Sermon and Worship Resources

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 876 to 900 of 3926 results

876. Personal Remarks

2 Timothy 4:9-18

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... in chains (1:16; 2:9), and despite being “rescued from the lion’s mouth” (v. 17) at his preliminary hearing, he expects the final outcome to be death (vv. 6–8). Perhaps because of the seriousness of things, therefore, no one came to his support (implying that no one joined him or identified with him; perhaps he meant that he had had no official advocate); indeed everyone deserted him. It is simply idle speculation to ask either what Paul might have been expecting or where such friends as Tychicus or ...

877. Jesus Made Like His Brothers

Hebrews 2:5-18

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... one with us, and therefore we all are of the same family (lit., “are all from one”). Jesus has identified with us to the extent that he is our brother and is not ashamed to call us brothers. Three OT quotations are provided by the author to support this claim. 2:12 Again the author’s christocentric interpretation of the OT emerges. The first quotation he presents is from Psalm 22. The opening words of this psalm were quoted by Jesus from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark ...

878. Warning Against Falling Away

Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... sense in which all Christians should be teachers. Elementary truths translates the Greek word stoicheia, a word whose meaning in Paul’s epistles is disputed (Gal. 4:3, 9; Col. 2:8, 20) but which in the present context is quite clear and further supported by the statement of 6:1, where, however, NIV’s “elementary teachings” is the translation of other Greek words than stoicheia. See H.-H. Esser in NIDNTT, vol. 2, pp. 451–53. God’s word (lit., “the oracles of God,” logia tou theou) almost ...

879. The Blood of Christ

Hebrews 9:11-28

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... reading of v. 17 requires the death (apparently literal, not symbolic) of the one who makes the diathēkē, and since diathēkē can mean “will,” it makes better sense to allow for a shift in the meaning of the word in vv. 16–17. Supportive of this conclusion is that the language of v. 16 is careful and accurate legal language used in certifying the death of a testator. Thus, behind NIV’s to prove is the Greek word pherō, lit., “to be brought,” in the technical sense of being “registered ...

880. Christ's Sacrifice Once for All

Hebrews 10:1-18

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... example of the author’s christological exegesis of the OT. As he likes so much to do (cf. 2:6–9; 3:7–4:10), he first cites the OT text and then presents a midrash, or running commentary, on the passage, by which he supports the argument he is pursuing. In this instance that argument involves the transitory character of the levitical sacrifices and the permanent character of what Christ has done. The author has found an ideal text for his purposes. With Christ as his hermeneutical key, he expounds ...

881. A Call to Persevere

Hebrews 10:19-39

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... 34) as well as threats concerning the imminent future (12:4), it was deemed wise to avoid attracting attention. Despite the twofold let us (both are added by NIV) in verse 25, no new exhortations are present; rather, the material in this verse supports the exhortation of verse 24. The way in which the readers can manifest their concern for one another is through active participation in fellowship, on the one hand, and through mutual encouragement, on the other. Christians need each other, and especially in ...

882. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... it is a charge of judicial murder, either by active or passive means. Actively the courts are used to have inconvenient righteous people executed. Passively the courts are used to rob the poor of their livelihood by taking their farms or other means of support. It is all “perfectly legal,” and the poor “just happen” to die of diseases related to malnutrition. God calls both types murder. The last half of the charge is more difficult. It is true that the poor often cannot resist the rich and powerful ...

883. The Living Stone and a Chosen People

1 Peter 2:4-12

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... ., 2 Chron. 2:11) with the meaning “in writing.” So Peter may not be quoting directly from the Bible. Lists of proof-texts on various themes were formed in the early days of the church for the benefit of preachers. That Peter is using such a document here is supported by the fact that in Rom. 9:33 Paul also has Peter’s two Isaiah quotations (Isa. 28:16; 8:14), yet both apostles cite an identical Greek text which is not that of the LXX. The possibility that one writer quoted from the other is ruled out ...

