Knowable Word - Bible study help

When the Bible Overwhelms You

September 7, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

Rod Waddington (2013), Creative Commons License

Application is the youngest sibling of the OIA Bible study method family. He is third-born and regularly forgotten. We assume he’ll tag along and join his brothers in the back seat of the car, but too often he’s still hiding under the rack of sweatpants at Walmart.

Application is far from automatic, mostly because application is hard. In fact, application is downright rare.

You’ve probably skipped application in your devotions from time to time. (I know I have.) Many preachers never get to application, and some Bible study leaders only raise the issue during the last two minutes as a conscience-soothing garnish. One of the weaknesses of the American church is a half-hearted commitment to Bible application.

Application Can Overwhelm

We occasionally stick the landing. We discover the author’s central theme through observation and interpretation. We buckle up and start to apply the text.

And then we’re hit with a flash of panic. I can’t do this. We feel overwhelmed.

I see at least two causes. Through his Spirit, God may bring a heavy conviction upon us. Like Peter’s audience at Pentecost, we may feel our guilt acutely and see our disobedience in every shadow. We’re overwhelmed because we don’t know where to turn or where to begin.

We may also feel overcome because of repeated exposure. We listen to sermons, attend Bible studies, have personal devotions, and read “Christian living” books. (You may add: we read ridiculous blog posts.) With each interaction we see a need for repentance. We’re overwhelmed because we think we just can’t handle one more. Our list is long enough!

Poor Reactions to Feeling Overwhelmed

In our flesh, we face temptations in these moments of brokenness.

We might be tempted to sit out this round. This is too hard! I don’t know where to start, so I won’t.

We might be tempted to cut back on our interaction with the Bible. If we leave the Good Book on the shelf, we can pretend all is well. Welcome to the land of the ostrich.

What might it look like to proceed faithfully when we feel overwhelmed by the call to apply the Bible?

Three Steps to Take

I can think of three steps to take.

Recognize there are no more demands on you now than a week ago. When you hear or discover an application of the Bible, you’re not being inventive. You’re seeing more of the law’s demands which were always there. God’s standards are enormously high—he doesn’t lower them when we embrace the gospel. “Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). If you’re feeling guilty about missing this standard, cheer up—you should have been feeling guilty about it yesterday!
Remember the gospel. The weight of the law is immense and a proper view of God’s law provokes our feelings of guilt. Why do we feel guilty? Because we are guilty! This is just as true for forgiven sinners in the church as it is for unrepentant sinners everywhere. We all need the death of Jesus in our place, and we all need the works of Jesus credited to our account. If you are a Christian, rejoice! God has embraced you and pledged himself to you, forever. Your behavior didn’t get you in, and your behavior won’t take you out. God’s call to obedience is real, but your lack of growth won’t turn your gracious Father away.
Get specific. Much of the feeling of being overwhelmed results from deep conviction but vague notions of obedience. This is the time to get specific and practical. Has God convicted you that you don’t take enough gospel-directed risks? Identify a specific risk you can take in a conversation with a coworker or neighbor this week. Ask a friend to follow up with you next Sunday. Have you been selfish with your time? Think of a creative and generous way to use 60 minutes this week to bless others.

Share or follow:

Top 10 Blessings of Study Bibles

September 4, 2015 By Peter Krol

When I graduated from high school, my parents bought me an NIV Study Bible with a shiny blue protective cover. I knew I was in the big league with this thing. I could take my Bible and not merely read it; now I felt fully equipped to study it.

I still get excited by new study Bibles. When I first got my ESV Study Bible, I kept staying up late to read it. Now that I blog about Bible study, most publishers give me free copies for review. I just finished reviewing the Reformation Study Bible. In the last week, I acquired both the NIV Zondervan Study Bible and the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (reviews will take a few weeks). Eventually I’d like to write a post comparing and contrasting these study Bibles (and more), recommending the ones that best promote OIA Bible study.

