Will Anderson believes that adults have as much to gain from teaching the Bible to children as the children do. And I believe he is correct.

Sometimes we assume our maturity has outgrown whatever simple truths kids can grasp (I don’t need this). Other times we’re so consumed with contextualizing the message, we neglect to teach ourselves (I really want the kids to get this). Because we’re better resourced than ever before—with quality Bible curriculum that provides main points, creative elements, and application—our urgency to personally encounter the passage wanes. But teaching kids the Bible can be as beneficial to our souls as it is to theirs.

He offers 5 ways God transforms us when we teach children:

1. Teaching kids helps us rehearse the Bible’s story.
2. Teaching kids helps us simplify what we overcomplicate.
3. Teaching kids reunites theology and creativity.
4. Teaching kids humbles us.
5. Teaching kids produces joy.

Check it out!

Some psalms are on everyone’s list of favorites. They contain evocative phrases and describe jaw-dropping promises.

Sometimes we love these psalms—or portions of these psalms—without looking at them carefully. Today we’ll take a close look at Psalm 91.

To Dwell and Trust

The first two verses of Psalm 91 function as a summary of the entire poem.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1–2)

For those that know and love the Lord, closeness to him is precious. Given the cause-and-effect in verse 1 (dwell in his shelter then abide in his shadow), the reader naturally wants to know, How do I dwell in the shelter of the Most High?

This question is answered at several points in the psalm, including in the following verse! In part, we dwell in God’s shelter by trusting him as our refuge and fortress (Psalm 91:2). This means we trust God for rest (as our refuge) and protection (as our fortress).

Deliverance from Snares and Fears

In Psalm 91:3–8 we read some of the implications of abiding in the “shadow of the Almighty.”

God will deliver from traps and disease (Psalm 91:3). Like a mother bird, he will protect his children (Psalm 91:4). Because he is our refuge, he will take away fear of attack and sickness (Psalm 91:5–6). Though tragedy may strike many nearby, it will not touch us (Psalm 91:7–8).

One quick observation. We can follow the structure of this psalm by paying attention to the pronouns. After the header (verse 1), the psalmist speaks to the Lord (“my God”) in verse 2. Then in Psalm 91:3–13 the author writes of God in the third person (“he”) and addresses a reader (or perhaps himself) in the second person (“you”). In the final section of the song, Psalm 91:14–16, the Lord speaks in the first person (“I”) and discusses a loyal follower (“him”).

No Evil Will Befall You

In the next section (Psalm 91:9–13), the psalmist continues to enumerate the blessings of being protected by the Lord. Yet the stakes (and the help) are not just more of the same.

In verse 9, the poet reiterates that God shows his goodness to those who have made the Lord their dwelling place. If that is the case, no plague will come near, and no evil will befall you (Psalm 91:10). Why? Because God will command his angels to take care of you (Psalm 91:11–12). Think how dear his people must be in order for the Lord to deploy his heavenly army for protection! (If you’re curious about how these verses are used by Satan to tempt Jesus, read this article.)

From scores of Bible passages we know that Psalm 91:10 is not a promise of an easy, curse-free life. The language of this psalm, particularly as it escalates in these verses, points us to eternal rather than temporal fulfillment of God’s promises.

This section discusses evil and angels, so the psalmist has not just earthly but cosmic conflict in mind. Verse 13 may pick up on that theme. A blessing of dwelling with the Lord is trampling on the young lion and the serpent (Psalm 91:13). So God may be enlisting his children (and foreshadowing the Lord Jesus) in turning back evil.

Blessings of Holding Fast to the Lord

In the final stanza of the psalm we read of God’s blessings from his perspective. We also have a fuller answer to our earlier question of how someone would dwell in God’s shelter.

God gives three indicators in these final verses of how to be blessed. Such a person must hold fast to God in love, he must know God’s name, and he must cry out to God in trouble (Psalm 91:14–15). In response, the Lord promises blessing upon blessing: he will deliver, protect, be with, rescue, and honor him. The final verse of the psalm is the culmination of all these blessings: “With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation” (Psalm 91:16).

We must not forget Jesus as we interpret any portion of Scripture. To “hold fast” to God demands that we do so as he stipulates. And Jesus tells us that we must abide in him (John 15:4). The good news of the gospel of Jesus is that our blessings depend on his faithfulness, not ours.

Application From a Favorite Psalm

It’s easy to see why this psalm is a favorite. Especially for those who are fearful and those who need protection, God gives deep and sweeping promises. What is the psalmist’s main point?

There is salvation for those who make the Lord God their dwelling place.

What are some possible applications? For personal/inward application, I landed on some challenging questions. Here’s just one: Do I trust the Lord and treat him as my refuge and fortress? If I am failing to trust the Lord, it might be helpful to list as many reasons as possible—from the Bible and my walk with God—that he can be trusted to provide rest and protection. Remember, it is God’s faithfulness that is a shield for us (Psalm 91:4).

There are numerous outward applications as well. Our friends and neighbors may dwell in the shelter of many things aside from the Lord. Whether we have a Christian or non-Christian friend in mind, Psalm 91 offers a compelling argument to make “the Lord your dwelling place” (Psalm 91:9).

When the Lord God made the heavens and the earth, there was only one thing that he declared was not good: the man’s being alone. So God promptly invented romantic love, and his word is very clear about how such love works. It begins with the problem of loneliness, which is not a result of sin but simply a result of being a created being. It proceeds when boy meets girl, and things start to feel really awkward. And the only way to make progress is with poetry, song, and celebration. The World’s Greatest Song (aka The Song of Songs) is here to help.