884. Living for God

1 Peter 4:1-11

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... increasingly obvious to the early Christians as members of their community faced hardening antagonism from neighbors and officials. The vital link between Christians is expressed by Peter’s admonition to his readers: above all, love each other deeply. And by way of supporting explanation, he once again turns to the OT for a proof-text: because love covers over a multitude of sins (Prov. 10:12). As a proverb, the expression perhaps originally meant “Love is blind to the faults of others.” It came to ...

885. To Elders and Young Men

1 Peter 5:1-11

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... greedy for money (mē aischrokerdōs): Not from eagerness for sordid gain. The corresponding adjective occurs in 1 Tim. 3:8 and Titus 1:7, both in a similar context of a character-sketch of a worthy Christian office-bearer. At least some church leaders were supported financially from the early days (Matt. 10:10; 1 Cor. 9:12; 1 Tim. 5:17–18). Eager to serve translates one Greek word prothymōs, zealously. Emotion is implied because in ministering to God’s people they are in truth serving God himself. 5:3 ...

886. Jethro Visits Moses

Exodus 18:1-27

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... . 11). In Genesis 25:2–4, Midian is identified as a descendant of Abraham and Keturah (his wife after Sarah’s death), so Moses and Jethro had a common ancestor. Jethro was good to Moses from the outset of their relationship (2:20) and offered consistent support for Moses’ calling. In verses 2–4, Moses’ family is reunited and we hear an update on Zipporah. Apparently, after the attack in which she saved Moses, he sent her back to Jethro because of the dangers of going to Egypt (4:24–26). The text ...

887. The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-21

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... of a day laborer, who was by definition poor and in need of the day’s wage (Lev. 19:13–14). The development of this tradition of interpretation can be traced through the apocryphal writings between the end of the OT and the NT. Jesus supported the rabbinic tradition of “you shall not defraud” as well as the radical internalized meaning of not feeling desire for one’s neighbor’s goods. In his conversation with the rich young ruler he accepted the ruler’s recitation of the law, that included ...

888. The Lord Commands Joshua

Joshua 1:1-18

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... David to achieve anything near to those borders. God’s promise of land becomes the challenge for subsequent generations. This gift will be won on the field of conflict, for God directs Joshua to attack enemy forces and to expect victory through God’s support. God promises: No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life (lit. stand before you). The divine warrior removes barriers to winning the prize. Victory will come because God promises to be present personally and powerfully. I ...

889. Achan's Sin

Joshua 7:1-26

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... surveyed the land of Canaan and overestimated the enemy to Moses and the people (Num. 13:16–14:4). Again they demonstrate that poor reconnaissance is worse than no reconnaissance. The people rely on spies, do not plan carefully the battle, and do not seek the support of the Lord. Their blunder costs at least thirty-six soldiers their lives and nearly wrecks the reputations of Joshua and the Lord. One defeat threatens the fame of Joshua and the Lord (7:9). Defeat at Ai melted the hearts of the people into ...

890. Eastern Tribes Return Home

Joshua 22:1-34

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... worship and faith. Modern believers also will face the issues of Joshua 22–24. Disunity and unfaithfulness to God remain constant threats to the people of God. 22:1–8 Joshua 22 reports Joshua’s speech at Shiloh. He commends the east bank tribes for their support of the battles to take over the land of Canaan. In helping the western tribes receive their inheritance, they have been faithful to promises made to Moses and their leader, Joshua (22:2, 3, as in 1:13, 15, 18). Now the western tribes have rest ...

891. Abimelech

Judges 9:1-57

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

... preference to the alternate reading Ebal. The two divergent translations reflect variant readings in Gk. and Hb. manuscripts. The Hb. text reads ’ebed, and one group of Greek texts reads Iobel and another (minor group) Iobed or Iobid. Both readings find strong support; I, however, prefer the Gk. Iobel (Hb. ’ebal), because the name preserves a wordplay that the author appears to work with in the narrative. Ebal was the mountain above Shechem from which the Levites were to read the list of curses (qllym ...

892. Ruth Meets Boaz

Ruth 2:1-23

Understanding Series

Michael S. Moore

... my house. Stay far away from my court. (Gibson, Canaanite Myths and Legends, p. 85) 2:22 It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed. Naomi understands what Boaz is trying to do and supports him wholeheartedly. Ruth’s long-term welfare stands behind her own desire for Ruth to find a home (1:9; 3:1). Like Boaz, Naomi knows what the world is like, a violent place filled with “hot-tempered men” (Judg. 18:25). 2:23 So Ruth stayed close ...

