It’s hip and cool for bloggers to post their top 10 posts of the year. And we want to be hip and cool. Our hearts tell us to do it, and the Bible says to “walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes” (Eccl 11:9). So here goes.
Last week, we gave you the top 10 posts from those written in 2023. Now, we list the top 10 posts from the full KW archive. If lots of other people are reading these posts, you probably should be, too.
The 2023 post that got the most views—Overlooked Details of the Red Sea Crossing—just barely missed this overall Top 10 by about two dozen pageviews.
10. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT
This post was also #10 last year. Though it comes from a series that analyzes not only books but also chapters and verses, this list of most-quoted books always seems to be one of the most popular.
9. 11 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament
This post was also #9 last year. It comes from the same six-part series—mentioned in the previous entry—analyzing every NT citation of an OT text. It’s interesting that, in that series about the NT quoting the OT, the most popular post is about the OT books that never get a direct quotation.
8. Context Matters: Apart From Me, You Can Do Nothing
This investigation of John 15 debuted on the top 10 list in 2021 at #6, rising two positions higher in 2022 before dropping to #8 this year. This “context matters” post does not suggest any drastic rethinking of the popular use of the verse in question; it largely shows how rich and deep our grasp can go when the verse is read without isolating it from its context.
7. Summary of the OIA Method
Just as the title says, this post summarizes the OIA method we aim to teach. It’s basically the reason this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of page views. This is up from #8 last year.
6. Did Jesus’ Ministry Last 3 Years?
This 2019 post makes its first appearance on the annual Top 10, knocking How to Recognize Sowers of Discord off the list. In this post, Peter considers the information from the gospels to reconsider the tradition that Jesus’ ministry lasted 3 years. Quite a few commenters are concerned that anything other than a 3-year ministry throws off their calculations from Gabriel’s message in Daniel 9. However, we’re not swayed by views that require certain assumptions about an end-times sequence of events in order to work.
5. 4 Bible Studies for Lent
This companion piece to Ryan’s 4 Bible studies for Advent is up from #7 last year, and back in the same slot it held in 2021. Lent is a great time to study the Bible, and here are four 6.5-week studies you could consider for that season. Be forewarned, however: These are not your typical you-can-only-trust-the-experts, fill-in-the-blank sort of Bible studies you may be used to.
4. 10 Reasons to Avoid Sexual Immorality
This was the most-viewed post in 2014, but then it dropped off the list until resurfacing as #8 in 2017 and #2 in 2018 and 2019. It dropped slightly to #3 in 2020, but went off the charts in 2021-22. It simmered down quite a bit this year, but still remains the fourth most-viewed post in the blog’s archive. We’re delighted to see a continued interest in such an important topic. Find whatever motivates you to avoid sexual immorality, and glum onto God’s grace in providing that motivation!
3. Context Matters: You Have Heard That it was Said…But I Say to You
This 2018 post was #9 on this list in 2020, but rose to #3 in 2021 and has remained in that position ever since. This post examines the series of contrasts in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to determine, from the context, what Jesus was arguing against. Hint: It wasn’t the Old Testament Law.
2. Identifying Behemoth and Leviathan in the Book of Job
This post first appeared in 2015 as part of a brief series on Job (which included the next post on this list) and was republished in 2021. But it didn’t appear in the annual Top 10 until 2022 (at #5). And as the second most-viewed post, its popularity is only increasing. As can be seen from the title, it identifies what the behemoth and leviathan are in the book of Job. Teaser: They are not the hippopotamus and crocodile. And they are not dinosaurs, either, but something even worse. You’ll have to read the post to find out what.
1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious
The popularity of this 2015 post (republished in 2021) continues to surprise us. We really cannot explain why it has been so popular, but if you haven’t read it, you must really be missing out! Elihu is that mysterious fourth friend in the book of Job. If you even knew he existed, chances are you’ve skipped his speeches entirely. This post is Peter’s attempt to explain Elihu’s role in the drama of the play of Job. This post was #3 in 2017, but since then has alternated between the #1 and #2 slots.
Previous years’ lists: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013
Leave a Reply