful exercise for both personal and small group Bible study. When you know what an author is trying to do with the book as a whole, sometimes smaller sections of the book click into place.

Next time you start a new book in your small group Bible study, take a week to talk about the big picture. You won’t regret it!

Thanks to Peter for his help in preparing this article.

This was originally published in 2017.

Image source

Make Your Bible Application Stick

By

Steve Buissinne (2015), public domain

How often do Christians interact with the Bible? Forget the inspirational bookmarks and proof texts—let’s count substantial encounters.

For Christians who regularly attend church, belong to a Bible study, and maintain a personal devotional life, they consult the Bible 5–10 times each week.

Now the uncomfortable question: How many of those encounters with Scripture produce lasting change?

You don’t need an advanced degree to see that the lives of Christians—our lives—rarely carry the fragrance of Christ (2 Cor 2:15). If the Bible has as much power as it claims, why is this?

Why We Resist Change

Any significant time in the Bible should involve application.

But application is hard! Much as we don’t like to admit it, we’re fond of our sin. We have the powerful Spirit of God within us, but the flesh is formidable. The world and the devil also sling their arrows, leaving us battle-weary most days.

We’re also ignorant of our sin at times. We have serious blind spots, and we need the help God provides through Christian community.

Further, we lack imagination to change. Sometimes we’ve been walking in a deep, muddy trench for so long we can’t envision life in the nearby meadow. We can’t picture ourselves taking that risk or loving that difficult person.

Why We Must Apply the Bible

It’s tempting to study the Bible as an academic exercise. Observe the passage and interpret it carefully. Try to discern the author’s main point in writing.

But if we don’t carry on to application, we’re fools. That’s what Jesus calls us.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24–27)

And James says that we can know the truth and yet be deceived if we don’t apply it.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22–25)

We show our love for Jesus by keeping his commandments (John 14:15). And God sent the Spirit to be our Helper in this effort (John 14:16–17). We must apply the Bible.

How to Apply the Bible

We have many articles at Knowable Word on applying the Bible. Here, I’ll mention four strategies to help your application stick.

Be specific. Peter has written about this in detail, but it’s worth repeating. Vague goals and resolutions won’t take you far. If you want to produce real change, list the necessary steps and make your progress measurable.

Be realistic. Your goals should stretch you, but consider your starting place when you set them. Aiming for a four-minute mile isn’t the wisest approach, especially for the out-of-shape father with angry knees.

Enlist help. We need community to apply the Bible. Tell your friends what God is teaching you and how he is leading you to change. Ask them for counsel. Ask them to pray, and encourage them to follow up.

Remember Jesus. The biggest need you have in applying the Bible is not self-control. It isn’t discipline or accountability or time. It’s Jesus. He welcomes all who come to him, whether for the first time or the ten thousandth. Stand as a child of God on the finished work of Christ, and apply the Bible with confidence in his love for you.

Originally published in 2017

A Great Launching Question is Worth the Effort

By

SpaceX (2016), public domain

If old shampoo commercials have taught me anything, it’s that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

This advice isn’t just for job applicants. Your first moments with your Bible class or small group are critical as well.

A Great Way to Begin

Some teachers begin a class with a review. Others jump right into the passage.

But most skilled teachers use a softer opening. They create a transition period where people can settle, adjust, and get on the same page. Launching questions are great for this.

What is a Launching Question?

A launching question is asked at the beginning of a class or study. It launches the group toward your goal, gathering as many people on board as possible. (We’ve written about launching questions before, and Peter has provided some great examples.)

Much of the power of small groups (and smaller classes) lies in the interaction between the people. A good launching question encourages participation, showing that conversation is welcome, safe, and valued. The best questions are also linked to the topic or text of the meeting.

Common Mistakes with Launching Questions

I’ve seen and made lots of mistakes at the beginning of a Bible study. Most of these mistakes fall into four categories.

Too Heavy/Personal

Some questions ask for too much too soon. Someone who just sat down might not be ready to summarize Genesis or talk honestly about their sin. Asking a question that demands too much often results in silence, and nobody wants that!