Literary Markers

The poetry in the Song of Songs flits about from character to character, as the woman, the man, and the daughters of Jerusalem all lift their voices in an intricate back-and-forth befitting the subject matter. As a result, the poetry can appear quite mysterious and dense. Thankfully, the poet makes use of two refrains that serve, with minor variations, as paint blazes on the trail to help us follow his train of thought.

Each refrain occurs three times in the book. The first refrain is “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (Song 2:7, 3:5, 8:4). The second refrain is “My beloved is mine, and I am his” (Song 2:16, 6:3, 7:10). These two refrains provide the chief applications to the unmarried (do not awaken) and the married (join in mutual possession). And in addition, they help us to mark many of the book’s divisions.

In addition, the flow of most of the poems moves from separation to union (or reunion). The arcs of each section follow this general pattern where the lovers begin apart from one another and move toward one another to be together.

Walkthrough

The chief audience for the Song of Songs is the virgin daughters of Jerusalem, who are addressed all throughout the book. In this way, this book is something of a complement to the book of Proverbs, whose chief audience is the young men of Israel. This doesn’t mean that men have nothing to gain from the Song, but it helps us to understand why the woman is in the spotlight for much of the book.

After the book’s title (Song 1:1), we’re immersed right into the intoxicating nature of love, which is better than wine (Song 1:2-4). Then in the first main poem, the couple delights in the playful back-and-forth of getting to know one another and finding ways to spend time together as their attraction develops (Song 1:5-2:3). As they draw close, however, and move into a place of profound intimacy (Song 2:4-6), the woman emerges from the chamber to warn the virgins of Jerusalem not to awaken such love in themselves until the time is right (Song 2:7).

The second poem (Song 2:8-3:5) focuses on the wooing and courtship, but completely from the woman’s perspective. She describes the man coming to see her (Song 2:8-9), before quoting what he says—or what she hopes he’ll say?—to win her heart for life (Song 2:10-15). She longs for them to achieve mutual possession of one another (Song 2:16) but must still say goodbye at the end of the evening and send him back to his home (Song 2:17). This leads her to dream of what life would be like without him—a reality she cannot bear to accept (Song 3:1-4). Upon consummation of their love for one another, she emerges once more to adjure the maidens of Jerusalem not to awaken such love until the time is right (Song 3:5).

The third poem (Song 3:6-5:1) opens with a question: Who is this coming up from the wilderness, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense? (Commentaries will point out that this question is identical in wording to Song 8:5, and is most likely asking who and not what.) We will get the answer momentarily, when the naked woman is covered in myrrh and frankincense (Song 4:6). But first, the poet wishes to take a gander at the lavish and luscious bed of Solomon, “inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.” Yeah, that bed has every appearance of a seedy honeymoon suite in Las Vegas, where the “love” comes and goes with each new addition to the harem. But in contrast to the polygamous, cheap lust of Solomon, the undefiled sexuality of the Song’s couple is a glorious paradise. No shame. No fear. No violation. Sheer beauty and delight (Song 4:1-5:1). It was worth it to wait for this.

The fourth poem (Song 5:2-6:3) describes the sanctifying effect of conflict. The opening scene shows that the honeymoon has definitely come to an end, as the couple’s miscues lead to sexual tension and disappointment. But conflict is part of God’s plan to make relationships stronger than they were before. That sanctifying strengthening when the daughters of Jerusalem compel the woman to answer two questions: What makes your man so great (Song 5:9-16)? And where is this relationship heading (Song 6:1-3)? In other words, now that you’ve had this fight, should we expect divorce papers? Is it all over?

The fifth poem (Song 6:4-10) provides a brief intermission highlighting the woman’s uniqueness.

• You are beautiful and awesome (Song 6:4-7)
  • Many queens, concubines, and virgins (Song 6:8)
    • My dove is unique and pure (Song 6:9a)
  • Many queens, concubines, and virgins (Song 6:9b)
• You are beautiful and awesome (Song 6:10)

The sixth poem (Song 6:11-8:3) highlights the exclusivity of this relationship, despite the many things and people that might pull them in different directions. She goes down to check him out (Song 6:11-12), but the daughters of Jerusalem want her to return to their friend group, putting her in a tug-of-war between her friends and her lover (Song 6:13). He wins her with his praise and passion (Song 7:1-9), achieving mutual possession of one another (Song 7:10). Then the two of them celebrate their continued passion in both field (Song 7:11-13) and village (Song 8:1-3). Such fiery passion requires careful guarding, so as not to awaken it before the time is right (Song 8:4).

The final poem (Song 8:5-14) states the conclusion of the matter, reflecting on the principles that undergird the rest of the book. It is here that we learn what true love is, as defined by God, in contrast to the cheap lust of the world (as exemplified by Solomon himself). True love recognizes its own power—which is strong as death—and isn’t naive about the control it can have over a human heart (Song 8:5-7). True love esteems the virtue of virginity, as the unmarried wait for the right time and hold out for a godly partner (Song 8:8-10). True love repudiates cheap lust. Solomon is welcome to have his thousand-piece harem, but this woman’s vineyard is her own, to be given to one and only one (Song 8:11-12). True love anticipates something even better, as the book concludes with a final bit of flirting, suggestion, and innuendo for what is yet to come in the relationship (Song 8:13-14).

Conclusion

Church history is filled with the debates over whether to read this book as an allegory of God’s love for his people or as a literal picture of human marriage. Frankly, I’m not convinced we have to choose only one of those options. If it’s not about human marriage, then the metaphors of God’s relationship with his people would make no sense at all. And if it’s not also about God’s relationship with his people, then Paul, Hosea, and Ezekiel (among others) wouldn’t have gone there. This book gives us much wisdom for dating, marriage, sex, and conflict. And in so doing, it shows us the paradise of knowing Christ and being known intimately by him.

