Top Posts | Knowable Word

10. How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

Moving down from the #5 slot last year, this post outlines from Proverbs 6:12-15 a few signs to help recognize divisive people. This post comes from my 2013 series of studies through the first 9 chapters of Proverbs.

9. Context Matters: You Have Heard That it was Said…But I Say to You

This year-and-a-half-old post makes its first appearance on any of our top 10 lists. It 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.

8. 4 Bible Studies for Advent

This post is up slightly from #9 last year, a companion piece to Ryan’s 4 Bible studies for Lent. Advent is a great time to study the Bible, and here are four 4-week studies you could consider for that season. Be forewarned, however: These are not your typical you-can-only-trust-the-experts, fill-in-blank sort of Bible studies some people are used to.

7. Details of the OIA Method

This post serves as a table of contents to my series on how to study the Bible. It pretty much explains why this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of pageviews, even though it’s down from #4 on this list last year.

6. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT

This post was also in the #6 slot last year. Even though my series analyzes not only books but also chapters and verses, this list of most-quoted books always seems to be the most popular.

5. Summary of the OIA Method

See post #7, unless you want less of a detailed explanation and more of a summary. Then see this post instead. This is down from #3 last year.

4. Context Matters: A Bruised Reed

This used to be the most-viewed “context matters” post on the blog, until it was surpassed by #2 below. But it’s still being viewed more than it used to be, since it is up from #7 on last year’s list. This is one of my most controversial posts, as I challenge an interpretation as common as oxygen. Yet it is incredibly difficult to find an argument for the traditional interpretation. Instead it is universally assumed and asserted. Check it out, and study the text for yourself.

3. 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. I’m 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!

2. Context Matters: God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

A year ago, this was the second-most viewed “context matters” post (and #10 on last year’s top 10 list). But this year, it had about one-third more views than the one about the “bruised reed” (#4 on this list), and more than twice as many views as the “you have heard that it was said” post (#9 on this list). In this post, Ryan takes a close look at what Psalm 34 really means by this clause, which unsurprisingly is not that a person can get whatever he or she wants.

1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

The popularity of this 2015 post 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 4th friend in the book of Job. If you even knew he existed, chances are you’ve skipped his speeches entirely. This post is my attempt to explain Elihu’s role in the drama of the play of Job. This post was #3 in 2017, but it has now held the #1 slot for three years running. And the competition is not even close. The #2 post was viewed about 25,000 times this year, and this one was viewed more than 32,000 times.

Previous years’ lists: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013

10. The Complexity of Applying the Speeches of Job’s Friends

It is somewhat common to consider the three friends of Job to be categorically wrong, and their speeches to be discarded. But the Apostle Paul never got that memo. The truth is far more complex and nuanced.

9. The Reckoning of the Minas

Because context matters, we must be careful not to hastily harmonize parallel passages. One key example of this is the parable of the ten minas in Luke 10. It sounds very similar to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, but it is not the same, nor was it spoken in the same circumstances. This post, that had the eighth highest number of views this year, was simply a set up for the following post where I dove further into the details.

8. The Dangerous Consequences of Ignoring Context

Just as the title says, ignoring context has dangerous consequences. We miss the truth. We disrespect God. We mislead our neighbors. It’s just not worth it.

7. Quoting Scripture Contrary to Its Purpose is Devilish

This companion piece to the previous one reveals the staggering truth that those who ignore context are reading the Bible more like Satan than like Jesus. Let’s not do that.

6. Context Matters: Leave the Dead to Bury Their Own Dead

The first of many “context matters” posts to show up on both this week’s list and next week’s, this post examines Jesus’ cryptic statement in Luke 9:60. With help from the context, the instruction doesn’t need to be as cryptic as many typically presume.

5. Context Matters: Always Prepared to Make a Defense

1 Peter 3:15 this time. Though it can apply to apologetics (reasoned defenses for Christianity), that is not the only, nor even the main, thing Peter had in mind. Not all Christians can succeed at philosophical argumentation. But all must succeed at living righteous and respectful lives, thereby generating opportunities to bear witness to the suffering and kingship of the Lord Jesus.

4. Context Matters: The Weaker Vessel

Just a few verses before the previous one, 1 Peter provides one of the most uncomfortable, politically incorrect statements in the Bible. But it ought to be proclaimed in skywriting over every wedding and every marriage. You, husband, can win your wife to the glory of God by understanding her. By showing her the same honor you would show an empress. By praying together with her.

