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Showing 4376 to 4400 of 4963 results

4376. Peter at Cornelius’ House

Acts 10:23b-48

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of judgment and of salvation is indicated in verse 43: everyone who believes in him (“into him”—the idea is of commitment to Christ, cf. 14:23; 19:4; 24:24; 26:18) receives forgiveness of sins; those who do not—this is clearly implied—will remain in their sins and will face Christ as judge (cf. John 8:21, 24). The use of the singular, “everyone,” should be noted. To the thought of Christ’s universal lordship it adds the warning that we are individually accountable to him. The importance of ...

4377. In Iconium

Acts 14:1-7

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... exemplified in the previous section is repeated in this. The story is told only briefly, since the course of events in Iconium was much as it had been in Pisidian Antioch, the one significant difference being that, despite persecution, Paul and Barnabas remained in the city until their very lives were in danger. Luke has expressed this somewhat awkwardly (see vv. 2 and 3)—a sign perhaps of “a clumsily retained page from a logbook” (Haenchen, p. 423, who, however, rejects this view). 14:1 Iconium ...

4378. The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

Acts 15:22-35

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

15:22–29 James’ recommendation met with the approval of the whole church (v. 22), that is, of all who were present. Outside the council, however, there remained a significant number of Jewish Christians who wished to take a much harder line with the Gentiles. They continued to disturb the Pauline churches for some years to come. Nevertheless, the council did represent a broad consensus of the church and was an expression of the real unity that was ...

4379. Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

Acts 16:11-15

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... 4:2f. were among them (see note on 2:38 for baptism and note on 10:48 for the inclusion of the household). Lydia gave expression to faith with good works (cf., e.g., 10:46; 19:6), persuading the visitors to accept her hospitality for as long as they remained in the city (see disc. on 9:6ff. for Luke’s habit of naming Paul’s hosts). No doubt her home became the first “church” in Philippi (tradition places it in the village that has taken her name, not far from the ruins of Philippi; see disc. on 14 ...

4380. Eutychus Raised from the Dead at Troas

Acts 20:7-12

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... meals (10:10; 23:14; Luke 14:24). The only difficulty here is that the meal would have followed rather than preceded the Lord’s Supper as was the case at Corinth (1 Cor. 11:17–34), assuming that that was the norm. In any case, Paul remained talking with them long after this part of the meeting was finished (v. 11). Meanwhile, Eutychus was left in the care of some of the members until the meeting had ended. He was then taken home. “Thus Paul left,” says Luke, with particular reference to Eutychus ...

4381. Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

Acts 20:13-38

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... (v. 27; cf. Eph. 1:11; 3:4; see disc. on 2:23). His had been an “all round” ministry. 20:28–29 In the same sense the elders, too, should take care to be “clean.” Keep watch over yourselves, Paul urged, for only as leaders remain faithful to God can they expect faithfulness in their congregation. The elders’ position vis à vis the congregation is an interesting one. Clearly, they were part of the people of God, and yet, in a sense, they stood apart, for they were to “watch over” the others ...

4382. On to Jerusalem

Acts 21:1-16

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... island, however, was now joined to the mainland by a mole (built by Alexander the Great) and the subsequent accumulation of sand on either side of it. In verse 5 Luke mentions one of these sandy beaches. The former glory of Tyre was somewhat diminished, but it remained an important center of trade and industry. In honor of its past greatness, the Romans had declared it a free city within the province of Syria. 21:4 Paul used the time spent in unloading the ship to meet with the disciples. His week in Tyre ...

4383. Paul the Roman Citizen

Acts 22:22-29

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

22:22–23 Until now the crowd had remained quiet (cf. v. 2) and prepared to hear what Paul had to say. But at the word “Gentiles” the riot was in danger of erupting again. No doubt what offended them was his claim to a divine commission to offer salvation to all peoples (this could have been read into ...

