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Showing 1476 to 1500 of 4977 results

1476. Marriage Violations

Deuteronomy 22:13-30

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... would not have been the man’s own birth mother, but either another of his father’s wives in a bigamous or polygamous situation or (more probably) his stepmother, i.e., a woman married by his father after the death of the son’s mother and quite possibly of the same age or younger than the son. In either case the purpose of the law was to maintain the sexual integrity of the nuclear marital units within the extended family even when the relationship would not be strictly incestuous in a biological sense ...

1477. Exclusion From the Assembly

Deuteronomy 23:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... his relationship with his master that he (or she) would prefer permanent slavery to freedom (15:16f.). When reading the OT, we need to put out of our minds pictures of slavery derived from Roman galley slaves or more recent black slavery because these are quite inappropriate analogies for what a slave was in Israel. The word ʿebed meant a servant-worker, who could hold a wide range of social positions. The law allows for the fact that some slaves might run away from unfair or brutal masters, but does not ...

1478. Miscellaneous Laws

Deut 23:15–25:19

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... of the latter. To harvest in such a way as to leave no gleanings would be to deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice. This message is strengthened by the repeated phrase for the alien, etc. The NIV’s Leave it for . . . is not quite what the Hebrew says here (though it is in Lev. 19:10). Deuteronomy says, “To the alien . . . it shall be”—an expression normally used to indicate ownership. The sense is therefore, “Do not pick the forgotten sheaf, the remaining olives and grapes, they belong to ...

1479. David’s Charge to Solomon

1 Kings 2:1-12

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... suspects that Shimei’s faithfulness to Solomon (1:8) will earn him a comfortable old age. Before we make a final decision on this point, however, we need to consider also the case of Joab son of Zeruiah. Why does David sign his death-warrant? It is, of course, quite true that Joab had killed both Abner (2 Sam. 3:22–30) and Amasa (2 Sam. 20:4–10), and the suggestion has already been made (2 Sam. 3:28–29) that, in the case of the former, Joab had brought the danger of divine retribution on David and ...

1480. Solomon's Adversaries

1 Kings 11:14-25

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... out about God and his ways (cf. 1 Kgs. 4:33–34). Jesus was also known to commend a worldly-wise attitude to the world, as in Matthew 10:16, “be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” Solomon, it will be recalled, was quite good at playing the snake, if not quite so convincing as the dove (1 Kgs. 2). As far as wisdom in administration is concerned (1 Kgs. 4–5), the NT is plainly in favor of it (e.g., Acts 6:3). Yet the NT is, like the Solomon story, keenly aware of the inadequacies of ...

1481. The Widow's Oil

2 Kings 4:1-7

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... the chapter is taken up with a story reminiscent of the sequel to the “widow narrative” of 1 Kings 17:7–16 (cf. 1 Kgs. 17:17–24). The same basic elements—miraculous provision; unexpected death; prophetic intervention and restoration to life—are woven into a quite different story. The provision in this case is not food for the son, but the son himself, conceived when the husband of Elisha’s Shunammite hostess is considered too old to father a child in any natural way (vv. 8–17; cf. Gen. 18:1 ...

1482. Athaliah and Joash

2 Kings 11:1-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... kingdom”). Family ties mean nothing if power is at stake. This comes as something of a shock to the reader, the whole royal family? Surely David has not been left without a descendant? Happily, Hebrew kōl, “all,” is not always to be taken quite literally. We find out immediately that at least one royal prince has been saved. Smuggled away by his aunt Jehosheba, baby Joash is hidden with his nurse in the temple of the LORD. He survives, perhaps unrecognized rather than undetected, since the palace and ...

1483. Hezekiah King of Judah

2 Kings 18:1-16

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... all the fortified cities and captures them. This is not a very promising beginning. It seems that Hezekiah may indeed be about to suffer the same fate as Hoshea, regardless of his trust in God (v. 5). For all that Hezekiah has been lauded as a king quite unlike anyone who preceded him, his first reaction to foreign attack is a familiar one; he raids the royal treasuries and the temple, even stripping the gold from its doors and doorposts (cf. 1 Kgs. 15:18ff.; 2 Kgs. 12:17–18; 16:7ff.). The opening verses ...

1484. Woe to the Obstinate Nation

Isaiah 30:1-33

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... defrauding that looks so effective and is hard to uncover is actually like building a high wall without making sure that its rocks are of compatible shapes so that they fit together properly. Without anyone needing to interfere, it will collapse. It will do so quite comprehensively because of the way the rocks all depend on each other, like a pot smashed to useless smithereens. Either their deceit will fail or their gain will not profit. 30:15–17 Secondly, the people need to rely on the Holy One rather ...

