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  24. <title>What’s on Wyatt Graham’s Bookshelf? 10 Favorites</title>
  25. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/wyatt-graham-bookshelf-10-favorites/</link>
  27. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Wyatt Graham]]></dc:creator>
  28. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  29. <category><![CDATA[Featured Resources]]></category>
  30. <category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
  31. <category><![CDATA[on the shelf]]></category>
  32. <category><![CDATA[reading nook]]></category>
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  35. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Four books from Wyatt Graham&#039;s Bookshelf that are featured in the article." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />Wyatt Graham (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as the executive director of The Gospel Coalition Canada. You can follow him on X at @wagraham. 1. Summa Theologica, by Thomas Aquinas Thomas, as Peter Kreeft put it, is the master of common sense. I often find deep clarity in Thomas, although as a Protestant, I don&#8217;t [&#8230;]]]></description>
  36. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Four books from Wyatt Graham&#039;s Bookshelf that are featured in the article." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Whats-On-Wyatt-Grahams-Bookshelf_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  37. <p><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/author/wyattgraham/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wyatt Graham</a> (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as the executive director of <a href="https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Gospel Coalition Canada</a>. You can follow him on X at <a href="https://twitter.com/wagraham" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@wagraham</a>.</p>
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  43. <figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/4248/summa-theologica" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1409622/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Summa Theologica" style="width:200px;height:auto"/></a></figure></div>
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  58. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-summa-theologica-by-thomas-aquinas">1. <em>Summa Theologica</em>, by Thomas Aquinas</h2>
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  60.  
  61.  
  62. <p>Thomas, as Peter Kreeft put it, is the master of common sense. I often find deep clarity in Thomas, although as a Protestant, I don&#8217;t always agree with him!</p>
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  88. <figure class="alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/194082/the-trinity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/13206758/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The Trinity (De Trinitate)" class="wp-image-129477" style="width:200px;height:auto"/></a></figure></div></div>
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  92. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  93. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-on-the-trinity-de-trinitate-by-st-augustine">2. <em>On the Trinity</em> (<em>De Trinitate</em>), by St. Augustine</h2>
  94.  
  95.  
  96.  
  97. <p>It&#8217;s a masterclass of biblical and theological insight. I recently taught a class on the doctrine of God using it, too. It&#8217;s very readable.</p>
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  110. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/198767" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  111. </div>
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  123. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/165589/confessions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/13161652/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Confessions" class="wp-image-129480" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
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  128. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-confessions-by-st-augustine">3. <em>Confessions</em>, by St. Augustine</h2>
  129.  
  130.  
  131.  
  132. <p>It&#8217;s a classic of spirituality—a prayer to God in the language of the Psalms, which shows Augustine&#8217;s descent from God and ascent back to him.</p>
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  145. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/167792" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  146. </div>
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  158. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="291" height="466" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-burnout-society.jpg" alt="The Burnout Society" class="wp-image-129791" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-burnout-society.jpg 291w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-burnout-society-187x300.jpg 187w" sizes="(max-width: 291px) 100vw, 291px" /></figure></div></div>
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  163. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-the-burnout-society-by-byung-chul-han">4. <em>The Burnout Society</em>, by Byung-Chul Han</h2>
  164.  
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  166.  
  167. <p>I recommend anything by Byung-Chul Han, but especially his <em>Burnout Society</em>, since it describes our age so well and so insightfully.</p>
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  183. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="260" height="408" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/9780802072283.avif" alt="" class="wp-image-129797" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/9780802072283.avif 260w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/9780802072283-191x300.avif 191w" sizes="(max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px" /></figure></div></div>
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  188. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-philosophy-in-the-mass-age-by-george-grant">5. <em>Philosophy in the Mass Age</em>, by George Grant</h2>
  189.  
  190.  
  191.  
  192. <p>It&#8217;s an easy book to give away to someone who wants to see how the mass age has reshaped how we work as a society and what the loss of natural law means.</p>
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  204. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/180641/institutes-of-the-christian-religion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15747452/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Institutes of the Christian Religion" class="wp-image-129731" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
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  209. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-institutes-of-the-christian-religion-by-john-calvin">6. <em>Institutes of the Christian Religion</em>, by John Calvin</h2>
  210.  
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  212.  
  213. <p>Read this one for his beautiful prose and clear writing style.</p>
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  237. <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/print-library-catalog?blog_campaign=l10_print_library&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/files/63053290/assets/13854120/content.png?signature=iRRCGjVf_08WnCrH7erOkHHl_ck" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Search Your Print Library from Your Digital Device. Click to learn how."/></a>
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  247. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/5161/calvins-commentaries" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/12518463/optimized?share=oJLU0edkieWILDZ0&amp;w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Calvin's Commentaries" class="wp-image-129509" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
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  252. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-calvin-s-commentaries">7. Calvin&#8217;s Commentaries</h2>
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  256. <p>I recommend any commentary by John Calvin because of their lucid brevity.</p>
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  282. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/156699/on-god-and-christ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/2289176/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Five Theological Orations" class="wp-image-129509" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  283.  
  284.  
  285.  
  286. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  287. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-the-five-theological-orations-by-st-gregory-of-nazianzus">8. <em>The Five Theological Orations</em>, by St. Gregory of Nazianzus</h2>
  288.  
  289.  
  290.  
  291. <p>They are a brilliant exposition of trinitarian doctrine in sermon format.</p>
  292.  
  293.  
  294.  
  295. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  296.  
  297.  
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  299. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  300. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/156699/on-god-and-christ" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  301.  
  302.  
  303.  
  304. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/158811" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  305. </div>
  306. </div>
  307. </div>
  308.  
  309.  
  310.  
  311. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  312.  
  313.  
  314.  
  315. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-10 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  316. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  317. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/45952/athanasius-on-the-incarnation-of-the-word-of-god" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1412933/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="On the Incarnation of God the Word" class="wp-image-129511" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  318.  
  319.  
  320.  
  321. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  322. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-on-the-incarnation-of-god-the-word-by-st-athanasius">9. <em>On the Incarnation of God the Word</em>, by St. Athanasius</h2>
  323.  
  324.  
  325.  
  326. <p>It&#8217;s a classic. </p>
  327.  
  328.  
  329.  
  330. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  331.  
  332.  
  333.  
  334. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  335. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/45952/athanasius-on-the-incarnation-of-the-word-of-god" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  336.  
  337.  
  338.  
  339. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/46034" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  340. </div>
  341. </div>
  342. </div>
  343.  
  344.  
  345.  
  346. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  347.  
  348.  
  349.  
  350. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-11 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  351. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  352. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/232282/the-freedom-of-the-christian" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/13881497/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The Freedom of the Christian by Martin Luther" class="wp-image-129512" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  353.  
  354.  
  355.  
  356. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  357. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-the-freedom-of-the-christian-by-martin-luther">10. <em>The Freedom of the Christian</em>, by Martin Luther</h2>
  358.  
  359.  
  360.  
  361. <p>It&#8217;s a sweet classic on our salvation and freedom in Christ.</p>
  362.  
  363.  
  364.  
  365. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  366.  
  367.  
  368.  
  369. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  370. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/232282/the-freedom-of-the-christian" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  371.  
  372.  
  373.  
  374. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/360750" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  375. </div>
  376. </div>
  377. </div>
  378.  
  379.  
  380.  
  381. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  382.  
  383.  
  384.  
  385. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-miss-these-other-book-recommendations">Don&#8217;t miss these other book recommendations</h3>
  386.  
  387.  
  388.  
  389. <ul>
  390. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hot-takes-on-top-commentary-sets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hot Takes on Top Commentary Sets in Logos</a></li>
  391.  
  392.  
  393.  
  394. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/anglican-books/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 Anglican Books You Should Know</a></li>
  395.  
  396.  
  397.  
  398. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/42-best-selling-books-by-for-pentecostals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">42 Best-Selling Books by &amp; for Pentecostals</a></li>
  399.  
  400.  
  401.  
  402. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/best-books-baptist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">40 Best-Selling Books for Baptists</a></li>
  403. </ul>
  404.  
  405.  
  406.  
  407. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-book?blog_campaign=free_book&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698232/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: This Month's Free Book Is Yours for the Reading. Click to get it now."/></a>
  408. ]]></content:encoded>
  412. </item>
  413. <item>
  414. <title>Ecclesiology: What Do We Believe about the Church?</title>
  415. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/</link>
  417. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christopher Kou]]></dc:creator>
  418. <pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 23:10:36 +0000</pubDate>
  419. <category><![CDATA[Church History]]></category>
  420. <category><![CDATA[Theology]]></category>
  421. <category><![CDATA[christian unity]]></category>
  422. <category><![CDATA[church]]></category>
  423. <category><![CDATA[denominations]]></category>
  424. <category><![CDATA[ecclesiology]]></category>
  425. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129885</guid>
  426.  
  427. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Arrows pointing to different parts of a tree representing ecclesiology, the doctrine of the church" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />The word church occurs only three times in the Gospel accounts, each time in Matthew. The most definitional of these uses comes from Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus replies to him, And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt 16:18 ESV; emphasis added).]]></description>
  428. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Arrows pointing to different parts of a tree representing ecclesiology, the doctrine of the church" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ecclesiology-_-the-doctrine-of-the-church-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  429. <p>The word “church” occurs only three times in the Gospel accounts, each time in Matthew. The most definitional of these uses comes from Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus replies to him,</p>
  430.  
  431.  
  432.  
  433. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  434. <p>And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my <em>church</em>, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt 16:18 ESV; emphasis added).</p>
  435. </blockquote>
  436.  
  437.  
  438.  
  439. <p>Of first importance, this passage teaches us that the Christian church is no ordinary institution of common interest, but that it is built by Jesus Christ himself. It is the only human institution that will endure into eternity, overcoming even the gates of hell, not because of its own human strength, but because Christ, the builder, sustains it.</p>
  440.  
  441.  
  442.  
  443. <p>The church is the people that Jesus came to save through his death and resurrection. Since the church is the redeemed people, where Christ has willed to dwell, the church is where salvation is to be found. “All who know God’s salvation know it as members of the body of Christ.”<span id='easy-footnote-1-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-1-129885' title='Edmund P. Clowney, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/156188/the-church&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Church&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995), 57.'><sup>1</sup></a></span>
  444.  
  445.  
  446.  
  447. <p>So then, what sort of a community is this people of God?</p>
  448.  
  449.  
  450.  
  451. <p>In this article, we’ll consider what the church confesses concerning itself, what Scripture teaches us to believe about the church, and what the church looks like now and can be heading into the future.</p>
  452.  
  453.  
  454.  
  455. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-in-its-creeds">The church in its creeds</h2>
  456.  
  457.  
  458.  
  459. <p>Ecclesiology is the study of the Christian church. The word ecclesiology derives from the Greek <em>ekklesia</em>, usually translated in the New Testament as “church.” Ecclesiology, then, encompasses what the Bible teaches about the church and one’s theological convictions concerning it.<span id='easy-footnote-2-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-2-129885' title='The English word “church” has a different etymology than the Greek word &lt;em&gt;ekklesia&lt;/em&gt;. For a discussion on these differences, see my article,&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-what-is-the-church/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt; “Beyond ‘A People, Not a Place’: What the Church Really Is”&lt;/a&gt;.'><sup>2</sup></a></span>
  460.  
  461.  
  462.  
  463. <p>The doctrine of the church was important enough to the early Christians that they included its definition within their early creeds, alongside other important matters like the doctrine of the Trinity. The <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-nicene-creed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nicene Creed</a>, ratified at the Council of Constantinople (AD 381), expresses this baseline ecclesiology. In this creed, we confess “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.”</p>
  464.  
  465.  
  466.  
  467. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-one">One</h3>
  468.  
  469.  
  470.  
  471. <p>God’s people have real spiritual unity because we are all bound together by one Spirit, all redeemed by one Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and all worship one God and Father of us all (Eph 4:4–6). The oneness of the church derives from and reflects the unity of Father and Son (John 17:20–23). Peter Leithart notes that humanity, though created to be one, was divided by sin. The church is the new humanity, reunited in God.<span id='easy-footnote-3-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-3-129885' title='Peter J. Leithart, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/186912/the-end-of-protestantism-pursuing-unity-in-a-fragmented-church&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The End of Protestantism&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2016), 17.'><sup>3</sup></a></span>
  472.  
  473.  
  474.  
  475. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-holy">Holy</h3>
  476.  
  477.  
  478.  
  479. <p>God has set the church apart from the world (John 17:17–19). She is a people for God’s own possession (Titus 2:11–14), a temple of living stones, purified by the blood of Christ so that God may dwell in and with her. Because the church is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, the church is the place where salvation may be found.</p>
  480.  
  481.  
  482.  
  483. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-catholic">Catholic</h3>
  484.  
  485.  
  486.  
  487. <p>The catholicity of the church flows from its oneness.<span id='easy-footnote-4-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-4-129885' title='Lower-case “catholic” simply means “universal,” and does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church. When referring to the Roman Catholic Church, a proper noun, “Catholic” is capitalized.'><sup>4</sup></a></span> The whole church comprises all followers of Jesus, at all times, everywhere. Particular <em>churches </em>are manifestations of the one catholic church. The Christian believers worshiping in Indonesia, China, Africa, and Israel are your brothers and sisters. You will spend eternity with them. You are accountable to God for how you treat them. The church exists in the present as a visible institution, but it encompasses the whole of God’s people from all time—past, present, and future.</p>
  488.  
  489.  
  490.  
  491. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-apostolic">Apostolic</h3>
  492.  
  493.  
  494.  
  495. <p>The faith of the church “was once for all delivered to the saints” by Jesus Christ through the witness of the apostles, and was faithfully handed down to subsequent generations (Jude 3). The church is founded upon that deposit of faith (Eph 2:19–22).</p>
  496.  
  497.  
  498.  
  499. <p class="has-text-align-center has-opinion-bg-light-background-color has-background"><strong><em>Related article: </em></strong>&#8220;<a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/why-you-need-creeds/">To Creed or Not to Creed: Why You Need Creeds in the Christian Life</a>&#8221; by Michael F. Bird</p>
  500.  
  501.  
  502.  
  503. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-in-the-bible">The church in the Bible</h2>
  504.  
  505.  
  506.  
  507. <p>While creeds and Bible are not opposed, we have not arrived at a full account of what the church is until we&#8217;ve looked to what Scriptures say about it.</p>
  508.  
  509.  
  510.  
  511. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-as-an-ekklesia">The church as an <em>ekklesia</em></h3>
  512.  
  513.  
  514.  
  515. <p>In the Greco-Roman world, the <em>ekklesia </em>could refer to an assembly of a city’s citizenry gathered to consider a course of political action.[bite]Karl Ludwig Schmidt, “Ἐκκλησία,” TDNT (Eerdmans, 1964), 530. It can also, less frequently, mean any group of people gathered together, even a mob (Acts 19:32).[/note] But is that how the New Testament writers would have used the word?</p>
  516.  
  517.  
  518.  
  519. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NzI1NjE/r8jSfLLCFuuotVtV?auto=&amp;crop=focalpoint&amp;fit=max&amp;fp-x=0.5&amp;fp-y=0.5&amp;fp-z=1&amp;s=40726163e70707b638ec506ec987fd47" alt="View of the Ekklesiasterion (Sanctuary of Asclepius, Messene)"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">View of the Ekklesiasterion (Sanctuary of Asclepius, Messene)</figcaption></figure>
  520.  
  521.  
  522.  
  523. <p>To determine this, we need to look at how <em>ekklesia </em>is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, often called the Septuagint or LXX. The Septuagint existed in the time of Christ and the apostolic writers and forms the background for the New Testament use of Greek vocabulary. We can easily examine the LXX’s use of <em>ekklesia</em> using Logos’s Bible Word Study combined with a tagged Septuagint. You can also refer to a Greek lexicon for a selection of usage.</p>
  524.  
  525.  
  526.  
  527. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://images.surferseo.art/6a181c7f-00a8-499c-9e9e-fe9fd8188793.jpeg" alt="Logos Bible Word Study, &quot;ἐκκλησία&quot;"/></figure>
  528.  
  529.  
  530. <p class="has-opinion-bg-light-background-color has-background"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full alignleft" style="padding-right: 0px;" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/files/76137361/assets/15834684/content.svg?signature=A7zuJeXW1Foj6I8SFWIWKsEQKpA" width="50" height="50" /><strong>Run a Bible Word Study on <a href="https://ref.ly/logos4/Guide?t=My+Bible+Word+Study&amp;lemma=lbs%2fel%2f%E1%BC%90%CE%BA%CE%BA%CE%BB%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%B1&amp;wn=gnt%2f109505"><i>ekklesia</i></a> in the Logos Bible Study app.</strong> <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-edition">Get it free</a>, if you don&#8217;t already have it.</p>
  531.  
  532.  
  533. <p>We find that <em>ekklesia </em>is most often used to translate the Old Testament word for Israel’s assembly (Hebrew <em>qahal</em>). This background helps guide our understanding of the meaning of its use in the New Testament</p>
  534.  
  535.  
  536.  
  537. <p>So does the New Testament use of <em>ekklesia </em>correlate at all with the Greco-Roman conception of <em>ekklesia </em>as a ruling or voting assembly? The Old Testament church (the assembly of Israel) was both a political and religious body. The nation had both civil and cultic aspects to it.<span id='easy-footnote-5-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-5-129885' title='E. Benj. Andrews, “The Conception ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ in the New Testament,” &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/159718/bibliotheca-sacra-volume-40&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bibliotheca Sacra&lt;/em&gt; 40.157&lt;/a&gt; (1883): 40–42.'><sup>5</sup></a></span>
  538.  
  539.  
  540.  
  541. <p>If this is the background of the New Testament use of the word, the church in the New Testament must likewise be a politico-religious body.<span id='easy-footnote-6-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-6-129885' title='As Clowney puts it, a “theo-political order.” Clowney, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/156188/the-church&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Church&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, 189.'><sup>6</sup></a></span>
  542.  
  543.  
  544.  
  545. <p> The church’s focus and mission has both vertical and horizontal dimensions. It has ultimate concern both with God and with fellow humanity. The political character of the assembly has not been nullified in the New Testament, even though the way the church relates to the civil realm has changed.&nbsp;</p>
  546.  
  547.  
  548.  
  549. <p>The <em>ekklesia </em>is the whole people of God, constituted by his Spirit. We see this first with Adam, humanity’s first representative, when God breathed life into his nostrils. At Sinai, Israel is formed as a covenant nation by God’s presence and residence in the tabernacle. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fills the church, making the very people his dwelling.</p>
  550.  
  551.  
  552.  
  553. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-as-a-worshiping-people">The church as a worshiping people</h3>
  554.  
  555.  
  556.  
  557. <p>An important difference exists, however, between the church and the Greco-Roman assemblies. Greek assemblies gathered for civic functions, to advance political goals. They were not religious gatherings, as such.<span id='easy-footnote-7-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-7-129885' title='In a sense, the&amp;nbsp;Greek &lt;em&gt;polis&lt;/em&gt; had an unavoidably religious character, as did all cities of the ancient world, as do cities of &lt;em&gt;any &lt;/em&gt;time or place for that matter.'><sup>7</sup></a></span>
  558.  
  559.  
  560.  
  561. <p>In contrast, the church’s highest and primary calling is to worship God. When the first century church gathered together in Jerusalem, it did so&nbsp;in order to devote itself to the apostolic teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. Like the assembly of Israel, the Christian church is a community of <em>faith</em>. This is because this assembly is gathered not by an earthly city or state council, but by God himself.</p>
  562.  
  563.  
  564.  
  565. <p>This worshiping character is made clear in its designation as the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells (1 Cor 6:19). Because Jesus the cornerstone is the living stone, his people are also living stones being built up into a dwelling place for our God (1 Pet 2:4–5).</p>
  566.  
  567.  
  568.  
  569. <p>Like the priests of the Levitical order, Christ’s new royal priesthood must be cleansed of the uncleanness of sin to enter this temple (Exod 29:4; 30:19–21; 1 Cor 6:9–11; Heb 10:19–22). This is represented in the Old Testament through the many washings, and in the church as baptism. Christ washes us and then invites us into the presence of the holy Creator of the universe.</p>
  570.  
  571.  
  572.  
  573. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-as-a-feasting-people">The church as a feasting people</h3>
  574.  
  575.  
  576.  
  577. <p>If the church is a worshiping body, then, biblically speaking, it must be a <em>feasting </em>body as well. God’s assembly does not come together without eating and drinking.</p>
  578.  
  579.  
  580.  
  581. <p>YHWH commands Israel to appear before him when they have been established in the land, and to eat and drink (Deut 14:22–29). Notice that they are not simply to get together and have a feast, but&nbsp;to recognize and be mindful that they are doing it <em>before his face</em>. Their feasting is an act of worship. Because of this, they are not to treat it as their own meal, inviting only family and close friends. They are to show hospitality to the Levite, the orphan, the widow, and the sojourner (the foreigner dwelling with them)—the poorest among them.</p>
  582.  
  583.  
  584.  
  585. <p>So also with the church of Jesus Christ, Jesus invites us—commands us—to share a meal in his presence. In <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-lords-supper-meaning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Lord’s Supper</a>, as the hospitable host, Jesus gives us the tokens of his body and blood, and says, “Take, eat, drink.” As with Israel, he is especially displeased when we treat this as our own meal (1 Cor 11:20–22). It is a meal of all God’s people. Not only does this meal express our unity, but it in fact constitutes and fosters it (1 Cor 10:16–17).</p>
  586.  
  587.  
  588.  
  589. <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/subscribe?blog_campaign=wbw_sub&#038;blog_adtype=inline_top"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698218/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Get Our Latest Articles in Your Inbox Every Friday. Click to sign up."/></a>
  590.  
  591.  
  592.  
  593. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-as-body-politic">The church as body politic</h3>
  594.  
  595.  
  596.  
  597. <p>While the worshiping and feasting character of the church are more easily recognized, its political character is more difficult, and perhaps even controversial, to navigate. So it warrants closer examination.</p>
  598.  
  599.  
  600.  
  601. <p>The church of Jesus Christ, as we have seen, is much more than the Greek notion of a city’s body politic. But it is not less. The very word “politic” speaks of a <em>city</em>. The book of Hebrews says of the Old Testament saints that Abraham and the patriarchs were “looking forward to a city” but did not in their life attain those promises (Heb 11:10–16). Of the heroes of the hall of faith, Hebrews says,</p>
  602.  
  603.  
  604.  
  605. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  606. <p>And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that <em>apart from us</em> they should not be made perfect (Heb 11:39–40 ESV; emphasis added).</p>
  607. </blockquote>
  608.  
  609.  
  610.  
  611. <p>In contrast to those who only anticipated the fulfillment of the promises of God, Hebrews presents our arrival at the city of God as a present reality:</p>
  612.  
  613.  
  614.  
  615. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  616. <p>But <em>you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God</em>, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect (Heb 12:22–23; emphasis added).</p>
  617. </blockquote>
  618.  
  619.  
  620.  
  621. <p>The church is the fulfillment of these promises, a city prepared by God to be far greater than the corrupt cities of man.</p>
  622.  
  623.  
  624.  
  625. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-s-leaders-as-shepherd-kings">The church’s leaders as shepherd–kings</h3>
  626.  
  627.  
  628.  
  629. <p>A city (<em>polis</em>) implies a polity—a structure of governance.</p>
  630.  
  631.  
  632.  
  633. <p>When we say “a pastor is a shepherd,” most accept this without objection. After all, that is the meaning of the word pastor. But what if we were to say that a pastor is also a ruler or king? That is more likely to raise some eyebrows.</p>
  634.  
  635.  
  636.  
  637. <p>Most of us are comfortable thinking of the office of “pastor” as something of a prophetic office, since pastors expound the Word and proclaim the gospel. Some Protestants may even dare to conceive of the pastorate as a priestly office, even if we do not hold to a continued distinct priesthood in the way the Roman Catholic Church does.<span id='easy-footnote-8-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-8-129885' title='In fact, our word priest is derived from the Greek &lt;em&gt;presbyteros&lt;/em&gt;, meaning “elder,” an office most Protestants see as continuing, while the word denoting the cultic office of priest is &lt;em&gt;hiereus&lt;/em&gt;.'><sup>8</sup></a></span> We could argue that a pastor has both priestly and prophetic aspects.</p>
  638.  
  639.  
  640.  
  641. <p>However, the biblical concept of shepherd is actually more <em>kingly </em>than it is priestly or prophetic. In the Old Testament and ancient iconography, the shepherd’s crook is a feature, not of priests or prophets, but of kings. Who is the shepherd of Israel, the man after God’s own heart? Is he a priest, a son of Levi? No, rather, a <em>king</em>: David of the tribe of Judah.<span id='easy-footnote-9-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-9-129885' title='Numerous examples also exists of Mesopotamian shepherd–kings and the Egyptian pharaonic iconography of the shepherd’s crook and flail. For more on shepherd–kings in the ancient Near East, see &lt;a href=&quot;https://sumerianshakespeare.com/70701/502901.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;https://sumerianshakespeare.com/70701/502901.html&lt;/a&gt;.'><sup>9</sup></a></span> Yet David is not the ultimate king of Israel, but rules only under YHWH, the great Shepherd of Israel (Ps 80:1; 95:3–7).<span id='easy-footnote-10-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-10-129885' title='Daniel I. Block, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/162466/the-gods-of-the-nations-studies-in-ancient-near-eastern-national-theology&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Gods of the Nations: Studies in Ancient Near Eastern National Theology&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, 2nd ed. (Eugene, OR: Wipf &amp;amp; Stock, 1988), 57–58.'><sup>10</sup></a></span>
  642.  
  643.  
  644.  
  645. <p>When Jesus says he is the good shepherd (John 10:11–14), this is a claim to kingship. Further, his identity as the <em>great </em>shepherd (Heb 13:20) identifies him as YHWH, the shepherd of Israel, who built his assembly at the rock of Sinai. So likewise, Jesus builds his assembly anew upon the rock of Spirit-filled apostolic confession (Matt 16:15–18).</p>
  646.  
  647.  
  648.  
  649. <p>When Jesus gives “pastors” to his church (Eph 4:11), he gives them as under-shepherds who ought to rule as he does. As church leaders in the city of God, his assembly, pastors are to labor under the rulership of our great shepherd, Jesus Christ.<span id='easy-footnote-11-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-11-129885' title='Peter J. Leithart, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/219567/on-earth-as-in-heaven-theopolis-fundamentals&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;On Earth as in Heaven: Theopolis Fundamentals&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2022), 67.'><sup>11</sup></a></span>
  650.  
  651.  
  652.  
  653. <p>If pastor-as-king sounds oppressive or authoritarian to us, we must remember how Christ ruled and rules, and we should expect the same character of his under-shepherds. When Jesus’s disciples dispute with one another about which of them is the greatest,&nbsp;Jesus sets his own way of kingship before them as an example:</p>
  654.  
  655.  
  656.  
  657. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  658. <p>And he said to them, &#8220;The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves&#8221; (Luke 22:25–27 ESV).</p>
  659. </blockquote>
  660.  
  661.  
  662.  
