Bible | Knowable Word

The New-Bible Fallacy

January 4, 2021 By Ryan Higginbottom

If I buy new running shoes, I’ll become a dedicated runner. If I subscribe to a language-training app, I’ll be fluent in a snap. If I purchase an expensive notebook, I’m sure to be a poet.

It’s easy to spot the flaws in this thinking, and our experiences confirm it. New equipment, by itself, won’t produce lasting change.

Though this error is obvious, this thinking still creeps in, even into our spiritual lives. In particular, many people act like getting a new Bible is the key to reading the Bible more.

It’s not.

The Effect of a New Bible

I’ve gotten a few new Bibles in my life, and the first few weeks unfold in a predictable way.

Week 1 — I love using my new Bible and I’m reading it more than ever. The feel, the smell, the experience of holding it in my hands—I enjoy all of it!
Week 2 — I’m still excited to read my new Bible, but my schedule is getting busy. For some reason, I don’t seem to have as much time or desire to read the Bible as last week.
Week 3 — I recognize all the benefits of having this great new Bible, but I’m not reading it nearly as much as I’d like.
Week 4 — I don’t read my new Bible any more or less than I was reading the Bible a few weeks ago.

I’m guessing you can relate. When we recognize that we don’t read the Bible as much as we’d like, we long for an easy fix. A new physical Bible seems like just the thing! Yet that new book doesn’t produce long-term change.

Producing Real Change

New possessions—in fact, most changes to our environment—won’t make us different people. They don’t have the power to remake us.

And yet, people can change for the better! We can change! Children of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, can resist temptation, grow in obedience, and put the deeds of the body to death (see Romans 8:9–13).

So, how do we change our Bible reading behavior for the better? How do we read the Bible more consistently, more deeply, and with greater anticipation?

Real change begins on the inside. In other words, if our hearts and minds are transformed, it’s easier for our behavior to follow. Repentance means putting off our old selves and putting on the new. (See Ephesians 4:17–24.)

Renewed hearts and minds emerge when God gives us new affections. And proper affections are born of truth.

With that said, here are some foundational truths about the Bible. We need to absorb these truths deep in our bones if we want to change.

The Bible is God’s word. It is unlike any other writing or book. (See 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:21.)
The Bible contains the most important story and the most important truths we will ever encounter. Understanding and remembering these truths are a matter of life and death for our souls. (See Psalm 19:7–11.)
The Bible is knowable. God has inspired the Bible so that we might know him through his Son, Jesus. (See John 5:39.)
Reading the Bible is essential for faith—both for our conversion and for our ongoing transformation. (See Romans 12:1–2.)
Because of sin, the human heart is both stubborn and forgetful. We need the Holy Spirit to help us read, understand, and remember the Bible. (See John 14:26.)
Because Christians are adopted children of God, our Bible reading cannot earn or lose us any favor with God. We don’t read to be loved; we read because we are loved already.

If God changes our hearts so that we believe these truths, we will be much more likely to live by them. This change of heart will be ongoing and will last a lifetime.

A New Bible

In the West, there’s rarely a need for a new physical Bible. God has blessed us with an abundance of digital resources for reading his word, and we can start any time we wish.

However, let’s not scoff at the purchase (or gift) of a new Bible. This too can be a great blessing.

A new physical Bible will not bring about an immediate, magical devotion to God. But God himself can change our hearts and make more regular reading a reality.

What makes the Bible different – According to the Bible

January 1, 2021 By Tom Hallman

Like many Christians, I have a lot of Bibles. Most of them sit on my bookshelf next to all kinds of other books. However, the Bible could not be more different than those other books. Here are several reasons why, according to the Bible itself:

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17 ESV)

The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 6:63b ESV)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)

Let’s observe several things about those texts. The Bible is…

Truth: Not just true, but truth. Many books on my shelf may be true, but the Bible alone is truth.
Spirit: There are powerful things happening in the spiritual realm that we usually can’t see, and that is where God’s Word resides. The fact that the Bible exists in the physical realm at all is a great grace to all God’s people.
Living: Most of my books are made from dead trees. While the Bible may also be printed on paper, it is just as alive, if not more so, than you and I are. I don’t claim to fully understand that, but I do marvel greatly at it!
Active: When I read the Bible, it is not full of passive words on a page. Unlike my other books, the burden of changing my life when reading the text does not rest on me, but on the Scriptures themselves.

