“Indeed, I gave them no-good decrees, and laws that did not offer them life.” Ezekiel 20:25 No-Good Decrees – Brevard Childs, professor of Biblical theology at Harvard, says that this verse is an example of “the clearest sign of the brokenness of the Old Testament covenant . . . once given as a source of…
“This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Nehemiah 8:9 Weeping – “One lesson became perfectly clear: Any nation that turns away from its founding principles and repudiates the values upon which it was founded…
and He drove the man out. And He caused to dwell the cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:24 Cherubim – Sin causes tragic results. One of first tragedies was expulsion from the Garden. Once Adam and Eve ate from the Tree, they had to be driven from the place of…
Then stand firm in the freedom with which Christ made us free, and do not again be held with a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 Freedom – Are you free? Don’t be too quick to answer. It depends on your concept of freedom. In order to understand what Paul says about freedom in Christ, we…
But now that faith has come, you are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:25 Tutor – Aside from the fact that education in some countries is compulsory, why would you want to go to school? Do you spend your time in school only to occupy your day? Do you feel as though you are…
Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. Romans 7:13 Utterly Sinful – How…
For whatever things were written before were written for our instruction, that through patience and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4 Whatever – First word emphasis. Once again we see Paul rearrange the vocabulary in order to highlight a thought. Here the first word is “whatever” (hosa), a word that we…
Let your women be silent in the churches, for it is not allowed to them to speak, but let them be submissive, as also the law says. 1 Corinthians 14:34 The Law – Some weeks ago, one reader wrote, “Perhaps at some point you could give a clear explanation as to what the thorough explanation…
Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. Acts 6:11 NASB Against Moses – If you read Luke’s account of the works of the apostles (commonly called Acts), you will find a very curious thing. Over and over the apostles claim to observe the…
“Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people, or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem in to the hands of the Romans.” Acts 28:17 Customs – This verse is squeezed into a story about Paul’s imprisonment before being shipped to Rome. It is very bothersome. If you pay…