As I immerse myself in study Bibles, I’m reminded of the many blessings we have at our fingertips in the English-speaking world. Here are what I consider to be the top 10 blessings of study Bibles.

1. One-stop shop

Study Bibles collate the best pieces of a wide variety of resources. Unless you must dig exceptionally deep, there’s no need for a Bible atlas, Bible dictionary, dictionary of theology, library of commentaries, archaeological papers, exhaustive concordance, church histories, or systematic theologies. These are all good resources, and they come in handy for higher-level students. But for the average Christian, a good study Bible can replace a small library and still address the essentials.

2. Quick answers to straightforward questions

I’m studying Job, and I’m confused by Behemoth and Leviathan mentioned in chapters 40-41. I want to know the different ways interpreters have understood these two poetic figures. I open my study Bible, find the text, and get a quick survey of different answers.

3. Book introductions

I use study Bibles for this purpose more than any other. If I want to become familiar with the main point and themes of a book, I read the book 10-20 times. But if I want to understand all the historical things an original reader would already know about the situation in which the book was written, I read a concise book introduction in a study Bible. Who wrote 1 Chronicles? When was Galatians written relative to Paul’s other letters? What first-century situation did Revelation address?

4. Historical background

This point is similar to #3, but on the level of verses or chapters instead of books. Study Bible notes excel at placing key historical information in the right spots to help you get what’s going on. For example, how far was Joseph and Mary’s trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem? How long would it have taken? Why couldn’t they just stay in Nazareth for the census?

5. Maps

Unless you grew up in the Middle East, you need to look at maps when you study the Bible. My favorite study Bible maps are in full color, but the less expensive options do them in black and white.

6. Charts

Sometimes I like making my own charts; it helps me retain the information better. Once I created two timelines of the Kings of Israel and Judah—one from 1&2 Kings and another one from 1&2 Chronicles—and tried to understand the similarities and differences between them. But I’m no graphic artist, and others make such charts much more visually appealing.

7. Articles

Not every study Bible has articles in it, but those that do try to make them useful. Introduction to the Prophets. How to read the Bible. Key heresies from church history. Why different Bible manuscripts say different things. The challenge, however, is to remember that your study Bible has these articles in it. Otherwise, you can spend a lot of time searching Google for something worthwhile on a topic that comes up.

8. Illustrations/Photos

Similar to maps and charts, good illustrations stimulate visual learners. What would Noah’s ark look like next to a football field? How was Moses’ tabernacle or Solomon’s temple laid out? And here’s a sneak peek of my reactions to the NIV Zondervan Study Bible: Photographs! Why haven’t I seen other study Bibles that put real photographs on the page? I can see a threshing sledge, a cedar of Lebanon, a dead sea scroll, a signet ring, and a view of Samaria from the north. This is genius.

9. Verbal clarification

Don’t miss out on untranslatable word plays. (Why do people keep laughing when they hear about baby Isaac?) Don’t get confused by Hebrew or Greek idioms. (Does a man sleep with his fathers because the Supreme Court legalized it?) Don’t get caught buying into common misunderstandings. (Because God knows the plans he has for you.) Study Bibles thrive on clarifying the meanings of words and short phrases.

10. Teams of editors

Usually, a commentary is written by a single scholar. Like it or not, you get a single perspective on the text. Granted, the commentator still has an editor, but the editor is most likely better at writing and grammar than at theology and interpretation. Study Bibles still have individuals working on particular sets of study notes, but teams of editors review the whole and create alignment among the parts. Such spreading out of responsibility usually makes the product more cogent.

Let’s praise God for these incredible blessings, while keeping them in perspective. Next week, I’ll list the top 10 curses of study Bibles.

———-

Disclaimer: While the blog post above was authored c.2015 CE, the Amazonian links had affiliations. Such links enabled inhabitants of the 21st century to provide patronage for the web logs they read, with nothing extra added to the cost of their purchases. It was common for internet writers to use such affiliations to cover the expenses of their hosting services.

