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What is the significance of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children (Malachi 4:6)?	Answer [Malachi](Malachi-in-the-Bible.html) is the final of the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament era, and his prophecy concludes with an explanation of what the people could expect next in the prophetic calendar. Malachi’s [prophecy](Book-of-Malachi.html) concludes with a remarkable statement: “And \[the prophet Elijah] will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:6, NKJV). Amos 8:11 said there would be a famine for the Word of God—perhaps a time of silence in which God was no longer speaking—but there would come a day when God would send a messenger to clear the way for the Lord who would suddenly come into the temple (Malachi 3:1\). After Malachi’s prophecy, God [did not communicate](400-years-of-silence.html) to the people as He had before until the announcement of the arrival of John the Baptist (Luke 1\). John the Baptist came proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and announcing the arrival of the Messiah (Luke 3:16; John 3:28–30\). Jesus made it clear that John was the fulfillment of the Malachi 3:1 prophecy (Matthew 11:9–10\). Malachi added another key prophecy, recording God’s foretelling that He would send Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5\). This Elijah would restore or turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, and God would not curse the land anymore (Malachi 4:6\). After Jesus acknowledged that [John](life-John-Baptist.html) had fulfilled the Malachi 3:1 prophecy, He added that, if the people were willing to receive or accept Him, then John would have also fulfilled the Malachi 4:6 role of Elijah (Matthew 11:13–15\). But because the nation did not accept the King and the kingdom He offered, the kingdom was postponed, and Jesus said there would be division—that households would be divided and fathers and children would be set against each other (Luke 12:51–53\). So it would continue until the coming of the one who would fill the Malachi 4:6 prophecy, the one who would restore or turn the hearts of the fathers toward their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. The days of division will come to an end when the Messiah reigns, and His reign will be preceded by a herald who will function as Elijah. Malachi’s two prophecies are quite significant for biblical chronology, as the Malachi 3:1 prophecy was fulfilled by John and ties the Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures to what we know as the New Testament. John was the forerunner of the Messiah, and when the Messiah came, He verified John as authentic by allowing John to baptize Him (Matthew 3:13–17\) and by affirming John’s authenticity directly (Matthew 11:9–10\). Malachi 4:6 helps us recognize there is more to the story and that a prophet will come turning the hearts of the fathers before the [Day of the Lord](day-of-the-Lord.html). Because the people of Jesus’ time did not accept the Messiah and His kingdom, the Messiah’s day was postponed and John was shown not to be that messenger in that time. One day in the future, Malachi’s prophecy will be fulfilled, and biblical chronology will move toward its completion.
Is there an angel named Gadreel?	Answer There is no angel named Gadreel in the Bible. The idea of an angel named Gadreel comes from the mythical and apocryphal [Book of Enoch](book-of-Enoch.html). Much of the content of the Book of Enoch deals with angelology and demonology, and a large portion of the book is devoted to filling in the backstory of Genesis 6:1–4\. The Book of Enoch thus goes into great detail explaining the origin of the [Nephilim](Nephilim.html), mentioned in Genesis 6:4, and the identity of the “sons of God,” mentioned in verses 2 and 4\. The result is a strange and sensationalistic work of non\-canonical literature. According to the mythology contained in the Book of Enoch, Gadreel was one of 200 [Grigori](watcher-angels-Grigori.html), or watchers, who rebelled against God and were cast out of heaven along with Satan. Gadreel was the third of five leaders of the Grigori. He and other angelic leaders were instigators of a vile sin, prompting other fallen angels to indulge their lust and have sexual relations with human women. The result of these unnatural unions was the Nephilim, a race of evil giants who terrorized the antediluvian world. A judgment was then pronounced upon Gadreel and the other demonic watchers. According to Jewish mythology, another of the Grigori besides Gadreel involved in fornicating with human women and producing a race of giants was [Azazel](Azazel-scapegoat.html), a goat\-like demon associated with the wilderness and desert places. The Book of Enoch describes some of Gadreel’s other supposed activities: “And the third was named Gâdreêl: he it is who showed the children of men all the blows of death, and he led astray Eve, and showed \[the weapons of death to the sons of men] the shield and the coat of mail, and the sword for battle, and all the weapons of death to the children of men. And from his hand they have proceeded against those who dwell on the earth from that day and for evermore” (Chapter LXIX, verses 6–7, trans. by Charles, R. H., 1917\). So, according to the legend of the Book of Enoch, all warfare can be traced back to Gadreel, who taught mankind how to kill and helped them develop weaponry. On top of that, he is the serpent who tempted Eve and caused her to fall into sin. The Bible does not give us much information about the holy angels, and even less about the fallen angels. Besides Satan, few names of fallen angels are revealed to us. We know next to nothing of demonic rankings, names, or abilities. Elaborate and complicated stories about spirit beings supposedly named Gadreel, Azazel, Penemue, etc., are nothing more than the products of human imagination. The only reliable source for information about [angels and demons](questions_angels.html) is inspired Scripture.
Who was Saint Eustace?	Answer Saint Eustace, also called Saint Eustachius or Saint Eustathius, is a [Christian martyr](Christian-martyrdom.html) of the second century. His story was especially popular among believers of the Middle Ages. Though it is difficult to discern which portions of his tale are fact and which are legend, most versions of Saint Eustace’s story have a similar sequence of events. General Placidus—Eustace’s name before his conversion—served under Roman Emperor Trajan. According to the story, while out hunting one day, Placidus pursued a large stag. Suddenly, it turned toward him, completely still. Miraculously, there appeared a crucifix between its antlers, and a voice commanded Placidus and his whole family to be baptized that night by the Bishop of Rome. The voice also promised that they would suffer for Christ. Some accounts state that Placidus returned later to the same spot in the woods to receive the second part of this revelation. Placidus obeyed the voice and was baptized, changing his name to Eustace, Latinized as Eustachius. His wife, who had been called Tatiana, changed her name to Theopista. Eustace’s two sons, Agapius and Theopistus, were also baptized into the Christian faith. As promised, the family began to suffer. Through sickness and misfortune, Eustace lost much of his wealth, forcing the family to flee to Egypt. Theopista was not allowed to stay aboard the departing ship and was left behind. Eustace and his sons braved the voyage without her, eventually landing some distance from their destination. As they continued the journey on foot, they came to a river. With no other options available, Eustace decided to carry his boys across the river one at a time. He successfully delivered one boy to the far bank, and he was halfway back across when a lion carried off the waiting son. He turned back toward the other son just in time to see another animal take him. Other versions of this story say his sons were carried off by Imperial Romans rather than wild animals. In both versions, Eustace was unaware that the boys were spared death and raised in nearby villages. After fifteen years of hiring himself out for work, Eustace’s life changed again. A battle was imminent, either from an uprising or an invading enemy, depending on the account. Either Emperor Trajan or his successor Hadrian found Eustace, requiring his expertise as a general to lead the Roman troops to victory. After the battle was won, the army stayed at a village. There, two soldiers shared their stories and realized they were Eustace’s sons, reunited at last. Their long\-lost mother happened to be serving in the same house and overheard them; she happily became reacquainted with her children. The three of them then went to the commanding officer—who was Eustace, of course—to get permission to return to their native land. Upon hearing their story, Eustace recognized his family and rejoiced. God had brought them together again. As the soldiers dispersed to return to their homes, Eustace’s family returned to Rome. The emperor credited the gods with the army’s victory and commanded the military leaders to offer sacrifices to the gods. Eustace refused. The emperor imprisoned him and his family, trying to convince them to worship the Roman gods. When it became clear the family would never obey him, the emperor sentenced them to death. Some accounts describe how Eustace, his wife, and his sons were first thrown to the lions, but the beasts refused to harm the Christians. Other versions omit that part and simply recount how the saint’s family was burned inside a brass bull; miraculously, they sang and praised God for three days before their voices fell silent. When the bull was opened, the martyrs were found dead, but their bodies had not been physically harmed. Today, Saint Eustace is considered the [patron saint](patron-saints.html) of hunters, firefighters, and anyone facing adversity. He is considered a “saint” by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the Catholic Church, and his feast day is celebrated on September 20 in the Catholic Church and November 2 in the Orthodox Church.
What is the meaning of “holy to the Lord” in Zechariah 14:20?	Answer In Zechariah 14 the prophet speaks of a time when [the Messiah will rule in Jerusalem on earth](millennial-kingdom.html). In that time, the nation of Israel will be delivered from its enemies, and judgment will come upon those who have opposed the nation. The nation of Israel will fulfill its “holy to the Lord” mandate (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:6\), as predicted in Zechariah 14:20: “And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar” (ESV). Even the most mundane of implements—like bells on the horses and cooking pots—will be “holy to the Lord.” There is a time coming when the Messiah will be the King over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9\). In that time, there will be no curse on Israel, and the people will live in security (Zechariah 14:10\). On the other hand, the Messiah’s rule will begin with an intense time of judgment, plague, and death against those who have warred against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:11–15\). Among the nations will be people who are not judged, and they will journey to Jerusalem to worship (Zechariah 14:16–19\). It is in those days that bells on the horses will say, “Holy to the Lord” (Zechariah 14:20\), and even common, everyday cooking pots will be holy to the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 14:21\). These passages are an important reminder that the Messiah will one day rule over all; they also illustrate how important [holiness](holiness-Bible.html) to the Lord is. While those days of Messianic reign have not yet arrived, holiness to the Lord is important even today. In fact, the holiness of believers is so important to God that, before the foundations of the world, He chose us to be in Christ and to be holy and blameless in Him (Ephesians 1:3\). And believers in this age, collectively referred to as “the church,” are growing together into a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:21\). Like the Holy One who called us, we are to be holy ourselves, Peter explains (1 Peter 1:15–16\). The concept of “holy to the Lord” is not just about the distant prophetic future. While there are certainly literal fulfillments to take place in the future, “holy to the Lord” is God’s expectation for every believer. Positionally, believers are holy to the Lord, and it is no surprise that Paul, for example, challenges believers to walk in the manner of that calling (Ephesians 4:1\).
