Method | Knowable Word

The Best Ways to Listen to the Bible

November 28, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous (2012), public domain

God has given us amazing access to his word. In the west, we have thousands of options to buy a printed Bible for a reasonable sum. If you prefer to read the Bible electronically, there are dozens of free avenues on your phone, tablet, or computer.

And we have not exhausted God’s generosity! We have many audio versions of the Bible available. Today I’ll point out three of the best ways I’ve found to listen to the Bible.

Why Listen to the Bible?

Having a personal, physical copy of the Bible is a recent phenomenon. The printing press (15th century) brought books to the masses, and before this Christians had to listen to the Scriptures as they were read aloud. For the original audience of the Bible, listening was their only access to God’s word.

Listening to the Bible is a wonderful convenience. It’s a great way to use your time while exercising, commuting, doing the dishes, or folding the laundry. You might even consider an audio Bible to help your preschoolers have devotions.

Listen for Free

If you have a smartphone, tablet, or computer, free audio Bible options abound. I will highlight the best two services I have used; feel free to suggest others in the comments! (I use Android devices, and the web-based versions of these services are great as well. I suggest looking into the Apple versions too, though I cannot vouch for them personally.)

The Bible App (YouVersion) — This is probably the most popular Bible application available. It offers 49 English translations of the Bible for reading, and 12 of these have an audio version. I’m partial to the ESV and NASB, but you could also listen to the NIV, the NLT, or the Message (among others). The Bible App offers reading plans and the ability to make notes and highlights in the text. This app has a strong social component, so it is easy to share what you’re reading and learning with friends.
Bible Gateway — This is my go-to Bible application. It also offers many (40) written English translations of the Bible along with nine audio versions. I like the parallel Bible feature, where you can compare two translations of the same passage side by side. There are other study tools available within this app, like Bible dictionaries and commentaries.

Both of these applications are free. Both suggest you make an account, but all the functionality I’ve described is available without signing up.

One Low-Cost Way to Listen

Free audio Bibles are great. The price is right, and you can change translations with the flick of a finger. But when I listen to the Bible, I’m usually looking elsewhere.

Does it sound crazy to pay for something which I could get for free? Hear me out. The Bible apps mentioned above rely on streaming technology, which requires a continuous internet connection. I’m not always connected to the internet, so having the digital files themselves means I’m never without my audio Bible. Also, I’m not dependent on the audio streaming technology when I want to listen. (I had a problem with The Bible App’s audio last year.)

Finally, if you own the files, you can adjust the playback speed. This is a common trick for fans of audiobooks, but most music players on phones and tablets allow you to speed up any track. On the other hand, if you’re enterprising and good with technology, you can remove silence and speed up the audio yourself using free audio editing software like Audacity. Without much trouble, I’ve been able to cut the run time of my audio Bible from 75 hours down to around 54 hours.

I use the ESV Hear the Word audio Bible, read by David Cochran Heath. You can find it for $28.98 at christianaudio.com (non-member price) and for $29.99 at christianbook.com.

I’m sure there are many other worthy audio Bibles you could purchase. If you’re shopping, be sure to check two details. You probably want to avoid dramatized audio Bibles, and you definitely want to avoid any Bible that is abridged.

Happy listening!

Don’t Resist the Bible’s Repetition

November 14, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

I like oatmeal. It’s a quick, healthy breakfast that’s reliably tasty. On a cool, fall morning, there aren’t many better ways to start the day.

anonymous (2014), public domain

But I can only eat so much oatmeal. After four or five days of the stuff, I long for variety. Eggs, toast, cereal—anything but the oatmeal.

You have probably experienced something similar outside the kitchen. You take an alternate route to work, embrace “casual Friday,” or ask your hair stylist for a change. Routines and patterns are helpful, but we occasionally long for a break.

Repetition in the Bible

Reading through certain books of the Bible can produce a similar effect. We see the same themes, the same lessons, the same exhortations. We wonder why God keeps hammering this one nail. Aren’t there other parts of the house that need work?

We’ve been studying Isaiah in my small group, and near the middle of the book I felt we were in a rut. Through Isaiah, God rebuked his people for their misplaced trust again and again. (Judah sought alliances with other nations instead of relying on God.) Just when I thought we’d move on, the same themes returned.

Isaiah isn’t the only Biblical book with repetition. How should we handle it? Should we skip ahead, or does God really want us discussing the same ideas and applications over and over?