Share or follow:

What are Commentaries Good For?

September 2, 2015 By Peter Krol

Last week, Paul Levy gave some brief but helpful thoughts at Reformation 21 about using commentaries. Here are a few delicious quips:

Commentaries are often answering questions no one is asking.

They help you clarify what you don’t think.

I try to use commentaries only when I’m stuck, and invariably they are not a massive amount of help.

In finding what is the big theme of the letter most commentaries are of little use.

However, on the details of the text they can really help.

Levy’s musings are worth considering. Check it out!

Share or follow:

Reformation Study Bible (2015 Edition): It’s Big

August 28, 2015 By Peter Krol

There must be quite a market for study Bibles, because they keep making more of them. And some older ones are being updated and revised. Like The Reformation Study Bible.

It was published in 1995 as The New Geneva Study Bible, using the New King James translation. 1998 saw the name changed to The Reformation Study Bible. In 2005, a second edition emerged, switching translations from NKJV to ESV. Now in 2015, a third edition hit the market with a long list of new features. It’s already out in ESV, and an NKJV version is on its way.

Study notes multiplied from 760,000 to 1.1 million words. Ten more maps, fourteen theological articles, ten creeds and confessions, almost 600 pages, and an extra 3/8 of an inch in thickness expand the contents. In addition, purchasers of this Bible gain access to over $400 worth of e-books, subscriptions, and online teaching series.

There’s a lot here. Is it worth it?

First Impressions

This study Bible is beautiful. I’ve been reading the leather-like light gray version, but cheaper hardbacks are also available. I’m tempted to judge this book by its cover, with its soft leather-like substance and three marvelous, protruding ribbon bookmarks.

Upon opening and flipping, I find the page layout pleasing. The font of the biblical text is easy to read and in single-column format. Theological notes in shaded gray boxes pepper the volume. The back matter (articles, creeds, and maps) draws my attention.

This study Bible is a delight to handle and to read.

Diving In

The Reformation Study Bible (RSB) will appeal to some and not to others. I trust it will help many; I fear it will hinder some. The difference depends on how it is used.

If you know how to determine the main points and trains of thought of Bible passages, you will find some real help here. The RSB will clarify the meanings of words. It will connect many passages to each other. It will tie things nicely with larger theological issues. But if you look to the RSB to give you the main points and trains of thought of Bible books, I think you’ll be disappointed. The RSB is heavy on correlation and observation of words, but it is light on main points, trains of thought, and application.

In addition, if you’re already familiar with the significance and teachings of the Reformation, you’ll be at home with the RSB. It explains the Reformation and Reformed theology (the covenants, Christ-centered interpretation, doctrines of grace, etc.) with plain language and clarity. It makes lofty concepts understandable and accessible. But if you’re not sure about Reformed theology, or if you’d like to understand how these teachings are drawn out of careful literary analysis of the Scripture, you’ll be disappointed. While I wouldn’t say this study Bible imposes its teaching on the Scripture, I must admit it often doesn’t show its work by drawing its teaching from the Scripture.

Study Bibles serve well as reference works, but sometimes they distract people from studying the text itself. Therefore, if we think of study Bibles as commentaries, we can be on guard against detrimental addictions. If you can resist the addiction, I’m happy to recommend The Reformation Study Bible. You can buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books.

—————–

Study note: Disclaimer. Amazon and WTS links are affiliate links, so this blog gets a small commission if you click and buy anything. The Greek word for disclaimer is “disklaemeros.” Pliny the Younger used this word in his famous work Natural History.

Share or follow:

How to Decide Which Parts of the Bible to Follow and Which to Ignore

August 26, 2015 By Peter Krol

How do you decide which aspects of the Bible to follow, and which to ignore?

