Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 526 to 550 of 1795 results

Genesis 22:1-19

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... –18), and an epilogue (v. 19). Scenes alternate between speaking (sections 2, 4, 5, 7) and action (3, 6). 22:1 Some time later, God put Abraham to the supreme test. To prepare the reader to hear this disturbing account, the narrator departs from the usual oblique style of the patriarchal narratives by stating at the outset the purpose of what was about to take place: God was going to test Abraham. God, however, never gave Abraham a hint that this was only a test. That God needs to test a person might seem ...

527. Jacob Blesses His Sons

Genesis 49:1-28

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... ’s settlement, the second half of the second millennium B.C. The Hebrew found here is ancient, as is evidenced by the ambiguity of several terms, the obscurity of the wordplays, and the uncertainty of the meaning of many metaphors. It also correlates to the style found in texts from Ugarit (from the middle of the second millennium B.C.). The tribes are settled in the land but loosely connected, as they were in the early days of the settlement, according to the book of Judges (H. Seebass, “Die Stämmespr ...

528. Tyre, Sidon—and Israel

Ezekiel 26:1-21, Ezekiel 27:1-36, Ezekiel 28:1-19, Ezekiel 28:20-26

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... is described in glowing terms: Tyre is situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of peoples on many coasts (v. 3). But that preeminence is about to end. Through the remainder of this chapter, Ezekiel crafts a poetic lament over Tyre in the classic style of Hebrew laments. Generally, Hebrew poetry is based on two lines of roughly equal length (each usually having three beats, or accented words). However, the lament (Heb. qinah) is built on two unequal lines, a three-beat line followed by a two-beat line ...

529. Prologue to the Law of the Temple: The Lord Comes Home

Ezekiel 40:1--43:12

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... seemingly chaotic arrangement of material—not by topic, but chronologically, thematically, by social standing, by catchwords, or by association of ideas (Greenberg, “Design and Themes,” pp. 188–89). Since the shifts in number, style, and theme found in Ezekiel 40–48 are typical of the style found in other ancient legal materials, Greenberg argues, they need not indicate multiple authors. Further, Greenberg states unequivocally that nothing in the text of Ezekiel requires a date later than 571 B.C ...

530. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Matthew 9:35-38, Matthew 10:1-42

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Mission Discourse: The Twelve to Follow Jesus’ Lead (9:35--10:23) Big Idea: In the second major Matthean discourse Jesus calls the Twelve to lead in mission to Israel, following his model as an authentic shepherd of God’s people despite persecution. Understanding the Text The brief narrative transition between chapters 8–9 (9:35–38) and Jesus’ second teaching section in chapter 10 highlight Jesus’ Galilean ministry to a people who are without true shepherds (leaders) and Jesus’ call to pray for “harvest ...

531. The Faithfulness of God and the Covenantal Curses on Israel

Romans 3:1-8

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... idea impinging upon Romans 3:1–8 is antinomianism and the notion that we should sin so that grace may abound (see the sidebar and commentary on Rom. 6:1). Interpretive Insights The best way to cover Romans 3:1–8 is to follow the diatribe style that governs these verses, especially the three Jewish objections that Paul answers regarding his thesis in Romans 2 that Israel’s attempt to keep the law is the very reason that they are still in exile and under divine judgment. 3:1–2 What advantage, then ...

532. True Christian Faith seen In Its Works

James 2:14-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and by James himself; see 1:6–8)? Is James replacing faith with works? In this passage he answers that question with a decisive no by showing that true Christian faith necessarily and of its very nature produces those works pleasing to God. In a teaching style James frequently uses, he broaches the issue with a question, or, to be more precise, two questions (2:14). In the Greek, it is clear that the assumed answer to these questions is no—this faith, the faith that certain people claim to have but that ...

533. Joy at Believers’ Walking in the Truth

3 John 1:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 2:19; NIV “they did not really belong to us”) and that loving the flesh comes from the world and not from God (1 John 2:16) is understandable, but to say a neighboring church leader has not seen God because of his autocratic style of leadership is another matter. Therefore, verse 11 may simply be a general reference, perhaps still about the value of extending hospitality, rather than a reference to Diotrephes in particular. Then again, the denial of hospitality and the propping up of one’s primacy ...

534. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... country) in order to invite to the banquet everyone they found (v. 9), both good and bad (v. 10). No particular point is being made. 22:11–13 Verses 11–13 seem to have been added as a supplement from another setting. Since Matthew’s acknowledged style of composition is to gather into one place the teachings of Jesus on a specific topic, it would not be unusual for him to append to the first parable about a wedding feast additional teaching related to the same subject. Verses 1–10 stressed the Jewish ...

535. Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

Luke 4:31-37

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... where Jesus had been before his visit to Nazareth (as implied by Luke 4:23), Jesus’ teaching apparently does not provoke anger and resentment. Rather, the people were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority. In contrast to Jesus’ style of teaching, the Jewish teachers (whose oral law and traditions eventually become Mishnah and Talmud) cited one rabbi and sage after another when discussing a point of interpretation. A typical discussion would run something like this: “Rabbi so-and-so ...

536. The Jews and the Law

Romans 2:17-29

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... 2:1ff. If Jews could still maintain their confidence after 2:1ff., all illusion is now dispelled as Paul calls them from their seats in the courtroom, nay, from the jury itself, and summons them to the defendant’s chair. The diatribe style is again resumed (vv. 17–20), but even in verses 21ff. the style continues to be accusatory. The argument of verses 17–29 is essentially the same as that of 2:1–3, but what Paul argued on the grounds of moral logic in 2:1–3 he measures by the straightedge of the ...

537. Righteousness Through Faith

Romans 3:21-31

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... so inextricably part of Judaism, and themselves a source of pride and error, that Paul could not fail to consider them in light of the breathtaking news of righteousness in 3:21–26. He reverts here briefly to the rhetorical or diatribe style which he used in chapter 2. The style of verses 27–31 is deft and decisive, likely the result of ample experience with such issues on the mission field. Where, then, is boasting? Earlier Paul spoke of boasting in Jewishness (2:17) and the law (2:23). But God’s ...

538. God's Sovereign Choice

Romans 9:1-29

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... repentance (1:24, 26, 28; 2:4). Throughout salvation history, God has often employed severe immediate measures in order to serve gracious ends: “God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all” (11:32). 9:19–21 The diatribe style continues in verse 19 with Paul countering in the words of an imaginary objector: If God pities some and hardens others, who can be blamed? In resisting his will is not one only acting out a role predetermined by God? And if this be the case ...

539. Sexual Immorality

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... this deliberation is what the Corinthian Christians are free to do as a result of having been “saved” in Christ and freed from “perishing” (see 1:18). Perhaps the best way to follow Paul’s imaginary conversation with the Corinthians in these diatribe-style verses is to set out the lines of verses 12–13a in the form of a drama: Corinthians: “Everything is permissible for me”; Paul: but not everything is beneficial. Corinthians: “Everything is permissible for me”; Paul: but I will not be ...

540. Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... this point. Thus, attending to marital affairs is good, while attending to the affairs of the Lord is better. 7:35 Cf. v. 32. Paul’s effort to explain his concern is seen in the way he reiterates his point. This repetition is not typical of his normal style of writing. He states that he seeks not to restrict you (plural), a vivid and unusual choice of words that literally means “not to put a noose on you” (Orr and Walther, 1 Corinthians, p. 220). 7:36–38 The NIV’s alternative reading is: (36) If ...

541. Warnings from Israel's History

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... references to manna and water, Paul creatively connects the Corinthian circumstances with the original biblical text. 10:4 On the targumic style and possible background in Judaism of Paul’s exodus storytelling exposition of Numbers, see E. E. Ellis, “A Note on First ... that Paul makes of Scriptures is clear only in the immediate context, since he is capable of a variety of different styles of exegesis. 10:8 Paul’s Gk. at this point is vivid, filled with strong negatives and intense verbal forms (such ...

