PHall | October 15, 2009
The term last days is used in scripture to refer to this dispensation that started on the day of Pentecost and will end at the Second Coming (Acts 2:17; 1 Timothy 3:1; James 5:3; 1 Corinthians 10:11). At first, it might appear the Hebrew writer is using this phrase similarly, but that cannot be so. […]
Category: Acts, I Corinthians, I Timothy, Hebrews, James |
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Tags: Commentary, Eschatology
PHall | October 15, 2009
“The prophet is the interpreter of the God who speaks within.” (Philo); “The prophets are interpreters of the God who uses them as instruments to reveal to men that which he wills.” (Philo). Considering that the topic Hebrews will in great part be the High Priesthood of Jesus, it is fitting to here delineate between […]
Category: Hebrews |
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Tags: Commentary
PHall | October 15, 2009
Notice the three contrasts in verses 1-3 that cover time, medium, and recipients: long ago vs. these last days; to the fathers vs. us; prophets vs. Son.
Category: Hebrews |
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Tags: Commentary
PHall | October 15, 2009
Text & Notes Introduction of Jesus 1 [Extended Notes] God [Theos; While not the first word in the Greek text, a fitting and striking beginning in English. When compared to the beginnings of other books, we can assume that the writer needed to immediately get the reader’s attention.], after He spoke [first aorist active […]
Category: Hebrews |
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Tags: Commentary
PHall | October 15, 2009
“The evolution of God” is both a modern and ancient blasphemy. Both primitive societies and those supposedly intellectually advanced and therefore superior, share in common the flaw where they “suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18) and become “futile in their speculations” (Romans 1:21). Both ancients and moderns professing to be wise, … became fools (Romans 1:22). […]
Category: Acts, Romans, Colossians, Philosophy, Theology, Genesis, I Kings |
1 Comment »
Tags: Article, Evolution, Idolatry
PHall | October 13, 2009
Jesus began parables with…”The kingdom of heaven is like…” to make His teachings plain and understandable. The parabolic helps us appreciate the immaterial and spiritual because we understand the material and physical. As one little girl reportedly said, a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” But since most of us […]
Category: Hebrews |
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Tags: Article, Attendance
PHall | October 13, 2009
Too tired to come to church? Too tired to assemble with the saints? Rationalizing, “If I go to church I’ll just fall asleep anyway…I’m so tired I wouldn’t get anything out of it anyway…” Have you ever noticed how often our excuses begin or end with…”anyway?” O.K., maybe those thoughts are true…sometimes. And even maybe […]
Category: John, Acts, I Corinthians, Ephesians |
1 Comment »
Tags: Article, Attendance
PHall | October 13, 2009
From the very best to the very worst; that is, from godly parents to ungodly children. “How does this happen?” This discouraging conundrum is seen several times in the Bible where a very good and godly parent raises a very evil and devilish child. Or as happens more often, how could godly parents have […]
Category: Luke, I Timothy, II Kings, II Chronicles, Zephaniah |
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Tags: Article, Parenting
PHall | October 13, 2009
Ironically and sadly, this verse, which is part of the very first explanation of God’s grace to all mankind after Jesus’ ascension, is also one of theologies greatest debated texts. Why? One way to answer that question would be because of prejudicial thinking. That leads to another way of answering that question – because of […]
Category: Acts |
2 Comments »
Tags: Baptism, Commentary, Denominationalism
PHall | October 13, 2009
If you witnessed a baptism and heard the preacher say, “I now baptize you in the name of Jesus,” would that be a scriptural baptism? When you were baptized, were you baptized in the name of Jesus? If so, why? If not, why not? The part of Acts 2:38 we are focusing on this time […]
Category: Matthew, Acts |
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Tags: Baptism, Commentary, Denominationalism