Justin Taylor posted a video of a young woman posing this question to Dr. John Stackhouse, Religious Studies Professor at Crandall University, New Brunswick. Stackhouse turns the question around to suggest that we should study the Bible closely enough to understand it before attempting to claim there are parts we should ignore.

The two-minute video is well worth your time. Check it out!

Share or follow:

40 Application Questions From Isaiah 40

August 24, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

Angell Williams (2008), Creative Commons License

Isaiah 40 is rich with imagery, promises, and soaring truths about God. If you’ve spent time worshiping with Christians, you’ve probably sung a hymn or song which draws on this chapter.

And though we’ve sung from Isaiah 40, I suspect far fewer of us have studied it or dug deeply into the application of this passage. After all, application is hard—we’re usually satisfied if we can find one token application before we move on to the nachos.

Not today, my friends. We’re going deep with application today.

The Main Point

The main point¹ of Isaiah 40 can be stated succinctly.

Take comfort: the incomparable God will come and care for his people.

Preparing for Application

When beginning to apply a passage, remember that there are two directions of application (inward and outward). We are confronted with these questions: How do I need to change? How can I influence others to change?

There are also three spheres of application: the head, the heart, and the hands. The author’s main point in a Bible passage should affect what I think/believe, what I desire, and what I do (respectively).

Finally, the best applications are specific and keep Jesus and his saving work in mind.

Application Questions for Isaiah 40

Instead of providing my own application of Isaiah 40, I’ve written questions to guide your application of the passage. I worked hard to get forty questions, just to show that the Bible reaches far deeper into our lives than we usually allow.

Head Application, Inward

Do you believe that God is the creator of everything (Is 40:12, 22)? Do you believe that God is the ruler over the nations (Is 40:15–17)? Do you believe that God directs and names the stars in the sky (Is 40:26)?
When are you likely to forget that God is the creator and ruler?
How can you remind yourself that God is the creator and ruler?
Do you believe that God is wise (Is 40:14)? Do you believe that God is unique, unlike any idol (Is 40:18–20)? Do you believe that God is able to strengthen the weak (Is 40:29–31) and protect the vulnerable (Is 40:11)?
When are you likely to forget that God is wise and unique, the source of protection and strength?
How can you remind yourself that God is wise and unique, the source of protection and strength?
Do you believe that God wants comfort for (and not vengeance upon) his people?
Do you believe that God is devoted to his people? When are you likely to forget this? Why?

Heart Application, Inward

In times of distress or uncertainty, what brings you comfort? Do you find comfort in hearing truth about God?
What do you rely on for strength or energy? Do you depend on caffeine, sleep, “comfort food,” or something else?
Do you know the burden of exhaustion and discouragement shouldered by God’s people? Do you want God to comfort his people?
Do you want to be comforted by God, or would you prefer to find comfort in something (or someone) else?
Do you rejoice that God has come to be near/with you in the person of Jesus? What specifically about Jesus’s presence brings you joy?
Do you rejoice that God is eager to give you His strength? What difference does God’s provision of his strength make in your life?
Do you fear the nations? How can you pray so that you will not fear them?
Do you fear the government? How can you pray so that you will not fear it?

Hands Application, Inward

With what actions do you seek comfort? When do you desire comfort? How can you train yourself to seek Biblical comfort?
How can you turn God’s creation into reminders about God’s character for yourself? (Witness the way Isaiah uses these images to teach about God: a shepherd with lambs (Is 40:11), stars (Is 40:26), nations (Is 40:15–17), grass and flowers (Is 40:6–8), scales and measurements (Is 40:12), grasshoppers (Is 40:22), craftsmen (Is 40:19–20), eagles (Is 40:31), youth (Is 40:30).)
When do you find yourself needing strength? How can you seek/receive the strength that God promises?
How can you seek God’s strength through his word?
How can you seek God’s strength through worshiping him?
How can you seek God’s strength through fellowship with his people?
How can you seek strength from God through the means he provides (sleep, recreation, etc.) and still acknowledge God as the source?
What does it look like for you to “wait for the Lord” (Is 40:31)? In what circumstances is it difficult for you to wait for the Lord? Why?
How will the truths from this passage affect the way you celebrate Advent/Christmas this year?