  663. <p>When the apostle Peter echoes this exhortation to those he calls his “fellow elders” (1 Pet 5:2–4), he demonstrates that this shepherding function is not only for apostles, but for them as well (1 Pet 5:2–4).<span id='easy-footnote-12-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-12-129885' title='See also Augustine’s famous contrast between the two cities in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/25711/nicene-and-post-nicene-fathers-first-series-volume-ii-st-augustins-city-of-god-and-christian-doctrine&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;City of God&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; 14.28.'><sup>12</sup></a></span>
  664.  
  665.  
  666.  
  667. <p>Pastors are called to <em>judge</em> the flock of God in the realms of doctrine and Christian practice, but they are to do so in a spirit of humility and service that reflects the gentleness of the King of kings. They must also vigorously <em>defend</em> the flock against heresy, sin, and attacking “wolves” (John 10:12; Acts 20:28–31; Rev 2:1–3). Jesus ruled by laying down his life for the sheep (John 10:14–15). Those who guard his flock must do the same (John 15:12–14; 1 John 3:16).</p>
  668.  
  669.  
  670.  
  671. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-as-an-eschatological-people">The church as an eschatological people</h3>
  672.  
  673.  
  674.  
  675. <p>The church’s future (<a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-eschatology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">eschatology</a>) is essential to ecclesiology. Although we now have access to the throne of grace and the presence of God through Jesus Christ, this is not the end. We have come to the heavenly city, but the city is not here fully realized. The present reality of our citizenship in God’s city must not lead us to an over-realized eschatology. Although we gather at Mount Zion, the city of God, we still look for the city that is to come. We have greater glory to look forward to (2 Cor 3:18).</p>
  676.  
  677.  
  678.  
  679. <p>Jesus has given his church a mission, and this mission implies an eschatology. He has commanded us to preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15) and to make disciples of nations by baptizing them and teaching them to follow and obey Christ (Matt 28:18–20). To this end, the church is to make disciples of the nations, not only by winning converts, but by “teaching them to observe” Christ’s commands (Matt 28:20). The extent of Christ’s authority (“all authority”) defines the scope of our mission (“all nations”), and his presence with us is the guarantor of our mission’s success.</p>
  680.  
  681.  
  682.  
  683. <p>This eschatologically oriented mission carries political implications. Because God is the one who grants earthly rulers their authority (John 19:10–11; Rom 13:1–7; 1 Pet 2:13–17), part of the church’s mission is to call them to bow the knee to the King of kings (Rev 1:5; 17:14; 19:16). Describing his vision of the New Jerusalem, the apostle John says,</p>
  684.  
  685.  
  686.  
  687. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  688. <p>By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day … They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations (Rev 21:24–26 ESV; see also Isa 60:3–5).</p>
  689. </blockquote>
  690.  
  691.  
  692.  
  693. <p>The church should call earthly rulers to lead their nations to walk by the light of the church and to add their glory to the heavenly city.<span id='easy-footnote-13-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-13-129885' title='The fact that the kings in this passage still have places of rule on earth and act in relation to the heavenly city suggests that this describes something happening during the church age, before the resurrection and consummation of history. Stephen S. Smalley, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/40925/the-revelation-to-john-a-commentary-on-the-greek-text-of-the-apocalypse&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Revelation to John: A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Apocalypse&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (UK: SPCK, 2005), 559).'><sup>13</sup></a></span> Earthly rulers, converted by the gospel, should encourage their citizens to become citizens of the heavenly city, and the church must call them to rule consistently with the commandments Christ has given. Faith in Christ leads to obedience to Christ, not only for individuals, but for nations as well.</p>
  694.  
  695.  
  696.  
  697. <p>The peoples of all nations are to be incorporated into the church, Christ’s temple of living stones. When God promises to make Christ’s enemies his footstool (Ps 110:1; Acts 2:34–35), this doesn’t mean that he will trample all the nations into dust. Footstools are instruments of the king’s enthronement. The king’s feet gently rest upon a footstool—he does not break and crush it the way he crushes serpents.</p>
  698.  
  699.  
  700.  
  701. <p>David calls the ark of the covenant God’s footstool (1 Chron 28:2). And the Psalms identify the temple as YHWH’s footstool (Ps 99:5; 132:7). While YHWH’s glory fills the heavens, the train of his robe, where his feet are, fills the temple (Isa 6:1).&nbsp;To be made God’s footstool then is to be converted into his temple, a thing of honor.</p>
  702.  
  703.  
  704.  
  705. <p>Christ will reign until all things have been placed under his feet (1 Cor 15:25–28). This does not refer to mere conquest, but to the church’s mission to summon the whole earth to worship Christ, that at the name of Jesus every knee will one day bow and confess that he is Lord (Phil 2:9–11). Jesus is in the business of turning his enemies into precious stones in the city of God, his church. It is, after all, what he did for us.</p>
  706.  
  707.  
  708.  
  709. <p>All earthly governments will one day pass away and give way to the heavenly Jerusalem (Rev 11:15), for here we have no lasting city (Heb 13:14). At the final resurrection, Christ will deliver the kingdom up to the Father, having abolished every rule and authority and power (1 Cor 15:24). At that point, only the city of God will remain forever.</p>
  710.  
  711.  
  712.  
  713. <p>Thus, Christ demands that our primary allegiance be to <em>his </em>body politic (Phil 3:20). We are to embody now what is to be true in the future. When the laws of the city of man rebel against the commandments of God, we ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). We must seek to do good to all, but <em>especially </em>those who are of the household of faith (Gal 6:10). We seek the good of the city we are in <em>because </em>in its good we find our good (Jer 29:7). The good of the earthly city is not an end to itself, but a means to bless the people of God.</p>
  714.  
  715.  
  716.  
  717. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-edition?blog_campaign=free_app&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698233/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Think You Don't Have Time for Deep Bible Study? Think Again. Click to start."/></a>
  718.  
  719.  
  720.  
  721. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-church-in-contemporary-practice">The church in contemporary practice</h2>
  722.  
  723.  
  724.  
  725. <p>We have seen that church leadership must exist, but the proper form of that leadership is the subject of endless debate and division.<span id='easy-footnote-14-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-14-129885' title='For a more detailed comparison of different church polities, see Paul E. Engle and Steven B. Cowan, eds. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/16632/who-runs-the-church-4-views-on-church-government&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Who Runs the Church?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Zondervan Counterpoints Collection (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004).'><sup>14</sup></a></span>
  726.  
  727.  
  728.  
  729. <p>Church polity (government) can be broadly categorized into three views, with variations depending upon <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/christian-denominations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the denomination</a>.</p>
  730.  
  731.  
  732.  
  733. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-episcopalianism">1. Episcopalianism</h3>
  734.  
  735.  
  736.  
  737. <p>Episcopal polity is a hierarchical structure of rule, consisting of bishops, presbyters (priests), and deacons. A bishop oversees a regional diocese consisting of many local parishes entrusted to priests and deacons. In some communions, dioceses may be organized into a larger jurisdiction, ruled by a metropolitan bishop. The whole communion may be ruled by patriarchs or a college of bishops. Episcopal ecclesiology sometimes includes the doctrine of apostolic succession, which teaches that the authority of the apostles (especially Peter) was passed down through a largely unbroken line to bishops of the present day.</p>
  738.  
  739.  
  740.  
  741. <p>Examples of episcopacy include the <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-orthodoxy/">Orthodox Church</a>, the Roman Catholic Church, and the <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/anglican-bible-study-the-major-books-thinkers-and-principles/">Anglican communions</a>.</p>
  742.  
  743.  
  744.  
  745. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-presbyterianism">2. Presbyterianism</h3>
  746.  
  747.  
  748.  
  749. <p>Presbyterian polity in its present form developed during the Reformation. Because of the abuses of the late-medieval church, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-reformed-theology/">Reformed churches</a> were wary of conferring too much authority upon one person. A renewed emphasis on the priesthood of all believers furthermore led them to abandon priesthood as a distinct church office.</p>
  750.  
  751.  
  752.  
  753. <p>Reformed churches believe the Bible prescribes a more representative form of church government. Each local congregation is ruled by a session (its group of elders—both ruling lay elders and at least one teaching elder or pastor). Delegated members of the session participate in a regional presbytery body (classis in continental Reformed churches). Then finally, presbyteries are members of a larger global general assembly (or general synod).</p>
  754.  
  755.  
  756.  
  757. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-congregationalism">3. Congregationalism</h3>
  758.  
  759.  
  760.  
  761. <p>Congregational polity emphasizes the autonomy of the local congregation from any higher ecclesiastical government or authority. Although individual congregations may choose to associate with a larger group of congregations, no ruling body exists to which every congregation is bound to conform. Congregations may be led by a single elder or pastor, or by multiple elders.</p>
  762.  
  763.  
  764.  
  765. <p>Independent or non-denominational churches, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/baptist-bible-study/">Baptist associations</a>, and free churches exemplify this form of ecclesiology.</p>
  766.  
  767.  
  768.  
  769. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion-where-s-our-unity">Conclusion: Where’s our unity?</h2>
  770.  
  771.  
  772.  
  773. <p>All proponents of these views are seeking to be faithful to the Scripture and the practice of the early church. Which one is correct? Is it possible that Scripture does not even prescribe a single form of church government, that multiple valid forms of ecclesiastical polity could exist? Perhaps.<span id='easy-footnote-15-129885' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-ecclesiology/#easy-footnote-bottom-15-129885' title='Alistair C. Stewart, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/166491/the-original-bishops-office-and-order-in-the-first-christian-communities&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Original Bishops: Office and Order in the First Christian Communities&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Grand Rapids, IL: Baker Academic, 2014), 354–55. The &lt;a href=&quot;https://rechurch.org/principles.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;Reformed Episcopal Church&lt;/a&gt; holds to this view.'><sup>15</sup></a></span>
  774.  
  775.  
  776.  
  777. <p>As we saw, Christians confess that the church is “one” and “catholic.” What, then, can we make of the divisions that we see among us? The answer must be found in the One who makes us one.</p>
  778.  
  779.  
  780.  
  781. <p>In the face of divisions, we must seek to witness together to the one who saved us and who offers salvation to the world. We must carry out the church’s mission to the world, calling nations to obey our Lord, conscious of our underlying spiritual oneness, even while real and visible divisions still exist.</p>
  782.  
  783.  
  784.  
  785. <p>All who confess the triune God have one root and one vine—Jesus Christ. We should recognize other branches who are attached to that same root. Like a tree whose trunk is obscured by a wall with only its various branches visible, Christ is often obscured from view by our division, with only our disparate denominations visible. Somehow, even with our diverse branches, we must present the root to the world.</p>
  786.  
  787.  
  788.  
  789. <p>How can we be one body when divided into <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/christian-denominations/">denominations</a>? It is hard to imagine how such deep rifts within the church can be healed. But Jesus is the great physician. He can heal his church, although that healing will probably look like nothing we expect. Toward that hope, we must recommit to those things that unite us: the apostolic faith of the Scripture and the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist. We must not settle for an easy ecumenism, flattening out distinctives and adjusting to the lowest common denominator. Rather, we must strive for true unity rooted in God’s revealed will and character. </p>
  790.  
  791.  
  792.  
  793. <p>Most importantly, undergirding all our efforts must be a love for the brethren—we must <em>want </em>unity. We must earnestly desire and pray for it, just as Jesus asked it of his Father.</p>
  794.  
  795.  
  796.  
  797. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recommended-resources">Recommended resources</h3>
  798.  
  799.  
  800.  
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  832.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/156188/the-church" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  833.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15750555/optimized" alt="The Church (Contours of Christian Theology)">
  834.     </a>
  835.     <h3 class="product__title">The Church (Contours of Christian Theology)</h3>
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  853.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11279152/optimized" alt="The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God (New Studies in Biblical Theology, vol. 17 | NSBT)">
  854.     </a>
  855.     <h3 class="product__title">The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God (New Studies in Biblical Theology, vol. 17 | NSBT)</h3>
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  872.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/16632/who-runs-the-church-4-views-on-church-government" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  873.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1336429/optimized" alt="Who Runs the Church?: 4 Views on Church Government (Counterpoints)">
  874.     </a>
  875.     <h3 class="product__title">Who Runs the Church?: 4 Views on Church Government (Counterpoints)</h3>
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  933.  
  934.  
  935.  
  936. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-related-articles">Related articles</h3>
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  941. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-who-is-jesus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Who Is Jesus? Answering Life&#8217;s Most Important Question</a></li>
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  953. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/christian-denominations/">The Definitive Guide to Christian Denominations</a></li>
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  957.  
  958. <p></p>
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  960.  
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  963. ]]></content:encoded>
  967. </item>
  968. <item>
  969. <title>What Is This Thing Called Bible Study?</title>
  970. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-bible-study/</link>
  972. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Krol]]></dc:creator>
  973. <pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  974. <category><![CDATA[Bible Study]]></category>
  975. <category><![CDATA[Spiritual Formation]]></category>
  976. <category><![CDATA[bible study]]></category>
  977. <category><![CDATA[bible study tips]]></category>
  978. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129848</guid>
  979.  
  980. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="An image of an open Bible and a person swimming to represent in depth Bible study." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />If you search your Bible for the phrase Bible study, you won't find it. A big part of the problem is that the word Bible never occurs in most English Bibles. Even if you search for just the word study, you won’t find quite what you’re looking for. And yet Christians talk about Bible study all the time. Why is that? What is Bible study? ]]></description>
  981. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="An image of an open Bible and a person swimming to represent in depth Bible study." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-What-is-Bible-Study_-_-Mar-28-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  982. <p>If you search your Bible for the phrase “Bible study,” you won’t find it.&nbsp;</p>
  983.  
  984.  
  985.  
  986. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/OcodHwBHd6WMhhusAjBCTzKYCkubCZywo3MbFTaB_hd9aKf3EhxZEzFTAZhvxAEW53oQS0BEC2nWXgfaTcrOyAugRlDL7Ui4nq7OYOBYCQZ11eXBAAUV5jjhAMAtTv8B0-AGGMWdprmi6Vu0D7qRSzk" alt="A screenshot of a search for Bible study in the Logos Bible study app yielding no results. "/></figure>
  987.  
  988.  
  989.  
  990. <p>A big part of the problem is that the word “Bible” never occurs in most English Bibles. Even if you search for just the word “study,” you won’t find quite what you’re looking for.&nbsp;</p>
  991.  
  992.  
  993.  
  994. <p>Some of the returnees from exile “study” the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:10; Neh 8:13). That’s a promising start.</p>
  995.  
  996.  
  997.  
  998. <p>But people are also “studying” God’s works (Ps 111:2), “studying” various proverbs (Eccl 12:9), and “studying” Jewish traditions (John 7:15). And one of the most direct statements about study in Scripture is not encouraging: “much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Eccl 12:12).</p>
  999.  
  1000.  
  1001.  
  1002. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/LZQ4ZN042J0KXCXiX2a0Ac3QRDXCaXMzJXzTqeDzrbBJ52Bk4Ccr3IOLd14iboMGjDKxGuFWiA6eXjKcaqOIO9DGWcO1PvDbNPYE4mLJzek5wTB4BaROJAKm4U-eikZBRn3NNJs0Xsa7TkQ8v19XCGc" alt="A screenshot of a search for study in the Logos Bible study app. "/></figure>
  1003.  
  1004.  
  1005.  
  1006. <p>And yet Christians talk about “Bible study” all the time. Why is that?</p>
  1007.  
  1008.  
  1009.  
  1010. <p>This article will cover:</p>
  1011.  
  1012.  
  1013.  
  1014. <div class="wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents"><ul><li><a href="#h-what-is-bible-study" data-level="2">What is Bible study?</a></li><li><a href="#h-what-s-the-difference-between-bible-study-and-a-bible-study" data-level="2">What’s the difference between Bible study and a Bible study?</a></li><li><a href="#h-what-are-the-purposes-of-bible-study-nbsp" data-level="2">What are the purposes of Bible study? </a></li><li><a href="#h-what-is-a-bible-study-method" data-level="2">What is a Bible study method?</a></li><li><a href="#h-how-to-study-the-bible" data-level="2">How to study the Bible</a></li><li><a href="#h-what-are-the-steps-of-bible-study" data-level="2">What are the steps of Bible study?</a></li><li><a href="#h-is-bible-study-the-same-as-biblical-studies" data-level="2">Is Bible study the same as biblical studies?</a></li><li><a href="#h-what-are-the-tools-for-bible-study" data-level="2">What are the tools for Bible study?</a></li></ul></div>
  1015.  
  1016.  
  1017.  
  1018. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-bible-study">What is Bible study?</h2>
  1019.  
  1020.  
  1021.  
  1022. <p><strong>Bible study is the practice of examining God’s Word in order to understand it and be changed by it.</strong> Christians do this because they trust what God himself says about his Word, including:</p>
  1023.  
  1024.  
  1025.  
  1026. <ul>
  1027. <li>God spoke it, so all of it is profitable (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21)</li>
  1028.  
  1029.  
  1030.  
  1031. <li>It will succeed in accomplishing God’s purposes (Isa 55:10–11)</li>
  1032.  
  1033.  
  1034.  
  1035. <li>It is perfect and right, offering great reward to those who keep it (Ps 19:7–11)</li>
  1036.  
  1037.  
  1038.  
  1039. <li>It is true, leading us to find refuge in God himself (Prov 30:5)</li>
  1040.  
  1041.  
  1042.  
  1043. <li>It bears witness to Jesus (Luke 24:44; John 1:45, 5:39; 1 Pet 1:10–12)</li>
  1044.  
  1045.  
  1046.  
  1047. <li>It illuminates the path God’s people ought to walk (Ps 119:105)</li>
  1048. </ul>
  1049.  
  1050.  
  1051.  
  1052. <p>Bible study includes Bible reading, but it involves much more than reading.&nbsp;</p>
  1053.  
  1054.  
  1055.  
  1056. <p>When we read the Bible, we gather the raw materials we need for further study. Reading the Bible at length helps us to grasp the big picture, including themes, arguments, facts, and figures. I have formed an annual habit of reading the entire Bible as quickly as possible beginning on New Year’s Day. This practice reminds me of the Bible’s overarching story, fostering my delight in the masterpiece of God’s word.</p>
  1057.  
  1058.  
  1059.  
  1060. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  1061. <p>I have formed an annual habit of reading the entire Bible as quickly as possible beginning on New Year’s Day.</p>
  1062. </blockquote>
  1063.  
  1064.  
  1065.  
  1066. <p>Though extensive Bible reading comes with many benefits, its downside is the lack of thoroughness or reflection.</p>
  1067.  
  1068.  
  1069.  
  1070. <p>Enter Bible study. Through it, we make space for close examination of the text, ensuring proper understanding. Some have used the Bible to support such beliefs as the non-deity of Jesus and the non-personhood of the Holy Spirit. Careful study allows us to perceive misuse of the text, hear the true voice of God, and live by it.</p>
  1071.  
  1072.  
  1073.  
  1074. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-difference-between-bible-study-and-a-bible-study">What’s the difference between Bible study and <em>a</em> Bible study?</h2>
  1075.  
  1076.  
  1077.  
  1078. <p>People use the phrase “Bible study” in a variety of ways.&nbsp;</p>
  1079.  
  1080.  
  1081.  
  1082. <ol>
  1083. <li>Some use it to refer to an educational and devotional practice: “My <strong>Bible study</strong> is not as consistent as I’d prefer. Yet I’m still encouraged by all that God is teaching me.”</li>
  1084.  
  1085.  
  1086.  
  1087. <li>Some use it to refer to a group of people meeting together for teaching or discussion: “My <strong>Bible study</strong> is friendly and welcoming. We’d love to have you join us Tuesday nights!”</li>
  1088.  
  1089.  
  1090.  
  1091. <li>Some use it to refer to a written curriculum or published guidebook: “My <strong>Bible study</strong> has been especially relevant over the last few weeks. I’m amazed at how each lesson has connected with what God is doing in my life.”</li>
  1092. </ol>
  1093.  
  1094.  
  1095.  
  1096. <p>Small groups studying the Bible together (usage #2) can help each person develop personal Bible study skills (usage #1). As can pre-written study guides (usage #3). Together, they can all be part of a plan to <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/how-to-empower-your-church-for-serious-bible-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">equip your church for serious Bible study</a>.</p>
  1097.  
  1098.  
  1099.  
  1100. <p>The rest of this article will focus on usage #1, the personal, educational, and devotional practice of Bible study. To get your bearings, consider this video with twelve big-picture facts about how the Bible came to be.</p>
  1101.  
  1102.  
  1103.  
  1104. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
  1105. <iframe loading="lazy" title="12 Non-trivial Facts about the Bible" width="716" height="403" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v7ssZx4NaxY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  1106. </div></figure>
  1107.  
  1108.  
  1109.  
  1110. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-purposes-of-bible-study-nbsp">What are the purposes of Bible study?&nbsp;</h2>
  1111.  
  1112.  
  1113.  
  1114. <p>Why do people study the Bible? Why do<em> you</em> study the Bible?</p>
  1115.  
  1116.  
  1117.  
  1118. <p>Each person who studies the Bible may be motivated by different reasons:</p>
  1119.  
  1120.  
  1121.  
  1122. <ul>
  1123. <li>To understand the Christian faith</li>
  1124.  
  1125.  
  1126.  
  1127. <li>To understand what God has communicated to us</li>
  1128.  
  1129.  
  1130.  
  1131. <li>To live faithfully as a Christian</li>
  1132.  
  1133.  
  1134.  
  1135. <li>To delight in the kingdom and Word of God</li>
  1136. </ul>
  1137.  
  1138.  
  1139.  
  1140. <p>As a child, I studied the Bible so I could win at <a href="https://proclaim.logos.com/bible-trivia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bible trivia</a> in Sunday school. As my aspirations matured, so did my awareness of why Christians ought to study the Bible. I remember noticing that Peter’s mountaintop experience of Jesus’s transfiguration confirmed not only Jesus’s identity (Luke 9:35) but also the authority of Scripture (2 Pet 1:16–21). Isn’t that striking? Peter never tells us to seek mountaintop experiences with Jesus. His mountaintop experience only confirms our need to pay attention to the prophetic Word.</p>
  1141.  
  1142.  
  1143.  
  1144. <p>But why? Why must we pay attention to that Word?</p>
  1145.  
  1146.  
  1147.  
  1148. <p>Because if we don’t, we will drift away from what we’ve heard (Heb 2:1–4). We’ll drift away from our confession of Christ (Heb 10:23). We may fail to obtain the grace of God (Heb 12:15). As mentioned above, the entire Bible is about Jesus (Luke 24:44; John 1:45, 5:39; 1 Pet 1:10–12). And now we see that neglecting the Bible may lead us to drift away from Jesus.</p>
  1149.  
  1150.  
  1151.  
  1152. <p>For these reasons, the chief goal of studying the Bible is to meet with Jesus, to know him. And by knowing him, we come to know the Father (John 14:9).</p>
  1153.  
  1154.  
  1155.  
  1156. <p>This is precisely the way Paul thought about the Scripture.</p>
  1157.  
  1158.  
  1159.  
  1160. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  1161. <p>Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas. (Acts 17:1–4 ESV)</p>
  1162. </blockquote>
  1163.  
  1164.  
  1165.  
  1166. <p>On his missionary journeys, Paul sought to lead people into the faith, into a relationship with the true God. To do so, he knew he had to introduce them to Jesus. And in order to do that, he had to show them the Scripture. He had to study the Bible with them.</p>
  1167.  
  1168.  
  1169.  
  1170. <p>Therefore, the chief purpose for studying the Bible is to know God through his Son, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-who-is-jesus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jesus Christ</a>.</p>
  1171.  
  1172.  
  1173.  
  1174. <p>Would you like to learn how?</p>
  1175.  
  1176.  
  1177.  
  1178. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-bible-study-method">What is a Bible study method?</h2>
  1179.  
  1180.  
  1181.  
  1182. <p>A Bible study method is a process to help you analyze the text. A simple method will be easier to remember and follow than a complex one. Granted, the details of your study will get complex, but your method doesn’t have to.</p>
  1183.  
  1184.  
  1185.  
  1186. <p>Are you turned off by the idea of having a “method” for your Bible study? Does it sound too impersonal or academic? If the chief purpose of Bible study is to know God through his Son, aren’t you better off without a method?</p>
  1187.  
  1188.  
  1189.  
  1190. <p>Believe it or not, <strong>everyone has a Bible study method</strong>. You can’t choose to not have a method. All you can choose is whether your method is a good one.</p>
  1191.  
  1192.  
  1193.  
  1194. <p>For example, someone who claims to have no method might do the following:</p>
  1195.  
  1196.  
  1197.  
  1198. <ol>
  1199. <li>Ask God for wisdom in a difficult situation.</li>
  1200.  
  1201.  
  1202.  
  1203. <li>Wait to hear an inner voice suggest a passage of the Bible to read.</li>
  1204.  
  1205.  
  1206.  
  1207. <li>Read that passage through the lens of your difficult situation.</li>
  1208. </ol>
  1209.  
  1210.  
  1211.  
  1212. <p>Here’s another informal method a person could use:</p>
  1213.  
  1214.  
  1215.  
  1216. <ol>
  1217. <li>Ask the <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-who-is-holy-spirit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holy Spirit</a> to guide you to a passage that speaks to your life.</li>
  1218.  
  1219.  
  1220.  
  1221. <li>Flip the pages of your Bible and drop your finger at a random spot.</li>
  1222.  
  1223.  
  1224.  
  1225. <li>Read the verse you’re pointing to.</li>
  1226.  
  1227.  
  1228.  
  1229. <li>Reflect on how to obey the verse you just read.</li>
  1230. </ol>
  1231.  
  1232.  
  1233.  
  1234. <p>And here’s one more:</p>
  1235.  
  1236.  
  1237.  
  1238. <ol>
  1239. <li>Read a Bible passage. (Perhaps you’re working through a book, and this is simply the next passage.)</li>
  1240.  
  1241.  
  1242.  
  1243. <li>Close your eyes, and possibly your Bible as well.</li>
  1244.  
  1245.  
  1246.  
  1247. <li>Consider what this text means to you and how you might put it into practice.</li>
  1248. </ol>
  1249.  
  1250.  
  1251.  
  1252. <p>Everyone who studies the Bible has a method for their study. The question is not whether you have a method but whether you have a good one.</p>
  1253.  
  1254.  
  1255.  
  1256. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-edition?blog_campaign=free_app&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698233/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Think You Don't Have Time for Deep Bible Study? Think Again. Click to start."/></a>
  1257.  
  1258.  
  1259.  
  1260. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-study-the-bible">How to study the Bible</h2>
  1261.  
  1262.  
  1263.  
  1264. <p>Before I get to the practical steps of a robust Bible study method, let me cover some environmental factors.</p>
  1265.  
  1266.  
  1267.  
  1268. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-find-a-time-when-you-can-focus">1. Find a time when you can focus</h3>
  1269.  
  1270.  
  1271.  
  1272. <p>Many people enjoy doing Bible study first thing in the morning, but that’s not a requirement. The most important factor is to find a time when you have the margin and energy for the task.</p>
  1273.  
  1274.  
  1275.  
  1276. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-find-a-space-where-you-can-focus">2. Find a space where you can focus</h3>
  1277.  