How to Handle Repetition

God doesn’t make mistakes, so if you’re interpreting the Bible correctly and finding recurring themes, they are there on purpose. Here are some principles to consider when you find yourself in a repetitive section of Scripture.

Resist the pull toward novelty. Though we crave variety and newness, we shouldn’t avoid what is familiar and reliable. Consider the folly in adjusting our interpretation of the Bible simply because we’re tired of what it says! As we submit to God, we must submit to what he says in his word, even if we think we’ve heard it before.

Revisit the lesson. God may have you in this section of the Bible because there are lessons you still haven’t learned. You may think you’ve graduated, but you don’t have your diploma. As you walk this familiar territory, remember that God is your loving father. Your growth as a Christian is good for you, and he’s working to bring it about.

Explore all possible applications. If you find your applications of the Bible to be similar, they may need to be more specific. There are scores of ways to apply the main point of a passage. Consider the inward and outward directions along with the spheres of head, heart, and hands. Pray and ask God to connect this familiar lesson to areas of your life and influence that need correction.

Press on. If you find yourself facing recurring main points and applications, don’t give up. The fact that God is bringing the same issues to you again is evidence of his love (Rom 2:4). Persevere in the walk and fight of faith. (See Gal 6:9 and 2 Thess 3:13.)

Better Than Oatmeal

Unlike oatmeal, studying the Bible is glorious. It’s one of the ways we “behold the glory of the Lord” and are transformed from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18). God shows us our need for a savior and his provision, in Jesus, of exactly what we need. He teaches us to rely on him and on nothing else.

We may be slow to learn, but God is patient. He doesn’t mind repeating himself, and we should thank him for it.

Don’t Cease Without Praying

October 31, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

Prayer is one of the clearest acknowledgements from Christians that we depend on God. For every step, for every breath, for every word we speak in God’s name, we need the wisdom and strength that only God can provide. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.

At Knowable Word, we’ve described a time-tested method of studying the Bible. But don’t let the steps and descriptions lead you into self-reliance. You can follow the OIA method all you want—if you do not have the help and favor of God, it won’t do you a bit of good.

anonymous (2016), public domain

Pray for Understanding

The good news of the Bible is that, for Christians, God’s love doesn’t depend on our actions. God’s love relies on Jesus’s actions in our place.

And yet God wants us to pray. He uses our humble reliance on him in prayer to teach us and change us. We especially need this when we try to understand the Bible.

We should pray because we are blind. In our flesh, we cannot see what we should see in the Bible; we need God to open our eyes (Psalm 119:18).

We should pray because we are dim. Though we think ourselves smart, our natural minds cannot discern spiritual truths. The Holy Spirit helps us know the things given to us by God (1 Cor 2:10–16).

We should pray because we are distracted. We often find the world’s beeps and boops more delightful than God’s word. We need the Spirit to guide us into all truth (John 16:13).

We should pray because we are distant. We may observe the Bible carefully and interpret it accurately, but if we keep God’s word at arm’s length, we are wasting our time. We need God to incline our hearts to his testimonies (Psalm 119:36).

Observation and interpretation lead us to the main point of a Bible passage, and we need God’s help on every inch of the journey. Moving on from the main point, our need to pray only skyrockets.

Pray for Living

The hardest work of studying the Bible is application. In this third step, we listen to God’s call to change. Anyone who’s tried to change knows how powerless they are on their own.

We should pray because we are clueless. We are often oblivious to our sin. We are used to our patterns and hardened to their effects on others. We need God to show us the grievous ways in us (Psalm 139:23–24).

We should pray because we are resistant. We like our sin; it is comfortable and familiar. We need the Spirit to convict us (John 16:8).

We should pray because our growth is God’s work. God has no less than our complete sanctification in view (1 Thess 5:23).

We should pray because our growth is also our work. Because God is at work in us for his good pleasure, we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12–13).

We should pray because we need transformation. Christians are works in progress. We should ask God to show us our sin, grant us repentance, and, as we behold God’s glory, transform us from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18).

Pray and Pray Some More

Bible study calls for frequent prayer. Acknowledging God’s rule, his power, his goodness, and his love should be second nature.

The Psalmist knew what it was like to seek God regarding his word. Let’s learn to pray in the same way.

Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes. (Psalm 119:124)

Behold the Power of the Church Resource Table

October 3, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

FDV (2008), Creative Commons License

How does a visitor to your church know what you value? The sermon and other elements of the worship service are a huge clue. He’ll notice the friendliness (or coldness) of the congregation as well. But outside of the worship and the people, your church’s resource table may be the most important pointer he’ll get.

In some churches, the resource table is a footnote. It’s another flat surface that collects dust, styrofoam cups, and out-of-date signup sheets. But we miss an enormous opportunity to guide our congregation and inform visitors if we ignore it.

Why Your Church Should Have a Resource Table

The resource table is a place where your church takes a stand. With these recommendations and pointers, you say: We think these materials will help you love and glorify God.

You might think your church doesn’t need a table at all. After all, you have a website. You have a presence on Facebook and Twitter. Isn’t a resource table terribly old-fashioned?

Of course it is, and that’s why you need it. The older saints at your church aren’t scrolling through your tweets. Further, your recommendation has more compulsive power when you can walk someone to a specific place and put material in their hands.

And don’t forget the visitor. The man who arrives at your building by invitation or providence will want to learn about your church. What do you value? Where do you stand? What is it like to be part of this body?

The church resource table is an opportunity to display and develop your church’s culture. Stock it with resources to help your people reach others and grow themselves.

What Should Be On The Resource Table

Stock your table with aids for the worship service. This includes pens, paper, sermon outlines, and children’s sermon resources. Consider a display about your current sermon series, including dates and texts, so people can read and study the passage ahead of time. Consider producing a few sermon CDs and pointing people to your online sermon home.

Even if you have Bibles in your pews, arrange a stack on the resource table. Make space in your budget for a need-one-take-one policy. Everyone should have a Bible.

Make it as easy as possible for people to join a Bible study in your church. Produce clear, attractive signs or flyers, and highlight the contact person for each opportunity. Small group Bible studies can be the heartbeat of a church, so we should do our best to help people get connected.

Visitors will want to know the theological waters they are entering, so the resource table is a good place for any confessional or doctrinal pamphlets. If possible, supply something short that can be taken by anyone.

Finally, consider books, magazines, and articles that would be especially helpful to younger Christians. Beware of cluttering the table, but if there’s room, gather the best material you can find and make it available to take or borrow. One of the most important skills to teach new Christians is how to study the Bible, so an excellent book on this topic or a free booklet containing the same principles would find a welcome home on the table.

Without solid preaching, good leadership, and vibrant small groups, a church resource table carries as much weight as a wet tissue. But as an aid to these essentials, good resources can help highlight, reinforce, and broadcast the culture you want to take root in your church.

Study the Bible to Get Massive Treasure

September 19, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

If we’re honest, sometimes we don’t want to study the Bible. We know we should feel differently, but it’s the truth. At times we simply lack the motivation.

What are we supposed to do with that?

Petr Kratochvil, public domain

We All Want Treasure

Humans are treasure-seekers. Though we seek different treasure in different ways, we’re all on the hunt for meaning, significance, and happiness. And we can’t help but give our time to this pursuit.

We want to be respected and admired, so we put in long hours at work. We tweak our presentation over the weekend and answer email at the soccer game. We need people to know we’re on top of our game.

We want to belong, so we find people of similar interests. We stay up late for fantasy football, get up early for CrossFit, or zealously track our favorite celebrity on social media.

We want to be comfortable, so we agonize over the perfect house, neighborhood, and job. We research our decisions three times over so nothing is left to chance.

We’ve all done this. We latch onto something of great value, and in the pursuit of it we become single-minded, focused, and consumed. We target our love like a hawk tracks a field mouse.

God is Our Treasure

The Bible reveals that we were made for God. Despite our attempts to find value and pleasure elsewhere, he is the top prize in the universe.

This is why the “one thing” David wants is to gaze upon God’s beauty and inquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4). This is why Paul lost everything for the sake of Christ and considered it garbage so that he could “gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8).

God gives us good gifts, so the lesser riches we seek are not inherently bad. But they are nothing compared to God. Jesus came “that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). He is our great treasure.

How Do We Get This Treasure?

Anyone that is brought to God is brought by Jesus. A supernatural, spiritual work must take place inside us.

This transformation reorients our hearts. When we confess our pathetic treasure-seeking in light of the glory of God, he changes and purifies our desires.

Though Christians have experienced this once-for-all change, we still drift and search after other fulfillment. We still need reminders about what is most valuable, what is most fulfilling, and what is the best use of our time and resources. (See Matthew 6:19–21.)

