Sermon and Worship Resources

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Isaiah 31:1-9

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... ). Parallel to it is flesh (basar), the stuff common to human beings and animals. There is nothing wrong with being flesh. Unlike the Greek equivalent, the Hebrew word does not imply wrongdoing or worldliness. It is just the ordinary created stuff of which human beings are made, designed to see God (40:5) but in itself perishable like grass (40:6). On the other side there is God. The word is ’el, the most absolute and dynamic term for God as the holy one who acts in justice (5:16), who is with the people ...

577. Comfort for God's People

Isaiah 40:1-31

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... , the grounds lie in God’s power as Creator. This fact about the past and the present gives grounds for hope in the future. Creator-power is thus applied to weariness. The Poet’s characteristic designation of the audience is the double expression Jacob . . . Israel (v. 27), and we will often use this designation. It may refer directly to the Judean deportee community in Babylon and/or to the Judean community back in Palestine. Either way, the prophet’s audience is (and we will thus often refer to them ...

578. The Servant of the Lord

Isaiah 49:1-7

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... call (see ch. 6), this testimony comes after some chapters, not at the beginning of the prophet’s words (the initial account came in 40:6–8). Like Jeremiah’s testimony to his call in Jeremiah 1:4–5, it begins at the very beginning, with a designating before birth. Yahweh had called this baby forth from the womb in order to fulfill a prophet’s calling (v. 1b). Yahweh had prepared the prophet ahead of time for the moment when it would be appropriate to speak the sharp and effective words that would ...

579. The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... vision is like Jeremiah—only more so. Like Jeremiah he has been treated in a way that ignores regular standards of law. Unlike Jeremiah, he has eventually paid a price not merely in terms of deportation but in terms of death. Unlike Jeremiah, one of the devices designed to terminate his life eventually worked, and he has ended up with rich and wicked people (the term from 48:22) such as the ones who lost their lives when Jerusalem fell. Like Jeremiah, he has paid this price as a result of the ministry he ...

580. The Year of the Lord’s Favor

Isaiah 61:1-11

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... chapters 40–55 and suggests that the prophet also reckons to be the fulfillment of the commission and vision of heralds bringing good news to Jerusalem (see 40:9; 41:27; 52:7). Further, to judge from the verses that follow, the word poor designates the community as a whole. While chapters 56–59 presupposed divisions within the community and the leadership doing well at the expense of ordinary people, chapters 60–62 look on the community as a whole as oppressed and sorrowful, in the manner of chapters ...

581. Riddles and Metaphors

Ezekiel 15:1-8, Ezekiel 16:1-63, Ezekiel 17:1-24

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... display. In 17:2, the Lord commands, “Son of man, set forth an allegory [Heb. khidah] and tell the house of Israel a parable” [Heb. mashal]. In context, these two terms, both designating a riddle or wise saying that requires interpretation, refer only to the story of the eagle and the vine (17:1–10). However, they are apt designations for all four units in this section of the book. First, in 15:1–8, is a riddle in which Ezekiel uses a familiar metaphor for Israel, the vine, in startlingly unexpected ...

582. An Unholy History

Ezekiel 20:1-29, Ezekiel 20:30-49

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... the vision of the Glory’s departure from Jerusalem (chs. 8–11). Just as Ezekiel directed that word to “the elders of Judah” seated before the prophet, he addresses this message to some of the elders of Israel (see 8:10, 12; 14:1). Both names appear to designate the same group: the leaders of the exilic community. As in 14:1, the elders come to inquire of the LORD. However, as they also did in chapter 14, these leaders will get far more than they bargained for! 20:2–26 The recitation of Israel’s ...

583. Jesus Adopted by Joseph

Matthew 1:18-25

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... highlights God’s protection of Jesus and his family as well as God’s guidance through these moments of revelation. Joseph son of David. Joseph is called a “son of David,” just as Jesus is so designated at 1:1 and a number of times across the Gospel. While the descriptor could simply designate one from David’s (royal) line, as in Joseph’s case, Matthew applies “son of David” to Jesus with messianic connotations (see comments on 1:1). from the Holy Spirit. This is the first mention of the ...

