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Before Jesus was born, the angel informed Mary: "the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God" (Lk. 1:35). The descriptive reveals something of the unique essence of Christ. The phrase "son of" is sometimes employed in the Scriptures to depict the nature of someone (cf. Mk. 3:1...
This word is related to a Greek verb, apostello, meaning "to send away, to send forth." It is used in several senses in the New Testament. • Christ was God's "apostle," sent from heaven to reveal the divine will and to provide atonement for sin (Heb. 3:1). • The term "apostle" is used for a selec...
The Greek term presbuteros is rendered "elder." It can refer simply to an older person (cf. Acts 2:17; Heb. 11:2) or take on a technical sense—an officer in the church, equivalent to a bishop or pastor. See BISHOP.
This theory attempts to reconcile the six days of creation activity (Gen. 1) with the billions of years required by evolutionary chronology. However, there is overwhelming evidence that the "days" in Genesis 1 are ordinary solar days. Moses, who wrote the entire Pentateuch, viewed the creation da...
During his earthly ministry, Jesus promised that, following his death and ascension back to heaven, he would "come again" eventually (Jn. 14:3; cf. Mt. 24:37ff; 25:31ff). When he left the earth, angels vowed he would return again (Acts 1:10-11). The doctrine of the second coming was steadfastly p...
"Fellowship" translates the Greek koinonia, meaning "participation, association, sharing." Fellowship exists on two levels -- the vertical (the Christian's relationship with God) and the horizontal (the sharing among children of God). The Bible emphasizes the wonderful "communion" that Christians...
"Christian" is the name given to the disciples of Christ in Antioch of Syria following the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 11:26). The verb chrematizo ("called") in this passage suggests a divinely given name. Some think that "called" may also be a technical term that hints th...
The Christian commitment is biblically designated as a "calling." The divine calling (Eph. 4:1) is not a direct communication from God or his Holy Spirit, as some today allege. No one on earth knows anything about Jesus Christ and his way of redemption except what they have learned either directl...
Amos was a prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel in those days before the fall of Samaria, the capital city (722/21 B.C.). He cries out against the idolatry and wickedness of his people. He warns of a judgment coming upon Israel and certain pagan peoples. He also provides a prophetic preview ...
A word that denotes the commencement of anything with a point of origin. The "heavens and the earth" had a beginning (Gen. 1:1); hence, they are not eternal. Material origins must be explained supernaturally since there is no known naturalistic explanation. When the Universe experienced its begin...
Paul's second letter to the saints in Thessalonica was written not long after the first one, while the apostle was still at Corinth (Acts 18:11). This epistle seeks to correct an erroneous impression entertained by some at Thessalonica that the Lord's return was imminent. Paul cautions that the s...
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...
A priest is one who offers sacrifice and ministers in services pertaining thereto (cf. Heb. 5:1). This term implies recognition of sin and the need for atonement, in some fashion or another. (a) The term is used of pagan priests who sacrificed to false gods (Acts 14:13). (b) In the earliest age o...
From the Greek word eschatos ("last") comes "eschatology," a study of "last things" (e.g., the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment day, the end of the world, heaven, and hell). Eschatology has to do with the consummation of God's redemptive scheme. The following el...
The title "Christ" was applied to Jesus of Nazareth because he fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah. The prophets previewed Jesus as the Messiah (Psa. 2:1ff; Dan. 9:25-27). He affirmed that he was the promised Christ (Jn. 4:25-26; Mk. 14:61-62). Because of his miracles and ...
"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...
"Communion" is a term applied to the Lord's Supper because of its usage in 1 Corinthians 10:16. This act of worship emphasizes the fellowship (koinonia — sharing, participation) we enjoy with Christ when we partake of the sacred elements (cf. "with you" in Mt. 26:29). The communion involves two e...