Posts from May 2021

In our new testaments, the third account of Jesus’ life is also the only record addressed to a specific audience, in this case an individual. Theophilus–whose name means “lover of God” –is also the “addressee” of the book of Acts, which is Luke’s sequel to the life of Jesus. Some commentators assert that “Theophilus” is merely a metaphor for all Christians. Theophilus was a fairly common name in the Gentile world of the first century, however, so there is no…

In Matthew 10:34-35, Jesus said He would “…set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law….” Jesus did NOT say He came to cause family strife; what He was illustrating is that His message can cause conflict even in families because some people accept it while others reject it. Later, He would say those willing to forsake home and even family for His sake and the gospel’s will be “compensated” a hundred times over for…

Mark 7 concludes with the words of Gentiles and half-breed Jews living in an area east of the Jordan River, across from Samaria (called the Decapolis). Their assessment of His mighty works? “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” (ESV). The Decapolis was initially a province of ten cities built by Alexander the Great and modeled on Athens. They were originally populated with retired Greek soldiers and their families, and were…

The shortest of the four records of the life of Jesus, the book of Mark was evidently written for a mainly Roman audience. It presents Jesus as a grown man, focusing primarily on the things He did and said, with considerable emphasis on the miracles He performed. Mark’s account moves rapidly, as would befit a Roman military report. Brother Johnny Ramsey used to say that we should “obey now what you know now.” This is a quaint way of stating…