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Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 4951 to 4975 of 4977 results

4951. Let the Lower Lights Be Burning

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... may drift on in spiritual darkness. On a dark and stormy night, with waves piling up like mountains on Lake Erie, a boat rocked and plunged near the Cleveland harbor. “Are we on course?” asked the captain, seeing only one beacon from the lighthouse. “Quite sure, sir,” replied the officer at the helm. “Where are the lower lights?” “Gone out, sir.” “Can we make the harbor?” “We must, or perish!” came the reply. With a steady hand and a stalwart heart, the officer headed the ship toward ...

4952. Solomon Asks for Wisdom

2 Chronicles 1:1-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... Solomon has been modeled on the transition from Moses to Joshua (Deut. 31; Josh. 1). Two other models may lie behind this portrait: Solomon as a second David, and Solomon and Huram-Abi as a new Bezalel and Oholiab. The second-David motif is quite obvious and may even be inherent in the Deuteronomistic version. The parallel between Solomon/Huram-Abi and Bezalel/Oholiab is less obvious but makes literary sense. Bezalel built the tabernacle, the temple’s architectural ancestor (Exod. 31:1–11; 35:20–36:2 ...

4953. Preparations for Building the Temple

2 Chronicles 2:1-18

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... deliberate construction to relate it to the name of Oholiab, who is mentioned as the builder of the tabernacle in Exod. 31:6 and 35:30–33. McKenzie (1–2 Chronicles, p. 234) remarks on the presentation of Hiram by the Chronicler: “Huram is quite familiar with Israelite theology; indeed, his confession in verse 12 of Yahweh as maker of heaven and earth makes him appear as something of a convert to Israelite religion.” Hicks disagrees: “These words are surprising on the lips of Hiram, but they may be ...

4954. The Ark Brought to the Temple

2 Chronicles 5:2-6:11

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... being narrated, but it also serves as an indication of the continuing significance and effect of these holy objects in the religious life of Israel. As the Chronicler was writing in the Second Temple period, one may assume that this remark was quite influential in affirming the ongoing significance of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the late Persian period. The section about the bringing of the ark and the tabernacle to the temple in Jerusalem concludes with the singers exclaiming, He is good; his ...

4955. Solomon's Other Activities

2 Chronicles 8:1-18

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... detailed. Second Chronicles 8:14 therefore mentions that these appointments were made in keeping with the ordinance of his father David and because this was what David the man of God had ordered. The expression “man of God” in relation to David is quite strange. This phrase is normally used in the Old Testament to refer to prophets. McKenzie remarks that “its use here is likely connected to the description of the activity of the Levitical singers as prophecy” (1–2 Chronicles, p. 255). 8:16 This ...

4956. The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon

2 Chronicles 9:1-12

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth,” and 9:23 mentions that “all the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.” It is quite significant that Solomon receives this recognition from foreign royalty. Furthermore, numerous anecdotes about Solomon’s wealth and other projects confirm this reputation in 9:10–11 and 9:13–28. They include Hiram’s maritime assistance to get further precious metals and wood ...

4957. Asa King of Judah

2 Chronicles 14:2-15

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... learned of the alliance, he stopped building Ramah (16:5). Asa carried off timber and stones from there to build up nearby Geba and Mizpah (16:6). 16:7–10 The Deuteronomistic account of this battle (1 Kgs. 15:17–22) ends quite positively for Asa. However, unlike that source text, the Chronicler introduces through his own material another prophetic voice, Hanani the seer, to reinterpret the alliance between Asa and Ben-Hadad. His direct speech abounds with familiar terminology but with a negative slant ...

4958. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 36:15-23

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... as the so-called prophetic formula that normally introduces oracles in the prophetic literature. Cyrus of Persia is thus portrayed as if he were a prophet of Yahweh, announcing the return and restoration of the captives from Israel and Judah. This is quite significant in terms of what the book of Chronicles intended to communicate to its audience in the late Persian era. The Persian imperial regime is presented here with the insinuation that the providence of Yahweh is embodied in this imperial dispensation ...