Of course, God gives us this instruction in the Bible. This is where God warns us, encourages us, gives us hope, and convinces us of his unending love. In short, we find God, our supreme treasure, in the Bible.

You Do Not Lack Motivation

Sometimes I avoid the Bible because I forget what I’ll find there. The Bible isn’t just rules, stories, parables, and prophesies. In his word we encounter God himself.

In the Bible I see how to obey God, how to trust him, and how to love him. I learn that Jesus gave up his life for me and that the same power that raised him from the dead is working within me.

I read that my life is not to be protected or guarded at all cost. Rather, I find true life—that is, treasure—when I lose my life for others out of love for God.

Because we all want treasure we don’t need to produce motivation to study the Bible. We need to channel our natural desire and point it toward the most precious prize in the world, God himself.

Bible Study Is Not Complicated

August 26, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous (2008), public domain

Building a house is complicated. In addition to land and permits, you’ll need experienced workers, lots of tools, and blueprints.

Bible study, on the other hand, is not complicated. We need to think clearly here, because if studying the Bible seems involved and intimidating, we’ll never do it.

You Don’t Need Tons of Resources

Faithful, biblical resources are wonderful, and I thank God for them. But very few of them are essential.

You don’t need fifteen commentaries. You don’t need a study Bible, and you certainly don’t need three. You don’t need a Bible atlas, Bible dictionary, or concordance. You don’t need a million cross-references.

Don’t worry about the Greek. Don’t sweat the Hebrew. The church fathers need not enter the picture.

There’s no need for high-powered software. You don’t need a dedicated notebook, fancy pens, or special highlighters.

In order to study the Bible, you need blissfully few items: a Bible, a pen, and a blank sheet of paper (or some worksheets). That’s it.

Studying the Bible is as straightforward as taking a walk. Lace up your shoes, step out the door, and go.

You Don’t Need a Convoluted Process

There are scores of books available on interpreting the Bible, some of which are great. And you don’t need any of them.

Studying the Bible is simple; you can sit down and do it right now. The method we advocate uses three steps: observation, interpretation, and application. (We refer to this as the OIA method.)

As Peter has written, we didn’t invent OIA. In fact, we believe this is the best way to approach the Bible because it is at the heart of all communication. Here’s a brief illustration.

Imagine you’re driving on an unfamiliar highway. When you observe the highway sign with your exit number, you interpret this to mean that your destination is approaching. You apply this understanding by using your turn signal, changing lanes, and driving onto the exit.

Bible study can be boiled down to asking three questions. When observing, we ask, “What?” Among other things, we take note of repeated words, names, grammar, and the structure of the passage.

When interpreting, we ask, “Why?” We question our observations. Why did God promise to go with Moses (Ex. 3:12)? Why does Aaron perform the signs given to Moses (Ex. 4:30)? We try to answer these questions from the Bible and understand the author’s main point.

Finally, when applying, we ask, “So what?” From the main point of the passage, we seek the implications for us and the people we can influence. Good application should change the way we think, act, and love.

Getting Started

As you develop as a Bible student, you’ll probably want to consult some of the resources I mentioned above. God has given these to his church, and they can be tremendous aids for understanding and growth.

But starting with the Bible is easy. Pray for God’s help and wisdom. Find a quiet place, carve out 20 minutes, and dig in.

5 Times to Use Your Cross-References

August 12, 2016 By Peter Krol

Last week I wrote about how cross-references often cause us to flap our wings without achieving liftoff. They certainly keep us busy, but often at the cost of missing the point of the text at hand. This week I’d like to explain some pertinent and helpful uses for cross-references.

In writing this list, I want to clarify that cross-references are sometimes a necessary part of Bible study. In many cases, failing to check the cross-references may leave you with poor interpretation. However, keep in mind that cross-referencing is not always a necessary part of Bible study. If you leave your passage behind like a solitary child in a grocery store, you should always have good reason to do so. And typically the only compelling reason for such behavior is if you’ll be right back after grabbing an emergency item from the car or service desk.

So in what situations are cross-references appropriate?

1. When your passage is quoted by or alluded to by another passage.

The Holy Spirit did not leave us without direction on how to read the Scriptures. Each instance of divinely inspired interpretation of another passage should be for us as a tent-peg firmly driven into the temple. A clear example: Matthew 1:22 shows that Isaiah 7:14 is about something bigger than the prophet’s own wife and child (Isaiah 8:1-4). A less clear, but no less compelling, example: In Acts 7:25, Stephen definitively reveals Moses’ intentions in killing the Egyptian (Ex 2:11-12). This fact should do away with our common condemnation of Moses as a young, brash, and insecure young man foolishly committing an impulsive murder.