3. Why We Should be More Familiar with OT Sacrifices

We move on (momentarily) from an example of why context matters to an example of how drastically the early parts of the Bible inform the later parts of the Bible. The sacrificial system, and especially the burnt offering, is everywhere. Whenever you lay hands on someone, wash with water, speak of atonement, or offer acceptable worship, you call upon these ancient rituals. Are you aware of how they were done or what they meant at the time?

2. Why You Can Trust the Bible

The most important reason is simply that Jesus trusted it. This post shows him in action.

1. Context Matters: Apart From Me You Can Do Nothing

In our most-read post, from those written this year, Ryan dives into John 15-4-5 to show that the popular understanding of this phrase is not necessarily incorrect, but is much enriched by a grasp of Jesus’ argument in the context.

Previous years’ top tens: 2019, 2018, 2017

10. Context Matters: God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

This post was #1 on last week’s list (most viewed posts that were published in 2019), but comes in at #10 overall. Yet it was only the second most-viewed “context matters” post (see slot #7 below).

9. 4 Bible Studies for Advent

Last year, the big hit was Ryan’s 4 Bible studies for Lent. But this year, folks seemed more interested in his Bible studies for advent. Advent is a great time to study the Bible, and here are four 4-week studies you could consider for that season.

8. 10 OT Books Never Quoted in the NT

This post was #7 on last year’s list, and #4 the year before that. It’s only one part of a six-part series analyzing every NT citation of an OT text. It’s interesting that one of the most popular posts in that series is about the OT books that never get a direct quotation.

7. Context Matters: A Bruised Reed

This was the most-viewed “context matters” post on the blog this year. It didn’t see much traffic in 2018 (it did not make the top 10 list) but seemed to pick up more interest this year. This is one of my most controversial posts, as I challenge an interpretation as common as oxygen. Yet it is incredibly difficult to find an argument for the traditional interpretation. Instead it is universally assumed and asserted. Check it out, and study the text for yourself.

6. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT

This post moves up from #8 last year, but was #5 in 2017. So it’s still hovering in about the same place. Even though my series analyzes not only books but also chapters and verses, this list of most-quoted books always seems to be the most popular.

5. How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

Moving up from the #9 slot last year, this post outlines from Proverbs 6:12-15 a few signs to help recognize divisive people. This post comes from my 2013 series of studies through the first 9 chapters of Proverbs.

4. Details of the OIA Method

The top 4 slots remain unchanged from last year and are still going strong. We put this one into the top menu so people could find it easily. It pretty much explains why this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of pageviews.

3. Summary of the OIA Method

See the previous post, unless you want less of a detailed explanation and more of a summary. Then see this post instead.

2. 10 Reasons to Avoid Sexual Immorality

This was the most-viewed post in 2014, but then dropped off the list until resurfacing as #8 in 2017 and #2 last year. I’m delighted to see a continued resurgence in appeal for such an important topic. Find whatever motivates you to avoid sexual immorality, and glum onto God’s grace in providing that motivation!

1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

The popularity of this 2015 post 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 4th friend in the book of Job. If you even knew he existed, chances are you’ve skipped his speeches entirely. This post is my attempt to explain Elihu’s role in the drama of the play of Job. This post was #3 in 2017, but it has held the #1 slot for two years running. And the competition is not even close. The #2 post was viewed about 16,000 times, and this one was viewed more than 24,000 times.

10. Did Jesus’ Ministry Last 3 Years?

This post asks the question posed in the title. And while Jesus’ ministry could have had a duration of 3 years, it is far from certain in light of the biblical data. “The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly how many years Jesus spent with his disciples, going about doing good and healing. So we ought not to casually assert a three-year timeline as though it were self-evident.”

9. Bible Study Leaders Should Not Have All the Answers

Claiming to have (or attempting to have) all the answers is bad for both the group and the leader. Beware the guru. Resist becoming a crutch to your people. Let them learn to ride this bike of Bible study.

8. Context Matters: I Never Knew You; Depart from Me

When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of isolated quotes or arbitrary threats—we’ll find that some of our most familiar sayings have more nuance or qualification than we typically assume. This year, we sought to address many Bible verses that are often used or quoted in isolation from their context. The results of careful, contextual study often astound. See here for many more examples.