  1278.  
  1279.  
  1280. <p>When training yourself in good Bible study skills, you’re developing a habit. Designate a desk or table, or perhaps a couch or café, where you can regularly return. (Although, if you have children, you may want to locate your study space in full sight of your children. That way they can see your example and imitate it themselves.)</p>
  1281.  
  1282.  
  1283.  
  1284. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-keep-a-blank-notepad-handy">3. Keep a blank notepad handy</h3>
  1285.  
  1286.  
  1287.  
  1288. <p>You might want a notepad for your study notes, but that’s not what I’m referring to here. As you study God’s Word, other things will come to mind. To-dos, emails, letters to write, and people to connect with. If you have a blank notepad handy, you can write those things down so you won’t forget them or be distracted by them. A notepad will allow you to set your to-dos aside until you finish your Bible study.</p>
  1289.  
  1290.  
  1291.  
  1292. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-focus-on-the-bible">4. Focus on the Bible</h3>
  1293.  
  1294.  
  1295.  
  1296. <p>Remember, you’re here to study the Bible. You’re not here to study websites or commentaries. You’re not here to study a book on Christian living. Those are all good things to do, but they are not the same as studying the Bible. Develop in yourself a comfort with God’s Word. You can and should make time to consult other resources, but your first priority is to hear the words of your king, from his own mouth.</p>
  1297.  
  1298.  
  1299.  
  1300. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-get-your-bearings-in-the-bible">5. Get your bearings in the Bible</h3>
  1301.  
  1302.  
  1303.  
  1304. <p>Sometimes, sitting down alone with a Bible feels like an awkward first date. What do you do? What questions should you ask? How do you move this relationship forward? So I recommend taking steps to develop your sea legs for this voyage. You’ll want to learn to find your way around this masterful collection of sixty-six books. Here is a video to help you do just that.</p>
  1305.  
  1306.  
  1307.  
  1308. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
  1309. <iframe loading="lazy" title="The 66 Books of the Bible: a Quick Overview" width="716" height="403" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P2uvuu5xXZE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  1310. </div></figure>
  1311.  
  1312.  
  1313.  
  1314. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-steps-of-bible-study">What are the steps of Bible study?</h2>
  1315.  
  1316.  
  1317.  
  1318. <p>There are many good Bible study methods, each with its own labels and terminology (the <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/how-to-inductive-bible-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Inductive Method</a>, for instance). What is most important is not your terminology for Bible study but the substance of it. All good methods for Bible study will involve some combination of the following skills:</p>
  1319.  
  1320.  
  1321.  
  1322. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-pay-attention-to-what-the-text-says">1. Pay attention to what the text says</h3>
  1323.  
  1324.  
  1325.  
  1326. <p>Whether you call it observation, syntax, grammar, context, or simply “look,” you cannot study the Bible properly without paying attention to what it says. This requires us to overcome our familiarity with the text in order to scrutinize it more closely.</p>
  1327.  
  1328.  
  1329.  
  1330. <p>Did you know some of the most famous Bible verses aren’t actually in the Bible? “Money is the root of all evil.” “God helps those who help themselves.” You will not find these statements in the Bible.</p>
  1331.  
  1332.  
  1333.  
  1334. <p>Even some phrases we commonly use are not from the Bible. “The world, the flesh, and the devil.” “Be in the world but not of it.” These phrases have some biblical truth behind them. But we must learn to pay attention to what the Bible actually says. If we don’t, we lose all credibility when we try to teach it or communicate what it says to others.</p>
  1335.  
  1336.  
  1337.  
  1338. <p>This is where all the labels you learned in English class come in: noun, verb, adjective; subject, predicate, direct object, indirect object; poetry, discourse, narrative. Because the literary genres (kinds of literature—for example, history and epistle) and literary devices (such as comparison and contrast, conflict and climax) will be less familiar to you, you&#8217;ll want to have a stock of things to look for in the text.<span id='easy-footnote-1-129848' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-bible-study/#easy-footnote-bottom-1-129848' title='My book &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/42460/knowable-word-helping-ordinary-people-learn-to-study-the-bible&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Knowable Word&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; explains five kinds of observations: literary form, words, grammar, structure, and mood.'><sup>1</sup></a></span> The point here is that you won&#8217;t observe texts well if you don&#8217;t have categories for what you see.</p>
  1339.  
  1340.  
  1341.  
  1342. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-figure-out-what-the-text-means">2. Figure out what the text means</h3>
  1343.  
  1344.  
  1345.  
  1346. <p>Get yourself, as best you can, into the shoes of the original audience for your text. What did the text mean in their culture and at their time in history? How would they have heard this text? What truth(s) was the author trying to persuade them of? And what did he want them to <em>do</em>?</p>
  1347.  
  1348.  
  1349.  
  1350. <p>This step could be labeled interpretation, hermeneutics, or meaning. Whatever you call it, the goal is the same. Figure out the text’s message.</p>
  1351.  
  1352.  
  1353.  
  1354. <p>Not the message for yourself. That will come later. But the message for the original readers (as best as you can figure out who they were and where they lived).</p>
  1355.  
  1356.  
  1357.  
  1358. <p>This is the time when outside resources will provide extra help. Atlases, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/36564/lexham-bible-dictionary" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bible dictionaries</a>, commentaries, and book introductions in study Bibles (<a href="https://www.logos.com/product/53349/niv-biblical-theology-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">like this one</a>) all have a place here.</p>
  1359.  
  1360.  
  1361.  
  1362. <p>The closer you can follow the author’s own argument in the text, the better your study will come out. If the divinely inspired author has one main point to make, with a few points in support, make those points yours. If a poetic text would have moved the original readers in a certain way, try to understand why—seek and pray to be moved the same way. If a narrative builds to a climax, the text’s message must have something to do with that high plot point.</p>
  1363.  
  1364.  
  1365.  
  1366. <p>Enjoy the literature of the Bible. Delight in it. And when you grasp the author’s intended meaning, you’ll know the Lord better through his Son, Jesus Christ.</p>
  1367.  
  1368.  
  1369.  
  1370. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-exalt-jesus">3. Exalt Jesus</h3>
  1371.  
  1372.  
  1373.  
  1374. <p>Remember, the entire Bible is about Jesus Christ. The only way to know God is to come through his Son. So any decent Bible study method will help you, in some way, to see Christ more clearly. To know him more deeply. To love him more fervently.</p>
  1375.  
  1376.  
  1377.  
  1378. <p>Old Testament texts were all looking forward to his person and work. That doesn’t mean every detail is some secret code unlocking an aspect of Jesus’s story. It means that the <em>main ideas</em> of every passage all touch on at least one of the following categories (see Luke 24:45–48):</p>
  1379.  
  1380.  
  1381.  
  1382. <ul>
  1383. <li>Jesus’s suffering</li>
  1384.  
  1385.  
  1386.  
  1387. <li>Jesus’s resurrection</li>
  1388.  
  1389.  
  1390.  
  1391. <li>The availability of forgiveness to those who repent of sin</li>
  1392.  
  1393.  
  1394.  
  1395. <li>The proclamation of this good news to all nations</li>
  1396. </ul>
  1397.  
  1398.  
  1399.  
  1400. <p>New Testament texts unpack the person and work of Jesus. Sometimes Jesus is all over a passage, and we fail to see it. For example, consider 2 Timothy 1:1–2. Just a basic greeting for a letter, right? Wrong. Look again, and find Jesus in at least three places. How does even Paul’s greeting exalt Jesus and thereby prepare Timothy for the body of the letter?</p>
  1401.  
  1402.  
  1403.  
  1404. <p>Eternal life is to know God through his Son Jesus (John 17:3). If your Bible study doesn’t help you—every time!—to know Jesus better, it has not yet prepared you for eternal life.</p>
  1405.  
  1406.  
  1407.  
  1408. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-change-your-life">4. Change your life</h3>
  1409.  
  1410.  
  1411.  
  1412. <p>Jesus aims to transfer people from one kingdom to another (Col 1:13). From death to life (Eph 2:1–6). From hostility to friendship (Col 1:19–23).</p>
  1413.  
  1414.  
  1415.  
  1416. <p>The primary purpose of Bible study is to help you know God through his Son, Jesus Christ.</p>
  1417.  
  1418.  
  1419.  
  1420. <ul>
  1421. <li>If you know God, you cannot return to your old thinking or your old way of doing things (Gal 4:9).</li>
  1422.  
  1423.  
  1424.  
  1425. <li>If God knows you, he will conform you to the pattern made by his Son (Rom 8:29).</li>
  1426.  
  1427.  
  1428.  
  1429. <li>If God has set you free, you have a new identity in him (Rom 6:17–18).</li>
  1430.  
  1431.  
  1432.  
  1433. <li>If your faith is true, a changed life will blossom (Jas 2:14–17).</li>
  1434. </ul>
  1435.  
  1436.  
  1437.  
  1438. <p>You can call this step application, ethics, doctrine, <em>praxis</em>, or action. But whatever you label it, the question is the same: Is your Bible study producing a changed life before God?</p>
  1439.  
  1440.  
  1441.  
  1442. <p>Now to a final two questions—one theoretical and one practical.</p>
  1443.  
  1444.  
  1445.  
  1446. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-bible-study-the-same-as-biblical-studies">Is Bible study the same as biblical studies?</h2>
  1447.  
  1448.  
  1449.  
  1450. <p>It isn’t exactly true to say that &#8220;Bible study&#8221; and &#8220;biblical studies&#8221; are the same thing. Bible study is an educational and devotional practice, while biblical studies tends to be more academic in nature.</p>
  1451.  
  1452.  
  1453.  
  1454. <p>But the two are related: biblical studies scholars provide all the useful tools that enable the rest of us to experience productive Bible study, especially when we run into difficult questions.</p>
  1455.  
  1456.  
  1457.  
  1458. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-tools-for-bible-study">What are the tools for Bible study?</h2>
  1459.  
  1460.  
  1461.  
  1462. <p>Speaking of those tools: the Logos Bible study app provides a one-stop shop with nearly all the tools you need for effective Bible study.</p>
  1463.  
  1464.  
  1465.  
  1466. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-a-bible">1. A Bible</h3>
  1467.  
  1468.  
  1469.  
  1470. <p>That’s what you’re studying, right? In Logos, you can gather many good translations and <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/best-bible-translation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mark up or annotate</a> them in any way you like. Then you can toggle those annotations on or off, as needed. You’ll find <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/best-bible-translation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whatever translation</a> you prefer, or many English translations to <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/text-comparison" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">compare side by side</a>.</p>
  1471.  
  1472.  
  1473.  
  1474. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-a-notebook">2. A notebook</h3>
  1475.  
  1476.  
  1477.  
  1478. <p>You’ll want to capture notes on what you’re seeing and learning from the passage. You’ll want to record questions raised by the text. You can use paper and pen. Or in Logos, your digital <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/notebooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">notebooks</a> will be searchable and linked to the texts you’ve studied.</p>
  1479.  
  1480.  
  1481.  
  1482. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-a-method">3. A method<strong><br></strong></h3>
  1483.  
  1484.  
  1485.  
  1486. <p>Another way to think of your method is to have a workflow. When you sit down, open your Bible and read, <em>What will you do next?</em> Logos has a number of <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/workflows" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">workflows</a> to assist you with your Bible study method. <a href="https://documents.logos.com/documents/785a32cf49844b96b97e5627b46bda44/details" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here is a custom workflow</a> I made to help you keep your focus on the text.</p>
  1487.  
  1488.  
  1489.  
  1490. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-a-library">4. A library</h3>
  1491.  
  1492.  
  1493.  
  1494. <p>You could use an <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/bible-dictionaries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atlas</a>, a <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/commentaries" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(free) Bible dictionary</a>, a collection of <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/min-bible-commentaries/">commentaries</a>, or <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-study-bible/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study Bibles</a>. Depending on how much research you expect to do, you may even want access to monographs and journals. As long as your focus is on the Bible itself, a library can provide you with exceptional support.</p>
  1495.  
  1496.  
  1497.  
  1498. <p>Just be careful not to rely on supporting resources too quickly. And don’t let them do your thinking for you. But if you don’t know who on earth the Hittites were, you’ll want to <a href="https://ref.ly/logosres/lbd?hw=Hittites%2c+History+of" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">look them up</a>. And if you think “sleeping with his fathers” means securing a spacious bunk room for vacation, a commentary will clarify the idiom.</p>
  1499.  
  1500.  
  1501.  
  1502. <p>Logos provides a <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/library" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nearly limitless library</a>, customized to your personal needs and budget.</p>
  1503.  
  1504.  
  1505.  
  1506. <p>The Lord your God is eager to know his people. He’s given his Word to make it possible. The best tool at your disposal is this thing called Bible study.</p>
  1507.  
  1508.  
  1509.  
  1510. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-related-articles">Related articles</h3>
  1511.  
  1512.  
  1513.  
  1514. <ul>
  1515. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/bible-study-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">29 Bible Study Tools for Reading the Bible More Effectively</a></li>
  1516.  
  1517.  
  1518.  
  1519. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/grievances-study-bibles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 Grievances about Study Bibles (&amp; Which Are Best) </a></li>
  1520.  
  1521.  
  1522.  
  1523. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-12-tips-how-to-read-the-bible-better/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">12 Tips: How to Read the Bible Better</a></li>
  1524.  
  1525.  
  1526.  
  1527. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-chronological-bible-reading-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Free Chronological Bible Reading Plan &amp; How to Stay on Track</a></li>
  1528. </ul>
  1529.  
  1530.  
  1531.  
  1532. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-edition?blog_campaign=free_app&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698233/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Think You Don't Have Time for Deep Bible Study? Think Again. Click to start."/></a>
  1533. ]]></content:encoded>
  1537. </item>
  1538. <item>
  1539. <title>1 Thessalonians 4 &amp; the Truth about the “Secret” Rapture</title>
  1540. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/</link>
  1542. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel R. Hyde]]></dc:creator>
  1543. <pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 22:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1544. <category><![CDATA[Theology]]></category>
  1545. <category><![CDATA[eschatology]]></category>
  1546. <category><![CDATA[rapture]]></category>
  1547. <category><![CDATA[reading nook]]></category>
  1548. <category><![CDATA[second coming]]></category>
  1549. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129862</guid>
  1550.  
  1551. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="The symbols S, +, and R symbolize the secret rapture, with highlighted article text. Background features a sun and clouds." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />I agree there will be a rapture. The issue is that it’s distinguished from the Second Coming. I believe the truth of the Bible is that the rapture is the Second Coming. I will leave the intricate details of historical and systematic theology to others, but here I will give a simple and practical explanation why I believe the truth is that the rapture is the Second Coming, focusing on one of the main “rapture texts,” 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.]]></description>
  1552. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="The symbols S, +, and R symbolize the secret rapture, with highlighted article text. Background features a sun and clouds." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-_-Secret-rapture-or-second-coming_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  1553. <p>“He shall come again to judge the living and the dead.”<br>—Apostles&#8217; Creed</p>
  1554.  
  1555.  
  1556.  
  1557. <p>“He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.”<br>—<a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-nicene-creed/">Nicene Creed</a></p>
  1558.  
  1559.  
  1560.  
  1561. <p>These words have echoed down the halls of history for nearly two millennia. Somewhere near the end of that hall, a side door was opened and a confusing sound was added.<span id='easy-footnote-1-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-1-129862' title='On the history of the ancient church’s hope and shift in the modern period, see George Eldon Ladd, “The Historic Hope of the Church” and “The Rise of and Spread of Pretribulationism,” in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/46669/the-blessed-hope-a-biblical-study-of-the-second-advent-and-the-rapture&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Blessed Hope: A Study of the Second Advent and the Rapture&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/a&gt;(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1975), 19–60. Originally published in 1956.'><sup>1</sup></a></span> That sound was the teaching of a secret “rapture” of the church from this world before the Second Coming. George Eldon Ladd expressed the novelty of this view in the history of the church in these words:</p>
  1562.  
  1563.  
  1564.  
  1565. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  1566. <p>The hope of the Church throughout the early centuries was the second coming of Christ, not a pretribulation rapture. If the Blessed Hope is in fact, a pretribulation rapture, then the Church has never known that hope through most of its history, for the idea of a pretribulation rapture did not appear until the nineteenth century.<span id='easy-footnote-2-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-2-129862' title='Ladd, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/46669/the-blessed-hope-a-biblical-study-of-the-second-advent-and-the-rapture&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Blessed Hope&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, 19.'><sup>2</sup></a></span>
  1567. </blockquote>
  1568.  
  1569.  
  1570.  
  1571. <p>This means that in contrast to the hope confessed through the ages that the Son of God came to earth once for salvation and will come again once for consummation, a new teaching was introduced: Jesus would return a second time, <em>twice</em>: secretly and publicly.</p>
  1572.  
  1573.  
  1574.  
  1575. <p>The new leader of the Calvary Chapel movement, Brian Broderson, calls the rapture “part one of the second coming” and tries to make the case for this by saying the first coming actually had two parts as well.<span id='easy-footnote-3-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-3-129862' title='Brian Broderson, &lt;em&gt;Caught Up! What the Bible Says About the Rapture of the Church&lt;/em&gt; (Lansing, MI: Calvary, 2010), 7­–8.'><sup>3</sup></a></span> He defines the rapture as the time when “every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is miraculously and instantly taken to heaven without experiencing death.”<span id='easy-footnote-4-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-4-129862' title='Broderson, &lt;em&gt;Caught Up!&lt;/em&gt;, 6. &lt;a href=&quot;https://calvarychapel.com/beliefs/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;Calvary Chapel’s “Statement of Faith”&lt;/a&gt; also says, “We believe the church will be delivered from the &amp;#8216;hour of trial&amp;#8217; which will come upon all who dwell on the earth, being &amp;#8216;caught up&amp;#8217; in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (the Rapture) (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, 1 Corinthians 15:51–55, Revelation 3:10).”'><sup>4</sup></a></span> Modern American evangelicals love their secret rapture. As of this writing, over <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/WolfFiles/story?id=2073602&amp;page=2." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">35 million copies</a> of Hal Lindsey’s <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/227479/the-late-great-planet-earth" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Late Great Planet Earth</em></a> (1970) and 63 million copies of <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/45593/the-left-behind-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Left Behind</em></a> (1995–2007) series have been sold.</p>
  1576.  
  1577.  
  1578.  
  1579. <p>I agree there will be a rapture. The issue is that it’s distinguished from the Second Coming. I believe the truth of the Bible is that the rapture <em>is</em> the Second Coming. I will leave the intricate details of historical and systematic theology to others,<span id='easy-footnote-5-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-5-129862' title='See Anthony A. Hoekema, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/45862/the-bible-and-the-future&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Bible and Future&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1979); Ladd, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/46669/the-blessed-hope-a-biblical-study-of-the-second-advent-and-the-rapture&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Blessed Hope&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;; Kim Riddlebarger, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/43296/a-case-for-amillennialism-expanded-edition-understanding-the-end-times&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Grand Rapids,: Baker Books, 2003); Cornelis P. Venema, &lt;em&gt;The Promise of the Future&lt;/em&gt; (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2000). For audio resources, see &lt;a href=&quot;http://kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;Kim Riddlebarger’s blog, “The Riddleblog,” for an extensive audio library&lt;/a&gt;.'><sup>5</sup></a></span> but here I will give a simple and practical explanation why I believe the truth is that the rapture is the Second Coming, focusing on one of the main “rapture texts,” 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.</p>
  1580.  
  1581.  
  1582.  
  1583. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  1584. <p>But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:13–18 ESV)<span id='easy-footnote-6-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-6-129862' title='For my full exposition of 1–2 Thessalonians, see my &lt;em&gt;From the Pen of Pastor Paul: 1–2 Thessalonians &lt;/em&gt;(UK: EP Books, 2015).'><sup>6</sup></a></span>
  1585. </blockquote>
  1586.  
  1587.  
  1588.  
  1589. <p>Why focus on this text? John Walvoord said, “1 Thessalonians … contributes more to the doctrine of the Rapture than any other book of the New Testament.” After surveying several passages in 1 Thessalonians he believed taught the rapture, he said, “These passages, of course, are confirmed and explained in greater detail in the major section on the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 5:1–11.”<span id='easy-footnote-7-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-7-129862' title='John F. Walvoord, &lt;em&gt;The Rapture Question &lt;/em&gt;(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979), 197, 200. Originally published in 1957.'><sup>7</sup></a></span>
  1590.  
  1591.  
  1592.  
  1593. <div class="wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents"><h2>Exploring 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18</h2><ul><li><a href="#h-paul-s-reason-for-writing-v-13" data-level="2">Paul’s reason for writing (v. 13)</a></li><li><a href="#h-a-summary-statement-v-14" data-level="2">A summary statement (v. 14)</a></li><li><a href="#h-explanation-vv-15-17" data-level="2">Explanation (vv. 15–17)</a></li><li><a href="#h-conclusion-v-18" data-level="2">Conclusion (v. 18)</a></li><li><a href="#h-applying-paul-s-teaching-in-1-thessalonians-4" data-level="2">Applying Paul&#8217;s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4</a></li></ul></div>
  1594.  
  1595.  
  1596.  
  1597. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-paul-s-reason-for-writing-v-13">Paul’s reason for writing (v. 13)</h2>
  1598.  
  1599.  
  1600.  
  1601. <p>In verse 13, Paul gives his reason for writing his letter as he deals with the pastoral reality of death. “Asleep” is an Old Testament euphemism for death. Those who died trusting in the Lord were “sleeping with their fathers” (Deut 31:16; 2 Sam 7:12; 1 Kgs 2:10). Paul gives his purpose for addressing this topic: “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” Christians should not grieve over the loss of believing loved ones like the world grieves over its dead. Just think of a heart-wrenching funeral of an unbeliever and the hopeless grief of those left behind.</p>
  1602.  
  1603.  
  1604.  
  1605. <p>Our <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-eschatology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">eschatology</a> (theology of the last things or “end times”) is meant to comfort us. Theology matters. As the passage unfolds, he deals with this pastoral reality we all face in light of what Jesus has already done and what he will do when he returns. These Christians were worried. Their believing friends and family had died before Jesus returned. Had they missed out on the glories of heaven? In 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2, Paul said he did not want them “to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.” He told Timothy to “avoid irreverent babble” that “lead[s] people into more and more ungodliness&#8221; and “spread[s] like gangrene.” Then he named names: “Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened” (2 Tim. 2:15–18). Had Jesus already returned? Had the dead in Christ already been raised? Paul addressed these misunderstandings and anxieties.</p>
  1606.  
  1607.  
  1608.  
  1609. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-summary-statement-v-14">A summary statement (v. 14)</h2>
  1610.  
  1611.  
  1612.  
  1613. <p>Paul goes on to summarize why the Thessalonians should not be uninformed and grief-stricken.</p>
  1614.  
  1615.  
  1616.  
  1617. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-a-pattern-for-us">1. A pattern for us</h3>
  1618.  
  1619.  
  1620.  
  1621. <p>Paul sets up a pattern: “Jesus died and rose again” is parallel with “those who have fallen asleep” (“Jesus died”) and those whom “God will bring with [Jesus].” Jesus died, and there are believers who have died; Jesus rose again, and believers, too, will be raised. I cannot stress how important this pattern is. Broderson, for example, simply dismissed the interpretation that this whole section is dealing with the resurrection.<span id='easy-footnote-8-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-8-129862' title='Broderson, &lt;em&gt;Caught Up!&lt;/em&gt;, 10–11.'><sup>8</sup></a></span> But that’s the pattern Paul sets up! Death, then <em>resurrection</em>.</p>
  1622.  
  1623.  
  1624.  
  1625. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-a-truth-for-us">2. A truth for us</h3>
  1626.  
  1627.  
  1628.  
  1629. <p>Paul says something about the dead in Christ between death and the final resurrection or the “intermediate state.”<span id='easy-footnote-9-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-9-129862' title='On the intermediate estate, listen to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/midamerica/sermons/series/60359/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;Cornelis Venema’s four-part series, “What Happens After I Die?”&lt;/a&gt;'><sup>9</sup></a></span> “Through Jesus,” who is returning again to earth, “God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” How can Jesus bring them with him if they’re in the ground? The answer is that there’s more to us than our bodies. At death, our souls go to be with Jesus in God’s presence. The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) confesses this when it says “my soul will be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head” (Q&amp;A 57). When Jesus returns, he will bring “with him” from heaven the souls of those who have died in faith to be reunited with their bodies that will be raised. Philippians 1 teaches this as well. Paul’s prayer is that “Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death” (v. 20). Then he says of his life or death, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (v. 21). What’s the “gain” of life? “Fruitful labor for me” (v. 22). What’s the “gain” of death? “To depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (v. 23). Note Paul’s agony between the two: “I am hard pressed between the two” (vv. 22–23).</p>
  1630.  
  1631.  
  1632.  
  1633. <p>Paul’s summary is that Jesus died and rose again and so too all those who die believing in him are with him now in soul and will rise in their bodies.</p>
  1634.  
  1635.  
  1636.  
  1637. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explanation-vv-15-17">Explanation (vv. 15–17)</h2>
  1638.  
  1639.  
  1640.  
  1641. <p>Paul gives a fuller explanation: “For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord” (v. 15). Here’s the teaching from the Lord: “we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep” (v. 15). In other words, there’s no need to grieve like the world does for their dead: we won’t go to be with the Lord until they are resurrected first.</p>
  1642.  
  1643.  
  1644.  
  1645. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parousia"><em>Parousia</em></h3>
  1646.  
  1647.  
  1648.  
  1649. <p>Pay careful attention to the word Paul uses in verse 15 for the “coming” of Jesus. <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-parousia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Parousia</em></a> was used in ancient religious literature to describe the manifestation of a hidden god. It was used in civil literature to describe an official visit of a high-ranking person—a king or emperor—while the leading citizens would go out to meet and escort him the rest of the way.<span id='easy-footnote-10-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-10-129862' title='On the use of &lt;em&gt;parousia&lt;/em&gt; in ancient literature and the New Testament, see Walter Bauer, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/3878/a-greek-english-lexicon-of-the-new-testament-and-other-early-christian-literature-3rd-ed&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 630; F. F. Bruce, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/1311/1-and-2-thessalonians&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;1 &amp;amp; 2 Thessalonians&lt;/em&gt;, Word Biblical Commentary&lt;/a&gt; 45 (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1982), 56–57.'><sup>10</sup></a></span> In the New Testament, every time Jesus, Paul, James, Peter, and John use <em>parousia</em> of Jesus (with only one exception), they speak of the once-for-all Second Coming. The exception is 2 Peter 1:16, where Peter uses <em>parousia</em> to describe “the power and <em>coming</em> of our Lord Jesus Christ” in reference to his Transfiguration (Matt 17). The word is never used of a secret rapture.</p>
  1650.  
  1651.  
  1652.  
  1653. <h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jesus-s-use-of-parousia">Jesus’s use of <em>parousia</em></h4>
  1654.  
  1655.  
  1656.  
  1657. <p>In Matthew 24, Jesus said the temple was going to be destroyed (which the Roman General Titus accomplished AD 70). His disciples then asked him two questions:</p>
  1658.  
  1659.  
  1660.  
