Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God. 1 Corinthians 10:32 NASB No offense – Paul’s exhortation is frankly impossible. How can we not offend either Jew or Greek? We read this verse without allowing it to prick our consciences. If I claim that Yeshua is the Messiah,…
So, too, if, while in her husband’s household, she makes a vow or imposes an obligation on herself by oath, and her husband learns of it, yet offers no objection – thus failing to restrain her – all her vows shall stand and all her self-imposed obligations shall stand. But if her husband does annul…
“These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.” Acts 16:20-21 NASB Being Jews/ being Romans – This century is the second first century. It is exactly like the first century view of religious practice twenty…
And I, I shall set My face against that man, and shall cut him off from the midst of his people, because he has given of his offspring to Molek, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy Name. Leviticus 20:3 (my translation) Holy – “Above all, the name of God is…
to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 1 Corinthians 1:2 NASB Saints – How is it possible, how is it even conceivable…
But shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless. Titus 3:9 NASB Disputes – Sermon after sermon, article after article, book after book – all about the place of the Law in the life of a Christian. I wonder if Paul wouldn’t throw up his…
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant, John; Revelation 1:1 NASB The End – There is hardly a single book in the Bible subject to greater contextual folly than…
For we are God’s fellow-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. I Corinthians 3:9 NASB Fellow-workers – For devotional impact, one can hardly improve on Oswald Chambers’ commentary on this verse (see April 23 of My Utmost for His Highest). With typical aplomb, Chambers delivers a razor-sharp message. A man or woman engaged in the…
and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: Galatians 1:2 NASB Churches – We know that translators of the English Bible take considerable liberties with the word ekklesia. We know that ekklesia never means “religious assembly” in non-biblical Greek literature. We know that ekklesia is translated “church” when the context…
“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” Zechariah 8:23 NASB The garment – I suppose the first thing to ask about this verse is, “When?” …
