Mwindula MbeweWhy did John call Jesus “the Logos”? This question has puzzled biblical scholars for millennia; it is not a debate that is easily settled. One of the most compelling views is that John borrowed this idea from Greek thought. But theologians across...
Nick KennicottLuke 24 is about Jesus’s resurrection, his post-resurrection interaction with his disciples, and his ascension to heaven. On two different occasions during this chapter Jesus appears to his followers, first to Cleopas and his friend on the road to...
Randy A. BrownEveryone intuitively understands that disabilities can be hard to live with. They can even put a strain on your faith—some disabilities more than others. Imagine, then, being born without arms. This is the affliction God gave to Daniel...
Murray J. HarrisAnd Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. (Luke 23:34 ESV) This first of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross was uttered probably shortly after he had been crushed to the...
David P. BarshingerIt is not uncommon when reading the Bible to run into language or imagery that we don’t readily understand. Just spend some time in the Prophets or Revelation. We may view the difficulties in Scripture as deterrents to engaging it (even if we don’t...
Katie FrenchAs a first-time counselor at a Christian camp this past summer, I recognized the importance of having a full “toolbox” to draw from while speaking to the campers entrusted to my care. There were several times when I could quote a verse but failed to...
Mark WardNot long ago, the Dead Sea Scrolls were locked away in places where only a select few scholars could see them. That situation actually lasted for decades. The deep end Now, you can see the scrolls for yourself with all the helps you’re accustomed to...
Confidently. That’s the answer. If you’re going to get it wrong, along with Luther I say, Sin boldly. But that’s just it: when it comes to Bible words, there are fewer pronunciation sins than you think. Now… there are some. I was just listening to a...
Peter KrolWhy are we here, and what is our purpose? What on earth went wrong, and why are things so messed up? How can we go about making this wrecked world a better place? These are some of the most important questions a person can ask. If we’re willing to...
Ron W. Lindo Jr.The book of Psalms is probably the most famous book in the Christian canon. Verses from the Psalms can be found in private letters, on Christian t-shirts, and even on shareable internet memes. However, the notoriety of the Psalms is not new. This...
John D. MeadeOur English translations differ for two basic reasons: (1) underlying text and (2) translation philosophy. I’ll start with the latter. “Formal” (sometimes called literal) translations tend to retain the forms of the original languages even when that...
Ancient biblical scrolls discovered in Qumran Between late 1946 and early 1947, Muhammed edh-Dhib, a shepherd boy of the Ta’amireh Bedouin tribe searched for a lost goat in the desert hills of Qumran. As he searched alongside the Dead Sea, he...
Zach HollifieldAlmost a year to the day after becoming a Christian, I fell to a familiar sin that had ruled me prior to conversion. At that moment God’s presence vanished. I was left wondering if I had lost my salvation—if I had been saved in the first place. The...
One likely date for the crucifixion of Jesus is Friday, April 6, AD 30. If we assume this chronology, we can tentatively reconstruct Jesus’ movements for the first part of his final week, including his cursing of the fig tree and its subsequent...
In Psalm 19, David celebrates God’s revelation first in creation and then in Scripture. He describes in poetic language the nature of God’s word as perfect, right, and pure, and the function of God’s word as reviving, rejoicing, and enlightening the...
Sadly, the daily news plods forward with report after report of some Christian leader’s downfall. Some such cases arise from sexual impropriety. Others center on the abuse of power. Yet others involve financial mismanagement, unresolved conflict, or...
Lots of people want their Bible translations to be “literal.” But what does “literal” even mean? The NASB has called itself “the most literal” English Bible. The CSB calls itself “highly literal.” My own church’s ESV is “essentially literal.” The...
Robby LockettThe dates will always be easy to remember. January 6—the day the electoral votes were counted and the Capitol was stormed—was the day we learned the cancer had spread again, this time into places you can’t live without. January 20—Inauguration...
Patrick SchreinerWhen I first started teaching, I began each class speaking not only about what we were to read in Scripture, but how we were to read. I would play a video from N. T. Wright where he discusses reading large swaths of Bible books so one might gain a...
Joel ArnoldSome learning curves are difficult to climb because the concepts involved run against the grain of the human mind (for some people, math). Sometimes there’s the challenge of where to start with intertwined concepts woven in a thick web, such as in...
A quiet revolution, a renaissance, has gone on in Bible design in the last decade or so. Have you noticed? It used to be that nearly everyone at my church had a Bible that looked like this, and hardly anyone seemed to mind. But ask yourself a few...
Ephesians 5 is both celebrated as a beautiful picture of the husband-wife relationship and debated for its calls of submission. John Chrysostom (347–407)—the “golden-mouthed” preacher, as he came to be known—sought to illuminate the teachings of...
According to its opening verses, the book of Proverbs was written to help you 1) know what wisdom is, 2) recognize wisdom when you see it, 3) do wise things, 4) keep growing, and 5) remain anchored in God’s Word. The wisdom of Proverbs is neither a...
Do you know what a ramification is? Yeah, you do; you’ve heard the word, and you’ve probably used it. It’s kind of hard to come up with a definition on the spot, though, so I will help you. My dictionary defines a ramification as “a consequence of...
Marty O. WynnNow you’ve done it! You said yes to teaching an adult Sunday School class. And you are asking yourself, “What was I thinking?” Please permit me to offer you some encouragement. You can do this by God’s strength—you are embarking on the blessed...
Meisha CurryThe temptation is there—to just skim the Bible stories you’ve heard numerous times. Noah, animals, lots of water, check, got it! The path of least resistance for any Sunday school teacher is simply reciting the provided curriculum word for word...
Ben BrowningYou just decided to read Paul’s epistles. Great choice! They are filled with deep theology, pertinent pastoral advice, and valuable instruction for Christian living. However, you may face some difficulties. At least Peter thought so. He...
Douglas EstesMany people start their Bible study in the Gospels. Over time, the word “gospel” has come to mean several things, such as the good news that Jesus has victory over sin and death, but in this case “Gospel” means a particular type of literature...
Michael LefebvreJesus studied the books of the Old Testament from childhood (Luke 2:46). He was guided in his ministry by what he learned from them (Luke 4:4-12, 16-21). And they formed his curriculum for training the disciples (Luke 24:44). When we study the New...
Dave JenkinsIn the 66 books that constitute the word of God, Christians have every divine word they need for life and godliness. But studying the Bible can be a daunting task. Depending on what part of Scripture you are studying, there are somewhere between...