Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: touch, feel, sense of touch, tactile sense, tactility, contact, using one's hands, sensation, sense, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, notion, inkling, hunch, fancy, apprehension, presentiment, premonition, foreboding, love, care, affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, warmness, emotion, sentiment, emotional state, compassion, sympathy, empathy, fellow feeling, understanding, concern, solicitude, solicitousness, tender-heartedness, brotherly love, sensibilities, sensitivities, self-esteem, ego, pride, opinion, belief, view, impression, intuition, instinct, estimation, guess, theory, hypothesis, thought, way of thinking, point of view, atmosphere, ambience, aura, air, mood, climate, character, overtone, undertone, tenor, spirit, quality, flavour, colour, aptitude, knack, flair, bent, talent, gift, skill, art, trick, faculty, ability, propensity, inclination, sensitive, warm, warm-hearted, tender, tender-hearted, caring, soft-hearted, sympathetic, compassionate, empathetic, responsive, receptive, intuitive, thoughtful

Antonyms: bad feeling, acrimony, animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, aversion, bitterness, detestation, disgust, dislike, disrelish, enmity, friction, grievances, grudges, hatred, hostility, loathing, malevolence, malice

Showing 2976 to 3000 of 4947 results

2976. All Israel Will Be Saved

Romans 11:25-32

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... faith through the preaching of the gospel? 11:28–32 A footnote in the NIV draws attention to the second now in verse 31. Some ancient manuscripts either omit the word or substitute “later” in its place (which better agrees with Paul’s sense). The meaning would then be, Jews are now disobedient but later will receive mercy. On the other hand, the inclusion of now is the more difficult reading, which might argue for its originality since scribes tended to render difficult readings easier. Evidence is ...

2977. Lawsuits Among Believers

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... translation of the majority of other versions punctuates this line as a question, not as a declaration. Paul continues with sarcasm, as is evident in the reference to those outside the church as those of little account in the church, and the more likely sense of his words is that he poses yet another rhetorical question. The NRSV renders the Greek accurately and in the seemingly preferable form of a question, “If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the ...

2978. One Body, Many Parts

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... the life of the early church. Everyone and everything mentioned are assumed to be charismatic in character, not static in the sense of possessing status, office, or power. Paul’s conviction and contention is that the Spirit endows believers—as God pleases—with ... giving a return.” Similarly, those with gifts of administration is kybernēseis in Gk., a word meaning “guidance” in the sense of “steering” or “piloting.” A form of the same word can indicate a helmsman, and the word is sometimes ...

2979. Prologue

Revelation 1:1-3

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... s visions were not communicated to his readers without his “intervention.” 1:3 The beatitudes of Revelation share a common perspective with the beatitudes found elsewhere in the NT: they assure the hearers of their future participation in God’s promised salvation. In this sense, the parallel beatitudes, blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy/blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, do not describe a particular response to what John has written as much as ...

2980. The Seals

Revelation 6:1-17

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... an essential part of Christ’s entrance into the heavenly throneroom. The seal judgments, and the trumpet judgments that follow, do not depict a sequence of future historical events; rather, they symbolize together God’s response to—and are in that sense co-terminus with—chapter five’s exaltation of the risen Lamb. Our commentary of this passage will assume, then, that, in keeping with the overarching intentions of his entire composition, John is making a theological point rather than a historical ...

2981. 144,000 Sealed

Revelation 7:1-8

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... to an “extra special” remnant within the church, perhaps to its martyrs who exemplify fearless devotion to God of the sort John encourages. While there is no indication in the text that the 144,000 enumerate the remnant of martyrs, it does make sense of the immediate context to identify this group with those who earlier cry out for vindication (6:10). This first part of the visionary interlude, then, responds directly to the martyrs’ earlier question, “How long?” (6:10). If we are to take the ...

2982. The Angel and the Little Scroll

Revelation 10:1-11

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... the fragile status of the believing community within a secular society, he may well wish to clarify its destiny according to the redemptive plan of a faithful God, and does so by making the scroll’s contents known to his readers. In this sense, “little” may also qualify the scroll’s overall importance in the cosmic plan of God’s salvation. Whereas God’s scroll could be opened only by the worthy Lamb and contains God’s “macroscopic” design for salvation’s history, the shorter scroll lies ...

