An Unexpected Ally
King David is a towering figure in the Old Testament. His story is told in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. The writers of scripture regarded David as the…
The Fruitless Fig Tree
Mark 11 contains an excellent example of a literary "sandwich." The meat of the sandwich is the so-called cleansing of the temple. Many Christians fail to grasp the importance of…
Cleansing Or Curse?
Most scholars believe that the book of Mark was the first gospel written, probably around 65 AD. There is strong evidence that Mark relied heavily on the eyewitness testimony of…
Bad Tenants
The theme of fruitfulness is found throughout the scriptures. Isaiah chapter 5 tells the story of a landowner who carefully cultivated a vineyard, anticipating a rich harvest of good grapes.…
Salvation and the Spirit
It's not at all unusual to hear Christians talk about the time when they were "saved" in the past tense. Perhaps this salvation event occurred when they were a child…
Abraham and the Apostles
Acts is one of the easiest books in the Bible to read. It has a fast-paced narrative filled with memorable scenes. One such scene is recorded in chapter 3. Peter…
Vindication of the Martyrs
The two witnesses of Revelation 11 represent God's holy people. They've been given the task of prophesying to the nations, warning them that God's righteous judgment will come upon everyone…
Things That Are Hidden
Most Christians own at least one Bible - hopefully one which is frequently read and well- worn. But many would be surprised to learn that the Bible they possess is…
Translation of the Seventy
The last few weeks we've been tracing the formation of the Old Testament. Let's summarize what we've learned so far. The key criterion for inclusion in the sacred writings was…
The Other Joseph
The book of Genesis describes the dramatic story of Joseph, son of Jacob. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, he eventually rose to power in Egypt. But there is…