Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 551 to 575 of 3099 results

551. Christ, Incarnation of

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... in various disguises. One day he went as a poor man to the public baths and in a tiny cellar sat beside the fireman who tended the furnace. When it was mealtime the monarch shared his coarse food and talked to his lonely subject as a friend. Again and again he visited and the man grew to love him. One day the Shah told him he was the monarch, expecting the man to ask some gift from him. But the fireman sat gazing at his ruler with love and wonder and at last spoke, “ ...

552. Solomon Builds the Temple

2 Chronicles 3:1-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... Hiram of Tyre to perform these duties. In 4:11 the name Huram occurs twice (in both variations: Huram and Hiram). It is thus clear that he was the designer of all the artful decorations mentioned in the next verses. In 4:18 Solomon becomes the explicit subject of the verb again in accordance with the source text in 1 Kings 7:47. At this point it becomes clear that, although the Sidonian artisan Huram was responsible for the creation of many of the objects in the temple, Solomon is credited with building the ...

553. Peter at Cornelius’ House

Acts 10:23b-48

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... no main verb to govern “the word.” In v. 37, “beginning” is wholly ungrammatical. It is a participle in the nominative masculine singular and can apply to no noun in the sentence, but must assume Jesus as its subject. 10:48 He ordered that they be baptized: The subjects of this baptism were Cornelius and the “large gathering” assembled by him to hear Peter (v. 27), including, we may suppose, “all his family” (v. 2), which may have included children. That the whole family and even the whole ...

554. Paul Speaks to the Crowd

Acts 21:37--22:21

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... so also perhaps in 1 Cor. 10:2 of baptism and certainly in 1 Cor. 6:11 of washing; cf. Eph. 5:26; Titus 3:5). As a rule, the verb “to baptize” is used in the passive when referring to the subjects of Christian baptism (cf., e.g., 9:18, “he was baptized”). But here the subject is presented as doing something for himself and not merely as receiving: “Get yourself baptized.” The seeking of the outward sign and the claiming for oneself of what it signifies is the response of faith to God’s grace.

555. Gift

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

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... thereby not only to explain why he sent Titus back to Corinth in order to oversee the collection, but also to encourage the wealthy Corinthians to contribute as generously as possible. 8:1 The direct address of the Corinthians as brothers marks the transition to the new subject of the collection for Jerusalem. The word charis runs like a leitmotif throughout 2 Corinthians 8–9, displaying a variety of senses (cf. 8:1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 16, 19; 9:8, 14, 15). Here it is used in the sense of the grace that God ...

556. Accusations

2 Corinthians 10:1-18

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... in the territorial jurisdiction under discussion (cf. v. 13). Paul never lets the reader forget that he is an apostle “by the will of God” (cf. 1:1). Additional Notes 10:1–18 According to many interpreters, chs. 10–13 are written in a tone and about a subject so different from that of chs. 1–9 that they are considered a fragment of a letter written to Corinth at some other time, either before or after the writing of chs. 1–9. For the purposes of the present commentary, however, 2 Cor. 10–13 is ...

557. Wives and Husbands

Ephesians 5:22-33

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... ’ them (1 Cor. 7:15). The ‘peace’ between God and man, Jews and Gentiles, of which Paul spoke in Eph. 2:14–16 shall be extended into every house and praised by the conduct of husband and wife” (Eph. 4–6, p. 655). The subjects of husband-wife relationships, the equality of women, and the role of women in the church continue to be debated and controversial issues today. With respect to Ephesians, several things must be noted: First, the author is talking about husband-wife relationships, not male ...

558. Thanksgiving and Prayer

Colossians 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... to evil forces; they have been delivered from these powers and are reminded to live victoriously in the power of Christ (3:1–4). 1:14 The third reason for rejoicing is the forgiveness of sins. Here the subject of the actions is no longer God, as in 1:12–13, but Christ. He is the agent of redemption and the means by which we have … the forgiveness of sins. The GNB “by whom we are set free” beautifully captures the essential meaning of redemption as liberation, that is, ...

