50 results
Let us first address whether or not the content of Job is historically authentic. First, Job reads like history. It tells of events that happened to a man named Job. He lived in the land of Uz. It details his family, his life, and his suffering. It also conveys his friends’ interest in his suffer...
The term "condemned" in Galatians 2:11 is a point of controversy among some commentators. As with many biblical texts, it is important to understand what is happening in the passage and the circumstances that prompted the author to write. The larger context in which the controversial term is foun...
My first impression is that such a suggestion reflects the disposition of a carnal mind that is seeking justification for worldliness! I must observe, however, that such a view of this passage is not uncommon, even among Bible commentators. For example, C. H. Waller wrote: "From this it is clear ...
As a general rule, we refrain from commenting on specific problems congregations or individuals may be having. Regardless, I must say that an individual who teaches what this question represents is incorrect in their views regarding Christ and the Holy Spirit. Let us consider each of the proposit...
There are conflicting data. We offer the following for your consideration: In his book The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim estimates that the population of Jerusalem in the New Testament era was approximately 250,000. He stated that the population swelled enormously during f...
Many sincere Bible students frequently misunderstand this passage. It is also a source of some division. Let's explore the meaning. Walking in the Light First, 1 John 1:7 teaches that we have ongoing forgiveness only so long as we "walk in the light." Part of that "light" shows that we petition G...
The inspired passage poses this question: “Are they [angels] not ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?” There are several points worthy of note here. First, as the question is framed in the Greek New Testament, there is the use of the neg...
Fasting, in the biblical sense, is the abstaining from food and drink for a spiritual reason.. In the Old Testament era, the Jews fasted frequently, though only one fast was prescribed by the law. Once each year on the Day of Atonement, the Hebrews were to afflict their souls (Lev. 16:31), which ...
There are three important reasons this language does not mean Jesus was raised from the grave on Saturday. Compare the Witness Testimony The first thing we need to do is compare the Gospel accounts. When we do, we find that the other Gospel accounts clearly show that this visit occurred on the fi...
Our modern word “coast” means “land alongside the sea; seashore.” However, in the seventeenth century, when the King James Version of the Bible was translated (from which the above translations were taken), the term “coasts” signified “the frontier or borderland of a country.” That English term h...
There are two views concerning the meaning of the phrase "new heavens and new earth." Since they represent opposing viewpoints, one of them must be false. The phrase indicates that heaven could be a new, literal, physical Earth or simply a figurative way of referring to heaven itself. The Premill...
Could anxiety be sinful? Yes, if we accept the testimony of Jesus and respect Paul's apostolic command. But the Bible certainly acknowledges that life’s complications can be depressing. The words "depressing" and "depressed" are flexible in their meaning and cover a broad spectrum of mental state...
As is often the case, our Bible questions touch on some important fundamental issues: • What actually constitutes marriage in God's eyes? • What role does civil authority play? Let's examine what Scripture reveals. What Makes a Marriage Valid Before God? God's foundational design for marriage can...
In the King James Version of the Bible, Isaiah 14:12 reads: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” The term "Lucifer" was adopted by the King James Version translators from Jerome's Latin Vulgate editi...
Before analyzing Proverbs 14:4, it's important to note that, contrary to popular belief, the Bible aims to guide us in every aspect of life. It does not divide life into secular and religious spheres. Instead, God has given us principles for righteous living in all areas (1 Peter 1:3). That impor...
Since the New Testament does not address this concern specifically, one must draw a reasonable conclusion from the available evidence. My personal view is that, in the circumstances you describe, an adult son's defection does not necessarily disqualify the brother from serving as an elder. My rea...
There are those known as “conditionalists” who argue for the eventual annihilation of the wicked. The gentleman asking this question does not appear to be in this category, but he repeats a charge familiar to their theology. Conditionalists frequently suggest that Bible students believing in the ...
Though the Genesis narrative gives no explicit reason why God rejected Cain's offering, the cumulative evidence suggests that Cain's transgression was more than simply offering an inferior gift. Abel's Gift Was More Excellent While the adjective pleion (rendered "more excellent") basically means ...
I believe the brother is mistaken in his view. Several things should be noted. First, it should be understood that Matthew's record is a very abbreviated account of John's ongoing ministry. Vast multitudes were pursuing John as he preached in "the wilderness of Judaea" (3:1, 5). The verb "went ou...
One of the most difficult tasks for the Bible student is attempting to discuss the attributes of God with great precision. The divine qualities are so infinite, and our minds so finite, that we scarcely can fathom the Creator's marvelous features. In attempting to accommodate our limited scope of...