For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NASB Rulers – Spiritual warfare. That’s how most people interpret Paul’s enigmatic statement. Our fight is with the Devil and all his minions in this world and in heaven. …
Let’s take a break. We’ve been thinking very hard. Here is one of the ceilings of Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo. Built hundreds of years ago, you have to wonder, first, how in the world they did this, and second, why is there no one who can do this today? Times change, not always…
“For from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” Acts 15:21 NASB Moses – Typical Christian exegesis of the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 concentrates on the requirements (or lack thereof) for Gentile believers. But this fixation on what Gentiles must believe and…
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. Matthew 6:33 NASB Kingdom – What does it mean to seek the Kingdom of God? The answer might surprise you because it depends on a shift in paradigms that occurred more than two millennia ago. In the early days of Hellenism,…
I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8 NASB Faith – When I was a child my family attended a local Protestant church. At age twelve, I was enrolled in a membership class where twelve-year-olds learned…
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel…
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” Luke 6:20 NIV Poor – Don’t read it in Matthew—yet. Matthew doesn’t report Yeshua’s statement quite the same way, and for good reason, as we will see. No, read it in Luke. It’s much more comforting. …
This is the book of the generations of Adam. On the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. Genesis 5:1 NASB Book – Hopefully you realize that a “book” in the Bible is not what we imagine as a book. The difference isn’t just between a scroll and bound pages…
And God said, “Let us make a human in our image, by our likeness, to hold sway over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the heavens and the cattle and the wild beasts and all the crawling things that crawl upon the earth. Genesis 1:26 Robert Alter Hold sway – Most of…
Recall how fleeting I am, how futile You made all humankind. Psalm 89:48 Robert Alter Fleeting – How long will you live? Probably less than 100 years. How long is that? Well, it’s .009 of the oldest city on earth (Jericho). That’s a little more than 32 seconds in an hour. What is my lifespan…