Interpretive Outline

• Title – Song 1:1
• Intoxicating attraction – Song 1:2-2:7
  • Climax: Do not awaken love – Song 2:7
• Springtime courtship – Song 2:8-3:5
  1. Her perspective on his wooing of her – Song 2:8-17
     • Climax: Mutual possession – Song 2:16
  2. Her dream (nightmare?) of life without him – Song 3:1-5
     • Climax: Do not awaken love – Song 3:5
• Undefiled sexuality – Song 3:6-5:1
  1. Not worth admiration: Solomon’s bed – Song 3:6-11
  2. Worth admiration: Naked, unashamed intimacy – Song 4:1-5:1
     • Climax: Command to eat, drink, and be drunk with love – Song 5:1
• Sanctifying conflict – Song 5:2-6:3
  • The honeymoon is over – Song 5:2-8
  • What makes this person so great? – Song 5:9-16
  • Where is this relationship heading? – Song 6:1-3
    • Climax: Mutual possession – Song 6:3
• Dazzling uniqueness – Song 6:4-10
• Committed exclusivity – Song 6:11-8:4
  • Her insecurity overcome by his desire for her – Song 6:11-7:10
    • Climax: Mutual possession – Song 7:10
  • He wins the tug-of-war with her friends – Song 7:11-8:4
    • Climax: Do not awaken love – Song 8:4
• True love – Song 8:5-14
  • Recognizes its own power – Song 8:5-7
  • Esteems the virtue of virginity – Song 8:8-10
  • Repudiates cheap lust – Song 8:11-12
  • Anticipates something even better – song 8:13-14

In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells a famous parable about the owner of a vineyard who hires workers all throughout the day, paying them all the same amount at day’s end. What is the point of this parable?

Jonathan T. Pennington seeks to answer that question, not by digging deep within his own speculations, nor by staring at the sky. He examines historic traditions of interpretation from the context.

In the history of the church, there have been many attempted explanations of this parable. Some suggest the five different hirings represent five stages of world history during which God has called people to Himself, or different stages in life that one may become a Christian. The point, then, is that God is gracious to all and welcomes all into His kingdom, no matter when they were called. Some say the parable is a picture of God’s future kingdom where all saved people receive heaven, no matter how much they have worked for God. The broadest and maybe most popular interpretation is that this parable is simply a picture of God’s incredible and marvelous grace and generosity—the gospel in a nutshell.

Each of these interpretations has some truth in it. But there is something more to be seen. The key is to pay attention to the context that Matthew gives us for this parable.

I encourage you to read his brief piece for another clear example of why context matters.

Check it out!

Our “context matters” series has been that with which we have seen some of the greatest reader engagement. So continuing in the spirit of the top 10 lists presented over the last few weeks, here are the top 10 most-viewed posts from the “context matters” series. If you’ve browsed the full list, you’ll see that we’ve currently got 58 installments. So if you have time to read only 10 of them, you may want to consider these 10.

10. Moses’ shining face (Ex 34:29-35, 2 Cor 3:7-18)
11. The widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44)
12. Forgetting what lies behind (Phil 3:13)
13. Apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5)
14. I never knew you; depart from me (Matt 7:23)
15. Valley of dry bones (Ezek 37:1-10)
16. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20)
17. You have heard that it was said…but I say to you (Matt 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43)
18. A bruised reed (Isaiah 42:1-4, Matt 12:15-21)
19. God will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4)

We are surrounded by a wealth of Bible study resources, and we’d be foolish not to make use of them. As long as we ensure our use of them is good use of them.

Mark Ward wrote a thoughtful piece for Bible Study Magazine on “3 Reasons to Use Better Bible Study Resources than Strong’s.” Though Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance has been a valuable tool for a very long time, it is all too easy to abuse it, and especially the dictionary in the back of it.

Ward’s 3 reasons:

1. Strong’s dictionary entries lend themselves to abuses.
2. Strong’s dictionary entries often tempt people to make “meaning soup.”
3. Strong’s dictionary can lead Bible readers into word-study fallacies.

Check it out!

We’re at the beginning of another year, a prosperous season for the gym, diet supplement, and daily planner industries. Something about the beginning of January makes many of us reconsider the rhythms of our lives.

Along these lines, many churches and Christian organizations will suggest you consider a read-through-the-Bible plan at this time of year. This is a worthy goal and can be a fruitful practice. (We have our own Bible reading challenge underway!) But Christians have a tendency to turn this nourishing habit into something sour. Completing such a plan becomes a trophy for those who succeed and a source of shame for those who don’t.

Let’s state it plainly. Reading through the entire Bible in a calendar year is not a Scriptural command.

No Special Status

We must not lay extra-Biblical commands on one another. Reading the Bible is a glorious privilege; it is entirely worthwhile; it is revealing and convicting and strengthening and encouraging in ways we can barely imagine beforehand. But in the Bible itself we do not find any prescription for the amount we must read each day or year.

When I hear some Christians talk about annual Bible reading, I think there is a deeper issue here than mere Bible reading. To think there is a privileged status among the people of God for those who meet some arbitrary goal (or a second-class status for those who don’t) is a fundamental misunderstanding of the gospel.

Those who belong to Christ are his fully and forever. Period. There is no inner circle. There are no merit badges. Your Bible reading record will not make God love you any more or any less. His love for his children is perfect.

The Role of Discipline

I am not advocating that, with respect to Bible intake, we should do whatever we want. Reading the Bible is a healthy practice and discipline is necessary part of Christian growth (1 Timothy 4:7).

Every redeemed person has an internal struggle—old man versus new, flesh versus spirit (Ephesians 4:17–24). As we grow in discipline we are increasingly able to nurture the spirit and put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13).

As we consider Bible reading for the upcoming year, we should be mindful that growth will likely require discipline. But the motivation for pursuing any goal is often more important than the goal itself.

