Knowable Word

Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

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Rediscovering Joy in Bible Reading

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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.

Check it out!

Piper’s Advice on Commentaries

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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

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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.

  1. The Bible is to be applied.
  2. The Bible is a collection of isolated teachings.
  3. 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.

Check it out!

The Psalms are Worth Enjoying

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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.

  1. Savor the imagery.
  2. Pay attention to the arrangement of the book.
  3. Look for structure.
  4. Contemplate parallelism.
  5. Sing the Psalms.

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

Why Mark Ends So Abruptly

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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:

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

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

Check it out!

Top 10 Posts on Leading Others in Bible Study

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The entire reason for this blog’s existence is to help ordinary people learn to study the Bible. That requires helping you learn to lead others in robust Bible study. Sometimes we give tools and tips for leading small groups. At other times we talk about parenting children or preparing for a discussion group. All along the way, we encourage you to try these things at home and keep practicing.

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

Continuing in the spirit of the top 10 lists presented over the last few weeks, here are 2024’s top 10 most-viewed posts in the “Leading” or “Children” categories. If you browse the full lists, you’ll see that we’ve currently got 135 installments. So if you have time to read only 10 of them, you may want to consider these 10.

  1. How to Train a Bible Study Apprentice
  2. You Can Read the Bible to Your Kids
  3. Asking Good Small Group Questions: An Example
  4. How to Discuss the Sermon in Your Small Group
  5. Sample Bible Study Leader’s Notes
  6. Big Bible Words: Redeemer
  7. Summer Bible Camp Teaching Plan in Proverbs
  8. Teach Bible Study to a 2-Year-Old
  9. How to Tell if Someone Knows God
  10. 3 Questions I Ask During Every Bible Study

Top 10 Posts of 2024

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San Churchill (2007), Creative Commons

It’s hip and cool for bloggers to post their top 10 posts of the year. And we want to be hip and cool. Our hearts tell us to do it, and the Bible says to “walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes” (Eccl 11:9). So here goes.

Last week, we gave you the top 10 posts from those published in 2024. Now, we list the top 10 posts from the full KW archive. If lots of other people are reading these posts, you probably should be, too.

10. Did Jesus’ Ministry Last 3 Years?

This 2019 post was #6 on this list last year. In this post, Peter considers the information from the gospels to reconsider the tradition that Jesus’ ministry lasted 3 years. Quite a few commenters are concerned that anything other than a 3-year ministry throws off their calculations from Gabriel’s message in Daniel 9. However, we’re not swayed by views that require certain assumptions about an end-times sequence of events in order to work.

9. My Favorite Way to Read the New Testament

This 2015 post makes its debut on the annual top 10 list this year. The “way” discussed in this post is not about finding time in your schedule, or deciding on a version of the Bible. The “way” is a reading plan, subdividing the New Testament into four tracks modeled after the four gospels. Read Matthew along with the Jewish epistles (James and Hebrews). Read Mark along with Peter’s epistles (since Peter was Mark’s chief source). Read Luke and Acts along with Paul’s epistles (since Luke was a companion of Paul’s). And read John along with John’s epistles and Revelation. This reading plan highlights what is distinct about each gospel, demonstrating the fulness of the kingdom Jesus brought to earth.

8. 3 Questions I Ask During Every Bible Study

Ryan asks these 3 questions during every Bible study. Do you? Would you like to? Maybe 2025 is your year to start a Bible study. Then you can ask these 3 questions, too. Lots of people are asking them, or at least discovering the value of asking them. That’s why this was our most-viewed post of the year, from those published this year. And only 7 posts in the entire archive outperformed it; no small feat, as Ryan wrote it only in August. (The second most-viewed piece published in 2024 was 18th most-viewed overall.)

7. Details of the OIA Method

This post serves as a table of contents to Peter’s series on how to study the Bible. It pretty much explains why this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of pageviews, even though it hasn’t shown up on this list since 2020.

6. What Should We Make of the Massive Repetition of Tabernacle Details in Exodus?

This 2018 post also makes its debut on the top 10 list due to a surge in views this year. In 2018, it was the third most-viewed post written that year, but has since faded into mild obscurity…until now. Sometimes people fear studying or teaching through the book of Exodus because they fear they won’t know what to do with all the tabernacle details. And then what do you do when nearly every detail is repeated? What a marvelous opportunity to strengthen our observation skills!

5. Summary of the OIA Method

Just as the title says, this post summarizes the OIA method we aim to teach. It’s basically the reason this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of page views. This is up from #7 last year.

4. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT

This post was #10 for the last few years. Though it comes from a series that analyzes not only books but also chapters and verses, this list of most-quoted books always seems to be one of the most popular.

3. 11 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament

This post was #9 for the last few years. It comes from the same six-part series—mentioned in the previous entry—analyzing every NT citation of an OT text. It’s interesting that, in that series about the NT quoting the OT, the most popular post is about the OT books that never get a direct quotation.

2. Context Matters: You Have Heard That it was Said…But I Say to You

This 2018 post was #9 on this list in 2020, but rose to #3 in 2021 and remained in that position until hitting #2 this year. This post examines the series of contrasts in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to determine, from the context, what Jesus was arguing against. Hint: It wasn’t the Old Testament Law.

