1st Century Christianity in the 21st Century.

Although there were two men among the apostles who bore the name James, it is generally accepted that the inspired penman of the new testament book of James was one of our Lord’s four half -brothers (cf. Mark 6:3). The apostles who shared this name are James the son of Zebedee (and brother to John, Matthew 4:21), who was killed by the order of king Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1 – Herod died in 44 A.D.), and James the son…

The book of Hebrews concludes with a series of brief, pointed commandments – the summary of all the “proofs” meant to help these Jewish Christians remain committed to Christ instead of turning back to Judaism. These commandments form a simple, reasonable summary, rooted in the fact that Jesus and His church are the fulfillment of everything toward which the law of Moses had pointed Israel. There are eight distinct commandments, together with six statements of exhortation and instruction that should…

If the book of Hebrews is basically a sermon in written form (as many scholars describe it), then chapter twelve is the “invitation” at the conclusion of the sermon. The Holy Spirit summarizes all that has been said to this point with a “call to action” that begins with the instruction for Christians to lay aside or take off everything that could prevent us from finishing the “race” we have begun (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27). The image is an athlete…

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is often described as faith’s “hall of fame” because of its emphasis on faith and the long list of examples of those whose trust in God and His promises motivated them to live in hope. “Faith” is often depicted in the world as a belief in something without any evidence on which to base that belief (or even belief despite evidence that contradicts it). While that definition of “faith” might be appropriate for many religious…