Why Read the Bible?

Why do we read the Bible? Ten Christians might give ten different answers, and some of our motivations might lie far enough beneath the surface that we don’t see them.

Some read the Bible because they fear God’s displeasure. Others maintain their Scriptural practices to impress fellow Christians, to feel good about a regular habit, or to impress God. None of these are Biblical reasons for Christians to read God’s word.

When we consult the Bible about Bible reading, we find more carrot than stick. Instead of finding commands and regulations, in his word God describes the benefits of drawing near to him through the Scriptures. He entices us—he does not scold or scare us.

• God’s word revives the soul, rejoices the heart, and enlightens the eyes. His rules are to be desired more than gold, sweeter than honey, and in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:7–11).
• Consider the “blessed” man of Psalm 1. He delights in God’s law and meditates upon it day and night. He is fruitful, rooted, and prosperous (Psalm 1:1–6).
• “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:2–3)
• “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

This is just a sample. God wants us to read and study his word because it is good for us and for others to do so!

A Rich Opportunity

In our Bible intake this year, let’s reframe the enterprise. Instead of trying not to disappoint God, or trying to impress him or others, let’s consider the opportunity we have.

With every additional day God gives us, we have the chance to know him better, to learn about his character and his acts in history. We can study and delight in the glorious truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can learn to respond to God’s love for us with love for him and neighbor.

If that takes you all the way through the Bible this year, that’s wonderful! But if it doesn’t—well, that’s far from a failure.

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 2021. 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.

For only the second time since we’ve been tracking and posting these top 10 lists, this year’s list has no posts that were written this year. So there is no crossover with last week’s top 10 list. Our archives have been working extra hard for the increasing numbers of visitors to our site.

10. How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

Despite many changes both higher and lower on this list, this post sits at exactly the same spot as last year. 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.

9. Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT

This post was in the #6 slot the last two years. 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.

8. 11 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament

This post reappears after dropping out of last year’s top 10. 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 one of the most popular posts in that series is about the OT books that never get a direct quotation.

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 down from #5 last year.

6. Context Matters: Apart From Me, You Can Do Nothing

This investigation of John 15 makes its debut on the top 10 list. 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.

5. 4 Bible Studies for Lent

This post didn’t make the list last year but is a companion piece to Ryan’s 4 Bible studies for Advent. 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. Context Matters: God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

This is our most-viewed “context matters” post of all time. However, in 2021 alone it was viewed just a shade fewer times than the next one 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.

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

This three-and-a-half-year-old post was #9 on this list last year, but has gotten quite a bit of attention this year, just barely edging out the previous entry with nearly 21,000 views. 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. 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! That’s why we reposted it during a blogger’s vacation week in June. 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 Elihu’s role in the drama of the play of Job. This post was #3 in 2017, but then held the #1 slot until this year, despite being viewed almost 38,000 times.

1. 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 simply went off the charts in 2021 with over 51,000 views. 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!

Previous years’ lists: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013

John Piper is simply a master at observing the grammar and logic of a passage to discern its argument. Here is an example, where he looks at Ephesians 5:3-7, asking the questions:

1. What does it mean for these sins not to be “named”?
2. How does the phrase “as is proper among the saints” fit into the sentence’s logic?
3. How are we to apply these things today?

Check it out!

Many bloggers take advantage of this time of the year to reflect on their most popular posts. Now we know there is a time to follow the crowd (Zech 8:23), and a time not to follow the crowd (Ex 23:2). And I believe the present time to be akin to the former and not the latter. So here we go.

This post lists the top 10 viewed posts this year, from among the posts we wrote this year. Next week, we’ll list the top 10 viewed posts from the full KW archive. May these lists enable you to be warm and well fed while you celebrate the season with joy and delight.

10. Arise, My Love, My Beautiful One, and Come Away

No joke: Peter was short on time one week, and he didn’t have the luxury of thinking too long or hard about what topic to blog about. So he figured he’d just share some quick insights from his personal Bible study earlier that week, to give people a window into his observation of an unusual passage. And…it became the tenth most-viewed post of the year, spawning follow-ups showing his interpretation and application of the same text. Both of us are often mystified by the seeming lack of connection between how popular we think a post will be and how popular it actually ends up being.

9. Context Matters: In the World but not Of the World

“Context matters” has become something of a rallying cry for us at this blog, because … context matters. And this phrase in particular—”in the world but not of the world”—is something you won’t even find in the Bible. It’s just not there. But happily, it remains a very biblical sentiment, as Ryan shows by taking us to two passages in John’s gospel that are the sources of the slogan’s two parts.

8. Psalm 103: Everlasting, Steadfast Love Toward Those Who Fear the Lord

Ryan walks through one of most beloved and memorable poems in the Bible, showing us why it is so beloved and memorable. And modeling the riches of OIA Bible study for us along the way.

7. What We Miss When We Skip the Book of Numbers

Of course the mathematician among us wants people to give more attention to Numbers. He’s got some pretty compelling reasons, though. You can count on it.

6. Context Matters: The Man of Lawlessness

Context matters yet again, and not for the last time on this list. 2 Thessalonians 2 is a really great passage to use to shake people up and alarm them. That is, if your goal is to work precisely against the author’s stated intention.

5. Acts: The World’s Salvation Cannot be Stopped

Acts was one of the books we covered this year in our periodic series of interpretive book overviews. Our goal with this series is not only to give historical and cultural background to the books of the Bible, but to walk through the author’s argument in line with the literary devices he uses to signal the book’s structure. This walkthrough of Acts has been the most-viewed post in the series to date, with the walkthrough of Job coming in second.