2. When your passage quotes or alludes to another passage.

This point is same as the first but in reverse. When your passage has a clear quote or allusion, don’t skim lazily past it. Look it up and study it in context! Connect that chain.

Simon Lutz (2013), Creative Commons

For example, too many people propagate the notion that Jesus told parables to confuse people, all because they read the words quoted from Isaiah 6 (Matt 13:14-15, Mark 4:12) without exploring their context. Isaiah’s larger point has to do with idolatry blinding the eyes of those who persistently cling to it. As G.K. Beale marvelously put it, we become what we worship. Jesus came not to speak confusion, but to speak with utmost clarity—a clarity that would open many blind eyes, while simultaneously driving committed idolaters deeper into their idolatry.

Allusions can be difficult to pick up on unless we continue devouring large portions of Scripture in our reading, getting more familiar over time with the language and ideas. Recently I was studying Psalm 106 with a small group, and we were struck by how much Psalm 106:20 sounds like Romans 1:23. They are so close that it can’t be mere coincidence. Thus our study of Psalm 106 in context gave us deeper understanding of the point Paul appropriates for his purposes in Romans 1.

3. When an earlier passage holds crucial context.

I’m studying Mark 15:1-20, where Jesus is called King of the Jews but not treated in a kingly manner. I must go back to Mark 10:32-34 to see that things are playing out exactly as this king intended.

Or I’m studying Joshua 24, and there appears a sudden reference to Joseph’s bones. I must go back to Exodus 13:19 and Genesis 50:25 for context.

4. When a later passage offers a crucial explanation.

Over the last 2 months, I’ve read Exodus 6 times to prepare for preaching through the book. As I read, I’ve tried to make sense of the tabernacle sections in Ex 25-31 and Ex 35-39.

One question I had was why the order of instructions (Ex 25-31) differs from the order of production (Ex 35-39). And while I don’t have a great answer yet, pursuing that question led to another one: Why are the census tax (Ex 30:11-16) and priestly ordination service (Ex 29:1-46) the only sets of instructions not repeated in the production chapters? Especially when the production chapters repeat the phrase that Moses did all the things exactly as the LORD had commanded him (Ex 39:1, 5, 7, etc.)?

As for the census tax, this brought my attention to the incident where David takes a census but doesn’t collect the tax (2 Sam 24, 1 Chr 21). Suddenly, another mystery unlocks for me: why David’s census was so egregious in God’s sight.¹ And why the resulting plague is stopped when David purchases the land later used to build the temple. It’s all connected to Moses’ census tax to support the building of the tabernacle.

As for the priestly ordination service, I didn’t get an answer until I kept reading into Leviticus. The service does take place, word for word, in Leviticus 8. According to the structure of Exodus, I would expect it between Exodus 40:3 and Exodus 40:34. But Moses pulls it out of there and delays it until after the instructions for sacrifices (Lev 1-7). Again, I don’t have a crystal clear answer about why Moses did this, but the later text (Lev 8) highlights for me how important those instructions will be when I come to teach them in Ex 29. They are important enough to warrant a delay before we see them fulfilled.

5. When another passage illumines otherwise unknown historical or cultural background.

For example, our generation has no idea what it means to cut an animal in half and pass between the pieces. So no Bible study of Genesis 15 can be complete without first referring to Jeremiah 34:18-20 to clue us in.

As with most tools, the blessings or curses come not from the tool itself but from how we use it. I could use a blow dryer on an extension cord to defrost my windshield; but why would I want to? Likewise, let’s make great use of cross-references.

¹My colleague Mark Fodale made this point in a talk years ago, and I’m now appreciating the depth of his insight.

Disclaimer: The Amazon link above is an affiliate link. If you click it and buy stuff, you’ll support this blog at no extra cost to yourself. You have our thanks.

The Bible Is Not Boring

August 8, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous (2014), public domain

The Bible is boring. Many people outside the church take this as given. For them, reading the Bible is like watching C-SPAN or counting blades of grass.

But, let’s be honest—Christians feel this way at times. And we’re unlikely to study a book we don’t find interesting.