542. Propriety in Worship

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... not easily resolved. (1) How can a woman, veiled or otherwise, pray or prophesy if she is to be silent in the church as 14:33–35 indicates? (2) Has Paul confused nature and humanly determined fashion? Are male and female hairstyles given by nature or set in style? (3) How is the reader to understand the amount of energy that Paul invests in this section (11:2–16)? Does the show of creative effort indicate the severity of the problem? Or is Paul simply at a loss? Or is he merely biased? (4) What kind of ...

543. The Arrangement of Tribal Camps

Numbers 2:1-34

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... Reuben (ch. 1) probably because of Judah’s historical primacy in ancient Israel and relationship with King David (see Gen. 49:8–12). The Judah group is also the largest. 2:3 On the east, toward the sunrise comprises two synonymous phrases, a style not uncommon in the Priestly tradition (Budd, Numbers, p. 23). 2:5 The phrase next to them indicates that Judah takes the central position with Issachar and Zebulun on the flanks, alongside. As our diagram indicates, a similar circumstance holds in the other ...

544. The Silver Trumpets

Numbers 10:1-10

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... the people stop to set up camp, they can set up the tabernacle, and it will be ready for its furniture carried by the Kohathites, who set out with the next group, the camp of Reuben. The preparations are complete and the march begins. 10:29–32 The style of the rest of this chapter shifts to include dialogue (vv. 29–32) and poetry (vv. 35–36). It is widely agreed that the material in this section derives from an earlier time but is included here with the theme of leadership for the journey. Moses asks ...

545. The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 6:1-23

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... found in 1 Sam. 4:1–7:2, but in this context in 2 Sam. the chapter stands alone. The further developments in David’s reign described in ch. 7 follow from ch. 6, but the style and structure are very different. Ch. 8 provides a summary of military actions but again has a different style and structure from other chapters and almost certainly refers to battles that took place before the events described in chs. 6 and 7. These chapters reveal the overall editorial policy of the books of Samuel, detailing ...

546. Elihu

Job 32:1--37:24

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... the wicked and prosper the righteous, he says. This can leave little doubt that Elihu ranks Job among the sinners who falsely proclaim their innocence. 36:5–7 Elihu begins by denying three accusations that God fails to uphold retribution. Each accusation, as Elihu styles it, has roots in Job’s complaints, but none can be called a direct quote. For each, Elihu offers a counter affirmation. God is mighty, but does not despise. First, Elihu claims that God never abuses his power by acting out of disdain ...

547. The Israelites Leave Sinai

Numbers 10:11-36

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

548. Offerings for Unintentional Sins

Numbers 15:22-31

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

Additional Offerings and Instructions: Most commentators find it odd for a chapter of Priestly legislation to follow four chapters of narrative about murmurings in the wilderness. Olson argues persuasively that there is purpose for the placement of the chapter. He maintains that it relates in important ways to chapters 11–14 on the one hand and to chapter 16 on the other. Also, in contrast to a number of other commentators, he understands chapter 15 to exhibit an internal coherence (Numbers, pp. 90–101). ...

549. Faith and Deeds

James 2:14-26, James 2:1-13

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... Christ) is no more an “added extra” or a higher optional level of sanctification than breath is an “added extra” to a body (cf. 1:26; 2:14; 2:20; and 2:26). 2:18 Having given the example, James proceeds to argue his case, employing the lively style of imaginative dialogue, which was as popular with preachers of all types then as it is today. But someone will say means that just as Paul anticipates an objection in 1 Corinthians 15:35 or Romans 9:19 so James anticipates one here. The objection is: You ...

550. Walking in the Light and the Problem of Sin

1 John 2:15-17, 1 John 1:5--2:14

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

... not keeping God’s/Christ’s commands (especially to love others and to believe in Jesus, 3:23) is a liar. This is the same contradiction between confession and conduct which we saw in 1:6–10 (Kysar, I, II, III John, p. 45). In typically antithetical style, the author immediately contrasts the word liar with its opposite, truth, as in 1:6 (cf. 1:8; 2:21; 4:6). Such people (en toutō; lit., “in such a person”) lack integrity; they claim one thing in words, but its reality is not demonstrated by their ...

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