4. Advice About Hard Bible Passages from the Bible

Not only is this post the fourth most-viewed post we wrote this year, but also it has had less than 2 months of life to attain its place on this list! It is a fact that there are parts of the Bible that are difficult to understand. But the Lord has graciously given us help—in the Bible itself—for approaching these passages with humility and hope.

3. 10 Truths About the Holy Spirit from Romans 8

The Holy Spirit is a major running theme through one of Bible’s most famous chapters. But he often doesn’t get a lot of press when we study that chapter. So here are 10 truths to meditate on from this glorious text.

2. Context Matters: God’s Mercies are New Every Morning

This was a year of lament for Ryan as his small group studied the book of Lamentations. And we can all be grateful, for it provoked him to write some gems of reflection such as our second most-viewed post written this year. Yes, God’s mercies are new every morning. Many people would be surprised, though, to learn that verse comes from the book of Lamentations. Some might be even more surprised to discover how the literary context affects the way we ought to understand that verse. Context matters. (And for more than 50 further examples of why context matters, see our full list of posts.)

1. 5 Reasons to Read Your Bible Beyond Practical Application

Earlier in the year, Ryan wrote about the rut we tend to fall into when we live only for the practical application, and we cannot get beyond the big three: read your Bible, pray more, and reach out to unbelievers. Those are three great applications, but making detailed, practical application is not the only reason to read your Bible. More often than not, stuff happens when you read your Bible that you can’t immediately see or feel. But the unseen effect of shaping a person, shaping a culture, is a glorious goal worth working toward. So don’t feel guilty if you don’t come away from a Bible reading session with something amazing, concrete, and life-changing. What happened while you read was amazing, concrete, and life-changing enough.

Previous years’ top tens: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

Don’t forget we’ve got a Bible reading challenge underway. There’s still time to finish reading the entire Bible within 90 days, and you could enter to win a free Silver base package of Logos 9 Bible software, or one of our yet-to-be-announced second prizes.

Reading must be completed within 90 days, and by March 31. See this post for the complete rules. We’ve got one entry already! Once you’ve completed your reading, you may enter the drawing with this form. Email subscribers may need to click over to the website to see the form.

Entries that do not meet the guidelines (for example, reading period longer than 90 days, reading period is outside the allowable dates, or form is submitted before the reading has been completed) will not be counted in the drawing.

I’ve already shown you some of my observation and interpretation of Song of Songs 2:8-3:5, which led me to the following as the poet’s main point: A couple’s purpose in pursuing a romantic relationship ought to be the movement from separated togetherness to the mutual possession of marriage. Now it’s time to connect this main point to the gospel of Jesus Christ so I can apply it to today.

Gospel Connection

I try to avoid following my imagination from any old detail in the text to the message about Jesus. Instead, an important discipline to develop is to reflect on how the main point of the passage directs us to the gospel. In the case of the Song of Songs, I do not want to ignore or bypass a literal reference of the text to human relationships. But I also can’t avoid the fact that the Bible clearly describes how human relationships are meant to be pictures of God’s relationship with his people (e.g. Hos 1-3, Eph 5:22-33).

Therefore, the clear and selfless direction of a godly romance (toward the mutual possession of marriage) ought to be a signpost pointing the way to Jesus’ clear and selfless pursuit of his bride, the church. When Jesus invites people into a relationship with him, he’s not messing with them from selfish motives, but he’s wooing them into a covenant of mutual possession. He became a man and died to overcome our separation from him, so we can now be his forever. Because of his pursuit, through death and resurrection, the chief promise of God’s covenant is now fulfilled; the Song’s “my beloved is mine and I am his” becomes our “he is our God and we are his people.”

Application

Now that we’ve considered the main point through the lens of the gospel, how will I apply it today? Application is always tricky because it depends so much on context. And my context — situation, circumstances — differs from yours.

But here’s what has struck me as I’ve studied this text: I’m mostly impacted by it personally in the outward heart and outward hands boxes on the application matrix. In particular, I have an opportunity show my children the problems with the world’s way of mating, and to show them the delightful glory of God’s plans for his people. I want to dig into this passage with my children to show them how delightful God’s plan for mating is. I want to expose the failure of the world to find true delight in exchange for cheap counterfeits (hooking up, one-night stands, etc.). I want to draw the connection between how we mate as Christians, and what that tells the world about Christ’s love for his people.

In particular, we don’t date people just to feel close to them or to have fun being together. We date in order to purse a clear and selfless direction toward marriage. That is, the purpose of dating (or whatever we want to call it) is to discover whether marriage is a good idea.

And we can navigate the ups and downs and awkwardness of human romance because we stand fast in the reality that Christ is ours and we are his. He will never let us down, reject us, or break up with those who trust him.

Sarah Humphrey has a lovely piece on developing a culture of Bible reading within the home that will stay with our children when they move on.

As we lead children into the Word, the best way for them to actually become interested is by seeing us already invested. I can tell my kids to practice the piano all day long, but it’s when I sit down at the bench to play that they come and sit with me. I can encourage them to make their own toast each morning, but it’s when I show them how, that they feel empowered to make their own breakfast. Teaching the Bible is no different. It comes with the patience, explanation, and the beauty of storytelling that will engage and interest them by showing them the worth of what is inside.

Check it out!

In a previous post, I pulled back the curtain on my observation of Song of Solomon 2:7-3:5, yielding the following structure:

• Song 2:8-9 – her (daydreaming?) delight in the voice of her beloved
  • Song 2:10-15 – the contents of her beloved’s voice
    • Song 2:10-13 – Arise and come away
    • Song 2:14-15 – Come out and catch up
  • Song 2:16-17 – her declaration of mutual possession with her beloved
• Song 3:1-4 – her dream of seeking and finding the one her soul loves
  • Song 3:5 – her oath for the other young women not to stir up love yet

Now I’d like to show you how I move further into interpretation and application.

