Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2701 to 2725 of 3099 results

2701. The Kings of the South and the North

Daniel 11:2-35

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... yawan. The particle ʾet usually introduces the definite direct object. Therefore, malkut yawan, the kingdom of Greece, should be the object of the verb yaʿir, he will stir up. The word hakkol (“all,” “the whole”; NIV everyone) seems to be the subject. The result is “When he has gained power by his wealth, the whole will stir up the kingdom of Greece.” What does “the whole” refer to? When it occurs, as here, with the definite article, its meaning generally comes from the context, that ...

2702. The Little Children and Jesus

Mark 10:13-16

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

10:13–16 The appearance of this passage dealing with children right after the passage on marriage may have been prompted by the fact that the two subjects naturally are linked in life. There were some in the ancient church who felt that marriage was evil because they saw sexual intercourse as a fleshly pollution (this point of view seems to be what Paul corrects in 1 Cor. 7:1–40 and was certainly held by some later ...

2703. Whose Son is the Christ?

Mark 12:35-40

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... power for the king. The invitation here thus conveys the right to rule in the name of God. Your enemies under your feet: In ancient oriental warfare, the conquered ruler was obliged to put his neck under the foot of the triumphant king, signifying defeat and subjection to the rule of the conqueror. 12:37 How then can he [Messiah] be his son?: The point of the question is not the parentage of the Messiah but his position and status in comparison to David. In ancient oriental times a son was obedient to ...

2704. Gethsemane

Mark 14:32-42

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

14:32–42 This is another of the most well-known scenes from the Gospels, the subject of paintings and of countless sermons and meditations. The tradition that Jesus prayed fervently before his arrest is preserved in variant forms in John 17:1–18 and Hebrews 5:7, as well as in the parallels to the present account, Matthew 26:36–46 and Luke 22:40–46. ...

2705. Peter Disowns Jesus

Mark 14:66-72

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... God, and the message is thereby presented that the salvation obtained through Jesus’ work was obtained by him alone, unaided by any human instrument. Additional Notes 14:68 I don‘t know or understand: His words imply that he absolutely has no knowledge of the subject, which is, of course, an outright lie! “And the rooster crowed” (NIV margin): This phrase is not found in some ancient manuscripts of Mark, and it is possible that it was inserted by some copyists to make sense of the reference in v. 72 ...

2706. The Parable of the Great Banquet

Luke 14:15-24

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... :1–24 above). Sanders (“Banquet Parable,” pp. 255, 258, 265) points out that certain religious assumptions concerning election (i.e., who is acceptable before God and on what grounds) were founded upon a distortion of the biblical teaching on the subject. The distortion ran as follows: Since Deuteronomy promises blessings (such as health and wealth) for those who are obedient (as seen by their religious devotion) and curses (such as sickness and poverty) for those who are disobedient (as seen by their ...

2707. Hallelujah!

Revelation 19:1-10

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... messianic mission, the spirit of prophecy now inspires John to write Revelation (cf. Caird, Revelation, pp. 237–38). Cf. J. M. Ford, “ ‘For the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy’ (Rev. 19:10),” ITQ 42 (1975), pp. 284–91, who interprets the phrase, testimony of Jesus, in a “subjective” sense so that the testimony conveyed by the spirit of prophecy concerns a private confirmation of the vision from Jesus to John.

2708. The Thousand Years

Revelation 20:1-7

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... human race because we find nations in 20:3. The nations of 20:3 must be the survivors of that eschatological battle, whose political power is now broken at the second coming, and whose status has been reversed so that they are now in subjection to the once powerless church for a millennium (cf. 20:4). This, according to Caird, fulfills the promise of the “new song” which said of the Lamb’s people that they would “reign on earth” (5:10; Revelation, pp. 251–52). However, Caird’s interpretation ...

2709. Restitution for Wrongs

Numbers 5:5-10

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... to deal with what is perceived to be an issue in this community, the suspicion of adultery when there is no public evidence. The concern is to protect the community from hidden impurity and strife in relationships. In this section, the wife is clearly subject to the husband and priest. The husband faces no consequences even if his accusations are false, and the wife can be accused “if feelings of jealousy come over her husband.” It is true that the procedure provides for both innocence and guilt, and ...

2710. The Test for an Unfaithful Wife

Numbers 5:11-31

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

2711. Balaam's Second Oracle

Numbers 23:13-26

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... time (v. 17) the king asks, What did the LORD say? Balaam then pronounces his second oracle. 23:18–26 The oracle is addressed to Balak and, in classic Hebrew poetry, it indicates that God will not change the blessing intended for Israel. God is not human and subject to deception or frequent changes of mind. God is not a man, . . . nor a son of man, that is, not born of a human and so not a mortal. The divine word always comes to pass; God’s intent (here to bless Israel) is consistent. From the beginning ...