893. David's Plans for the Temple

1 Chronicles 28:1-21

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... to help (28:20–21). First Chronicles 29 opens with David addressing the whole assembly again (29:1–5), telling them about all the materials he had already collected for the temple construction and asking who of them would be willing to pledge their support. The Chronicler then describes the very positive response from the people (29:6–9) and recites David’s prayer to Yahweh (29:10–19) as well as his last command to the congregation to bless Yahweh (29:20). The last verses of this subsection ...

894. Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return

Ezra 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... in 6:3–5, as a basis for this edict (here given in Hebrew). The fact that the king put it in writing supports this idea, and this is actually the only official document in Ezra-Nehemiah not written in Aramaic. The narrator reserved the stipulation found ... power behind the Persian throne and Cyrus’ Judean policy, and verse 1 has already used an argument from prophecy to support this claim. 1:4 This sentence has a complicated construction in the Hebrew that modern versions have paraphrased, thereby ...

895. Further Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 6:1-14

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... . If the translation is correct, his recourse was to turn to God in prayer, as in 4:4–5. This time he prayed for personal assurance as he exercised leadership in the face of intimidation. 6:10–14 If the letter envisioned prophets who supported Nehemiah, this next section tells of prophets who opposed him and who, he claimed, were on Samaria’s payroll. Again the theme is intimidation, as verses 13–14 state. This time it was not an external stratagem but an internal attempt to discredit Nehemiah ...

896. Haman's Plot to Destroy the Jews

Esther 3:1-15

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... Haman never explains that a personal feud with Mordecai is at the root of his plan. It is in Haman’s best interest to convince Xerxes that it is in the king’s best interest to destroy the Jews. How ironic that he enlists the king’s support to annihilate an ethnic group that includes a man who saved the king’s life and a woman who shares the king’s bed! The Hebrew root translated “tolerate” means “to leave alone” (nvh). This verb is a variation of the root translated “holiday” in 2:18 ...

897. Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 12:1-28

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... included. 12:9 Antithetic “better” saying. The NIV suggests that honesty and integrity in one’s state in life is to be upheld. However, a change in the vocalization (with the LXX) gives better sense in verse 9a: Better to be a nobody, “but self-supporting.” Hypocrisy is a frequent target of the sayings. 12:10–11 Both of these antithetic sayings would be at home in a peasant culture. The point of verse 10 is to contrast the universal consideration that the righteous have for others, even for an ...

898. Everything Is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... of the book. Although it is framed with statements about the human situation (vv. 3–4,10–11), the heart of the poem (vv. 4–7) refers to natural phenomena: earth, sun, wind, water. As these represent the traditional four elements, these references support the claim in v. 8 about all things (so Murphy, Ecclesiastes, p. 9). The sense of completeness is heightened in vv. 5–6, with references to the rising and setting places of the sun (implicitly east and west) and the southerly and northerly direction ...

899. Unfaithful Israel

Jeremiah 3:6-4:4

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... presence in the tabernacle. Indeed, it is seen as the footstool of his throne (1 Chr. 28:2), perhaps even occasionally as the throne itself (Jer. 3:16–17). God the king sits in his earthly house on his throne and the cherubim whose wings support him look to the ground to shield their gaze from the radiance of his glory. 4:4 Circumcision was established as a ritual in Genesis 17. It was a sign of the covenant between Abraham’s descendants and God. Evidence indicates that other nations practiced different ...

900. Woe to Nineveh

Nahum 3:1-19

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... such power asserted against Yahweh. Like Nineveh, Thebes was a great religious center; its Hebrew name transliterates the Egyptian No Amon, “City of [the king of all the gods] Amon.” It had the protection and support of the great power of Egypt, at that time ruled by a Cushite (Sudanese) dynasty. It also had the support of Libya and Put. Libya is a term for north Africa in general, west of the Nile; Put commonly appears in connection with Libya and is perhaps part of that area. So Thebes is strong. Yet ...

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