Her Daydream

The chief goal of interpretation is to arrive at the poet’s main point. And to grasp the main point of the entire poem, it helps to first grasp the main points of each of the stanzas. So I investigate each stanza with the chief goal in mind: What is the main idea here?

Song 2:8-9: Why is her leading statement regarding “the voice” — and not the character, presence, or intimacy — “of my beloved”? Apparently, she is very much looking forward to what he will say to her in Song 2:10-15. What she daydreams about is those things he will say to her. But in these introductory verses, the emphasis is on the distance between them. He comes … He stands behind … gazing through … looking through … A barrier of miles separates them at first. And even when he arrives at her home, a barrier of brick and mortar continues to separate them. So she wants him close, but he can’t get too close yet.

Song 2:10-13: The bookends on his first stanza appear to be the main idea: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away” (Song 2:10, 13). Everything in between is in support, providing the reasons he believes will persuade her to come away with him. For him, it is no longer time to avoid awakening love (Song 2:7); the season for love is in full bloom. It’s as though he says [translated into modern jargon]: “I like you. Do you like me? Check one: YES or NO.”

Song 2:14-15: The second stanza of his speech continues his persuasion. First, he proves to be a patient and gentle suitor, cherishing her like a precious dove hiding within the cliffside. Second, he asks for help with finding the things that will spoil their vineyards. Commentaries inform me that the verbs in v.15 are plural, so he is no longer talking to her alone, but to a group of others — most likely the daughters of Jerusalem. And it doesn’t matter whether verse 15 is spoken by the man (as suggested by the ESV headings) or the woman (as suggested by CSB headings): either way, the point is that this couple invites others to hold them accountable and help them protect one another’s bodies (as “vineyards” have been metaphors of bodies thus far in the Song – Song 1:6, 2:14).

Song 2:16-17: She describes their relationship as one of mutual possession of one another (v.16), which sounds a lot like the arrival and consummation of marriage. However, in v.17, she wants him to “turn” and do his gazelle-thing on cleft mountains — at least until the morning comes. Some think the “cleft mountains” are a metaphor for her breasts. This makes sense, as his gazelle-ness on mountains is clearly a picture of marital bliss in Song 8:14. However, in Song 2:17, the main verb is the imperative to “turn.” And the reference to “mountains” connects back to where he came from (Song 2:8). So it’s more likely that, in contrast to chapter 8, in this poem she recognizes that marriage has not yet come. They are not yet married, and they must say goodbye at the end of their time together.

Main Point of Song 2:8-17: This relationship is not yet a marriage relationship, but it is clearly heading in that direction. She daydreams about his invitation to join her in the season of awakening love. But though it is spring time, it is not yet morning. They are beginning to “possess” one another (to treat one another differently from how they treat others), but they are not yet fully there. Separate togetherness is the unfortunate reality of their relationship (Song 2:8-9). He makes a risk request (Song 2:10-15). She has clarity on the desired, though not yet present, result (Song 2:16-17).

Her Dream

Song 3:1-4: We now move into a full-fledged dream, as she “seeks” him on her bed by night. She can’t find him in her bed (Song 3:1). She can’t find him in the streets (Song 3:2). She can’t find him among the night watchmen (Song 3:3). But when she finally finds him, she clings to him and refuses to let go (Song 3:4). Until she brings him into her mother’s chamber (apparently quite romantic and not awkward at all in that culture) — so her dream’s end goal is the full consummation of marriage. She doesn’t want to have to say goodbye at the end of the evening any longer!

Main point of Song 3:1-4: She aligns her dreams for the relationship with the direction in which it ought to head: toward marriage and the intimacy of the marriage bed.

Her Charge

Song 3:5: She puts the young women of Jerusalem under oath not to enter this season of love until the right time. She understands how difficult and stressful that can be, but she understands how much it is worth it.

Main point of Song 3:5: Forsake all counterfeits to such love (which is heading in the direction of God-honoring marriage).

Conclusion

I’ve written this post according to the stream of my consciousness as I worked to figure out the main point of each stanza. But I’ve arrived at the following interpretive outline:

1. Godly relationships pursue a clear and selfless direction – Song 2:8-17
   1. The unfortunate reality of separate togetherness – Song 2:8-9
   2. The risky request to join the season of awakening love – Song 2:10-15
   3. The desired result of marital possession, which is almost but not yet here – Song 2:16-17
2. Align your dreams of romance with that direction – Song 3:1-4
3. Forsake all counterfeits – Song 3:5

How does all of this add up into a main point for the entire poem? Main point: A couple’s purpose in pursuing a romantic relationship ought to be the movement from separated togetherness to the mutual possession of marriage.

In a future post, I’ll walk through my thinking on connecting this main point to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then applying it to today.

Not long ago, John Piper received a very challenging question over how to grapple with the God presented in the book of Job:

Pastor John, my 14-year-old daughter read through the book of Job for the first time this year, and she is really struggling with how God is portrayed in that book. She has heard all of her life that God is loving and just, and cannot understand why God would allow Job and his children, wife, and servants to suffer such devastation. She’s deeply disturbed by the fact that God pointed Job out to Satan intentionally, thus drawing his attention to this righteous man, allowing Satan to take away nearly everything Job had. And for what purpose? Merely to prove a point to Satan and the host of heaven that Job’s reverence for God was unshakable.

Piper masterfully walks through the process of learning to define just and unjust, right and wrong, not from our own perspectives but as creatures of Almighty God who defines such things for us. And this Almighty God always acts on behalf of his own supreme glory and the good of his people.

Piper’s response is a helpful example of how to wrestle through difficult texts in light of the message of the Scriptures. Check it out!

As the calendar flips to December, many Christian churches turn to the birth story of Jesus in their teaching and preaching. And though there are four Gospels, one is far underrepresented from the pulpit during this season.

