Knowable Word

Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

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100th Post Giveaway

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We’ve now blogged 100 posts, and we decided to celebrate with a brand new website and a FREE ESV STUDY BIBLE (personal size).  This is the best study Bible I’ve come across.  Check out my Goodreads review if you don’t believe me.

We’re giving a way a free personal size ESV Study Bible

To enter the giveaway, you can place as many entries as you want, within the following guidelines.  You’ll get one entry for each of the following:

  • Going onto our Facebook page and Liking the post on our timeline that says, “We’re giving away a free ESV Study Bible.”
  • Adding Knowable Word into your Circles on Google+.
  • Following Knowable Word on Twitter.
  • Re-tweeting any of Knowable Word’s old tweets.  Each RT earns one entry.
  • Finding old posts you liked on the Knowable Word blog and commenting on them thoughtfully.  Note: your comments must be thoughtful, i.e. engaging with the post’s content.  Our panel of strict judges will not accept comments along the lines of “great post!” or “thanks for writing this one!”  Each comment, up to a maximum of one comment per post, gives you one entry, with one exception: A bonus entry will be given for each comment that employs both of the words “study” and “Bible.”
  • Leaving a comment on this post telling us what you think of the new site (such as how it looks, how easy it is to find stuff, etc).  Only one entry per person will be granted for commenting on this post, with one exception: A bonus entry will be given if your comment references a Scripture passage.

We are giving away one (1) free personal size ESV Study Bible.  The winner will be selected at random from all entries.  Entries will be accepted until 7:30pm Eastern Time on Thursday, November 1, 2012.

The winner will be posted on this site by November 5, 2012.  The winner will have until November 19 to contact us with his or her shipping address for the free Bible.

We take no responsibility for any comments that fail to survive our spam filtering software.  Please make sure you don’t comment using an email address like KVUSGAVSYXP2@yahoo.com.

Thank you for helping us spread the word about how to study God’s Knowable Word!

What the Olympics Taught Me about Bible Study

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This week marked a significant milestone for me: the first time since 1994 that I’ve gotten to follow the Olympic games with any regularity.

I love the drama.  Ryan Lochte wins gold in the Men’s 400 meter individual medley, but Michael Phelps fails to medal in the event.  Phelps goes on, however, to win more medals and become the most decorated Olympian in history.  The USA women’s gymnastics team wins gold, but reigning world champion Jordyn Wieber fails to advance to the all-around competition.  Four badminton teams are thrown out of the games for throwing their games.  A Korean archer with poor eyesight helps his team win bronze.  22-year-old Kayla Harrison overcomes a history of sexual abuse by a previous coach and wins the first ever US gold medal in judo.

The drama is inspiring, but also challenging.  Why isn’t our study of God’s Knowable Word equally inspiring?

Why is it that we’d often rather do anything other than read God’s Word?  When we do read it, why does it feel like such a chore?  When we get together in groups to discuss the unbreakable Scripture, why can’t we think of anything to talk about?  Why can church seem routine and lifeless?  Where is the drama that inspired a generation to turn the world upside-down (Acts 17:6)?

God has revealed his Son to us through the Bible written by his Spirit.  In the Bible He lets us in on what he’s thinking.  He tells us what to expect about the future.  He fills in the back story to our existence.  He advises us about how life works best.  His Word is the most influential book in history.  How can we recapture the drama?

Here are some ideas:

  1. Read a lot of Scripture.  Keep the big picture in mind.  Consider taking an afternoon to read a whole book of the Bible in one sitting.   Just read lots of it and keep going.  As you understand the scope of the whole, each detail takes on new life.
  2. Read it lots of times.  Over the past two weeks, I’ve read the same two chapters over and over again.  I read them and didn’t understand them at first.  So instead of moving on, I decided to try it again and again.  I’ve now read them dozens of times in a row, and they’re starting to make sense.  What was once confusing has become exciting and impactful!
  3. Talk to others.  God puts us in community on purpose.  Others will have insights you don’t have.  So plug into your church, find a Bible study group, talk about the sermons.  Ask people what they’re learning from the Word, and share what you’re learning.  The drama of God’s glorious plan through Christ will infect you with joy.
  4. Put yourself into the story.  Picture what the characters went through.  How would you respond in similar circumstances?  What would you feel, desire, fear, or hope?  Remember that Bible characters were real people, experiencing life much as we do.
  5. Focus on Jesus.  You don’t have to be innovative.  You don’t have to make the Bible exciting.  All you have to do is get out of the way and let Jesus show his glory.

The Olympics are exciting, and I can’t wait to see what will happen over the next week.  But the glory of men will wither; does anyone even remember the medalists from 1994 anymore?  God’s Knowable Word will remain forever (1 Peter 1:24-25).

