Knowable Word - Bible study help

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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Asking Good Small Group Questions: An Example

February 15, 2021 By Ryan Higginbottom

You can tell me what qualities you like in a dessert all you want, but eventually I’m going to ask you to get specific.

Similarly, laying out principles for good questions to ask in a small group Bible study is all well and good. But leaders need examples for clarity and motivation.

1 Thessalonians 1

Today I’m sharing a Bible study I led on 1 Thessalonians 1 for my church small group. I am far from a perfect example, so please take this simply as one man’s effort to point in a helpful direction.

As evidence of how much I have to learn, I made several improvements to the study in the process of writing this article! Thinking carefully about good questions has been stimulating.

After the study, I’ll explain how these questions illustrate the six characteristics I described in my last post. I’m numbering my questions here in order to make later referencing easier.

Bible Study Plan

Here’s the outline of the study.

Launching question: Can anyone tell us about an experience you’ve had sharing your testimony of coming to faith in Christ?
Give background on the Thessalonian church. It was a young church!
What do you observe about Paul’s thanksgiving in verses 2–3?
- Follow-up: What is significant about the items Paul mentions?
What evidence does Paul give that God has chosen the Thessalonians?
- Follow-up: Does the power and conviction in verse 5 refer to Paul or the Thessalonians? How do you know?
Why does Paul mention God’s choice?
Note that Paul is speaking of the Thessalonians’ experience chronologically.
What happened to the Thessalonians after the gospel came to them? (See verses 6–7.)
- Follow-up: What is the difference between the way Paul uses “imitator” and “example”?
What is significant about the locations Paul mentions? (See verses 7–8.)
What were people saying about the Thessalonians? Why does Paul highlight these things?
The main verbs in verse 9–10 are “turn,” “serve,” and “wait.” How are these actions important for young Christians?
- Follow-up: How are these actions important for more mature Christians?
Does Paul intend verses 9–10 to be a summary of the Christian life? How do you know?
How does the gospel relate to verses 9–10?
- Follow-up: How do verses 2–8 relate to verses 9–10?
What is Paul’s main point in writing chapter 1? How do you know?
What implications does this have for us? What implications does this have for our work making disciples?

Reviewing These Questions

I have tried to write these questions with my list of six characteristics in mind. Let’s see how those qualities affected my questions.

A good question is asked in a natural order.

While my launching question is personal, none of my other questions get personal until the end. I’ve also tried to ask easier, observational questions (like questions 3 and 4) before harder, interpretive questions (like questions 5, 8, or 11).

A good question is honest.

While I have studied this passage quite a bit, I know that others in my group have much to teach me. So I want my questions to be open and inviting (like the follow-up to question 3 and questions 8 and 10). I also avoid fill-in-the-blank questions–it’s actually for this reason that I state some observations (see #6 above) instead of asking about them. I don’t want my group to feel they must read my mind.

A good question is tethered to the text.

In many of my questions, I use specific language from the passage or verse numbers. In other places, when I ask, How do you know?, that is my effort to direct my friends back to the Bible for their reasoning.

I have made room for people to speak from their different perspectives and experiences (see questions 10, 12, and 14). But ideally all such discussion will spring from the words of God.

A good question is understandable.

I’ve tried to avoid long or complicated questions. My longest question above is question 10, and I would ask this twice before inviting responses.

A good question is purposeful.

When putting this study plan together, I wrote down the main point of the passage and then wrote the questions to lead my group toward that conclusion. My hope was that when I asked question 13, my group would have a solid answer.

A good question is prayerfully considered.

In my planning I tried to imagine the responses that each question could provoke. If the question was ambiguous or unclear, I tried to write with more focus. This lead to several inquiries with immediate follow-ups prepared.

I’ve written this before, but it’s worth repeating. Preparing good questions is time-consuming, demanding work.

Encouraging Conversation

This two-post series on good questions is part of a larger effort to help Bible study leaders encourage conversation in their meetings. In my next article, I’ll write about creating an atmosphere within a Bible study that invites interaction.

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My Bible Intake

February 12, 2021 By Peter Krol

I am asked with some regularity how I schedule time (and find time) to be in the Scriptures. As a full-time missionary with DiscipleMakers, I am thrilled to get paid, in part, to study the Bible. But I also seek to develop practices for Bible intake when I’m “off the clock.” I write this post not to suggest that anyone must operate the same way I do, but in hopes that some may be stimulated and encouraged to try new opportunities for increasing their own intake of God’s word. Regardless of how you do it, the fact of Bible intake is a tremendous privilege for followers of the Lord Jesus.

Daily Routines

I start every morning with an audio lectionary in the Dwell listening app. I’m just about to complete the 1979 Book of Common Prayer’s morning daily office, which takes about 5 minutes per day. I listen to it on my phone while I brush my teeth. As I continue getting ready for the day (getting dressed, greeting my children, moving toward my treadmill for exercise), I listen to a Bible-in-a-year daily plan (also with Dwell). This year, I’m following a “genre” plan, which gives about 3 chapters per day, each day in a different genre of the Scriptures (Yesterday’s text was from a prophet; today’s from a gospel). This takes anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes each day (I listen on 2x speed), and usually finishes up while I’m on the treadmill.

