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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)

Two Kinds of Proof Texts

September 28, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

Any Christian article or book worth our attention will be faithful to God’s word. And one way that writers strive for that faithfulness is to quote and refer to the Bible.

These quotes and references are often called “proof texts.” For any reader of persuasive Christian writing, these are crucial elements of an argument. Proof texts are not mere sprinkles on the cupcake.

Two Different Flavors

Because the Observation-Interpretation-Application (OIA) framework offers a grid for all communication, it’s no surprise that it lends us a hand in this matter. Just as there are two ways to outline a Bible passage, proof texts also come in two varieties.

In observation proof texts, a writer refers to a verse or passage and the reader needs only to observe the Bible to verify that the text supports the point. For example, a writer might cite John 5:18 to help establish the claim that Jesus refers to God as his father.

When a writer uses interpretation proof texts, their reader must do some interpretive work with the verse or passage cited. In this category, a writer might refer to the parable of the prodigal son to support a statement about Jesus correcting the Pharisees’ notion of loving God.

Examples

These different kinds of proof texts show up in many varieties of Christian writing. Here are two examples.

The Heidelberg Catechism

Take a look at the sixth question and answer from the historic Heidelberg Catechism. (I have not included all of the catechism’s proof texts here.)

Q. Did God, then, create man so wicked and perverse?
A. No, on the contrary, God created man good[1] and in His image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness,[3] so that he might rightly know God His Creator, heartily love Him, and live with Him in eternal blessedness to praise and glorify Him.

The reference [1] points to Gen 1:31; this is an observation proof text, because that verse says that God called all that he created (including man) “good.” The reference [3] points to Eph 4:24; this is an interpretation proof text, because Paul is writing about repentance and putting on the new self, not (explicitly) the original creation of man. It takes some interpretive work to agree that the phrase “true righteousness and holiness” as used in Eph 4:24 is being used accurately and legitimately in the catechism.

The Meaning of Marriage

Here are additional examples from Tim Keller’s book The Meaning of Marriage.

Keller writes this when discussing the permanence of marriage.

The problem is not with marriage itself. According to Genesis 1 and 2, we were made for marriage, and marriage was made for us. Genesis 3 tells us that marriage, along with every other aspect of human life, has been broken because of sin. (Keller, page 44)

The references to the first three chapters of Genesis are interpretation proof texts. We cannot pluck the conclusions Keller asserts from the surface of those texts.

On the next page, however, when describing Jesus’s sacrifice, Keller writes this.

Jesus the Son, though equal with the Father, gave up his glory and took on our human nature (Philippians 2:5ff). (Keller, page 45)

This reference to the second chapter of Philippians is an observation proof text, because the words Keller writes come almost verbatim from those verses.

Associated Dangers

Knowing there are two different kinds of proof texts can help us discuss the dangers associated with each. The lines here are not always sharp and the categories are not always disjointed, but some distinctions can be helpful.

A common error when using an observation proof text is to miss the passage’s context. Most errors associated with context involve a quick, surface reading of the passage. But the obvious reading of a verse may not be the intended or accurate reading. (See this page for a multitude of examples.)

Interpretation proof texts are, unsurprisingly, prone to bad or incomplete interpretation. Sometimes writers assume too much of their readers; sometimes they simply misinterpret the Bible.

Neither type of proof text is inherently good or bad. And while neither type is better than the other, interpretation proof texts are the less stable of the two. They require more work and more care.

Conclusion

As we read Christian writing which attempts to persuade, let’s be aware of these two kinds of proof texts. We can often identify which type a writer is using by context clues.

When a writer uses an observation proof text, their claim should be easy to verify. Look up the reference, nod your head (hopefully), and move on. When the writer uses an interpretation proof text, we will need to do some interpretive work to see if their claim is supported by the text.

Knowing the distinction between these two kinds of proof texts won’t solve all our problems. This will help us to be better readers, able to know when (or if) a writer’s ideas square with God’s written revelation.

Disclosure: The Amazon links above are affiliate links, meaning that this website receives a small amount of money if you make a purchase after clicking one such link.

Bible Study is Painful

September 14, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

When we say that an activity is “uncomfortable,” sometimes we’re just being nice. We often sugar coat reality when we throw out the terms “messy,” “unpleasant,” “awkward,” or “disagreeable.”