What does it mean for God to establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17)?	Answer In Psalm 90, Moses reflects on a lifetime that is fleeting and temporary. He makes several observations about the challenges of life and God’s sovereignty over life. Moses also makes several requests, including a twice\-repeated appeal: “Establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17\). [Moses](life-Moses.html) first acknowledges the eternality of God, addressing Him directly as the One who is “our dwelling place” always (Psalm 90:1\) and the everlasting God who created the earth (Psalm 90:2\). God is sovereign and timeless—even in control of the curse of death (Psalm 90:3\). He is not bound by the fleetingness of time (Psalm 90:4\). He governs the passing of time and has set boundaries and maintains them (Psalm 90:5–6\). Throughout the first section of Psalm 90, Moses alludes to the Genesis account: • the preexistence of God (Genesis 1:1 and Psalm 90:1\) • God’s creative work (Genesis 1—2 and Psalm 90:2\) • God’s decree of the curse (Genesis 3 and Psalm 90:3\) • the continuation of seasons and times as part of God’s covenant with Noah and every living thing (Genesis 8:21—9:17 and Psalm 90:5–6\) While Moses considers God’s sovereignty and control—as laid out in Genesis—it begins to be evident why Moses would ask God to establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17\): God sees all human sin and has responded with anger and wrath (Psalm 90:7–8; compare with Paul’s parallel description in Ephesians 2:1–3\), and only God can resolve the sin problem. Before Moses explains how God can establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17\), Moses laments the hopelessness of life without wisdom (and the right relationship with God that wisdom represents). He touches on themes similar to what Solomon used in [Ecclesiastes](Book-of-Ecclesiastes.html): life without right relationship to God is short, difficult, and meaningless. Moses notes the temporality and difficulty of life in a cursed world (Psalm 90:9\), recognizing that seventy or eighty years is all a person can expect—yet even those are filled with hardship and sorrow (Psalm 90:10\). Moses asks rhetorically who can know the depth of God’s anger and the extent of how greatly He is offended by sin (Psalm 90:11\). Acknowledging the centrality of the [fear of the Lord](fear-God.html) and the darkness of life, Moses makes a series of appeals in Psalm 90:13–17, summed up in the concluding request that God establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17\). Moses asks for several things: • that God would return and have compassion on His people (Psalm 90:13\) • that He would satisfy them with lovingkindness so they might sing with joy and be glad in all their days (Psalm 90:14\) • that He would allow them to have glad days to offset the previous days of sorrow (Psalm 90:15\) • that His provisions would be evident to His people and His majesty would be seen by their children (Psalm 90:16\) • ultimately, that God’s favor would be on the people (Psalm 90:17a). Concluding these requests, Moses entreats God twice to establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17\). The repetition emphasizes the centrality of God’s establishing the work of our hands as a culmination of the previous requests. Moses doesn’t want his (or the people’s) labor to be in vain; rather, he desires that God look upon them with compassion and lovingkindness. Then God’s people can be glad rather than sorrowful. Human efforts are only worthwhile when one is acknowledging God as the Creator and Judge and recognizing that God is the one who gives [mercy](God-is-merciful.html). Moses understood that only God can establish the works of our hands—only God can make what we do meaningful and lasting—and that a right relationship with God is the necessary ingredient for a worthwhile life.
What is a non-fungible token (NFT), and should Christians buy them?	Answer A non\-fungible token (NFT) is a digital receipt. “Non\-fungible” means the token is one of a kind. A dollar bill is fungible because every other dollar bill is worth the same amount; an original piece of art is non\-fungible, as its value depends on the artist, the condition, the year it was made, the size, and the type—aspects that are unique to that piece. The “token” is the unique digital verification of purchase and ownership. Non\-fungible tokens are one aspect of a new digital investment system, but the term NFT is sometimes used to refer to the entire system. Non\-fungible tokens are part of a blockchain—a digital record of transactions—that provides addresses to webpages that describe the item and the ownership of that item. Each token includes a unique code that cannot be altered within the blockchain; thus, it is “non\-fungible.” As a digital receipt, an NTF is not necessarily the item itself. Nor does it prevent a real\-world item or digital file from being stolen or copied. Early experience with NFTs has shown that fraud, theft, and illegal copying are still possible. Digital assets, unlike tangible items, are also susceptible to server crashes, computer bugs, and unpaid web hosting bills. Christians should seriously consider whether investing in the NFT market is how God would want them to use their money. That careful, prayerful approach applies to all forms of wealth management. In Matthew 6:19–21, Jesus gives this investment advice: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves [treasures in heaven](treasures-in-heaven.html), where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus was referring to real\-world things like clothing and food. NFTs, ultimately, are valuable only when they are tied to something valuable. The same spiritual principles concerning [wealth](Bible-wealth.html) apply to digital receipts as much as to electronic bank accounts, paper money, gold bars, or stockpiles of food and gasoline. Non\-fungible tokens are applied when the seller offers an item for auction. The digital auction house does not have possession of the item, just the authority to sell the item and provide a certificate of ownership. When the buyer purchases the item, typically using the cryptocurrency Ethereum, a block on the blockchain permanently stores the certification of ownership on many users’ chains—even users who have nothing to do with the transaction. Items tracked by NFTs can be digital or real\-world. The sale of digital assets like software and data has been a staple of the computer industry for decades. Since shortly after computers were designed to use internal software, the industry has developed a market for only\-digital items such as games, programs, and files. With the proliferation of the internet, users have created content to share freely, like photos, memes, videos, and audio files. The digital marketplace has expanded, as well, to include not only games but in\-game purchases like weapons and “skins” or character costumes. For digital assets, providers create a digital item, like a meme, a child’s drawing, a 3\-dimensional representation of a house, an audio file, an essay, or a Tweet. The purchase information is recorded in and validated by an NFT. Even if the digital representation of the item is ubiquitous on the internet, the buyer technically owns it; often, the more popular and copied the asset, the more valuable the certificate of ownership is, even though the owner earns no money for its use. The block that verifies the purchase typically includes two website addresses. The first has a record of the sale and a detailed description of the item—its provenance. The second is the online location of the item. Non\-fungible tokens can also represent real\-world items such as concert tickets or vehicles. Sometimes, the asset is a virtual/real hybrid such as the AI\-designed tennis shoe called X Evolutions, a pair of which recently sold for over $13,000 (https://www.coindesk.com/business/2020/12/22/why\-nft\-collector\-whaleshark\-spent\-22\-eth\-on\-these\-sneakers, accessed 1/19/22\). The entire system has one great advantage and a couple of serious drawbacks, particularly with digital assets. The advantage is that, since the sale is recorded on the blockchain, the record of the transaction is copied on multiple chains that cannot be altered. The blockchain is decentralized, not controlled by a central market like Facebook, Epic Games (Fortnight), or Apple. The token will not disappear if a server crashes or a company upgrades its system. Unfortunately, the digital item itself is not so safe. It is stored on a server; if the server crashes, the digital property is lost. If the format is no longer supported (à la Flash Player), it may not be accessible. If the owner of the URL redirects the link, it will be inaccessible. If the site that stores it decides the item goes against their terms of service, they may delete it. Or it can be lost if the owner of the domain neglects to pay the web host. In some cases, the asset owner may negotiate for ownership of the site and maintain it personally. Or the asset could be placed on an InterPlanetary File System so it is stored on more than one server. It’s possible the NFT society could agree that a digital file holds value even if the file referenced by the NFT no longer exists but a copy exists on the internet somewhere else. If no copy exists, the investment will likely be worthless. In addition, although non\-fungible tokens cannot be altered on the blockchain, the assets can be stolen, placed on a different server, and resold under a new NFT. Since the NFT system, like cryptocurrency itself, is not centrally regulated, victims have no authority that can help them. They have to rely on the altruism of the community—a community that intentionally invests in non\-regulated assets and may just as likely respond with criticism that the owner didn’t properly protect the asset. The most significant disadvantage of non\-fungible tokens from an investment point of view is that the value of digital assets is completely arbitrary. They’re only worth what the community decides they’re worth. Of course, this is not unique even among physical things like art, trading cards, figurines, and model tractors. There’s no real reason a Pokémon card should be worth $25,000\. The NFT community places a great amount of value on these digital assets; as of January 2021, digital items were a $10 billion market; NFT sales reached $10\.7 billion in just the third quarter of 2021 (https://gadgets.ndtv.com/cryptocurrency/news/cryptocurrency\-nft\-sales\-surge\-q3\-2021\-usd\-10\-7\-billion\-buying\-frenzy\-opensea\-dappradar\-2564362, accessed 1/19/22\). Of course, growth doesn’t mean the NFT market is going to continue the same trajectory. Combined with the other disadvantages of non\-fungible tokens, investment in digital assets may not be a good idea. All investments include risk, from stocks to property to gold. Determining what to do with money also requires wisdom. The Bible recognizes the tension between meeting real needs, enjoying God’s blessings, wisely investing, and meeting others’ needs.
