“In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NASB Overcome – Here is the Greek word nenikeka. This is the verb nike (you can see it in the middle of the word). It means, “to be victorious over.” Now you know why a shoe company in Portland…
“He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Ruth 4:15 ESV Restorer – Most biblical students are familiar with the Hebrew concept of the kinsman-redeemer. Christians often consider…
“How is it that you, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” John 4:9 NASB How? – The Greek word pos introduces a question. This is a particularly interesting question. It contains many of the implications about communal truths that we face today. It is a question of…
Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” Ruth 2:5 NASB Whose – Did you recognize the underlying cultural assumption in Boaz’s question? It is a perfect statement of the difference between the Western Greek world and the Eastern Hebrew world. In our Greek-based society,…
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is not really another, only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:6-7 Gospel – What if we have it all wrong? What…
and now Israel, what does the LORD require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, . . . Deuteronomy 10:12 ESV Fear the LORD – Moses Luzzatto explores the…
“And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner” 1 Peter 4:18 NASB Godless man – Peter calls these people “godless” and “sinners.” “Godless man” is the Greek word asebes. It literally means, “without worship.” This is a person who does not honor…
At the entrance, sin lies in wait. Talmud, B. Sanhedrin 91b. In wait – Commenting on Genesis 4:7, the rabbis note that sin takes opportunity to entice us from the moment of entrance into the world. “To be born is to leave the simplicity, the ‘sincerity,’ of life-with-mother and to cross a threshold into a…
In a few days I will return to South Africa – this time with a specific mission in mind. Yes, I will still teach in many different locations, but this time I plan to make a short video documentary about the lives of those white Afrikaners who live in such terrible poverty, brought on by…
“Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me! I should have been as though I had not been, carried from womb to tomb.” Job 10:18-19 NASB Had not been – The story of Job challenges the belief that God is just. All…