4959. Jesus Taken Up into Heaven

Acts 1:1-11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... options). Either it is the objective genitive, expressing the thought that he is the one about whom they would testify, or the possessive genitive, indicating their personal relationship with him—they are his witnesses. Both of course are true, and the ambiguity may be quite intentional. In Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth: The fact that in the outworking of the history of the church the full import of Jesus’ words was only slowly grasped and even then, for many of ...

4960. The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

Acts 2:1-13

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of this, there are those who argue that there was nothing seen or heard on this occasion and that Luke has presented as visible and audible what was purely an inner experience. But the fact remains that he has presented the two incidents quite differently, insisting here that there was something to be observed—they saw (v. 3). After a careful examination of the evidence, Dunn comes to the conclusion that “what came to them came not from the depths of their subconscious, individual or collective, but ...

4961. The Choosing of the Seven

Acts 6:1-7

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... who attended the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. But see Marshall, p. 229, for a different interpretation. 6:6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them: Though the church was certainly instructed to choose the Seven, it is not quite as clear as NIV makes out who prayed and laid their hands on them. If the grammatical agreements of the Greek are any guide, then it was done by the whole church acting “in the presence of the apostles.” This view is supported by D ...

4962. The Church in Antioch

Acts 11:19-30

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of the church, it may be regarded as another primitive title of Jesus—similarly, “Leader” or “Author” (3:15; 5:31). Hengel comments: “Even if all these christological allusions were to be ‘redactional,’ this terminology is quite certainly not fortuitous; rather, the titles have been chosen deliberately. In other words, here too Luke works with the ‘historical-theological’ understanding which is his hallmark. In reality, however, it is extraordinarily difficult to distinguish between ...

4963. Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

Acts 13:1-3

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... 26 to restrict Paul to the role of teacher (though it does not preclude his being a prophet). Luke never describes Paul as “prophesying,” whereas he is regularly said to have “taught” (15:35; 18:11; 20:20; 28:31). If teachers did not have quite the same status as prophets (cf. 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11), and if Paul was a teacher, this might help to explain Mark’s behavior when Paul later assumed the leadership of the missionary expedition over Barnabas. Teachers: Prophets gave spontaneous utterance ...

4964. On Cyprus

Acts 13:4-12

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... set out in this narrative, but this seems highly unlikely. First, it is hard to believe that he would have included the story of Mark’s defection if he had been giving free rein to his fancy. Second, most of the places visited were quite insignificant. If Luke had been inventing, he would surely have taken his heroes to more exciting locations. And third, some places are named where Luke mentions nothing happening—Seleucia, Perga, Attalia. One wonders why if they were not already part of the story as ...

4965. In Pisidian Antioch

Acts 13:13-52

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of Attalia. From there (apparently, since no mention is made of Attalia itself as an intermediate port), they went up the Cestrus to a port within easy reach of the capital, Perga (see further the disc. on 14:25). Here Mark called it quits and went home. No reason is given, though many have been proposed: resentment at Paul’s taking precedence over Barnabas, disagreement over policy concerning the Gentiles or the extent to which the Gentile lands should be penetrated, or simply homesickness. Whatever it ...

4966. The Return to Antioch in Syria

Acts 14:21-28

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... may mean that the report was repeated as the two met with different groups scattered throughout the city. But the word church is in the singular. There may have been a number of groups meeting separately, but there was only one church. The final note is quite indefinite, but it probably does mean that they remained in Antioch for a long time (v. 28). Additional Notes 14:22 We must go through many hardships: This has sometimes been classed as a we-passage, as though Luke were including himself (see disc. on ...

4967. Through Macedonia and Greece

Acts 20:1-6

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... . He could not rest until he had heard from Titus. When Titus failed to rendezvous at Troas, Paul resolved to go on to Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:13). 20:1b–3a Luke takes up the story again at this point with a brief notice of what may have been quite a prolonged “missionary progress” through the province of Macedonia (see disc. on 8:4 for the verb “to go through”). It must have been a joy for Paul to renew old friendships. But this journey had its problems (2 Cor. 7:5), and always there was his nagging ...