Some jobs, projects, and habits are painful. They might be good for us, even necessary for our lives, but they hurt. And it is healthy for us to confront that truth.

The Hard Work of Application

Studying the Bible is painful work. Here I’m not referring to the discipline needed to study the Scriptures. I’m not even talking about the intellectual labor and focus that such study demands. No, the hardest work of Bible study comes in application.

All of the steps of Bible study are important, and none are a cinch. Application may be the hardest step, however, since it is the most personal. In application, we are forced to change. And rare is the person who likes to cha n ge.

If the idea of application is new or confusing, check out our page of Bible study instruction. Application is the third step of the OIA (Observation, Interpretation, Application) process we promote on this blog, and we’ve written a lot about application.

Genuine Pain

The biblical word for the change that application demands is repentance. When God confronts us, he intends for us to turn around—away from sin and toward him.

This is why applying the Bible is painful. We’re usually quite comfortable traveling the road we’re on. We don’t want to turn around. We’ve gotten used to the scenery, the weather, and the traffic. Cruise control is easy.

Through his word, God often brings us to a full stop. He puts his holy finger on the idols of our hearts—anything to which we are too devoted. Idols are often good gifts we have twisted or to which we have given inflated affection and attention. Idols like comfort, family, and power abound in the western church. Biblical application may feel like losing a piece of ourselves. But if God is removing something cancerous from our hearts, we should expect pain along the way.

In our application we may also be compelled to love our neighbors in difficult ways. Like us, our neighbors may be unloving and unlovely at times, so extending ourselves and taking risks may be painful. Like the beginning of any exercise routine, we will resist because of the pain involved, even though we see the good on the other side.

A Pleasant Pain

Pain often accompanies our repentance, because God is challenging and changing what we love. This leads many to resist repentance and reject studying the Bible altogether.

But if we spurn repentance, we turn away from something good. For repentance is coming out of the darkness into the light! It is hearing and receiving the correction of a father who loves us! Repentance is growing and living and walking more in obedience to God, becoming more and more like the people we were created to be! For these reasons, though there is pain in repentance, there is also profound joy.

And here’s the best part. God is with us through the whole process: conviction, despair, confusion, and our halting, crooked steps of repentance. He is more committed to our growth in godliness than we are, because he always has our best in mind.

The pain of Bible study is not like the pain of touching a hot stove, a caution to stay away. Rather, the pain of Bible study is like the sore muscles of a preseason athlete. We ache because we’re not yet in shape for competition, but we have a good coach who is getting us ready for the opening bell.

Enroll in Your Own Bible Class this Fall

August 31, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

The journey back to school this year has been a difficult one in the U.S.. Parents have made difficult choices about how and where their children will learn, and school teachers and administrators have faced some of the thorniest challenges of their careers. A global pandemic will do that, I guess.

I am a teacher myself, and the COVID chaos has tamped down my usual affection for the back-to-school season. Normally I love to gather supplies, feel a temporary sense of organization and schedule, and look ahead with excitement about what the fall has to offer. This year, however, I felt tired before classes began.

Despite my fatigue, I can’t shake the sense of early-fall possibility. Like the new year, this part of the calendar offers a new start.

A New Start for Bible Study

Christians often start read-through-the-Bible plans in early January. We pour over schedules for books and chapters; some plans even build “make-up days” into each month.

We give a lot less attention to planning out our Bible study. This may be because our Bible study rhythms are tied to our church or small group. It may be because we have laid this important discipline to the side.

Today, I’m offering you a chance to plan out your Bible study. If you aren’t regularly studying the Bible, there’s no better time to start.

So join the children this fall. Head back to class. I invite you to design your own plan for studying the Bible this year.

In case you need a model, I’ve provided one below. There’s nothing special about my plan other than it’s already made. Feel free to modify mine or start from scratch.

How to Study the Bible

If studying the Bible sounds overwhelming or like a task reserved for professional clergy, I understand. Some people write and talk about Bible study so that it seems academic, dry, and intimidating. It doesn’t have to be this way!

This web site (Knowable Word) exists to help ordinary people learn how to study the Bible. If you need a quick way to prepare for your class, you’ve come to the right place!