We need to consider some important questions.

Is the Bible boring?

No, the Bible is not boring. Let’s not confuse a bored reader with a boring book.

The Bible is God’s word. If God is the creator and sustainer of every atom that exists; if he is infinitely holy, good, wise, and glorious; if he is the very definition of love; then everything about him must be interesting.

OK, so why does the Bible seem boring?

If God’s word seems boring, there’s either a problem with the reading or the reader.

For some, the Bible seems dull because they assume they know what it says. They think they’ve heard all the stories and learned all the rules. Instead of “living and active,” the Bible sounds repetitive and bland.

For others, the Bible appears boring because they read the text without engaging with it. We are meant to meditate upon the Bible, to read it with the expectation that God will meet with and change us.

Additionally, the Bible feels irrelevant if we forget who we are. We are created and corrupt. We depend on God both for life and salvation. When we lose our sense of ongoing need, we won’t be thrilled by God or what he’s done for us.

What should we do if the Bible seems boring?

First, we should acknowledge our need for God’s help. Even redeemed people need God’s Spirit to desire what is of supreme value. In other words, we should pray. (Read what John Piper suggests you pray when the Bible seems boring.)

Next, don’t confuse difficult with boring. The Bible is hard to understand in some places, but that doesn’t make it dull. In fact, like your backyard garden, Bible study is often most rewarding when it makes you sweat.

Further, not every Bible passage should be studied in the same way. A physics textbook is not a detective novel, and Proverbs is not Revelation. While you might spend several days looking carefully at the first ten verses of Ephesians 1, you won’t treat 1 Chronicles 1 the same way.

Some of the hardest parts of the Bible are the genealogies, the construction of the tabernacle, and the apportionment of the promised land to the tribes. Ask yourself, why did God include these chapters? What purpose do they serve? (This short article at Desiring God tackles Joshua 13–21 and the apportionment of the land.) We must do our best to read the Bible in context and seek the author’s intention in each passage.

Finally, when the Bible seems stale we might be tempted to import excitement. Maybe we’ll use a flashy study guide or dig around for some never-before-seen insight. If we chase ideas that are new or novel because we are afraid the Bible won’t hold our interest, we need to get back to the basics of Bible study.

Observe the text carefully. Ask questions, think about the author’s train of thought, and look for the main point. Connect the passage to the big story of the Bible, the gospel of Jesus Christ. And, with God’s help, apply the passage to yourself.

The goal of Bible study is the worship of God which spills over into all of life. As God transforms you, it might be uncomfortable, stretching, or disruptive. It will all be very good. But it certainly won’t be boring!

Thanks for visiting Knowable Word! If you like this article, you might be interested in receiving regular updates from us. You can sign up for our email list (enter your address in the box on the upper right of this page), follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our RSS feed.

How Cross-References May Cause You to Flap Your Wings Without Achieving Liftoff in Your Bible Study

August 5, 2016 By Peter Krol

My ministry’s Board of Directors recently met with a consultant, who, among other things, warned us to watch out for “wing-flapping reports” from the Chief Executive. Such reports deftly avoid reporting on tangible progress toward required objectives, and they do so by describing the flurry of activities undertaken by the organization during the reporting period. “We did this event…and this conference…and began this program…and updated these employee benefits…and connected with all these people…and we just did a great job, didn’t we?” Such wing-flapping isn’t usually sinister; it merely flows from a lack of clarity regarding results and production. When we’re unsure what we ought to produce, we seek assurance instead from how busy we were.

Of course, this concept taught me an invaluable lesson about leadership and accountability, but, surprisingly, it also taught me about Bible study. I’ve attended countless Bible studies that were busy, active, and engaging—but that also left me feeling like we didn’t get anywhere. We can spend lots of time in Scripture and make use of many resources, but do we know God through Jesus Christ any more deeply than when we began? We flap our wings and feel great about it. But there’s something more to be done.

And while I could nominate many potential culprits in the “wing-flapping Bible study” cartel (search engines, commentaries, and word studies come quickly to mind), there is one chief culprit I see more than any other: cross-references.

How Cross-References Get Us to Flap Our Wings Without Achieving Liftoff

Sinclair Ferguson wrote an excellent commentary on the book of Daniel. In fact, it’s the only Daniel commentary I’ve read that I’m happy to recommend as promoting OIA Bible study. I love this commentary, and you should check it out if you study Daniel.