  1661. <ol>
  1662. <li>“When will these things be,” meaning, the temple’s destruction, and,</li>
  1663.  
  1664.  
  1665.  
  1666. <li>“What will be the sign of your <em>coming</em>?” (v. 3).</li>
  1667. </ol>
  1668.  
  1669.  
  1670.  
  1671. <p>In contrast to the many false prophets who would speak of the Lord’s coming, Jesus said don’t listen to them because you will know when he comes: “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the <em>coming</em> of the Son of Man” (v. 27). The <em>parousia </em>is as visible and dramatic as lightning. He went on to make a comparison: “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the <em>coming</em> of the Son of Man” (v. 37). How so? “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the <em>coming</em> of the Son of Man” (vv. 38–39). Many of our friends who affirm the secret rapture like to point to the verses that follow, in which Jesus says two men will be working in a field and two women will be working at a mill but one will be taken and one left. They say those “taken” are caught up in the rapture. There’s a problem with this: Jesus just said those “swept away” in Noah’s day were the <em>enemies</em> of God; those “taken” are not raptured, but taken for judgment!</p>
  1672.  
  1673.  
  1674.  
  1675. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-edition?blog_campaign=free_app&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698233/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Think You Don't Have Time for Deep Bible Study? Think Again. Click to start."/></a>
  1676.  
  1677.  
  1678.  
  1679. <h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-apostles-use-of-parousia">The apostles’ use of <em>parousia</em></h4>
  1680.  
  1681.  
  1682.  
  1683. <p>The apostles used <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-parousia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>parousia</em></a> the same way to speak of the once-for-all, public, Second Coming of Christ.</p>
  1684.  
  1685.  
  1686.  
  1687. <p>Paul says Jesus was raised from the dead as the firstfruits of the final resurrection. This means more than Jesus being temporally the first one raised. He’s <em>representationally</em> the firstfruits, meaning that because he was made alive in his resurrection therefore “at his <em>coming</em> those who belong to Christ” will also be made alive (1 Cor 15:23). It’s one resurrection, but two phases.<span id='easy-footnote-11-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-11-129862' title='On this passage, see Richard B. Gaffin Jr., &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/270169/resurrection-and-redemption-a-study-in-pauls-soteriology&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Resurrection and Redemption: A Study in Paul’s Soteriology&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Biblical &amp;amp; Theological Studies, 2nd ed. (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&amp;amp;R, 1987), 34–36.'><sup>11</sup></a></span> Paul calls the Thessalonians his joy and crown “before our Lord Jesus at his <em>coming</em>” (1 Thess 2:19). He prayed that God would “establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the <em>coming</em> of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thess 3:13) and again that they would “be kept blameless at the <em>coming</em> of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 5:23). Even more telling is 2 Thessalonians 2, where Paul speaks of “the <em>coming</em> of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him” (v. 1). Some might say this is the rapture. But just a few verses later, he speaks of the revelation of the Antichrist “whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his <em>coming</em>” (v. 8). Do you see that? Paul uses the same word in verse 1 as he does in verse 8 to describe Jesus’s “coming,” which is the same word used in 1 Thessalonians 4:15. Even more, when Paul speaks of “being gathered” (2 Thess 2:1), he uses the same word Jesus used in Matthew 24:31: “[God] will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will <em>gather </em>his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” The angels’ <em>trumpet</em>, the <em>coming</em> of the Lord, and our being <em>gathered</em> to Jesus: these are all the same event.</p>
  1688.  
  1689.  
  1690.  
  1691. <p>James tells his readers, “Be patient … until the <em>coming</em> of the Lord … for the <em>coming</em> of the Lord is at hand” (5:7, 8).</p>
  1692.  
  1693.  
  1694.  
  1695. <p>Peter says the world mocks, asking, “Where is the promise of his <em>coming</em>?” (2 Pet 3:4). He goes on to speak of God’s patience with an ungodly world: “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (v. 8). “The day of the Lord”—not the secret rapture—“will come like a thief” and on that day “the heavens will pass away” (v. 10). Therefore we are to be holy, “waiting for and hastening the <em>coming</em> of the day of God” when he begins “a new heavens and a new earth wherein righteousness dwells” (vv. 11–13).</p>
  1696.  
  1697.  
  1698.  
  1699. <p>Finally, John tells believers “abide in [Jesus], so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his <em>coming</em> (1 John 2:28).</p>
  1700.  
  1701.  
  1702.  
  1703. <h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-summary-of-the-new-testament-s-use-of-parousia">A summary of the New Testament’s use of <em>parousia</em></h4>
  1704.  
  1705.  
  1706.  
  1707. <p>To summarize, Jesus’s <em>parousia</em> will be as dramatic and visible as lightning (Matt 24:27; 1 Thess 4:16). At his <em>parousia</em>, the blessed will be resurrected just like Jesus the firstfruits (1 Cor 15:23) and be “gathered to him” (2 Thess 2:1; Matt 24:31), while the Antichrist will be destroyed (2 Thess 2:8) and the wicked will be “swept away” like in “the days of Noah” (Matt 24:37–39). Then the present heavens will pass away in the fire of judgment and a new heavens and a new earth will emerge (2 Pet 3:10, 12–13). Until then, while God is establishing our hearts and keeping us blameless in holiness (1 Thess 3:13; 5:23), we are to be patient, holy, and godly, abiding in Christ (Jas 5:7, 8; Pet 3:11; 1 John 2:28) so that we will be confident and not ashamed at his <em>coming</em>. Surveying these texts, Ladd said: “The parousia of Christ is His second coming, and it will bring both salvation and judgment: salvation of the saints, and judgment of the world.”<span id='easy-footnote-12-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-12-129862' title='Ladd, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/46669/the-blessed-hope-a-biblical-study-of-the-second-advent-and-the-rapture&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Blessed Hope&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, 65.'><sup>12</sup></a></span>
  1708.  
  1709.  
  1710.  
  1711. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NzI1NjE/LvukIjvNct24MlJ7?s=fb7e9c3e4bfe49414495381407fc6b7a" alt="A screenshot of the Logos Bible study app open to a Bible Word Study of the Greek word parousia"/></figure>
  1712.  
  1713.  
  1714. <p class="has-opinion-bg-light-background-color has-background"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full alignleft" style="padding-right: 0px;" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/files/76137361/assets/15834684/content.svg?signature=A7zuJeXW1Foj6I8SFWIWKsEQKpA" width="50" height="50" /><strong>Run a Bible Word Study on <em><a href="https://ref.ly/logos4/Guide?t=My+Bible+Word+Study&amp;lemma=lbs%2fel%2f%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%B1&amp;wn=gnt%2f14261" data-wplink-edit="true">parousia</a></em> in the Logos Bible Study app.</strong> <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-edition">Get it free</a>, if you don&#8217;t already have it.</p>
  1715.  
  1716.  
  1717. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-sequence-of-events-at-the-parousia">The sequence of events at the <em>parousia</em></h3>
  1718.  
  1719.  
  1720.  
  1721. <p>All this brings us back to Paul’s explanation in 1 Thessalonians 4:15: “we who are alive, who are left until the [<em>second</em>]<em> coming</em> of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep” (v. 15; emphasis added). How? Look at the sequence of events.</p>
  1722.  
  1723.  
  1724.  
  1725. <p>First, “the Lord himself will descend from heaven” (v. 16). He could easily have said, “The Lord is coming back.” Instead, Paul heaps up a series of three descriptions of this “coming” or “descen[t]” to captivate our imaginations. The Lord descends with “a cry of command” (v. 16). This term was used of a boat master crying out to his rowers to row in unison; of a horseman crying out to his horse to speed up or slow down; of a hunter crying out to his hounds; and of an officer crying out commands to his soldiers. It is the word of an authority to his subjects.<span id='easy-footnote-13-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-13-129862' title='On this “cry of command” (&lt;em&gt;keleusmati&lt;/em&gt;), see Bruce, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/3307/1-and-2-thessalonians&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;1 &amp;amp; 2 Thessalonians&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, 100.'><sup>13</sup></a></span>
  1726.  
  1727.  
  1728.  
  1729. <p>The Lord will come climactically with this authority, and everyone will listen. The Lord will descend with “the voice of an archangel” (v. 16). Angels proclaimed the Lord’s coming to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:1–21) and angels proclaimed our Lord’s first coming (Luke 1:26–38; 2:8–14). When the Lord comes a final time, it will not just be at an angel’s heralding, but with the heralding call of the chief of angels, the archangel.</p>
  1730.  
  1731.  
  1732.  
  1733. <p>The Lord descends with “the sound of the trumpet of God” (v. 16). The Old Testament speaks of two trumpets: the silver trumpet or the shofar (or ram’s horn). The silver trumpet was used in worship, but the shofar was used in war. The best example was Jericho (Josh 6). When Jesus comes it will be as the Captain of the Lord’s armies with a war cry to gather his troops to execute vengeance upon his enemies. This is “the last trumpet” (1 Cor 15:52).</p>
  1734.  
  1735.  
  1736.  
  1737. <p>After “the Lord himself … descend[s],” the second event is this: “the dead in Christ will rise first” (v. 16). In order for the secret rapture to work in this context, Mark Hitchcock says “the rapture applies to believers in the church age because Paul calls them ‘the dead in Christ.’ Old Testament saints are not in Christ through the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit.”<span id='easy-footnote-14-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-14-129862' title='Mark Hitchcock, &lt;em&gt;The Truth and Timing of the Rapture&lt;/em&gt; (Dallas, TX: Dallas Theological Seminary, 2014), 4.'><sup>14</sup></a></span> He adds an impassable chasm between Old and New Testament believers to fit this theory. Where does Paul say this? Even the 1917 Scofield Reference Bible, which popularized the doctrine of the rapture, said “caught up” referred to the resurrection of <em>all</em> believers: “Not church saints only, but all bodies of the saved, of whatever dispensation, are included in the first resurrection.” On 1 Corinthians 15:52, Scofield said, “The ‘first resurrection,’ that ‘unto life,’ will occur at the second coming of Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:23, the saints of the O.T. and church ages meeting Him in the air, 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:17.”<span id='easy-footnote-15-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-15-129862' title='Contra Broderson and Hitchcock, we see this clear reference to the final resurrection as the rapture. Broderson, &lt;em&gt;Caught Up!&lt;/em&gt;, 9, 29–30; Hitchcock,&lt;em&gt; Truth and Timing of the Rapture&lt;/em&gt;, 4, 10. See also Hal Lindsey, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/227479/the-late-great-planet-earth&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Late Great Planet Earth&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970), 138–41.'><sup>15</sup></a></span> There are not two comings and two resurrections.</p>
  1738.  
  1739.  
  1740.  
  1741. <p>After “the Lord … descend[s]” and “the dead in Christ” are raised, “then” the third event occurs: “We who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them [those just resurrected] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (v. 17). Hitchcock resorts to humor to try and make it sound ridiculous that at the Second Coming the resurrected and translated saints meet Jesus then return with him: “I call this, the ‘Yo-Yo’ view of the rapture. We are going to be caught up to Christ, meet Him in the air, and then do a quick U-turn and come right back down to the earth with Him.”<span id='easy-footnote-16-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-16-129862' title='Hitchcock,&lt;em&gt; Truth and Timing of the Rapture&lt;/em&gt;, 5.'><sup>16</sup></a></span> But this is what Paul says! When Paul says “in the clouds” we will “meet the Lord in the air,” this is not just a spatial remark. This is Old Testament imagery. The clouds were a visible demonstration of the presence of the Lord. Moses met the Lord in the cloud (Exod 19; 24). Isaiah met with him in the cloud of his glory in the temple (Isa 6). When our Lord appears, we will all meet with him in his glorious appearance. In contrast to the Israelites, who were “afraid and trembled,” “stood far off,” and even told Moses to “speak to us … do not let God speak to us, lest we die” (Exod 20:18–19), we will meet with him face to face, in joy and wonder.</p>
  1742.  
  1743.  
  1744.  
  1745. <p>The hope the inspired apostle Paul offers us in 1 Thessalonians 4 is not for a secret rapture. There was nothing secret about the Lord’s coming upon Sodom and Gomorrah in judgment, about the walls falling down in Jericho, about the birth of the Son of God upon earth, or about what is going to happen when the Lord returns. The hope of the rapture is for a climactic, dramatic, public, universal, and visible Second Coming.<span id='easy-footnote-17-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-17-129862' title='As Ladd said on 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, “It is very difficult to find a secret coming of Christ in these verses.” Ladd, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/46669/the-blessed-hope-a-biblical-study-of-the-second-advent-and-the-rapture&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Blessed Hope&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, 63.'><sup>17</sup></a></span> We need to put our hope in the right event. Our “blessed hope,” <em>is</em> “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). That’s our hope. “And so we will always be with the Lord” (v. 17).</p>
  1746.  
  1747.  
  1748.  
  1749. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion-v-18">Conclusion (v. 18)</h2>
  1750.  
  1751.  
  1752.  
  1753. <p>Paul concludes this section of his letter with a word to those who are ignorant of the state of their lost loved ones who trusted in Christ. He desires to equip believers to minister one to another: “encourage one another with these words” (v. 18). The doctrine that the rapture is the Second Coming of our Lord should cause us to be at peace with God, not be terrified whether we will be taken or not. It should bring us eternal comfort, not feelings of condemnation.</p>
  1754.  
  1755.  
  1756.  
  1757. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-applying-paul-s-teaching-in-1-thessalonians-4">Applying Paul&#8217;s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4</h2>
  1758.  
  1759.  
  1760.  
  1761. <p>As we consider how Paul applies theology to the anxiety of the Thessalonians, let me conclude with several ways Jesus’s return is practical for us.</p>
  1762.  
  1763.  
  1764.  
  1765. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-gives-hope-in-grief">It gives hope in grief</h3>
  1766.  
  1767.  
  1768.  
  1769. <p>When I know that Jesus is coming a second time <em>for me</em>, this transforms my grief. Paul does not say that we will not grieve; we certainly will. Those of us who have lost loved ones do not need to be ashamed for our grief. It’s part of being human, but it’s transformed for believers. What Paul actually says here is that we must not grieve “as others do <em>who have no hope</em>.” What is it like to grieve as those whom Paul describes elsewhere as “having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12), since they have no hope of heaven? Grieving is feeling sorry that a loved one’s life was cut short. Grieving is feeling sorry for those left behind. Grieving is feeling sorry for oneself. We grieve, but in a Christian way, in a Christ-centered way, in a hopeful way.</p>
  1770.  
  1771.  
  1772.  
  1773. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-gives-hope-after-death">It gives hope after death</h3>
  1774.  
  1775.  
  1776.  
  1777. <p>Our grief is transformed by the knowledge of the coming of the Lord, as we have sure hope for what happens after death. Christ’s coming gives hope after death. These Christians were grieving because they were uninformed, unsure about what happened to their believing loved ones who died before the coming of the Lord. Paul describes our hope for what happens after death as “falling asleep.” He goes on to say that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (v. 14). Does this mean that when we die, our souls go to sleep in an unconscious state until the coming of the Lord? No.</p>
  1778.  
  1779.  
  1780.  
  1781. <p>First, it means that the body is dead. We speak to our children in this way when someone they love has died. What did they look like? It looked like they were sleeping. To say they have fallen asleep is an observation of what the body looks like it is doing. But what about the soul?</p>
  1782.  
  1783.  
  1784.  
  1785. <p>Second, it means that the soul is at rest. To sleep is to rest from the toils of our day-to-day lives and escape the cares of this world. When we die, we rest because we are asleep in Jesus. Look at how the book of Revelation says this: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’” (Rev 14:13; cf. Rev 6:9–11).</p>
  1786.  
  1787.  
  1788.  
  1789. <p>John Calvin described the hope the Christian has in death like this: “To sleep in Jesus means to retain in death the union which we have with Christ, for those who are ingrafted into Christ by faith share death in common with Him, in order that they may share with Him in life.”<span id='easy-footnote-18-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-18-129862' title='John Calvin, &lt;em&gt;The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Romans and to the Thessalonians&lt;/em&gt;, trans. Ross Mackenzie, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/5161/calvins-commentaries&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;Calvin’s Commentaries&lt;/a&gt; 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1961), 363.'><sup>18</sup></a></span> Because our loved ones placed their hope in the Lord, we have hope concerning them. In the beautiful words of the <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/195868/the-1662-book-of-common-prayer-international-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1662 Book of Common Prayer</a> in its committal of a body at the graveside:</p>
  1790.  
  1791.  
  1792.  
  1793. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  1794. <p>Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear <em>brother</em>here departed, we therefore commit <em>his</em> body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body; according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.</p>
  1795. </blockquote>
  1796.  
  1797.  
  1798.  
  1799. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-gives-hope-for-eternity">It gives hope for eternity</h3>
  1800.  
  1801.  
  1802.  
  1803. <p>The coming of Christ gives hope for eternity. We grieve in hope when fellow believers die because after death their souls are with the Lord. When he returns, all his people will remain with him for eternity. As Paul says at the end of verse 17, “And so we will always be with the Lord.” <em>Always</em>. What a promise! We will be in our Lord’s eternal presence forever. The psalms say “in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps 16:11) and “I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness” (Ps 17:15).</p>
  1804.  
  1805.  
  1806.  
  1807. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-gives-hope-for-reunion">It gives hope for reunion</h3>
  1808.  
  1809.  
  1810.  
  1811. <p>This doctrine also gives us hope for reunion with our loved ones who have died in faith: “we … will be caught up together <em>with them</em> … to meet the Lord” (v. 17). The Second Coming will bring with it a heavenly reunion between us and the Lord <em>and</em> between us and our loved ones who have died in Christ. This will be a conscious and personal reunion. Paul switches from “those” asleep and “the dead” in Christ to the personal “with them.” Paul assumes the Thessalonians know of whom he is speaking. The Scottish preacher James Fergusson once that this was “a choice cordial [an invigorating liqueur] for comfort against all excessive sorrow.”<span id='easy-footnote-19-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-19-129862' title='James Fergusson and David Dickson, &lt;em&gt;Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians &amp;amp; Hebrews&lt;/em&gt;, Geneva Series Commentary (1841, reprinted; Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1978), 430 col. 1.'><sup>19</sup></a></span>
  1812.  
  1813.  
  1814.  
  1815. <p> J. C. Ryle said this</p>
  1816.  
  1817.  
  1818.  
  1819. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  1820. <p>lights up the valley of the shadow of death. It strips the sickbed and the grave of half their terrors … .We parted in sorrow, and we shall meet in joy; we parted in stormy weather, and we shall meet in a calm harbour; we parted amidst pains and aches, and groans, and infirmities: we shall meet with glorious bodies, able to serve our Lord for ever without distraction.<span id='easy-footnote-20-129862' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-1-thessalonians-4-rapture/#easy-footnote-bottom-20-129862' title='J. C. Ryle, &lt;em&gt;Shall We Know One Another, and Other Papers&lt;/em&gt; (New York: Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, 1871), 16–18.'><sup>20</sup></a></span>
  1821. </blockquote>
  1822.  
  1823.  
  1824.  
  1825. <p>Will you join me in joining that historical echo? “He shall come again to judge the living and the dead&#8221;; “He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.” This coming of Jesus <em>is</em> the rapture. Don’t be uninformed. Encourage one another.</p>
  1826.  
  1827.  
  1828.  
  1829. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-resources-mentioned-in-this-article">Resources mentioned in this article</h3>
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  1832.  
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  1865.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15834156/optimized" alt="The Blessed Hope: A Biblical Study of the Second Advent and the Rapture">
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  1867.     <h3 class="product__title">The Blessed Hope: A Biblical Study of the Second Advent and the Rapture</h3>
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  2027.     <h3 class="product__title">Calvin’s Commentaries (46 vols.)</h3>
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  2045.  
  2046.  
  2047.  
  2048. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-related-articles">Related articles</h3>
  2049.  
  2050.  
  2051.  
  2052. <ul>
  2053. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-eschatology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Is Eschatology? 4 Views, Why There&#8217;s Disagreement &amp; More</a></li>
  2054.  
  2055.  
  2056.  
  2057. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-resurrection-and-reliability/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Can We Trust the Bible? The Resurrection Says Yes</a></li>
  2058.  
  2059.  
  2060.  
  2061. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/logos-tech-tip-study-the-resurrection-with-the-factbook/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Logos Tech Tip: Study the Resurrection with the Factbook</a></li>
  2062. </ul>
  2063.  
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  2065.  
  2066. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-book?blog_campaign=free_book&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698232/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: This Month's Free Book Is Yours for the Reading. Click to get it now."/></a>
  2067. ]]></content:encoded>
  2071. </item>
  2072. <item>
  2073. <title>10 Grievances about Study Bibles (&amp; Which Are Best)</title>
  2074. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/grievances-study-bibles/</link>
  2076. <dc:creator><![CDATA[James-Michael Smith]]></dc:creator>
  2077. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2078. <category><![CDATA[Featured Resources]]></category>
  2079. <category><![CDATA[study Bibles]]></category>
  2080. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129634</guid>
  2081.  
  2082. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="An image of a man reading a study Bible" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />In my last piece we looked at some qualities that make for a good study Bible. Now it’s time to look at some things that I’d love to see Bible publishers stop doing when putting together a study Bible. Though it's no longer the hallowed season of Festivus, nevertheless it is time for an airing of my top ten Bible-nerd grievances!]]></description>
  2083. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="An image of a man reading a study Bible" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Header-Image-_-Formation-_-March-1-_-Study-Bible-Hot-Takes-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  2084. <p>In my <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-study-bible/">last piece</a> we looked at some qualities that make for a good study Bible. Now it’s time to look at some things that I’d love to see Bible publishers <strong>stop</strong> doing when putting together a study Bible. Though &#8217;tis no longer the hallowed season of <em>Festivus</em>, nevertheless it’s time for an airing of my top ten Bible-nerd grievances!</p>
  2085.  
  2086.  
  2087.  
  2088. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-availability-in-only-one-translation">10. Availability in only one translation</h2>
  2089.  
  2090.  
  2091.  
  2092. <p>I know that publishers can only publish study Bibles in translations that they license from the copyright holder (and I know that the ethics of copyrighting a Bible translation are an entirely different subject for a different day!). But there’s a reason why Bibles like the <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/199236/life-application-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Life Application</a> or Thompson Chain Reference are perennial best sellers.</p>
  2093.  
  2094.  
  2095.  
  2096. <p>A study Bible can have incredible content and be wonderfully useful, but if it’s only available in a single translation it automatically limits its potential readership to those who use that translation. As lamentable as it is, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/which-bible-translation-is-best/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bible translation tribalism</a> is a real thing.</p>
  2097.  
  2098.  
  2099.  
  2100. <p>So being able to point someone to a really good study Bible knowing that it is available in multiple translations is super helpful. I really would love to see publishers and translation copyright holders somehow work together to do a better job of making the various translations available in the various study Bibles produced for the benefit of Christ’s Body.</p>
  2101.  
  2102.  
  2103.  
  2104. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-tissue-thin-paper">9. Tissue-thin paper</h2>
  2105.  
  2106.  
  2107.  
  2108. <p>Is there anything worse than dropping a fresh highlight onto your favorite passage or underlining a word only to see it staring back at you when you turn the page, like some mirror-universe apparition? Or seeing the text and images from the other side of the page bleeding through while you’re trying to read?</p>
  2109.  
  2110.  
  2111.  
  2112. <p>Okay, there are a <em>lot</em> of things worse than these, I realize. This definitely falls into the “first-world problems” category. But seriously, it’s annoying and deserving of the above hyperbole!</p>
  2113.  
  2114.  
  2115.  
  2116. <p>Yes, publishers have so many factors to weigh when determining financial feasibility, but quality paper seems like it should be near the top of the list for a good publisher. I’ve seen some well-designed study Bibles end up nearly unreadable because they were basically printed on single-ply toilet tissue to save money. (Funny enough, I’ve never had this problem in Logos!)</p>
  2117.  
  2118.  
  2119.  
  2120. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-distracting-or-cramped-page-layouts">8. Distracting or cramped page layouts</h2>
  2121.  
  2122.  
  2123.  
  2124. <p>Let’s turn from good design to bad design for a moment.</p>
  2125.  
  2126.  
  2127.  
  2128. <p>As my friend and fellow YouTuber, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/author/markward/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mark Ward</a>, has pointed out, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/logos-bible-typography-matters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bible typography matters</a>! Whether it’s thin, hard-to-read fonts; text that falls into the gutter; study notes that are indistinguishable from Scripture text; blocks of annotations all running together; or overall lack of margin space (to save money?), bad graphic design can make even the most well-written material much harder to read.</p>
  2129.  
  2130.  
  2131.  
  2132. <p>Good study Bibles need not be flashy or visually trendy, but they should be laid out with artistic visual competence in a way that highlights what is most important and allows readers to easily and at-a-glance find material on the page.</p>
  2133.  
  2134.  
  2135.  
  2136. <p>I’ve seen many well-written study Bibles that are a visual labyrinth. But those that employ solid graphic design principles make the text that much more enjoyable to study! If <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/bsm-a-revolution-in-bible-design-meet-the-people-who-designed-your-bible/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Klaus Erik Krogh</a> and his team at 2K/Denmark can make the <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/246397/the-net-bible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NET Bible</a> look good with its huge profusion of notes, other publishers can surely do better.</p>
  2137.  
  2138.  
  2139.  
  2140. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NzI1NjE/7s2gUtpt1eZYpL2N?s=548c6b98f73404b23f55af1985f4383b" alt="an open bible that shows the Bible text and study notes in the margins "/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Klaus Erik Krogh of 2K/Denmark managed to clearly distinguish Bible text from study notes while fitting a large number of such notes into the margins. (Image courtesy netbible.com)</figcaption></figure>
  2141.  
  2142.  
  2143.  
  2144. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-unknown-contributors">7. Unknown contributors</h2>
  2145.  
  2146.  
  2147.  
  2148. <p>One of the main reasons I review study Bibles on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DiscipleDojo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">my YouTube channel</a> is because most people shopping for one have little to no familiarity with the contributors or their backgrounds. When it comes to teaching Scripture, it is important to know from whom we are learning.</p>
  2149.  
  2150.  
  2151.  
  2152. <p>Anonymous Bible teaching provides very little accountability, and since most study Bibles don’t include primary source footnotes in their study material, knowing where an interpretation or piece of background information is coming from is an important means to discern the overall reliability of what we are reading.</p>
  2153.  
  2154.  
  2155.  
  2156. <p>This is not to say that every contributor needs to have their résumé and personal doctrinal statement listed in an appendix. But knowing who has produced the study material we are using goes a long way towards building trust among discerning readers.</p>
  2157.  
  2158.  
  2159.  
  2160. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-celebrity-preacher-bibles">6. Celebrity preacher Bibles</h2>
  2161.  
  2162.  
  2163.  
  2164. <p>On the other end of the spectrum from unknown Bible contributors, we have the phenomenon of the celebrity preacher/teacher/author study Bible. Now, don’t get me wrong—there are some gifted preachers and teachers out there. But no one person has the biblical knowledge necessary to cover the entire Bible.</p>
  2165.  
  2166.  
  2167.  
  2168. <p>Sure, a Bible may sell well if the celebrity whose name is on the cover has a large following. But I much prefer a study Bible with contributions from a team of scholars with diverse expertise.</p>
  2169.  