I’d suggest you start with our summary page and then dig into more details. There are three ingredients to the age-old method we promote: observe, interpret, and apply.

When we study the Bible, we must first observe what is written. We must take note of the details and how they fit together. Then we interpret the text. We try to understand the meaning of the passage, and we search for the author’s main point. Finally, we apply the truth of the Bible. If we remain unchanged, our Bible study is incomplete.

An Example Class

Since the academic year usually lasts for about eight months, I’ve designed the class below to last from early September though the end of April, with some time off around the holidays. This long view will allow me to suggest a long book—Isaiah—for our study. (If you are designing your own class, you could choose a different long book or opt for several shorter books.)

The plan below begins with three weeks to do nothing but read through Isaiah as many times as possible. The Isaiah portion of many audio Bibles is just less than four hours. This means that an average reader should be able to read all of Isaiah three times during those three weeks in just 35 minutes per day. Rereading a book is the best way to understand its structure.

In your whole-book survey, put together a book overview. Try to outline the book as you go. These initial readings should not be passive!

At the end of the plan, I’ve scheduled some time for putting your thoughts together. In a high school or college class, your instructor might assign you a paper at the end of the term. This isn’t just busywork; writing or presenting your findings is a great way to help you process and organize all that you’ve learned. If you have a blog yourself, consider writing about your “class.” (Send us a link here at Knowable Word so we can read it!) You might even consider writing a guest post on this blog.

The Plan

Here’s the week-by-week schedule. Adopt and adapt and modify to fit your needs.

Aug 30–Sept 5: read Isaiah
Sept 6–12: read Isaiah
Sept 13–19: read Isaiah
Sept 20–26: Isaiah 1–2
Sept 27–Oct 3: Isaiah 3–5
Oct 4–10: Isaiah 6–8
Oct 11–17: Isaiah 9–10
Oct 18–24: Isaiah 11–13
Oct 25–31: Isaiah 14–16
Nov 1–7: Isaiah 17–19
Nov 8–14: Isaiah 20–22
Nov 15–21: Isaiah 23–24

Nov 22–28: Isaiah 25–26
Nov 29–Dec 5: Isaiah 27–28
Dec 6–12: Isaiah 29–30
Dec 13–19: Isaiah 31–33
Dec 20–26: break
Dec 27–Jan 2: break
Jan 3–9: Isaiah 34–35
Jan 10–16: Isaiah 36–37
Jan 17–23: Isaiah 38–39
Jan 24–30: Isaiah 40–41
Jan 31–Feb 6: Isaiah 42–43
Feb 7–13: Isaiah 44–45

Feb 14–20: Isaiah 46–47
Feb 21–27: Isaiah 48–49
Feb 28–Mar 6: Isaiah 50–52
Mar 7–13: Isaiah 53–55
Mar 14–20: Isaiah 56–57
Mar 21–27: Isaiah 58–59
Mar 28–Apr 3: Isaiah 60–62
Apr 4–10: Isaiah 63–64
Apr 11–17: 65–66
Apr 18–24: wrap up
Apr 25–May 1: wrap up

How Far You’ll Go

In a chaotic year, God is constant and sovereign. He has revealed himself in his word. Let’s take advantage of this time to draw closer to him.

If you give yourself to careful, regular Bible study over the next 35 weeks, imagine how much you’ll grow in your understanding! Imagine how much you’ll change!

Prayerlessness About Bible Study Reveals Our False Beliefs

August 17, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

Christians pray for friends and loved ones who are ill. We ask for protection when we are traveling. We thank God for the food he provides, and we teach our children to pray before bed.

But many Christians take a more cavalier approach to prayer when it comes to the Bible. And our prayerlessness is telling.

Our actions reveal our hearts, and a resistance to (or forgetfulness about) praying before studying God’s word exposes at least three false beliefs about the Bible.

The Bible is Ordinary

In much of the global west, we have an abundance of access to the Bible—multiple translations, cheap physical copies, and free digital versions. As a result, many of us regard the Bible like any other paperback lying around the house.

Instead of a supernatural encounter with the God of the universe, we treat reading the Bible as ho-hum and ordinary. Bible reading becomes one of many daily tasks, like making our bed or drying the dishes.

If we consistently take up the Bible without prayer, we believe it is nothing special.