2712. Sabbath Offerings

Numbers 28:9-10

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

Offerings and Festivals: The structure of daily and special worship becomes the subject for chapters 28–29. The book of Numbers began with the organization of life as God’s people, emphasizing the spatial dimension as they journeyed (the divine presence at the center, then priests and Levites, and then the people). Soon, when the people enter the land, this spatial organization will ...

2713. Monthly Offerings

Numbers 28:11-25

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

2714. Feast of Weeks (II)

Numbers 28:26-31

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

2715. Feast of Trumpets (II)

Numbers 29:1-6

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

2716. Day of Atonement (III)

Numbers 29:7-11

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

2717. Feast of Tabernacles (II)

Numbers 29:12-40

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

2718. Saul Pursues David

1 Samuel 23:7-29

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... David and Jonathan. The local residents’ willingness to hand David over to Saul may result from fear for their own safety and an unwillingness to be embroiled in civil war. However, the emphasis on Saul as king (v. 20) may indicate that they were loyal subjects seeking to do their duty. Saul’s unpopularity was largely a product of his own imagination. Even in this picture of self-interested betrayal in a text that depicts David rather than Saul as the hero, we find a glimpse of an alternative scenario ...

2719. The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

John 4:27-38, John 4:1-26, John 4:39-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... Samaria it is not to be. Perhaps in the hope of receiving the living water immediately, the woman tells Jesus that she has no husband. Jesus ironically commends her for telling the truth (vv. 17, 18) and so exposes her adultery (cf. Mark 10:12). The change of subject is not so abrupt as it appears. The narrative assumes a close connection between baptism in the Spirit and the forgiveness of sins (cf. Mark 1:4–8; Acts 2:38). Jesus, who will baptize in the Spirit, is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the ...

2720. Life Through the Son

John 5:16-30, John 5:1-15

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... is like a son apprenticed to a human father, learning by example and imitation (v. 20). His authority is absolute, not in spite of the fact that he does nothing by himself, but because of it. His authority is a derived authority. In all that he does he is subject to his Father and totally dependent on his Father’s power and love. In his response, Jesus begins speaking mysteriously of himself in the third person as the Son, in much the same way that he speaks of himself in all the Gospels as the Son of Man ...

2721. “I Am from Him and He Sent Me”

John 7:25-44

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... in verse 38. If, on the other hand (as in version 3), the narrator is already responsible for most of verse 38, then in verse 39 he is commenting on his own appended words (i.e., the scripture quotation), not the words of Jesus. The subject of verse 39 is not Jesus (“he meant”) but the Scripture (“it meant”). The same Greek verb, eipen, is translated “said” (in reference to the Scripture) in verse 38b and “meant” in verse 39. It is difficult to decide among the three alternatives, and the ...

2722. The Claims of Jesus About Himself

John 8:48-59, John 8:31-41, John 8:42-47

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... implication that they are not already free. As Abraham’s descendants, they are proud of having never been slaves of anyone (v. 33). Jesus explains that he is using slavery as a metaphor for sin and death (vv. 34–36). Descendants of Abraham or not, they are subject to death like everyone else and, in that sense, slaves (cf. Heb. 2:14–15). Jesus’ promise to set them free is a promise of life, an alternative to the grim prospect of dying in their sins (cf. vv. 21, 24). Verse 51 will make the promise ...

2723. Jesus the Way to the Father

John 14:5-14

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... to the Father except through me. The simultaneous stress is on Jesus as the Way and on the Father as the Destination. The center of interest is no longer time (you will follow later) but persons (Jesus and the Father). The Father now becomes the subject of the third interchange. The terms where I am going and the way have now been replaced by “the Father” and “the Son” respectively. Thus Jesus’ introductory statement, If you really knew me you would know my Father as well (v. 7), echoes Thomas ...

2724. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

John 14:15-31, John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... through me. The simultaneous stress is on Jesus as the Way and on the Father as the Destination. The center of interest is no longer time (you will follow later) but persons (Jesus and the Father). The Question of Philip The Father now becomes the subject of the third interchange. The terms where I am going and the way have now been replaced by “the Father” and “the Son” respectively. Thus Jesus’ introductory statement, If you really knew me you would know my Father as well (v. 7), echoes Thomas ...

2725. The Disciples' Grief Will Turn to Joy

John 16:17-33, John 16:5-16

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... but his very last word is But take heart! I have overcome the world (v. 33). It is likely that both the riddle of verse 16 and the parable of verse 21 were sayings of Jesus remembered by his disciples after his resurrection and subject to either of two interpretations, depending on the circumstances of the interpreters. A suffering or oppressed church might well read it according to the first paradigm; a church rejoicing in worship, with a strong consciousness of the presence of Christ in the Spirit, would ...

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