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The first three Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are called SYNOPTICS (see), because they present the life of Christ from roughly the same vantage point. John's account is different. His record is not addressed to any particular segment of society. Rather, it is cosmopolitan in nature. J...
John's second epistle is a word of commendation for a certain "elect lady" and her children. Further, it issues strong warnings against those who go beyond the teaching of Christ and cautions against giving endorsement (via hospitality) to those who undermine the doctrine of the Lord.
This expression is found only one time in the N.T. While on the island of Patmos, the apostle John was "in the spirit on the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10). But the adjective, kuriakos, "the Lord's," is also used of the communion supper (1 Cor. 11:20). The term means "belonging to the Lord." The writers...
This book is an appeal to a godly Christian named Gaius, so that this brother might assist certain workers who were laboring on behalf of the Lord. Additionally, it conveys a strong warning concerning a "church bully" named Diotrephes who sought to glorify himself. John promises to deal with this...
The Greek term antikristos is found five times in the New Testament -- all references being in John's writings (1 Jn. 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 Jn. 7). The meaning is "against Christ." John warns that many (1 Jn. 2:18; 2 Jn. 2:7) of these false teachers existed in his day (see "even now" -- 1 Jn. 2:18; 4:...
Biblical chronology has to do with the relationship of the events recorded in Scripture to specific dates. Some events are a bit ambiguous in terms of date. Others are more precise. While the Bible does not provide a precise date for the world's creation, two things are clear. • Human history ext...
The English "angel" is an anglicized form of the Greekaggelos(pronounced angelos). The term signifies a "messenger." The wordAggelosis used in several ways in the Scriptures. • It commonly denotes a heavenly order of created beings (Psa. 148:2, 5), who are by nature "spirit beings." These creatur...
Logos is the term used in the Gospel of John to describe the preincarnate Christ. "In the beginning was the Word [logos] and the Word [logos] became flesh" (Jn. 1:1, 14). Though the term logos was used profusely in classical Greek in a variety mystical ways, there is no evidence whatever that Joh...
This is one of the titles of a church official who oversees a local congregation of Christ's church in the company of fellow bishops (always a plurality of men). "Bishop" translates the Greek term episcopos, literally "oversee." The bishop is the same as an elder (presbuteros -- older man; see Ac...
John's first epistle is a defense against the "gnostic" doctrine that alleged that Jesus Christ was not a real, flesh-and-blood human being. This sect claimed a special "knowledge" received directly from God. Contrary to this false claim, it is the Christian who can "know" (some thirty-five times...
The imagery of a "lamb" is taken from the Old Testament to convey certain thoughts about the Messiah. John the Baptizer introduced Jesus as the "lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The Passover lamb of the Old Testament was clearly a "type" (see) of Christ (1 Corinthians...
This is the erroneous theory that a vast span of time (billions of years) transpired between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Allegedly, during this period, large creatures roamed the earth (e.g., dinosaurs), and a satanic rebellion occurred among a pre-Adamic human race. This revolt precipitated massive des...
God is often referred to as a "Father" (107 times in the Gospel of John alone). The Scriptures use the term in several ways: God is the Father of all men in the sense that he is the Creator of humanity (cf. Mal. 2:10; Ezek. 18:4; Lk. 3:38; Acts 17:28). He is the Father of Jesus Christ (Mt. 3:17; ...
This historical book covers a period of about 126 years -- from the death of David, Israel's great king, to the death of Jehoshaphat, one of Judah's rulers. It embraces the reign of Solomon, the tragic division of the people in the reign of Jeroboam (who led Israel into idolatry), and the conflic...
This book aims to re-acquaint the Jews who had been released from Babylonian captivity with the history of David's administration, which lasted about forty years. The book focuses on the temple and priesthood during David's dynasty.
The doctrine of hereditary total depravity is also known as "original sin" in Roman Catholicism. This concept asserts that all children come into the world with both the effects and guilt of Adam's original sin. By "heredity," therefore, they are totally (completely) depraved (evil). Proponents o...
The Hebrew term yom, with its Greek equivalent, hemera, typically signifies a unit of time determined by the full rotation of the Earth upon its axis. That is its meaning in Genesis 1, concerning the "days" of the creation week. Exodus 20:11 makes this clear, as its meaning is the same as the Sab...
The apostle John affirms that Jesus functions as an "Advocate" on behalf of his people (1 John 2:1). The Greek word for advocate is parakletos, literally suggesting "to call to one's side." The term denotes "one who appears on behalf of another." While Satan is the adversary who is ever ready to ...
This final book of the New Testament is a fitting conclusion to the sacred canon. It was written by John while exiled on the island of Patmos and is directed primarily to seven congregations in Asia Minor. Of course, the principles of John's visions and the unfolding themes give hope and comfort ...
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, immoral, and inactive. There was corruption among the priests and among the people. Though the templ...