The Bible is Simple

The essential truths of the Scriptures are plain, but we often treat the Bible as a grade school grammar book. We give it ten minutes of our attention and try to harvest a lesson for the day.

If this book really is God’s word, and if we really have an invitation to the depths of God’s work and his desires for his people, then we cannot understand it on our own. Our minds are too finite, our hearts too fallen. We need God’s Spirit to teach us (John 14:26).

When we neglect prayer before we study the Bible, we believe God’s word—and maybe God himself—is easy, obvious, and elementary.

The Bible is Powerless

We who are Christians have already been changed through God’s word. To paraphrase Paul in Galatians, how could we think we would grow in some other way (Gal 3:1–3)?

We treat the Bible lightly—or don’t pick it up at all—and we wonder why we continue in the same selfish patterns year after year. We shrug at the long, Bible-lite plateau in our Christian growth and think, “Huh, that’s weird.”

God’s word is at work within believers (1 Thess 2:13). But casual, erratic encounters with the Bible—instead of regular, strengthening spiritual workouts—are like turning an exercise bike into a clothes hanger. We’re neglecting a powerful resource.

If we don’t pray when we open God’s word, we don’t believe God can use it to change us.

Repent and Believe

Because God is a loving father, he doesn’t withhold good things from us, even when we screw up. Occasionally forgetting to pray before reading the Bible is no reason for despair.

But if we consistently come to Scripture without talking to God, we are in dangerous territory. It may be pride or unbelief that is driving our silence.

God is generous and kind. He loves to forgive us and turn us around. We can—we must—bring even our prayerlessness to him.

Ignoring Context Can Lead to Heresy

August 3, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

Reading the Bible in its proper context is so important that I (apparently) cannot stop writing about it. I’ve explained the dangers of ignoring context, and I’ve shown that we can still share Scripture responsibly.

I know I am arguing for a more difficult path. Verse-of-the-day calendars are easier and more inspiring. Studying the Bible takes work.

I hear other objections too. For example, it’s possible to conclude something true from the Bible despite missing a verse’s context. What’s the big deal? Only a real stick-in-the-mud would get worked up about this, right?

Accidental Truths

In our Context Matters series, we have tackled passages where the popular interpretation can be found in the Bible, just not (as we argue) from that passage.

Many people take the “where two or three are gathered in my name” verse as a promise by Jesus to be present with a small group of his followers when they seek him. In fact, God promises in many places never to leave his children, but this passage is about church leadership and the removal of a member.

So, it is possible to arrive at a legitimate destination through less-than-careful means. But this should make us praise God for his grace, not continue on in recklessness.

We Broadcast Our Method

When we share portions of the Bible with others, we are not only sharing our conclusions. We are sharing our method. We are teaching people how to use God’s holy word.

So, when we pluck out a verse and tack it to our email signatures, we’re modeling this behavior. We’re encouraging onlookers to use the Bible in this à la carte way. If we inspire people to walk blindfolded, some of them just might do so on a cliff. And quickly.

You might not see the effects first-hand. But using Bible verses out of context can have damnable consequences.

An Example: Jehovah’s Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses differ from Christians in important doctrinal matters, some of which are the direct result of ignoring Scriptural context.

This article is not intended to be a complete refutation of Jehovah’s Witness theology, so we will look at just two examples.

Is Jesus Almighty God?

Jehovah’s Witnesses agree that Jesus is the Son of God but do not believe that he is God Almighty. Here is one of their arguments.

Jesus’ early followers did not view him as being equal to Almighty God. For example, the apostle Paul wrote that after Jesus was resurrected, God “exalted him [Jesus] to a superior position.” Obviously, Paul did not believe that Jesus was Almighty God. Otherwise, how could God exalt Jesus to a superior position?

As with many other doctrines, this interpretation depends in part on the translation Jehovah’s Witnesses use. A more common way to translate the relevant phrase in Philippians 2:9 is “God has highly exalted him.” But even if we put this quibble aside, we reach quite a different conclusion when we consider this passage in context.

Paul writes that Jesus “was in the form of God” but “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (Phil 2:6). Instead, he “emptied himself,” “being born in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:7). So, Jesus refused to grasp his God-nature tightly, and as a humble servant he took on human nature.

