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 4801 to 4825 of 5000 results

4801. Thanks for Their Gifts

Philippians 4:10-20

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

... he and his companions went immediately after their departure from Philippi), they sent him aid to meet his needs. The question arises whether the phrase again and again refers to the period of his stay in Thessalonica (which is how NIV and most other versions understand it) or to the time after that. The sentence might be rendered: “Both (when I was) in Thessalonica and more than once (in other places) you sent me (something) for my need.” This rendering would cover what he had received from them in ...

4802. Test the Spirits

1 John 4:1-6

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

... John 10:26: “you do not believe because you are not my sheep,” and John 8:47: “He who belongs to God hears (akouei, ‘listens to’) what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” This theological self-understanding helps the community to explain the “success” of the heretical movement and why some people have rejected the truth about Jesus Christ having come in the flesh (4:2). The final point of contrast in v. 6 returns to the opening theme of this section (4:1 ...

4803. The Flood

Genesis 6:1-8:22

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... evil on earth. According to these writers, the rebellion of the ancients resulted from their entering into unnatural unions with human women (e.g., 1 En. 6–11). 6:2 The daughters are described as good (tobot). Most often “good” is translated “beautiful,” the usual understanding for the attraction of the sons of God. However, it may mean that they were morally good, especially since this is the dominant meaning of the word in the primeval account (e.g., 1:31; 2:9; E. van Wolde, Words Become Worlds ...

4804. God’s Covenant with Noah

Genesis 9:1-17

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... symbols inspire humans to worship God wholeheartedly and gratefully. Additional Notes 9:1–7 The rabbis find here God’s law for Gentiles and refer to it as the Noachide covenant. Joining the principles of this passage with their understanding of God’s commands to Adam, the rabbis identify seven universal commandments: against idolatry, against blasphemy, against shedding of blood, against unchastity, against theft, against cutting off a live animal’s limb, and for civil courts. Accordingly Gentiles ...

4805. The Tower of Babel

Genesis 11:1-9

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... God also saw that this plan opposed his intention that the people multiply and disperse over the earth (1:28; 9:1). To put an end to such potential wickedness God judged their effort by confusing their language so that they would not understand each other. Different languages separate peoples. Groups who are unable to communicate with each other tend to fear and despise those they call foreigners. The twofold loss of workers and of collective knowledge brought the building activity to a halt. No longer able ...

4806. Abram in Egypt

Genesis 12:10-20

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... watching over Abram, Pharaoh wanted to guarantee their safe passage and to make sure that they left Egypt. God was directing Abram’s experiences so that they would parallel the destiny of his offspring. Furthermore, these experiences in Egypt prepared Abram to understand the prophetic word about the destiny of his seed that God would give him during the covenant ceremony (15:13–16). Like Abram, his descendants would journey to Egypt because of a heavy famine in Canaan. Over time their welcome would fade ...

4807. Hagar and Ishmael

Genesis 16:1-16

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... between the two women is striking. Sarai was from the consummate lineage, free, brittle, aging, and barren. Hagar was a foreigner, a slave, resilient, young, and fertile (P. Trible, “The Other Woman: A Literary and Theological Study of the Hagar Narratives,” in Understanding the Word [ed. J. Butler, E. Conrad, and B. Ollenburger; JSOTSup 37; Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1985], p. 222). To cope with the shame of being childless, Sarai devised a plan by which Abram might have a blood heir (15:2) and she might ...

4808. Abraham and Abimelech

Genesis 20:1-18

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... at this point does the reader learn that God had inflicted a curse of infertility on Abimelech’s household because of . . . Sarah. Additional Notes This episode in Abraham’s life functions as a model by which the people Israel could understand their national experience with the Philistines. Like Abraham, Israel was going to face peril from the Philistines. As with Abraham, God would intervene, bring hardship on the Philistines, and direct events so that his people would prevail. Specifically, there are ...