Matthew and Luke both contain the narratives about Jesus’s birth, so the early chapters of these Gospels are in heavy rotation for sermons. We hear from the opening verses of John as well, as the lyrical description of Jesus as the Word made flesh practically jumps off the page. All the while, Mark’s Gospel seems to stay closed.

Beginnings Matter

Beginnings matter, particularly the beginnings of books of the Bible. There the author has the chance to frame their work and set up their argument.

For the sake of this article, let’s refer to “Act 1” of each gospel as all that precedes the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry. What does Act 1 of each gospel look like?

In Matthew, Act 1 stretches through Matt 4:11, a total of 76 verses. There, we read Jesus’s genealogy (Matt 1:1–17), his birth (Matt 1:18–25), the visit of the magi (Matt 2:1–12), the flight to Egypt to avoid Herod’s murderous decree (Matt 2:13–23), John preparing the way for Jesus (Matt 3:1–12), Jesus’s baptism (Matt 3:13–17), and Jesus’s temptation by Satan (Matt 4:1-11). Along the way, a careful reader will notice just how much Matthew’s narrative is driven by fulfilling Old Testament prophecies.

Act 1 of Luke is the longest of all, lasting until Luke 4:13, a total of 183 verses. After his dedication (Luke 1:1–4), Luke writes about the predictions of John’s (Luke 1:5–25) and Jesus’s (Luke 1:26–38) births, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and song of praise (Luke 1:39–56), John’s birth and his father’s prophecy (Luke 1:67–80), Jesus’s birth and the immediate reaction (Luke 2:1–21), Jesus’s presentation at the temple (Luke 2:22–40), his twelve-year-old venture to the temple (Luke 2:41–52), John preparing the way for Jesus (Luke 3:1–22), Jesus’s genealogy (Luke 3:23–38), and Jesus’s temptation by Satan (Luke 4:1–13). In these opening chapters, Luke shows how God’s blessing is extended beyond physical Israel.

Act 1 of John is shorter, only the first 34 verses of chapter 1. There we read of the Word made flesh (John 1:1–18) and the testimony of John the Baptist (John 1:19–34). After this, Jesus calls his first disciples and followers (John 1:35–51) and then performs his first miracle at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1–12).

Compared to these accounts, Act 1 in Mark is miniscule, a mere 13 verses.

Act 1 in Mark

If you haven’t already read Peter’s excellent interpretive outline of Mark, by golly do so post haste. Mark’s aim throughout his Gospel is to show Jesus as God’s king. In the opening act of his book, Mark introduces us to Jesus so that we will see this king.

One of Jesus’s titles in Mark 1:1 is “the Son of God,” a royal title that looks back to 2 Samuel 7:12–16. This king has a long-promised messenger going before him, preparing the way of the Lord (Mark 1:2–3). This messenger, though looking a little rough, was in the wilderness baptizing, preaching, and telling of the glorious one to come (Mark 1:4–8).

Mark doesn’t spend a lot of time in character development. In the same way that John “appeared” (John 1:4), Jesus simply showed up and was baptized (Mark 1:9–11). No human backstory accompanies either man, and yet we do hear from Jesus’s father at his baptism. A voice from heaven calls him “beloved Son” and says “with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).

The Spirit that came upon Jesus at his baptism (Mark 1:10) then drove him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan (Mark 1:12–13). There is quite a cosmic hue to this initial chapter, as we read about the Spirit, Satan, and angels (Mark 1:13).

Finally, John was arrested and Jesus begins to proclaim “the gospel of God” (Mark 1:14). Notice that Jesus is taking part of his preaching cue from John (compare Mark 1:15 to Mark 1:4).

Jesus’s Origin in Mark

The opening to Mark’s Gospel doesn’t make Advent sense. We don’t know what to do with a story that jumps so quickly into the action at a time where the church calendar says we should be learning to wait.

But because Mark’s is one of the four Gospels, this is one of the ways we should think about Jesus’s beginning. He had a royal herald smooth the way before him and let everyone know of his greatness (Mark 1:7). Jesus was anointed for his kingly mission with water and the Spirit, and he was declared the beloved Son of God, the king (Mark 1:11). He was victorious over the devil in the wilderness and ministered to by the angels (Mark 1:13).

Finally, at the end of Act 1 in Mark, Jesus himself sums up his origin story and his enduring message: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Stephen McGrath (2009), Creative Commons

I have a dream. Not a compelling-vision-for-the-future sort of dream, but a sleeping-in-my-bed sort of dream. And I have this dream often.

In my dream, I am my current self (married with children), but I’m also a full-time college student. The semester is half-over, and I come to realize that I’ve forgotten a class. I’ve been faithfully attending most classes, but there’s one course I completely forgot. I never went to class. I haven’t taken any exams. I haven’t read the books or written the papers.

And I missed the deadline for dropping the class. So I’m now stuck with an abysmal grade.

But that’s not all. In my dream, when I discover the neglected class, I try to rectify the situation by attending the next scheduled class period. And when I arrive, something else comes to my attention.

I’m wearing nothing but my underwear.

We Need Covering

I cannot overstate the relief I feel when I wake from this dream. Few things are worse than an I’m-neglecting-significant-areas-of-responsibility dream. One such thing is an I’m-utterly-exposed-and-can-do-nothing-about-it dream.

When Adam and his wife ate the forbidden fruit, they knew their guilt and felt exposed. Their gut instinct was to cover up. So they tried fig-leaf briefs, and they ran and hid (Gen 3:7-9).

The Lord exposed them further so he could help. He coaxed them out from hiding and talked through the problem. He promised to deliver them. Then he covered them. He took their pitiful fruits of the loom and replaced them with his own fur and leather body suits (Gen 3:21). He uncovered their coverings that couldn’t cover and covered them instead with coverings that truly covered.

