Knowable Word - Bible study help

When Small Group Members Are Reluctant to Participate

March 15, 2021 By Ryan Higginbottom

Many small group Bible study leaders face long periods of silence during their meetings. They ask a question. They get no answer.

This awkwardness may be due to the quality of their question. Asking a good question that provokes thoughtful responses is hard! Unanswered questions may also be due to an atmosphere in the group that stifles interaction.

The last reason I’ve offered for these silent stretches is the people in the group. Some people are simply reluctant to participate.

Let’s be clear: People are not a problem to fix. Rather, it is our job as leaders to love our people.

Outside of Group Meetings

There are scores of reasons for people to be hesitant to engage in discussion about the Bible. These reasons may spring from bad experiences, feelings of inadequacy, or even social anxiety.

A small group leader should not guess or assume what’s going on. They should get to know their group members outside of the group meetings.

Relationships take time and effort, but a little can go a long way. Phone calls, emails, and conversations over coffee can help to break down barriers and build trust, friendship, and understanding.

With specific attention to small group discussion, these outside-the-meeting conversations can offer a lot of missing information. Group members can open up about their experiences, and they may be willing to share why they don’t often engage in the conversation.

If you are a small group leader trying to get to know their people outside of the group meetings, I have two broad pieces of advice. First, emphasize how much you value their presence in the group. Whether or not they participate, their membership in your small community counts.

You might also ask how you could make the discussion more helpful to them. The quiet members of your group may have insights about the group and your leadership that you haven’t considered.

These reluctant friends should know that you value any contribution they make and that you are eager for them to engage more—if and when they are comfortable doing so.

During Group Meetings

Getting to know members of a small group is a huge step forward, and it will help leaders during small group Bible study meetings.

It’s not hard to find gradual ways to involve members in the conversation. We can ask them to read portions of Scripture, to summarize the conversation from the previous meeting, or to answer some easier/observation questions. In this way we can build up the confidence of our quieter friends and help them feel more comfortable in the group.

Another strategy for involving quieter group members is to call on them by name (instead of throwing a question out to the whole group). We should only do this if we know in advance this won’t embarrass anyone, and we can even contact the person ahead of time and ask for permission and/or share the question we plan to ask them. When calling on a person by name, I usually include an easy way for them to politely decline to answer.

If our group members know that we love them, and if we’ve created a good climate in our group, then regular, gentle encouragement will go a long way toward bringing people into the conversation.

While some people can and should be encouraged to take risks and participate, others should not. Part of getting to know the people in our groups involves knowing why they don’t often speak and whether or not that reason is an area for encouraging Christian growth. For example, a young woman who doesn’t speak because she is afraid of being wrong is different than a thirty-something man whose reluctance springs from persistent migraine headaches. We should work with and encourage the former while being understanding and patient with the latter. Love and leadership takes many forms!

Conclusion

Small group Bible studies come in a thousand different forms, and each group member offers something different. The best group leaders will get to know their friends well and encourage them to contribute when they are able.

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Difficult texts: Colossians 1:24

March 12, 2021 By Tom Hallman

Recently I led a Bible Study in Colossians 1. It’s a fantastic chapter that radically exalts Christ and informs us of His absolute preeminence in all things.

Well, at least until you hit verse 24…

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (Colossians 1:24 ESV, emphasis mine)

Wait a minute… did Paul really just say that? In Paul’s flesh he is filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? How could he say that after what he had just written previously, that Jesus had made “peace by the blood of His cross.” (Colossians 1:20 ESV)? What could possibly be lacking in Christ’s afflictions?

When we come upon such difficult texts, we’re left with several choices:

Ignore the text: While that’s sometimes the best thing to do temporarily so that you can keep moving forward in trying to understand the rest of a passage, it’s neither good nor wise to ignore any teaching of Scripture (See 2 Tim 3:16-17).
Guess its meaning: Sadly, this is what we tend to do all too often, and it means that what we come up with is at best unreliable – and quite possibly much worse. For example, it would be very wrong to conclude here that Christ’s atonement requires the work of another to be effective! Whenever in doubt, it’s better to say, “I don’t know” than to assume something false in Scripture.
Use Scripture to interpret Scripture: While God does not give us every answer to every question in Scripture, He has nonetheless given us His knowable Word. So we ought to ask ourselves if Scripture answers this question itself. Let’s consider this option further.