What are the ancient paths in Jeremiah 6:16?	Answer Less than twenty years before [Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon](Nebuchadnezzar.html), first invaded Judah and Jerusalem, God told the people through Jeremiah that the judgment was coming and it was certain—at that point it was unavoidable. God had repeatedly warned the people by revealing His truth through the various prophets, and He had told the people of Israel and Judah to look for the ancient paths that God provided (Jeremiah 6:16\). Sadly, the people did not heed those exhortations and instead turned away from what God had said—they rejected those ancient paths and instead walked a path deserving of and ultimately receiving judgment from God at the hands of the Babylonians. Centuries earlier, God had made a covenant with Israel through Moses. The [Mosaic Covenant](Mosaic-covenant.html) was an agreement between God and the people that, if the people would obey the law God gave, they would be allowed to live in the land of Canaan and be blessed. But, rather than obey God, they turned away to follow after other gods and committed all sorts of idolatries. The covenant had been broken, and in Jeremiah’s day it was time for the consequences. The people had rejected the ancient paths (the paths laid out in the law of Moses), turning away from God’s Word. As the nation was moving further away from God and His ancient paths, God added to those ancient paths, providing messengers to encourage the people to return to God. Prophet after prophet was sent, yet the people still turned away. So God brought judgment. The kingdom of Israel was divided (in 931 BC) after Solomon’s rule. The northern kingdom of Israel was so corrupt that they were judged first, being [defeated at the hands of the Assyrians](Israel-conquered-by-Assyria.html) around 722 BC. Still, those who remained did not heed the ancient paths and the words of God through the prophets. So God sent Jeremiah to announce the certainty of coming judgment for the southern kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah witnessed the coming of that judgment as Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded in 605 and 597 BC and ultimately destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Survivors were [exiled](Babylonian-captivity-exile.html) to Babylonian territories. God pre\-announced through Jeremiah that the coming judgment was certain and unavoidable. As God communicated that troubling news, He listed indictments against the people, including that He had entreated them to stand by and ask for the ancient paths. That was the good way, and that was the path of rest for their souls. But they refused to seek out or walk in those ancient paths (Jeremiah 6:16\). They would not pay attention to God’s Word, nor would they walk in it. Because of Judah’s stubborn refusal to return to the ancient paths, God said He would bring about the promised disaster—not as an arbitrary expression of anger but as the fruit of the people’s plans (Jeremiah 6:19\). The judgment would just and deserved. Yet even in announcing that judgment, God also foretold that He would one day restore the nation, delivering them and redeeming them under a [new covenant](new-covenant.html). He would be their deliverer despite their unfaithfulness in the past (Jeremiah 31:31ff). Even in judgment God shows His grace—the ancient paths have much to say about that grace. Just as the people of Israel faced a choice of whether or not to follow God’s ancient paths, we stand at a crossroads. In those ancient paths, God calls us to acknowledge Him (Proverbs 3\), to view Him as our God and treat Him accordingly (Ecclesiastes 12\). Those ancient paths explain our lostness and our need for a savior (Isaiah 64:6\), and they explain how God provided that Savior (Isaiah 53\). Those ancient paths show us that the road to redemption is a simple one—belief in Him (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4\)—and that He is faithful to all who believe (Psalm 37:25\). In the final chapters (what we call the New Testament) of His revealed Word, we are given much more detail and specific guidance about how God has worked and is working. Those chapters stand as evidence that the ancient paths are not archaic or inaccessible or irrelevant. Rather, they are indeed a light to our path (Psalm 119:105\).
Why does God say, “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13)?	Answer As the [exile of Judah](Babylonian-captivity-exile.html) was beginning, Jeremiah sent a letter recording a message from God to the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets, and all the people taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (Jeremiah 29:1–4\). In that letter, God foretells that the people of Judah would one day return to Him. God says, “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13\). The letter begins with God exhorting the people to go about normal lives in Babylon, to be a blessing to the cities where they were exiled, and to pray for the welfare of those cities (Jeremiah 29:4–7\). Any messages that they should not do so (perhaps that they should fight or rebel) would not be from God but would be from false prophets (Jeremiah 29:8–9\). God said He would bring the people back into the land of Israel after the 70\-year exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10\). That exile had been explained in Jeremiah 25:8–11 and was a consequence for breaking God’s covenant given through Moses (the [Mosaic Covenant](Mosaic-covenant.html), or Old Covenant, as it is referred to in Jeremiah 31\). That judgment had arrived, but it would not last forever—there would be a time coming when the people “will find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13\). When God brought the people of Judah back into their land, it would be to fulfill the plans God had for them—plans for well\-being rather than calamity and to give them a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11\). God’s plan was to fulfill the unconditional promises of blessing that He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to bless the people in the land. But before He would fulfill those covenants of blessing for Israel, God would ensure that they were not placing confidence in their own efforts and righteousness. God wanted to ensure they would seek Him with all their heart. They would call upon Him and pray to Him, and He would listen to them (Jeremiah 29:12\). God’s promise to Israel, “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart,” denoted a major change. At some point after the completion of the 70\-year exile, when Israel was back in the land, the people would relate to God differently than they had in the past. Rather than follow laws externally, they would one day have true righteousness as God would write His laws on their hearts, and they would all know God (Jeremiah 31:31ff). While the return from exile fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy, God’s full plans for the nation’s well\-being and their future of hope have not yet been realized. That fulfillment will come after the Messiah’s second coming as He installs His kingdom in Jerusalem (cf. Jeremiah 31:31ff and Revelation 20\). At that time, all the nation will know their God, as the [New Covenant](new-covenant.html) promised. In the meantime, all who seek Him with all their heart will find Him. While these prophecies and promises are specifically related to the people of Judah and Israel, the principle that God will draw near to those who draw near to Him is a universal truth (James 4:8a). But we have to draw near to God on His own terms—with clean hands and purified hearts (James 4:8b) that only God can provide by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9\). While Jeremiah’s letter recorded the words of God for the exiled people of Judah, readers today can benefit from recognizing that the same God who said, “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart,” has also told us that we can draw near to Him and He will draw near to us (James 4:8\) and that He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5\).
Who were Saints Cyril and Methodius?	Answer Saints Cyril and Methodius were a pair of missionary brothers who forged paths in the field of Bible translation. They worked among the ninth\-century Danubian Slavs (indigenous Europeans living in the Danube River basin) and developed a written language for them. Saints Cyril and Methodius were so influential in this mission field that some people call them the “Apostles to the Slavs.” Cyril, originally called Constantine, was born around 826 or 827 in Thessalonica, where his and Methodius’s father served as an officer in the Byzantine Empire’s army. Cyril traveled to Constantinople at a young age to study and eventually became a professor at the imperial university there. Methodius, originally Michael, was born anywhere between 815 to 826, also in Thessalonica. He served as a governor of one of the empire’s provinces. Later, he withdrew to become a [monk](Christian-monk.html). Cyril was offered his brother’s position as governor, but he also decided to become a monk at the same Greek monastery where Methodius was abbot. Starting in 860, they worked together toward the conversion of the Khazars, located in an area northeast of the Black Sea. Around 862, the Duke of Moravia asked Emperor Michael III for independence from German rule, which, despite opposition, was granted. Cyril and Methodius were sent as missionaries to recruit local clergy and establish a Slavonic liturgy. They translated the Bible into a language that was later known as Old Church Slavonic or Old Bulgarian. They also invented the Glagolitic alphabet—based on Greek letters—which is still used as the basis for modern Russian and several other Slavic languages. Cyril and Methodius faced opposition from German religious and political leaders who insisted on using a purely Latin [liturgy](liturgy-liturgical.html). Around 868, Pope Nicholas I invited the brothers to Rome to resolve the issues with the German officials—specifically, the German bishop of Passau—who refused to recognize the Slavic priests ordained by Cyril and Methodius. Pope Nicholas I died before they arrived, but the new Pope, Adrian II, took Cyril and Methodius’s side and formally authorized the Slavic liturgy and ordained Cyril and Methodius as bishops. Shortly thereafter, Cyril succumbed to a longstanding illness and died on February 14, 869, in Rome. Methodius returned to Moravia with Pope Adrian’s blessing to continue his work as archbishop of Sirmium (modern Hovatzka Mitrovitza in Bosnia). Later, the political tides changed, and Methodius was tried and imprisoned in 870\. He was not released until two years later when Pope John VIII intervened. Between 878 and 880, Methodius was again summoned to Rome to defend the Slavonic liturgy, and, once again, the Pope supported him and the use of the vernacular language. Methodius then traveled to Constantinople to finish the Bible translation he had started with Cyril. Methodius was at odds with the German religious leaders until his death on April 6, 884, in Moravia. His work in the Slavic language continued to be contested posthumously, but Cyril and Methodius’s influence reached as far as Kiev in Russia and to the Slavs in Bohemia, Croatia, and Poland. Saints Cyril and Methodius were pioneers in cross\-cultural mission work and strongly believed that people should worship in their own language. Their linguistic influence continues today in modern Eastern European languages. The feast day for both Cyril and Methodius is May 11 in the [Eastern Orthodox Church](Eastern-Orthodox-church.html) and February 14 in the [Roman Catholic](Roman-Catholicism.html), [Anglican](Anglicans.html), and [Lutheran](Lutherans.html) churches.