559. Rules for Christian Households

Colossians 3:18-4:1

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... s responses often are drawn from his Jewish background, in which the role of males was still dominant. Thus his attitude toward women is determined by the order of creation (1 Cor. 11:3–8; 1 Tim. 2:13), the sin of Eve (1 Tim. 2:14), and subjection as symbolized by the woman’s covered head (1 Cor. 11:5–8). Women in the church during Paul’s time are instructed to follow these admonitions and not to do anything that will disturb church order or hinder their witness to the world. Undoubtedly, the most ...

560. Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... ?” The clarion call of the gospel had sounded from Thessalonica not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but everywhere. This, at least, is the sense of what Paul says. But in midstream he changes the structure of the sentence. “The Lord’s message” is replaced as the subject by your faith in God (for faith, see disc. on 3:2), and strictly, the latter had become known. “Everywhere” refers only to Jewish-Christian communities, and even then it may be hyperbole (cf. Rom. 1:8; 2 Cor. 2:14; Col. 1:6). It is ...

561. Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2:17--3:5

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... ; 3:12; the noun paraklēsis shares the same range of meanings as the verb; cf. 2:3; 2 Thess. 2:16). The verb is qualified by in your faith, where the Greek has the preposition hyper, “for the sake of your faith.” Faith here might be subjective or objective, either their trust—Timothy encouraging them to go on trusting God and Christ to bring them to God—or the body of teaching, the faith, that was the basis of that trust. Thus Timothy encourages them to remain true to that faith (for faith, pistis ...

562. The Man of Lawlessness

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... . The construction eis to, in this instance, is sometimes translated “until.” But its usual sense of purpose should be retained as in NIV (see disc. on 1 Thess. 2:12). The purpose is God’s, to which both the man of lawlessness and the restraining power are subject. The proper time is literally “his own (the man of lawlessness’) time,” in the sense that it is the time set by God for him to be revealed. Meanwhile (and this is given as an explanation of the statement of v. 7, for, gar), the secret ...

563. Request for Prayer

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... disc. on 1 Thess. 2:4; for Christ see note on 1 Thess. 1:1). Paul is praying, therefore, that their whole being might be concentrated on the love and perseverance of which he speaks. The genitive God’s love (the love of God) could be objective or subjective—either our love of God or God’s love for us. Pauline usage would suggest the latter, the context the former. But perhaps the question of what kind of genitive this is, is best left unresolved, for in this case the one love is dependent on the other ...

564. Instructions on Worship

1 Timothy 2:1-15

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... therefore”), untranslated in the NIV (probably because it was understood to be transitional). “Therefore,” Paul says, “while we’re on the subject, as the people gather to pray be sure it is for prayer and not in anger or disputing.” That is, the instruction ... thus fell into sin, he now says: But she will be saved. There is a subtle shift here from Eve to the women in Ephesus. The subject of the verb will be saved is in fact the woman in verse 14 (see NIV text note b on v. 15). Obviously Paul is not ...

565. Overseers and Deacons

1 Timothy 3:1-16

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... fragment, in six rhythmic lines. Each line has two members, a verb standing in first position, each in the aorist (past) tense, passive voice in Greek, ending with the rhythmic -thē, followed by a prepositional phrase (Gk., en, “in” or “by”). The implied subject of each verb is Christ. On that much all modern interpreters are agreed; but on the structure itself, the meaning of a couple of the lines, and the meaning of the whole, there has been considerable debate, with nothing like a consensus. It ...

566. Advice About Widows, Elders and Slaves

1 Timothy 5:1-6:2

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... help widows in their own family so the church will not be burdened with them. The surprising element in the sentence is the subject, if any woman who is a believer, rather than, “if anyone” (as in v. 8). So surprising is this term that some early ... from it, which leads to so many of our uncertainties (as is true in so many places in the NT Epistles). Possibly this feminine subject tells us that the problem behind verses 4 and 8 was a specific case of a younger widow of means rejecting the care of ...