Sometimes we need only look a verse or two away to find the meaning. In this case, however, we need to flip a couple pages back to Philippians 2. At the very end of that chapter we find this text:

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. (Philippians 2:25-30 ESV, emphasis mine)

Here Paul writes of Epaphroditus that he risked his life to complete (or fill up) what was lacking in the Philippians’ service to Paul. That’s very similar language to Colossians 1:24, but what does it mean?

Paul tells us a few verses earlier that Epaphroditus was a messenger sent from the Philippians to minister to Paul’s needs. So Paul is certainly not complaining of their deficiency of service. What else could it mean? It appears that because the Philippians could not themselves physically be present with Paul to minister to him, they sent a representative: Epaphroditus. So that is what Paul means by “what was lacking”.

With that in mind, let’s return again to Colossians 1:24:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (Colossians 1:24 ESV)

As was the case in the Philippians passage, Paul is not making up for some deficiency in Christ’s atoning work (as if one existed). Rather, because Christ has ascended to be seated at the right hand of His Father in heaven, He cannot be physically present to minister to the Colossians. So He sent a representative: Paul. Mystery solved!

Now, that’s only a tiny sampling of what can be gleaned from Colossians 1:24, but at least we’re safely back in line with the teaching of Scripture. We can confidently rejoice in the completed work of our knowable Savior, Jesus Christ, as demonstrated in His knowable Word.

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Reading Challenge Reminder

March 10, 2021 By Peter Krol

Don’t forget we’ve got a Bible reading challenge underway. There’s still time to finish reading the entire Bible within 90 days, and you could enter to win a free CSB Reader’s Bible, Five-Volume Collection or a one-volume reader’s Bible of your choice.

Reading must be completed by March 31. See this post for the complete rules. We’ve got twelve entries so far! Once you’ve completed your reading, you may enter the drawing with this form.

Entries that do not meet the guidelines (for example, reading period longer than 90 days, reading period is outside the allowable dates, or form is submitted before the reading has been completed) will not be counted in the drawing.

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ESV Panorama New Testament: Practical?

March 5, 2021 By Peter Krol

When I decide to review a product, it’s normally because I’ve already decided the product will be useful for Bible study. The ESV Panorama New Testament is a little different, however. While I was fascinated by the idea of this new product, I was pretty sure it wouldn’t work practically. But I wanted to see for myself.

What is it?

The ESV Panorama New Testament is an oversized printing of the full New Testament, appearing almost like a coffee table book. The font is the same size as a standard book, so a lot of text fits on each page. All of the standard extras are here (chapter and verse numbers, section headings, page numbers, and beginning and ending verse references in the top corners), but no additional study helps are present (cross references, footnotes, study notes, etc.). The idea is to get more of the Bible on each page spread so you can read or study large portions at a time without the distraction of page turns.

The promo video promises that this format “gives a wider perspective on the context of each passage.”

My Skepticism

Of course, I am all in favor of making it easier for people to keep context in mind as they read and study the Bible. But can a giant-sized book do that? I don’t know about you, but I generally don’t sit and read my coffee-table books for hours on end. They’re typically helpful for browsing or showing something off. But not for lengthy reading or careful literary analysis.

And yet I am deeply grateful to Crossway for their constant creativity in finding new and unexpected ways of delighting in God’s word. They have taken many risks, publishing things we just haven’t seen before, without assurance of dramatic sales. They rocked my world with their first reader’s Bible. And then the six-volume set? They took us to the third heaven, an experience that compelled not one but two reviews from me.

Since then, Crossway delighted us with many other glorious experiments. Scripture journals. Journaling Bibles. Reader’s gospels. But what about this coffee table monstrosity? I can imagine showing it off to people who visit my home, but not sitting and reading. Not attempting deep OIA study. Perhaps I’ll witness Crossway’s hull finally running aground on a deliciously ambitious but failed experiment.

What’s Good

I’ll begin with the good news, which is that it works. It really works. The video makes the book seem larger than it really is. And because of its thinness, it weighs very little and is not hard to hold on a lap. It lies quite flat on a desk or tabletop, and I had no trouble using it for extended reading.

