The New Testament gives no formula for choosing a husband or wife. Yes, in 1 Corinthians 7, Paul speaks to a widow who wishes to marry ‘is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord,’ that is, only if the new husband is a Christian. Apart from that, the instruction that Paul gives... Continue Reading →
1 Thess 4:17 – “meet the Lord in the air” in the original Greek [Studies in Thessalonians]
Since the Rapture has made headlines lately, here are some observations. The New Testament was written in Greek. Some argue that it was originally done in Hebrew, but they cannot provide ancient Hebrew (or Aramaic or Syriac) manuscripts to back that up. All of Paul’s churches used Greek as their principal language. Paul himself had... Continue Reading →
Look before you leap; pray before you preach
Once upon a time, Paul told the new believers in Thessalonica: “So, for this reason we give thanks to God without fail: because when you received the proclaimed word from us, that is, the word of God, you received it, not as a human message, but as what it really is, the word of God”... Continue Reading →
How did they train disciples in the Early Church?
Paul didn’t just pass out workbooks and tell his disciples to fill in the blanks for next Sunday. He didn't go on TV and tell millions of people how to live, then pack up and go home. No, he was a day-to-day living model of how a Christian should live: “you became imitators of us and... Continue Reading →
The Critical Text and the Textus Receptus in 2 Thessalonians [Studies in Thessalonians]
Most Christian scholars use what is called the Critical Edition of the Greek New Testament, and almost all modern versions are based upon it. There are several camps that prefer other editions, the Textus receptus or the Majority Text. Some do so because of a belief that it better represents the original; I think they... Continue Reading →
Open Our Eyes, Lord! 