How many letters did the apostle Paul write to the Corinthians?	Answer The Bible contains two letters from Paul to the [Corinthian church](church-in-Corinth.html). But it is likely that he wrote at least three letters to them (and possibly four). The two epistles preserved for us in the Bible were the only ones that were inspired by God and thus canonical and worthy of preservation. In the letter we have designated as [1 Corinthians](Book-of-1-Corinthians.html), Paul mentions that “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people” (1 Corinthians 5:9\). The natural supposition is that Paul must have written a letter to the church before he wrote 1 Corinthians. He is now clarifying a statement he made in the prior letter to prevent misunderstandings. There are a few who view 1 Corinthians 5:9 as a reference to the same letter he was writing at the time. This idea is based on 1 Corinthians 5:2, which instructs the Corinthians to remove a sexually immoral man from the fellowship of the church. According to this view, Paul gives an instruction in verse 2 and then refers back to that same instruction in verse 9\. Such a circular reference seems unnatural, however. A plain reading of the text leads to the straightforward interpretation that Paul is referring to a different letter altogether. In the book we call [2 Corinthians](Book-of-2-Corinthians.html), there may be yet another reference to a different letter. Paul says, “I wrote as I did, . . . I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears” (2 Corinthians 2:3–4a). The letter Paul alludes to here is often referred to as the “sorrowful letter” because of its difficult subject matter, its stern tone, and the pain it caused Paul to write it. The apostle immediately expresses his purpose in writing that letter: “Not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you” (verse 4b). [Paul](life-Paul.html) refers again to the “sorrowful letter” a few chapters later: “Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:8–9\). Is the “sorrowful letter” Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 2:4 and 7:8 the same as the epistle of 1 Corinthians? Scholars are divided on the answer. Those who do think that 1 Corinthians is the “sorrowful letter” point to chapters 5 and 6 of that book, where Paul directly confronts a problem in the church and rebukes the Corinthians for tolerating sin in their midst. The anguish Paul had in writing that rebuke shows the kindness and tenderness of his heart, which was broken at having to discipline the church. The majority of commentators take the view that 1 Corinthians is indeed the “sorrowful letter.” Others don’t think that 1 Corinthians is the “sorrowful letter.” They see 1 Corinthians as certainly corrective and dealing with some difficult subjects, but they don’t see it as rising to the level of causing Paul “much affliction and anguish of heart and . . . many tears” (2 Corinthians 2:4, ESV). Since 1 Corinthians cannot be called a severe or harsh letter (the thinking goes), the “sorrowful letter” mentioned in 2 Corinthians is likely another correspondence Paul had with the church in between the writing of 1 and 2 Corinthians. According to this view, the “sorrowful letter” has been “lost,” since it did not make it into the Bible. Still another view is that the “sorrowful letter” is chapters 10—13 of 2 Corinthians—chapters written in a decidedly ironic and injured tone. According to this theory, those chapters originally comprised at least a part of the intermediate letter and were eventually merged with 2 Corinthians as an addendum, so as to make one book of the two. Most likely, there were three letters that Paul wrote to the church of Corinth. The existence of a fourth, intermediate letter is unlikely. If there were four letters, they would have been written in this order: 1\. A letter instructing the Corinthian Christians not to fellowship with professed believers who were sexually immoral 2\. First Corinthians 3\. An intermediate letter, the “sorrowful letter,” that pained Paul to write because of the harsh tone he was required to take 4\. Second Corinthians Again, \#3, the intermediate or “sorrowful” letter, is most likely the same as \#2, (1 Corinthians). It is possible that Paul wrote plenty of letters to Corinth and other churches that were never preserved. Not everything the apostles wrote was [inspired by God](Bible-inspired.html). The books we have of Paul are inspired and therefore part of the canon of Scripture. The Bible we possess today is the complete, divine revelation from God to mankind.
What is the history of the Orthodox Church?	Answer According to their claims, the [Orthodox Church](Eastern-Orthodox-church.html) is the one church founded in AD 33 by Jesus Christ and His apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2\). The word Orthodox is derived from the Greek orthos, “right”; and doxa, “teaching” or “worship.” Worldwide, the Orthodox Church is estimated at 200 million members or more; the Orthodox Church is also known as the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Catholic Church, and the Orthodox Christian Church. The Orthodox Church believes its doctrine is that which was delivered by Christ to the apostles, as per Jude 1:3\. The Orthodox Church’s primary statement of faith is the [Nicene\-Constantinopolitan Creed](Nicene-creed.html) of 381\. Orthodox Church historians teach the Church of Alexandria was founded by Mark, the Church of Antioch by Paul, the Church of Jerusalem by Peter and James, the Church of Rome by Peter and Paul, and the Church of Constantinople by Andrew. These five churches represent the patriarchates of the Orthodox Church. Emperor Justinian I (AD 527—565\) proposed a system of ecclesiastical government, naming Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem as the pentarchy. Justinian’s system was later ratified at the Council of Trullo in AD 692\. Today, the Patriarchate of Constantinople (renamed Istanbul in 1930\) is the Ecumenical Patriarchate and holds the status of “first among equals.” The Persecution of the Early Church The Book of Acts chronicles the intense persecution faced by early believers, yet Christianity continued to spread across Europe, Asia, and Africa. During the first three centuries, the gospel of Jesus Christ withstood fierce opposition, particularly from tyrannical Roman emperors, and Christians lived in the shadow of death. Many persecuted believers gathered in catacombs, and Christian leaders such as Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin, and Cyprian were martyred. Constantine In 312, [Emperor Constantine](Constantine-the-Great.html), claiming to have seen a vision of a cross with the inscription “In this sign conquer,” became the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity. The following year, Emperor Constantine and Emperor Licinius issued the [Edict of Milan](Edict-of-Milan.html), which ended Christian persecution within the Roman Empire. Half a century later, Emperor Theodosius outlawed paganism while making Christianity the only state\-sanctioned religion in the Roman Empire. In 324, Emperor Constantine moved his imperial capital from Rome to Byzantium, a city in eastern Greece on the Strait of Bosporus. In this transfer of power, Rome lost a measure of influence and prestige to Byzantium. Renamed in honor of the emperor, Constantinople became the seat of world power and the capital of Christendom. In 325, Constantine summoned church bishops to the Greek city of Nicaea for what was to be the first of [seven ecumenical councils](ecumenical-councils.html) that would further shape church history. The Seven Ecumenical Councils Employing the council held in Jerusalem (Acts 15\) as a model for settling doctrinal and disciplinary issues, seven assemblies of church leaders met from 325 to 787\. The highlights of these councils are as follows: [The Council of Nicea I](council-of-Nicea.html) (325\) condemned the heresy of [Arianism](arianism.html) and summarized the teaching of the apostles in credal form. [The Council of Constantinople I](Council-of-Constantinople.html) (381\) expanded the Nicene Creed and reaffirmed teachings concerning the Holy Spirit and the doctrine of the Trinity. Like the first council in 325, this council condemned heretical teachers who were waging war against the Bible’s trinitarian teachings. The council also proclaimed Constantinople as the “New Rome.” [The Council of Ephesus](Council-of-Ephesus.html) (431\) denounced another heretical teaching, [Nestorianism](Nestorianism.html). The council also discussed the Virgin Mary’s title of Theotokos, that is, the “Birthgiver of God.” [The Council of Chalcedon](council-of-Chalcedon.html) (451\) anathematized [monophysitism](monophysitism.html). The council also assigned equal honor to the Church of Constantinople and the Church of Rome and gave the title “patriarch” to the most prominent bishops. These decisions widened the rift between Rome in the West and Constantinople in the East. The Council of Constantinople II (553\) met to reaffirm that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is one and the same divine Person (hypostasis) who united personally (hypostatically) in Himself the two natures of God and Man, without fusing them together and without allowing their separation. Additionally, Origen’s teaching on the pre\-existence of the soul was condemned. The Council of Constantinople III (681\) met to condemn the [monothelite](Monothelitism.html) heresy, ruling that, as Christ has two natures, He also has two wills, one human and one divine. The Council of Nicea II (787\) affirmed the use of icons in worship, rejecting the view that the veneration of icons amounts to idolatry. The Rise of Islam The rapid expansion of Islam dealt a number of blows to the Orthodox Church. In 647, fifteen years following Mohammad’s death, Islamic invaders had overtaken Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. Fifty years later, Islamic troops had encamped outside the gates of Constantinople, though the city would stand until 1453\. North Africa and Spain were the next to fall. Ultimately, the Byzantine Empire would lose the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem to Islamic conquerors. The Great Schism In 1054, an irreconcilable split, known as [the Great Schism](great-schism.html), between Constantinople and Rome occurred. The Roman Catholic Church separated itself from the Orthodox Church primarily over the issues of papal authority and an addition to the Nicene Creed known as the [filioque clause](filioque-clause-controversy.html). The relationship between Constantinople and Rome had been deteriorating over many years, partly due to language and cultural differences, and these tensions were further aggravated by hostile Islamic forces that made travel between Greece and Italy difficult. The sacking of Constantinople by Roman Crusaders in 1204 drove the two factions even further apart. Attempts at reunification, most notably the Council of Lyons in 1274 and the Council of Florence in 1438, were unsuccessful. The Fall of Constantinople and Islamic Oppression In 1453, Constantinople fell to the forces of Turkish sultan Mohammad II. For nearly five centuries, the Greek\-speaking Christians struggled under the yoke of Islam. With Constantinople under Islamic rule, the Orthodox Church’s seat of authority shifted northward to Russia. Today, the Eastern Orthodox Church exists as a family of thirteen self\-governing bodies, denominated by the nation in which they are located (e.g., the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, etc.). Separate from Eastern Orthodoxy is the [Oriental Orthodox Church](Oriental-Orthodox-Church.html), a family of six self\-governing church bodies. The Oriental Orthodox Church was begun as an offshoot of Eastern Orthodoxy in AD 451 and accepts only the first three of the ecumenical councils. The Orthodox Church in America Recognized as one of the four major faiths in America, the Orthodox Church has five million members who are grouped in over a dozen ecclesiastical jurisdictions. With about 500 parishes, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese also operates schools, an orphanage, a college, and a graduate theological school. The Orthodox Church believes life begins at conception and thus opposes abortion on demand; additionally, the Orthodox Church maintains marriage is between one man and one woman and does not recognize same\-sex marriages. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church priests may marry and raise families. As the United States becomes increasingly secular, the Orthodox Church in America has suffered a decline in membership. Due to variances in reporting methods, the extent of the losses is unknown. Even so, some parishes are reporting an increase in membership, and the Orthodox Church is expected remain an influential force in American Christianity.