The next time you hold your Bible and open it, take a moment to thank God for the very nature of His Word. It is truth, spirit, living and active – terms that do not apply to any other words that have been or ever will be written. This is why we not only do observation and interpretation of Scripture, but we seek to faithfully apply it as well!

May our response be like Simon Peter’s, who saw Jesus’ words for what they truly are:

After this many of [Jesus’] disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:66-68 ESV, emphasis mine)

The Bible is for Everyone

September 30, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

There are more Bibles in print today than ever. We have dozens of English Bible translations and scores of Bible apps. The number of ways to listen, stream, and download the Bible would amaze our parents in the faith.

And yet, some think the Bible is exclusive and elite. That it is aimed at a narrow strip of humanity.

Brethren, this should not be. The Bible is for everyone.

It is not just for pastors and ministers, not just for the ordained. It is not just for missionaries or evangelists or worship leaders. It is not just for elders, deacons, or Bible study leaders. It is not just for those in vocational ministry.

The Bible is not just for independent adults. It is not just for the employed or the wealthy or the powerful. It is not just for those who speak loudly into the world and influence others. It is not just for the educated.

The Bible is not only for those who already know it. It is not a private club with a secret handshake. It is not only for church members, not only for the theologically astute, not only for people who can turn to Amos without consulting the table of contents.

The Bible is not for a select, respectable few, because Jesus did not come for a select, respectable few.

With the drama and force of a thousand neon arrows, the Bible points to Jesus. And since Jesus invites everyone to come to him, the Bible is for everyone.

The Bible is for those who don’t know Chronicles from Corinthians. It’s for those who have never been to church, who don’t what “theology” means.

The Bible is for babies, children, teens, and the elderly. It is for the jobless and the retired. It is for the poor and helpless, the weak and the overlooked. The Bible is for grade-school dropouts and those with mental challenges.

The Bible is for regular, normal Christians. And it is also for the curious, the doubting, and the disenchanted.

The Bible is for you. And the Bible is for your neighbor.

Regardless of your achievements, bank account, or any status in anyone’s eyes—good or bad—the Bible is for you. And God invites you to read, listen to, study, and memorize the Bible so that you might know him through his son Jesus.

So grab a Bible, grab a neighbor, and take up this remarkable, unique book that is written for all people. Let’s dig in.

A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible

April 29, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

When the newest Visual Theology book arrived in the mail, my daughters had the same initial reaction: Whoa, this is cool! It’s easy to see why they were excited.

A mixture of text and eye-grabbing graphics, this book is a great introduction to the Bible. It is a manual and reference book that will serve the church for many years, and I’m glad that Tim Challies and Josh Byers have created it.

Part 1: Trusting the Bible

Making no assumptions that readers of this book were raised in church, A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible begins with an introduction to the Bible. The first part of the book then explains why we can trust the Bible.

The questions that are addressed in part 1 are some of the most common and most important of our time: How was the Bible written? What makes the Bible unique? Can we trust the Bible? I found the section on the formation of the New Testament canon (pages 40–49) fascinating.

The infographics, charts, and illustrations throughout the book are visually stunning and stuffed with helpful information. The bold colors and striking shapes complement a creative use of pictures and graphs. In part 1, the timeline for the authorship of Old Testament books (pages 38–39) is a highlight.

Part 2: Studying the Bible

The second part of the book concerns studying the Bible, and chapter six provides seven reasons to do just that.

Know God
Know God’s will
Become godly
Bear fruit
Defend yourself
Fuel your prayers
Fuel your joy

After explaining each of these reasons briefly, chapter seven addresses the important matter of how to study the Bible. Readers of this blog will find themselves in familiar territory (with familiar terminology) here, as the book offers an excellent primer on the Observe-Interpret-Apply Bible study method. There are some nice pointers about Bible memorization in this chapter as well.

