I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper who will be with you forever. John 14:16 NASB Another helper – We all know this Greek word, Paraklete, “the Helper.” Growing up in the Western Church, we were told that this is a circumlocution for the Holy Spirit. This verse in John…
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, Luke 18:1 NASB Not to lose heart – me enkakein. The Greek is the conditional negative (me) plus the verb enkakeo. Literally it means something like, “Under these circumstances don’t be treated badly.”…
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 1 Corinthians 3:2-3 NASB Still not ready – We all…
but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NASB Have not entered – Another disappointing day. Another round of the routine. Another onerous obligation….
The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Romans 14:3 NASB With contempt – Yesterday we learned something about welcoming those whose spiritual walk is different. Hopefully…
Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. Romans 14:1 NASB But – The first thing we should notice about this verse in the NASB is that “but” and “the purpose” are both in italics. This means they are not in the original…
But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” Acts 23:6 NASB Resurrection – We probably think that Paul used the belief in the resurrection…
And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. Luke 22:3 NASB Satan entered – Most of us think that Judas conspired with Satan in the betrayal of Yeshua. Somehow the Devil made him do it. Of course, we ignore the human side of the story because it…
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:11 NASB Happened to them – Did you notice the implication? Paul writes that the events in the lives of the men and women in the Tanakh are…
but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. 1 Thessalonians 2:2 NASB Gospel of God – In one of his excellent lectures on Paul, Dwight Pryor notes that the Pauline expression…
