Herod Agrippa II was only seventeen when his father, King Herod Agrippa I died, Emperor Claudius, a close friend of Herod’s father, wanted this young man educated in Rome to assume his father’s throne. But advisers convinced Claudius that the boy was too young. Six years later, in AD 50, Claudius give Herod some territory to rule in what is now Lebanon. Herod later traded that for regions in northern Israel and Syria.
Continue reading LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT (HEROD AGRIPPA II)
Imposters claiming to be the Messiah (Christ in Greek). Jesus associated the appearance of messianic pretenders with the fall of Jerusalem (Matt 24:23-26; Mark 13:21-22). Jesus warned His followers to be skeptical of those who point to signs and omens to authenticate their false messianic claims. Jesus also urged disbelief of those claiming the Messiah was waiting in the wilderness or was in “the inner rooms” (perhaps a reference to the inner chambers of the
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (FALSE CHRISTS)
The Gospel of Mark describes a curious incident that look place on the night of Jesus’ arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. As the mob of Jewish religious leaders and Roman soldiers started to drag Jesus away, they noticed a young man sneaking around in a linen garment. “They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth behind and ran away naked” (Mark 14:51-52).
Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (JOHN MARK “THE COMEBACK KID”)
Early historian of Jewish life and our most important source for the history of the Jews in the Roman period. His four surviving works are The Jewish War (composed about A.D. 73), The Antiquities of the Jews (about A.D. 93), Life (an autobiographical appendix to The Antiquities), and Against Apion, penned shortly after The Antiquities. The date of Josephus’ death is unknown but was probably after A.D. 100.
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (JOSEPHUS, FLAVIUS)
Paul (or Saul, as he was also known) was a zealot, a staunch defender of the Jewish faith. He was especially zealous about exposing and punishing offshoots of Judaism that threatened to obscure its message.
He targeted the disciple of a rabbi named Jesus of Nazareth who were attempting to keep his message alive even after the rabbi himself had been crucified. They spread stories about seeing him risen form the dead. They claimed he was the Son of God and the way to everlasting life.
Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (PAUL “THE UNLIKELIEST DISCIPLE”)
The apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans is widely regarded as his magnum opus. He began with eleven chapters that are deeply theological, essentially answering the question, “What does the gospel of Jesus really mean?” Then Paul wrote four more chapters that are decidedly practical, answering the question, “What differences does the gospel make in the believer’s life?
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (PHOEBE “WOMAN OF IMPACT”)
Premise: The Bible teaches that the Spirit indwells Christians (Acts 2:38; 5:32; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20), seal them (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30), and is the earnest of their inheritance (Ephesians 1:14).
In the days of Trajan there lived a Christian named Ignatius, who sealed his faith with his blood. Ignatius was commonly known as Theophoros– the Bearer of God. The title given to Ignatius is one to which every Christian who is faithful to his calling may in some degree humbly lay claim. Christ is in him “the hope of glory.”
Continue reading SEALED BY THE SPIRIT
It’s impossible to think of Priscilla apart from her husband, Aquila. In six New Testament mentions, they are always named together. And while we don’t have a lot of information about them, some “forensic Bible study” uncovers one of the more fascinating and inspiring couples in Scripture
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (PRISCILLA “A MARRIAGE WITH A MISSIOIN”)
Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy while imprisoned in Rome. Timothy planned to visit him soon, so Paul asked him to bring these three items when he came.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (PAUL’S SIMPLE NEEDS)
ROMANS 12:2 – Don’t copy the behavior and customs or this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Dead sacrifices. That’s what God wanted the Jews to give him during the era of the old covenant. These were animals slaughter as substitutes for worshippers who deserved the death penalty for their sins.
Continue reading COPYCAT’S AREN’T US