Did Mary consent to being the mother of Jesus?	Answer Though Scripture does not indicate that [Mary](virgin-Mary.html) ever said the words, “I consent,” we can assume that she did consent to God’s plan that she become the mother of Jesus because of how she reacted to the news. After the angel greeted Mary, he explained exactly what would happen: “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35\). Then we see Mary’s reaction and her acknowledgement that she accepts these things: “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled’” (Luke 1:38\). These are words of humility and acceptance. Every indication in Scripture is that Mary welcomed God’s plan and treasured her God\-given task. In addition to her reaction to the angel’s news, we also have [Mary’s song](Magnificat.html) or poem of praise to God for who He is and what He will do through Jesus Christ: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors” (Luke 1:46–55\). Mary’s praise and ready acceptance of God’s plan can be contrasted with [Zechariah’s](Zechariah-in-the-Bible.html) disbelief and questioning heart about the angel’s news to him. Zechariah heard the news that his wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. Upon hearing the angel’s announcement, Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure of this?” (Luke 1:18\). He did not immediately believe, and, for his doubting, he was made mute until his son, [John](life-John-Baptist.html), was born. Scripture shows us that, when God asks something specific of someone, He will be persistent in His message to them. Sometimes, people move straight into His calling, like Mary, Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8\), Samuel (1 Samuel 3:10\), and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5–6\). And sometimes, they don’t, like Moses (Exodus 3:11\), Jonah (Jonah 1:1–3\), and King Saul (1 Samuel 10:20–22\). The important thing is that, because God is all\-powerful and all\-knowing, His purposes can never be thwarted. Psalm 33:11 tells us, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” King Saul was chosen as the first king of Israel and was even filled with the Holy Spirit. Yet, he eventually disobeyed God’s direct order, and God found someone else whose heart would stay true to Him. Moses tried to come up with every excuse in the book to get out of helping free the Israelites from Egypt. God didn’t let Moses off the hook. Instead, He provided Moses with the staff, miracles, and his brother Aaron. Whom God calls, He equips. Mary fully embraced her calling as the mother of Jesus. Her song of praise and her life will be remembered with joy for all eternity. Mary’s song is not about how she was qualified or how she agreed to God’s plans; the theme of her song was the mercy, goodness, and power of God. In His attributes Mary was assured that His long\-awaited promises would be fulfilled.
What is the Apocalypse of Baruch?	Answer [Baruch](Baruch-in-the-Bible.html) was the scribe of [Jeremiah](life-Jeremiah.html) the prophet who faithfully recorded Jeremiah’s prophecies leading up to the fall of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 32:12; 36:26\). Baruch became the subject of Jewish legends around the time of Christ, with several popular [pseudepigraphal works](pseudepigrapha.html) in circulation. The Apocalypse of Baruch can refer to either of two of these documents: the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch, also known as 2 Baruch, or the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch, or 3 Baruch. Both 2 Baruch and 3 Baruch claim to be written by Baruch, but both were written centuries after his death. They are set around the [destruction of Jerusalem](Judah-conquered-by-Babylon.html) by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC and explore how Judaism can persist without a temple. In reality, both books known as the Apocalypse of Baruch were written after the sacking of Jerusalem by Roman forces in AD 70\. One can understand why the Jews would be grappling with themes of God’s faithfulness and justice after the horrible events of that time. Let’s explore both of these fascinating books individually: The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch, or 2 Baruch, was likely written in the second half of the first century. If it was written this early, then it was probably compiled contemporaneously with the New Testament, making 2 Baruch a window into Jewish thought during the time of the apostles. It is called the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch because it is only extant in one Syriac manuscript, dated to the sixth century AD. This manuscript appears to be a translation from Greek, which may have originally been translated from Hebrew. The real author is unknown. Some scholars believe that the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch was compiled from various Jewish writers, while others believe that one author wrote the entire book. Technically, only part of the Syriac Apocalypse is an apocalypse proper: the last nine chapters actually claim to be an epistle from Baruch to certain tribes of Israel. These chapters are collectively known as the Letter of Baruch and are considered canon in the [Syriac Orthodox Church](Syriac-Orthodox-Church.html). Some scholars argue that the Letter of Baruch is a separate work that was stitched onto the Apocalypse by later editors, but many scholars view it as an original part of the book. As mentioned, the setting of the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch is the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The author writes from the perspective of Baruch, who receives visions from God and proclaims them to Jeremiah and the Jews of Jerusalem. Baruch struggles to reconcile the faithfulness and justice of God with the destruction of Jerusalem. Through divine revelations, he learns of God’s eschatological intentions and the chastening of the Jews due to sin. Ultimately, Baruch learns to trust God’s grand plan. Like 2 Baruch, 3 Baruch claims to record visions received by Jeremiah’s scribe after the destruction of Solomon’s temple. The book is preserved in Greek and Old Church Slavonic manuscripts. While the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch was probably originally written in Greek, the Slavonic translation may be more accurate than the late Greek copies we possess. It is hard to nail down the date of composition, but many scholars date it to sometime in the second century AD. Like 2 Baruch, the true author/compiler is unknown. Several parts of 3 Baruch bear distinct marks of later edits, and some are explicitly and jarringly pro\-Christian. Unlike 2 Baruch, no church tradition views any part of 3 Baruch as canonical. In the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe is tormented by the recent destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. As he cries out to God, he is taken up to heaven by an angel and shown “the mysteries of God” (3 Baruch 1\.8\) . Baruch is led through multiple layers of heaven, witnessing bizarre creatures and strange circumstances. God’s justice is ultimately vindicated, and Baruch realizes that all is not lost with the destruction of Jerusalem. Similar to 2 Baruch, 3 Baruch allows second\-century Jews to grapple with the loss of their temple and country through the lens of the Babylonian conquest, encouraging trust in God’s faithfulness and sovereignty. In summary, the Apocalypse of Baruch refers to two separate works: the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch and the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch. Both books falsely claim to be written by Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah. When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its temple in AD 70, Jews were left reeling. What did this mean for God’s sovereignty and faithfulness? Were His promises still reliable? How can Jews continue to practice their faith without a temple? The Apocalypse of Baruch seeks to answer those questions through creative visions and historical precedent, reminding Jewish readers that they are not the first generation to endure the destruction of Jerusalem. While they are not [canonical](canon-of-Scripture.html), authoritative, or divinely inspired, 2 and 3 Baruch provide insight into historical Jewish thought and reveal a traumatized people struggling with their identity and faith.
What is the book known as Apostolic Constitutions?	Answer The Apostolic Constitutions is an early Christian instruction manual for worship, doctrine, and practice. It claims an illustrious constellation of authors—all twelve [apostles](twelve-apostles-disciples-12.html) (Matthias replacing Judas), James, and Paul—and tradition claims the work was compiled and edited by [Clement of Rome](Clement-of-Rome.html). However, the Apostolic Constitutions is [pseudepigraphal](pseudepigrapha.html), written, compiled, and redacted by an anonymous author or authors, likely in the fourth century AD. It is unclear how much the editor of the Apostolic Constitutions wrote himself and how much he borrowed from previous Christian writings, though large swaths of the Constitutions seem to be drawn from earlier sources. Many modern scholars believe that the fourth\-century editor had [Arian](arianism.html) sympathies. The Council of Trullo in AD 692 invalidated most of the Constitutions due to the perceived heretical influence, reducing the work’s impact on the church. The Apostolic Constitutions is divided into eight books. Books 1—6 seem to be drawn from an earlier work called the Didascalia, which itself was a manual on Christian practice. They issue guidance on a wide variety of moral and ecclesiastical issues. Part of Book 7 offers spiritual and moral guidance patterned after the [Didache](didache.html), and the rest is based on Jewish prayer and liturgy. The first part of Book 8 appears to be derived from works by [Hippolytus](Hippolytus-of-Rome.html) (or works ascribed to Hippolytus). The second part of Book 8 contains the controversial Apostolic Canons, which may be an independent work integrated by the editor. These Canons lay down specific rules for Christian conduct and church organization. Some of the Canons were approved by the Council of Trullo for broad ecclesiastical use. As a part of the pseudepigrapha, the Apostolic Constitutions is not canonical or authoritative. By misleading the reader as to the nature of its authorship, the Apostolic Constitutions invalidates its own spiritual authority. Its hints of Arianism are also a problem. However, since much of the material was derived from earlier, non\-heretical sources, there still may be spiritual insight to be gleaned from the Constitutions. Additionally, the Apostolic Constitutions is of enormous historical value, as it represents some branches of Christian theology and ecclesiology in the third and fourth centuries. Ultimately, the Apostolic Constitutions should be read with the same healthy discernment as any other man\-made work.
What is the significance of Zaphon in the Bible?	Answer The word Zaphon is used four times in the Hebrew Bible. The word literally means “north.” Twice the word is used to refer to a city in Gad on the east bank of the Jordan River (Joshua 14:27 and Judges 12:1\). In these two passages, we are not told anything specific about the city. Zaphon is simply used as a landmark. The King James Version also uses the word Zaphon in Psalm 48:2 and Isaiah 14:13, whereas most modern versions translate the word as “north.” Compare these two translations, with emphasis added: KJV Psalm 48:2: “Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.” ESV Psalm 48:2: “Beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.” [Mt. Zion](Zion.html) (Jerusalem) is near the middle of Israel, but when [the kingdom split](Israel-Northern-Southern-kingdoms.html), Jerusalem was then near the northern border of Judah (the southern kingdom). While this is a possible explanation for Zaphon being equated with Jerusalem in the ESV, it also seems that the term Zaphon was used in [Canaanite](Canaanites.html) literature to refer to a “cosmic mountain par excellence in Northwest Semitic regions” (Niehr, H., “Baal\-Zaphon,” Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online, van der Toorn, Becking, and van der Horst, ed., http://dx.doi.org/10\.1163/2589\-7802\_DDDO\_DDDO\_Baal\_Zaphon, accessed 1/19/22\). It may be that the biblical author in Psalm 48:2 is making a conscious comparison between one of the Canaanite sacred places (Baal\-Zaphon) and the most sacred place in Israel. In other words, it is not Baal\-Zaphon where God can be encountered, but Mt. Zion. In Isaiah 14:13 the king of Babylon says, “I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.” This seems to use the term Zaphon in the same way that Psalm 48:2 does; however, the interpretation is complicated by the context. Some see this passage as referring to [Satan](Lucifer-Satan.html) and his sin of pride that brought on the fall, while others believe this refers only to the Babylonian king and his sin of pride (no doubt inspired by Satan). In either case, the point is that the individual speaking attempted to exalt himself above the most sacred site(s). In conclusion, Zaphon is a city in Israel of no particular significance, but the name of the city takes on a sacred significance for Canaanites, and that may color the way the term is used in biblical literature.