Head Application, Outward

What are some false/inadequate comforts you have given to other people? How can you replace these imitations with Biblical comfort?
When do you have opportunities to remind other Christians what God is like? How can you plan to be ready in these situations?
What questions can you ask your neighbors or friends to lead to a discussion about God?
What questions can you ask your children to lead to a discussion about God?

Heart Application, Outward

Do you desire that all of God’s children know his comfort? Are there some you would rather not be comforted?
How can we help each other discover what brings us comfort?
How can we help each other discover where we turn for strength?
How will you build friendships so that these are natural/welcome topics of conversation?
Are you hesitant to reveal your own misdirected comfort-seeking to others? If Jesus has died for you and welcomed you into God’s family, why are you hesitant?

Hands Application, Outward

How can you extend God’s shepherdly comfort to his flock?
Identify at least two people within your sphere of concern who are especially vulnerable. How can you care for them?
How can you encourage others to seek God for strength?
How could you involve others in a Christmas celebration that focuses on God’s comfort and care for his people in Jesus?
How can you use creation to discuss God with your children?
How can you use creation to discuss God with your neighbors?

Back to Jesus

How do these application questions specifically remember Jesus? I haven’t made that explicit, but consider this. In the beginning of the chapter (Is 40:2), when God calls for comfort for his people, the basis of the message is this: “her warfare has ended, her iniquity has been removed, she has received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” The foundation of the message is reconciliation with God, initiated by God. Jesus has come near and provided comfort and care for us; therefore, we can exhort ourselves and others to seek out our merciful God.

Here’s a brief outline of the passage to support this claim. (But you should study the passage yourself to check my work!) The theme of comfort is introduced in Is 40:1, and the three “voices” that respond to this command introduce their own sections in Is 40:3, Is 40:6, and Is 40:9. Isaiah discusses God’s unmatched actions and abilities in Is 40:12-14 (his creation and wisdom), Is 40:15-17 (the nations are insignificant before God), Is 40:18-20 (God is unlike any human idol), Is 40:21-24 (God dwells in the heavens and brings earth’s rulers to nothing), and Is 40:25-26 (the Holy One directs the stars by his power). We also read of God’s coming to his people in both Is 40:3-5 and Is 40:9-11, and his concern for his people is evident in Is 40:9-11 (his ruling arm provides tender care, especially for the most vulnerable) and Is 40:27-31 (God gives his own strength to his people).
↩

Share or follow:

Too Busy to Blog: Little League is On

August 21, 2015 By Peter Krol

I’m not able to write this week because I’ve taken my family to see some early games of the Little League World series tournament in Williamsport, PA. If you’d like to see one reason why we love attending, check out “What the Little League World Series Taught Me About Bible Study.”

We’re so excited to see another Pennsylvania team back in the tournament this year. Go Red Land! And we couldn’t be more thrilled to see another team from Uganda back in the series (my sons were born in Uganda).

Share or follow:

Infographic: Kings of Israel and Judah

August 19, 2015 By Peter Krol

If you’re studying Kings, Chronicles, or one of the Prophets, the Good Book Company has an infographic you might want to check out. They list all the kings of Israel and Judah, color-coded to represent the text’s evaluation of their obedience to God. The infographic also shows the Hebrew prophets and where their prophecies fit into the timeline. It’s clean, attractive, and very helpful.

Check it out!

Share or follow:

Even the Bible Needed Upgrading

August 12, 2015 By Peter Krol

Though God’s Holy Spirit breathed out the very words of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16-17), he did so through the skills and creativity of human authors (2 Pet 1:21). And as the generations passed, and the original readers of a Bible book had come and gone, scribes would update the text to make sense for a new era.