And so began humanity’s need for divine covering. Because of sin, exposure brings shame. But the Bible paints picture after picture of God’s merciful act of covering.

• Noah’s sons cover the shame of their senseless father (Gen 9:23).
• God allows Moses to see his glory, but only after covering him with a protective hand (Ex 33:20-23).
• David didn’t cover his own sin (Ps 32:5) but trusted God to cover it for him (Ps 5:12, 27:5, 32:1).
• One mark of a loving friend is the covering of offenses (Prov 10:12, 17:9).
• Those who reject Christ will feel so exposed that they’ll seek any covering they can find (Luke 23:30, Rev 6:16).
• True believers are clothed with Christ (Gal 3:27).

The primary Old Testament word for this covering is “atonement.” Can you explain atonement in plain language?

We Need Atonement

The Old Testament uses the term “atonement” often to describe the covering of sin and shame or guilt. Sometimes we use “atonement” interchangeably with “reconciliation” or “restoration,” but its primary meaning has to do with covering (though reconciliation is the general result of atonement).

The best place to look at the concept is Leviticus 16, which describes the annual Day of Atonement.

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would take a bull to “make atonement” for himself. He would kill the bull for his own sin (Lev 16:11), burn incense (Lev 16:12-13), and splash the bull’s blood on the ark of the covenant in the most private room of the tabernacle (Lev 16:14). The incense would create a cloud to cover the ark, so the priest would not be exposed and die (Lev 16:13). The splashed bull’s blood substituted for the priest’s own blood. When there’s sin, someone must die. But the priest was covered.

Then the purified priest would get two goats. One would live; one would die.

The dead goat would also be taken into the private chamber and splashed on the ark of the covenant (Lev 16:15). Then the priest would go back to the outer room and splash the blood on the altar where he burned the incense (Lev 16:16-19). This ceremony would “make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel” (Lev 16:16). With everything sufficiently covered, he’s ready for the live goat.

He’d put his hands on the live goat and confess all the sins of Israel. This goat, figuratively covered with the sins of all the people, would be taken out and set free in the wilderness (Lev 16:20-22).

All throughout, the priest must be very careful about his clothes (Lev 16:4, 23-24). The priest must not be improperly covered.

What is the point?

• Atonement involves the covering of our impurity so we can be reconciled to God.
• This covering must come from God and not ourselves. Even the Old Testament priests needed to be covered themselves before they could help to cover the people.
• This covering requires a substitute.
• This substitute must be both dead and alive (thus requiring two goats).

Jesus Our Atonement

All these things teach us about Jesus. Jesus came and took our place. He both died and was raised. He now covers us with his righteousness so our sin won’t ever be held against us.

And he didn’t need his own covering (Heb 7:27). No, he was stripped naked so he could provide our covering (John 19:23-24).

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Heb 9:19-22). And those who have been covered by Christ’s blood wait for him to return and bring their final salvation (Heb 9:27-28).

Trust in Jesus, and his promise of atonement is: “I’ve got you covered.”

Malachi 2:10 is a verse that many cults and spiritual gurus use to show that every member of the human race is a child of God, a member of his holy family.

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?

Bill Muehlenberg simply takes us to the context of this verse to show us that there’s something much different going on in the prophet’s train of thought.

Check it out!

You may never find a deal like this, and it’s only while limited supplies last. Westminster Bookstore has the ESV Reader’s Bible, Six-Volume Set at an unbelievable price of $40. If you haven’t yet indulged in this masterpiece of Bible typography, now is your chance. But hurry, as I can’t guarantee how long it will be available at that price.

I am very grateful to the Lord for the rich diversity of literature contained within the Bible. Not only do we have the narratives of Israel’s history and Jesus’ ministry, or the discourses of the law and letters, but we also have the wildly foreign yet lovely verse of the prophets and poets. Let me pull back the curtain for you on my own process for Bible study.

Right now, I’m studying Song of Songs 2:8-3:5 and trying to find my way. What clues can I find to show me how this text is organized, so I can follow its train of thought?

First, I notice the repetition of the label “my beloved,” from the woman regarding her man (Song 2:8, 9, 10, 16, 17). They are somewhat spaced out and appear likely to trigger a new thought or idea.

Second, I observe that the man never speaks in this passage as an independent character (as he does before and after this in the book). Instead, what we have is the woman’s report of what he says (Song 2:10: “My beloved speaks and says to me…”). Or is this more about what she wants him to say? She appears to be dreaming in Song 3:1-4 (especially see Song 3:1); could Song 2:8-17 be something like a daydream?

Third, though Song 2:10-15 is all one speech by the man (at least according to the ESV editors; the CSB suggests that the man’s speech ends with verse 14), I observe the verbatim repetition of “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away” (Song 2:10, 13). That repeated phrase wraps verses 10-13 like bookends, suggesting that Song 2:14-15 contain a second stanza within his speech.

Fourth, the poem reaches a clear climax in Song 3:5, when she puts the daughters of Jerusalem under oath not to stir up love.

All of this yields the following group of stanzas:

• Song 2:8-9 – her (daydreaming?) delight in the voice of her beloved
  • Song 2:10-15 – the contents of her beloved’s voice
    • Song 2:10-13 – Arise and come away
    • Song 2:14-15 – Come out and catch up
  • Song 2:16-17 – her declaration of mutual possession with her beloved
• Song 3:1-4 – her dream of seeking and finding the one her soul loves
  • Song 3:5 – her oath for the other young women not to stir up love yet

So much for an observational outline of the poem. What about an interpretive outline? What is the point of each stanza, and how does the train of thought move from one stanza to the next?

That will require more work, so I’m back at it. At least I have some handles on the text to guide my questions and answers.