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Reading the Bible Like Jesus

February 26, 2025 By Peter Krol

Matthew Harmon thinks we should should read the Bible the way Jesus did, since obeying him should include obeying his instruction regarding the Scriptures.

If Jesus Christ is the fullest revelation of God, it makes sense that he’d be the person we look to for guidance on how to read the Bible. Not only should we have the same view of the Bible that Jesus had, but we should read it the way he read it.

And perhaps among other things, that at least means that we should view the Bible as:

Fulfilling the Two Great Commandments
A Narrative That Points to Him

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ESV Scripture Journals 50% Off

February 25, 2025 By Peter Krol

Westminster Books has all ESV Scripture Journal sets for 50% off until March 4, 2025. These journals are terrific. If you’ve been thinking of investing in a set, now could be the time.

Disclaimer: Clicking Westminster Books links in this email will not only strengthen your spiritual life, but also will provide a small commission to this blog at no extra cost to yourself.

The Value of Historical Context from Colossians

February 19, 2025 By Peter Krol

One of the best ways to identify historical context is from the Bible itself. In this post, Kenneth Berding shows us how many historical details are simply bursting off the page in Colossians chapter 4.

Berding shares nine things that we simply would not know if Colossians 4 weren’t in the scriptures:

Colossians and Philemon were sent by Paul at the same time (4:9)
Aristarchus was a “co-prisoner” with Paul (4:10)
Barnabas had a cousin (4:10)
Paul had a co-worker named Jesus (4:11)
Colossae’s pastor was Epaphras (4:12-13)
Luke was a doctor (4:14)
Demas used to be a valued co-worker of Paul (4:14)
Paul also sent a letter to the Laodiceans (4:16)
Archippus had a ministry in the church in Colossae (4:17)

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Follow the Bible’s Larger Story

February 12, 2025 By Peter Krol

To help guide you to stronger, more delightful Bible reading, Stephen Kneale offers four guiding principles:

What does this say about Jesus?
How does this fit with/relate to other passages?
Read it knowing God ordained events as part of his story
Let the clear interpret the less clear

Kneale writes:

Though we affirm the perspicuity of scripture and the fundamental clarity of its essential message, the ever-present issue when reading the Bible is this: how do I know I am reading it rightly? It is all too easy to read ourselves into the story when it isn’t necessarily about us, miss the main point of a passage or just badly misread what is said altogether. Whilst utter interpretative perfection is unlikely to any of us, there are some helpful guiding principles that can keep us on the right track with any passage of scripture.

While these are not the only principles that could or should guide your Bible reading, they represent some good habits to develop as you go.

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Rediscovering Joy in Bible Reading

February 5, 2025 By Peter Krol

I appreciate this brief reflection by Simon van Bruchem about “Finding Joy in Bible Reading.” Among other things, he suggests:

It will help if we consider what we are doing when we read the Bible. It is not like a textbook we have to wade through in order to pass an exam. It is not something we have to do out of expectation or duty. It is something we get to do; a privilege, a blessing.

Countless people through history would have loved to have the access to God’s word that we enjoy today. We can read and we have it (most of the time) in our own language. We can afford it; we can get access for free on our phones or the internet. We have it in audio form and have so many books that help us understand it. What a blessing this is!

He discusses the fact that we love hearing from the people we love. In the pages of Scripture, we hear from the lover of our souls.

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Piper’s Advice on Commentaries

January 29, 2025 By Peter Krol

We don’t want you to become commentary junkies. And neither does John Piper. While there are certainly people out there in danger of arrogant isolation, refusing to consider the opinions of others recorded in Bible commentaries, Piper’s world is a bit different:

Now, in the world I live in — where I function at Bethlehem College and Seminary and Bethlehem Baptist Church and Desiring God — and the circles I go in, there aren’t many people who are falling off the horse on the first side, who say, “I never read commentaries. I never read books about the Bible. I just read my Bible, I pray, and that’s all I need.” I don’t know anybody like that in my sphere. That’s not the world I live in. I’m sure they exist; I just don’t have anything to do with them.

In my sphere, the error is almost always on the other side, the other direction. And therefore, I have devoted most of my life to encouraging people not to be dependent on commentaries and books about the Bible but to give assiduous attention to the biblical text directly — for themselves. When it comes to church leadership, I see more danger in becoming an inauthentic second-hander than in spending too much time assiduously thinking for yourself about what the Bible text is teaching.

My experience within my own circles has been similar to Piper’s. Which is why we want to help you learn how to study the Bible for yourself. By all means, don’t avoid commentaries altogether. The question is not whether but when.

And Piper can help you think that through further.

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The Real Reasons Most Don’t Read the Bible

January 22, 2025 By Peter Krol

This thought-provoking piece by Ava Ligh warrants considerable reflection. In addressing the question “Why don’t we read the Bible more?” Ligh suggests that the most commonly-given answer — that we don’t have time — is not the real answer. (My co-blogger Ryan would agree.)

Instead, Ligh suggests that:

The real reasons we don’t read the Bible go unexamined because we consider them unacceptable. The Bible feels boring and like a waste of time. I’ve had this confirmed by the college students to whom I minister. It’s boring for those who have grown up in Sunday School and feel they already know all the stories and key verses and that there’s nothing new to learn. It feels like a waste of time for those who find the Bible difficult to understand.

Note: that doesn’t mean the Bible is a boring book but that we are bored readers. There is a difference. (Again, I suspect Ryan would agree.)

For that reason, Ligh explains three common misunderstandings of the Bible that tend to produce bored Bible readers.

The Bible is to be applied.
The Bible is a collection of isolated teachings.
The Bible should be instantly understandable.

Ligh corrects each misunderstanding with a thoughtful and cogent alternative that ought to spur us on to greater delight in this Book of books.

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The Psalms are Worth Enjoying

January 15, 2025 By Peter Krol

The Psalms are some of the most engaging and beautiful poems in the history of literature. In his piece, “How to Enjoy the Psalms Even More,” Jacques Nel gives five suggestions to help you delight in these songs of Zion.

Savor the imagery.
Pay attention to the arrangement of the book.
Look for structure.
Contemplate parallelism.
Sing the Psalms.

These are some great idea worth considering. Check it out!

Why Mark Ends So Abruptly

January 8, 2025 By Peter Krol

Douglas Sean O’Donnell asks why Mark’s gospel ends without mention of Jesus’ resurrection. The “longer ending” of Mark appears to be a later addition, not original to Mark’s text. O’Donnell has a few theories:

It forces us to trust Jesus’ authoritative word.
It reemphasizes the importance of the cross.
It calls us to discipleship.

O’Donnell’s brief reflections are well worth your time.

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