There is something pretty remarkable about seeing the entire book of Colossians, to give one example, on a single page spread. The layout gives the reader permission to read and keep reading. I imagine that with repeated reading, repeated words and ideas would pop off the page, and this volume is well designed for marking up such things.

There is plenty of space in the margins, between columns, and at the bottom of the page for extensive annotations. And I am very grateful for the exclusion of study helps. This edition of the New Testament focuses you almost exclusively on the text itself. A lot of text at once. And the psychological effect of seeing so much text at once is truly remarkable.

What Could be Better

Ten of the New Testament books are too long for a single page spread. I appreciate that the typesetting for those books doesn’t simply run to the end of the margin and continue on the next page. Instead, they set up only complete chapters, such that whenever you turn a page, you’re always at the beginning of a new chapter on the left-hand side.

I applaud the self-consciousness here to avoid having a page end mid-thought or mid-sentence. And in some cases, it still works. For example, it is glorious to see the entire Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) on a single page spread. Perhaps this will help people read it as a single sermon. In addition, having each page break line up with a particular chapter break has another welcome effect, that of causing a variety in the amount of blank space at the bottom of each spread. All pages have plenty of space down there; because of the page break, some have even more than “plenty,” making this Bible even more likely to be useful as a markup Bible.

However, I’m disappointed that the primary factor in breaking each page is the chapter division. This intriguing volume could be even more successful at what it sets out to do if it simply discarded chapter and verse numbers (like a true reader’s Bible), and instead worked to put page breaks at more natural literary divisions (which are quite often not at our Bibles’ chapter breaks!).

The argument in favor of retaining chapter and verse numbers likely rests with the need to be able to find or reference specific passages. That need could be mitigated if the chapter and verse numbers were in the margins, outside the text block (like line numbers in a Shakespeare play), and if the paragraphing and page breaks were not so dependent on them.

Finally, if this Bible truly sets out to give a wider perspective on the context of each passage, I think it would do that better without section headings on each paragraph or group of paragraphs. Perhaps just a heading on each larger division, like those found in the Six-Volume Set, would be sufficient. But the sheer amount of text on each page spread makes this criticism far less urgent than in most other editions of the Bible.

Conclusion

I am pleasantly surprised by this edition. At this point, I can envision making great use of the ESV Panorama New Testament as a markup Bible for careful study. I plan to use it for this purpose for some time to come. At least, until they come out with a reader’s version (no chapter or verse numbers). Or if they make a whole-Bible version (including the Old Testament as well).

I really like what Crossway has done here, and I think the risk pays off handsomely. Do consider giving it a try. Available at Amazon.

Crossway sent me a complimentary review copy in exchange for an honest review. They didn’t even ask whether I expected to like it or not. Amazon links are affiliate links; if you take the risk of clicking them, this blog will receive a small commission, though not a handsome one.

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Help for Identifying Literary Units

March 3, 2021 By Peter Krol

One common challenge in Bible study is figuring out how much text to study. Whether it’s for personal study, small group discussion, or a sermon selection, students of the Bible have a number of things working against them in making this choice.

First, ancient literature didn’t have typesetting, headings, or subheadings in the same way modern literature does. If you pick up the latest bestselling fiction, chapters are clearly marked. If you prefer non-fiction, you have not only chapters, but clear section headings to break up units of thought. Having no such conventions, ancient literature had to embed its literary markers within the text itself.

Second, modern presentation of Bibles is not always all that helpful. For about 8 centuries, we’ve been stuck with a system of chapter and verse numbers that were designed primarily to help us find things and not to mark off literary units. But most people reading a Bible will presume the chapter and verse divisions should be treated like modern chapters and subheadings, when they ought to function more like line numbers in a Shakespeare play.

Add to that the common publishing practice of adding headings over segments of text, which may or may not be sensitive to the innate literary markers, and readers have a lot to sort through (and learn not to rely on) before they can begin observing.

So I regularly hear folks asking how to figure out how much text to study at once. Ryan wrote a great piece on this question, which you can find here, where he argues we ought to study complete units of thought. That then begs the question of how to identify complete units of thought. Ryan’s piece offers much help to that end.