On weekdays, while showering after exercise, I review Scripture memory. I review Proverbs 1-9 over the course of 5 days, and I currently also recite Psalm 145 all 5 days. On weekends, I take a break from Bible memory to give my brain a rest.

So on most days, I’ve taken in about 6-8 chapters of Scripture audio (or memory review) before I’m even able to sit down to read.

Once I can sit down to read, I spend about 30 minutes reading the Bible before moving on with my day. I prefer to follow Joe Carter’s reading plan for how to change your mind (Summary: Read a book of the Bible 20 times. Then read another book 20 times. Continue until finished with all books.) I began doing this in earnest in 2016, and have completed 23 books so far. I select books based on what I’m expecting to study in the coming year. So I recently completed Luke and Acts because we were preaching them at church. I’m now working on 1 & 2 Samuel (treating them as a single book), because I’m teaching a Sunday school class on it to our middle and high schoolers. Later this year, I’ll move on to Revelation to prepare for a preaching workshop I plan to attend.

I end each day with a little more Dwell listening. I’m currently about to complete the 1979 Book of Common Prayer’s evening daily office, which takes about 5 minutes while I brush my teeth and get changed for bed.

Weekly Routines

You may have noticed my daily routine contains quite a bit of Bible reading and very little detailed study. That’s because I prefer to work on careful study in fits and starts. Though I trumpet the OIA method for Bible study, I just don’t have the energy to delve the depths of it every day. And I do enough teaching that my detailed study centers around whatever I’m teaching. I don’t feel the need to separate my teaching from my learning.

Currently, I preach about 3 in every 10 weeks at my church. Two weeks before each sermon, I study the text, with the end goal being the completion of this worksheet, which all our church’s preachers complete for every sermon. I spend up to 5 hours those weeks, scattered Monday through Wednesday, studying the passage enough to credibly complete the worksheet.

On weeks where I don’t have my own worksheet to complete, I am receiving another preacher’s completed worksheet. I spend up to 30 minutes studying the text enough to comment on his worksheet, to celebrate his work and help him improve it (as the others do with my worksheets). We also meet for an hour each Wednesday afternoon to rehearse the sermon for the upcoming Sunday and give feedback on its presentation. In this way, our team of preachers co-labors to preach expositionally through books of the Bible.

For the middle/high school Sunday school class I teach, I spend up to 30 minutes on Saturdays preparing the next lesson in 1 Samuel.

Finally, on Sunday nights, I recently restarted our family Bible reading time, where I read the Scripture out loud for 30-60 minutes while the children play quietly. We’re only a few weeks in and will soon complete Genesis.

Seasonal Routines

In times past, I’ve had weekly small group studies to either lead or participate in (both of which required preparation). But at this time I’m taking a break from our church small group.

Every November, and sometimes in February, I enjoy attending preaching workshops run by the Charles Simeon Trust to sharpen my craft. These workshops require significant Bible study preparation (perhaps 5-7 hours) in the weeks leading up to the workshop.

In my work with DiscipleMakers, I have numerous other events throughout the year where I may be giving a talk, leading a small group, or teaching an online course that requires me to get into the guts of OIA study.

And every Jan 1, I set aside everything else I listed above (at least as much as possible) to give myself to reading the entire Bible straight through as fast as possible. With the combination of listening to audio and reading a physical book, I squeeze such reading into every nook and cranny of my schedule to finish in 25 or fewer days. After that is complete, I return to the regular routines I’ve listed above.

Conclusion

I’ll reiterate: I’m not deluded to the point of believing that anyone on the planet ought to do things quite as quirkily as I do. But with enough interest, anyone can find corners in their schedule where they could increase their Bible intake just a bit further. May you be encouraged and astonished at your Lord, and at the opportunity you have, perhaps unique in human history, to commune with him through his word, for hours on end, through a wide variety of formats.

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When Your Works Betray Your Profession

February 10, 2021 By Peter Krol

Wyatt Graham takes a close and skillful look at Paul’s letter to Titus, to illuminate Paul’s statement that people may “profess to know God, but they deny him by their works” (Titus 1:16). Can’t we simply trust a person’s profession of faith in Christ?

Wyatt’s piece is a great example of observing contrasts, asking interpretive questions, following the train of thought, and applying the Scriptures specifically to our situation. And it’s quite brief!

His conclusion:

We should test ourselves to see if we act on our profession of faith because the passions of flesh vie against the mind through which the Spirit sanctifies us (e.g., Rom 12:1–2). Expressing our feelings and angst and anger are not goods. They are in fact sin. Passion is bad. In an age of expressive individualism, my words here likely sound profoundly unfashionable.
They are also biblical.

If you’d like to see Bible study done well, this is worth your time. Check it out!

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Starting the Year Well with Small Groups

February 3, 2021 By Peter Krol

Matthias Media has a helpful article about how to start the year well with small groups. There is much practical advice to consider here, especially in the unusual situation with the ongoing pandemic. The article will briefly offer guidance on how to:

Intend to be faithful
Intend to grow
Intend to get your group on board early

I encourage you to check it out!

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