2983. The Fall of Babylon

Revelation 18:1-24

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... there is a pattern by which God executes justice against the enemies of God’s people within their ongoing history. In this sense, the destruction of Babylon is consistent with prophecies leveled against other evil city-states—such as the biblical Tyre (Ezek. 26–28 ... of Babylon’s materialism seem “more real, more immediate to the reader” (Collins, Crisis & Catharsis, p. 119). In this sense, the whole dirge makes a more descriptive and less poetic statement and forces the readers to deal with their ...

2984. The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

Leviticus 8:1-36

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... the holy places, things, and people have been purified can the rites involving them continue. 8:18–21 As Moses turns to the whole burnt offering of a ram, he meticulously follows divine directives. In this rite he is the chief mediator and acts, in a sense, like the high priest to prepare Aaron for that role. The burnt offering is sacrificed according to the instructions in Leviticus 1. Aaron and his sons press their hands on the head of the ram to indicate that the animal is their offering set apart for ...

2985. Clean and Unclean Animals

Leviticus 11:1-47

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... 11–15 were probably inserted as a unit into their present context, but the placement fits the logic of Leviticus in its current form. The Priestly categories of clean and unclean are central to these texts. An unclean object is not “dirty” in the sense of having dirt on it which can be washed off. Rather, “clean” denotes that which has the possibility of involvement in worship, and “unclean” denotes that which does not. Further, as we have seen, the texts work out of a medical model in the ...

2986. Various Laws

Leviticus 19:1-37

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... as if the person were you, is appropriate and fits the context of the saying in the gospels. It would also be possible to take the preposition related to the neighbor: Love your neighbor who is like you, either like you in the narrow sense of a fellow Israelite or like you in the sense of being human just as you are. This last possibility might find some support in v. 34 where the alien is to be loved “like you.” 19:20 The translation for due punishment is debatable. The NRSV takes the term to indicate ...

2987. Korah, Dathan and Abiram

Numbers 16:1-50

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... spirits of all mankind is, in the OT, used only here and in 27:16, but the phrase is commonly used in postbiblical literature (Davies, Numbers, p. 174). God is creator and judge of all. 16:24 The NIV rendering tents no doubt catches the sense, but it is an unusual sense for mishkan, “tabernacle,” and it is in the singular. Is the implication that the rebels have in essence set up a rival “tabernacle”? 16:30 But if the LORD brings about something totally new is literally “creates a creation.”

2988. Vengeance on the Midianites

Numbers 31:1-24

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... the significance of the victory. Josh. 13:21–22 and Judg. 6–8 also recount wars with Midian and are related to Num. 31. 31:18 For further comment, see Susan Niditch, “War, Women and Defilement in Numbers 31,” Semeia 61 (1993), pp. 39–57. 31:32 The sense of the plunder remaining is unclear. Is it what is left after the army’s journey back to the camp? Some persons and animals may have been lost, and the army would have had to eat. More probably the phrase refers to what remains after carrying out ...

2989. The Birth of Samuel

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... the old Greek translation of the Hebrew text (the Septuagint, usually abbreviated LXX) is in two parts, the division seems arbitrary, and the split did not occur in the Hebrew text until the advent of the printing press in the fifteenth century. This original unity makes sense of the tradition of using Samuel’s name to describe the whole book even though Samuel makes no appearance in 2 Samuel. But the two books of Samuel are also closely linked with other material. The break at the end of 2 Samuel 24 is ...

2990. David Anointed King over Judah

2 Samuel 2:1-7

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... point in the battle. The Judeans were slowed by the sight of Asahel’s body, and the Benjamites, who formed the bulk of Abner’s forces at this stage, took courage and rallied behind Abner. Abner, who had common sense and no desire to kill fellow Israelites, even those from Judah, called for a truce. Joab, sensing that for that day his success had run its course, agreed, and both armies returned to their base—Abner’s troops to Ish-Bosheth at Mahanaim and Joab’s to David at Hebron. 3:1–5 Verse 1 ...

2991. David Becomes King Over Israel

2 Samuel 5:1-5

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... for kingship set out in Deut. 17:14–20. The dual recognition of leaders by God and by the people led is a common motif in the OT. This second anointing of David, this time as king over Israel, not just Judah (2 Sam. 2:4), makes sense within that context (the original anointing of David by Samuel in 1 Sam. 16:13 indicated future potential rather than position). Theologically, David was king because God had chosen him as king. Sociologically, he was king (at least of the northern tribes) because he and the ...