This fact is not something Bible-believing Christians should fear or cover up. It does not threaten the doctrines of inspiration or inerrancy. If God can speak through human authors, he can also speak through human editors. Some alleged errors or inconsistencies in the Bible can be reasonably explained through this editorial process.

We understand the practice today. It often takes as few as 10 years for a publisher to release a “revised and updated” second edition of a successful book. This doesn’t necessarily mean the first edition was in error, but that when times change, some things need updating. Important ancient literature worked the same way.

Writing for Bible Study Magazine, Michael Heiser speaks of such evidence of “upgrading” in Genesis 14 and Psalm 51. We could find many further examples where terminology, people or place names, or turns of phrase must have been updated for later generations. God wants people to know him through his word. His word will last forever, and his main points don’t change, but the text must always be translated and explained for each new generation and culture.

Heiser gives two reasons why details may have been updated over time:

To make the stories more familiar to new readers (by avoiding archaic names and terminology they wouldn’t understand).
To re-purpose something already written to “make it preach” to a new community.

Heiser’s brief article gives a few examples and much worth considering. Check it out!

Share or follow:

Ten Characteristics of a Great Small Group Member

August 10, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

Both inside and outside of the church, we talk a lot about the characteristics of leaders. And rightly so. For any organization, leaders cast the vision, set the goals, and model the actions.

We hear far less about followers. This, despite the fact followers far outnumber leaders!

What Makes a Good Follower?

cassandra (2012), Creative Commons License

We have lots of resources devoted to leading small group Bible studies. But what if you’re not the leader? What if you’re eager to glorify God by attending a Bible study?

Here are ten traits found in a great small group member. If you are attending a small group, make these qualities your target and the subject of your prayers.

What is a great small group member like?

He is a servant. The ideal small group member knows that he has an important role within his group. While he expects to be blessed by attending his small group, he sees the opportunity to bless others through his actions, words, and prayers. He relishes his opportunity to bear the burdens of his brothers and sisters in the Lord.
He is committed to the Bible. He values his friends and their contributions, but his highest authority is the Bible. He knows that cursory and thoughtless readings don’t honor God, so he pushes himself and his friends to dig again and again into the Scriptures. He works hard to keep his Bible study skills sharp.
He is open-minded. He is willing to change his mind when presented with compelling Biblical evidence. His convictions are shaped by God’s unchangeable word.
He listens. He values what others say. He knows that the Holy Spirit gives wisdom about the Bible through the insights of fellow believers. Because he cares for his friends, he is eager to hear how God is at work in their lives.
He is compassionate. He prays for his friends and follows up on those requests. He sends notes of encouragement to those who are fighting for joy in God.
He engages. He answers questions from the leader, and he poses questions himself. When the discussion drifts, he points the group back to the text. He gently draws out those who are shy, and he asks the bold to justify their claims from the Bible.
He is prepared. He labors before his group gathers so the meeting will have maximum impact.
He is vulnerable. He bares his heart to his friends, knowing that honesty is a crucial weapon in the battle against sin.
He perseveres. He is committed to his group despite the imperfections of both the leader and the other group members. He knows that all sinners (including himself) can be difficult to love, and he extends to others the forgiveness and grace he wants for himself.
He is growing. While spiritual growth may be difficult to spot from one day to the next, when he looks back over the course of a year, he can see more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (See Gal 5:22–23.) This growth is no cause for pride, but he rejoices in God’s faithful love for him. This growth is inspirational and infectious within his small group.

If you measure yourself against this list and come up short, don’t lose heart. Jesus is the only one who followed any list of good behavior perfectly. If you are God’s child, you don’t earn his smile; rather, his smile never departs from you! This provides both the motivation and the power to work toward blessing your small group.

I’m sure this list is not complete. What characteristics would you add?

Share or follow:

« Previous Page