7. New and Old Garments

All three synoptic gospels mention Jesus’ parable of the new and old garments. This year was the first time, however, that I noticed that Luke’s version says something quite different than Matthew’s or Mark’s. I wrote this post to give an example of the necessity and difficulty of overcoming ignorant familiarity to really observe what’s there.

6. Three Approaches to Ecclesiastes

Just as you’d expect, this post describes three quite different approaches to the book of Ecclesiastes. Your approach might depend on how you’ve heard others teach the book. But which approach (if any) seems most likely when you observe the text itself?

5. What does “Meaningless / Vanity / Futility” Mean in Ecclesiastes?

This post followed up on #4, and ended up being viewed just a shade more times. The approach you take toward the book of Ecclesiastes is closely connected to how you understand the word translated as “meaningless,” “vanity,” or “futility.”

4. Did Jesus Walk Through Walls?

He certainly could have. But the Scripture nowhere says he did. Why does it matter? “Simply the fact that traditions snowball over time, with the end result of making void the Word of God (Mark 7:13). In this case, the tradition has led many to speculate on the physical properties of either the resurrection body or the new heavens and the new earth. This can lead many to make too sharp a division between the “natural” and the “spiritual”—and then we use those adjectives more like Plato than like Paul, which promotes unbiblical asceticism (Col 2:20-23), among other things.” You can see more on the topic, including what some ancient commentators had to say, here.

3. Why was Baby Jesus Laid in a Manger?

Though published only a week ago, this post skyrocketed to the #3 slot on this list. Maybe for some reason, people are thinking about the Christmas story this time of year? Of course, an a la carte link from Tim Challies really helps as well. Just keep in mind that the way Luke would answer this question might not be the same way you and I would want to answer it.

2. A Sermon Notes Sheet for Young Children

There is a huge jump in traffic from post #3 to this post (from about 5,000 views to 10,000 views). And for good reason. This sermon notes sheet created by my co-blogger Ryan is fantastic. My own children use it every week, to great profit. Perhaps yours would benefit from it as well. And here is Ryan’s sermon notes sheet for older children. Please take them and revise them to make them work for you and your kids! It’s a noble task to train your children to listen to the sermon.

1. Context Matters: God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

And just eking past the children’s sermon notes sheet for the #1 slot is our most popular “context matters” post of the year. Yes, God promises to give you the desires of your heart. But only when your heart is delighting in Him. The promise is a promise of more of Himself. The best thing He could possibly offer.

10. The Best Ways to Listen to the Bible

This 2016 post made its way onto the Top 10 list for the first time this year. In the post, Ryan gives a few recommendations for audio Bibles. And though Ryan doesn’t prefer dramatized audio Bibles, Peter has been delighted with, and cheerfully recommends, NIV Live.

9. How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

Making it onto the Top 10 list for the first time, this post outlines from Proverbs 6:12-15 a few signs to help recognize divisive people. This post comes from Peter’s 2013 series of studies through the first 9 chapters of Proverbs.

8. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in the NT

This post was part of Peter’s 2013 series analyzing every Old Testament quotation in the New Testament. Other posts listed the most quoted chapters and most quoted verses. But this one on the most quoted books got a lot of pageviews in 2018.. This post was #5 on this list last year.

7. 4 Bible Studies for Lent

This is the only post written in 2018 to be among the Top 10 of all posts. These Bible studies from Ryan will help you to make the most of the season of Lent by walking through one of the gospel accounts of Christ’s passion week.

6. 10 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament

This post was also part of Peter’s 2013 series analyzing every Old Testament quotation in the New Testament. Good to know not only what’s said, but also what’s not said. This post was #4 on this list last year.

5. How I Prepare a Bible Study

In another post I explain, in the abstract, 5 practices for preparing effective Bible studies. In this post, I describe what it looks like for me to employ those practices. This post is up from the #9 slot last year.

4. Details of the OIA Method

We put this one into the top menu so people could find it easily. It pretty much explains why this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of pageviews. This one is down from #2 last year.

3. Summary of the OIA Method

See the previous post, unless you want less of a detailed explanation and more of a summary. Then see this post instead. This post was #1 last year before being supplanted by a young, angry man.

2. 10 Reasons to Avoid Sexual Immorality

This was the most-viewed post in 2014, but then dropped off the list until resurfacing as #8 last year. I’m delighted to see a continued resurgence in appeal for such an important topic.