What Star Wars Taught Me About Bible Study

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It’s a little known fact that I’m a Star Wars geek.  I’ve been watching The Clone Wars cartoon with my children (which is fantastic), and we just finished Season 3.  I think it’s a good time for a Star Wars post.

Star Wars (both in the films and the cartoons) makes abundant use of a fun literary device called the “type scene.”  The Bible uses the same device, so Star Wars can help us understand it.

If you and I are discussing the Star Wars films, and I say, “I love that scene where the evil Sith lord cuts off the good guy’s appendage,” you would be right to ask, “Which one: Episode 2, where Dooku chops off Anakin’s arm, or Episode 5, where Darth Vader slices Luke’s hand off?”

For more examples, see if you can name which Star Wars movies have the following scenes:

  • Sith asks Jedi to join with him and overthrow his evil master.  Together, they could rule the galaxy.
  • A dismembered C3PO makes all kinds of corny jokes.
  • The young, attractive politician attracts the unconventional warrior.
  • A chase through an asteroid field.
  • The young but skilled pilot wins the battle by blowing up the giant space station.

Such vague descriptions could describe numerous “type scenes” that keep repeating in the Star Wars movies.  With each repetition of the scene, a creator connects two different characters or scenarios without having to say “this one is just like that one.”

Let me give some examples of this technique in the Bible.

  1. The man of God leaves the land of promise due to some sort of famine or distress.  In a foreign land, his wife masquerades as his sister but gets kidnapped.  You may have read these stories in Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-18, and Gen 26:6-11.  What’s the point?  Abraham faced similar temptation all through his life, and Isaac struggled with it just like his dad did.
  2. God rescues his people from Egyptian captivity, and brings them through the Sea and wilderness.  Of course this happens in the book of Exodus, but the prophets use the same language to describe the Exile (for example, see Isaiah 10:24-25).  Jesus went through it, too (Matthew 2:14-15, 3:13-17, 4:1-2).  What’s the point?  Jesus endured all that Israel endured, as their representative.
  3. God’s ambassador heals a lame man by the city gate, and the Jewish officials get riled up about it.  Jesus does it in John 5:1-17, and Peter & John do it in Acts 3:1-4:22.  What’s the point?  Jesus’ disciples truly act in His name, with his full authority and power (Matthew 28:18-20).

Star Wars shows us how useful type scenes can be.  The Bible does it even better, though.

One more tip: pay attention whenever a Star Wars character says, “I have a bad feeling about this.”  It demonstrates another great literary device: repetition.  I’ll save that one for another day.

What the Avengers Taught Me about Bible Study

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I just saw The Avengers and thought it almost lived up to all the hype.  It’s well worth seeing, and it can teach you about Bible study!

Characters, characters

This movie was well set up by all the (mostly) independent prequels: The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Captain America, and Thor.  Each of those movies tells the story of a single hero.  All the heroes come together as a team in The Avengers.  Needless to say, the movie’s greatest strength was its characterization.

There is no narrator to tell you what’s happening, and there’s not much explanation of plot or setting except through dialogue.  All you have that drives the drama and action is the characterization of the heroes as they relate to each other, and it works beautifully.

Tony Stark (Iron Man) considers himself a “genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist,” and his choices, especially in his relationships, directly reflect this chosen identity.  Bruce Banner (Hulk) remains pretty introverted, fearing the monster that rages within him.  When asked how he keeps the monster at bay, he reveals his secret: “I’m always angry.”  We can reinterpret his quiet withdrawal in light of this revelation.

I could go on, but the point should be clear that much of a story can be told through strong characterization.  Notice how the Bible uses the same technique:

  • Jacob’s character drives much of the last sections of Genesis, as his affinity for conflict (Gen 25:22) and deceit (Gen 27:18-19) is used against him by his uncle (Gen 29:23, 31:26-28) before the Lord redeems it and makes him fruitful through it (Gen 32:28).
  • We are told very little about the prophet Elijah, but we resonate with the one whose nature was just like ours (James 5:17) as we see him alternately hiding (1 Kings 17:5-7) and confronting (1 Kings 18:17-19), inspiring (1 Kings 18:38-39) and raving (1 Kings 19:10, 14).  The man who demanded justice (1 Kings 19:10) and saw the Lord only in wind, earthquake, fire, and whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12) eventually saw the fulness of God’s glory on that mountain in the face of Jesus Christ (Matthew 17:2-3).
  • One leper’s character shines when he returns to thank Jesus (Luke 17:15-19).
  • A whiny, victimized, blameshifting invalid (John 5:6-7) demonstrates the opposite of faith even after meeting Life in flesh (John 5:14-16).  We don’t need the author to tell us to avoid his example.

When you read the Bible, be aware of how the characters are portrayed.  By their description, choices, and dialogue, we receive instruction in how to flee temptation by remembering that Jesus is our escape (1 Cor 10:6-13).  If you still have the chance to see The Avengers, do so, and become a better Bible student.