Is there an angel named Amenadiel?	Answer There could be an angel (or a demon) named Amenadiel, but, if there is, the Bible nowhere mentions him. The idea of an angel named Amenadiel comes from the grimoire Ars Theurgia Goetia, part of the [Lesser Key of Solomon](Key-of-Solomon.html). Amenadiel is therefore a mythological figure. Amenadiel’s mythical status does not prevent some people from taking him seriously, however. Various books of witchcraft and [black magic](black-magic.html) give details about Amenadiel: he was the first angel created and is the brother of Lucifer. He sinned and was banished from heaven. Today, he is a high\-ranking demon, the Emperor of the West, with vast numbers of lesser demons attending him. The Theurgia contains invocations of Amenadiel, along with conjuring techniques, spells, rituals, and other occult knowledge. The name Amenadiel also shows up in popular culture. In the DC/Vertigo comic book series Lucifer, Amenadiel is a good angel who does battle with Lucifer. The Netflix series Lucifer also features Amenadiel as a central character. As in the comic book series, Amenadiel is on the side of good, although he sometimes joins forces with Lucifer to accomplish a mutual goal. There is nothing profitable in the Key of Solomon, and the demonology and occult practices presented in it should be avoided by all followers of Christ. We have Scripture as our guide, and the Bible does not give us much information about any of the angels, [holy](elect-angels.html) or [demonic](demons-Bible.html). If we needed to know more about the demons, the Bible would have told us. Complicated mythologies about spirit beings and their hierarchy are, in the end, nothing more than products of the human imagination, possibly influenced by demons. We don’t need to know the names of demons to resist them, to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power,” to “put on the full armor of God” and follow God’s command to “take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10–11\).
What is the meaning of “there but for the grace of God go I”?	Answer The origin of the saying there but for the grace of God go I is unknown, but it has been in use since at least the 1700s. It is sometimes shortened to there but for the grace of God or but for the grace of God. However it is expressed, there but for the grace of God go I is a statement of humility and gratitude that acknowledges one’s own [sinful nature](sin-nature.html) and the need for [God’s grace](grace-of-God.html). One of the earliest attributions of the saying is to John Bradford, an English Reformer, who supposedly said it as he watched people led to execution for their crimes. In a sense he was saying, “That could have been me but for God’s grace.” In a more secular use, there but for the grace of God go I can mean something like, “I’m glad that didn’t happen to me.” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used a version of the saying in one of his Sherlock Holmes stories and attributes it to Puritan leader Robert Baxter (The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 1\., Klinger, L., ed., W. W. Norton \& Co., 2005, p. 101\). In a way, the attitude of “there but for the grace of God go I” is an antidote to judgmentalism. When we see someone who is down and out, who is suffering hardship, or who is reaping unpleasant consequences, we can respond in two basic ways. We can say, “He deserves it and should have made better choices,” or we can say, “There but for the grace of God go I.” The first response is what [Job’s three friends](Jobs-friends.html) ultimately chose; the second response shows [empathy](Bible-empathy.html) as we acknowledge the kindness of God toward us and extend that kindness to the one in trouble. At the heart of the saying there but for the grace of God go I is an idea very much present in Scripture. The apostle Paul describes God’s grace in 1 Corinthians 15:9–10: “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” Paul was under no delusions that he had any special qualifications or attributes that made him worthy of the calling of apostle. In fact, before Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9\), he was systematically arresting Christians, and he was party to at least one murder (Acts 7:57–58\). To go from killing those who believed in Jesus to proclaiming the good news of Jesus can only be a work of God’s grace. Like Paul, we have no special qualities that make us worthy of salvation. Before God saved us, we were “dead in \[our] transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1\). God forgave our sin in Christ and raised us to newness of life (Romans 6:4\). There is nothing in us, about us, or done by us that can earn grace from God. We simply receive it through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9\). When a Christian says, “There but for the grace of God go I,” he or she is expressing thanks for “the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Ephesians 1:7–8\) and at the same time confessing his or her nature and the bent we all have toward destruction. It is the gracious, preserving power of God that strengthens us in temptation, sustains us through difficulty, and keeps us from utter ruin. Paul admonished us to maintain a [humble spirit](Bible-humility.html): “For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3\). And he chose daily to live under the grace so freely given: “But by the grace of God I am what I am,” he wrote. And so are we.
What does God mean when He says, “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7)?	Answer Israel had a long history of wandering far from God and disobeying His holy laws. Time and time again, God, in His infinite love and never\-ending mercy (Lamentations 3:22\), called His people to repent and come back to Him: “‘Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Malachi 3:7\). When God says, “Return to Me,” the Hebrew verb translated “return” expresses the idea of turning back or coming to a place, condition, or activity that one has experienced before. God wants His people who are far away in spiritual rebellion to repent of their sins and come back to a place of wholehearted [obedience](Bible-obedience.html) and devotion to the Lord. It’s a theme found several times in Scripture; in Zechariah 1:3, the Lord lovingly pleads, “Return to me, and I will return to you” (NLT). However, when God says, “I will return to you,” He is not implying that He needs to repent from sin. Instead, the Lord Almighty is promising to come again as He had in the past and bring His people His unique presence and abundant blessings. Their wholehearted [repentance](how-to-repent.html) would bring about such divine blessing that any doubt of God’s love and compassion would be removed. Jeremiah 24:7 explains, “I will give them hearts that recognize me as the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly” (NLT). Nehemiah 1:9 further clarifies, “But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored” (NLT). The entire [book of Malachi](Book-of-Malachi.html) points the way back to the Lord, explaining to the people how to get right with God. They were to begin through obedience to God’s Word and being faithful in their giving to the Lord (Malachi 3:8–12\). It is impossible to follow God and stay close to Him without faithful obedience to His Word (John 14:21\). Throughout Scripture, God’s people are told to “be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32; see also Joshua 1:7; 23:6\). But if we do happen to stumble or turn aside, we can be certain that God’s heart cry to us will be, “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” Our heavenly Father cares deeply for us despite our tendency to wander into sinful disobedience (Jeremiah 31:3\). He draws us back with enduring kindness, commanding, “Return to Me.” We can do this through humble confession and prayer: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NLT; see also 1 John 1:9\). “Return to Me, and I will return to you” aligns with Christ’s instruction to “remain in me, and I will remain in you” (John 15:4, NLT). How much better it is for us if we never leave Him in the first place! Jesus also said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them” (John 14:23, NLT). In the person of the [Holy Spirit](who-Holy-Spirit.html), God takes up active residence in our lives at all times (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:22\).
What is the meaning of man’s inhumanity to man?	Answer After each new man\-made atrocity—terrorist attacks, shootings, wars—people wonder at man’s inhumanity to man. How can we be so cruel and heartless to fellow human beings? The idiom man’s inhumanity to man refers to human cruelty, barbarity, or lack of pity and compassion toward other humans—essentially, mankind’s ability to see and treat other people as less than human. The phrase is believed to have been coined in Robert Burns’ 1784 poem “Man Was Made to Mourn: A Dirge.” The end of one of the stanzas laments, “Man’s inhumanity to man / Makes countless thousands mourn!” It is also possible that Burns used an earlier source, paraphrasing a quote from 1673 by Samuel von Pufendorf, who wrote, “More inhumanity has been done by man himself than any other of nature’s causes.” Generally, man’s inhumanity to man is used as an expression of regret when some great tragedy occurs. The 20th century, with two world wars, the Holocaust, the rise of numerous oppressive governments, and several more wars, was a showcase of man’s inhumanity to man. Mankind inflicted immense, almost unfathomable, suffering on itself with each of those events. In modern contexts, the phrase seems to be applied to any type of perceived injustice. The Bible accounts for man’s inhumanity to man. In fact, Paul indicates it should even be expected: “All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:12–18\). Every single person is impacted by [sin](questions_sin.html). We may not each commit large\-scale atrocities, but everyone sins against God and against other people. Man’s inhumanity to man is within us all. However, the Bible also offers a solution to man’s inhumanity to man. Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world, and “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9\). God forgives our sin in Christ and makes us [new creations](new-creation.html) in Him. We can then see others with the love and compassion of God, leading to charity and gospel outreach, with the goal of helping more people cast off the influence of sin through Jesus. Suffering continues in the world because the world remains fallen. Sin still runs rampant, bringing man’s inhumanity to man with it. Paul also wrote of this in Romans, saying, “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3–4\). God uses everything—even the awful consequences of man’s inhumanity to man—for His purposes, and it all works together for good in the end (Romans 8:28\). That is why believers can have hope in the face of tragedies.
What does it mean that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6)?	Answer [Pride](pride-Bible.html) is celebrated in our world. People proudly flaunt their accomplishments, possessions, or qualities they deem admirable in expectation of praise. Yet, selfish pride is a hindrance to salvation and to a fruitful relationship with God and others. James warns us about this self\-focused pride when he writes, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6, NLT). In warning against pride and promoting [humility](Bible-humility.html), James quotes the Septuagint translation of Proverbs 3:34\. Of course, James is not referring to “pride” as in the satisfaction of a job well done (Galatians 6:4\) or to the kind of pride one expresses over the accomplishment of loved ones (2 Corinthians 7:4\). He is referring to the kind of pride that stems from self\-righteousness or conceit. God opposes the proud because pride is sinful and a hindrance to seeking Him. Those who insist on elevating themselves and refusing to trust God as sovereign, good, and trustworthy will find their way opposed by God. Psalm 10:4 explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that they make no room for God. The ESV words it like this: “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’” The supremacy of God and the fact that we can do nothing to inherit eternal life apart from Christ is a stumbling block for prideful people. God will oppose those attempting to be the god of their own lives. Pride refuses to bend the knee to God or repent of sin, and that keeps many people from salvation. In contrast to God’s opposition to the proud is God’s grace to the humble. Those who humble themselves find God’s favor: “Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble” (Psalm 138:6, NLT). God shows His favor to those with a right view—a humble view—of themselves, and He promises them restoration: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15; cf. James 4:10\). Note that humility in this passage is related to contrition, or repentance. Pride can also hinder our relationship with God and others even after we are saved. In his letter, James addresses an issue among the believers, namely, their quarrels and strife with one another. The source of the issue was selfish pride. Pride negatively affects our relationships because it inflates our view of self and deflates our view of God and others. In the midst of addressing this issue, James quotes Proverbs 3:34: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (ESV). Exalting ourselves pushes God out of His rightful place in our lives, and He will humble us “because the Lord disciplines the one he loves” (Hebrews 12:6\). As we humble ourselves, He “gives grace generously” (James 4:6, NLT). God gives us grace that is sufficient to meet every need we have and every sin we face, if we are humble enough to receive it. As we decide whether we will elevate ourselves or turn to God, we must remember that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. God calls us to repent of self\-righteousness, selfish demands, and proud exaltation and instead “submit \[ourselves], then, to God” (James 4:7\). In a world that champions pride, Jesus commands believers to be different. Each believer is called to “look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4, ESV). As we humble ourselves, we will experience God’s grace and the rewards He promises: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11\). Since God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, may we live humble lives in the fear of the Lord (Micah 6:8\).