1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

The popularity of this 2015 post (republished in 2021) continues to surprise us. We really cannot explain why it has been so popular, but if you haven’t read it, you must really be missing out! Elihu is that mysterious fourth friend in the book of Job. If you even knew he existed, chances are you’ve skipped his speeches entirely. This post is Peter’s attempt to explain Elihu’s role in the drama of the play of Job. This post was #3 in 2017, but since then has alternated between the #1 and #2 slots.

Previous years’ lists: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013

Top 10 Posts of 2024—Published in 2024

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Many bloggers take advantage of this time of the year to reflect on their most popular posts. Now we know there is a time to follow the crowd (Zech 8:23), and a time not to follow the crowd (Ex 23:2). And I believe the present time to be akin to the former and not the latter. So here we go.

This post lists the top 10 viewed posts this year, from among the posts we wrote this year. Next week, we’ll list the top 10 viewed posts from the full KW archive. May these lists enable you to be warm and well fed while you celebrate the season with joy and delight.

10. Proverbs: Three Kinds of People

This year, I’ve been revising and editing an old blog series on Proverbs 1-9. This is one of the introductory posts, explaining the three primary categories of people in the book: the wise, the foolish, and the simple. Which one are you today? Which will you be tomorrow?

9. A Word to Those who Wish to Help Others Apply the Bible

This post reflects on perhaps the most important practice for a Bible teacher or small group leader to embrace: Do not try to help others to apply a Bible passage without first applying it to yourself. If you feel the need to schedule “devotional time” in the Scripture, in isolation from your “teaching preparation time,” you have perhaps fallen afoul of the temptation toward hypocrisy: Asking others to do something (apply a particular passage of Scripture) you have not been willing to do yourself. Let’s not do that.

8. We Must Pay Close Attention or We Will Drift Away

The first of many terrific posts from Ryan to show up on this list. The author of Hebrews doesn’t want you to be like a leaf on a lake, steadily drifting from shore. This will surely happen, if you don’t take pains to work against it by holding fast to Christ and listening carefully to him.

7. Proverbs: A Journey in the Right Direction

An interpretive overview of the entire book of Proverbs. Would you like to dive into one of the most important books for practical guidance? Do you have your bearings? Do you know how the argument flows from beginning to end? Are you still thinking of wisdom as something a person has, rather than something a person pursues? This post may be just the push you need to get going in the right direction.

6. Proverbs: Audience

Another piece of Proverbs overview. While #10 on this list considered the people within the book, this one considers the people who were first supposed to read the book. And by knowing who they were, we’re better equipped to read the book well ourselves. We just may find ourselves in similar shoes, needing the wisdom found within this masterpiece of human literature.

5. What We Miss When We Skip the Book of Leviticus

Ryan enjoys motivating people to give attention to the obscure parts of the Bible. In this post, he explains how a holy God can dwell with sinful people. You won’t want to miss that, so don’t skip it! For insight into other books you wouldn’t want to skip, see: Ezra, Nehemiah, Lamentations, Numbers, and the Prophets.

4. Your Buying Guide for Bible Study Resources: Updated for 2024

This year’s buying guide was quite popular, thanks in part to a referral link from the Gospel Coalition. It’s nice when others also want people to get great resources for Bible study. If you’re in the market for Bibles, study helps, or children’s resources, this post is your one-stop shop for all manner of things that will help you to learn effective OIA Bible study.

3. When Bible Reading Doesn’t Produce a Neat and Tidy Takeaway

Ryan’s penultimate entry on this list addresses the modern tendency to want our Bible study packaged up into clear and simple action steps. But the process generally has greater value than any particular products we take home from it. It’s okay if you don’t get a simple takeaway every time. Just keep going, for God is at work.

2. Why ‘Proverbs Aren’t Promises’ is Misleading

In August, I reposted this older post so I could go on vacation with my family. And it got quite a bit of traction, renewing interest in the topic. It got some attention, including a written critique on The Gospel Coalition Canada site, to which I replied that ‘Proverbs Aren’t Promises’ is Still Misleading. The conventional wisdom that “proverbs aren’t promises” really needs to face the barrel end of a copernican revolution. Not because of what it says about proverbs, but because of what it says about promises.

1. 3 Questions I Ask During Every Bible Study

Ryan asks these 3 questions during every Bible study. Do you? Would you like to? Maybe 2025 is your year to start a Bible study. Then you can ask these 3 questions, too. Lots of people are asking them, or at least discovering the value of asking them. That’s why this was our most-viewed post of the year, from those published this year. Only 7 posts in the archive outperformed it, which we’ll tell you about next week.

Previous years’ top tens: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

Eight Evidences that the Bible Tells a Single Story

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M.R. Conrad wants you to know the Bible is “one grand narrative,” and he gives 8 pieces of evidence. Included on the list are the one author, the one main character, the anticipation of Christ at every point, and the overall tension leading to a final conclusion.

I won’t list all 8 of Conrad’s proofs. You’ll have to click over to see the full description.

Check it out!

Five Basics for Building Bible Study Habits

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Matthew Boffey has some important things worth considering as you seek to reinforce consistent Bible study habits.

  1. Know your why
  2. Know your what
  3. Know your when and where
  4. Know your how
  5. Prepare to change things up

I especially appreciate that last point, as even the best-laid plans need constant revision. As boxer Mike Tyson famously said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” I’m grateful for Boffey’s reflections.

Check it out!