What The Hunger Games Taught Me About Bible Study

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I just finished reading the first Hunger Games book, which simultaneously captivated and horrified me.  This post is not a review of the content of the book, but an attempt to capture some literary points that (I think) contribute to the book’s success.  For more evaluative reviews, see my brief Goodreads review, or reviews by Tim Challies or Mark Meynell.

1.  Pay attention to verb tenses

Something nagged at me through the first part of the book.  The story felt alive to me, almost too alive.  It took a while to notice the cause, but eventually I realized the verbs were in the present tense.  Sorry, I did that paragraph all wrong; let me try it again.

Something nags at me through the first part of the book.  The story feels alive to me, almost too alive.  It takes a while to notice the cause, but eventually I realize it’s the verbs are in the present tense.

Collins isn’t the first novelist to use this convention, but I think it’s uncommon.  I can’t remember the last time I read a novel that employed it.

What does this fact have to do with Bible study?  Pay attention to tenses!  Authors communicate tone and mood through it.  Each biblical author communicates different style and purpose through his text.  One particularly vivid example is the Gospel of Mark.

For example, check out the New American Standard Bible, which conveniently lets us know when the original language behind a narrative uses present tense (instead of the more common past tense) by marking it with an *.

“Immediately the Spirit *impelled Him to go out into the wilderness” (Mark 1:12, NASB).

“They *went into Capernaum…” (Mark 1:21, NASB).

“Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they *spoke to Jesus about her” (Mark 1:30, NASB).

Swap each of those *verbs with a present tense (the Spirit impels…hey go…they speak…), and you’ll get the picture Mark intends.  You’ll picture yourself right there with Jesus and his disciples, and the story will come alive.

2. Put Yourself in the Story

Part of what I enjoyed about The Hunger Games was that stuff happens.  We didn’t need chapter after chapter of set up.  We didn’t get a lot of back story, except through the course of the action.  Collins’s greatest strength is her plot, which she uses well to both build characters and configure setting.  But the plot is always central.

So also, in the Bible, there are times when plot is central.  Again, the key example that comes to mind is the Gospel of Mark.  For example, notice how often Mark uses the word “immediately.”  Compared to the other three Gospels, Mark has the fewest recorded speeches of Jesus.  Mark cares about action, and he wants that action to impact us as though we were there.  Jesus is a doer, the King of the Universe, and he’s doing everything in his power to fix what is broken, especially in our own lives.

In short, as I read The Hunger Games and considered why it was so popular, I was inspired to go back and re-read Mark, which I did at my first opportunity.  As you engage in the folklore of our culture, allow it to sharpen your skill at reading God’s Knowable Word.

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What a Large Homeschool Convention Taught Me About Bible Study

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My wife and I just returned from “The largest Christian homeschool conference in the Northeast.”  We eagerly anticipated this event, and it didn’t disappoint.

So many benefits came from the time.  We were able to get our hands and eyes on many curriculum options, finally choosing what we will use for the coming school year.  We couldn’t even wait for the Fall to begin; as soon as we got home, we unwrapped a few things and immediately did the first of the new lessons with our children.  They just loved it, and our energy was still high from the buzz of the convention.

This blog isn’t about homeschooling, though, but about Bible study.  So, to get to the point: what I learned about Bible study is that we need much more of it.

At the convention, we heard a number of talks on various topics: publishing, storytelling, simultaneously instructing children of different grade levels, and including the preschoolers in homeschool time.  The last session we attended was especially helpful, in that the speaker (Marilyn Boyer of Character Concepts) listed about 30 character qualities, from the Bible, that we should seek to instill in our children.  She gave loads of tips on how to help our children connect with the Scriptures on a heart level, through memorizing them, meditating on them, and applying them to all of life’s adventures.

What I found noteworthy was that, other than this final session, the Bible was almost completely absent from the other workshops we attended.  To be fair, we could only attend a small fraction of the workshops, and perhaps we chose the only ones weaker on Scripture.

But I can’t help myself thinking that if “Christian homeschooling” can get dislodged from its moorings in careful biblical study, it’s merely symptomatic of Christian culture at large, which can be saturated with morals and activities but be somewhat barren when it comes to understanding God’s Knowable Word.

I’ll list just one other symptom that struck me.  Among the hundreds of vendors, we must have seen dozens of Bible curricula for children and teenagers.  This encouraged us.  However, almost every sample we perused focused on either the Bible’s stories, its ethics, or its theology.

These three are important topics, but what I’d also like to see is training for children and teens in how to study the Bible.  My hope for our children is that by the time they graduate high school, they won’t need a Bible text book anymore.  I’m not saying they’ll have perfect knowledge of all things, independent of the Christian community or the preaching of God’s Word.  I just mean that I’d like them to be able to pick up their Bibles, read them profitably, understand them rightly, and be equipped to use them to change the world.