And a reader of the blog, Barbara Johnson, recently put me on to another wonderful piece by Jason DeRouchie that goes into greater depth on this crucial topic of identifying units of thought. Perhaps you’ve read some of my interpretive book overviews, and you wonder what I mean by “literary markers” and why I begin each piece with them. I am simply trying to show the literary conventions, found within the text itself, that mark off the author’s units of thought.

DeRouchie can help:

The limits of the passage could be a quotation, a paragraph, a story, a song, or even an entire book. The process of establishing literary units is not random, for the biblical authors wrote with purpose, logic, and order, creating groupings and hierarchies of thought to guide understanding. As a biblical interpreter, consider whether there is a clear beginning and end to your passage. Are there clues in the content and/or the grammar that clarify a passage’s boundaries? … Determining the boundaries of a passage can help you lead a Bible study, plan a series of Bible studies, or plan a preaching series. Before you can do any of these things, you have to know where to start and where to end. This blog post offers some basic guidelines for establishing the boundaries of literary units.

He then gives 5 primary steps to help you establish these boundaries, with much insight into each step:

Don’t automatically trust English translations’ verse and chapter divisions.
Remember that some multi-volume works in our English Bibles were single books in Jesus’ Bible.
Look for recognizable beginning and ending markers.
Treat literary units as wholes.
Check your decision against modern translations and, if possible, the standard Hebrew text.

This is very helpful material, which will help you to grow into a more literary student of the Scriptures, acquiring an appropriate sensitivity to the shape of the text before you. I highly commend DeRouchie’s article.

Check it out!

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Creating an Atmosphere for Discussion in Your Small Group

March 1, 2021 By Ryan Higginbottom

Most Bible studies are marked by periods of silence that last just a little too long.

These silences usually happen when the group leader asks a bad question. I’ve recently written about the characteristics of a good question, and I’ve provided some examples.

Now we turn to another reason for unanswered questions: a group atmosphere that discourages interaction.

A Bad Atmosphere

The culture of any group takes a lot of time and effort to create, but after the culture is established a lot of decisions and behaviors become automatic. When everyone is expected to share prayer requests or stay afterward to play Backgammon, those activities develop into part of the routine.

A small group leader should aim to create a group atmosphere in which deep, vibrant conversation is expected. When this is the air we breathe, few good questions will go unanswered.

Creating a Good Atmosphere

A small group leader has an enormous influence on the group’s culture. There are at least four ways a leader can work to create a climate that encourages good discussion.

A Leader Must Value Discussion

Perhaps this is obvious, but a small group leader needs to value discussion in order for it to happen. They need to be convinced it is actually good—both for the group and for the leader—to have conversation in the group.

Many leaders know that the question-and-answer model is expected, but deep down they resent it. They think the group would be better off if they could share their knowledge without interruption—and a brain-to-brain download would be even more efficient!

Having attended classes and small groups for twenty-some years, I can tell when a leader values discussion and when they are just playing a part. And, if you’re a leader, trust me—your friends can tell whether or not you want to hear from them.

Hear this, leaders: Conversation is the best way for your group members to learn and grow. And discussion is also better than lecturing for you, as a leader. Your friends are not the only ones who need to listen, engage, and learn!

A Leader Must Invite Discussion

Inviting discussion is different than tolerating or even welcoming it. Leaders who value discussion will invite it from their group members—regularly and emphatically.

How does a leader invite discussion? They ask for it. They work hard to write good questions. And they thank their group members (both during and after the meeting) for their participation.

A small group leader should also look forward to conversation with their group, and they should say so. They should note the ways they learn and benefit from their friends’ insights, comments, and questions.

A Leader Must Engage in Discussion With Love

A great indicator of how much a leader values discussion is the way they listen and react when discussion actually happens. If conversation serves only as filler in the leader’s mind, they will be impatient or inattentive when others are talking. If this sort of leader is listening at all, it’s only to spot another opportunity to speak.

Our posture, our eye contact, our expressions, and our engagement with answers from our friends all communicate our desire (or lack of desire) for discussion.

Now, leaders need to be prepared to field some off-the-wall comments. We should be gracious in response, praising what is praiseworthy without affirming every point. This takes care, because a leader’s bad reaction to an answer will squash any further discussion during that meeting (and possibly for meetings to come).