But notice how the good Dr. Ferguson flaps his wings a bit, filling the page with cross-references without moving his argument forward. On Daniel 5, he writes:

From all we know of Belshazzar, he had fallen into the sin of Rehoboam. He once sought the advice of his elder statesmen and was counseled: “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” Rehoboam rejected this counsel, however, and consulted those who had grown up with him (1 Kings 12:7-8); the result was the division of the tribes into two camps, Israel to the north and Judah to the south. Similarly, Daniel’s counsel appears to have gone unheeded and eventually unsought. Finally, however, he was brought into Belshazzar’s presence. (pp.117-118)

A lengthy catalog of Daniel’s credentials is provided by the queen…. He had “light and understanding and wisdom” and “an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, [and abilities to interpret] dreams, solv[e] riddles, and explain enigmas” (vv.11, 12). This description is reminiscent of the prophetic description Isaiah gave of the Messiah [quotes Isaiah 11:2-3].

Daniel had a share in the Spirit of the Messiah just as surely as what Christians now experience is a share in the Spirit of the Messiah and a taste of the powers of the age to come (cf. Heb. 6:5). No wonder there were so many ways that Daniel resembled Christ. This was what the queen tried to express. Daniel was in fellowship with another world; he knew God. (pp.119-120)

Why did Daniel refuse the king’s offer? Probably there were two reasons for his refusal. (1) It was important for him to make plain that spiritual gifts cannot be bought. Instinctively we are reminded of Simon Magus [quotes Acts 8:18-20]…. (2) It was important for him to make plain that God’s servants cannot be bought [quotes 1 Thess. 2:4-5]. (pp.120-121)

Alan Vernon (2010), Creative Commons

“Similarly…This description is reminiscent of…Instinctively we are reminded of…” Such is the language of wing-flapping cross-references. Unfortunately, after romping our way through 1 Kings, Isaiah, Hebrews, Acts, and 1 Thessalonians, we don’t know the text of Daniel any better. But we certainly feel like we’ve accomplished something. Ferguson is much more helpful when he sticks to the text at hand, applying his marvelous insights to analyze, explain, and apply it for us.

What This Looks Like in Practice

I once led a Bible study attended by a sweet, godly older woman. She had been walking with Christ for decades, and she was very familiar with God’s word. Week after week, however, she left me wondering whether she wanted to study the Bible with us.

We might be studying Matthew, and she’d want to jump to Romans. Or we’d study a Psalm, and she’d try to take us to 1 Peter. Much of our discussion was a tug-of-war between her, wanting us to turn to different passages, and me, asking whether the cross-reference would help us with the passage at hand.

One week, I experimented by giving her the reins. When she wanted to pull us to a new passage, I went with her. Once we got there, she read it, and I asked her what it meant. For her answer, she said it reminded her of another passage. So we went there. After reading it, she took us to yet another passage. This went on until we read a passage that reminded her of the original one, and we ended up back where we had begun.

With each jump, we read the text and treated its message as self-evident. When it made us think of something else, we were off. After an hour of such discussion, one thing was clear: We had not understood the message of any of these passages. But because we flipped so many pages and moved so quickly, some people felt we had accomplished something spectacular.

Now I don’t think cross-references are inherently unhelpful. There are times when they are good and necessary in Bible study. More on this next week.

But I do get nervous when someone treats “cross-references” as a standard step in Bible study. Or when someone wants to leave the current passage without good reason to do so, or without having first put in the time to get the point. In most cases, the original audience didn’t have access to all the cross-references (or the full canon of Scripture). But they still could understand and apply the text’s main point. So should we.

Disclaimer: The Amazon link above is an affiliate link. If you click it and buy stuff, you’ll support this blog at no extra cost to yourself. You have our thanks.

Two Ways to Outline a Bible Passage

July 29, 2016 By Peter Krol

mkorsakov (2014), Creative Commons

There must be high demand for Bible outlines, since they show up everywhere. Almost every study Bible outlines each book. Almost every commentary has a central outline. Most sermons and study guides outline their passages. And most introductory essays on books of the Bible share a few key topics: date, author, audience, key themes, and—you guessed it—outline.

We generate and consume Bible outlines in massive quantities, but have you ever considered what goes into creating an outline? How do you know if the outline is accurate or not? And what makes some outlines better or worse than others, at least for specific purposes?