4968. Festus Consults King Agrippa

Acts 25:13-22

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... the dead as Paul had claimed (v. 19). The imperfect tense suggests that Paul had made this claim repeatedly, but the verb itself (Gk. phaskein) reflects Festus’ own opinion that it had been made without any grounds. The proposition had seemed to him to be quite absurd, yet he had put his finger on the real point at issue. There was more to the Jewish position than this, but the dispute revolved around Paul’s claims concerning Jesus, which were of little interest to Festus. 25:20–21 Festus then told ...

4969. Paul Before Agrippa

Acts 25:23--26:32

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... -White describes his dilemma: “The complication and prolongation of the trial of Paul arose from the fact that the charge was political—hence the procurators were reluctant to dismiss it out of hand—and yet the evidence was theological, hence the procurators were quite unable to understand it” (p. 51). The present occasion was not a trial. In that regard, the most that can be said of it is that it was an informal hearing. But above all, perhaps, it was an entertainment—“a gala performance of ...

4970. The God of All Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... suffering with patient endurance, while trusting the God “who raises the dead” (v. 9b). For Paul, sharing in the sonship of Christ and in his kingdom as heirs requires that believers suffer with Christ here and now (cf. Rom. 8:17). This is quite normal for the time before the Parousia, although the Corinthians in particular have not always understood that sharing in the final glory is inseparable from sharing in Christ’s sufferings (cf. 1 Cor. 4:8–17). The comfort, understood as salvation, is not ...

4971. Body

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... does not show any visible signs of having been transformed as a consequence of his heavenly ascents. His opponents could at least expect that his face would be charged with glory as Moses’ face was (cf. 3:7, 13). Instead, however, Paul’s appearance is quite unimpressive (cf. 10:10). Paul explains this fact by reiterating twice that he does not know whether his heavenly journeys were “in the body or out of the body” (12:2, 3). Ezekiel, for example, speaks of the Spirit of the Lord transporting him ...

4972. Paul's Hardships

2 Corinthians 6:3-13

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... by declaring that he is completely innocent of any aspersions that have been cast on his ministry. Paul claims that, in word and deed, he commends himself as a genuine apostle who is motivated by sincere love. 6:3 The new section opens quite defensively. Paul knows that his ministry has come under fire because of his alleged inconsistency and double-mindedness, and he has handled such accusations in 1:12–2:13. In the face of these accusations, Paul forcefully asserts with an unmistakable apologetic tone ...

4973. Hearts

2 Corinthians 6:14--7:1

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... is to substantiate verse 14a, for the exhortation in verse 17, which reiterates verse 14a, comes at the center of two sets of corresponding scriptural promises (vv. 16def and 17b–18b), which provide the theological basis of verse 17 and thus of verse 14a. Quite logically, therefore, these promises also provide the basis 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 ...

4974. Identification and a Wish for Grace and Peace

Galatians 1:1-10

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... to a single church. It also indicates that the problem that Paul is combatting has spread among his various Galatian churches. 1:3–5 The wish for grace and peace is a standard feature of Paul’s letters. Unlike the address, this feature is usually quite straightforward, saying simply, as in Romans, “grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:7b). In Galatians Paul expands the wish to include a reference to the work of Jesus Christ: Christ gave himself for our ...

4975. Thanksgiving and Prayer

Ephesians 1:15-23

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... also fills the church so that it (the church) is described as the fullness of him. One may wisely heed the caution of C. L. Mitton, who concludes: “It must be frankly confessed that the meaning of these concluding words in verse 23 is quite uncertain, and, therefore, they cannot legitimately be used to support any item of doctrine about Christ or his Church” (p. 79). Additional Notes 1:20 A useful discussion of Christ’s post-resurrection appearances in relation to the ascension can be found in F ...

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