When a small group member hijacks the conversation or shuts it down, the leader may need to speak with that person privately to explain how their behavior is affecting the group. And if this persists, that leader may need to ask questions targeted at (or away from) specific members of the group.

A Leader Must Pray

Though this item is last in my list, it is first in importance. A good small group leader should pray about all aspects of their group, and this includes the in-meeting discussion.

If we believe that the Holy Spirit is needed to understand and benefit from the Bible, and if we believe that the interaction offered in a small group study is vital for gaining this benefit, then we should regularly bring this request before the Lord.

Clearer Skies

The atmosphere in a small group Bible study can be like smog in a big city, choking out all possibility of vibrant conversation. But with some adjustments, a leader can aim for the blue skies and fresh air of wide, open spaces, where discussion will flourish and Christians can grow mightily in the Lord.

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Acts: The World’s Salvation Cannot be Stopped

February 26, 2021 By Peter Krol

Luke’s first volume to the Roman official Theophilus was all about how the world’s salvation, hoped for by generations of Israelites, had arrived in Jesus. Luke’s second volume continues the narrative, describing the many things Jesus continued to do and teach (Acts 1:1). This book especially highlights the many things that should have brought an end to the Jesus movement, were it not from God (Acts 5:38-39), not the least of which is the list of charges being brought by the Jewish leadership against the Apostle Paul (Acts 24:5-6).

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Literary Markers

Many have observed the structure of Acts to be based largely on geography, with Acts 1:8 delineating the sections: “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

So the book roughly gets divided accordingly (here is an example):

Jerusalem – Acts 1:1-8:3
Judea and Samaria – Acts 8:4-12:25
Ends of the earth – Acts 13-28
- Paul’s first missionary journey – Acts 13:1-15:35
- Pauls’ second missionary journey – Acts 15:36-18:22
- Paul’s third missionary journey – Acts 18:23-21:17
- Paul’s voyage to Rome – Acts 21:18-28:31

This geographical breakdown makes a lot of sense, and can certainly be helpful for visualizing the narrative. My chief concern with it is that it doesn’t follow closely on the literary markers. To give one clear example: The end of Paul’s second “journey” (Acts 18:22) and beginning of his third (Acts 18:23) has no literary fanfare whatsoever. No closure. No sense of climax and resolution. Nothing to signal the end of one unit of thought and the beginning of another. It’s as though Luke didn’t intend a break there, or a new section to begin at Acts 18:23.

I’ve been helped by the observation numerous other commentators (John Stott, William Taylor, etc.) have made, that the chief literary markers in the book of Acts are the narrative statements summarizing the Christian movement’s growth. There are seven such statements scattered through the book (Acts 2:47, 6:7, 9:31, 12:24, 16:5, 19:20, 28:30-31), and every one is accompanied by a tangible sense of narrative resolution, giving us good reason to see them as marking Luke’s main units of thought. (Here are two posts to help you identify units of thought in biblical literature.) Acts 5:14 appears at first to be another example of a narrative summary of growth, but it clearly falls within a narrative episode and isn’t accompanied by a clear narrative resolution.

These seven markers, summaries at the end of their units, divide the book into seven sections. (Daniel Wallace does a great job highlighting the value of both ways of structuring Acts—geographical divisions and narrative summary divisions—in this analysis.)

Walkthrough

Each of the book’s seven sections highlights a particular obstacle or state of affairs that threatens the fledgling Jesus movement. And the dramatic tension and climax of each section shows the movement overcoming the obstacle in such a way as to precipitate even further growth. This movement simply cannot be stopped.

The first section (Acts 1:1-2:47) highlights the absence of Jesus. Though he departs and ascends to heaven, he leaves them with the promises of a kingdom and his Spirit (Acts 1:3-5). They know they’ll need to refill their “twelveness” in order to live out their identity as a new kingdom, a new Israel (Acts 1:15-26). They then receive the Spirit and begin to proclaim the kingdom (Acts 2). Despite the absence of Jesus, God adds to their number daily (Acts 2:47).