2992. David's Victories

2 Samuel 8:1-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... David’s kingdom and in particular life in the royal court. 9:1–13 The story of David’s first encounter with Mephibosheth is told without editorial comment. It can be read as a charming picture of life at court, emphasizing David’s kindness and sense of responsibility. However, it can also be read as a further example of David’s political opportunism, using Saul’s family to bolster his own position within the country. There has been a long delay between David’s promise to care for Jonathan’s ...

2993. Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 14:1-33

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... of government. However, it may be that it was far enough away from Jerusalem to avoid being immediately overrun but near enough to use as a base for launching an attack. It was Absalom’s birthplace (3:2–3), which may have helped David to make sense of Absalom’s request to fulfill his vow to worship God there, but this is unlikely to have influenced Absalom’s choice otherwise. 15:12 Ahithophel had served David loyally. If he was Bathsheba’s grandfather (see 11:3; 23:34) then his having lost respect ...

2994. The Advice of Hushai and Ahithophel

2 Sam 16:15–17:29

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... often in the OT narratives, we are presented with an awareness and a critique of the culture’s assumptions. The text portrays the tension as Absalom’s soldiers searched while the young spies lay hidden in the disguised well. Perhaps there is also a sense of gloating with victor’s hindsight as the story is told. Surely better trained soldiers, such as those who had remained loyal to David, would have discovered the hiding place. In any event, the message was delivered before the end of the day. There ...

2995. Absalom’s Death

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... he had given up hope that other sons would be born. Thus building a personal memorial pillar could be seen as a sign of arrogant ostentation, but it could also mean that the desecration of his sister and the death of his children had left him with a sense of deep insecurity. Or he may have had a premonition that he would not live long enough to have more sons. Absalom remains a fallen hero rather than a straightforward villain. 18:21 Cush was south of Egypt, in parts of Sudan and Ethiopia. It is possible ...

2996. The Gibeonites Avenged

2 Samuel 21:1-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... protected the bodies, including those of her own sons, from the elements. Her grief moved David and challenged him into taking the action Rizpah would not have had the authority to do—giving the bodies a proper burial. Whether this was done from kindness, from a sense of duty (as in the case of the sparing of Mephibosheth), or from a desire to close the episode and make the existence of the bodies less likely to inspire a Saulide revolt is not made explicit. The episode ends with the statement that God ...

2997. David's Mighty Men

2 Samuel 23:8-39

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... brothers. Reckless courage fits with what we know of the sons of Zeruiah, but such an identification is only speculative. In one sense, this is a minor incident; the writers give it no symbolic significance. It serves as an additional example of the loyalty ... members of the families who could search out the lists for members of their own tribes and families, adding to a sense of national identity. Certain LXX manuscripts have “Ish-Bosheth” instead of Josheb-Basshebeth. 23:13 The incident described in vv. ...

2998. Bildad's Second Speech to Job

Job 18:1-21

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... that emphasizes the totality of destruction. Finding insufficient water, the roots dry up and as a result the branches wither. The image is one of complete destruction and loss. Even memory of the wicked perishes from the earth. Since there is no developed sense of life after death among the ancient Israelites, “memory” played an important role in carrying on the life of an individual and the influence of that person beyond the grave. For all memories of an individual to perish, as here, would mean that ...

2999. Zophar's Second Speech to Job

Job 20:1-29

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... of pique that Job does not recognize his status as a sage (or that of the other friends for that matter). Job’s attempts to “discipline” the sages, as if they are naïve, untutored school boys, dishonors and offends Zophar’s sense of identity. He sets out to counter Job’s criticism with an answer drawn from understanding (the accumulated perception of sages). Additional Notes 20:3 The meaning of the Heb. ruakh mibbinati (lit., “a spirit from my understanding”) is not clear here. The NIV takes ...

3000. Acquittal for the Falsely Accused (Ps. 7)

Psalm 7:1-17

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... 19; 10:12; 82:1, 8). At the temple, this image was symbolized by the cherubim-ark. This same imperative introduces the song of the ark in Numbers 10:35 (cf. Ps. 132:8). If the cherubim-ark tradition is echoed here, it can help us make sense of several features in the psalm that otherwise appear to be incongruous. One concerns the puzzling references in verse 7 (see the Additional Notes below). Another is the combination of both legal (vv. 6–9) and military (vv. 10–13) language applied to God. In the OT ...

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