567. A Workman Approved by God

2 Timothy 2:14-26

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... is to be avoided (the “because” clause) is somewhat ambiguous, since the verb prokopsousin (will become more and more, lit., “shall advance” or “make progress”; cf. 3:9, 13) has no expressed subject. The context and the pronoun their in verse 17, meaning the false teachers, clearly imply that these people are the subject of the verb. As noted in 1 Timothy 4:15, the word “will advance” is probably a slogan related to the elitist nature of their teaching. Thus, with a fine piece of irony ...

568. Paul's Charge to Timothy

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... cannot go that far concede that here is a genuine Pauline fragment. But others have seen the ties to Philippians as the latter’s being the “source” for the pseudepigraphic author. As is often the case, such arguments tend to be stalemated, and considerable subjectivity tends to weight the final decision. Recently, D. Cook ( has argued for non-Pauline authorship on the basis of language and style. But all he has shown conclusively is that these verses are of a piece with the rest of the letter, not who ...

569. Personal Remarks

2 Timothy 4:9-18

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... the mistress of the nations” (to use Bernard’s phrase), that all the Gentiles were thereby able to hear the gospel. Secondly, the Lord delivered me (which is implied by the passive, I was delivered) from the lion’s mouth. This metaphor has long been the subject of debate. Satan, Nero, the empire itself, and death have all been suggested for the lion. Most likely the clue lies in the observation of the echoes of Psalm 22 throughout the passage (vv. 9–18). Just as Paul had been deserted (vv. 10, 16 ...

570. The Son Superior to Angels

Hebrews 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... , the Son of David, the Son now at the right hand of the Father. The opening words of the quotation are ambiguous both in the Hebrew and the LXX. Either “God” is to be understood as vocative, O God, and God is thus the addressee, or “God” is the subject and throne is a predicate nominative, “God is thy throne” (as in margin of RSV). The latter does not make much sense but is sometimes preferred because of the difficulty of God speaking to another as God (as in v. 9), as well as the difficulty of ...

571. The Blood of Christ

Hebrews 9:11-28

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... ; 21:28). The particular defilement that was to be remedied by “the water for impurity,” as it was called, was that of having touched a dead body (Num. 19:11ff.), but it was also applied to booty taken from an enemy (Num. 31:23). On the subject of cultic defilement, see F. Hauck, TDNT, vol. 3, pp. 789–809. On sprinkling and ceremonial cleansing, see C.-H. Hunzinger, TDNT, vol. 6, pp. 976–84. The word underlying sanctify (hagiazō), although it has a cultic sense here, elsewhere in Hebrews is used to ...

572. A Call to Persevere

Hebrews 10:19-39

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... of that era, the destruction of Jerusalem would have been thought to signal the appearance of the eschaton (cf. Matt. 24:3). The Sin of Apostasy and the Reality of Judgment The reference to “the Day” at the end of the preceding section leads naturally to the subject of the future judgment, and this is now used as a further incentive to faithfulness and the avoidance of apostasy. The concern of this passage is similar to that of 6:4–8 (cf. 3:12). 10:26–27 The words if we deliberately keep on sinning ...

573. God Disciplines His Sons

Hebrews 12:1-13, Hebrews 12:14-29

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... that hinders the life of faith as it has been portrayed in the preceding chapter is to be laid aside. One clear obstacle to the life of faith, however, is the sin that so easily entangles. The relation between sin and unbelief has already been the subject of our author’s attention (cf. 3:12, 18f.). The believers’ susceptibility to sin (cf. Rom. 7:21) must not be allowed to thwart them in their pursuit of the goal (cf. 11:25). Taking courage from past examples, the readers are exhorted to complete the ...

574. Warning Against Refusing God

Hebrews 12:14-29, Hebrews 12:1-13

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

575. The Living Stone and a Chosen People

1 Peter 2:4-12

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... the last term also being echoed by Peter in verse 9, “his wonderful light.” That aside, the Greek verb is highly appropriate, for it is the one used of approaching God in worship or in priestly service (Heb. 4:16; 7:25; 10:1, etc.), to which subject Peter is about to refer (v. 5). The living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God introduces the theme of these verses: the “stone,” as relating to Christ, and to those who accept him, and to those who reject him. All three Synoptic Gospels record ...

Showing results