  2170.  
  2171.  
  2172. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-gimmick-bibles">5. Gimmick Bibles</h2>
  2173.  
  2174.  
  2175.  
  2176. <p>Speaking of icky, can we talk about gimmick Bibles? Do we really need Bibles where every verse is color-coded to match a specific theme (as if each verse was ever its own freestanding unit of thought dealing with only one concept to begin with)?</p>
  2177.  
  2178.  
  2179.  
  2180. <p>When studying the Word of God, does it matter what America’s Founding Fathers (most of whom were deists) had to say about civil religion? Do the Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance have any place whatsoever in the pages of Scripture? This is inspired Holy Writ we are talking about.</p>
  2181.  
  2182.  
  2183.  
  2184. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-patronizing-marketing-to-women">4. Patronizing marketing to women</h2>
  2185.  
  2186.  
  2187.  
  2188. <p>This is a common grievance I hear from women who are looking for study Bibles. Many of the Bibles marketed to women have noticeably less intellectual or academic depth than non-gendered study Bibles.</p>
  2189.  
  2190.  
  2191.  
  2192. <p>There is almost an unspoken assumption within the publishing landscape that women don’t want to learn—they just want to feel. They want journaling and coloring and daily inspirational quotes to share on Instagram, not commentary and word studies and exegetical insights. I say that this is an “unspoken assumption” because, obviously, no publisher would ever come out and say this. But having reviewed nearly a hundred study Bibles over the past few years, this is absolutely the impression I’m left with.</p>
  2193.  
  2194.  
  2195.  
  2196. <p>Thankfully, there are some study Bibles in the works featuring some wonderful biblical scholars who write as women and to women, and I’m hoping that this signals something of a sea-change in the study Bible landscape. I know for certain that there are countless women out there who hunger for more hermeneutical resources and scholarly depth than is currently being marketed to them.</p>
  2197.  
  2198.  
  2199.  
  2200. <a href="https://www.logos.com/fundamentals?blog_campaign=fund&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698230/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Take the Next Step toward Next-Level Bible Study for Only $49.99 with Logos Fundamentals. Click to get it."/></a>
  2201.  
  2202.  
  2203.  
  2204. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-theologically-inconsistent-notes-and-maps">3. Theologically inconsistent notes and maps</h2>
  2205.  
  2206.  
  2207.  
  2208. <p>Something I didn’t really notice until I started reviewing the content of study Bibles professionally is just how often the notes in different parts of the same Bible will contradict notes in other parts of it.</p>
  2209.  
  2210.  
  2211.  
  2212. <p>For example, more than one study Bible I’ve reviewed will have study notes in one passage which lean complementarian while, in another passage, they lean egalitarian. They will provide readers with a premillennial interpretation in one book and an amillennial interpretation in another. They will talk about various routes of the Exodus, yet the map in the back will not reflect this ambiguity.</p>
  2213.  
  2214.  
  2215.  
  2216. <p>To be clear, I believe a good study Bible should provide readers with a range of options when it comes to interpretive issues. But if it is not made clear by the editor that passages are being interpreted differently by different contributors, this can lead to confusion among those readers who are not familiar with the hermeneutical landscape.</p>
  2217.  
  2218.  
  2219.  
  2220. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-sparse-annotations-and-simplistic-book-intros">2. Sparse annotations and simplistic book intros</h2>
  2221.  
  2222.  
  2223.  
  2224. <p>The entire purpose of a study Bible is to provide insight and background knowledge that readers may not be aware of for the purpose of better illuminating the message of Scripture. This is a daunting task, and every editorial team has to be highly selective in choosing what to include and what to leave out. But few things are as frustrating to me as something that is marketed as a study Bible but contains barely any actual study material.</p>
  2225.  
  2226.  
  2227.  
  2228. <p>A few annotations at the bottom of each page, single-paragraph book introductions, and occasional devotional essays fall so far short of what a good study Bible should provide. A study Bible should introduce the reader to the literary, historical, and theological landscape of each biblical book. Like a skilled tour guide, its notes and study material should serve to highlight key features of that landscape and point out things that might otherwise get overlooked by the untrained eye.</p>
  2229.  
  2230.  
  2231.  
  2232. <p>Notes that simply define random words, rephrase what the text says, or make no attempt to tie together the overarching themes of the book do little to help the exegetically hungry reader. Yet this is often what I’ve found when reviewing many of them.</p>
  2233.  
  2234.  
  2235.  
  2236. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-avoiding-hard-passages-or-hermeneutical-differences">1. Avoiding hard passages or hermeneutical differences</h2>
  2237.  
  2238.  
  2239.  
  2240. <p>This brings us to the final grievance on my list. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read a difficult passage, had a question about how to approach it, looked down at the study notes—and found absolutely nothing!</p>
  2241.  
  2242.  
  2243.  
  2244. <p>Let’s face it, the Bible is full of things that are, in the words of Peter himself, “hard to understand” (2 Pet 3:16). Study Bibles exist to help readers understand such things as best we can. When study Bibles skim over—or ignore altogether—difficult passages, they are simply not doing the main thing they exist to do.</p>
  2245.  
  2246.  
  2247.  
  2248. <p>Now, I don’t expect a study Bible to fully explain everything about the Nephilim, baptism for the dead, the identity of the man of lawlessness, the physics of Joshua’s long day, what Paul means by “all Israel will be saved,” or whether Jude considered the book of Enoch to be inspired Scripture! But I do expect it to say <em>something</em> about these and so many other difficult passages.</p>
  2249.  
  2250.  
  2251.  
  2252. <p>And when there are passages about which faithful Christian interpreters have historically held differing views, a good study Bible should not shy away from presenting those views fairly and in a way that advocates of each would agree with. It is mind-boggling that one could spend months (or years) working on study notes to the book of Romans and not give an accurate summary of the different ways Christians have interpreted the “I” of Romans 7 throughout the past two millennia.</p>
  2253.  
  2254.  
  2255.  
  2256. <p>It seems like theological malpractice to create a study Bible that specifically avoids letting readers know that godly Christians come to differing conclusions on how the “days” of Genesis 1 are to be interpreted in light of scientific discoveries. But study Bibles that do not alert the reader to long-standing hermeneutical debates within the body of Christ are doing a disservice to their readers.</p>
  2257.  
  2258.  
  2259.  
  2260. <p>Again, this isn’t a call for exhaustive commentary on every verse—that is something one would need to consult a good commentary series for (two that I recommend for interested readers looking to dig deeper would be <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144835/the-bible-speaks-today-bst" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Bible Speaks Today</a> and <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/292931/tyndale-commentaries-totc-tntc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Tyndale Old Testament/New Testament Commentary</a>); nor am I saying that study Bibles are wrong to advocate for a particular reading of a passage. However, good study Bibles should allow the reader to assess the necessary information fairly and accurately for themselves as they study and wrestle with the text. I genuinely believe this is the most basic and important purpose for which a study Bible exists.</p>
  2261.  
  2262.  
  2263.  
  2264. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-there-you-have-it">There you have it</h2>
  2265.  
  2266.  
  2267.  
  2268. <p>So there you have it. My top ten study Bible gripes. Some are matters of aesthetics, some are matters of marketing, and some are matters of real theological significance. I recognize the woeful subjectivity of any such list, of course. But as someone who reviews study Bibles on a daily basis as part of my job, these are things I find myself thinking about quite a bit more than the average person.</p>
  2269.  
  2270.  
  2271.  
  2272. <p>The good news is there are some excellent study Bibles out there that avoid almost all of the above shortcomings. And in our digital age, things like typography, graphic design, and access to scholarship is exponentially greater than ever before. My hope is that we as Bible “consumers” (both in the spiritual as well as economic sense of the term!) will put healthy pressure on publishers to raise the bar when considering how best to present God’s inspired words to a world desperately in need of them.</p>
  2273.  
  2274.  
  2275.  
  2276. <p>By the way, here are some of the study Bibles out there that I specifically recommend:</p>
  2277.  
  2278.  
  2279.  
  2280. <!-- copy the following to the blog -->
  2281. <span class="logosbase">
  2282. <link href="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11883914/content#LogosCSS" rel="stylesheet">
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  2288. font: 18px / 22px 'Source Sans Pro',Arial,sans-serif!important;
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  2292. -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
  2293. -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
  2294. min-height: 66px;
  2295. }
  2296.  
  2297. /*.logosbase .product__price-section {
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  2301. </style>
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  2303.  
  2304. var product_sku_map = {};
  2305.  
  2306. </script>
  2307.    <div class="product-grid">
  2308.    
  2309.     <div class="product-grid__product">
  2310.     <div class="product">
  2311.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/36338/faithlife-study-bible" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  2312.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1403238/optimized" alt="Faithlife Study Bible">
  2313.     </a>
  2314.     <h3 class="product__title">Faithlife Study Bible</h3>
  2315.     <div class="product__price-section">
  2316.     <!--<p class="product__compare-price"></p>
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  2325.     <a id="pid-36338" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/36338" class="product__btn btn btn--xs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Add to cart</a>
  2326.     </div>
  2327.     </div>
  2328.    
  2329.     <div class="product-grid__product">
  2330.     <div class="product">
  2331.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/199236/life-application-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  2332.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15741623/optimized" alt="Life Application Study Bible Notes">
  2333.     </a>
  2334.     <h3 class="product__title">Life Application Study Bible Notes</h3>
  2335.     <div class="product__price-section">
  2336.     <!--<p class="product__compare-price">Digital list price:&nbsp;<del>$32.99</del></p>
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  2343.        console.log();
  2344.     </script>
  2345.     <a id="pid-199236" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/305612" class="product__btn btn btn--xs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Add to cart</a>
  2346.     </div>
  2347.     </div>
  2348.    
  2349.     <div class="product-grid__product">
  2350.     <div class="product">
  2351.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/53349/niv-biblical-theology-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  2352.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/10523105/optimized" alt="NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible Notes (NIVBTSB)">
  2353.     </a>
  2354.     <h3 class="product__title">NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible Notes (NIVBTSB)</h3>
  2355.     <div class="product__price-section">
  2356.     <!--<p class="product__compare-price">Print list price:&nbsp;<del>$49.99</del></p>
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  2358.     <p class="product__price">Price: $39.99</p>-->
  2359.     <p class="product__price">Regular price: $39.99</p>
  2360.     </div>
  2361.     <script>
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  2363.        console.log();
  2364.     </script>
  2365.     <a id="pid-53349" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/53728" class="product__btn btn btn--xs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Add to cart</a>
  2366.     </div>
  2367.     </div>
  2368.    
  2369.     <div class="product-grid__product">
  2370.     <div class="product">
  2371.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/188509/csb-study-bible" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  2372.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1223449/optimized" alt="CSB Study Bible (Bible and Notes)">
  2373.     </a>
  2374.     <h3 class="product__title">CSB Study Bible (Bible and Notes)</h3>
  2375.     <div class="product__price-section">
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  2385.     <a id="pid-188509" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/192455" class="product__btn btn btn--xs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Add to cart</a>
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  2387.     </div>
  2388.    
  2389.     <div class="product-grid__product">
  2390.     <div class="product">
  2391.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144554/niv-cultural-backgrounds-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  2392.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1333611/optimized" alt="NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes">
  2393.     </a>
  2394.     <h3 class="product__title">NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes</h3>
  2395.     <div class="product__price-section">
  2396.     <!--<p class="product__compare-price">Print list price:&nbsp;<del>$49.99</del></p>
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  2398.     <p class="product__price">Price: $39.99</p>-->
  2399.     <p class="product__price">Regular price: $39.99</p>
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  2408.    
  2409.    </div>
  2410. </span>
  2411. <!-- end copy to blog -->
  2412.  
  2413.  
  2414.  
  2415. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-related-articles">Related articles</h3>
  2416.  
  2417.  
  2418.  
  2419. <ul>
  2420. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-study-bible/">3 Things You Should Look for in a Good Study Bible</a></li>
  2421.  
  2422.  
  2423.  
  2424. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hot-takes-on-top-commentary-sets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hot Takes on Top Commentary Sets in Logos</a></li>
  2425.  
  2426.  
  2427.  
  2428. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-12-tips-how-to-read-the-bible-better/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">12 Tips: How to Read the Bible Better</a></li>
  2429. </ul>
  2430.  
  2431.  
  2432.  
  2433. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-book?blog_campaign=free_book&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698232/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: This Month's Free Book Is Yours for the Reading. Click to get it now."/></a>
  2434. ]]></content:encoded>
  2438. </item>
  2439. <item>
  2440. <title>A Theology of AI by a Bible Software Nerd</title>
  2441. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/</link>
  2443. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Ward]]></dc:creator>
  2444. <pubDate>Sat, 20 Apr 2024 23:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2445. <category><![CDATA[Bible Technology]]></category>
  2446. <category><![CDATA[artificial intelligence]]></category>
  2447. <category><![CDATA[large language models]]></category>
  2448. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129799</guid>
  2449.  
  2450. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="A person shaking hands with another person who, instead of a head, has a TV screen representing AI" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />When I first began teaching others how to use Bible software in the early 2000s, I actually had a stock joke that Logos was building a sermon generator that would produce both exegesis and illustrations. It wasn’t a very funny joke then; now it’s not a joke at all. AI can do this. But what [&#8230;]]]></description>
  2451. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="A person shaking hands with another person who, instead of a head, has a TV screen representing AI" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/How-Should-We-Think-about-AI-and-Bible-Study_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  2452. <p>When I first began teaching others how to use Bible software in the early 2000s, I actually had a stock joke that Logos was building a sermon generator that would produce both exegesis and illustrations. It wasn’t a very funny joke then; now it’s not a joke at all. AI can do this.</p>
  2453.  
  2454.  
  2455.  
  2456. <p>But what does the advent of AI mean for the sacred task of preaching the Word? If indeed preaching is “truth through personality,” as Philips Brooks famously said, what role should Large Language Models (LLMs) play in the production of sermons, or in Bible study more generally?</p>
  2457.  
  2458.  
  2459.  
  2460. <p>Many Logos users have been asking us questions like this. Logos’s own Phil Gons is working on a technology theology/philosophy statement for us; I and Mark Barnes are writing more theological visions for the Christian use of AI. I, in particular, wish to add in some interaction with relevant thinkers. I’d like to describe what’s influenced our approach at Logos, and how we’re navigating this topic as a for-profit company that is dedicated to serving the church.</p>
  2461.  
  2462.  
  2463.  
  2464. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hopeful-entrepreneurial-pragmatism">Hopeful entrepreneurial pragmatism</h2>
  2465.  
  2466.  
  2467.  
  2468. <p>John Dyer has an Oxford title called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0197636357?tag=3755-20"><em>People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture</em></a>.<span id='easy-footnote-1-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-1-129799' title='Oxford University Press, 2022.'><sup>1</sup></a></span> The book is recent, but it’s based on dissertation work from several years prior—and on interviews done several years before that. I’ve been at Logos for nine years, but Dyer’s interviews with Logos employees, as reported in the book, actually occurred before I arrived. So some of the sentiments attributed to Logos felt a little out of date.</p>
  2469.  
  2470.  
  2471.  
  2472. <p>But one catchy criticism Dyer issued toward the kind of people who work at Logos hit home. It was encapsulated in a phrase Dyer used to describe our (and other generally evangelical folks’) approach to technology: “Hopeful Entrepreneurial Pragmatism.” “HEP,” he called it.</p>
  2473.  
  2474.  
  2475.  
  2476. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hopeful">Hopeful</h3>
  2477.  
  2478.  
  2479.  
  2480. <p>Yeah—that’s kind of us. When American evangelicals (like those who tend to predominate at Logos) encounter new technologies, we have historically seen them as neato opportunities for gospel advance and not as threats to the natural order of things. My own father wrote a book for Baker called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0801097320?tag=3755-20"><em>Air of Salvation: The Story of Christian Broadcasting</em></a> which chronicled earlier evangelicals’ eager foray into the then-new technology of radio—a medium in which Christians still have a strong presence. Christians have adopted plenty of other technologies over time, from the codex to the printing press. Church historians have speculated that the difference between Luther’s success and that of Jan Hus was that the former came after Gutenberg.</p>
  2481.  
  2482.  
  2483.  
  2484. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-entrepreneurial">Entrepreneurial</h3>
  2485.  
  2486.  
  2487.  
  2488. <p><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-what-is-an-evangelical-church/">Evangelicals</a> have also been entrepreneurial: major Christian media ministries have used all kinds of giveaways and promotions to keep donations coming in; and we at Logos have quite obviously built a business around the distribution of Christian ebooks (plus powerful tools to make them more useful to Bible students). Those who work here know that there is a widespread feeling that we’re performing an important mission, that money is just the grain that the oxen eat while we’re serving the church. Dyer sees some tension between the business and ministry aspects of our mission; he’s not wrong. But it works: our customers get excellent software and resources, and we get capital to build more of those things.</p>
  2489.  
  2490.  
  2491.  
  2492. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pragmatism">Pragmatism</h3>
  2493.  
  2494.  
  2495.  
  2496. <p>“It works.” Does that mean that the Christians at Logos are also “pragmatists”? We’d be foolish not to acknowledge the possibility. Indeed, did I do wrong to “cherry pick” references to ἀγάπη (<em>agape</em>), a major subject of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072WNKBKC?tag=3755-20">my dissertation</a>, from the easily searchable resources in my Logos library rather than reading carefully through all those books in order to discover those references? Have digital Bible students like me, as Dyer alleges, let the pragmatic ease of digital encounters with Scripture color our interpretation of God’s Word?</p>
  2497.  
  2498.  
  2499.  
  2500. <p>This third word in Dyer’s acronym seems to be where the rub is. Are evangelicals hopping blithely into Whatever Works without stopping to think deeply about the long-term ramifications of our chosen tools? Which brings me back to my stated theme: Does pragmatic, immediate adoption of AI have hidden dangers that ought to diminish our (evangelicals’ and Logos’s) hopefulness and entrepreneurialism?</p>
  2501.  
  2502.  
  2503.  
  2504. <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/subscribe?blog_campaign=wbw_sub&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698218/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Get Our Latest Articles in Your Inbox Every Friday. Click to sign up."/></a>
  2505.  
  2506.  
  2507.  
  2508. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-story-of-god">The story of God</h2>
  2509.  
  2510.  
  2511.  
  2512. <p>I want to lay some theological groundwork for answering this question. Simply put: because the Bible’s story starts with a very good creation and not with a fall, I expect all technologies to be fundamentally good before they’re bad, or good “underneath their bad.” Unavoidably, I will get specific here in ways that not even all Logos employees will agree with. But considering that I’m about to cite a centrist evangelical Wesleyan who fishes in Calvinistic streams, I hope I have at least my evangelical Protestant bases covered.</p>
  2513.  
  2514.  
  2515.  
  2516. <p>Indeed, Andy Crouch—and the Kuyperian/Bavinckian/Dutch Reformed tradition that Crouch, a Wesleyan, has helped popularize—has had particular influence on me. His main trilogy of books includes <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/209240/culture-making-recovering-our-creative-calling"><em>Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling</em></a>; <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/167150/playing-god-redeeming-the-gift-of-power"><em>Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power</em></a>; and <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/65400/strong-and-weak-embracing-a-life-of-love-risk-and-true-flourishinghttps:/www.logos.com/product/65400/strong-and-weak-embracing-a-life-of-love-risk-and-true-flourishing"><em>Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing</em></a>. And in those books he repeatedly mines the biblical story of creation, fall, and redemption for insight into our lives as culture makers.</p>
  2517.  
  2518.  
  2519.  
  2520. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creation">Creation</h3>
  2521.  
  2522.  
  2523.  
  2524. <p>All Crouch’s books present a biblical vision of a world that God created to be very good, and of a cultural mandate (Gen 1:26–28) that blessed humans to make something of that very good world. Even non-Christians are constantly (though not universally) multiplying and filling the earth; they’re subduing it and having dominion over it in often good ways. It’s not only Christians that have harnessed the God-given power of the sun, or of electricity; it’s not only Christians who have built beautiful buildings and laid pipes to silently carry in water and carry out waste. When we use our God-given gifts—our powers of reason and our physical strength, even the raw materials of this world and the laws of nature that govern them—to make something of our world out of love for God and neighbor, we are using power in the way God designed. We are promoting what is now often called “human flourishing.” When we use our strengths at Logos to take risks for the good of others, like building a new sermon-preparation tool and bringing it to market (even though we sometimes fail), we are promoting that same flourishing. That’s the Christian doctrine of creation.</p>
  2525.  
  2526.  
  2527.  
  2528. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fall">Fall</h3>
  2529.  
  2530.  
  2531.  
  2532. <p>The fall, of course, is equally necessary to the metanarrative to which biblical Christians are necessarily committed. The fall has given our work frustrating thorns and thistles—at Logos, we call them “software bugs.” It has also made it possible for the power of Logos to be used for plagiarism, or for yanking Bible verses out of their contexts, or for citing “the Greek” when actually a given preacher is just putting forth his own ideas. The fall makes us all at Logos less than perfectly ideal colleagues; it makes money a danger; it makes it possible for us to be pragmatic in ways that are unwise or even sinful. The fall of man all those millennia ago is the reason we can’t just say, “If AI exists, it must be good.”</p>
  2533.  
  2534.  
  2535.  
  2536. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-redemption">Redemption</h3>
  2537.  
  2538.  
  2539.  
  2540. <p>But the biblical metanarrative is not a tragedy but what the ancients called a “comedy”: it has a happy ending. The power of God’s redemption enters the Genesis story immediately in the <em>protoevangelium</em> (Gen 3:15), and it culminates in Jesus’s death and resurrection for human sin. Those who live in the fallen flesh cannot please God (Rom 8:8); but it is possible, through the risen Christ, to do true good again. And Christ the King will not only redeem and restore the individual human soul; he promises that our redemption will mean the freedom of creation from its “slavery to corruption” (Rom 8:21). Crouch points out in <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/209240/culture-making-recovering-our-creative-calling"><em>Culture Making</em></a> that the narrative of Scripture moves from garden to city: the kinds of development we tend to call “technological” will not be undone but instead restored, even redeemed, in the New Heaven and New Earth.</p>
  2541.  
  2542.  
  2543.  
  2544. <p>Crouch is careful to warn that the fall means that we cannot, as mere humans, expect our good works to last, or to have only good effects. Only Jesus can have those expectations (Logos is, no doubt, used by some false teachers). But we are, nonetheless, called to make something of our world, to make more artifacts of human culture,<span id='easy-footnote-2-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-2-129799' title='“The only way to change the culture is to make more of it,” Crouch likes to say.'><sup>2</sup></a></span> to uncover the potentialities God “programmed” into creation.</p>
  2545.  
  2546.  
  2547.  
  2548. <p>One of which is the massive collection of 1s and 0s that we call AI.</p>
  2549.  
  2550.  
  2551.  
  2552. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-discovery-of-ai">The discovery of AI</h2>
  2553.  
  2554.  
  2555.  
  2556. <p>The capacity for “artificial intelligence” is not something humans invented; it’s something we discovered. Biblically speaking, the base technologies that come together to form AI were part of the “very good” creation of Genesis 1. Every law of nature that AI assumes, every bit of silicon and of metal that data centers use, every logical relationship on every motherboard—rests on the bedrock of divine creation. And all our discoveries of the power in these created things is the result of the cultural mandate, the creation blessing that God gave to all of the progeny of our first parents:</p>
  2557.  
  2558.  
  2559.  
  2560. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  2561. <p>Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”</p>
  2562.  
  2563.  
  2564.  
  2565. <p>So God created man in his own image,<br>in the image of God he created him;<br>male and female he created them.</p>
  2566.  
  2567.  
  2568.  
  2569. <p>And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26–28 ESV)</p>
  2570. </blockquote>
  2571.  
  2572.  
  2573.  
  2574. <p>We, who are created in the image of a creator God, are blessed to be able to create. And what we create when we’re at the height of our powers is, not surprisingly, something in our own image: an “intelligence,” an intelligence that is the result of our own “artifice”—our capacity for making pieces of technological art. We can only do this because we ourselves have been given intelligence from an even higher source.<span id='easy-footnote-3-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-3-129799' title='As my perceptive colleague at Logos, developmental editor of this piece, Jennifer Grisham pointed out, this relationship of creator to created can turn around and work the other way, as Psalm 115:4–8 shows: “Those who make them become like them.”'><sup>3</sup></a></span>
  2575.  
  2576.  
  2577.  
  2578. <p>Fundamentally, then, the base technologies that make up AI are good. Very good. We were mandated—and blessed—as a species to explore (not exploit) the God-honoring, neighbor-loving uses of creation. As Crouch says,</p>
  2579.  
  2580.  
  2581.  
  2582. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  2583. <p>Thousands of years after Genesis was written, we can see in a way its first readers could never have imagined just how much capacity these human image bearers had to fill the earth—just how much power was ultimately available to them, coiled in the physical elements’ chemical and nuclear bonds, and emerging from the incredible complexity of the human mind and the fecundity of human culture.<span id='easy-footnote-4-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-4-129799' title='&lt;em&gt;Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power&lt;/em&gt; (Grand Rapids: InterVarsity Press, 2013), 35.'><sup>4</sup></a></span>
  2584. </blockquote>
  2585.  
  2586.  
  2587.  
  2588. <p>The real question comes when we ask how the fall has affected—has twisted or bent—the set of tools we call AI. Garbage in, garbage out; and humans can take good things and make them garbage. What human-created untruths lie festering in AI datasets? What God-dishonoring biases have we either taught our AI models or failed to remove from them? Now that AI is being used in the real world, what fallen tendencies of mankind is it exacerbating? We’re finding all this out as this new technology starts to work out its implications in our various human cultures.</p>
  2589.  
  2590.  
  2591.  
  2592. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-twisted-ai">Twisted AI</h2>
  2593.  
  2594.  
  2595.  
  2596. <p>Some wise Christian culture watchers, such as writer Samuel James (author of the thought-provoking <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/245408/digital-liturgies-rediscovering-christian-wisdom-in-an-online-age"><em>Digital Liturgies</em></a>), have warned us that the internet is an “epistemological habitat,”<span id='easy-footnote-5-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-5-129799' title='&lt;em&gt;Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age&lt;/em&gt; (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 61.'><sup>5</sup></a></span> that the web has “heart-shaping effects.”<span id='easy-footnote-6-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-6-129799' title='&lt;em&gt;Digital Liturgies&lt;/em&gt;, 62.'><sup>6</sup></a></span>
  2597.  
  2598.  
  2599.  
  2600. <p>Non-Christian writers on tech themes, too, such as Nicholas Carr, have warned us that Google may be <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/">making us stupid</a>. An earlier writer who wrote incisive criticisms of media culture, especially regarding television, was Neil Postman, author of <em>Amusing Ourselves to Death</em> and <em>Technopoly</em>.<span id='easy-footnote-7-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-7-129799' title='&lt;em&gt;Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business&lt;/em&gt; (New York: Viking Penguin, 1985).'><sup>7</sup></a></span>
  2601.  
  2602.  
  2603.  