4809. The Treaty of Beersheba

Genesis 21:22-34

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Treaty between Abraham and Abimelech: The report of Abimelech’s entering into covenant with Abraham is presented so tersely that it is hard to understand fully the transaction that takes place between them. The outer frame (vv. 22–24, 27, 31) describes the making of the covenant. In the heart of the story Abraham lodges a formal complaint against Abimelech’s servants for seizing a well he had dug (vv. 25–26, 28–30). Pressing ...

4810. Abraham Tested

Genesis 22:1-19

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... great inspiration to the Jews during the numerous cruel persecutions they have faced throughout the centuries. That they drew courage and determination from this story is already attested in 4 Maccabees (e.g., 13:12; 16:18–20). In the NT the Akedah played an important role for understanding God’s work in Christ. Explicit references to it are found in Hebrews 11:17–19 and James 2:21–23. The wording of Romans 8:32 (“he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also ...

4811. Jacob and Esau

Genesis 25:19-34

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... 25:20 Paddan Aram, which may mean “road of Aram,” is possibly another name for Haran. It is also possible to take paddan as “field”; then it was another name for Aram Naharaim (24:10). 25:26 Scholars have proposed different ways of understanding the name Jacob. The theophoric element may be suppressed; its full form is then “Jacob-El,” i.e., “may El protect him” (Deut. 33:28). Another suggestion is that it is a denominative of the Hb. ’qb (“heel”), meaning “strike the heel” (LXX ...

4812. Isaac and Abimelech

Genesis 26:1-35

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... high moral integrity, and is so blessed by Yahweh that even his enemy comes to recognize God’s blessing on his life. 26:34–35 The narrative goes on to preserve a fragment from the traditions about Esau. This brief report provides information important for understanding some events that were soon to take place in Isaac’s household. At the age of forty Esau married two Hittite women, Judith daughter of Beeri and Basemath daughter of Elon. Did Esau marry outside the line of Terah in defiance or out of ...

4813. Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

Genesis 28:10-22

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... a vow (vv. 20–22). 28:10–11 Because of Esau’s threats and in order to find a wife, Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. It was a long journey, especially by foot. As the sun set, Jacob picked a place to spend the night. The NIV understands the text to say that taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head. Since a stone does not make a good pillow, it seems more likely that Jacob arranged these stones to provide protection for his head while he slept on the ground. As far as ...

4814. Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Genesis 29:15-30

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... daughters with a handmaid. To Leah he gave Zilpah and to Rachel, Bilhah. These handmaids are named because they are to become mothers of four of Jacob’s sons. Additional Notes 29:17 Leah’s eyes were rak, “weak (NIV), thin, delicate.” Some scholars understand this to mean that her eyes lacked luster (von Rad, Genesis, p. 291). Considering that rak describes a king’s reign as gentle (2 Sam. 3:39) and a woman as delicate (Deut. 28:56; Hamilton, Genesis: Chapters 18–50, pp. 258–59), Leah probably ...

4815. Jacob’s Flocks Increase

Genesis 30:25-43

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... the white inner wood. He set these branches in the watering troughs so that females in heat mated in front of them; their offspring were variegated or colored. His methods appear to be close to magic, but there is not sufficient information to understand precisely what Jacob was doing. Apparently he was practicing a type of breeding that allowed the recessive genes to emerge in the healthiest animals. His skill at inducing the strongest females to bear streaked or speckled or spotted young caused his own ...

4816. Jacob Returns to Bethel

Genesis 35:1-15

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... of God,” in remembrance of God’s self-revealation to Jacob when he was fleeing from Esau. This name signals that Jacob focused on the God who had revealed himself to him rather than viewing the place as inherently holy. Jacob’s understanding of God was deepening. 35:8 At this point the narrative reports that Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak. They called that place Allon Bacuth, meaning “the oak of weeping,” a memorial to commemorate this great matriarch. Throughout ...

4817. Esau's Descendants

Genesis 36:1-30

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... s seed, became a hated foe of Israel, these lists were neither expunged nor altered to cast Esau in a bad light. Their inclusion witnesses to the powerful force that tradition had in ancient Israel. It also placed “a check on over-zealous understanding of election” (Brueggemann, Genesis, p. 287). Given the hostility between Israel and Edom during the kingdom period, this material must have been incorporated into Genesis either early or late (Obad.; Ps. 137:7–9). 36:1–5 The basic genealogy of Esau is ...