Paul is not making an argument against the divine nature of Jesus in Philippians 2. He is showing that the sacrificial love he urges was demonstrated by God himself in the incarnation and life of Jesus.

An Ethical Example

In addition to theological matters, Jehovah’s Witnesses also play fast and loose with Scripture when it comes to ethical considerations. Consider the following argument they make for why they do not go to war.

Jesus’ disciples obey his command to be “no part of the world” by remaining strictly neutral in political matters. (John 17:16) They do not protest against military actions or interfere with those who choose to serve in the armed forces.

A quick look at the verse in question reveals that Jesus is giving a description, not a command. His disciples are “not of the world, just as [he is] not of the world” (John 17:16).

Further, Jesus is not praying that his disciples would stay out of political matters. In the previous breath, Jesus asks his Father, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). Just two verses later, Jesus prays, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18). Jesus wants his disciples in the world, but protected.

It is not my goal to argue anything specific about politics. I simply observe that, while making their argument, Jehovah’s Witnesses yank this phrase entirely out of its context.

Context Matters

It might seem bold or encouraging to share a Bible verse out of context with your followers or friends on social media.

Please remember: There’s a better way! You are not only sharing God’s word, you’re showing others how to handle it. And handling the Bible out of context is a dangerous business, potentially leading to heresy and hell itself.

Can there be any doubt that context matters?

How to Share Scripture While Respecting Context

July 20, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

I’ve argued that the context of Scripture is so important that ignoring it is dangerous. One might conclude that I want people to share the Bible less often.

Nothing could be further from the truth! I want the Bible in the hearts and on the tongues of all people from pole to pole, and that won’t happen unless Christians share God’s word with others.

I don’t want the Bible to be shared less. I want it to be shared better.

Reminder: Context Matters

On this blog we have produced many arguments and examples of why context matters. We will not grasp the intended meaning of a Bible passage if we don’t understand how it fits into the larger picture.

Respecting context is particularly important when we talk about the Bible with others. In these situations we are not only communicating the meaning of the Bible but also the proper use of the Bible.

If we fling around solitary verses, this teaches others to do the same. And many, many bad theologies and heresies have resulted from this practice. (Stay tuned for more on this in my next post.)

Our Top Priority

When we talk about the Bible with our friends, we should labor to communicate what is true. So the first step in sharing Scripture with our friends is to study the Bible passage until we understand it.

Here at Knowable Word we advocate studying the Bible using the OIA framework. We have lots of articles, examples, and resources to help ordinary people learn how to study the Bible.

This will take time and effort. But the payoff will be worth it—we will have confidence that the Scriptures we are passing along mean what we claim.

Here are two suggestions on how to share Scripture while honoring context.

Suggestion #1: Share the Context

One way to avoid ignoring context is to provide the context. Instead of lifting a verse out of a chapter, send along the whole chapter.

Having already studied the passage, we will have a good sense of the literary unit in which the passage lives. This unit (at minimum) is what we should share.

Here’s our first example. If I had a friend who was burdened by the weight of his sins, I might want him to understand that salvation means we no longer fear punishment and hell. I would suggest he read 1 John 4:13–21 and pay special attention to verses 17 and 18. Instead of sending along a verse or two, I’d suggest those verses within their context, all of which my friend should be able to read in one sitting.

Suggestion #2: Summarize the Context

If it is not practical to share the entire context of a Bible passage, another approach is to summarize the context of the passage.

Here’s a second example. If I wanted to encourage a friend with the compassion and grace of Jesus, I might consider his conversation with the thief on the cross. Many people are familiar with Jesus’s final words to him: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). In context, this is less a treatise on what happens to the soul upon death than an example of Jesus offering forgiveness to broken sinners who come to him.

To grasp the context, a person should understand the way Jesus loved and identified with the mocked and scorned throughout his ministry. When Jesus was at the height of his own humiliation, he embraced others who were hated and cast out. And in his final act, he took the place of those he loved—he became ridiculed for the ridiculed.

If I wanted to share this passage with a friend, I would not just quote the punchline verse. I would offer a few words (as in the paragraph above) about Jesus’s ministry and companions in Luke. I would also suggest that my friend read Luke 23:32–43.

In this situation, it isn’t reasonable to ask my friend to read all of Luke. But a short introduction and then the Bible text itself can work as a substitute.