  2604. <p> It would be foolish to ignore the questions posed by these thinkers, especially as we consider the newer technologies of AI. Postman argued that technologies will always play their hand; they will manifest their inner tendencies in a way that only hindsight will truly see. FedEx overnight delivery initially made people in the publication industry breathe a sigh of relief: <em>Now we’ll be able to meet our deadlines more easily without having to wait for page proofs</em>. Of course overnight delivery played its hand and did the opposite: it simply ramped up expectations for tighter deadlines.</p>
  2605.  
  2606.  
  2607.  
  2608. <p>What will AI do to us, negatively speaking? What dark parts of its future can we see now? Certain of its dangers are already obvious, from faked nude pictures of celebrities to laziness and arrogance.</p>
  2609.  
  2610.  
  2611.  
  2612. <p>AI laziness: preachers, don’t have AI write your sermons. Don’t outsource Scripture memory to it (or to Logos, for that matter). There are some things that you ought to <em>know</em> in your own frontal lobe, which is not a data center. Speaking of which …</p>
  2613.  
  2614.  
  2615.  
  2616. <p>AI arrogance: AI is not the next step in human evolution; nor does it actually rival the human brain in its power and complexity. There will be no gotcha line at the end of this piece revealing that it was actually written by a Christian AI bot. I assure you (as does my wife), I am all too human.</p>
  2617.  
  2618.  
  2619.  
  2620. <p>Some of AI’s dangers are less obvious, and it takes perceptive people to spot them. Jeffrey Bilbro, professor of English at Grove City College, seems to be such a one; <a href="https://www.plough.com/en/topics/life/technology/what-problem-does-chatgpt-solve">his essay on AI in <em>Plough</em></a> points especially to the ways AI alters the pain/gain calculus. The reason preachers shouldn’t have AI write their sermons is that pushing through “preacher’s block” seems to be necessary to growing as writers and thinkers, as Bilbro argues persuasively. Writing produced by AI is very commonly too cute by half (Bilbro points out: do we really need a Shakespearean sonnet on climate change?), painfully anodyne (“I’m not sure accelerating the production of pointless text solves the problem of its abundance,” Bilbro says), or confidently wrong.<span id='easy-footnote-8-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-8-129799' title='At least AI doesn’t bristle when corrected. But in my experience, it’s just as likely to give another confidently wrong answer when its first answer is shown to be in error.'><sup>8</sup></a></span> Do sermons need more of these features?</p>
  2621.  
  2622.  
  2623.  
  2624. <p>Andy Crouch, too, points to the ways in which the invulnerability one has in a video game, for example (you’re not actually going to be hurt by the bullets flying at you; only your avatar will “die,” and he’ll be back in a moment), can be enervating, inimical to the development of the true and lasting strengths that teenage boys need to be forming for their futures as husbands and fathers.<span id='easy-footnote-9-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-9-129799' title='See the penetrating comments of Andy Crouch on “Simulated Authority” in chapter 4 of &lt;em&gt;Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing &lt;/em&gt;(Grand Rapids: InterVarsity Press, 2016).'><sup>9</sup></a></span>
  2625.  
  2626.  
  2627.  
  2628. <p> At Logos, therefore, we’ve been careful not to talk about AI as a replacement for hard work, but as a facilitator of it. AI isn’t radically and materially different from some of the other efficiency-enabling tools Logos has included for years. For example, perhaps it would be helpful for my Hebrew skills to be required to parse all verbs myself, or to do my own original-language transliterations instead of using the Text Converter tool. Maybe, as Bilbro points out, having to go to my shelf to pull down commentaries—instead of using the rather convenient Logos Passage Guide—would produce moments of homiletical serendipity as I stumble on volumes I hadn’t thought to consult.</p>
  2629.  
  2630.  
  2631.  
  2632. <p>But the fallenness inside any technology does not erase the created goodness that is, to borrow a phrase from Lewis, “even deeper magic.” Making my work more efficient may make me lazy, but it doesn’t have to. I made the decision many years ago to outsource specific exegetical tasks such as these to Logos, and I haven’t regretted my choices. Our users, too, are readers; they’re educated and intelligent. I believe they can face these trade-offs honestly. We at Logos intend to put powerful Bible study tools in place, offer some suggested guidance as we have always done, and leave the work-AI balance to our users.</p>
  2633.  
  2634.  
  2635.  
  2636. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-place-of-technology-in-the-story-of-god">The Place of Technology in the Story of God</h2>
  2637.  
  2638.  
  2639.  
  2640. <p>Sounds pretty HEPpy, I acknowledge. But if we evangelicals have Hopeful Entrepreneurial Pragmatism, it’s because we believe that creation and redemption overwhelm fall, that grace can restore nature even now, before the Father puts everything under Christ’s feet, as he “rule[s] in the midst of [his] enemies” (Psalm 110:2). We all need the divine wisdom so often praised in the Proverbs to discern where AI brings truly creative power, the genuine power of Christ to subdue the world and have dominion over the world for the good of the world—and where it brings opportunities for yet more verbal kludge.</p>
  2641.  
  2642.  
  2643.  
  2644. <p>I found Dyer’s earlier book, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/232203/from-the-garden-to-the-city-the-place-of-technology-in-the-story-of-god"><em>From the Garden to the City: The Place of Technology in the Story of God</em></a>, very helpful and insightful. Broadly speaking, it saw technology as a God-given gift that, nonetheless, requires discernment: like Neil Postman before him, Dyer argued that “our tools are being developed at a rate faster than our capacity to evaluate their impact.” And yet Dyer—a seminary-trained tech nerd (indeed, the brains behind some great projects such as bestcommentaries.com)—is still willing to say in that book,</p>
  2645.  
  2646.  
  2647.  
  2648. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  2649. <p>Christians who live God-honoring lives in the digital world are those who can discern the tendencies built into all technology and then decide when those tendencies are in line with godly values, and when those tendencies are damaging to the soul.<span id='easy-footnote-10-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-10-129799' title='John Dyer, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.logos.com/product/232203/from-the-garden-to-the-city-the-place-of-technology-in-the-story-of-god&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noreferrer noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2011), 96.'><sup>10</sup></a></span>
  2650. </blockquote>
  2651.  
  2652.  
  2653.  
  2654. <p>In other words, Dyer’s first book argued that it is possible to do some evaluating, to do some discerning—and yet to decide to continue to use digital technologies, despite their acknowledged and even as-yet-unseen downsides. This may be reading between his lines (and my colleague Mark Barnes, who is leading a company reading group on Dyer’s book, disagrees with me here: I’m psychologizing more than may be justified), but <em>People of the Screen </em>seemed to take a bit more dire (sorry!) view of that possibility. The less theological, more sociological eye that Dyer turned on the evangelical use of technology in most of <em>People of the Screen </em>seemed to lead him to lower levels of personal HEP.</p>
  2655.  
  2656.  
  2657.  
  2658. <p>I want to get personal here: I tried for years to look at all my tech usage—and my Bible software usage in particular—through the lenses of what’s called “media ecology.” I’ve read Neil Postman; I’ve read Dyer; I’ve read Samuel James; I’ve read Tony Reinke; I even bought an incredibly boring textbook on the topic (that I won’t name), and I made it through some portions! I have seen genuine value in all these books. But several years ago, at the last BibleTech Conference Logos put on, I noticed that a full four or five speakers basically used their speaking slots to caution us sagely about the effects of computers on Bible study—and yet, I noticed, none could get specific. They could only warn in dark tones about the way digital Bible usage is likely to have negative effects. There were few to no persuasive, concrete examples of such effects. Even Dyer, it seemed to me, simply did not demonstrate through his empirical study in <em>People of the Screen</em> that technology alters Bible study.<span id='easy-footnote-11-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-11-129799' title='I admit to this being a bit of a hit and run, because I’m not prepared to engage the details; but I was not persuaded that the question Dyer posed in his study yielded usable results.'><sup>11</sup></a></span> Good interpreters use both paper and digital tools well; bad interpreters use both poorly.</p>
  2659.  
  2660.  
  2661.  
  2662. <p>I’m 43. I use the tools I use. I’m comfortable with giving up the benefits I’m sure must exist for those who write their sermons on typewriters or with fountain pens.<span id='easy-footnote-12-129799' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/theology-ai-bible-software/#easy-footnote-bottom-12-129799' title='I actually do like using fountain pens for my to-do lists; thank you, former Logos employee Jacob Cerone!'><sup>12</sup></a></span> I’m more than comfortable with giving up the benefits of (most) paper books—or of handwritten codices, and of scrolls before them. I seem to be a productive member of society despite an entire adult life in which Google has been making me stupid. With confidence that technologies are, at heart, fundamentally good before they’re bad, I will watch myself for the effects of the tradeoffs offered by AI. I’ll listen to wise people who can see the fall in AI better than I can. But I’ll maintain my confidence that all things, including AI, can and will be brought under Christ’s feet.</p>
  2663.  
  2664.  
  2665.  
  2666. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-titles-mentioned-in-the-article">Titles mentioned in the article</h3>
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  2803.  
  2804.  
  2805.  
  2806.  
  2807. <p></p>
  2808.  
  2809.  
  2810.  
  2811. <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/subscribe?blog_campaign=wbw_sub&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698218/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Get Our Latest Articles in Your Inbox Every Friday. Click to sign up."/></a>
  2812. ]]></content:encoded>
  2816. </item>
  2817. <item>
  2818. <title>3 Things You Should Look for in a Good Study Bible</title>
  2819. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-study-bible/</link>
  2821. <dc:creator><![CDATA[James-Michael Smith]]></dc:creator>
  2822. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 23:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2823. <category><![CDATA[Bible Study]]></category>
  2824. <category><![CDATA[Featured Resources]]></category>
  2825. <category><![CDATA[reading nook]]></category>
  2826. <category><![CDATA[study Bibles]]></category>
  2827. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129764</guid>
  2828.  
  2829. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="384" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-768x412.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="An image of an open study Bible" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-768x412.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-300x161.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-620x333.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-200x107.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-1536x824.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-2048x1099.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-960x515.png 960w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-716x384.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-820x440.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />As I was considering how to move from in-person Bible teacher to online Bible nerd, it occurred to me that in my former role as discipleship pastor at a large church, a regular part of my job had been helping connect church members and small group leaders with good Bible study resources. I had recommended books and study Bibles over the years to so many people looking for solid study material.]]></description>
  2830. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="384" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-768x412.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="An image of an open study Bible" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-768x412.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-300x161.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-620x333.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-200x107.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-1536x824.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-2048x1099.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-960x515.png 960w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-716x384.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-_-Study-Bible-820x440.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  2831. <p>A few years ago during the COVID shutdowns, my ministry, which I call “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DiscipleDojo">Disciple Dojo</a>,” had to pivot from a weekly lunchtime Bible study at a local restaurant to teaching via YouTube. As anyone with a YouTube channel can attest, the algorithm can be a cruel master, and one must regularly put out content if they expect their channel to ever be seen by more than one’s mother.</p>
  2832.  
  2833.  
  2834.  
  2835. <p>As I was considering how to move from in-person Bible teacher to online Bible nerd, it occurred to me that in my former role as discipleship pastor at a large church, a regular part of my job had been helping connect church members and small group leaders with good Bible study resources. I had recommended books and study Bibles over the years to so many people looking for solid study material.</p>
  2836.  
  2837.  
  2838.  
  2839. <p>As I glanced across the room at my shelf full of study Bibles, I thought, “Why don’t I just record a few quick videos letting people know what is actually in all these Bibles to help them make a more informed decision when shopping for a study Bible?” So I grabbed my smartphone and a stack of my most used Bibles, set up the ring light, and pressed record. Initially, these videos were just intended as bonus material for the channel. But they quickly became my most popular videos—by <em>far</em>.</p>
  2840.  
  2841.  
  2842.  
  2843. <p>And I understand why! In our modern evangelical consumerist culture, one could easily drown in the sea of Bibles churned out each year by publishers hoping to resonate with various demographics. And naturally, as with any other product in a consumer culture, people often turn to YouTube for product reviews before forking over their hard-earned cash. Bible shoppers are no exception.</p>
  2844.  
  2845.  
  2846.  
  2847. <p>The goal of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4bbdsVUgfc7nIxU9OhCD1-krAb9aDoza">Disciple Dojo study Bible reviews</a> is to blow through the marketing chaff in order to help people find the kernels of solid Bible study material out there in the (over)crowded Bible publishing marketplace. With that in mind, I’d like to share a few things that I think people should be on the lookout for when considering which study Bible they should buy.</p>
  2848.  
  2849.  
  2850.  
  2851. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bible-version-or-study-bible">Bible version or study Bible?</h2>
  2852.  
  2853.  
  2854.  
  2855. <p>First of all, it’s important to recognize that many people—even pastors and church leaders—don’t actually understand the difference between a Bible version (or translation) and a study Bible. This may seem self-explanatory, but I can assure you after over two decades of teaching the Bible in local church settings around the world and online, it most certainly is not.</p>
  2856.  
  2857.  
  2858.  
  2859. <p>So for those who may not know the difference, here’s a quick overview.</p>
  2860.  
  2861.  
  2862.  
  2863. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bible-versions-or-translations">Bible versions or translations</h3>
  2864.  
  2865.  
  2866.  
  2867. <p>A Bible version is created when scholars take the texts of the Scripture in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages in which they were written and translate them into whatever language their audience speaks.</p>
  2868.  
  2869.  
  2870.  
  2871. <p>The <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/17910/the-holy-bible-king-james-version" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KJV</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/107/1901-american-standard-version" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ASV</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/8787/new-international-version" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NIV</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/134491/christian-standard-bible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CSB</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/1587/english-standard-version" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESV</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/594/the-new-living-translation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NLT</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/246397/the-net-bible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NET</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/8651/common-english-bible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CEB</a>—all these are Bible versions (or <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/best-bible-translation/">translations</a>). Bible versions will often have occasional footnotes which alert the reader to specific words, phrases, text-critical decisions, or alternative renderings they feel the reader should be aware of. These are translation notes, and there are typically very few of them (the NET Bible being the uber-exception!).</p>
  2872.  
  2873.  
  2874.  
  2875. <p>A study Bible, on the other hand, is the result of a publisher taking a Bible version and adding all manner of notes, charts, maps, illustrations, quotes, or special formatting features around the biblical text to help readers better understand the meaning or application of the text. At its best, a good study Bible is like reading the Bible with numerous theologians, archaeologists, text-critical scholars, and historians standing over your shoulder pointing out things that you may not have otherwise known.</p>
  2876.  
  2877.  
  2878.  
  2879. <p>A Bible version is the actual food and drink in a nourishing meal; a study Bible is all the plates, bowls, cups, utensils, napkins, and suggestions from the sommelier that help us better enjoy that meal.</p>
  2880.  
  2881.  
  2882.  
  2883. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-a-good-study-bible">Finding a good study Bible</h2>
  2884.  
  2885.  
  2886.  
  2887. <p>Now that we have that basic distinction clear, here are a few things I personally look for when recommending a good study Bible.</p>
  2888.  
  2889.  
  2890.  
  2891. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-substance-over-style">1. Substance over style</h2>
  2892.  
  2893.  
  2894.  
  2895. <p>The difference between a study Bible and a devotional, preaching, or reading Bible is in that first little word—STUDY. The primary purpose of a good study Bible is to provide the reader with information that the reader does not know, and which helps bring out the meaning of the text in some way. How this information gets presented is, of course, where issues of style and aesthetics come into play. But a beautifully designed study Bible that doesn’t actually do much to help the reader better understand the text is, proverbially speaking, like a gold ring in a pig’s snout (Prov 11:22)! With that in mind, here are a few criteria that distinguish a good study Bible from a not-so-good study Bible.</p>
  2896.  
  2897.  
  2898.  
  2899. <p>A good study Bible will:</p>
  2900.  
  2901.  
  2902.  
  2903. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-i-have-articles-and-essays-that-help-orient-the-reader-to-the-world-of-scripture-literarily-historically-and-theologically">i. Have articles and essays that help orient the reader to the world of Scripture—literarily, historically, and theologically.</h3>
  2904.  
  2905.  
  2906.  
  2907. <p>A few examples:</p>
  2908.  
  2909.  
  2910.  
  2911. <ul>
  2912. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144554/niv-cultural-backgrounds-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible</a></li>
  2913.  
  2914.  
  2915.  
  2916. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/199236/life-application-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Life Application Study Bible</a></li>
  2917.  
  2918.  
  2919.  
  2920. <li>Archaeological Study Bible</li>
  2921. </ul>
  2922.  
  2923.  
  2924.  
  2925. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ii-have-book-introductions-and-outlines-that-help-the-reader-get-a-big-picture-understanding-of-a-given-book-such-as-genesis-or-matthew-and-will-provide-a-roadmap-through-its-contents-so-readers-don-t-get-lost-along-the-way">ii. Have book introductions and outlines that help the reader get a big-picture understanding of a given book (such as Genesis or Matthew) and will provide a roadmap through its contents so readers don’t get lost along the way.</h3>
  2926.  
  2927.  
  2928.  
  2929. <p>A few examples:</p>
  2930.  
  2931.  
  2932.  
  2933. <ul>
  2934. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/53349/niv-biblical-theology-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biblical Theology Study Bible</a></li>
  2935.  
  2936.  
  2937.  
  2938. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/5255/esv-study-bible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ESV Study Bible</a></li>
  2939.  
  2940.  
  2941.  
  2942. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144096/csb-study-bible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CSB Study Bible</a></li>
  2943.  
  2944.  
  2945.  
  2946. <li>Filament Bibles</li>
  2947. </ul>
  2948.  
  2949.  
  2950.  
  2951. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iii-have-maps-diagrams-and-illustrations-that-bring-the-historical-reality-of-the-text-to-life-for-the-reader-in-vivid-and-accessible-format">iii. Have maps, diagrams, and illustrations that bring the historical reality of the text to life for the reader in vivid and accessible format.</h3>
  2952.  
  2953.  
  2954.  
  2955. <p>A few examples:</p>
  2956.  
  2957.  
  2958.  
  2959. <ul>
  2960. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/36338/faithlife-study-bible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Faithlife Study Bible</a></li>
  2961.  
  2962.  
  2963.  
  2964. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144554/niv-cultural-backgrounds-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible</a></li>
  2965.  
  2966.  
  2967.  
  2968. <li>NLT Illustrated Study Bible</li>
  2969. </ul>
  2970.  
  2971.  
  2972.  
  2973. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iv-have-notes-throughout-the-text-that-explain-problematic-passages-or-obscure-concepts-that-the-reader-may-not-be-familiar-with-already">iv. Have notes throughout the text that explain problematic passages or obscure concepts that the reader may not be familiar with already.</h3>
  2974.  
  2975.  
  2976.  
  2977. <p>A few examples:</p>
  2978.  
  2979.  
  2980.  
  2981. <ul>
  2982. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/36338/faithlife-study-bible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Faithlife Study Bible</a></li>
  2983.  
  2984.  
  2985.  
  2986. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/189785/the-net-bible-full-notes-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NET Bible Full Notes Edition</a></li>
  2987.  
  2988.  
  2989.  
  2990. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/199236/life-application-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Life Application Study Bible</a></li>
  2991.  
  2992.  
  2993.  
  2994. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144554/niv-cultural-backgrounds-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible</a></li>
  2995. </ul>
  2996.  
  2997.  
  2998.  
  2999. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-v-have-indexes-concordances-or-other-tools-with-which-the-reader-can-easily-find-a-verse-passage-or-topic-they-are-looking-for">v. Have indexes, concordances, or other tools with which the reader can easily find a verse, passage, or topic they are looking for.</h3>
  3000.  
  3001.  
  3002.  
  3003. <p>A few examples:</p>
  3004.  
  3005.  
  3006.  
  3007. <ul>
  3008. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/192576/niv-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NIV Study Bible</a></li>
  3009.  
  3010.  
  3011.  
  3012. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144096/csb-study-bible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CSB Study Bible</a></li>
  3013.  
  3014.  
  3015.  
  3016. <li>NASB Study Bible</li>
  3017. </ul>
  3018.  
  3019.  
  3020.  
  3021. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vi-have-ample-room-on-the-page-for-the-reader-to-make-their-own-notations-and-the-paper-will-be-sturdy-enough-to-write-on-or-highlight">vi. Have ample room on the page for the reader to make their own notations and the paper will be sturdy enough to write on or highlight.</h3>
  3022.  
  3023.  
  3024.  
  3025. <p>A few examples:</p>
  3026.  
  3027.  
  3028.  
  3029. <ul>
  3030. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/199236/life-application-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Life Application Study Bible</a></li>
  3031.  
  3032.  
  3033.  
  3034. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/53349/niv-biblical-theology-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biblical Theology Study Bible</a></li>
  3035. </ul>
  3036.  
  3037.  
  3038.  
  3039. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vii-present-the-text-of-scripture-clearly-in-an-easy-to-read-format-making-clear-what-is-scripture-and-what-is-study-material">vii. Present the text of Scripture clearly in an easy-to-read format, making clear what is Scripture and what is study material.</h3>
  3040.  
  3041.  
  3042.  
  3043. <p>A few examples:</p>
  3044.  
  3045.  
  3046.  
  3047. <ul>
  3048. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144096/csb-study-bible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CSB Study Bible</a></li>
  3049.  
  3050.  
  3051.  
  3052. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/209779/niv-grace-and-truth-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grace and Truth Study Bible</a><br></li>
  3053. </ul>
  3054.  
  3055.  
  3056.  
  3057. <p>Not every study Bible will have all of these features—and some of the ones that have come closest are sadly out of print! But these are helpful basic criteria to look for when considering any study Bible on the market. Again: look for substance over style.</p>
  3058.  
  3059.  
  3060.  
  3061. <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/subscribe?blog_campaign=wbw_sub&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698218/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Get Our Latest Articles in Your Inbox Every Friday. Click to sign up."/></a>
  3062.  
  3063.  
  3064.  
  3065. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-collaboration-over-celebrity">2. Collaboration over celebrity</h2>
  3066.  
  3067.  
  3068.  
  3069. <p>Look, too, for what I might call “collaboration over celebrity.”</p>
  3070.  
  3071.  
  3072.  
  3073. <p>It is not uncommon to see study Bibles marketed under the name of famous preachers, teachers, or authors. This started back in the early 1900s with Scofield, continued with Dake, Ryrie, and others, and continues today with celebrity preachers I need not name. There is nothing necessarily wrong with being famous, and the quality of an individual study note in such a Bible may be high.</p>
  3074.  
  3075.  
  3076.  
  3077. <p>Of course, it also may not. But the problem with celebrity-named study Bibles is not only that you’re getting just one person’s views and theology; it’s that no single teacher, no matter how gifted, has enough expertise with the texts, languages, history, archaeology, and theology of every single book of the Old and New Testaments to give solid, full, well-thought-out, well-researched study material on the whole of God’s Word.</p>
  3078.  
  3079.  
  3080.  
  3081. <p>Instead of notes by a celebrity preacher or popular author, Bible students are better served by collaborative work among numerous scholars and contributors—all of whom have dedicated their scholarly focus to whichever subject they are being asked to provide study helps on.</p>
  3082.  
  3083.  
  3084.  
  3085. <p>In other words, a good study Bible will have book introductions and study notes on Revelation by someone who has dedicated years of their career to studying and teaching apocalyptic writings. Summaries of the united or divided monarchies will be written by scholars who have spent years of their lives sifting through the historical books of the Hebrew Bible and who have a working familiarity with the landscape and archaeology of the Levant. Theological essays will be authored by someone who has a broad and deep knowledge of the history of interpretation of the text throughout various traditions. Text-critical issues will be presented by someone who has spent years looking at manuscripts through a magnifying glass with a working knowledge of ancient orthography. Application or devotional notes will be compiled by those with years of experience in the fields of ethics, pastoral leadership, or counseling.</p>
  3086.  
  3087.  
  3088.  
  3089. <p>In short, a good study Bible is a collaborative effort among a wide range of genuine experts in their fields.</p>
  3090.  
  3091.  
  3092.  
  3093. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-ecumenism-over-theological-particularism">3. Ecumenism over theological particularism</h2>
  3094.  
  3095.  
  3096.  
  3097. <p>In addition to being collaborative, a good study Bible should be fair in acknowledging the fullness of Christ’s body. While denominational resources and theological training in the particulars of one’s tradition are helpful and even necessary, the Bible does not belong solely to any <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/christian-denominations/">denomination</a> or theological tradition. It is the Scripture of God’s people across the ecclesial spectrum; a good study Bible should help readers see and wrestle with this as much as possible.</p>
  3098.  
  3099.  
  3100.  
  3101. <p>Of course it may be helpful to know how a passage or book has been interpreted by a particular tradition—whether <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/methodist-wesleyan-bible-study/">Wesleyan</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-what-is-calvinism/">Calvinist</a>, <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-lutheranism-its-history-distinctives-key-thinkers/">Lutheran</a>, Catholic, or <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-orthodoxy/">Orthodox</a>—but Jesus’s body is bigger than just one tradition, so a good study Bible should pull from a wide range of scholars, historians, and thinkers in order to give readers a better understanding of the spectrum of faithful interpretive options, even if it ends up leaning more to one in particular.</p>
  3102.  
  3103.  
  3104.  
  3105. <p>A good study Bible will come to a passage where Christians have differed throughout history and say, “Here’s how some Christians have interpreted this passage; here’s how other Christians have interpreted this passage.” It may advocate for one interpretation being more plausible than others—that is perfectly fine. But a good study Bible won’t be dogmatic about an interpretive issue over which faithful Christians have historically differed, and it won’t overlook or strawman those views with which the author disagrees.</p>
  3106.  
  3107.  
  3108.  
  3109. <p>Instead, a good study Bible will present the reader with the options and will fairly summarize them. This not only exposes readers to a wider range within Christ’s Body, but it also helps the reader reason from Scripture rather than being force-fed a particular theology. The reader is thereby encouraged to dig into the text (as well as other available resources) himself or herself, while also being informed on how Christians throughout the ages have approached interpretive disagreements.</p>
  3110.  
  3111.  
  3112.  
  3113. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
  3114.  
  3115.  
  3116.  
  3117. <p>There is no such thing as “the perfect study Bible,” and different readers in different contexts will have different needs. But after reviewing dozens and dozens of study Bibles on the market over the past few years, the above criteria are what I encourage DiscipleDojo viewers to consider when choosing one.</p>
  3118.  
  3119.  
  3120.  
  3121. <p>That’s especially true if that study Bible is going to serve as their primary Bible study resource. My hope is that more publishers will take note of these principles, and that we will subsequently see a shift away from trendy aesthetic and marketing hype to more robust content that helps readers make sense of the text of God’s Word and better understand its life-changing message.</p>
  3122.  
  3123.  
  3124.  
  3125. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-bibles-mentioned-in-this-article">Study Bibles mentioned in this article</h3>
  3126.  
  3127.  
  3128.  
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  3239.     <div class="product">
  3240.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/144096/csb-study-bible" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  3241.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1333260/optimized" alt="CSB Study Bible (notes only)">
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  3243.     <h3 class="product__title">CSB Study Bible (notes only)</h3>
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  3259.     <div class="product">
  3260.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/36338/faithlife-study-bible" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  3261.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1403238/optimized" alt="Faithlife Study Bible">
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  3276.     </div>
  3277.    
