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Paul wrote this epistle to a church he had established on his second missionary campaign (Acts 18:1-11). It deals with problems within that local congregation, such as division (1:10ff), carnality (3:1ff), immorality (5:1ff), and litigation (6:1ff). It also responds to a series of questions sent ...
This is the title of a sovereign who exercises regal authority over a certain territory. The term is used in the following senses in Scripture. (a) Jehovah God is king over the entire earth (1 Sam. 12:12; Mt. 22:7; 1 Tim. 6:16). (b) The title is sometimes used of the political rule of certain ear...
The Greek term antikristos is found five times in the New Testament -- all references being in John's writings (1 Jn. 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 Jn. 7). The meaning is "against Christ." John warns that many (1 Jn. 2:18; 2 Jn. 2:7) of these false teachers existed in his day (see "even now" -- 1 Jn. 2:18; 4:...
This word derives from a Latin term meaning "unmarried." In the divine scheme of things, the ideal is for human beings to marry (Gen. 2:18; 1 Tim. 5:14). Sometimes, however, it is not advisable to marry. One such time would be during severe persecution (1 Cor. 7:26, 35, 40). Even then, however, m...
The text of the Bible consists of three languages. (a) The O.T. was composed principally in Hebrew. This Semitic tongue was well adapted to emotional, poetic, and religious expression. It was ideal for the revelation of divine religion in the early days of man's history. (b) Some portions of the ...
Marriage is a covenant between a man and woman, whereby they pledge to belong to one another in a life-long union. There are several elements relative to this institution that are important to understand. (a) The origin of marriage is divine, commencing from the sixth day of the creation week (Ge...
Jesus once prayed that God's will might be done on earth, just as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Jehovah's will is what is best for humanity and what he requires us to implement in our lives. The Lord has the right to exert his will because of who he is (deity), and he can impose it in any way c...
The New Testament uses two principal Greek words to represent the idea of "fighting" and "war." Polemeo (18 times) means to "fight" or "make war." Strateuomai (7 times) means to "carry out a military engagement, to be a soldier." The Scriptures use war in both literal and figurative senses. Physi...
The term "body" is used in Scripture in both literal and figurative sense. Literal user of the body In a literal sense, the term "body" in Scripture refers to the physical "tabernacle" in which the spirit of man dwells (2 Cor. 5:1ff). This human body was fashioned on the sixth day of the creation...
The Greek term porne is a comprehensive term, covering every form of illicit sexual activity by human beings. Note the following passages that help us understand this word. Single people who wish to satisfy their sexual appetites may marry. Otherwise, such activity is "fornication" (1 Cor. 7:2). ...
The Scriptures emphatically teach that the Second Person of the Godhead, the Word (Jn. 1:1), actually became a flesh and blood human being (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 2:14). One partakes of the spirit of antichrist who denies such (2 Jn. 7). See ANTICHRIST. The humanity of Jesus was essential in order that h...
The common word for "walk" in the New Testament is peripateo. It means to walk around or, in a figurative sense, "to conduct oneself" in a certain way. It was the common Jewish idiom for how one lived one's life. How one walks is addressed both negatively and positively in the Scriptures. We are ...
"Predestination" is the idea that God determined something beforehand. The noun itself does not appear in the Bible, but the verb behind it does. The Greek term is proorizo (pro — "before" and horizo — "to mark out, to set a boundary"). It is found six times in the New Testament (Acts 4:28; Roman...
The Greek term for "man" is anthropos. Plato suggested that the word reflects the idea of an "upward looking" one, hinting, perhaps, that man finds no rest upon this planet. He is ever searching for his Maker. The term "man" is used generically -- for human kind. "Let us make man in our image mal...
This is an expression used frequently in the Old Testament to describe those who forsook their loyalty to God and began to serve Satan again. No fewer than thirteen times, the prophet Jeremiah rebuked ancient Israel for her backsliding ways (Jer. 2:19; 3:6; cf. Hos. 4:16 KJV; 11:7). It is useless...
The book of Matthew is especially directed to Jews (hence, the heavy appeal to the O.T.). It is designed to demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies of the O.T. The apostle cites nearly forty O.T. predictions that were fulfilled by Jesus. He emphasizes th...
The expression "Son of Man" is found mostly in the Gospel accounts (some 80 times) -- especially the Synoptics (see) -- and it is the term Christ used more than any other to designate himself. In fact, only he uses it of himself. The word is a Messianic title with roots in the O.T. (cf. Dan. 7:13...
The false idea that all men will be saved ultimately is called "universalism." (a) Universalism is illogical; it suggests that man's use of his power of choice -- for good or evil -- is irrelevant. He will be saved no matter what his choices are. (b) It is a reflection upon the justice of God. It...
A type (tupos) is a prophetic, pictorial preview that finds its fulfillment in an antitype. Types are grounded in historical events, but they are symbolic in import. These forms of figurative prophecy are found in the Old Testament, and they point to Christ and his new covenant regime. Some examp...
Prayer is a mode of communication between a human being and deity. Prayer is almost a human "instinct," reflecting man's innate need for contact with his Maker (Acts 17:27). It has been said that when one realizes that he is "lost," he cannot help praying. While that may well be true, the Bible p...