I got this email today. Maybe you saw it. Maybe not. So, I thought it would be a good thing to let everyone know. If there are readers in the Spokane area, Melanie is going by bus to Spokane at the end of the month. If someone in that area knows of work or a…
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10 Persecuted – Matthew writes with Hebrew idioms, not Greek concepts. Sometimes the difference between these two worldviews makes all the difference in our translations into English. When it does, we often discover that entire…
He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying Matthew 5:2 Opened His Mouth – Today a good number of scholars believe that Matthew’s gospel was originally written in Hebrew and later translated into Greek. Much of the evidence for this view comes from the number of Hebrew idioms in Matthew’s Greek text. In…
Dear Community, In case you missed Amanda’s post, I thought you would like to know what you (all) helped with. Message: A few days ago I told the community here about my husband’s job loss and asked for prayer. I got so much encouragement from everyone, and was greatly blessed. But G-d wasn’t finished… Today,…
He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying Matthew 5:2 To Teach – The Greek word here is edidasken. It is actually an imperfect, active form of the verb, didasko. Why does this matter? Because the imperfect form tells us that this teaching is an on-going action. It is as if the text…
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 Deny Himself – What does this mean? What must I do to deny myself? Is it like the Roman Catholic practice of giving up something desirable for lent? Should I refuse myself food,…
If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon the people, he shall offer for the sin which he has committed . . . Leviticus 4:3 Committed – There is an important difference between the act of sin (deliberate or unintentional) and the consequence of sin (guilt). They are…
Commentary on Tithing Tithing is a controversial topic. It is not controversial because believers attempt to find ways to circumvent financial obligations. Believers want to give. The problem is rather “to whom and how much.” In order to help us understand the complexities and the differences in answers to these questions, I have compiled a…
If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon the people, . . . Leviticus 4:3 Blame – The principle characteristic of a biblical leader is reluctance. Men and women marked by God for leadership roles almost always wish they were not chosen. When you meet people who desire…