  3278.     <div class="product-grid__product">
  3279.     <div class="product">
  3280.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/189785/the-net-bible-full-notes-edition" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  3281.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/10481757/optimized" alt="The NET Bible: Full Notes Edition (2nd ed.)">
  3282.     </a>
  3283.     <h3 class="product__title">The NET Bible: Full Notes Edition (2nd ed.)</h3>
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  3296.     </div>
  3297.    
  3298.     <div class="product-grid__product">
  3299.     <div class="product">
  3300.     <a href="https://www.logos.com/product/209779/niv-grace-and-truth-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" class="product__image" rel="noopener">
  3301.     <img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11967576/optimized" alt="NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible Notes">
  3302.     </a>
  3303.     <h3 class="product__title">NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible Notes</h3>
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  3315.     </div>
  3316.     </div>
  3317.    
  3318.    </div>
  3319. </span>
  3320. <!-- end copy to blog -->
  3321.  
  3322.  
  3323.  
  3324. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-use-study-bibles-like-these-in-logos">Why use study Bibles like these in Logos?</h3>
  3325.  
  3326.  
  3327. <p style="position: relative; overflow: hidden; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe loading="lazy" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0; top: 0;" title="Why Read Logos Editions?" src="https://faithlifetv.com/media/1203588?embedded=1&amp;autoplay=0" width="300" height="150" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></p>
  3328.  
  3329.  
  3330. <p>Study Bibles are especially great in Logos, because the notes can be taken “off the page” of the Bible and put in their own window. You can even link the windows so that as you scroll through the Scripture text, the notes advance with it. Take a look:</p>
  3331.  
  3332.  
  3333.  
  3334. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="620" height="398" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Study-Bible-in-Logos-620x398.gif" alt="" class="wp-image-129779" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Study-Bible-in-Logos-620x398.gif 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Study-Bible-in-Logos-300x193.gif 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Study-Bible-in-Logos-200x128.gif 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Study-Bible-in-Logos-768x493.gif 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Study-Bible-in-Logos-716x459.gif 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Study-Bible-in-Logos-820x526.gif 820w" sizes="(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px" /></figure>
  3335.  
  3336.  
  3337.  
  3338. <div style="height:14px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3339.  
  3340.  
  3341.  
  3342. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-related-articles">Related articles</h3>
  3343.  
  3344.  
  3345.  
  3346. <ul>
  3347. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/why-in-depth-bible-study-doesnt-have-to-be-hard/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why In-Depth Bible Study Doesn&#8217;t Have to Be Hard</a></li>
  3348.  
  3349.  
  3350.  
  3351. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/got-big-bible-study-goals-heres-your-secret-weapon-to-reach-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here&#8217;s Your Secret Weapon to Reach Bible Study Goals</a></li>
  3352. </ul>
  3353.  
  3354.  
  3355.  
  3356. <a href="https://www.logos.com/fundamentals?blog_campaign=fund&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698230/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Take the Next Step toward Next-Level Bible Study for Only $49.99 with Logos Fundamentals. Click to get it."/></a>
  3357. ]]></content:encoded>
  3361. </item>
  3362. <item>
  3363. <title>What’s on Seana Scott’s Bookshelf? 12 Top Picks</title>
  3364. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-shelf-seana-scott/</link>
  3366. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Logos Staff]]></dc:creator>
  3367. <pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  3368. <category><![CDATA[Featured Resources]]></category>
  3369. <category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
  3370. <category><![CDATA[on the shelf]]></category>
  3371. <category><![CDATA[reading nook]]></category>
  3372. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129679</guid>
  3373.  
  3374. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="The words Scott&#039;s bookshelf in large print with 5 featured books taken from the article in the center" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />Seana Scott is a speaker and award-winning writer with a passion to help Christians live with a well soul through knowing God&#8217;s Word, walking with God, and living with purpose. She is the founder of Well Soul Life and hosts the Well Soul Podcast, a weekly devotional podcast to guide listeners to drink in Scripture, reflect, and pray. [&#8230;]]]></description>
  3375. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="The words Scott&#039;s bookshelf in large print with 5 featured books taken from the article in the center" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-_-Whats-on-Seana-Scotts-Bookshelf_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  3376. <p><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/author/seana-scott/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Seana Scott</a> is a speaker and award-winning writer with a passion to help Christians live with a well soul through knowing God&#8217;s Word, walking with God, and living with purpose.</p>
  3377.  
  3378.  
  3379.  
  3380. <p>She is the founder of <a href="http://wellsoullife.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Well Soul Life</a> and hosts the <a href="http://wellsoullife.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Well Soul Podcast</a>, a weekly devotional podcast to guide listeners to drink in Scripture, reflect, and pray.</p>
  3381.  
  3382.  
  3383.  
  3384. <p>Her writing has appeared at&nbsp;<em>Christianity Today</em>,&nbsp;<em>She Reads Truth</em>,&nbsp;<em>Risen Motherhood</em>,&nbsp;<em>Fathom Mag</em>, and&nbsp;<em>Word by Word</em>&nbsp;(among others). She is married to a pastor and together they are raising three creative and adventurous kids.</p>
  3385.  
  3386.  
  3387.  
  3388. <p>Without further ado, here are Seana&#8217;s top twelve books.</p>
  3389.  
  3390.  
  3391.  
  3392. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-13 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3393. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3394. <figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/133/the-bible-knowledge-commentary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/10902134/optimized?share=nVV5dg40Qew7u98B&amp;w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The Bible Knowledge Commentary" style="width:200px;height:auto"/></a></figure></div>
  3395.  
  3396.  
  3397. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-12 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3398. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:100%"></div>
  3399. </div>
  3400.  
  3401.  
  3402.  
  3403. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3404. </div>
  3405.  
  3406.  
  3407.  
  3408. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3409. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-the-bible-knowledge-commentary-eds-john-f-walvoord-amp-roy-b-zuck">1. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, eds. John F. Walvoord &amp; Roy B. Zuck</h2>
  3410.  
  3411.  
  3412.  
  3413. <p>It is easy to digest and helps the reader grasp main considerations of a text in preparation for ministry of various kinds. I refer to it when I teach a Bible study, write articles, and everything in between.</p>
  3414.  
  3415.  
  3416.  
  3417. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3418.  
  3419.  
  3420.  
  3421. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3422. <div class="wp-block-button" style="text-transform:capitalize"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/133" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Add to cart</a></div>
  3423.  
  3424.  
  3425.  
  3426. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/133/the-bible-knowledge-commentary" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">View Resource</a></div>
  3427. </div>
  3428. </div>
  3429. </div>
  3430.  
  3431.  
  3432.  
  3433. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3434.  
  3435.  
  3436.  
  3437. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-14 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3438. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3439. <figure class="alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/292839/word-biblical-commentary-wbc-old-and-new-testament" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/10790020/optimized?share=2zHU2gYf6QeL3PGD&amp;w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="World Biblical Commentary" class="wp-image-129477" style="width:200px;height:auto"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3440.  
  3441.  
  3442.  
  3443. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3444. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-world-biblical-commentary-wbc">2. World Biblical Commentary (WBC)</h2>
  3445.  
  3446.  
  3447.  
  3448. <p>I like this one when I am trying to grasp the structure of the language of a passage without knowing the Greek or Hebrew myself.</p>
  3449.  
  3450.  
  3451.  
  3452. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3453.  
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  3455.  
  3456. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3457. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/465867" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3458.  
  3459.  
  3460.  
  3461. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/292839/word-biblical-commentary-wbc-old-and-new-testament" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3462. </div>
  3463. </div>
  3464. </div>
  3465.  
  3466.  
  3467.  
  3468. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3469.  
  3470.  
  3471.  
  3472. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-15 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3473. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3474. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/5459/niv-application-commentary-nivac-new-testament-20-vols" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11493078/optimized?share=U8bSVr9MeFTvvXTr&amp;w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="NIV Application Commentary" class="wp-image-129480" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3475.  
  3476.  
  3477.  
  3478. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3479. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-the-niv-application-commentary-nivac">3. The NIV Application Commentary (NIVAC)</h2>
  3480.  
  3481.  
  3482.  
  3483. <p>I like how this one is very simple to understand, written in a more pastoral style with clear thoughts on observations that can easily be turned into beneficial applications of a text.</p>
  3484.  
  3485.  
  3486.  
  3487. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3488.  
  3489.  
  3490.  
  3491. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3492. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/5459" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3493.  
  3494.  
  3495.  
  3496. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/5459/niv-application-commentary-nivac-new-testament-20-vols" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3497. </div>
  3498. </div>
  3499. </div>
  3500.  
  3501.  
  3502.  
  3503. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3504.  
  3505.  
  3506.  
  3507. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-16 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3508. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3509. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/20185/expositors-bible-commentary-revised-edition-rebc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/10969007/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The Expositor's Bible Commentary" class="wp-image-129500" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3510.  
  3511.  
  3512.  
  3513. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3514. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-the-expositor-s-bible-commentary-rebc">4. The Expositor&#8217;s Bible Commentary<em><strong> </strong></em>(REBC)</h2>
  3515.  
  3516.  
  3517.  
  3518. <p>Accessible and detailed insights. I like how it offers simple clarity on larger theological considerations touched upon in passages, which helps me grasp the fuller picture/understanding of a passage.</p>
  3519.  
  3520.  
  3521.  
  3522. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3523.  
  3524.  
  3525.  
  3526. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3527. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/20185" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3528.  
  3529.  
  3530.  
  3531. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/20185/expositors-bible-commentary-revised-edition-rebc" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3532. </div>
  3533. </div>
  3534. </div>
  3535.  
  3536.  
  3537.  
  3538. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3539.  
  3540.  
  3541.  
  3542. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-17 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3543. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3544. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/204338/the-ivp-bible-background-commentary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11367913/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The IVP Bible Background Commentary" class="wp-image-129505" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3545.  
  3546.  
  3547.  
  3548. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3549. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-the-ivp-bible-background-commentary">5. The IVP Bible Background Commentary</h2>
  3550.  
  3551.  
  3552.  
  3553. <p>Helps the reader understand some of the cultural context of passages. I like referring to this resource when I want to bring to life a teaching and help my audience see/taste/smell some of the original context. It helps bring the ancient text to modern life.</p>
  3554.  
  3555.  
  3556.  
  3557. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3558.  
  3559.  
  3560.  
  3561. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3562. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/312068" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3563.  
  3564.  
  3565.  
  3566. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/204338/the-ivp-bible-background-commentary" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3567. </div>
  3568. </div>
  3569. </div>
  3570.  
  3571.  
  3572.  
  3573. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3574.  
  3575.  
  3576.  
  3577. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-18 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3578. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3579. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="296" height="466" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/valleyofvision.jpg" alt="Valley of Vision book cover" class="wp-image-129687" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/valleyofvision.jpg 296w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/valleyofvision-191x300.jpg 191w" sizes="(max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px" /></figure></div></div>
  3580.  
  3581.  
  3582.  
  3583. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3584. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-the-valley-of-vision-a-collection-of-puritan-prayers-amp-devotions-ed-arthur-bennett">6. <em>The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers &amp; Devotions</em>, ed. Arthur Bennett</h2>
  3585.  
  3586.  
  3587.  
  3588. <p>One of my favorites for my devotional life. It lifts my vision of God and helps me connect to his holiness. <strong>Editor&#8217;s Note: Logos doesn&#8217;t carry this resource, but we do carry a similar book: <em><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/175924/piercing-heaven-prayers-of-the-puritans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans</a></em>.</strong></p>
  3589.  
  3590.  
  3591.  
  3592. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3593. </div>
  3594. </div>
  3595.  
  3596.  
  3597.  
  3598. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3599.  
  3600.  
  3601.  
  3602. <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/print-library-catalog?blog_campaign=l10_print_library&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/files/63053290/assets/13854120/content.png?signature=iRRCGjVf_08WnCrH7erOkHHl_ck" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Search Your Print Library from Your Digital Device. Click to learn how."/></a>
  3603.  
  3604.  
  3605.  
  3606. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3607.  
  3608.  
  3609.  
  3610. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-19 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3611. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3612. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="320" height="445" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-divine-hours-cover.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-129690" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-divine-hours-cover.jpg 320w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-divine-hours-cover-216x300.jpg 216w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-divine-hours-cover-200x278.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /></figure></div></div>
  3613.  
  3614.  
  3615.  
  3616. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3617. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-the-divine-hours-by-phyllis-tickle">7. <em>The Divine Hours</em>, by Phyllis Tickle</h2>
  3618.  
  3619.  
  3620.  
  3621. <p>Sometimes I simply need to enter into a prepared space with God rather than curate my own. I love the Divine Hours series for keeping the daily office because it roots me to the history of Christianity while connecting me to the modern church through reading and praying the same passages with other believers around the same time. It makes me feel connected.</p>
  3622. </div>
  3623. </div>
  3624.  
  3625.  
  3626.  
  3627. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3628.  
  3629.  
  3630.  
  3631. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-20 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3632. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3633. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/54068/the-preachers-commentary-series-tpc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11937565/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The Preacher's Commentary" class="wp-image-129509" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3634.  
  3635.  
  3636.  
  3637. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3638. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-the-preacher-s-commentary">8. The Preacher&#8217;s Commentary</h2>
  3639.  
  3640.  
  3641.  
  3642. <p>I like this resource because it helps get my ideas flowing in how to minister a passage/chapter/book to those I am writing or speaking for. Puts me into a &#8220;shepherd&#8221; mind frame.</p>
  3643.  
  3644.  
  3645.  
  3646. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3647.  
  3648.  
  3649.  
  3650. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3651. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/54457" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3652.  
  3653.  
  3654.  
  3655. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/54068/the-preachers-commentary-series-tpc" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3656. </div>
  3657. </div>
  3658. </div>
  3659.  
  3660.  
  3661.  
  3662. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3663.  
  3664.  
  3665.  
  3666. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-21 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3667. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3668. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/753/the-new-bible-commentary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/7146601/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The New Bible Commentary" class="wp-image-129511" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3669.  
  3670.  
  3671.  
  3672. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3673. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-the-new-bible-commentary">9. The New Bible Commentary</h2>
  3674.  
  3675.  
  3676.  
  3677. <p>I especially like the outline of the biblical books this series provides. It helps me imagine how I want to break up pericopes when working through a book. I also like how the commentary reads like a teacher walking through the text line by line, pausing to explain terms and ideas.</p>
  3678.  
  3679.  
  3680.  
  3681. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3682.  
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  3685. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3686. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/753" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3687.  
  3688.  
  3689.  
  3690. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/753/the-new-bible-commentary" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3691. </div>
  3692. </div>
  3693. </div>
  3694.  
  3695.  
  3696.  
  3697. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3698.  
  3699.  
  3700.  
  3701. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-22 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3702. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3703. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/188832/csb-tony-evans-study-bible-notes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/10378058/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Tony Evans Study Bible" class="wp-image-129512" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3704.  
  3705.  
  3706.  
  3707. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3708. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-csb-tony-evans-study-bible">10. CSB Tony Evans Study Bible</h2>
  3709.  
  3710.  
  3711.  
  3712. <p>I like how Pastor Evans uses modern images and metaphors to explain verses. It helps me think through how to communicate a verse or passage when I am writing or speaking.</p>
  3713.  
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  3716. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3717.  
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  3720. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3721. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/192881" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3722.  
  3723.  
  3724.  
  3725. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/188832/csb-tony-evans-study-bible-notes" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3726. </div>
  3727. </div>
  3728. </div>
  3729.  
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  3732. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
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  3736. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-23 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3737. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3738. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/49015/international-critical-commentary-series-new-testament-icc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11449826/optimized?share=k5zL1zsSmL051Hgg&amp;w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The International Critical Commentary Series" class="wp-image-129513" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3739.  
  3740.  
  3741.  
  3742. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3743. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-11-international-critical-commentary-series">11. International Critical Commentary Series</h2>
  3744.  
  3745.  
  3746.  
  3747. <p>I like this when I am deeply studying a text and want to grasp language considerations more closely. As someone who cannot read the text in original languages, I especially appreciate this series in helping direct me to know what to look at (and help me know what I am looking at—the hover tool in Logos is a language-studying gift).</p>
  3748.  
  3749.  
  3750.  
  3751. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3752.  
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  3754.  
  3755. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  3756. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/49226" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  3757.  
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  3761. </div>
  3762. </div>
  3763. </div>
  3764.  
  3765.  
  3766.  
  3767. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3768.  
  3769.  
  3770.  
  3771. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-24 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  3772. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  3773. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/5253/esv-study-bible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1424092/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="ESV Study Bible" class="wp-image-129513" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  3774.  
  3775.  
  3776.  
  3777. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  3778. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-12-esv-study-bible">12. ESV Study Bible</h2>
  3779.  
  3780.  
  3781.  
  3782. <p>I especially appreciate the background, introduction, book themes, and outlines this Bible provides. I usually read this first when entering studying a new book.</p>
  3783.  
  3784.  
  3785.  
  3786. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3787.  
  3788.  
  3789.  
  3790. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
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  3792.  
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  3794.  
  3795. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/5253/esv-study-bible" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  3796. </div>
  3797. </div>
  3798. </div>
  3799.  
  3800.  
  3801.  
  3802. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  3803.  
  3804.  
  3805.  
  3806. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-miss-these-other-book-recommendations">Don&#8217;t miss these other book recommendations</h3>
  3807.  
  3808.  
  3809.  
  3810. <ul>
  3811. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hot-takes-on-top-commentary-sets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hot Takes on Top Commentary Sets in Logos</a></li>
  3812.  
  3813.  
  3814.  
  3815. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/anglican-books/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 Anglican Books You Should Know</a></li>
  3816.  
  3817.  
  3818.  
  3819. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/42-best-selling-books-by-for-pentecostals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">42 Best-Selling Books by &amp; for Pentecostals</a></li>
  3820.  
  3821.  
  3822.  
  3823. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/best-books-baptist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">40 Best-Selling Books for Baptists</a></li>
  3824. </ul>
  3825.  
  3826.  
  3827.  
  3828. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-book?blog_campaign=free_book&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698232/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: This Month's Free Book Is Yours for the Reading. Click to get it now."/></a>
  3829. ]]></content:encoded>
  3833. </item>
  3834. <item>
  3835. <title>Every Exorcism Is Eschatological: The Words of Demons in the Presence of Jesus</title>
  3836. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-jesus-exorcism/</link>
  3838. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mitch Chase]]></dc:creator>
  3839. <pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2024 23:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  3840. <category><![CDATA[Spiritual Formation]]></category>
  3841. <category><![CDATA[Theology]]></category>
  3842. <category><![CDATA[demons]]></category>
  3843. <category><![CDATA[eschatology]]></category>
  3844. <category><![CDATA[exorcism]]></category>
  3845. <category><![CDATA[lecture hall]]></category>
  3846. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129669</guid>
  3847.  
  3848. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="The words miracles and excorcism displayed throughout the image with a portion of the article in the background." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />People are afraid of demons. What are demons afraid of? Have you ever wondered? Maybe you would think it strange to imagine demons being afraid of anything. The accounts of demonic possession in the Gospels, and the attempts to represent such possession in films, can give even the bravest image-bearer pause as we consider the [&#8230;]]]></description>
  3849. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="The words miracles and excorcism displayed throughout the image with a portion of the article in the background." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Image-_-Academic-_-Mar-24-_-How-Jesus-Exorcisms-are-Eschatological-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  3850. <p>People are afraid of demons. What are <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/where-do-demons-come-from/">demons</a> afraid of?</p>
  3851.  
  3852.  
  3853.  
  3854. <p>Have you ever wondered? Maybe you would think it strange to imagine demons being afraid of anything. The accounts of demonic possession in the Gospels, and the attempts to represent such possession in films, can give even the bravest image-bearer pause as we consider the unusual capabilities of these sinister spirits.</p>
  3855.  
  3856.  
  3857.  
  3858. <p>But demons do feel fear—of something, and of someone. Reading a Gospel account of an exorcism (which is the term for a person’s deliverance from demonic possession), we can see that Jesus’s ministry included these encounters with spiritual powers, and his miracles involved triumph over them. Not only do the Gospel writers tell us that these encounters took place, they even report words spoken by these demons to Jesus. These words give us insight into what the demons fear—and what they expect to someday happen.</p>
  3859.  
  3860.  
  3861.  
  3862. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-miracles-are-signs-that-point">Miracles are signs that point</h2>
  3863.  
  3864.  
  3865.  
  3866. <p>Never was there a miracle-worker like Jesus. The Old Testament certainly contained miracles, which people like Moses and Elijah and Elisha performed by God’s power; but the escalation of miracles in the days of Jesus is staggering. At the end of John’s Gospel, the author says that Jesus “did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book” (John 20:30). The miraculous accounts, therefore, are not comprehensive but are selective.</p>
  3867.  
  3868.  
  3869.  
  3870. <p>Summary accounts in the Gospels show the selectivity of the biblical authors. Very early in Matthew, for instance, the author says of Jesus,</p>
  3871.  
  3872.  
  3873.  
  3874. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  3875. <p>So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. (Matt 4:24 ESV)</p>
  3876. </blockquote>
  3877.  
  3878.  
  3879.  
  3880. <p>Or consider this statement Matthew makes a few chapters later:</p>
  3881.  
  3882.  
  3883.  
  3884. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  3885. <p>That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. (Matt 8:16 ESV)</p>
  3886. </blockquote>
  3887.  
  3888.  
  3889.  
  3890. <p>These summary statements confirm that the miracles of Jesus were many and that the Gospels only give a small sampling of the wonders he performed. All four Gospels report various miracles, but John’s Gospel is the only one that calls these miracles “signs” (see John 2:11; 4:54).<span id='easy-footnote-1-129669' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-jesus-exorcism/#easy-footnote-bottom-1-129669' title='The term “sign” likely alludes to the book of Exodus, where the miracles—and specifically the plagues—were “signs and wonders” (Exod 4:8–9; 7:3; Acts 7:36).'><sup>1</sup></a></span> Signs are revelatory. They gesture beyond themselves. Miracles, then, are not the main point; they are signs that point somewhere. As we’ll see, they’re signs that the demons could read, perhaps better than we can.</p>
  3891.  
  3892.  
  3893.  
  3894. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-miracles-and-the-future">Miracles and the future</h2>
  3895.  
  3896.  
  3897.  
  3898. <p>What do the miraculous signs of Jesus point to? These <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/3-simple-reasons-cant-dismiss-miracles-bible/">miracles</a> have at least three purposes.</p>
  3899.  
  3900.  
  3901.  
  3902. <ul>
  3903. <li>First, miracles provoke identity questions about Jesus. In Mark 4:35–41, where Jesus calmed the tumultuous waves and wind, the disciples said, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (4:41).</li>
  3904.  
  3905.  
  3906.  
  3907. <li>Second, miracles bear witness to the origin and truthfulness of Jesus’s ministry. They are works that “bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” (John 5:36).</li>
  3908.  
  3909.  
  3910.  
  3911. <li>Third, miracles foreshadow the far-future age of worldwide <em>shalom</em>. God had promised in the Old Testament that his future work in the world would bring transformation and restoration to creation and to his creatures (Isa 35:1–10). Jesus’s miracles were glimpses of the glorious life to come for God’s people and God’s world.</li>
  3912. </ul>
  3913.  
  3914.  
  3915.  
  3916. <p>This third purpose for miracles brings us back to the demons. If it’s true that miracles have some eschatological purpose, then we can make that claim about one kind of miracle; namely, exorcisms. In other words, every exorcism is eschatological. Every exorcism points, like a sign, to the end of all things.</p>
  3917.  
  3918.  
  3919.  
  3920. <p>Miracles foreshadow the way things will be. When Jesus cleanses lepers and tells paralytics to walk, his acts of restoration stir and deepen our hope that all shall be well. When the dead come back to life, we are reminded that one day there shall be no more mourning or death. When the blind see and the deaf hear, we can anticipate the coming age of bodily glorification that will be forever free of any corruption or malady. The earthly miracles of Jesus were temporary, but they were signs nevertheless, real signs to stir real hope for a real future.</p>
  3921.  
  3922.  
  3923.  
  3924. <p>Exorcisms give hope that the God’s image-bearers will be restored, and that the wicked—including rebel spirits—will be judged. This is why exorcisms make demons afraid.</p>
  3925.  
  3926.  
  3927.  
  3928. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-demonic-possession-is-dehumanizing">Demonic possession is dehumanizing</h2>
  3929.  
  3930.  
  3931.  
  3932. <p>Demons hate people. They hate men and women, adults and children, Jews and Gentiles. Looking at accounts of demonic possession and oppression in the Gospels, we could not reasonably conclude otherwise.</p>
  3933.  
  3934.  
  3935.  
  3936. <p>In Mark 1:26, a demonic spirit caused a man in a synagogue to convulse. In Mark 5:1–5, a possessed man lived in a Gentile region and among tombs. He dwelled naked and as an exile from society, crying out night and day as he cut himself with stones (5:5; Luke 8:27). In Mark 9:14–29, a young boy was possessed, and his afflictions included convulsions, rigidity, teeth grinding, and foaming at the mouth. The demon would cast him into both fire and water (9:22).</p>
  3937.  
  3938.  
  3939.  
  3940. <p>Sometimes demonic possession not only involved control of a host’s body, it could also disrupt the host’s bodily senses. A demonic spirit could make a person mute and deaf (Mark 9:17, 25). Possession might also bring unusual ability, such as the incredible strength of the man in Mark 5. The man “had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him” (5:4).</p>
  3941.  
  3942.  
  3943.  
  3944. <p>One of the most upsetting aspects of demonic possession is that human beings no longer behave as they should. The rebel spirits seem to take delight in the slow demise of God’s <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-creation-and-imago-dei/">image-bearers</a>. A father of a possessed boy told Jesus, “It has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him” (Mark 9:22). If the aim of possession is destruction, then the aim of exorcism is the opposite. Deliverance from demons brings restoration. The dehumanizing state of possession is overcome by divine power.</p>
  3945.  
  3946.  
  3947.  
  3948. <p>Consider the example of the man in Mark 5:1–20. He had been living among the tombs as a person of frightening strength and unsound mind. When Jesus delivered the man, the biblical author tells us that word spread, and people showed up.</p>
  3949.  
  3950.  
  3951.  
  3952. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  3953. <p>And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind. (Mark 5:15 ESV)</p>
  3954. </blockquote>
  3955.  
  3956.  
  3957.  
  3958. <p>“Clothed and in his right mind”—this is the picture of a man restored. And it is a sign of what the transforming power of God will do for all his people. He is overcoming what has harmed our humanity. The hope for divine dominion to reverse the curse of sin and death is a hope Jesus inaugurates in miracles like an exorcism. If demons hate humans, they will hate anything that promises good to them.</p>
  3959.  
  3960.  
  3961.  
  3962. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-edition?blog_campaign=free_app&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698233/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Think You Don't Have Time for Deep Bible Study? Think Again. Click to start."/></a>
  3963.  
  3964.  
  3965.  
  3966. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exorcism-is-the-exercise-of-dominion">Exorcism is the exercise of dominion</h2>
  3967.  
  3968.  
  3969.  
