Shortly after his resurrection, Jesus was elevated to a new, glorified level of existence. After he had disappeared from their sight, the apostles who had witnessed Jesus’ elevation were told by two angels that Jesus was “taken up…into heaven” (Acts 1:8-11). Later, Stephen, a [...]
Paul was aware that some members of the early Christian church had begun to regard him, the other Apostles, and other early Christians such as Apollos and Cephas as “spectacles” (“spectacle…to men” in 1 Corinthians 4:9), but unlike the angels, they had begun to [...]
These were lowly shepherds being rewarded for their humility with this incredible message. The humble shepherds out tending their sheep were given the gift of being able to observe and participate in this world-changing event. Luke 2:8: (NASB) “In the same region there were some [...]
The Apostle Paul was a prisoner in Rome when he wrote the letter to the church at Philippi that would eventually become the book of Philippians. Paul refers to his captivity as being “in my bonds” in Philippians 1:7, and again in Philippians 12-13. [...]
The Apostle Paul uses the illustration of an athlete’s training to illustrate the lifestyle of a faithful Christian. Several Bible commentaries make reference to the Isthmain games, named because they took place in the isthmus where Corinth stood. For example, Ellicott’s Commentary for English [...]
1 Thessalonians consists of a letter from the Apostle Paul to the early Christian church at Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:1). In chapter 1, Paul issues greetings to the church members. Chapters 2 and 3 continue his greetings and also offer an explanation for his [...]
Genesis chapters 1 and 2 outline God’s process of creating the earth, the plants, the animals, and finally human beings. Genesis 2:1-3 state that God finished this creative work, and on the seventh “day,” God rested “from all his work which he had made.” [...]
These verses describe the great rejoicing that will occur in heaven when the marriage of the Lamb takes place. Jesus is referred to as a Lamb because of his previous sacrifice. When he came to be baptized, John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb [...]
Yes!The key to seeing the Bible’s harmony is to understand that God has a plan that is currently in progress. Yes, Israel is God’s chosen nation and currently does not believe in Jesus. And yes, Jesus is the son of God and faith in [...]
The phrase born again is found in John 3:3: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. A more accurate translation for born again here is "begotten from above.” It does not describe a second birth; rather, it refers to the changed [...]
There has always been one main criteria for those who seek membership in Christ’s church – to love God with all one’s mind and heart and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-40). Those who truly understand this criteria give up the pursuits [...]
Ruth chapter 1 describes how a Jewish man named Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons travel to the country of Moab. While there, the two sons marry two women of Moab, one of which is Ruth. Sometime after that, Elimelech and his [...]
Jesus was a masterful teacher. He often used stories, known as parables, to convey concepts and lessons in a way that his audience could relate to and apply to their lives. Some parables have multiple levels of meaning depending on the listener’s level of [...]
When thinking of the expression, "face to face," we should understand it to signify that Moses enjoyed a closeness of fellowship and favor with the Lord rather than that he really looked into the face of Jehovah. Since God is a spirit being, we don’t [...]
James 5:1-6: (KJV) “5 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall [...]
Jesus used this opportunity to tell the Parable of the Good Samaritan.One of the traditional ways to communicate with the learned men of Israel was by asking questions. First, one would ask a question, and then the other man would respond to the question [...]
In a large sense the whole universe is God’s house, and the different planes and of life are the different “rooms.” My Father’s house: Again, in a large sense the whole universe is God’s house, and God Himself abides in the height of the heavens. [...]
The Bible teaches that in the future, mankind will be resurrected to a state of human perfection, as was experienced by Adam and Eve before their sin. This is part of the “restitution” spoken of in Acts 3:21. Restitution refers to a restoration to a [...]
The scholarly community is divided as to where the location of Eden was. The following answer presents one viewpoint:Eden – Here is the description of Eden that appears in Genesis 2:10-14, “And a river went out of Eden giving water to the garden; and from there it was parted and became four streams. The name of the first is [...]
John 2:1-11 records the account of Jesus, his mother Mary, and his disciples attending a wedding in Cana. During the wedding, Mary became aware that the hosts had run out of wine. Although the scriptures do not indicate Mary’s relationship with the hosts, she [...]
