What does it mean that Moses “considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt” (Heb 11:26)? Did Moses understand who Christ was and thus knowledgeably suffer His reproach? Or does “the reproach of Christ” mean something else? Consider three options below suggested by others. First, and dodging these questions altogether, some… Read More »
The first question concerns Jesus’ whereabouts related to the healing of blindness in Matthew 20:29–34, Mark 10:46–52, and Luke 18:35–43. In Mark 10:46, Jesus enters and then leaves Jericho: “And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho…” (Mark 10:46). Matthew’s parallel only speaks of Jesus’ leaving: “as they went out of Jericho”… Read More »
There are two sets of parallel Synoptic passages in which Mark and Luke speak of a man that Jesus healed while Matthew speaks of two men. In the first, Mark and Luke record that Jesus cast demons out of a man (Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39), and Matthew speaks of Jesus casting demons out of two… Read More »
Ancient manuscripts of Scripture attest to three variants or options for the name to identify where Jesus cast some demons into pigs which then ran into the sea (Matt 8:26; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26). The names given are Gadara, Gerasa, and Gergesa. Interestingly, of six major translations surveyed, none of them are uniform in their… Read More »
There are some notable parallels and contrasts between the stories of Jonah and Jesus in Jonah 1:1–16 and Mark 4:35–41 (cf. Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25). As for parallels, just as Jonah and the sailors experienced “a great wind…a mighty tempest” (Jonah 1:4), so also Jesus and the disciples likewise experienced “a great windstorm” (Mark 4:37).… Read More »
Mark 4:35–41 records the actions of Jesus, displaying His power over wind and sea (cf. pars. Matt 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25). His power in quelling the storm shows Him to be no less than God, for God alone is the one who possesses such power. A few passages from the OT inform us as to relationship… Read More »
Jesus told the twelve apostles and a handful of others who followed Him, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables” (Mark 4:11). What is “the secret of the kingdom of God”? In Scripture, a secret is a mystery (Greek mustērion) to us… Read More »
Must Sunday be the church’s weekly day of worship? Is Sunday the Christian Sabbath? This article all-too-briefly surveys numerous passages that have been used to answer these questions in different ways. This article gives my own response to these difficult questions, one response that differs from others who seek to be faithful to Scripture. God… Read More »
I recently had a friend ask for advice about writing during the dissertation stage of a Ph. D. program. I thought I’d include this advice here for any it may benefit. As a disclaimer, please remember this is not necessarily expert advice but simply one man’s experience. #1 Before You Do Anything Else Once you’ve… Read More »
“The son of man” (ben ʾāḏām) is used 107 times in the OT, 93 of which refer to Ezekiel in the book that bears his name. Of the other 14, Daniel is addressed as Ezekiel was (Dan 8:17), and the remaining 13 uses all refer to man in general in the second line of a… Read More »