4384. Before the Sanhedrin

Acts 22:30--23:11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... his own account of what had happened on the road to Damascus (supposing that to be the reference; see disc. on v. 6.) For the general acceptance of Christians by the Pharisees, as long as they kept the law, see the discussion on 5:34f. The Sadducees, however, remained fixed in their opposition (see disc. on 4:1) and for the remainder of this book are Paul’s chief opponents (cf. 23:14). 23:10 With the members of the Sanhedrin now taking sides and perhaps even coming to blows, nothing more was to be gained ...

4385. Festus Consults King Agrippa

Acts 25:13-22

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... from Nero, in exchange for Chalcis, the territories once ruled by Philip and Lysanias (see disc. on 12:1) and with this larger domain the title of king. Agrippa did his best to prevent the outbreak of the Jewish War against Rome. When his efforts failed, he remained loyal to Rome and was rewarded with a further increase in his kingdom. He died childless about A.D. 100. His sister Bernice (properly Berenice), born A.D. 28, was the oldest of the three daughters of Agrippa I (cf. 24:24). She was married at the ...

4386. Ashore on Malta

Acts 28:1-10

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... many inlets and bays. The largest harbor is the site of the present city of Valetta. Saint Paul’s Bay is about eight miles northwest of the city. The Phoenicians had occupied the island soon after the beginning of the first millennium B.C. Their influence remained strong in the mix of cultures that followed and was still evident in the first century A.D. in the Punic dialect of the Maltese. This is attested in coins and inscriptions and is noticed by Luke in his description of the Maltese as “barbarians ...

4387. The God of All Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... Parousia (cf. Rom. 8:23, 29; 2 Cor. 3:18). In that case, Paul uses the reference to Timothy to point to the unique bond of kinship that all believers share. Despite the disaffection of the Corinthians from their founding apostle, Paul stresses that they remain brothers in Christ with himself and Timothy (cf. 2 Cor. 1:8). On the other hand, the “our” may refer to Paul alone, for he commonly uses the so-called apostolic (or literary) plural to refer to himself alone, especially in 2 Corinthians (see, e ...

4388. Hearts

2 Corinthians 6:14--7:1

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... for the concluding exhortation in 7:1, thereby closing the ring. Hence, it is clear that the promises carry the main argument of the passage. 6:14a The passage is controlled by the opening exhortation. The exact meaning of the verb yoked together (heterozygein) remains unclear, for it is used only here in the entire NT, and there are no metaphorical uses of the verb in Greek literature outside the NT. The only metaphorical use of the word-group heterozyg-occurs in Plutarch, Cimon 16.10, where, apparently ...

4389. Gift

2 Corinthians 8:16--9:5, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... will”). 8:18–22 Having reinforced his selection of Titus as the leading person in the delegation to Corinth (vv. 16–17), Paul now turns to the second (vv. 18–21) and third (v. 22) members of the delegation to Corinth, both of whom remain anonymous. Perhaps their names were to be introduced by Titus when he arrived in Corinth. In any case, their official function is similar to that of the twelve priests whom Ezra entrusted with the safe and honorable transport of the freewill offering from Babylonia ...

4390. The Credibility of the Gospel Paul Proclaims

Galatians 1:11-24

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... Schürer, The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (rev. and ed. G. Vermes, F. Millar, and M. Goodman; Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1986), 3.1:15–17. For information on ancient historical accounts of the Nabateans and archeological remains, see A. Negev, “The Nabateans and the Province of Arabia,” ANRW 2.8.520–686 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1977). Hengel and Schwemer point out that the “Arab Nabateans appeared to be the closest ‘kinsfolk’ of the Jews who were still Gentiles” and that ...

4391. The Law and the Promise

Galatians 3:15-25, Galatians 3:1-14

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... willingness to shun anyone disobeying the law. The context of the Deuteronomy 21:23 quote is instruction about the burial of a criminal’s corpse: when someone is convicted of a crime punishable by death and so executed and hung on a tree, the corpse must not remain all night upon the tree but should be buried that day, for “anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.” The exposed corpse of a dead criminal would defile the land God gives as an inheritance. The language of curse in relation to Christ ...