Let’s assume you’re already convinced it’s worth your time to pay attention to structure. (If you need more convincing, see how structure shapes the meaning of a passage and 10 reasons why we should take note of structure.) How does that structure translate into a formal outline? What should you look for in an outline? Why are some outlines of the same text so different from one another?

Outline #1: Observational

The first way to make an outline is to summarize what the passage says. This type of outline takes the bare facts of a passage and puts them in order.

For example, here is part of an outline of Job from the Gospel Transformation Bible:

III. The Intervention of Eliphaz (Job 4:1-5:27)
IV. Job’s First Response to Eliphaz (Job 6:1-7:21)
V. The Intervention of Bildad (Job 8:1-22)
VI. Job’s First Response to Bildad (Job 9:1-10:22)
VII. The Intervention of Zophar (Job 11:1-20)
VIII. Job’s First Response to Zophar (Job 12:1-14:22)

This outline contains some important observations. Job’s speeches alternate with those of his 3 friends, who each speak in turn. If you continue through the outline, you’ll see that Eliphaz and Bildad each speak three times, and Zophar speaks only twice. But Job has a response to each one of their speeches.

This outline gives you a straightforward, clear grasp of the text’s structure. Similarly observational outlines for other books of the Bible might go like this:

Luke:
I. Jesus’ Birth (Luke 1-2)
II. Jesus’ Galilean Ministry (Luke 3-9)
III. Jesus on the Way to Jerusalem (Luke 9-19)
IV. Jesus in Jerusalem (Luke 19-21)
V. Jesus’ Suffering and Death (Luke 22-23)
VI. Jesus’ Resurrection (Luke 24)

Proverbs:
I. Introduction (Prov 1-9)
II. Proverbs of Solomon (Prov 10:1-22:16)
III. Sayings of the Wise (Prov 22:17-24:34)
IV. Hezekiah’s Collection (Prov 25-29)
V. Proverbs of Agur (Prov 30)
VI. Proverbs of King Lemuel (Prov 31:1-9)
VII. The Virtuous Woman (Prov 31:10-31)

These outlines tell you exactly what happens in the text, and they’re great for helping you get your bearings in a book. But they don’t say much more than the foundational what.

Outline #2: Interpretive

The second way to make an outline is to describe what the passage means. This type of outline takes the main points of a passage and shows their logical flow.

For example, here is part of an outline of Job (same section as above) from the ESV Study Bible:

B. The friends and Job: can Job be right before God? (Job 4:1–25:6)

1. First cycle (Job 4:1–14:22)

a. Eliphaz: can mortal man be in the right before God? (Job 4:1–5:27)
b. Job: life is futile (Job 6:1–7:21)
c. Bildad: the wisdom of the sages (Job 8:1–22)
d. Job: how can a mortal be just before God? (Job 9:1–10:22)
e. Zophar: repent (Job 11:1–20)
f. Job: a challenge to the “wisdom” of his friends (Job 12:1–14:22)

This outline goes beyond bare observation and shows the flow of ideas from one speech to the next. The chief benefit of such an outline is that it gives you not only the what but also the why. It focuses not only on summaries but also on main points (do you know the difference?). The chief weakness of such an outline is that it’s more likely to be mistaken or even off-center, since it’s not as clearly based on the surface of the text.

Different Outlines for Different Uses

In some cases, the observational outline will be more useful. Such cases include the first pass through a book overview, a detailed review to confirm the validity of an interpretive outline, or a quick compass check to find your place in a book (I’m slogging through Isaiah 25 and need to be reminded of the larger sections).

In other cases, the interpretive outline will be more useful. Such cases include teaching or preaching, concisely organizing the main points or train of thought, or moving toward application.

Let’s say you’re studying Mark 15:1-20 to teach to others. You might begin your own study with a simple observational outline:

Jews deliver Jesus to Pilate (Mk 15:1-5)
Pilate delivers Jesus to be crucified (Mk 15:6-15)
Soldiers mock Jesus (Mk 15:16-20)

But I hope you don’t teach the passage that way. That outline doesn’t help anyone to understand why Mark wrote these things. Something like this will be more useful for teaching:

Don’t mistake this King’s identity (Mk 15:1-5)
Don’t miss this King’s release (Mk 15:6-15)
Don’t abhor this King’s mockery (Mk 15:16-20)

Can you see the difference? Do you see how you can get from one outline to the other? Can you see benefits to each one? Why do you think some outlines are better than others?

Disclaimer: Links to Amazon are affiliate links.