The second section (Acts 3:1-6:7) highlights the pressure of pain, both internal and external. The external pain of persecution (Acts 3:1-4:31) yields to the internal pain of deceit and treachery (Acts 4:32-5:11). More external pain from persecution (Acts 5:12-42) leads into further internal pain of having to manage affairs within such a rapidly growing community (Acts 6:1-7). Despite the pain, both external and internal, the Word of God increases, and even priests obey the faith (Acts 6:7).

The third section (Acts 6:8-9:31) highlights the inconsistency of results. How might Luke speak into our preoccupation with ministry results in our day? Sometimes you face unjust martyrdom at the hands of stiff-necked religious resistance (Acts 6:8-8:3). And sometimes you’ll find unpredictable acclaim with true religious seekers (Acts 8:4-40). And yet other times, you’ll witness the most unlikely of conversions that show off the riches of grace and the perfection of Christ’s patience (Acts 9:1-31). Yet despite the inconsistency of results, peace and edification are available to those who fear the Lord and receive the Spirit’s comfort (Acts 9:31).

The fourth section (Acts 9:32-12:24) highlights the ubiquity of prejudice. Even the most effective Christ-imitating leaders (Acts 9:32-43) must root out their own prejudices (Acts 10:1-48) and help others do the same (Acts 11:1-18). Those who do, in fact, root it out experience uncanny unity and remarkable reputation (Acts 11:19-30). Those who do not join the fellowship of worms (Acts 12:1-24). Despite the ubiquity of prejudice, the word of God still increases and multiplies (Acts 12:24).

The fifth section (Acts 12:25-16:5) highlights the weakness of leadership. The Spirit of God appoints and commissions those whom he wills to further his mission (Acts 12:25-13:4). They proclaim the word, not as innovators, but as simply building on those who came before (Acts 13:5-52, compare with Peter’s sermon in Acts 2). They learn boldness, but are continuously beat down through much tribulation (Acts 14:1-28). They don’t have all the answers, but often disagree and have to work with others to solve thorny issues (Acts 15:1-35). And sometimes they can’t even work out their problems and must separate (Acts 15:36-16:5). Yet it’s uncanny: Despite the extensive and visible weakness of our leaders, the churches are strengthened in faith and increase in numbers daily (Acts 16:5).

The sixth section (Acts 16:6-19:20) highlights the opposition of the world (perhaps the rise of cancel culture?). We’ve already seen opposition in this book (especially in sections two and five), but here it takes center stage. Though God is preparing people who want the help of the gospel (Acts 16:6-10), many more will still feel threatened by it, whether on account of the cost (Acts 16:16-24), the embarrassment (Acts 16:35-40), the jealousy (Acts 17:1-15), the perceived lack of intellectual sophistication (Acts 17:16-34), the violation of sacred tradition (Acts 18:1-17), the stubbornness of unbelief (Acts 19:8-10), or the seduction of counterfeits (Acts 19:11-20). Yet despite the world’s onslaught of opposition, there remain many who receive the word, which prevails mightily (Acts 19:20).

The seventh section (Acts 19:21-28:31) is the lengthiest, perhaps because Luke really homes in on Paul’s innocence and defense in these chapters. This section highlights the utter failure of politics and politicians, including religious politicians. Paul resolves to go to Rome (Acts 19:21), though he knows not yet what it will cost him. The Ephesian town clerks fail to prevent a riot or vindicate Paul’s innocence in the matter (Acts 19:23-41). Paul makes preparations for leaders to lead in his absence (Acts 20:17-38). His friends along the way to Jerusalem cannot understand his mission or calling to Rome (Acts 21:1-16). The plan of the Jerusalem elders backfires (Acts 21:17-36). Paul makes five defenses—before the Jerusalem crowd (Acts 22), the Sanhedrin (Acts 23), Governor Felix (Acts 24), Governor Festus (Acts 25), and King Herod Agrippa (Acts 26). Though Paul is clearly innocent of the charges (Acts 24:5-6), and the leaders repeatedly declare him to be so, not one of them has the courage, will, or cunning to actually release him. Yet despite the ineptitude and failure of politics and politicians, the kingdom of God continues to be preached with all boldness and without hindrance (Acts 28:31).