1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

The popularity of this 2015 post continues to surprise. Elihu is that mysterious 4th 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 his role in the drama of the play of Job. This post was #3 most viewed in 2017, but in 2018 it had almost twice as many views as #2.

10. No Good Tree Bears Bad Fruit

Six of the ten posts on this year’s list come from Ryan’s keyboard. This first entry looks at a quotable quote from two of Jesus’ sermons to show that he sometimes used the same phrases to mean different things. “Words and phrases have little to no meaning when lifted from their context.”

9. Context Matters: The Ten Commandments

We spent much time this year seeking to persuade readers that context matters. This is not the only such post to have landed with readers (if the pageview statistics can be interpreted as interest), and if we made the list longer, entries 11 through 15 would also be of the same ilk. This post shows that what is brief in Exodus is expanded in Deuteronomy: God Almighty gave these commands to his children out of love.

8. What to Do When the New Testament Quotes the Old

This is the first entry on the list from Peter, in which he argues that the New Testament authors are quoting not sentences but passages. Therefore, we ought to look up the Old Testament quotes and understand their context before we’ll understand how the New Testament author uses that text to make or illustrate his point.

7. What We Miss When We Skip the Prophets

Ryan laments the fact that 21% of the Bible typically doesn’t get 21% of our attention. And as a result, 79% of the Bible is at least 21% misunderstood because the prophetic background is too unfamiliar and thus goes unconsidered. But there is hope. And to find the hope, you have to read the prophets.

6. Reading the Bible for the Ten Thousandth Time

This conclusion to Ryan’s duology (see the next entry) rounds out the lower half of the list. There is a significant jump in pageviews between this and the next most viewed post. This post seeks to help you combat your Bible weariness and pursue continued intimacy with your compassionate Father. Remember: The problem lies not with the book but with us.

5. Reading the Bible for the First Time

This and the next three posts on this list were very close to one another in pageviews. “Imagine that a friend of yours has just become a Christian. She knows of your faith and asks to meet with you. Your friend knows the Bible is an important book for Christians, and she wants to read it. But she has no familiarity with the Bible at all. What would you say to her?”

4. Context Matters: Your Body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit

No, Peter isn’t planning to get a “Mom” tattoo. But he does believe that, were he to debate the issue, “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” would be out of bounds. This post explains why.

3. What Should We Make of the Massive Repetition of Tabernacle Details in Exodus?

Sometimes people fear studying or teaching through the book of Exodus because they fear they won’t know what to do with all the tabernacle details. And then what do you do when nearly every detail is repeated? What a marvelous opportunity to strengthen our observation skills!

2. Context Matters: Valley of Dry Bones

“The Lord himself makes the interpretation clear to Ezekiel. There is no reason for us to be unclear on this ourselves. The dead bones coming back to life are a picture of the exiled people being brought back into the land of Israel, placed in their own land. A people without hope are resurrected to new hope.”

1. 4 Bible Studies for Lent

Last year, Ryan proposed a set of sample Bible studies for Advent. This year, he took on Lent. These studies each focus on one gospel’s account of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. These studies take you right to the text, building your confidence that you can study God’s word for yourself.

Our 10 Favorite Posts to Write in 2015

January 8, 2016 By Peter Krol

public domain

Last week we shared the 10 most popular posts on Knowable Word from 2015. Today, we’re sharing the 10 posts of 2015 that were the most fun for us to write.

Ryan

5. How to Ruin a Small Group Discussion in 4 Easy Steps

I wrote this post tongue-in-cheek, which was a lot of fun. This post was part of my series on attending small group Bible studies, and I wrote most of it using examples from years of witnessing (and leading!) mediocre-to-bad discussions.

4. When Bible Study Meets Real Life

Who has the time to do all of this OIA Bible study? In this post I suggest looking at your devotional life through the lens of Bible intake, making sure not to neglect Bible study entirely.

3. How to Apply the Bible in Community

I taught a Sunday school class at my church this past year on how to study the Bible. While teaching, I was struck with how much Christians need each other to apply the Bible. This post offered the “how” portion of my answer.

2. Why We Need Community to Apply the Bible

See above. In this post, I tried to put my finger on why Christianity is not a solo venture. I love it when I can draw directly on the lessons God is teaching me for my posts.