584. Caring for the Needy and Commissioning Apostles

Mark 3:7-12, Mark 3:13-19

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Grant R. Osborne

... 6:13, the external evidence is quite strong, so I favor it as part of the text. If this is so, they were called “apostles” from the start (see also 6:30) and were given authority as official agents or envoys of Jesus, designated the “apostles.” The term refers to those officially “sent” as representatives on a mission. be with him . . . send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. There are three aspects to discipleship here. Primarily, the disciples are ontologically to ...

585. Testing in the Wilderness

Luke 4:1-13

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R.T. France

... led by the Spirit. This double mention of the Spirit leaves no doubt that this was a divinely planned and necessary experience, from which Jesus will then return “in the power of the Spirit” (4:14). Like Israel’s testing in the wilderness (Deut. 8:2), it is designed by God to prepare his Son for what lies ahead. 4:2 for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Forty is a round number, which may be intended to echo Israel’s forty years in the wilderness. The three recorded tests come at the end of ...

586. The Coming of the Kingdom of God

Luke 17:20-37

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R.T. France

... or “the day when the Son of Man will be revealed” probably derives from Daniel’s vision of the enthronement of the “one like a son of man” in Daniel 7:13–14. In view of Jesus’s persistent use of “the Son of Man” as a self-designation, it cannot now refer to a figure other than himself (and 17:25 here confirms this), but the expectation of an eschatological revelation of Jesus himself as Son of Man is (apart from one tantalizing hint in 12:40) a new concept in Luke’s presentation of Jesus ...

587. Two Testing Questions

Luke 20:27-40, Luke 20:20-26

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... to get Jesus to incriminate himself. It is the more remarkable, therefore, that Jesus, well aware of their intention, nonetheless takes the issue seriously in his reply. 20:21 you do not show partiality. The fulsome opening address is, of course, flattery designed to get under Jesus’s guard. But it also recognizes that Jesus, as a Galilean, was not subject to the controversial Roman tax in Judea. His opinion is therefore ostensibly being sought as a respected neutral authority in matters of religious ...

588. Adam, the Law, and the Curse of the Covenant

Romans 5:12-21

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C. Marvin Pate

... being in the loins of Abraham when he gave a tithe to Melchizedek. That Paul has something similar in mind in Romans 5:12–21 is suggested by his usage of “the one” (12x) and “the many” (9x), common terms in ancient Judaism to designate the representative actions of an individual. The very structure of 5:12–21, which contrasts the two heads of the human race, Adam and Christ, also suggests this idea of corporate personality. Interpretive Insights 5:12 sin entered the world through one man.[2 ...

589. The Divine Plan of Salvation

Romans 11:33-36

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C. Marvin Pate

... the covenant blessings, but Romans 9–11 laments the reality that the covenant curses abide on Israel because of their rejection of Jesus the Messiah, which itself has been spawned by the law. But in 11:25–32 Paul reveals that the conversion of the Gentiles is designed by God to stir Israel to jealousy and thus drive them to embrace Christ in the end time. No wonder Paul offers a hymn of praise to God’s plan of salvation history in 11:33–36. Second, God is holy and merciful. And ultimately, it is ...

590. Wisdom and Foolishness

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... minds, the scribe exemplifies the Jewish torah expert, and the philosopher (or debater) of this age the sophist.6 Together they make up the intellectual elite. Yet in light of God’s wisdom they are nothing. Paul’s rhetorical questions (“where are . . .”) are designed to highlight their impotence (cf. Isa. 19:12; 33:18). Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Paul is careful never to reject wisdom as such. Rather, his purpose is to draw a sharp distinction between the results of worldly ...

591. Worship and Proper Attire

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

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Preben Vang

... the parallels he draws between it and pagan worship. His suggestion that when a wife takes off her veil she might as well cut her hair off (11:6) is a rather “unveiled” way of calling such women adulterous. Cutting off the hair was a punishment designed for public humiliation of adulterous wives. In Paul’s mind, a Christian wife who unveils herself in a public setting makes it appear that she is one of the high-class “new Roman women.” In effect, her actions parade a rejection of the Christian ...

