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On the night before his death, during the Passover celebration, Jesus instituted the communion supper for his disciples (Mt. 26:26ff; Mk. 14:22ff; Lk. 22:19ff; cf. 1 Cor. 11:23ff). The Lord's Supper consisted of two elements: bread and fruit of the vine. The term "breaking bread" was a commonly u...
The word "dogma" is not found in the English Bible, but it is in the Greek New Testament. • In classical Greek, the term had a range of meanings from opinion to a legal edict. Luke refers to a census "decree" that Augustus sent forth (2:1). This was dogma with the force of law. See also the accus...
Gambling may be defined as the willingness to take a risk (a wager) motivated by the desire to get something for nothing. Gambling, an ancient vice condemned in virtually all societies, is driven by the desire for gain, a lust for excitement, and a passion for combativeness. To express the matter...
The name "Jesus" means "savior." "Christ" means "anointed." These names suggest that this noble person was "anointed" of God (Acts 10:38) to be prophet, priest, and king, and indeed, the Savior of the world (Matthew 1:21). The following facts about Jesus are paramount: • He existed eternally as t...
Sanctified suggests "having been separated from (something), set apart." The term is used in a variety of ways in the Bible. (a) Both God the Father and Christ the Son are to be sanctified (Num. 20:12; 27:14; 1 Pet. 3:15), which means they are to be set apart as unique and authoritative Sovereign...
A significant portion of the Old Testament record embodies the law of Moses. Some basic facts relative to that system must be understood. (a) It was given by God, and ordained by angels; it came through Moses as a mediator (Gal. 3:19). (b) It was given at Sinai (cir. 1500 B.C.), and was terminate...
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...
Several Hebrew words are rendered by the English "wine," the most common of which are yayin (134 times) and tirosh (33 times). The basic term for "wine" in the Greek New Testament is oinos (33 times). In both Hebrew and Greek, wine is a generic term for the liquid produced from squeezed grapes. S...
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...
The Bible affirms God's omniscience (i.e., that he knows everything—past, present, and future; cf. 1 Sam. 16:7; Psa. 139; Is. 40:13ff; Acts 1:24; Heb. 4:13). One aspect of divine omniscience is "foreknowledge" (prognosis -- knowing beforehand). This divine attribute is affirmed of God in Acts 2:2...