In my small group we aim for honest conversations and personal applications of the Bible, but these discussions often happen toward the end of the study, not the beginning. I ask for more depth (both cognitively and emotionally) as the meeting progresses.

Disconnected

It’s easy to get people talking—sports, weather, or politics should do the trick. But if your interaction isn’t connected to the subsequent material, that launching question can seem like a waste.

Fill in the Blank

Some questions have only one answer. These are fine in an elementary school classroom, but in a small group they promote the illusion of interaction without the reality.

Try to craft a launching question which is open-ended and easy for everyone to answer. Instead of fill-in-the-blank questions, state the truth you’re fishing for and follow up with why or how.

Not Clear

The specific wording of a question is critical, and I’ve found that improvising doesn’t work. I encourage every teacher to write down their questions verbatim and in an easy-to-spot place in their notes.

Without a scripted beginning, my launching questions end up being too long, vague, or confusing. A clear, straightforward question is most important in those opening minutes.

An Example: Idolatry

Suppose you’re teaching on a passage which centers on idolatry. You plan to steer application toward personal and corporate idols in the church.

Let’s discuss some possible launching questions.

  • Can family be an idol? — This is a yes/no question, so by itself it won’t generate any conversation. Instead, start by defining an idol and then ask how a good thing like family could become an idol.
  • Is family a prominent idol for people in our church? — This puts some distance between the responder and the response, which encourages answers. But the flaw in this question is asking people to confess the sins of others. Because this could lead to gossip, I’d avoid this question.
  • What is an idol? — Depending on the maturity of your group, this could be a great place to start. To encourage multiple people to participate, follow up by asking for examples.
  • What is one of your personal idols? — This is too personal for a launching question. Build up to questions that call for revealing answers like this one.
  • What are some common idols in the modern church? — If your group is familiar with the definition of an idol, this is a great launching question. It isn’t personal, it gives people some detachment in their answers, and it encourages talk about general trends instead of specific people.

There are other ways to begin a study like this; drop your suggestions in the comments!

Worth the Effort

I write my launching question at the end of my study preparation. I need to know the end of the story before I take aim at the beginning. (It’s one of the hardest parts for me!)

Remember that every group and class is different, so what works for me might not work for you. If your small group shares a meal before your study, or if your class always follows a focused time of prayer, you can handle the beginning of your meeting differently.

A slam-dunk launching question won’t make up for poor study preparation. But a good question will pave the way toward a productive, fruitful discussion. It’s worth the effort!

This post was first published in 2017.

Jesus is More Than Our High Priest

By

Reiley Costa (2021), public domain

The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). This profound truth leads an honest reader to ponder what Jesus’ earthly existence was like.

In the incarnation of Jesus, Christians understand that God identified with his people. The details of this identification are important enough that the author of Hebrews writes about it at length.

Our Great High Priest

In Hebrews 4 and 5, the author writes about Jesus’ high priesthood. Jesus is our “great high priest who has passed through the heavens” (Heb 4:14). He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because he has been tempted in every respect as we are. Yet in all his temptations, he didn’t sin (Heb 4:15).

Because of this, we can draw near with confidence to the “throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).

The original recipients of this epistle were much more familiar with what we think of as the “Old Testament” priesthood. The author calls Jesus a great high priest and then makes it clear what he means.

High priests “chosen from among men” are “appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb 5:1). They are themselves weak, so they can “deal gently with the ignorant and wayward” (Heb 5:2). These priests must offer sacrifices for their own sins before sacrificing for the people (Heb 5:3). And no one volunteers for this—they must be called by God like Aaron (Heb 5:4).

How is Jesus like and unlike these more familiar high priests?

Jesus is a Priest-King

Like Aaron, Jesus was appointed to his position (Heb 5:5). The author quotes Psalm 2:7 regarding this appointment. However, this is not a text referring to any sort of priest! Psalm 2 is thought of as a royal coronation psalm, detailing the installation of a king. (I have written more extensively about how the title “Son of God” in Scripture is used to refer to kings.)