What does it mean that to the pure all things are pure (Titus 1:15)?	Answer [Purity](Bible-purity.html) is important to God because God is pure. Purity is freedom from anything that contaminates, debases, or pollutes. A pure life characterizes believers: sin no longer determines the choices we make. Instead, God’s purity has cleansed us from our sins, and we strive to live for Him. The believer becomes pure in Christ, and to the pure all things are pure. This purity is not that which appears to be pure on the outside, but that which is truly pure from the inside out. In his epistle to Titus, Paul chastises “the rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group” (Titus 1:10\). These people were not “sound in the faith” (verse 13\) and instead proclaimed “merely human commands of those who reject the truth” (verse 14\). They emphasized their own purity laws. Those who elevate their own standard of purity above God’s, however, are not pure; they are “corrupted,” and “they claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him” (verses 15–16\). In the context of Paul rebuking these false teachers, he says, “To the pure all things are pure” (verse 15\). When Paul writes that “to the pure all things are pure” (Titus 1:15\), he does not mean that a sinful thing becomes right to a pure\-minded person. No, a pure person has a singleness of heart toward God and lives by an uncompromising desire to please God in all things. He is not interested in an external purity gained by following man\-made rules but an inward purity that comes from knowing and loving God. Such a person can, in good conscience, partake of things that others, whose hearts have not been purified by faith, would condemn. When Paul wrote this letter, the Jews emphasized external purity. They had thousands of rules and regulations, deeming many things impure that were not, in and of themselves, impure. By elevating their own laws above God’s, they could not live out the principle that to the pure all things are pure because their hearts were actually impure. Their additions nullified the Word of God for the sake of their own tradition (Matthew 15:6\). They appeared to honor God with their lips and external actions, but, as Jesus revealed, “their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matthew 15:8–9\). The emphasis of their own laws revealed that they did not trust God’s Word; they lived as if it were not sufficient. Their hearts were impure. In contrast to all things being pure to those whose hearts are pure, Paul writes that “to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure” (Titus 1:15\). Unbelievers have corrupted consciences that cannot truly discern or value what is pure. In Ephesians, Paul taught that before salvation, our thoughts were “full of darkness” (Ephesians 5:8\). Our minds were darkened in our understanding because we were far from Him (Ephesians 4:18\). The only hope for a darkened, impure mind is the blood of Christ, which alone can cleanse defiled consciences “from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14\). Our consciences must be purified by the Word of God (Psalm 12:6; 119:9\). The Christian’s entire way of life ought to be characterized by staying pure, “for he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4\). We must hide the purity of God’s Word securely in our hearts to keep from sinning against God (Psalm 119:11\). When we do this, we can see and avoid impurity for what it is and live out the principle that to the pure all things are pure: [disputable matters](disputable-matters.html) can be left to discernment and Christian freedom. We are free to pursue the things of God not merely externally but from the heart. Some would say, “You can’t eat that! It will make you impure!” But to the pure all things are pure, and the believer, whose conscience is purified by faith, may eat it knowing that “food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (1 Corinthians 8:8\). And so it is with a myriad of other man\-made rules. To the pure all things are pure in that believers who have been purified by Christ’s sacrifice can truly pursue that purity from the heart. When our hearts are not pure, no amount of external rule\-following or self\-righteousness will purify us. Jesus said it is what is on the inside that defiles us: “It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart” (Mark 7:15\). May we cry out as the psalmist, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10\).
What does it mean to hold fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21)?	Answer Messages constantly bombard us. Movies, songs, commercials, books—they all have a message behind them. As believers, we are called to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:14–15\). This means we cannot completely isolate and insulate ourselves from the messages that surround us. Instead, we must test every message that comes our way and hold fast only to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21\). In 1 Thessalonians 5:20–22, Paul exhorts believers to “not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” In the NASB, these verses are worded as “do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” Prophecies are messages from God. In Old Testament times, prophecies often foretold of things to come. Today, prophesying refers to proclaiming and explaining the written Word of God. With every message we encounter, whether from a sermon, a social media post, or even a conversation with a fellow believer, we are to test all things and hold fast to that which is good. Believers are not to accept every teaching; rather, we examine every message against Scripture to determine its validity. The apostle John affirms Paul’s admonition. In 1 John 4:1, John writes, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but [test the spirits](test-the-spirits.html) to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Believers are to test the messages they hear with God’s Word (see Acts 17:11\). If the messages are not in alignment with God’s Word, they are not of God and are therefore not good. Believers are told to hold fast to that which is good, that which is in agreement with God’s Word. To “hold fast to that which is good” means to “be diligent,” “cling to,” or “take a firm grasp of” that which is good. God’s Word tells us what is good and worthy of grasping firmly. Philippians 4:8 tells us to keep our mind fixed on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.” We are also to hold fast to the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:20; Joshua 23:8\), which means loving Him, walking in obedience to Him, and serving Him with all our heart and soul (Joshua 22:5\). Believers continue holding fast to His Word until He returns (Revelation 2:25; cf. Proverbs 4:4; 1 Corinthians 15:1–2\). Holding fast to the truth of God’s Word allows us to stand firm when deception comes our way (Revelation 3:11\). Those who hold fast to that which is good obey God’s Word and experience [true freedom](freedom-in-Christ.html) found in Christ. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32\). Holding fast to the truth brings freedom from sin and produces steadfastness in us, which allows us to run the race of life with endurance (Hebrews 12:1\). Those who follow Jesus are mindful of the messages that vie for our attention. As we examine everything carefully to see if it aligns with God’s Word, we can choose to hold fast to that which is good and to abstain from every form of evil. In doing this, we can be a light for Christ in this world and “shine among them like stars in the sky as \[we] hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:14–16\).
What was the process of deciding on the Old Testament canon?	Answer In his commentary on Galatians, [Martin Luther](Martin-Luther.html) denounced the Pope for claiming to have authority over the Bible. The Roman Catholic Church argued that, as it was the papacy who determined the canon of Scripture, Scripture must bow in submission to the Pope’s superior authority. Martin Luther pointed to the folly of such faulty reasoning, for God alone determines what writings are divinely inspired. Man does not sit in judgment of the Scriptures; rather, man discovers, recognizes, and agrees with those writings that are “God\-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16\). The biblical canon is the collection of literature recognized as being [divinely inspired](Bible-inspired.html), that is, words penned by human authors who “were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21, NLT). The word canon comes from a Greek word meaning “rule” or “measuring stick.” Based on Jude 1:3, the [canon of Scripture](canon-of-Scripture.html) has been settled for all time, and nothing can be added to or taken from our Bible. A Brief Overview of the Old Testament While the books of the [New Testament](New-Testament-canon.html) were written within a relatively brief timespan, the Old Testament writings were recorded over a period of one thousand or more years in two languages, Hebrew and Aramaic, by writers spanning three continents. While God is truly the Author of all canonical writings, some forty human writers, guided by the Holy Spirit, penned His words for the teaching, discipline, and edification of God’s people. Five basic literary genres make up the Old Testament: law, history, poetry, wisdom, and prophecy. Additionally, the Old Testament consists of four major divisions: • The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Pentateuch is also known as the Torah, the Law, and the Law of Moses. • The Historical Books consist of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. These books deal primarily with the history of Israel. • The Poetic or Wisdom Literature includes Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. • The Prophets: The major prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. These books were labeled “major” because of their length and not by the significance of their content. The Minor Prophets are shorter: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Biblical prophecy falls into two categories: fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled. The preponderance of fulfilled prophecy lends credibility to those prophetic statements pending future fulfillment. Unlike other examples of ancient literature in which early manuscripts are exceedingly rare, there are thousands of manuscripts that attest to the accuracy and reliability of the Old Testament writings. This is hardly surprising, for the prophet Isaiah declared, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV). Just as God gave us His Word through divine inspiration, we can know beyond doubt He has [safeguarded](preservation-Bible.html) the integrity of His Word. The Soferim Beginning around 500 BC, a specialized class of scholars called Soferim were responsible for the laborious task of hand\-copying the holy manuscripts. These ancient scribes recognized the Scriptures as God’s authoritative Word and are known to have reverentially approached the work of copying the Scriptures with meticulous, painstaking care. Because the scribes held the sacred writings in such high regard, we can be assured of the Old Testament’s trustworthiness. Dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the Scriptures, the Soferim began the process of officially identifying the Old Testament canon. These esteemed scribes were considered experts in the Mosaic Law and taught methods of applying the principles of Judaism to everyday life. Over time, the traditional duties of the Soferim were taken over by a group of conservative Jewish scholars known as the [Pharisees](Pharisees.html). Unlike the Sadducees, a sect that discounted the validity of much of the Hebrew Bible, the Pharisees adhered to the infallibility of Scripture. The Septuagint As Greek became the preeminent language throughout the known world, a group of 70 or 72 scholars began translating the Hebrew Bible into Greek during the third century BC. Known as the [Septuagint](septuagint.html) (LXX), a reference to the number of biblical scholars involved in the translation, this work was highly regarded for its accuracy by the Jewish religious establishment. Ultimately, the reliability of the LXX can be measured by the fact that the New Testament writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, frequently quoted it. Additionally, the widespread use of the Septuagint proves the canon of the Old Testament had long been recognized. The Testimony of Flavius Josephus As to the authenticity and credibility of the ancient Hebrew Bible, the Jewish historian [Flavius Josephus](Flavius-Josephus.html) wrote, “We have but twenty\-two \[books] containing the history of all time, books that are justly believed in; and of these, five are the books of Moses, which comprise the law and earliest traditions from the creation of mankind down to his death. From the death of Moses to the reign of Artaxerxes, King of Persia, the successor of Xerxes, the prophets who succeeded Moses wrote the history of the events that occurred in their own time, in thirteen books. The remaining four documents comprise hymns to God and practical precepts to men” (Against Apion, Vol. 1, in Josephus, Complete Works, Kregel, 1960, p. 8\). While Josephus mentions twenty\-two books that complete the Old Testament canon, other versions of the Hebrew Bible list twenty\-four books, and our modern Bibles contain thirty\-nine Old Testament books. The apparent discrepancy as to the number of books in the Old Testament canon is, in fact, no discrepancy at all. The difference is in how the books were divided. For example, Josephus joined Ruth to Judges and Lamentations to Jeremiah. Based on the testimony of Josephus, we may again conclude the canon of the Old Testament had long been settled in the minds of respected Jewish scholars. Conclusion There is little historical data detailing the formation of the Old Testament canon. The scribes compiling the canon would have been mindful of: • the reputation of each book’s human author • doctrines and statements within a given manuscript that conflict with the clear teachings of established biblical writings • historical inaccuracies and/or spurious prophetic utterances that would cast a shadow of doubt on a manuscript • a book’s widespread acceptance or rejection by respected scholars Based on these exacting standards, the ancient Jewish scribes demonstrated the highest measure of diligence and scholarship as they settled on the Old Testament canon. Additionally, the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ never questioned the authenticity of the Hebrew Bible. The Old Testament was regarded as God’s infallible Word by the early church, and, as Jesus Himself said the prophets spoke of Him (Luke 24:13–27\), we have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the Old Testament.
