(When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) Luke 7:29-30 ESV Most Sunday mornings I teach a Sunday school class before the worshipContinue reading “The Curious Case of Jesus’s Speech in Luke 7:29-30”
Tag Archives: New Testament
Faith and Works
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. James 2:18 (NRSV) Every year on this past Monday, our church small group gathers at one of our homes to watch the College Football National ChampionshipContinue reading “Faith and Works”
How Accurate is my English translation of Scripture?
If you have ever read more than one English version of the Bible, you have realized that each one is different, and in some cases confusingly different. Since the Bible was originally written in ancient Hebrew and Greek, modern translators have all the challenges of how to render an ancient language into one that communicatesContinue reading “How Accurate is my English translation of Scripture?”
Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 10
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). All of the other Christmas stories can be summed up in these words from the Gospel of John. The verse not only sums up the others butContinue reading “Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 10”
Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 9
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed …” Thus begins the most famous account of the Christmas story, found in Luke 2. One thing has never changed: taxes. But in this story everything else does. A baby wasContinue reading “Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 9”
Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 8
Not only is Luke the longest of our four Gospels; his Christmas story dwarfs the others. Matthew’s story takes up 58 verses, but Luke’s 132. The main reason is that his story is really two birth stories, not just of Jesus, but also of John the Baptist. If we deleted what Luke has to sayContinue reading “Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 8”
Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 7
“Now after Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look! Magi from the east came to Jerusalem saying, ‘Where is the one born King of the Jews?’” (Matthew 2:1). This notice from Matthew following the birth story of Jesus in Matthew 1, would sound off all sortsContinue reading “Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 7”
Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 6
“Now the birth of Jesus Messiah was like this …” Following the genealogy from Abraham down to Joseph and Jesus, Matthew tells the birth story proper in Matthew 1:18-25. While Mary definitely plays a role—she is usually referred to as “his mother”—Joseph is the key character in this telling of the Christmas story. It allContinue reading “Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 6”
Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 5
“The book of the genesis of Jesus Messiah Son of David Son of Abraham.” This is how Matthew begins his story of Jesus. Over the first two chapters of his gospel, Matthew has a genealogy of Jesus starting from Abraham, and then the story of Jesus’s conception, birth in Bethlehem, visit from the Magi, attemptedContinue reading “Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 5”
Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 4
Maybe the most surprising Christmas story is in Revelation. Most people think that Revelation is all about the future, but within its pages is the story of the cosmic conflict between good and evil. At the very center of Revelation, the conflict is laid bare. The Christmas story of Revelation is told right there inContinue reading “Christmas Stories in the Bible, Part 4”
R Jackson Painter, PhD 