That kingly reference may feel surprising in the context of Hebrews. But it is confirmed in the next verse: Jesus was also appointed when God said, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:6). This quotation of Psalm 110 refers to the mysterious figure who appeared briefly in Genesis 14:18–20 as both a priest and a king. (Melchizedek knew God’s promises to Abram and blessed Abram, and Abram tithed to Melchizedek.)

If we look back a few verses, it’s clear we should have seen this coming. The author encourages his readers to draw near to Jesus’ throne of grace (Heb 4:16), which is furniture for a king, not a priest.

Jesus Identifies With Us

So Jesus is like other high priests in that he was appointed and offers sacrifice for sin. He is unlike other priests (except for Melchizedek) because he is also a king.

One beautiful part of the description of high priests in Heb 5:2 is that they can deal gently with the people because they share the same weaknesses. We know that Jesus sympathizes with our sinful weaknesses (Heb 4:15), but he does not share them. Does this make him more distant?

No. The author of Hebrews argues that Jesus identifies with us as a fellow sufferer, not as a fellow sinner. Jesus prayed with “loud cries and tears” in hope that he would be saved from death (Heb 5:7). He “learned obedience through what he suffered” (Heb 5:8).

Like all humans, Jesus had to depend on God in his suffering. He showed this radical dependence in his passionate prayers and his trust in God to deliver him from death.

The Source of Salvation to Those Who Obey

We might ask what difference it makes that Jesus is both priest and king. I suspect the readers of this letter were wondering the same thing.

It makes a massive difference!

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Heb 5:9).

As a priest, Jesus offered sacrifice for sin. The perfect sacrifice he offered was himself. But a mere priest does not make laws, command obedience, or rule—that is a king’s domain.

So, as a king, Jesus commands us to obey him in his gospel. This primarily means believing the gospel and trusting him. And the ruler of the earth then declares (as the king) that all who trust in him—having made an offering for sin (as the priest) of himself (as the sacrifice)—shall be eternally saved.

Context Matters: The Fruit of the Spirit

By

Arturrro (2016), public domain

Perhaps you’ve heard about the fruit of the Spirit. You may have learned about them or taught them at Vacation Bible School, and you might even know a catchy song that helps you remember what comes after love, joy, and peace.

Many people know that the famous fruit of the Spirit come from the book of Galatians. But we rarely connect these Christian qualities to the message of Paul’s letter. Why was this list written to these specific Christians?

Context matters. Every word in the Bible was written in a historical moment and for a purpose. When we learn to read the Bible and honor the way it was written in time, we’ll see that some of its most familiar, musical verses have more depth than we have thought.

The Immediate Context

Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)

The larger section in most Bibles is Galatians 5:16–26. Paul urges the Galatians to “walk by the Spirit” so that they “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). He describes how the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to each other. Immediately before the fruit of the Spirit, Paul lists “the works of the flesh,” which are “evident.”

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

We clearly must not take these sins lightly!

Then Galatians 5:22 contrasts these obvious works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. When the Spirit is present—when a person is “led by the Spirit” (Gal 5:18), “live[s] by the Spirit,” and “keep[s] in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25)—these fruit sprout forth in a similarly obvious way.

The Larger Context

This list of the fruit of the Spirit comes not only in a specific paragraph, but toward the end of a specific letter. How does this fit in with Paul’s train of thought?

Some of those in Galatia were deserting Christ, turning toward a different gospel (Gal 1:6). Paul insists that his gospel is from Jesus himself (Gal 1:11) and then writes about his own reception of the gospel and how he responded.

In Galatians 2:15–21, Paul writes the content of this gospel, nicely summarized in verse 16: “…a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” This faith brought with it the Holy Spirit, and since the Galatians began in faith by the Spirit, they must also continue by the Spirit (Gal 3:2-3). This is the “promised” Spirit that is received through faith (Gal 3:14).

God sent his Son “to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:5). And sons receive the “Spirit of his Son” in their hearts, inclining them to call God “Father” (Gal 4:6).