1. Don’t Forget the Gospel During Bible Study

This was a post where I was preaching to myself. Whether I feel like a success or a failure after personal or group Bible study, I need to return again and again to the central message of the Bible—the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peter

5. 50 Observations of John 3:16

I could hardly contain my excitement when students from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania took my challenge (from page 42 of Knowable Word) to make 50 observations of John 3:16. They sent me a photo of an autographed white board as the fruit of their labor.

In severe suffering, Job has accused God of doing wrong and of remaining silent. But God arrives, speaking out of the whirlwind, to put Job in his place. Job 38:1-39:30 records God’s first speech, recounting the wildness, inscrutability, and uncontrollable power of God’s creation. Duly humbled, Job tries to slink away like an amateur diver whose loosely tied trunks slipped off at surface impact.

But God will have nothing of the sort. “Oh no, you don’t. I’m not done with you yet.”

« Previous Page

10. How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

9. Context Matters: You Have Heard That it was Said…But I Say to You

8. 4 Bible Studies for Advent

7. Details of the OIA Method

6. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT

5. Summary of the OIA Method

4. Context Matters: A Bruised Reed

3. 10 Reasons to Avoid Sexual Immorality

2. Context Matters: God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

10. The Complexity of Applying the Speeches of Job’s Friends

9. The Reckoning of the Minas

8. The Dangerous Consequences of Ignoring Context

7. Quoting Scripture Contrary to Its Purpose is Devilish

6. Context Matters: Leave the Dead to Bury Their Own Dead

5. Context Matters: Always Prepared to Make a Defense

4. Context Matters: The Weaker Vessel

3. Why We Should be More Familiar with OT Sacrifices

2. Why You Can Trust the Bible

1. Context Matters: Apart From Me You Can Do Nothing

10. Context Matters: God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

9. 4 Bible Studies for Advent

8. 10 OT Books Never Quoted in the NT

7. Context Matters: A Bruised Reed

6. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT

5. How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

4. Details of the OIA Method

3. Summary of the OIA Method

2. 10 Reasons to Avoid Sexual Immorality

1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

10. Did Jesus’ Ministry Last 3 Years?

9. Bible Study Leaders Should Not Have All the Answers

8. Context Matters: I Never Knew You; Depart from Me

7. New and Old Garments

6. Three Approaches to Ecclesiastes

5. What does “Meaningless / Vanity / Futility” Mean in Ecclesiastes?

4. Did Jesus Walk Through Walls?

3. Why was Baby Jesus Laid in a Manger?

2. A Sermon Notes Sheet for Young Children

1. Context Matters: God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

10. The Best Ways to Listen to the Bible

9. How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

8. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in the NT

7. 4 Bible Studies for Lent

6. 10 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament

5. How I Prepare a Bible Study

4. Details of the OIA Method

3. Summary of the OIA Method

2. 10 Reasons to Avoid Sexual Immorality

1. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

10. No Good Tree Bears Bad Fruit

9. Context Matters: The Ten Commandments

8. What to Do When the New Testament Quotes the Old

7. What We Miss When We Skip the Prophets

6. Reading the Bible for the Ten Thousandth Time

5. Reading the Bible for the First Time

4. Context Matters: Your Body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit

3. What Should We Make of the Massive Repetition of Tabernacle Details in Exodus?

2. Context Matters: Valley of Dry Bones

1. 4 Bible Studies for Lent

10. Teach Bible Study to a 12-Year-Old

9. How I Prepare a Bible Study

8. 10 Reasons to Avoid Sexual Immorality

7. Top 11 OT Verses Quoted in NT

6. Teach Bible Study to a 4-Year-Old

5. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in the NT

4. 10 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament

3. Why Elihu is So Mysterious

2. Details of the OIA Method

1. Summary of the OIA Method

10. Exodus 15:1-21: I Will Sing to the Lord

9. The Resurrection of Jesus According to Mark

8. You Can Read the Bible to Your Kids

7. Exodus 3:1-4:17: The Making of a Mediator

6. Leading Women’s Bible Studies: Not Just for Women

5. The Resurrection of Jesus According to Matthew

4. The Resurrection of Jesus According to John

3. E-Sword: Bible Study Software for Everyone

2. CSB Study Bible: Great Translation, Fine Study Resource

1. 4 Bible Studies for Advent