Part 3: Seeing the Bible

The third and longest part of this book offers an overview of different sections of the Bible. In chapter 8, the authors lay out the main thrust of God’s Word.

We, too, miss the main point of the Bible if we fail to see and discover Jesus in all the Scriptures. Yes, the Bible is a book about God. But even more specifically, the Bible is a story about God’s plan of salvation for us in Jesus Christ. As we read God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation, we discover the Son of God, who came to save us from our sins. (A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible, page 105)

It’s hard to miss the focus on Jesus in this portion of the book. Every chapter title connects a section of the Bible to an aspect of God’s plan to send Jesus. I appreciate the way these chapters set the information and narratives of these groups of biblical books within the larger context of redemptive history.

It’s hard to pick one favorite infographic from part 3. Here are three at the top of my list.

The timeline of the kings and prophets of Israel and Judah (page 143) is excellent. I have trouble remembering these historical sequences, so I’m sure I’ll use this as a reference.
On page 148, the Psalms are grouped and categorized by book, author, type (lament, thanksgiving, etc.), whether the psalm is an acrostic, and whether the psalm is messianic. I’ve never seen a chart quite like this.
A breakdown of the last week of Jesus’s life is on page 177. The events of this week are organized chronologically (by day) and by location (Bethany, Mount of Olives, etc.), with relevant locations in each Gospel listed.

A Great Resource

As I paged through this book, I couldn’t help but think about how timely it is. Biblical literacy is low, so the church needs an accessible introduction to our holy book. And the combination of succinct, punchy text and beautiful graphics meets modern readers where they are.

This book is part a larger visual theology project by Challies and Byers, about which you can learn more here. This endeavor seems to have a sound vision driving it. Challies and Byers use words where description and explanation are needed, and they use pictures and illustrations to highlight space, proportion, sequence, similarity, or time.

I highly recommend this book. It will appeal to children (starting, I’d guess, at age 8 or 9). But it is a great reference for Bible readers and students of all ages.

You can purchase this book at Amazon and the Westminster Bookstore, among other retailers. (At the time of this writing, the prices at Amazon and WTS were virtually identical.)

Disclaimer: The links to Amazon and Westminster Bookstore in this post are affiliate links.

ESV Large Print Wide Margin Bible

October 15, 2018 By Ryan Higginbottom

A quick confession: I’ve had a bias against large print Bibles. They seemed to me to be designed only for older saints with poor vision. I didn’t see any use for these Bibles aside from the back row or the resource table at church.

I was wrong.

The Benefits of Large Print

When I received the ESV Large Print Wide Margin Bible from Crossway, I quickly saw how valuable a Bible like this can be. This will serve those who need larger print, but it will benefit many others as well.

The 11-point font size is generous, and that size has a noticeable effect on the page layout. The larger font size results in fewer words per page. And since the leading (the vertical space between lines) is usually proportional to the font size, there is ample space within paragraphs in this Bible. When this line spacing is combined with one-inch side margins, the result is a lot of room for writing, circling, drawing, and highlighting in your Bible.

Details of this Bible

This Bible does away with most distractions. Cross-references and commentary are absent. We see the word of God displayed simply, with chapter and verse numbers as well as a few footnotes from the translators. I love the way this Bible focuses on the text.

The Scripture is printed in the common two-column format. This is familiar to Bible readers, but I’m starting to dislike it. There are so many quality reader’s Bibles now available, I have grown to prefer the one-column layout they use.

The outside page margins are each one inch, and that is a helpful addition. I prefer margins that are wider, but I suspect many readers will find the space in this Bible more than adequate.

The ESV Large Print Wide Margin Bible would make a great gift or purchase for personal use. It is sturdy and well-made; it will last for many years. It is also attractive; the edition I received has a two-tone brown imitation leather cover which feels nice and offers a subtle, sophisticated appearance.

You can buy this Bible at most online book retailers, including Amazon and Westminster Books. At the time of this writing, the price at Westminster Books was $3 cheaper than at Amazon.