Conclusion

The book of Acts is a masterpiece. Luke’s probable goal of exonerating Paul does not preclude an alternative purpose of winning readers to Christ. If this was on Paul’s mind, even while having to defend himself legally (Acts 26:29), why couldn’t it also be on Luke’s? At the same time, this book serves as a tremendous encouragement to all who have cast their lot with this Jesus movement. The challenges of today are not all that different from the challenges our brothers and sisters of old had to face. And if the world’s salvation delivered through the gospel of Christ’s kingdom could not be stopped then…

Interpretive Outline

The world’s salvation (available in the kingdom of Jesus) cannot be stopped by:

The absence of Jesus – Acts 1:1-2:47
The pressure of pain, whether external or internal – Acts 3:1-6:7
The inconsistency of results – Acts 6:8-9:31
The ubiquity of prejudice – Acts 9:32-12:24
The weakness of leadership – Acts 12:25-16:5
The opposition of the world – Acts 16:6-19:20
The failure of politics and politicians – Acts 19:21-28:31

This post is part of a series of interpretive overviews of the books of the Bible.

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The Reason You’re Bored with the Bible

February 24, 2021 By Peter Krol

My friend Andy Cimbala has a fine piece at his blog about “The Reason Why You’re Bored with the Bible.”

There are many reasons why you could be bored with the Bible. Maybe you have read the whole thing and already think you know what it says, so for you the repeat content is boring. Maybe you haven’t read much, but you’ve been in church enough times that you figure you know the basic gist… and it’s not something you want to hear more of. Maybe you just aren’t into books, and since the Bible is a book, therefore it’s boring. Maybe you’re into stories, and so all those Pauline epistles, poetry, and case laws in Deuteronomy… are boring!
But I’d like to suggest one big reason why most people are bored with the Bible: because you are treating it like entertainment.

Andy offers specific, insightful advice to help you recapture the truer joy of the gospel revealed in Scripture. Check it out!

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Luke: The World’s Salvation Has Arrived

February 19, 2021 By Peter Krol

Luke writes to a Roman official to corroborate the facts of the early Christian movement. “It seemed good to me … to write an orderly account … that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:3-4). And in particular, the things being corroborated in this “first book” are “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1).

I have written quite a few posts on Luke’s gospel, by way of overview, including:

This post now summarizes most of the work done in those other places, to provide a single interpretive walkthrough of the book.

Literary Markers

Luke’s chief markers are geographical statements. He begins in Judea in the days of King Herod (Luke 1:5), shifting the setting from Judea to Galilee and back again a few times in the opening chapters. Then Luke 4:14 returns to Galilee, remaining there until Luke 9:50. From Luke 9:51, Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem. And from Luke 19:28, Jesus remains in Jerusalem (with the exception of a 7-mile hike to the suburbs in Luke 24:13).

These markers suggest four main divisions to the narrative, plus a brief preface in Luke 1:1-4. See this post for a detailed analysis of how each section subdivides further.

Part 1 Walkthrough

The early chapters go out of their way to link Jesus with his cousin John. The angel Gabriel predicts John’s birth, and then Jesus’ birth. Mary and Elizabeth celebrate the two coming children, sent from God the Savior (Luke 1:47). Then John is born, Jesus is born, and a multitude of angels celebrate the coming of the Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). Zechariah confesses his son’s role to give knowledge of salvation (Luke 1:77), and Simeon’s eyes get to see for themselves God’s salvation embodied in the baby Jesus (Luke 2:30).

In the second subdivision, we see John’s and Jesus’ credentials for the ministries to which they’ve been called. John’s purpose is to prepare the world to “see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6). And that salvation shows up in the man whom God declares to be his Son (Luke 3:22), a wildly contested claim (Luke 4:3, 9).

Salvation has arrived. Will we see it?

Part 2 Walkthrough

Jesus’ Galilean ministry begins by focusing on all that Jesus began to do and teach. And the doing and the teaching are nearly always linked.

He declares himself to be the Spirit-filled servant of the Lord Isaiah foretold (Luke 4:16-30); then he demonstrates the fact by giving liberty, sight, and favor to many (Luke 4:31-6:11). He proclaims a new covenant morality to his covenant people (Luke 6:12-49). Then he demonstrates and explains how salvation is received by faith (Luke 7-8), before dedicating attention to shaping his followers (Luke 9:1-50).

