Category: Bible Study

“Recall that Herod had had John arrested, put in chains, and imprisoned on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. That was because John had told him, ‘It is not right for you to live with her.’ ” –Matthew 14:3-4 Jesus commands us to be pure as He is pure (1 Jn 3:3). This means that our standards for purity are not those of the world; they are Jesus’ standards. Jesus, of course, condemns adultery (Mt 14:4), fornication (Rv 21:8), sterilization (see Gn 1:28), contraception, homosexual acts (Rm 1:27), masturbation (see Gn 38:9), pornography, and all other sexual...

“The reign of God is also like a dragnet thrown into the lake, which collected all sorts of things.” –Matthew 13:47 What is your favorite parable? Many people especially like the first of the kingdom-parables, the parable of the sower and the seed, which is better named the parable of the types of ground. The parables of the mustard seed and the precious pearl are always favorites. Yet how many claim that the parable of the dragnet is their favorite? Nonetheless, the parable of the dragnet is the grand finale of the kingdom-parables in Matthew’s Gospel. It is the last...

“Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth! A man of strife and contention to all the land! I neither borrow nor lend, yet all curse me.” –Jeremiah 15:10 Jeremiah wished he had never been born. He sat alone while others were partying (Jer 15:17). His pain was “continuous” and his “wound incurable” (Jer 15:18). According to the terminology of “pop-psychology,” Jeremiah was experiencing “burn-out” in his prophetic ministry. In contrast to “pop-psychology,” the Lord in the Scriptures means something very different by the term “burn-out.” “Burn-out” is a good thing. In fact, it is the meaning of life,...