4392. Paul's Concern for the Galatians

Galatians 4:8-20

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... like a Gentile. Compare 2:14, where Paul describes Peter’s life as like a Gentile, until the men from James arrived. Just as Paul rejected law observance to become as a Gentile, so he directs the Galatians to reject law observance and remain Gentiles. After the previous arguments from Scripture, experience, and reason Paul moves into a more personal vein with his readers, emphasizing his relationship with the Galatians in an attempt to dissuade them from turning to the law. This is not the first time ...

4393. One in Christ

Ephesians 2:11-22

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... . Theologically, it is a process begun by Stephen in Acts (chap. 7) and worked out by Paul in Romans and Galatians. Practically, some of the divisions never were abolished completely, because the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem and Palestine remained more Jewish in theology and practice than their brethren outside Palestine (the Diaspora). The largest percentage of early Christians were Jewish believers (Acts 1–12) who never fully separated themselves from Judaism. When the Gentile mission was inaugurated ...

4394. Paul the Preacher to the Gentiles

Ephesians 3:1-13

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... and redemption, and his emphasis on the cosmic aspect of the saving work of Christ” (p. 670). It does confirm that God created all things, including that which is momentarily concealed but which, in his eternal plan, is made plain to everyone. 3:10 What had remained hidden “for ages past” (3:9) is now (nyn) made manifest. This verse makes one of the most inclusive statements about the church in the entire NT. Simply put, it announces that the church has a cosmic function in the plan of God. With this ...

4395. A Prayer for the Ephesians

Ephesians 3:14-21

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... (1:23; 3:19; 4:13) is another way by which the author describes the indicative and imperative or the “already” and the “not yet” of the Christian life. In union with Christ, believers have been granted this fullness; but their possession is a goal that remains to be fulfilled as they appropriate God’s gifts and grow in their capacity to receive them (1:14; 4:30). The apostle seems to be emphasizing the reality of this within the context of the church and is not alluding to some kind of heavenly ...

4396. Wives and Husbands

Ephesians 5:22-33

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... in Scripture, such as the order and glory of creation (1 Cor. 11:3–16) or the sin of Eve (1 Tim. 2:9–15). Neither is submission demonstrated by outward things such as women covering their heads in public worship (1 Cor. 11:3–16) or remaining silent in the presence of men during worship (1 Cor. 14:33–38). The submission taught in Ephesians is a mutual subordination between husband and wife that is based on the prototype of Christ and his church; Christ is the example who determines the qualities of ...

4397. Paul's Labor for the Church

Colossians 1:24--2:5

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... , afflictions, or sufferings of Christians everywhere. Certainly there is some truth to this, and it may imply what Paul means by suffering for Christ’s sake (Phil. 1:29). However, this hardly does justice to the idea of completing what still remains of Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body. A third and rather detailed interpretation looks for a solution in Jewish and early Christian apocalyptic literature. E. Lohse, for example, believes that the phrase “what is lacking in Christ’s ...

4398. Rules for Holy Living

Colossians 3:1-17

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... similar development of thought in that something that was hidden is revealed. The new life that the believer receives in Christ is hidden, that is, it is a mystery that one cannot fully explain or physically display. But the true nature of that life will not remain a secret, because it is indissolubly bound to Christ and will be revealed at his return. This interpretation, which takes life in the sense of quality or essence, is preferred to the view that looks to the return of Christ as the time when those ...

4399. Further Instructions

Colossians 4:2-6

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... with salt, which suggests an image of speech that is wholesome, witty, and palatable, just the opposite of words that are insipid, that is, dull and flat. With this section, the formal and theological aspects of Colossians come to a close. But what remains in the following verses (4:7–18) should not be regarded as mere addenda that have nothing to do with the content of the letter. These greetings and final instructions make two significant contributions to this epistle. First, they continue to reveal the ...

4400. Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... follows the normal pattern of letters of that time, naming the writer(s) first, then the recipient(s), and finally giving a word of greeting. Sometimes this structure became for Paul the vehicle of an extended theological statement, as in Romans 1:1–7. Here it remains relatively simple. Because the letter is written to the church (no matter that it was addressed in the first instance to a particular group of Christians at a particular time), we may read it as Paul’s letter (and God’s word) to us (see ...

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