PHall | January 27, 2015
In “comparing” the violent passages in the Koran with the “violent” passages in the Bible, some will quote Jesus, “Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Mt.10:34 HCSB). Problem is, Jesus is not the one wielding the sword. Jesus’ disciples are […]
Category: Matthew |
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PHall | January 15, 2015
The master teacher Jesus chose the dialectic method of stories, commonly called parables. Why did Jesus choose this medium? Maybe because He was a living parable, quaintly defined as “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Isn’t that exactly what Jesus was…an living, breathing, suffering and dying, earthly story with a heavenly meaning?
Category: Matthew |
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PHall | December 4, 2014
We have all heard the claim “Jesus never said anything about homosexuality,” and “Homosexuals are born that way.” Hmmm, if we accept the latter just for the sake of argument, then could Jesus have said something about that? “For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs who […]
Category: Matthew |
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Tags: Homosexuality
PHall | December 2, 2014
Denominations exist often out of the sincerity of the founders for some important truth. This truth becomes the identifying marker for that denomination. For example, the Presbyterians emphasized a form of congregational government based upon presbyters. Baptists emphasized a form of “baptizing” that was immersion because baptism meant immersion. Pentecostals emphasized miraculous activities. So do […]
Category: Matthew |
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Tags: Denominationalism
PHall | November 21, 2014
Matthew 26:6-13 – Just because a religious act is good, does not make it right. While in Simon’s house, a woman approached Jesus and anointed Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. When the disciples saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they ask. “This might have been sold for a […]
Category: Matthew |
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Tags: Denominationalism, Institutionalism
PHall | November 15, 2014
A – Support for Work (10:5-15) Judgment Day – More Tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah (5.15) B –Persecutions and Family Because of Relationship to Christ (10:16-25) C – Don’t Fear Men; Fear God: Persecution vs. Eternity (10:26-31) B’ – Relationship to Christ Because of Persecutions and Family – (10:32-39) A’ – Support for Work (10:40-42) […]
Category: Matthew |
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Tags: Chiasm
PHall | September 3, 2014
Remember Jesus saying to render to Caesar the things that are Cesar’s and to God the things that are God’s? The same word, eicon, is used there as here. People have often wondered what all Jesus encompassed by the second phrase, “the things that are God’s.” Could the Jews have missed what Jesus was really […]
Category: Matthew, Mark, Luke |
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Tags: Apologetics, Deity of Jesus
PHall | September 3, 2014
David refused to kill Saul who was guilty because he was the Lord’s Anointed (1 Sam.24:6). The Jews killed Jesus who was innocent because He was the Lord’s Anointed (Mt.26:63-64). While David is famously a type of Christ, David is also a type of what Israel should have been.
Category: Matthew, I Samuel |
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PHall | September 2, 2014
The Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy for reportedly saying He would destroy God’s temple; blasphemy since only God had the right to destroy His own temple (Mt.26:61; Mk.14:58). They didn’t understand they were guilty of blasphemy in destroying the body of Jesus, the real temple of God. Both destructions were carried out by Gentiles because […]
Category: Matthew, Mark |
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PHall | August 21, 2014
If loving God is the greater commandment over loving our neighbor (Mt.22:37-39); and if we cannot love God whom we have not seen if we hate our brothers who we have seen (1 John 4:20), then loving one another is one way that we learn and practice loving God.
Category: Matthew, I John |
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