The church in Thessalonica was established on Paul's second missionary journey (Acts 17:1ff). After he left the region, he received a report regarding the congregation in Thessalonica, containing b...

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 impressi...

This is Paul's first letter to his convert, Timothy, who was from the city of Lystra (Acts 16:1). It appears to have been written after Paul's release from his initial Roman imprisonment (Acts 28)....

This is Paul's last letter before his execution. It was written during his final Roman imprisonment. The epistle summons Timothy to Paul's side. It is intended to help Timothy understand the events...

In the N.T. (cf. Heb. 7:6, 9), this term derives from the Greek, dekatos, meaning "tenth." (a) In the Patriarchal period of history, it appears to have been the practice that godly men gave a tenth...

Titus was a Gentile co-worker of Paul's whom the apostle had left on the island of Crete to "set in order" certain matters and to work toward the ordination of elders within the local congregations...

The term "tradition" renders a Greek word that suggests the idea of "instruction that has been handed down." It takes on two senses in Scripture. (a) "Tradition" may be instruction that is divinely...

"Translation" is the process of bringing the message of the Scriptures from the original languages -- Hebrew, Aramaic (O.T.), and Greek (N.T.) -- into the various languages and dialects of the nati...

This word signifies "change in substance," and it reflects the Roman Catholic doctrine that in the communion service, when the priest pronounces the words, "this is my body" and "this is my blood,"...

The term "truth" carries several connotations in the Bible. (a) Truth can convey the idea of loyalty. Those who abide in Jesus' teaching are "truly" his disciples (Jn. 8:31). (b) True may denote th...

A "type" (tupos) is a prophetic, pictorial preview, which finds its fulfillment in an "antitype." Types are grounded in historical events, but they are symbolic in import. These forms of figurative...

Some religions are based upon philosophical premises that are embraced emotionally, apart from intellectual substance. That is not the case with Christianity. Christianity is grounded in history, a...

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....

"Extreme Unction" is one of the so-called "sacraments" of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the action of a priest in applying oil to someone who is at the point of death. The priest reads prayers a...

Two principal Greek words are employed in the N.T. to represent the idea of "fighting" and "war." Polemeo (18 times) means to "fight" or "make war." Strateuomai (7 times) is to "carry out a militar...

A number of terms, both in the O.T. and the N.T., suggest the idea of a "path" or "way" of travel. The words come to be employed of a "course of conduct," whether for good (Ex. 18:20; 32:8; Dt. 31:...

Jesus once prayed that the "will" of God might be done on earth, just as it is in heaven (Mt. 6:10). Jehovah's will is that which is best for humanity, and which he requires that we implement in ou...

A number of 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 N.T. is oinos (33 times). (...

Woman was fashioned from flesh and bone taken from the side of man (Gen. 2:21-24). Male and female qualities were designed by God (Mt. 19:4); these characteristics are not accidental developments o...

The term "works" is a perfectly noble word; yet, in the minds of some, there is a distorted view of this biblical term. Especially has the Protestant world reacted negatively to Catholicism's "work...