Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 ESV In the name of – A few weeks ago we looked at the textual evidence for the trinitarian formula found in this verse (see May 30). What…
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. Proverbs 31:10 ESV Excellent – Maybe we stumble around the real meaning of eshet-hayil because we don’t like the cultural implications, but “excellent wife” or “woman of virtue” or “wife of noble character” just doesn’t cut it. Eshet-hayil is a warrior! This…
But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction. 1 Thessalonians 5:12 NASB Appreciate – Why would Paul need to tell his own brothers to appreciate his efforts and the efforts of those like him? It seems…
abstain from every form of evil 1 Thessalonians 5:22 NASB Form – What do you imagine Paul meant by the cryptic exhortation? What is a “form” of evil? In our culture, we often think of “form” in terms of a mold or press. It is the shape of something. Thinking like this, we might suggest…
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV Testing/discern – One word, two ideas. To test. To discern. Paul chooses the Greek verb dokimazo. It…
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV Conformed – Don’t be blueprinted! The Greek verb, syschematizo, is literally about being in union with patterns…
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:25 ESV Wife – Scholars have known for a long time that the Hebrew word for woman, ishshah, is not etymologically related to the Hebrew word for man, ish. We made an observation about this when we noticed that Adam changes…
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:25 ESV Both – Back to the Garden! We seem to end up here over and over when we look for the biblical models of relationships and interdependency. Each verse is pregnant with powerful imagery that restores our broken and fractured…
Moreover, they did not require an accounting from the men into whose hand they gave the money to pay to those who did the work, for they dealt faithfully. 2 Kings 12:15 NASB Dealt faithfully – Perhaps you’ve noticed some very odd things about the Hebrew community of Torah; things that seem unimaginable in our…
Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said, . . . 1 Chronicles 12:18 NASB Came upon – “The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is only seen occasionally and in special circumstances but in…