Before they knew God, the Galatians were “enslaved to those that by nature are not gods” (Gal 4:8). Paul tries to show them the foolishness of turning back “to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more” (Gal 4:9).

Christ set us free for freedom (Gal 5:1). “Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal 5:13).

By this point we have arrived at the paragraph we examined earlier. But now we can place it in context. Those who have embraced the true gospel have received the promised Spirit by faith. This Spirit leads away from slavery to the works of the flesh and toward freedom—the freedom to serve one another through love.

How do we know we are walking by the Spirit? We show the fruit of the Spirit.

The Spirit Bears Fruit

The fruit of the Spirit are not a magical collection of good behaviors or character traits. Rather, they are what the Holy Spirit brings about in those who believe the true gospel—those who have been justified by faith, those who have the Spirit of adoption as sons, those who “belong to Christ Jesus” and “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24).

Context matters.

(My co-blogger Peter wrote some similar ideas about the fruit of the Spirit more briefly back in June, but I wanted to give this section of Galatians a longer treatment.)

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

When God Seems Absent in Bible Reading

By

Christian Gafenesch (2022), public domain

In my previous post, I wrote about the way God reveals himself through the Scriptures. I claimed that he meets with us when we seek him in the Bible and that he entices us to continue seeking him.

I’m guessing some readers finished that post and muttered, “yeah, right.” For many people what I described seems like a dream, completely divorced from their difficult reality. For these Christians, Bible reading is not joyful, but difficult. It feels much less like a meeting with a loving, fatherly God than it does a dry, drowsy duty. They gain no encouragement, conviction of sin, or measure of hope when they open the Word.

In short, it feels like God is absent.

If this describes your situation, you’re in good company. Not only do I have some good news for you from the Bible, but many Christians now and throughout history feel and have felt exactly the same way you do.

Is God Actually Absent?

For Christians, God is not absent. This isn’t to deny what people feel and experience, just to state the Scriptural reality: God has promised never to leave or forsake his people (Heb 13:5).

You may feel that God is distant or absent, and that is a common feeling and experience. But when God the Holy Spirit comes in our conversion, he does not leave. This presence of God himself is a down payment or a small taste of the full divine presence we will enjoy in the new creation.

So, God may not be absent, but it sure feels like he is sometimes. We might not be able to point to a specific cause behind this effect, but we can easily find similar expressions of this feeling in the Bible.

Lamenting God’s Absence

Prayer in the Bible comes in many flavors, including prayers of lament. A lament is simply an honest cry to God about the sorrowful parts of living life in a fallen world. And these parts include feeling like God is absent.

Hear the ways the psalmists pray.

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1–2)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest. (Psalm 22:1–2)

But I, O Lord, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me? (Psalm 88:13–14)

These Biblical prayers do not fit our present condition exactly; however, they are all examples of saints who were expecting God to be present in their troubles and their experience is the opposite. (It has been helpful for me to realize that many of the psalms are psalms of lament; here is a list to consult.)

How to Handle God’s Perceived Absence in our Bible Reading

My basic advice when Bible readers don’t secure a take-home nugget every day was it’s okay and keep going. My advice in this post is basically the same, but with a few more specifics.

Pray. It is good for us to share our hearts with the God who already knows them. Use some of the language of the psalms of lament or put your frustration into your own words, but talk to God! Ask him: he has promised never to leave you, so why does it feel like he has?

Ask others to pray. As I mentioned above, this feeling is not unusual. If you take someone aside after church, you’ll almost always see a sympathetic smile in return. Enlist your Christian friends to ask God to make his presence real to you again.

Read with others. In the global west, we often individualize our relationships with God, but this doesn’t have to be! If you’re struggling to read or study the Bible on your own, perhaps a friend would be willing to read or study the Bible with you a few days each week. God may use this shared experience to meet with you more intimately.

Keep reading. The Bible is a treasure because it reveals God himself. Sometimes this treasure seems easy to access, like candy at Halloween. At other times, it seems entirely invisible. Talk with older saints and listen to their testimonies: these dry periods eventually come to an end.