Mark chapter four begins with Jesus addressing a “great multitude” of people. One of the lessons he taught them was the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:2-9). In the parable, a sower (farmer) sows a parcel of seeds. Different things happen to the seeds. [...]
Our world rewards self-confidence. The pervasive belief is that we should rely on ourselves at all times—we should be strong, aggressive, go after what we want. Our needs and our wants are our most important consideration. We should be able to handle our lives [...]
John chapter 9 opens with an account of Jesus restoring vision to a man who had been blind since birth (John 9:1-7). Afterward, the man’s neighbors question him. The man tells his neighbors that Jesus healed his blindness (John 9:8-12). The neighbors take the [...]
When Paul was converted to Christianity, he was given the commission by Jesus to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). To fulfill this calling, Paul journeyed to many areas of Asia Minor and Greece, including through the Roman province of Galatia in [...]
Understanding that the proper time had arrived in God’s plan, Matthew chapter 21 chronicles how Jesus arranged his entry into Jerusalem in a manner which identified him as the Messiah prophesied in Scripture (Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:1-9). Once in the city, Jesus began publicly [...]
To understand the book of Revelation, it is important to compare it with the Book of Daniel. Taken together, the symbolism comes to life.Daniel shows us that empires, or civil powers, are pictured as beasts. Daniel 7:17, “These great beasts, which are four, are [...]
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 after being called by God – 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 [...]
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 [...]
