When offered by Satan, Jesus refused the political power of Rome. So, why do we continue to seek what he rejected? When I became a disciple of Jesus, I was taught NOT to “be unequally yoked” with the world. Yes, conditions around the globe were tragic, but what did we expect from a world order under Satan’s boot? What humanity needed was the good news of God’s kingdom, not another corrupt political ideology.
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New Testament Language
Was the New Testament initially composed in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Overwhelmingly, the evidence points to Greek. What was the original language of the documents that became the New Testament? For centuries, the scholarly consensus was that it was written in Greek. But today, a growing minority claims it was composed in the Hebrew or Aramaic language.
Continue readingSTEPHEN BEARS WITNESS
Under the guidance of the Spirit, Stephen gives eloquent and effective testimony to the leaders of Israel.
Early on, the church experienced conflicts between its Greek and Aramaic-speaking members. The apostles instructed the community to select seven men “full of the Spirit and wisdom” to take charge of the matter. One of the seven chosen men was Stephen, and Acts notes especially that he was “full of faith and the Spirit.”
Continue readingTHE FAITHFUL WITNESS
Jesus is the Faithful Witness who summons his disciples to emulate his example by themselves bearing faithful witness in a hostile world.
Two themes are repeated in the book of Revelation – “witness” and “overcoming,” and they are closely related. Beginning with Jesus and his own witness in his death, his followers must persevere in his “testimony,” and in this way, they “overcome” and one day will emerge victorious in the city of “New Jerusalem.” They are called to “overcome, even as I overcame.”
Continue readingONLY IN JESUS
Jesus of Nazareth, the Crucified One, is the interpretive key that unlocks the Hebrew scriptures and the book of Revelation.
Jesus is the one who unveils the plans and mysteries of God, and only he is qualified to reveal the nature of the “unseen God.” In him, all the promises of God find their fulfillment. He is the interpretive key that unlocks the Hebrew scriptures and provides the correct understanding of prophecy, and this is especially so in the book of Revelation.
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