Disclosure #1: Crossway provided me a free copy of this Bible in exchange for an honest review.
Disclosure #2: The links to Amazon and Westminster Books in this blog post are affiliate links.

ESV Journaling Bible: Great for Journalers

September 17, 2018 By Ryan Higginbottom

Christian publishers are providing a wealth of choices for Bible readers these days. If you’re in the market for a new Bible, you can find just about anything you could describe.

The recent trend of journaling Bibles began some years ago, and the ESV Journaling Bible was early on the scene. Crossway publishes different versions of this Bible, with various covers and page layouts. The volume I received is handsome and hardy, well-suited for those who write as they read God’s word. (Thanks to Crossway for providing me with this Bible in exchange for an honest review.)

Description

This review concerns the ESV Journaling Bible with the bonded leather cover (mocha threshold design) and the text displayed in two columns per page. You can find a sample page from this Bible here.

From the outside, this looks like a fine journal indeed. The Bible is pleasant to hold, and it stays open easily. A ribbon marker is available for securing the page, and the ESV text is attractively printed on cream-colored paper. The Bible text resembles what you would find in a pew Bible or a thinline Bible.

The text is printed with generous, two-inch margins for journaling. There are faint, dotted lines printed in the margins which can be used or ignored at the reader’s preference. With these wide margins on every page, I could see this getting heavy use as a daily journal. It’s the perfect size for recording prayers, thoughts, questions, and applications that flow from devotional Bible reading.

It’s worth noting a few other details. The paper of this Bible is thin but not too thin. A gel pen will bleed through to the back of the page, but a ballpoint pen or a pencil will work nicely for journaling. Finally, paragraph-length introductions to each book of the Bible along with a yearly Bible reading plan occupy the final twenty pages of this volume.

Not a Great Markup Bible

Regular readers of this blog may remember that I’m always on the lookout for a good markup Bible. This Bible doesn’t exactly fit that description, but that is no mark against it! Crossway has produced a great journaling Bible.

The two-column text and small font size are barriers to using this Bible as a markup Bible. While you can highlight, underline, and mark up the text, the layout prevents you from writing notes next to the words or phrases in question. Recording questions or interpretations in the margins provided means that one must either draw lines connecting the writing to the text or live with the ambiguity of having one’s notes near several verses. In short, there is a lot of space in the margins, but not a lot of space elsewhere, and that’s something I look for in a markup Bible.

Context Matters: The Living and Active Word

September 14, 2018 By Peter Krol

This is a guest post by Josh Alley. Josh is a graduate student in political science at Texas A&M University and a member of Declaration Church.

Perhaps you’ve heard that the Bible is “living and active.” This phrase comes from Hebrews 4:12, which says that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

We rightly cite this verse as evidence of the power of God’s word. But do we grasp the scope of this power or the intention God has in wielding it? In particular, God employs his powerful word both to expose sin and to offer mercy. By answering these questions, the context increases our joy in God and his gospel. The living and active word that removes any hope of earning salvation through works simultaneously offers mercy.

Exposure

The first way God wields his powerful word is to expose us.

Heb 4:12 starts with “for,” so we must connect it to the previous verse. Heb 4:11 exhorts readers to enter God’s rest and Heb 4:10 says that “whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”

What does it mean to enter God’s rest? In short, it means to believe (Heb 4:3). Those entering God’s rest are those who have placed all their faith and trust in God.

Pauly (2013), Creative Commons

The author exhorts his readers to enter God’s rest “so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience” (Heb. 4:11). Here, disobedience refers to how Israel heard God’s voice and still rebelled against it (Heb 3:16-19). In response to their rebellion, God swore that a generation of Israelites would not enter his rest in the Promised Land. That promise is repeated throughout these chapters (Heb 3:11, 18; 4:3, 5). God punishes those who hear the word and fail to follow it.

Heb 4:11 implies that without entering God’s rest, disobedience is inevitable. People either enter God’s rest or fall. So the power of the word is, in part, a power that either enables people to rest or illuminates their disobedience.

