Jesus once declared that he came to this earth to give up his life as a “ransom” for others (cf. Mt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45). The term for “ransom” is lutron. Lutron derives from luo, “to loose,” and whe...

In the first century, it was the Jewish custom to recline at the table during meals. Thus, the saying, “recline in the bosom,” signified a place of honor near the host. The apostle John enjoyed suc...

The expression “Great Commission” is commonly used to refer to a special directive Christ gave in a post-resurrection appearance before he ascended back into heaven. 

The “commission” is found in ...

Expediency is sometimes defined as the method by which a determined goal is achieved, regardless of the moral consequences. This is not the biblical concept of expediency.

In Bible parlance, a me...

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 ...

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 Suppe...

Adultery is sexual intimacy between a married person and someone other than their lawful mate. The act begins in the mind (Mt. 5:28; Mk. 7:21) and ultimately manifests in physical union (cf. Jn. 8:...

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,...

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...

The Greek word paradeisos derives from the Persian term pairidaeza, which meant an enclosure, a royal park, a garden with a wall. In the Greek Old Testament (LXX) the term is employed of the Garden...

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 ...

Does the Bible teach that there are different roles for men and women in the scheme of God’s plan for the church?

There are those in the body of Christ who are clamoring that women must throw off the yoke of male domination and claim their rightful place in the Lord’s kingdom.

Jude, a brother of James and a half-brother of Jesus (1:1; Matthew 13:55), is the author of this general epistle. As he began a letter about the “common salvation,” he felt compelled to issue a war...

The act of “laying on of hands” served several functions in the N.T. (a) Some parents brought their children that Jesus might lay his hands upon them (Mt. 19:13). This involved no magical ritual; r...

Paul commended Timothy for making “the good confession” before many witnesses (1 Tim. 6:12). 
The word “confession” comes from the Greek homologia, which means “to say the same thing.” It implies a...

Contrary to the denominational claim that infants are born in sin, the Bible teaches otherwise.

• Children do not inherit evil from their parents (Ezekiel 18:20).
• The practice of sin begins in...

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 know...

Blood is a prominent theme in the Bible.

Because blood is the life stream of a person (Lev. 17:11), it becomes the biblical representation of life. Because of sin, man has forfeited the right to ...

The most popular Greek word for “authority” is exousia (sometimes translated as “power”). The term, with various usages, is found 102 times in the New Testament. The word, together with some parall...