According to Epiphanius, the bishop of Salamis (about 375), later manuscripts deleted the references to Jesus weeping here and in his announcement that Jerusalem would be destroyed (Luke 22:43, 19:41) “out of fear that Jesus dignity would be diminished. ” From the modern perspective, however, Jesus dignity lies precisely in his fear of death. A [...]

The word translated “carpenter” is a more generic term than our English word. It conveys something more than the specific handicraft designated by the latter, and implies generally a fashioner of items in wood. Jesus, the carpenter, is an example to all good workmen. The conviction cant be too forcibly urged that the only dishonorable [...]

When He gets us absolutely alone and we are dumbfounded, and have run out of questions, then He begins to expound. When Jesus trained the disciples, it was them, and not the crowd outside who were perplexed. They constantly ask Him questions, and He constantly expounded things to them–yet they only understood after they had [...]

Whenever there is any element of pride or of conceit, Jesus cannot expound a thing. He will take us through the disappointment of heart. He will reveal inordinate affections–things over which we never thought. He would have to get us alone. We listen to many things in classes and meetings, but they are often not [...]

This is the question that I believe most men make the most effort to ignore. He wants and wants and gets and gets but has to be careful not to take any moments to consider what it will mean to “have it all.” Except for the ones still active in this generation, every man who [...]

This was written by Carley Evans from Grace Partners: Jesus says that as we receive, accept, help, love a child in His Name, we simultaneously receive, accept, help and love Him. What we do for the least in God’s world we do for Him. As we become “last of all and servant of all,” we [...]

Mark did not start the story of Jesus with birth, but began with the dreams of the prophets long ago. the word “gospel” is an English word. It is a translation of the Latin bona adnuntiato, which was a translation of the Greek word used in one text. Its original form was gospel, god being [...]

One traditional Christian interpretation has it that Jesus’ message is for people to be as diligent in fulfilling their obligations to God as they are in fulfilling their secular obligations to the state. People work hard to pay their taxes in full and on time because they know what will happen to them if they [...]

It is interesting to note that the word translated “messiahs” or “prophets” was not just “teacher.” Apparently, if there is not someone proclaiming some kind of “divinity,” they will at least claim that which is false is true and that these claims will also affect the future. I see this kind of dogma in some [...]

Mark 9:24: Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” * Better rendering: “Lord, I believe! Help my unfaithfulness.” * The Greek: o “pisteuo” – meaning belief o “apistia” – meaning unfaithfulness

It is impossible, in this life, to escape the assault of temptation. Temptation, however, is used for the good in that it strengthens the nerve and sinew of our minds and hearts and souls. The ancient Hebrew writers made a practice of using numbers to symbolize ideas. Forty, in their minds, was a “fourspace number [...]

Repent! “I have sinned” are important words, but do not necessarily mean repentance. Pharoah said “I have sinned,” in mere terror and hardened his heart the moment the judgment was removed. Achan said “I have sinned,” like some criminal on the scaffold who confesses only when the consequences of his iniquity stares him in the [...]