John’s use of the “Word” to describe Jesus was a startling new application of a popular expression. The term was used widely by theologians and philosophers, both Jews and Greeks. It described the agent of creation (Psalm 33:6); God’s message to His people through the prophets (Hosea 1:2); and God’s law, His standard of holiness (Psalm 119:11). In Greek philosophy, “the Word” was the principle of reason that governed the world. Continue reading IN WHAT WAY WAS JESUS THE “WORD”?
Isaiah 59:1- The LORD’S hand [arm niv] is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy [dull niv], that it cannot hear.
This verse is one of the best examples in the Bible of what theologians call an anthropomorphism (Greek Anthropos [man] +morphe [form]. This big word describes the way biblical writers often described God in human terms. Isaiah in this verse said God has a powerful hand that can deliver His people and an ear that is always ready to hear their prayers. Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (GOD’S HAND AND EAR)
Lysias, who was Greek by birth, purchased his Roman citizenship (Acts 22:28), at which time, it is believed, he picked up the forename Claudius. His role as a commander in the Roman army probably put him in charge of over a thousand men. Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (LYSIAS) A LOVER OF JUSTICE
The number thousand (or thousands) in the Bible is sometimes a literal number, but in many cases it is used to create a large round number. Hebrew and the other Semitic languages used approximations to express large numbers because they were rarely needed for small populations and tiny kingdom. Examples of this can be found in Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10 and 7:9; 1 Samuel 18:7; and Psalms 50:10, 90:4 and 105:8. Ten
Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit, For Theirs Is The Kingdom Of Heaven.
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn, For They Will Be Comforted.
Blessed Are The Meek, For They Will Inherit The Earth.
Blessed Are Those Who Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness, For They Will Be Filled.
Blessed Are The Merciful, For They Will Be Shown Mercy. Continue reading THE BEATITUDES
MALEFACTOR – Translation of two Greek words meaning “evildoer” (John 18:30) and “evil worker” (Luke 23:32-33, 39). The two thieves crucified with Jesus were malefactors. (Luke 23:32-33, 39; criminals,).
In the ancient world fish were a staple food and fishing was a common occupation. Of Jesus’ twelve disciples, seven of them worked as fishermen. Jesus commissioned these men using familiar symbolism, saying, “Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish” (Matt 4:19). The fishing profession that was their livelihood became a symbol for their new calling of spreading the good news of salvation. Both at
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia, Greek
“between the rivers”
First mention: Acts 2:9
Athletic Sports
Entertainment and spectator/participatory sports did not develop until Greek and Roman times. Races had been run in Israel (Jeremiah 12:5), but they were not for entertainment. It was the promotion of sports in the Greek fashion in 170 BC that led to the division among Jews between Sadducees and Hasidim.
ASSYRIAN AND BABYLONIAN INFLUENCES
It was the exile of the Jews into Assyria and Babylon that led to further developments in education. When they returned and their land became part of the Greek empire, there were still further developments. The Assyrian kings collected thousands of clay tablets into a library at Nineveh. They contain every kind of knowledge–botany,
Continue reading MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE BIBLE “EDUCATION” (PART 2)