The first response to the title of this article is likely one of incredulousness. Why even ask, might be your thought, as everyone believes Luke was Gentile. It is true that the vast majority of Christians believe that Luke was the lone Gentile writer of some of the books of the New Testament. But it […]
There may not be any greater controversy in the Christian world than the subject of predestination. For the Calvinist, the reality of predestination is that God has foreordained the destiny of all. The Westminster Confession of Faith states: “By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated […]
One hundred years ago (from 2017), a brief 67-word statement, within a short letter, laid the foundation for the birth of the nation of Israel. Since the sending of that letter, this statement has reverberated down through the corridors of history. There has been no more important brief document in modern Middle East history than […]
The purpose of the priesthood was to represent sinful people before a holy God. This responsibility belonged to the Levites. The Levites themselves, though, also needed forgiveness of their sin. This is seen, for example, in the commands for the Day of Atonement recorded in Leviticus 16. In bringing Israel into existence, God commanded the Israelites […]
Zephaniah, which means “Yahweh hides,” is the writer of this book addressed to the people of Judah and covers the period of 640-609 B.C. Most of the writing was done before the fall of Ninevah in 612 B.C. (see Zephaniah 2:13) and likely after the cleansing of idols from the land in 621 B.C. (Zephaniah […]
Baptism in the Christian world is a religious ritual that has, in many instances, taken on an importance far beyond its simple origins. There are Christian denominations, Catholicism and Church of Christ among others, that embrace the understanding that this “sacrament” is essential to salvation. Others believe it is not at all needed in a […]
The word Tenach is probably unfamiliar to many of our readers. This is the term Jewish people use when referring to what Christians call the Old Testament. It is the entire Jewish Bible, made up of the exact same number of verses as the Old Testament in your Bible. The difference between the Tenach and […]
Circumcision is practiced almost universally among Jewish people. The command is to circumcise all males on their 8th day, Genesis 17:9-13, as a sign of their covenantal relationship with God. Rabbi Eugene Korn understands the most important aspect though is the theological significance of circumcision. “Yet the Bible is more concerned with the theological meaning […]
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth forever. 2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth forever. 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth forever. 4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth forever. 5 I called […]
“And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, […]