4818. Joseph's Brothers Go to Egypt

Genesis 42:1-38

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... that they were not spies worthy of the death penalty. By keeping one of them in Egypt, Joseph assured their return. 42:21–25 The brothers discussed Joseph’s plan without seeking privacy, for they did not imagine that the Egyptian overseer could understand Hebrew. As they spoke it became apparent to Joseph that they were heavily burdened with guilt for having sold him into slavery. Reuben reminded them that he had warned them not to sin against the boy. Their remorseful attitude so overwhelmed Joseph ...

4819. The Death of Jacob

Gen 49:29–50:14

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... was to be buried in the Cave of Machpelah, digging a grave would not have been necessary. Joseph likely used this terminology in his request to bury his father so that the Egyptians, who prepared their graves long before death, would understand (C. Westermann, Genesis 37–50: A Commentary [trans. J. Scullion; Minneapolis: Augsburg: 1986], p. 200). 50:10–11 Atad has not been identified, and the precise location of “beyond the Jordan” (’eber hayyarden; NIV “near the Jordan”) is debated. Usually ...

4820. Not Because of Israel's Righteousness

Deuteronomy 9:1-6

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... Canaanites’ wickedness did not establish Israel’s righteousness. Nor did God’s use of Israel as the agent of God’s judgment assume or confer righteousness on Israel’s part. In later history, the same problem in reverse puzzled Habakkuk, who could not understand God’s use of nations as wicked as the Mesopotamian empires to punish Israel themselves. And in the same way, the fact that God did use Assyria and Babylon as agents of judgment on Israel’s wickedness did not make those nations righteous ...

4821. Offerings for Priests and Levites

Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... to hear the voice of God so directly. They had accepted, however, the mediatorial role of Moses. Here, God promises to extend that role by raising up a prophet like Moses, to continue bringing God’s word. These verses are of great importance in understanding the nature of true prophecy. Four points are significant. First, true prophecy would be a matter of God’s initiative (vv. 15, 18). Prophecy was neither for self-appointed egoists nor for a self-perpetuating mantic guild. It was God who wanted to do ...

4822. Marriage Violations

Deuteronomy 22:13-30

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... phenomenon (in India, dowry is paid by the woman’s family to the man’s—the reverse of the biblical direction—but it certainly does not mean that the husband is thereby the purchased property of the wife!). For a survey of the debate and recent understanding, cf. C. J. H. Wright, God’s Land, pp. 191–94. On the property value of children and its limitations, see pp. 222–24. 22:30 The interpretation in the commentary assumes that the unlawful act takes place while the father is still alive and ...

4823. Miscellaneous Laws

Deut 23:15–25:19

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... of party politics, but of fundamental biblical ethical categories of righteousness and sin. 24:16 This law must be seen in its proper context—namely, the administration of criminal law in human courts. Deuteronomy elsewhere expresses a deep understanding of corporate solidarity of the people of God, through the covenant that spans the generations. However, while it is true theologically that each generation’s commitments and failures affect those that follow, the basic legal principle of individual ...

4824. Blessings for Obedience

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Blessings and Curses: It is not hard to understand why this is perhaps the most difficult chapter in Deuteronomy for a modern reader to cope with. And yet the fact is that in its ancient context this list of blessings and the even longer list of curses would have been expected at this point. Deuteronomy is structurally modeled on ...

4825. Solomon's Throne Established

1 Kings 2:13-46

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... Samuel 16:20–22 might suggest that sexual liaison with the king’s concubines amounted to such a claim and even if Abishag was not strictly a concubine, she was intimately associated in people’s minds with David. Then again, how are we to understand Bathsheba’s response to this request? Is she simply naive? Or is she shrewd, calculating that onward transmission of the request is likely to lead to Adonijah’s death, and thus greater safety for both herself and Solomon? The ambiguity is never resolved ...

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