Respecting Every Context

Most of the discussion above uses “context” to refer to the literary context of a passage—the author’s flow of thought and how the passage fits with what precedes and follows it. But we must recognize historical context (the occasion, author, and audience) and biblical context (how other Biblical authors refer or allude to it) as well.

This may result in different practices when sharing portions of the Psalms and Proverbs, for example.

Loving Those with Whom You Share

The way we share the Bible with a friend will depend on that friend’s background. Our communication will differ from a Christian to a non-Christian, from a new believer to a seasoned saint. All of this takes wisdom.

One of the most loving things we can do for our friends is to connect them with God’s word. As we pray for opportunities to do this, let’s work hard to share the Bible in context.

The Dangerous Consequences of Ignoring Context

July 6, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

Perhaps you’ve read a post or two on this blog stressing the importance of Biblical context. You may have seen a whole catalog of articles showing how familiar verses and phrases may not carry the meanings intended by those who splash them on coffee cups and t-shirts.

Yes, context matters. We won’t tire of repeating this key to interpreting the Bible because ignoring context is not just misguided, it is dangerous.

We Miss the Truth

The obvious danger of neglecting context is that we lose the truth. But we dare not forget how devastating a loss this is. What do we have if we don’t have Biblical truth? We are a parched, dusty land with no hope of rain.

Context drives interpretation. So when we pluck out individual verses we have no chance of arriving at a proper understanding.

In the best situations, this leads to a true teaching through a bad process. (See here for an example.) In the worst cases, we end up with damnable heresy.

We Disrespect God

Imagine writing a letter to a dear friend. You haven’t been in touch for months, so your words stretch into the thousands. You write about children and parents, work and health, joys and sorrows.

Later you learn that your friend lifted one sentence from this letter and posted it on social media. Your friend gave you credit, and the quote didn’t make you look bad, but the meaning is gone. How would this make you feel?

Despite our best intentions, misusing someone’s words always disrespects the author.

God gave us his word to read as 66 books under one cover. When we discount Biblical context, we not only disrespect the original authors, we put ourselves above the Scriptures, insisting we know better how to present it than God himself.

Though perhaps distasteful, we need to name this error accurately. It is arrogance. And God does not think highly of the arrogant (see James 4:1–10, especially James 4:6).

We Mislead Our Neighbors

As Christians we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves, and part of this calling is pointing our neighbors toward God through Jesus Christ.

Whenever we rip verses from their Biblical context and slap them on hats or bumper stickers or (gulp!) church signs, we’re telling our neighbors that this is a proper way to handle God’s word. We’re encouraging them to pick and choose what seems good or inspirational from the Bible.

This misleads our neighbors about the nature of both the Bible and God himself, and it may encourage them in error.

The Bible in Context

Now that I’ve shown how delightful a companion I’d be on your next trip to a Christian bookstore, let me reassure you.

I’m not saying we need to quote the whole Bible or nothing. There are plenty of ways to share powerful, helpful passages of Scripture with a friend or neighbor while still respecting the context of those passages. (I will share some of my suggestions on this in my next post.) I am urging, however, that we must be careful.

God’s word brings us joy and encouragement and comfort. But it is a serious, weighty, and holy matter to have and communicate the very words of God.

After all, context matters.

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We Need Faith to Study the Bible

May 25, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

Our approach often determines our results.

A pole vaulter’s job is incredibly complex. An observer may only see them flying through the air, but the athlete must first put in months of work on form, technique, speed, strength, and flexibility. Those in training practice sprinting with the pole before they ever vault over the bar. If they approach the pit incorrectly, there is no chance of success.

Likewise, our approach to the Bible often determines our understanding and our obedience. The question is: Will we approach the Bible in faith?

Slow-to-Believe Disciples

We find the famous story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13–35. When Jesus joins the pair of disciples, they do not recognize him, and they are shocked when he seems ignorant of the headline events of recent days (Luke 24:17–19).

As the two relate the current events to Jesus, after mentioning his death, they say, “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). The implication is clear—because Jesus died, he must not be the one to redeem Israel.

The disciples go on to mention the empty tomb, indicating their curiosity about a possible resurrection, but Jesus responds with a rebuke.

O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? (Luke 24:25–26)

Jesus goes on to explain all the things about himself in the Scriptures. But let’s examine that rebuke more closely.