1485. Ezekiel's Call

Ezekiel 1:1-28, Ezekiel 2:1-3:15, Ezekiel 3:16-27

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... it impossible to speak of what he had experienced in his visionary journey to the third heaven, where he “heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell” (2 Cor. 12:4). The overall effect of Ezekiel’s halting description is, quite literally, unearthly. Ezekiel left the realms of ordinary human experience behind as the hand of the Lord lifted him into the realm of the holy. A wheel is closely associated with each living creature. However, just as the four creatures defy earthly ...

1486. Riddles and Metaphors

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

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... not altogether clear that the original context of this parable was oral. As we have seen, Ezekiel is an author: this book bears a decidedly literary stamp throughout, which we have no reason to think did not derive from the prophet himself. Quite probably, Ezek. 16 was written rather than spoken, composed for the eye rather than the ear. Indeed, even if this story was originally delivered orally, it is highly likely that its written form, with its literary flourishes and embellishments, derives from Ezekiel ...

1487. Personal Accountability

Ezekiel 18:1-32, Ezekiel 19:1-14

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... punishment for many of the actions here described (Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1985], pp. 338–39). 18:17 He withholds his hand from sin. The Heb. reads “he withholds his hand from the poor” which is, to say the least, quite odd. The Jewish commentator Rashi makes sense of this by proposing that the righteous son withholds his hand from injuring the poor (see also the Latin Vulg.), while Tg. reads that he does not withhold his hand from the poor. The LXX, however ...

1488. Tyre, Sidon—and Israel

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

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... that common feature, however, these oracles are formally diverse; some are written in poetry, some in prose. Also, the lament over the king of Tyre in 28:11–19 contains so many images and themes from the temple and its priesthood that it seems quite possible that Ezekiel originally directed the oracle at the priests, and that Ezekiel’s priestly editors only secondarily redirected it at the rulers of Tyre. 26:1–6 The first oracle against Tyre, and so this entire collection, opens with a date: In the ...

1489. Prologue to the Law of the Temple: The Lord Comes Home

Ezekiel 40:1--43:12

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... The Persian period setting I propose for this final edition would have been such a time (see Tuell, Law of the Temple, pp. 38–42). How are we to read these chapters? As we have seen, the temple complex here is reminiscent of Solomon’s but also quite different in key features. This vision is not simply a memory of the first temple. Scholars have commonly assumed that chapters 40–42 are a building program, setting forth the design for the temple that is to be rebuilt when the Lord returns Israel to the ...

1490. Epilogue to the Law of the Temple: River, Land, City

Ezekiel 47:1-12, Ezekiel 47:13-23, Ezekiel 48:1-29, Ezekiel 48:30-35

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... this life-giving stream reaches the Dead Sea, it has become such a mighty flood of fresh water that When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh (v. 8). In verses 9–12, this general depiction of the river and its transformative power becomes quite specific. The sweetening of the salt sea transforms this formerly lifeless body of water into a fresh-water lake, teeming with fish (v. 9), so that from En Gedi [an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea, about halfway along its length] to En ...

1491. Jesus Adopted by Joseph

Matthew 1:18-25

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... was not routinely enacted in the first century]).2Both interpretations are consistent with Matthew’s emphasis on Torah obedience through merciful action (e.g., 12:7). 1:20 an angel of the Lord. Matthew includes angels and/or divine messages, often given in dreams, quite frequently in his early chapters. Joseph is led by angelic instructions and dreams, as are the magi (1:20–21; 2:12, 13, 19–20, 22; 4:11; see also 27:19). By including these plot elements, the author highlights God’s protection of ...

1492. The Disciples Confess Jesus as the Messiah

Matthew 16:1-4, Matthew 16:5-12, Matthew 16:13-20

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... wavering (14:31). In all cases it is an inadequate faith in Jesus’ power to rescue and provide (see also 17:20). Here little faith is tied to the disciples’ lack of understanding. Although some have argued that Matthew’s concept of faith is quite distinct from understanding, this passage indicates a closer tie between them.1 Don’t you remember . . . ? Jesus references the two recent feeding miracles (14:13–21; 15:32–39) in order to demonstrate the obvious point that if he and the disciples were ...

