The third book of the N.T., the Gospel of Luke, was intended as a defense of the historical data regarding Jesus -- especially on behalf of the Greeks. Authored by Luke, a Gentile physician (Col. 4...

Roman numeral; seventy. Common abbreviation for the Greek Version of the O.T. (third century B.C.). See SEPTUAGINT.

Malachi is the last prophet of the O.T. record. In the final era of O.T. history (mid to late fifth century B.C.), the people of God fell into a state of spiritual lethargy. They were insensitive, ...

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 fo...

Mark's account of the life of Christ begins with the Savior's baptism. It is primarily directed to the Romans, one of the major cultures of the first century. It is designed to emphasize the action...

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 unde...

Mary was a Hebrew maiden who was chosen to be the mother of Jesus Christ. Her miraculous conception was prophesied in the O.T. (Isa. 7:14). Mary was certainly worthy of honor as a godly Jewish woma...

"Materialism" is commonly used in two different senses. (a) Philosophical materialism is the idea that nothing exists except that which is material in nature (i.e., composed of matter). There is, t...

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...

A "mediator" is a "go-between" (from mesos, "middle" and eimi "to go"). Ideally, the role of a mediator is to work for the reconciliation of parties that have become estranged. (a) Moses was a medi...

The word "Messiah" is of O.T. origin. It derives from a Hebrew term meaning to "anoint." It becomes a special title that applies to Jesus of Nazareth. See: ANOINT, CHRIST.

Micah lived south of Jerusalem during the reigns of Jothan, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (cir. 749-697 B.C.). He was a contemporary of both Hosea and Isaiah. Micah's mission was to rebuke the sins of both Is...

The term "millennium" signifies a period of 1,000 years. It is a common belief among many who are identified with "Christendom" that Jesus Christ will return to this earth to set up his kingdom in ...

There are three basic words in the Greek N.T. that convey the idea of "ministering" in one way or another. (a) Diakonos, occurs about thirty times in the N.T. Generally it simply means "to serve." ...

Three Greek terms in the N.T. reflect the idea of a "miracle," and there are three contexts in which all three terms are found together (Acts 2:22; 2 Thes. 2:9; Heb. 2:4). The Greek terms are as fo...

See TALMUD.

Under the preaching of Jonah, the wicked city of Nineveh had repented (Jon. 3:10; Mt. 12:40-41), and God had suspended the punishment of which he had warned those people. Eventually, though, they s...

The Greek term onoma takes on a very important place in the N.T. (a) Sometimes, by a figure known a metonymy, the name stands for the person himself. To trust in the Lord's name is to trust the Lor...

This book contains the inspired record of Israel's final return from the Babylonian captivity. The leader of the trek was Nehemiah, who brought the Hebrews back in 444 B.C. It is the story of the r...

This expression takes its rise from the language employed by Christ in his conversation with Nicodemus (Jn. 3:1ff). The facts regarding the "new birth" are these. (a) It is an absolutely essential ...