Because the disciples were not expecting a Messiah who would suffer and die, their hopes were dashed. But Jesus says that they should have expected this! They were slow of heart to believe the prophets. (This includes Jesus, whom they describe as a prophet in Luke 24:19 and who spoke about his suffering and death in Luke 9:21–22, 9:44, and 18:31–34.) They were reading and interpreting the Scriptures without faith.

Different Approaches to the Bible

People read the Bible for a host of different reasons.

Some come as skeptics, wondering what this strange book/religion is all about. Others pick up the Bible to find evidence for a belief they already hold. Still others approach the Bible only to prove someone wrong.

Instead of being slow of heart to believe, we must be quick to believe. We must come to the Bible eager to discover and believe the truth. We must approach the Bible in faith.

Now, God can turn around any skeptic that opens his word. But for those who already follow Jesus, we must come expecting to find good and helpful truths in the Bible. And we must repent of our resistance, our hesitation, and our refusal to embrace what God teaches.

How to Approach in Faith

The best way to approach the Bible in faith is to ask God for it. Confess your reluctance and your doubts and ask him to work in you. It takes humility to study the Bible.

God also builds faith in us as we hear what he says about his word. Psalm 19 contains some wonderful, soul-rousing truths about the Bible.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7–11)

As God’s people, let’s turn to the Bible ready for wisdom, joy, and enlightenment. Let’s seek out the truth and believe it.

We Need Humility to Study the Bible

May 11, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

A man lacking humility will want nothing to do with the Bible.

Perhaps that’s obvious, but it’s worth repeating. Our pride lurks in the shadows, ready to spew lies about our independence, our capability, and the fact that we’re not really so bad after all.

In fact, we are finite and fallible, with hearts full of corruption and self absorption. How could we possibly know about a holy God? How could we begin to approach him?

The very existence of the Bible should fill us with gratitude. How wonderful that God has made himself known! It should also kindle humility within us—we need him to reach to us because we could never reach him ourselves.

Humility must be the beginning—indeed, the ongoing foundation—of Bible study. But it is also necessary in each stage along the way.

Humility in Observation

Familiarity is a great enemy of observation—when we think we already know a passage, our hearts cool and our eyes glaze. We think that we have noticed everything before, that we have already wrung out the sponge. And since observation gathers the wood for the fire of interpretation and application, this strain of pride can blunt the force of God’s powerful word.

Familiarity is an avenue for pride, but it may also be a fact. Some Bible passages come up frequently! So how do we cultivate humility in observation?

We may need to prevent ourselves from getting comfortable. We can turn to different translations of the Bible. We might also consider different Bible formats (audio, print, digital, reader’s versions) to see a passage with fresh eyes.

Humility in Interpretation

All Christians come from certain traditions and perspectives, even if we don’t recognize it. (As they say, a fish might not describe itself as “wet.”) As a result, we might find ourselves in a rut, drawing on a narrow interpretive framework to answer important questions.

This is precisely the problem that fueled the explosive conflict between the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei and the Catholic church in the early 1600s. Based on his astronomical observations, Galileo promoted a heliocentric (sun at the center) model of the solar system. The church opposed this view based on Biblical texts that seemed consistent with a geocentric (Earth at the center) model. The church could not fathom that Galileo’s scientific perspective could be reconciled with the Bible, so he was accused of heresy and lived the end of his life under house arrest.

One of the best ways to cultivate interpretive humility is to reject our cozy Biblical echo chambers. It is easy to think we’re always right when no one ever disagrees! There is great value in joining a Bible study group with Christians of different ages, ethnicities, traditions, and genders. We can also seek out diversity in the books we read and the sermons we download.

Humility in Application

Humility is the basis of all application. If we see no need to change, we won’t.

Those who would be humble appliers of the Bible must be courageous, because this humility requires a terrifying prayer: God, please show me my sin. Bring people and situations into my life that show me my need to change.

Bigger Than You

Humility does not demand that we belittle ourselves or our contributions. We are not called to deny the gifts or talents that God has given.

We are called, however, to seek the Lord first and love him most. Humility follows naturally when we focus less on ourselves and more on God and his plan for the world and our neighbors.

And with this preparation, we will be more faithful students of God’s word.

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