Part 3 Walkthrough

Luke slows time to a crawl, narrating almost no significant plot points, but having Jesus draw out in great detail the nature of his kingdom over the course of the next 10 chapters. Luke subdivides this part by means of periodic reminders that Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51, 10:38, 13:22, 17:11), and the topic of each subdivision launches when a character asks Jesus a weighty question (Luke 9:54, 10:40, 13:23, 17:20).

First, he does not want his disciples to call down fiery judgment but to proclaim the kingdom. Second, he shows that, of course, he cares about what he is asking of his followers, and he is deeply concerned with their growth in his kingdom. Third, he acknowledges that those who are saved will be few—and not at all those whom you would most expect. Fourth, he declares that the kingdom of God has, in fact, come; it is in their midst, and a reckoning is now demanded.

Part 4 Walkthrough

Jesus finally arrives in Jerusalem, and the situation is not pretty. Bracketed by references to “the mount that is called Olivet” (Luke 19:29, 21:37), the first section narrates what Jesus did and taught to convince his generation that Israel was guilty. From weeping at sight of the city, to exposing the hypocrisy of the leadership, to prophesying the coming doom at the hand of Roman armies, Jesus pled with them time and again to recognize the visitation of their God and repent.

Bracketed by references to the holy days during which the Jews plotted to kill Jesus (Luke 22:1-2, 23:56), the second section declares time and again that Jesus was innocent. The trials of Jesus highlight his innocence before the judges of the earth. And at the cross, while Matthew’s and Mark’s version of the centurion declares Jesus to be Son of God (Matt 27:54, Mark 15:39), Luke’s narration has the centurion simply declaring Jesus innocent (Luke 23:47). Perhaps Luke is here foreshadowing the verdict he wishes Theophilus to win for Paul.

The third section of part 4, and the final section of the book, shows us the fallout of resurrection. The fruits of salvation. The narratives here are largely about how people will recognize salvation when they see it. Whether they can identify salvation’s embodiment when he stands resurrected before them.

Conclusion

The world’s salvation has arrived. His name is Jesus, and you can have him if you will only see him and believe.

Interpretive Outline

Christianity is on trial, and this orderly account will help you to be certain regarding what you’ve heard about the movement – Luke 1:1-4
The Defendant’s Credentials – 1:5-4:13
1. The Salvation of God – 1-2
2. The Son of God – 3:1-4:13
The Defendant’s Fundamentals – 4:14-9:50
1. His Teaching – 4:14-6:49
2. His Offer of Salvation Through Faith – 7:1-8:56
3. His Followers – 9:1-50
The Defendant’s Goals – 9:51-19:27
1. Proclaiming His Kingdom – 9:51-10:37
2. Growing His Kingdom – 10:38-13:21
3. Numbering His Citizens – 13:22-17:10
4. Timing His Kingdom – 17:11-19:27
The Defendant’s Vindication – 19:28-24:53
1. Judaism is Guilty – 19:28-21:38
2. Jesus is Innocent – 22:1-23:56
3. Israel’s Salvation has Arrived – 24:1-53

This post is part of a series of interpretive overviews of the books of the Bible.

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The Book of Job in Light of Genesis 3

February 17, 2021 By Peter Krol

I’ve written a number of posts on the book of Job, and I appreciate this piece by Nicholas Batzig exploring the themes of Job in light of the larger context of Genesis 3 and the Fall. Batzig quotes and builds from the work of Meredith Kline to show how Job’s ordeal is a step in the battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, looking ahead to the final justification and triumph of Jesus as the Son of Man.

This is a beautiful picture of the way in which God redeems and restores all of His people through the saving work of the God-man, Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Seed of the woman, is the greater Job who endured the temptations of the evil one and who wrestled with God in the Garden. He is the ultimate Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 42:1) who would suffer in order to justify His people (Isaiah 53:11). Like Job, Jesus cried out to God in helplessness. The writer of Hebrews tells us that “in the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered” (Heb. 5:7–8). Jesus conquered his accuser and vanquished the sins of His people on the cross. In the resurrection from the dead, Jesus was vindicated and God was vindicated in Him. He thus becomes the captain of salvation to all who trust in Him and suffer with Him.

Check it out!

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