In “discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” the word exposes all disobedience. It pierces every denial and obfuscation, and it exposes all the sin in the human heart. Heb 4:13 reinforces this point, as “all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him [God] to whom we must give account.” Anyone who fails to keep one part of God’s law has violated the whole law (James 2:10), and the scriptures uncover every sin.

Being cut open by God’s living and active word is painful, as I know from personal experience. When I arrived at college, I thought I was a good kid. But as friends read the Bible with me, I saw that the law demands perfection. My striving was inadequate. Having this sin exposed is uncomfortable, but subsequently resting through faith is far sweeter.

Mercy

But that’s not all. The second way God wields his powerful word is to grant mercy. If all the word shows is the hopelessness of obeying God, the power of the Scriptures will terrify. But God made another way—we can rest from our works through faith (Heb. 4:3). Jesus intercedes before God as a “great high priest,” so when we place our faith in his perfect works and in his payment on the cross for our sin, we no longer need to strive. Through faith, believers are justified in God’s sight because Jesus’s perfect righteousness covers our disobedience.

Thus, after warning about the consequences of disobedience, the author of Hebrews encourages his readers to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). This is astounding. Though God’s word exposes all our sin, he offers us mercy and grace.

Due to the power of the Scriptures to expose sin, we can please God only by faith. God calls us to rest from our works through faith, and when we do, we find not condemnation but mercy. So God’s word is powerful enough to cause us to delight in salvation through faith in Jesus.

Context matters.

Above All Earthly Textbooks

August 21, 2017 By Ryan Higginbottom

It’s mid-August, which means it’s textbook season. This is bliss for some students and drudgery for others, but there’s no way around it. A student’s world revolves around books.

And in the stress of student life, it’s easy to obsess about textbooks and forget the Bible, the most important book on the shelf.

I understand the pressures. They are real and they can be heavy.

But today, I plead with you: Hold fast to the Bible!

A Student’s Temptation

Life comes at students quickly. The next paper, exam, or project deadline is always crouching at the door.

It’s easy to get tunnel vision. You want your work to be excellent, so that upcoming grade becomes your focus. Everything else fades into the background.

Before you know it, you’re a wreck. You’re not getting enough sleep, haven’t exercised in days, and can’t remember what a vegetable looks like.

When you feel pressed for time, your devotional life is often the first thing to go. It feels like a luxury, something “extra” you can pick up again when the calendar clears.

But time with God is not a luxury! Your Father knows what’s best for you, and he wants you to spend time with him.

Why You Must Hold Fast

Over the course of a school year, you’ll give hundreds of hours of attention to your courses. You’ll learn history and philosophy, chemistry and civics, music and mathematics.

But you must not neglect the Bible.

Don’t misunderstand. The Bible is not a history or science textbook. Your academic success does not depend on your attention to the Bible.

No—your need for God’s word is far deeper than academics!

The Bible stands above all textbooks. In its importance and authority, nothing exceeds the Bible. As you read and study the Bible, you get to know the God who created all music! You grow closer to the One who sustains the universe and makes the study of chemistry possible!

Christian students shouldn’t read the Bible because it will change their grades. They should read the Bible because it will change them.

Pride will give way to humility. Arrogance will yield to love. Foolishness will be replaced with wisdom. And as you are controlled by the grace of Jesus, he will make you a student who is no longer controlled by grades.

How to Hold Fast

What does it look like to give priority to the Bible? Here are three ideas.

Commit yourself to Bible intake. Whether reading, studying, meditating on, or listening to the Bible, make God’s word a regular part of your diet.
Commit yourself to a Bible-believing local church. Part of God’s design is for us to be in a community of worshipers. If you’re in middle school or high school, this probably means going to church with your parents. But for those in college, make sure you find a good church in your area. College campus ministries can be wonderful, but the best ministries aim to assist—not replace—the church.
Commit yourself to a small group. In addition to a vibrant, Bible-believing church community, seek out a close group of friends with whom you can discuss life and the things of God. Study the Bible together, talk about your temptations and doubts, encourage each another in the faith. This small group might be your family, friends from youth group, or a small group Bible study through your church. The best small groups help us apply the Bible thoroughly and joyfully.