1493. Jesus Demonstrates Status Inversion in the Kingdom

Matthew 19:1-12, Matthew 19:13-15, Matthew 19:16-30

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... . Is it lawful . . . for any and every reason? The Pharisees ask Jesus about the Torah’s provision for divorce. From later Jewish sources, first-century Jewish views on divorce seem to be quite diverse, with some rabbis limiting divorce to cases of adultery (school of Shammai) and others allowing quite a wide set of allowable reasons (school of Hillel) (see, e.g., Josephus, Ant. 4.253). The Pharisees’ test that mentions “any and every reason” seems aimed at aligning Jesus with the latter ...

1494. Jesus, Messiah and Lord, Is True Interpreter of the Torah

Matthew 22:15-22, Matthew 22:23-33, Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 22:41-46

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... description of Jesus by his opponents helps to define their reference to him as “a man of integrity.” As such, Jesus is quite different from his opponents, whom he describes as “hypocrites” (22:18), those who are swayed by others (21:46) and lack integrity between ... all the rules. But this is not Matthew’s portrait of Jesus (nor that of Mark, Luke, or John, for that matter). Quite the contrary, for Matthew, Jesus is the embodiment of Wisdom. So how might this inform our preaching and teaching? In a ...

1495. Jesus Is God’s Faithful Son in Gethsemane and at His Arrest and Trial

Matthew 26:31-35, Matthew 26:36-46, Matthew 26:47-56, Matthew 26:57-68, Matthew 26:69-75

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... of a Thanksgiving Day tradition. Set aside a memory shelf: Dedicate a shelf in your home to objects chosen as symbols of God’s faithfulness. Perhaps you can snap a photograph of a place or thing that will help you remember a moment when God was quite evidently at work. Matthew portrays the commitment to “being with” Jesus as fundamental to discipleship. Quote: To live in relationship with the living God in a way that focuses on being prior to doing, it can be helpful to return to the truth that being ...

1496. Jesus Is Tried before Pilate and Sentenced to Death

Matthew 27:1-10, Matthew 27:11-26

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... name when used to refer to a criminal. It is less discernible why some scribes might add the name if it was not originally in Matthew. For this reason, it is likely that both prisoners to whom Pilate refers have the name “Jesus,” a quite common Jewish name in the first century.2The choice between the two men named “Jesus” is set before the people: Jesus Barabbas or Jesus the Messiah. 27:18 self-interest. Most translations attribute the action of the Jewish leaders against Jesus as arising from ...

1497. Through His Faithful Death, Jesus as Messiah Redefined Brings Life

Matthew 27:27-31, Matthew 27:32-44, Matthew 27:45-56, Matthew 27:57-61, Matthew 27:62-66

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... in Jesus’ words in 20:28: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 2. Jesus’ death has cosmic implications for humanity, as death is overcome by life. It is quite appropriate to preach and teach that Jesus’ death brings forgiveness of sins (26:28; see 1:21), and this is often the focus of preaching Jesus’ death. Beyond this, Matthew demonstrates that resurrected life springs from Jesus’ death (27:52). So we can preach with confidence ...

1498. Jesus’s Ministry and Popularity Continue to Grow

Mark 1:40-45, Mark 1:35-39, Mark 1:29-34

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... rejection, the gospel is not powerless, and a significant number of people will respond and be drawn to the power of God in Jesus. Jesus makes himself available to the crowds and prioritizes his time to be with them. The compassion of God for the lost is quite evident here. Finally, those touched by Jesus join him in proclaiming the grace and mercy of God; they cannot keep quiet once they have felt the hand of God in Jesus. Teaching the Text 1. Jesus needed time alone with his Father. Jesus was the God-man ...

1499. Parables of the Kingdom

Mark 4:1-20

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... a “parable” is an extended metaphor in narrative form intended to challenge the hearer to understand the mysteries (see on 4:11) of the kingdom of God. As such, parables are not intended to be cute stories that make spiritual truths easily understood. Quite the opposite, they cannot be understood apart from acceptance of the reality of the kingdom. For those not open to the coming of God’s reign in Jesus, parables mask or hide their meaning and produce confusion and rejection. By using parables, Jesus ...

1500. The Authority of Jesus over Sickness and Death

Mark 5:21-43

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... little daughter is dying. In 5:42 we learn that she is twelve years old. We are never told what the disease is, but obviously it is quite serious, for she “is dying.” Jairus is at the end of his rope and clearly is praying that Jesus can heal so terrible a disease. In 1 ... our world all the time. We must not be silent and passive spectators to any of it. We find ourselves, quite miraculously, on the front lines, where God’s praying people have always found themselves.8 The compassionate ministry of Jesus ...

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