592. The Priority of Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... the pursuit of truth (cf. 5:8; Rom. 1:18, 25; 2 Cor. 13:8; Gal. 4:16; Phil. 4:8). Levels of wealth usually determined the outcome of a case, often at the expense of justice.11Sophists especially excelled in smear campaigns designed to dishonor their opponents and bring them misfortune. In contrast, those transformed by Christ’s love trust God for their personal well-being; they find no gratification in the misfortune of others. 13:7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres ...

593. Last Encouragement and Final Greeting

1 Corinthians 16:19-24, 1 Corinthians 16:5-18

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... the Christian community at large. He uses his final few lines to give a last word of encouragement for the Corinthians to stay the course and remain strong in the faith (16:12–18) and concludes this encouragement with greetings (16:19–20) designed to highlight the unity of call and purpose between all Christians who love the Lord (16:22–24). Interpretive Insights 16:12 Now about our brother Apollos. Since Paul’s introduction follows the pattern he uses throughout this letter when referring back ...

594. The Fellowship Offering

Leviticus 3:1-17

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... to eat meat with blood. Here, the wrong way to get meat is to just kill an animal, cut out a steak, and cook it. That is eating with the blood. The right way is first to pour out the blood on an altar—in this case, a large stone designated by Saul to serve as a simple altar—before consuming the meat. In other words, eating the flesh with the blood means eating the flesh without first pouring out the blood to God through sacrifice on an altar. With wild game not eligible to be fellowship offerings on the ...

595. The Priestly Portions of Sacrifices

Lev 6:8–7:38

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... to some degree, be traced back to the celebration of the Pilgrims, who after good harvests or the like would declare days of thanksgiving. Subsequently, governors or officials from time to time did the same. The current holiday was formally designated to be on the fourth Thursday of November through the proclamations of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. Thanksgiving involves a feast with family and friends. Traditionally, roast turkey is the main course. Although for many people the holiday ...

596. The Day of Atonement: Preparation

Leviticus 16:1-34

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... problematic of the three since the sending of a goat to any demon seems inconsistent with biblical teaching. “Azazel” as a geographic term is a plausible view, but it lacks any corroborating evidence. Perhaps the traditional view that ‘aza’zel is the one designated for “sending away” (LXX) as the “(e)scape-goat” remains the most likely among the three views unless and until new evidence from the ancient world comes to light supporting “Azazel” as a geographic term or as a term for a god ...

597. Setting Forth with God

Numbers 10:11-36

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... that describes the journey from Sinai to the plains of Jordan. In Numbers 1:1–10:10 Israel had prepared for resuming its march toward the promised land. The tribal camps have been counted, and their positions around the tabernacle designated. The duties of the priests and Levites have been delineated. Gifts for the dedication of the tabernacle have been received, and silver trumpets to direct tribal movements fabricated. The Passover festival, recalling the foundational events of Israel’s history, has ...

598. Priesthood Confirmed and Its Mediation Duties Specified

Num 17:1–8:7

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... Aaron may well question whether he has really been called to serve Israel as a priest. Whatever Aaron’s feelings, God chooses to confirm Aaron’s call to the priesthood by the miracle of the blossoming staff. The lampstand in the tabernacle is fashioned after an almond design (Exod. 25:34; 37:19–20), and the blossoming of Aaron’s staff shows that he has been called to serve in that setting. Although it is rare for God to confirm someone’s call to ministry through such an overt miracle, he can do so ...

599. David Runs for His Life—Again

2 Samuel 15:13-37

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... of rebels.1 15:25 Take the ark of God back into the city. David refuses to use the ark as if it were a magical charm or palladium by which one could manipulate or compel God (cf. 1 Sam. 4) or an object designed to ensure his personal protection. It belongs in the place David has designated as its dwelling place.2He does not assume that it will, by its very presence in the city, bring blessing to Absalom. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes. David realizes that his destiny is in the Lord’s hands, and ...

600. Be Careful What You Ask For

1 Samuel 10:9-27

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... a king. After initially telling Samuel to give them what they want, the Lord decides to give them a king who is directed to rule in accordance with the Lord’s standards (Deut. 17:14–20), which run counter to the cultural norm and are designed to limit the power of the king. 2. When God’s people foolishly seek false security and reject his authority, he may discipline them by letting them experience the consequences of their behavior. While the Lord protects the people from their lack of foresight, he ...

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