More Than Information

The Bible is not just information. It’s the very food by which we live (Matthew 4:4).

When the table is set and the food is served, don’t turn away. Feast. Draw near to God in his word, and he will draw near to you. Then he will equip you to pick up your other textbooks to his glory.

The Real Reason We Don’t Read Our Bibles

July 19, 2017 By Peter Krol

I’ve heard many reasons why people struggle to read their Bibles. My co-blogger Ryan has written about many of them:

Of course, in our most lucid moments, we’ll acknowledge these reasons are lame. But they continue to ensnare us on almost a daily basis.

So I appreciated Brandon Smith’s recent article, “The Real Reason We Don’t Read Our Bibles.” Smith suggests that the underlying excuse behind all the other excuses is that we forget that God’s word is living and active. That the living God is still speaking to us today and meeting with us in the pages of his word.

Want to know what God thinks? Not just what he thought, but what he thinks? Open your Bible. The Spirit lives within you to help you understand God’s will and character, to help you taste and see something fresh and new that you’ve never seen before. A passage you read five years ago might speak to you differently today, because the living God speaks to you through his living Word, right here and right now.

If only this truth would get under our skin, the rest of our excuses might evaporate into the vaporous void of nothingness they are.

Smith gets this just right. Check it out!

How to Use Multiple Bible Translations

February 20, 2017 By Ryan Higginbottom

In the English-speaking world, we are blessed with a wealth of good translations of the Bible. For most of church history, this was not the case.

Chances are you have a few translations you prefer, and occasionally switching between these versions in your devotional reading can prove eye opening. You see a phrase or scene from a slightly different angle, and you have a fresh appreciation or insight as a result.

congerdesign (2016), public domain

Bible study leaders can also use multiple translations of the Bible to great profit. But it’s best not to introduce variety too early in the process.

When Not to Use Multiple Translations

In your personal study of a Bible passage, I suggest you stick to one translation. Because different translations have different philosophies and tendencies, switching between Bible versions at this stage in the process will slow you down.

At this blog we advocate an old method of Bible study called Observe-Interpret-Apply (OIA), and when observing we suggest you pay attention to words and grammar (among other things). Observing all that a passage contains can be a tall order—bringing in alternate translations might double or triple your work!

For your primary Bible, consider something closer to a word-for-word translation (“formal equivalence”) than a thought-for-thought translation (“dynamic equivalence”). Since Bible study should focus on the words of the original authors, we should use a translation that does as little interpreting as possible while still making sense of the text.

Note: If you’d like an explanation of some of the most popular Bible translations, Daniel Wallace does a decent job here.

When to Use Multiple Translations

After observing the text and working through the answers to your interpretation questions, you should have a sense of the main point of the passage. You may also have some questions you weren’t able to answer.

At this point I usually read my passage in multiple translations. I find software like e-Sword or websites like Bible Gateway perfect for this, because they allow you to view several versions in parallel. For example, here’s the first chapter of John’s gospel in the ESV, NASB, and NIV.

Reading a passage like this is revealing. Staring at your main translation for hours can bake the words into your brain. But this exercise will show you the differences between translations quickly. You’ll see the vast agreement as well as the small areas of disagreement. For particular words, a variety of translations will show you that Bible translation is a difficult task!

You may be able to resolve any word-related confusion by looking at a commentary or two. Most commentators geek out over words and translations, so you’ll have no shortage of food for thought.

Preparing to Lead Your Small Group

If you are leading a small group Bible study with regular participants, it’s a good idea to note which translations those folks read. Take a look at your passage in these translations before the small group meeting so you won’t be thrown or surprised by an odd word choice.

If I notice a drastic difference between translations when I’m preparing, I’ll often point it out to my group. This “pre-emptive strike” allows me to bring the issue into our discussion if it seems important. However, it’s easy to get bogged down in discussions like this, so I usually try to direct our conversation elsewhere.

Though they can differ widely, most of the major English Bible translations are very good. And the deviations we see almost never change the interpretation of the passage. We can use the variety to inform our ideas about the author’s original meaning, but we must also remember not to freak out over the differences we see.

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