  3970. <p>The incarnation of Christ is the bodily presence of the Son of God in a fallen world. And his miracles are an exercise of dominion in it. In the Old Testament, Joshua and the Israelites underwent the conquest of Canaan, subduing cities and kings and idols. In the New Testament, Jesus is a greater Joshua performing a greater conquest. He has not come to subdue Jericho or Ai. He has come to subdue sin and death. He has come to triumph over spiritual powers and principalities. This victory is glimpsed in part through exorcisms.</p>
  3971.  
  3972.  
  3973.  
  3974. <p>When demons possess an image-bearer of God, they are exercising dominion. They have subdued a human being under their control. In Mark 9, where we read about the young boy whom the demon would throw into fire and water, we can recognize that this mistreatment was against the will of the boy and of his helpless father.</p>
  3975.  
  3976.  
  3977.  
  3978. <p>Then Jesus comes onto the scene and gives an order:</p>
  3979.  
  3980.  
  3981.  
  3982. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  3983. <p>You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again. (Mark 9:25 ESV)</p>
  3984. </blockquote>
  3985.  
  3986.  
  3987.  
  3988. <p>The unclean spirit left the boy (9:26), and he rose from the ground in his right mind (9:27). Jesus had exercised dominion over the demon that had subdued the boy. A greater authority was present. A superior power was at play.</p>
  3989.  
  3990.  
  3991.  
  3992. <p>Scribes once accused Jesus of performing exorcisms by evil power, but he disabused them of this foolish notion. If Jesus performed exorcisms by evil power, that would mean Satan was working against Satan, and a house—or a kingdom—divided against itself could not stand (Mark 3:22–26). Exorcisms were the result of Christological dominion over the kingdom of darkness. Jesus was raiding a house of captives.</p>
  3993.  
  3994.  
  3995.  
  3996. <p>Jesus said,</p>
  3997.  
  3998.  
  3999.  
  4000. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  4001. <p>No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. (Mark 3:27 ESV)</p>
  4002. </blockquote>
  4003.  
  4004.  
  4005.  
  4006. <p>An exorcism sets the captive free, and the captor is overcome. The “strong man” is probably a reference to Satan himself, and the “house” is a metaphor for Satan’s dominion over people. Jesus is the stronger man who binds the strong man and releases the possessed.</p>
  4007.  
  4008.  
  4009.  
  4010. <p>The imagery of superior strength is part of the exorcism in Mark 5:1–20. The biblical author tells us that no one could bind the possessed man who lived among the tombs (5:3). The man would break the chains that others placed on him (5:4). Truly, “No one had the strength to subdue him” (5:4)—that is, until Jesus arrived in the country of the Gerasenes.</p>
  4011.  
  4012.  
  4013.  
  4014. <p>Jesus could subdue what no one else could subdue. He could bind what no one else could bind, and he could free what no one else could free. This exercise—or “exorcise”—of dominion signaled the superior authority and power that would one day make all things new, overcome the wicked, and deliver the oppressed. Every exorcism was eschatological. Every exorcism was a sign that pointed to the overthrow of the kingdom of darkness. The demons knew that day was coming.</p>
  4015.  
  4016.  
  4017.  
  4018. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-demonic-systematic-theology">Demonic systematic theology</h2>
  4019.  
  4020.  
  4021.  
  4022. <p>We can infer what demons know because of what they said. And what they know is impressive in the context of Jesus’s contemporaries, who struggled to understand who Jesus was, and who displayed spiritual dullness time and time again.</p>
  4023.  
  4024.  
  4025.  
  4026. <p>In Mark 1:21–28, the scene is a synagogue, and present that day was a demon-possessed man. He cried out to Jesus,</p>
  4027.  
  4028.  
  4029.  
  4030. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  4031. <p>What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God! (Mark 1:24 ESV)</p>
  4032. </blockquote>
  4033.  
  4034.  
  4035.  
  4036. <p>The nature of the language confirms that the unclean spirit is speaking and that this spirit knows at least two theological truths.</p>
  4037.  
  4038.  
  4039.  
  4040. <p>First, the unclean spirit knows the truth of Jesus’s identity. While the demon calls him “Jesus of Nazareth,” his hometown origin is superseded by the next claim, “I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24). Here is an unholy spirit beholding the Holy One himself.</p>
  4041.  
  4042.  
  4043.  
  4044. <p>Second, the demon speaks about judgment—“Have you come to destroy us?” The language of destruction is about future condemnation, and the demon asks Jesus about it.</p>
  4045.  
  4046.  
  4047.  
  4048. <p>Adding another scene for consideration, Mark 5:1–20 is about that possessed man who lived among the tombs. In 5:7, the man cried out with a loud voice to Jesus, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” We can conclude the demon’s understanding of the same two theological truths that were evident in Mark 1. First, the spirit knows Jesus’s identity. He calls Jesus “Son of the Most High God.” Second, the spirit speaks about judgment—“Do not torment me.” Such a plea confirms the authority of Christ to judge demonic powers.</p>
  4049.  
  4050.  
  4051.  
  4052. <p>When we look at the First Gospel’s account of the scene in Mark 5, a little more detail appears in the spirit’s speech in Matthew 8:29: “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” The phrase “before the time” suggests a future judgment. While the exorcism is not equivalent to the final judgment, the exorcism is still eschatological because it is a sign pointing to the final judgment of rebel spirits.</p>
  4053.  
  4054.  
  4055.  
  4056. <p>Demons know who Jesus is: they know that he is their judge. Based on their speech to Jesus in the Gospels, they know they cannot avoid the inevitable condemnation that awaits them.</p>
  4057.  
  4058.  
  4059.  
  4060. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-destiny-of-demons">The destiny of demons</h2>
  4061.  
  4062.  
  4063.  
  4064. <p>When I was growing up, I imagined that hell would be overseen by a gleeful devil and his prancing demons. They would forever rejoice in their accomplishments, and they would seek to torment the wicked who faced such judgment in hell.</p>
  4065.  
  4066.  
  4067.  
  4068. <p>The Bible presents a different picture. In Matthew 25:31–46, Jesus speaks about his <a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-parousia/">Second Coming</a>, a time when he will establish final states for the righteous and the wicked. And when he mentions the wicked departing into judgment, he refers to it as “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41). Jesus’s words mean that the devil and the demons are receiving judgment, not meting it out. Their future is eternal condemnation.</p>
  4069.  
  4070.  
  4071.  
  4072. <p>Turning to the last book of the Bible, and to its final chapters, the apostle John describes for us a vision of the final judgment. In Revelation 20:10, the “devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”</p>
  4073.  
  4074.  
  4075.  
  4076. <p>The devil and his rebel angels will share the same destiny. An exorcism is a downpayment of their damnation. In the Gospel accounts, Jesus casts out demons, and at his return he will condemn them along with Satan to the lake of fire. Every time Jesus said, “Come out of him,” or, “Come out of her,” that rebuke pointed toward the Last Day, the Day on which the risen Christ, by his righteous and supreme authority, will assign the wicked spirits to their allotment of everlasting punishment. And just as in his earthly ministry, they shall not resist his voice. Therefore, their fear is not in vain, for the One who cast them out shall cast them down.</p>
  4077.  
  4078.  
  4079.  
  4080. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-related-articles">Related articles</h3>
  4081.  
  4082.  
  4083.  
  4084. <ul>
  4085. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-parousia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Parousia: What the New Testament Says about the Second Coming</a></li>
  4086.  
  4087.  
  4088.  
  4089. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/where-do-demons-come-from/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Where Do Demons Come From? </a></li>
  4090.  
  4091.  
  4092.  
  4093. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/3-simple-reasons-cant-dismiss-miracles-bible/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miracles in the Bible: 3 Simple Reasons You Can&#8217;t Dismiss Them</a></li>
  4094. </ul>
  4095.  
  4096.  
  4097.  
  4098. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-for-further-reading">For further reading</h3>
  4099.  
  4100.  
  4101.  
  4102.  
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  4233. <item>
  4234. <title>What’s on Kyle Hughes’s Bookshelf? 15 Recommendations</title>
  4235. <link>https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-shelf-kyle-hughes/</link>
  4237. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Logos Staff]]></dc:creator>
  4238. <pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2024 22:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  4239. <category><![CDATA[Featured Resources]]></category>
  4240. <category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
  4241. <category><![CDATA[on the shelf]]></category>
  4242. <category><![CDATA[reading nook]]></category>
  4243. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.logos.com/grow/?p=129707</guid>
  4244.  
  4245. <description><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Five of the books Kyle Hughes named as on his bookshelf" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />Kyle R. Hughes (PhD, Radboud University, Nijmegen) is the author of three books, including How the Spirit Became God: The Mosaic of Early Christian Pneumatology and Teaching for Spiritual Formation: A Patristic Approach to Christian Education in a Convulsed Age, as well as several peer-reviewed journal articles on patristic theology and on Christian education. His current book project, Scripting the Son, explores the intersection of Old Testament interpretation and the development of Christology in the second and third centuries.]]></description>
  4246. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="716" height="376" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-768x403.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Five of the books Kyle Hughes named as on his bookshelf" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-768x403.png 768w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-300x158.png 300w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-620x326.png 620w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-200x105.png 200w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-1536x806.png 1536w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-2048x1075.png 2048w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-716x376.png 716w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-_-Whats-on-Kyle-Hughess-Bookshelf_-820x431.png 820w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" />
  4247. <p><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/author/kylehughes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyle R. Hughes</a> (PhD, <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Radboud University</a>, Nijmegen) is the author of three books, including <em><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/223529/how-the-spirit-became-god-the-mosaic-of-early-christian-pneumatology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How the Spirit Became God: The Mosaic of Early Christian Pneumatology</a></em> and <em><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/219820/teaching-for-spiritual-formation-a-patristic-approach-to-christian-education-in-a-convulsed-age" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Teaching for Spiritual Formation: A Patristic Approach to Christian Education in a Convulsed Age</a></em>, as well as several peer-reviewed journal articles on patristic theology and on Christian education. His current book project, <em>Scripting the Son</em>, explores the intersection of Old Testament interpretation and the development of Christology in the second and third centuries.</p>
  4248.  
  4249.  
  4250.  
  4251. <p>Kyle, his wife Karisa, and their three children live in Powder Springs, Georgia, where he works as lower school principal at <a href="https://www.stonehavenschool.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Stonehaven School</a> in Marietta. He is an ordained deacon in the <a href="http://www.recus.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reformed Episcopal Church</a> (Anglican Church in North America) and is the director of catechesis at <a href="https://www.christthekingatl.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christ the King Anglican Church</a> in Marietta.</p>
  4252.  
  4253.  
  4254.  
  4255. <p>He serves on the board of directors of the <a href="https://webbercenter.tsm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert E. Webber Center for an Ancient Evangelical Future</a> at Trinity School for Ministry, is fellow of pedagogy and church history at the <a href="https://www.bezainstitute.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beza Institute for Reformed Classical Education</a>, is a pastoral fellow at the <a href="https://www.catechesisrenewal.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catechesis Institute</a>, and is a member of the Society of Anglican Theologians. </p>
  4256.  
  4257.  
  4258.  
  4259. <p>You can read more on <a href="https://kylerhughes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">his blog</a> or follow him on X @KyleRHughes10. And now for the good stuff: Kyle&#8217;s top fifteen books.</p>
  4260.  
  4261.  
  4262.  
  4263. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-26 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4264. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4265. <figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/187030/for-the-life-of-the-world"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/9920726/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="For the Life of the World" style="width:200px;height:auto"/></a></figure></div>
  4266.  
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  4268. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-25 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4269. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:100%"></div>
  4270. </div>
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  4274. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4275. </div>
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  4279. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4280. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-for-the-life-of-the-world-by-alexander-schmemann">1. <em>For the Life of the World</em>, by Alexander Schmemann</h2>
  4281.  
  4282.  
  4283.  
  4284. <p>A game changer for understanding the traditional, sacramental worldview of the church, this work is needed more than ever in our secular, disenchanted age.</p>
  4285.  
  4286.  
  4287.  
  4288. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4289.  
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  4292. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4293. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/187030/for-the-life-of-the-world" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4294.  
  4295.  
  4296.  
  4297. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/190821" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4298. </div>
  4299. </div>
  4300. </div>
  4301.  
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  4304. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4305.  
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  4307.  
  4308. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-27 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4309. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4310. <figure class="alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1448445/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The New Testament and the People of God" class="wp-image-129477" style="width:200px;height:auto"/></figure></div></div>
  4311.  
  4312.  
  4313.  
  4314. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4315. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-the-new-testament-and-the-people-of-god-by-n-t-wright">2. <em>The New Testament and the People of God</em>, by N. T. Wright</h2>
  4316.  
  4317.  
  4318.  
  4319. <p>This work provided me with a theoretical foundation for exploring biblical studies through the threefold lens of theology, literature, and history.</p>
  4320.  
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  4322.  
  4323. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
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  4327. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4328. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/8778/the-new-testament-and-the-people-of-god" style="border-radius:3px" rel="">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4329.  
  4330.  
  4331.  
  4332. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/8778" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4333. </div>
  4334. </div>
  4335. </div>
  4336.  
  4337.  
  4338.  
  4339. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4340.  
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  4343. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4344. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4345. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/15827/surprised-by-hope"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11747654/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Surprised by Hope" class="wp-image-129480" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4346.  
  4347.  
  4348.  
  4349. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4350. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-surprised-by-hope-by-n-t-wright">3. <em>Surprised by Hope</em>, by N. T. Wright</h2>
  4351.  
  4352.  
  4353.  
  4354. <p>The book that first challenged my theologically impoverished imagination; it turns out no one had ever taught me about the bodily resurrection in my childhood in the church!</p>
  4355.  
  4356.  
  4357.  
  4358. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4359.  
  4360.  
  4361.  
  4362. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4363. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/15827/surprised-by-hope" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4364.  
  4365.  
  4366.  
  4367. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/15827" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4368. </div>
  4369. </div>
  4370. </div>
  4371.  
  4372.  
  4373.  
  4374. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4375.  
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  4378. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-29 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4379. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4380. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="291" height="445" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/going-to-church-in-medieval-england.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-129730" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/going-to-church-in-medieval-england.jpg 291w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/going-to-church-in-medieval-england-196x300.jpg 196w" sizes="(max-width: 291px) 100vw, 291px" /></figure></div></div>
  4381.  
  4382.  
  4383.  
  4384. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4385. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-going-to-church-in-medieval-england-by-nicholas-orme">4. <em>Going to Church in Medieval England</em>, by Nicholas Orme</h2>
  4386.  
  4387.  
  4388.  
  4389. <p>A fascinating look at the nuts-and-bolts of religious practice in England before and immediately after the Reformation.</p>
  4390.  
  4391.  
  4392.  
  4393. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4394. </div>
  4395. </div>
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  4399. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4400.  
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  4402.  
  4403. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-30 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4404. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4405. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/259537/the-1662-book-of-common-prayer-service-book-international-edition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15223321/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The 1662 Book of Common Prayer" class="wp-image-129505" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4406.  
  4407.  
  4408.  
  4409. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4410. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-the-book-of-common-prayer-1662">5. The Book of Common Prayer (1662)</h2>
  4411.  
  4412.  
  4413.  
  4414. <p>The Anglican classic book of prayer and worship, its liturgies are increasingly finding appeal outside of the Anglican world by those looking for more historical rootedness.</p>
  4415.  
  4416.  
  4417.  
  4418. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
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  4422. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4423. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/259537/the-1662-book-of-common-prayer-service-book-international-edition" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4424.  
  4425.  
  4426.  
  4427. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/402130" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4428. </div>
  4429. </div>
  4430. </div>
  4431.  
  4432.  
  4433.  
  4434. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4435.  
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  4438. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-31 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4439. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4440. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="302" height="466" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/91X2ttSwADL._SY466_.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-129731" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/91X2ttSwADL._SY466_.jpg 302w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/91X2ttSwADL._SY466_-194x300.jpg 194w" sizes="(max-width: 302px) 100vw, 302px" /></figure></div></div>
  4441.  
  4442.  
  4443.  
  4444. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4445. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-the-book-of-common-prayer-a-biography-by-alan-jacobs">6. <em>The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography</em>, by Alan Jacobs</h2>
  4446.  
  4447.  
  4448.  
  4449. <p>This work provides important historical background for understanding the creation and development of the Book of Common Prayer.</p>
  4450. </div>
  4451. </div>
  4452.  
  4453.  
  4454.  
  4455. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4456.  
  4457.  
  4458.  
  4459. <a href="https://www.logos.com/features/print-library-catalog?blog_campaign=l10_print_library&#038;blog_adtype=inline_middle"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/files/63053290/assets/13854120/content.png?signature=iRRCGjVf_08WnCrH7erOkHHl_ck" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: Search Your Print Library from Your Digital Device. Click to learn how."/></a>
  4460.  
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  4463. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4464.  
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  4467. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-32 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4468. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4469. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/156701/the-book-of-pastoral-rule" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/2289173/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="The Book of Pastoral Rule" class="wp-image-129509" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4470.  
  4471.  
  4472.  
  4473. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4474. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-the-book-of-pastoral-rule-by-st-gregory-the-great">7. <em>The Book of Pastoral Rule</em>, by St. Gregory the Great</h2>
  4475.  
  4476.  
  4477.  
  4478. <p>This is an essential guide for spiritual direction, just as relevant now as 1,500 years ago.</p>
  4479.  
  4480.  
  4481.  
  4482. <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4483.  
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  4486. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4487. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/156701/the-book-of-pastoral-rule" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4488.  
  4489.  
  4490.  
  4491. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/158813" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4492. </div>
  4493. </div>
  4494. </div>
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  4498. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
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  4502. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-33 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4503. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4504. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/51462/three-philosophies-of-life" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1423008/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Three Philosophies of Life" class="wp-image-129509" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
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  4508. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4509. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-three-philosophies-of-life-by-peter-kreeft">8. <em>Three Philosophies of Life</em>, by Peter Kreeft</h2>
  4510.  
  4511.  
  4512.  
  4513. <p>A wonderful short guide to the Bible&#8217;s books of wisdom literature: Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs.</p>
  4514.  
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  4517. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
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  4521. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4522. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/51462/three-philosophies-of-life" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4523.  
  4524.  
  4525.  
  4526. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/51716" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4527. </div>
  4528. </div>
  4529. </div>
  4530.  
  4531.  
  4532.  
  4533. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4534.  
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  4537. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-34 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4538. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4539. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/148424/apostle-of-the-crucified-lord-a-theological-introduction-to-paul-and-his-letters-2nd-ed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1420778/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and His Letters" class="wp-image-129511" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4540.  
  4541.  
  4542.  
  4543. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4544. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-apostle-of-the-crucified-lord-a-theological-introduction-to-paul-amp-his-letters-by-michael-j-gorman">9. <em>Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul &amp; His Letters</em>, by Michael J. Gorman</h2>
  4545.  
  4546.  
  4547.  
  4548. <p>My go-to resource for basic overview of Paul and his letters.</p>
  4549.  
  4550.  
  4551.  
  4552. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4553.  
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  4556. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4557. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/148424/apostle-of-the-crucified-lord-a-theological-introduction-to-paul-and-his-letters-2nd-ed" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4558.  
  4559.  
  4560.  
  4561. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/148424" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4562. </div>
  4563. </div>
  4564. </div>
  4565.  
  4566.  
  4567.  
  4568. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4569.  
  4570.  
  4571.  
  4572. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-35 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4573. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4574. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/229469/pierced-by-love-divine-reading-with-the-christian-tradition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/13327018/optimized?share=mJx119hDa9GA5RjF&amp;w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Pierced by Love: Divine Reading with the Christian Tradition" class="wp-image-129512" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4575.  
  4576.  
  4577.  
  4578. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4579. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-pierced-by-love-divine-reading-with-the-christian-tradition-by-hans-boersma">10. <em>Pierced by Love: Divine Reading with the Christian Tradition</em>, by Hans Boersma</h2>
  4580.  
  4581.  
  4582.  
  4583. <p>A beautiful book that challenges us to read Scripture according to the ancient practice of <em><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/logos-spiritual-formation-lectio-divina-workflow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lectio divina</a></em>.</p>
  4584.  
  4585.  
  4586.  
  4587. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4588.  
  4589.  
  4590.  
  4591. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4592. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/229469/pierced-by-love-divine-reading-with-the-christian-tradition" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4593.  
  4594.  
  4595.  
  4596. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/192881" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4597. </div>
  4598. </div>
  4599. </div>
  4600.  
  4601.  
  4602.  
  4603. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4604.  
  4605.  
  4606.  
  4607. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-36 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4608. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4609. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/138325/salvation-by-allegiance-alone-rethinking-faith-works-and-the-gospel-of-jesus-the-king" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/1332128/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Salvation by Allegiance Alone: Rethinking Faith, Works, and the Gospel of Jesus the King" class="wp-image-129513" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4610.  
  4611.  
  4612.  
  4613. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4614. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-11-salvation-by-allegiance-alone-rethinking-faith-works-and-the-gospel-of-jesus-the-king-by-matthew-w-bates">11. <em>Salvation by Allegiance Alone: Rethinking Faith, Works, and the Gospel of Jesus the King</em>, by Matthew W. Bates</h2>
  4615.  
  4616.  
  4617.  
  4618. <p>A challenging and provocative word to much of the evangelical church.</p>
  4619.  
  4620.  
  4621.  
  4622. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4623.  
  4624.  
  4625.  
  4626. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4627. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/138325/salvation-by-allegiance-alone-rethinking-faith-works-and-the-gospel-of-jesus-the-king" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4628.  
  4629.  
  4630.  
  4631. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/139047" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4632. </div>
  4633. </div>
  4634. </div>
  4635.  
  4636.  
  4637.  
  4638. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4639.  
  4640.  
  4641.  
  4642. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-37 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4643. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4644. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="311" height="466" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/81dbn9pPl0L._SY466_.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-129732" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/81dbn9pPl0L._SY466_.jpg 311w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/81dbn9pPl0L._SY466_-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 311px) 100vw, 311px" /></figure></div></div>
  4645.  
  4646.  
  4647.  
  4648. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4649. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-12-seeking-god-the-way-of-st-benedict-by-esther-de-waal">12. <em>Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict</em>, by Esther de Waal</h2>
  4650.  
  4651.  
  4652.  
  4653. <p>A thoughtful and applicable commentary on Benedictine theology for Christians today.</p>
  4654. </div>
  4655. </div>
  4656.  
  4657.  
  4658.  
  4659. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4660.  
  4661.  
  4662.  
  4663. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-38 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4664. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4665. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="305" height="466" src="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/A1KsG2BWyvL._SY466_.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-129733" style="width:200px" srcset="https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/A1KsG2BWyvL._SY466_.jpg 305w, https://www.logos.com/grow/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/A1KsG2BWyvL._SY466_-196x300.jpg 196w" sizes="(max-width: 305px) 100vw, 305px" /></figure></div></div>
  4666.  
  4667.  
  4668.  
  4669. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4670. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-13-christianity-s-dangerous-idea-the-protestant-revolution-by-alister-mcgrath">13. <em>Christianity&#8217;s Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution</em>, by Alister McGrath</h2>
  4671.  
  4672.  
  4673.  
  4674. <p>Hands-down my favorite book on the Protestant Reformation and its unforeseen consequences.</p>
  4675. </div>
  4676. </div>
  4677.  
  4678.  
  4679.  
  4680. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4681.  
  4682.  
  4683.  
  4684. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-39 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4685. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4686. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/200724/sanctified-vision-an-introduction-to-early-christian-interpretation-of-the-bible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15740297/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="Sanctified Vision: An Introduction to Early Christian Interpretation of the Bible" class="wp-image-129513" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4687.  
  4688.  
  4689.  
  4690. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4691. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-14-sanctified-vision-an-introduction-to-early-christian-interpretation-of-the-bible-by-john-j-o-keefe-and-r-r-reno">14. <em>Sanctified Vision: An Introduction to Early Christian Interpretation of the Bible</em>, by John J. O&#8217;Keefe and R. R. Reno</h2>
  4692.  
  4693.  
  4694.  
  4695. <p>The book that helped me first fall in love with and actually understand the Church Fathers&#8217; reading of Scripture.</p>
  4696.  
  4697.  
  4698.  
  4699. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4700.  
  4701.  
  4702.  
  4703. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4704. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/200724/sanctified-vision-an-introduction-to-early-christian-interpretation-of-the-bible" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4705.  
  4706.  
  4707.  
  4708. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/307106" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4709. </div>
  4710. </div>
  4711. </div>
  4712.  
  4713.  
  4714.  
  4715. <div style="height:40px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4716.  
  4717.  
  4718.  
  4719. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-40 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  4720. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  4721. <figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/208571/on-christian-teaching-practicing-faith-in-the-classroom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/11889023/optimized?w=250&amp;m=limit&amp;h=254" alt="On Christian Teaching: Practicing Faith in the Classroom" class="wp-image-129513" style="width:200px"/></a></figure></div></div>
  4722.  
  4723.  
  4724.  
  4725. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
  4726. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-15-on-christian-teaching-practicing-faith-in-the-classroom-by-david-i-smith">15. <em>On Christian Teaching: Practicing Faith in the Classroom</em>, by David I. Smith</h2>
  4727.  
  4728.  
  4729.  
  4730. <p>A wonderful, practical guide to Christian education that was influential in my own <em><a href="https://www.logos.com/product/219820/teaching-for-spiritual-formation-a-patristic-approach-to-christian-education-in-a-convulsed-age">Teaching for Spiritual Formation</a></em>.</p>
  4731.  
  4732.  
  4733.  
  4734. <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
  4735.  
  4736.  
  4737.  
  4738. <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
  4739. <div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-acc-color has-opinion-bg-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/product/208571/on-christian-teaching-practicing-faith-in-the-classroom" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VIEW RESOURCE</a></div>
  4740.  
  4741.  
  4742.  
  4743. <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-opinion-bg-color has-opinion-acc-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://www.logos.com/buy/319502" style="border-radius:3px" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADD TO CART</a></div>
  4744. </div>
  4745. </div>
  4746. </div>
  4747.  
  4748.  
  4749.  
  4750. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-miss-these-other-book-recommendations">Don&#8217;t miss these other book recommendations</h3>
  4751.  
  4752.  
  4753.  
  4754. <ul>
  4755. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/hot-takes-on-top-commentary-sets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hot Takes on Top Commentary Sets in Logos</a></li>
  4756.  
  4757.  
  4758.  
  4759. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/anglican-books/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 Anglican Books You Should Know</a></li>
  4760.  
  4761.  
  4762.  
  4763. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/42-best-selling-books-by-for-pentecostals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">42 Best-Selling Books by &amp; for Pentecostals</a></li>
  4764.  
  4765.  
  4766.  
  4767. <li><a href="https://www.logos.com/grow/best-books-baptist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">40 Best-Selling Books for Baptists</a></li>
  4768. </ul>
  4769.  
  4770.  
  4771.  
  4772. <a href="https://www.logos.com/free-book?blog_campaign=free_book&#038;blog_adtype=inline_bottom"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://files.logoscdn.com/v1/assets/15698232/optimized" width="1200" height="300" alt="Ad: This Month's Free Book Is Yours for the Reading. Click to get it now."/></a>
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