What is the Samaritan Pentateuch?	Answer The Samaritan Pentateuch, or Samaritan Torah, is the text of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible written in the Samaritan script for the Samaritan people. It is the only text the Samaritans consider inspired, rejecting Joshua through Malachi and the entire New Testament. The Samaritan Pentateuch stems from an ancient version of the Hebrew Bible written in a pre\-Samaritan text style that existed in the Second Temple Period (c. 515 BC—AD 70\). That text was edited to emphasize the beliefs of Samaritanism and preserved as the Samaritan Pentateuch, probably in the first century BC through the first century AD. The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., displays a manuscript dating from c. 1160, containing part of the Samaritan Pentateuch, making it one of the oldest surviving Torah scrolls from the Samaritan tradition. The Samaritan Pentateuch is fairly similar to the [Masoretic Text](Masoretic-Text.html). Most of the six thousand differences between the two come down to variations of spelling or grammar. This resemblance is quite remarkable because the documents were developed and passed down independently—Jews had no dealings with Samaritans (John 4:9\). The Samaritan Pentateuch ultimately attests to the reliability of the [Torah](what-is-the-Torah.html). However, there are several discrepancies between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text with much bigger implications. One of these is found in Deuteronomy 27:4: “And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster” (ESV, based on the Masoretic Text). The Samaritan Pentateuch replaces [Mount Ebal](mount-Ebal.html) with [Mount Gerizim](mount-Gerizim.html) in accordance with the view of Samaritanism that the site of God’s temple should be Mt. Gerizim. Samaritans believe that theirs is the original reading of the text of Deuteronomy 27:4, claiming that Ezra later changed the wording to counter Samaritan claims that Gerizim and not Jerusalem was God’s holy mountain. This is the same issue the [Samaritan woman](woman-at-the-well.html) referenced in John 4:20 when she was speaking with Jesus about worship. Jesus told her that the location of worship does not matter because “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23\). Samaritans, Jews, and Gentiles can now worship God as one Church through the redeeming blood of Christ. From ancient times, Jewish people rejected the worship practices of the Samaritans, as well as the Samaritan Pentateuch’s presentation of Mt. Gerizim as God’s holy mountain (see Rabbi Eliezer’s refutation in Sifre D. 56 and y. Soṭa 7\.3 of the [Talmud](Talmud.html)). Interest in the Samaritan Pentateuch waned in the Middle Ages, but it was published again in the 17th century, reigniting both attention and debate. The Samaritan Pentateuch is a useful resource in textual criticism. Some scholars—mainly Catholic—consider it a more authentic text than the Masoretic Text. This is mainly due to the vast agreement between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the [Septuagint](septuagint.html) and the [Latin Vulgate](Latin-Vulgate.html), two translations that Catholics consider authoritative. Others—generally Protestant—argue that the Samaritan Pentateuch is a useful but sometimes unreliable derivative of earlier Hebrew texts. Based on discoveries in the [Dead Sea Scrolls](dead-sea-scrolls.html), identified as “pre\-Samaritan,” it is now generally agreed that the Samaritan Pentateuch represents a legitimate ancient textual tradition despite the variations included by the Samaritans. The Samaritan Pentateuch can be a useful tool to get a better idea of the original text that Moses wrote down.
Is there an angel named Raguel in the Bible?	Answer There is no angel named Raguel in the Bible. The idea of an angel named Raguel comes from the [Book of Enoch](book-of-Enoch.html) and not from sacred Scripture. Much of the content of the Book of Enoch deals with angelology and demonology. According to the mythology contained in the Book of Enoch, there are seven “angels who watch” (Enoch 20:1\). The fourth one listed is “Raguel, one of the holy angels, who inflicts punishment on the world and the luminaries” (Enoch 20:4\). In Chapter 23 of the Book of Enoch, the writer claims to have traveled to “the extremities of the earth” (verse 1\), where he sees a blazing, unending fire. When asked about the fire, “Raguel, one of the holy angels who were with me, answered, And said, This blazing fire, which thou beholdest running towards the west, is that of all the luminaries of heaven” (verses 4–5\). The “luminaries” Raguel mentions are fallen angels who are being judged for their sin against God. Based on Enoch 23, a mythology has built up around Raguel, giving him the title of [archangel](archangels.html) and attributing to him the power to mete out justice, establish fairness, and rein in the demons when necessary. The Roman Catholic Church had considered Raguel the patron of the sacrament of holy orders. However, since the Council of Rome in AD 745, during the time of Pope Zachary, the Catholic Church only recognizes three archangels: [Michael](Michael-the-archangel.html), [Gabriel](angel-Gabriel.html), and [Raphael](angel-Raphael.html). The Bible gives scant information about the angels, elect or fallen. Besides Gabriel and Michael, we don’t know the names of any holy angels. God did not see fit to provide that information, so we don’t need to know. People have always enjoyed creating elaborate and complicated stories about spirit beings supposedly named Gadreel, Raphael, [Phanuel](angel-Phanuel.html), etc., but there is no reason to accept those stories as true. The only reliable information about angels and demons comes from the pages of inspired Scripture.
What is punitive justice? What does the Bible say about punitive justice?	Answer Punitive justice places an emphasis on punishment as the best way to deter crime. The goal of punitive justice is that lawbreakers suffer the pain of punishment and determine to avoid it in the future, while onlookers will decide not to commit criminal acts so as to avoid similar treatment. In some cases, such as the death penalty, the one punished does not necessarily learn anything, but he or she will be prevented from committing any future crimes, and the criminal also receives what the crimes “deserve.” Perhaps punitive justice is best understood in contrast to the other prevailing theory of justice: restorative justice. Restorative justice does not focus on punishing the criminal as much as having the criminal make amends for the crime with an attempt to restore all involved: criminals, victims, and all of society. The Bible does not use either term, but there are instances where both of these approaches are advocated in Scripture. Under the Old Testament Law, some offences (most notably murder—see Genesis 6:9, Leviticus 24:17, Exodus 21:12, and Numbers 35:30\) were so heinous that the death penalty was warranted with no attempt to restore anything. After all, it would be impossible to do anything to “restore” the wrong done to a murder victim or his loved ones. Some things simply warrant punishment. Even the New Testament affirms the need for punitive justice but reminds Christians that God has ordained governments to carry this out, not [vigilantes](Christian-vigilante.html). “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:1–4\). Here, “bearing the sword” would include the death penalty as the Roman sword was the primary means of execution at the time. In other instances, the Bible advocates restorative justice rather than punitive justice. For instance, in Exodus 22:1 the law said, “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.” In this case, the one wronged is recompensed and the criminal is punished, but when it was over the thief was restored to society. In the United States, the emphasis is on punitive justice, but the punishment is usually in the form of long prison sentences, which create a whole new set of problems for society. In at least some cases, prison sentences could be replaced by reparations and productive community service, which would enable the offender to repay the one wronged and also contribute to society. Far too often, the American system involves either long punishment in prison or a “slap on the wrist” with neither punishment nor reparations. In conclusion, the Bible advocates punitive justice for some crimes and restorative justice for lesser crimes where making restitution might be possible. There is a proper place for both approaches based on the nature of the crime.
How does God provide the way of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)?	Answer No one is given a pass when it comes to [temptation](overcome-temptation.html). What we are given as Christians is a way of escape. The apostle Paul taught believers not to be fearful when they face temptation because God will offer help and a way out for those who will look for it: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV). Scripture establishes that God is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Hebrews 10:23; Revelation 1:5\). Just as Yahweh provided a way of escape for the enslaved children of Israel, He will always present a path to freedom for us. Our heavenly Father is not a faraway, uninterested observer leaving us to fumble along through life. He’s right here with us in the battle. The Lord loves us and wants us to succeed in our fight against sin: “God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, NLT). For believers, God’s rescue plan is the person of Jesus Christ. He understands our weaknesses and temptations: “For we do not have a [high priest](Jesus-High-Priest.html) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15–16\). Our primary avenue of rescue is to run to Jesus for help (1 John 2:1; 4:4\). Often, we [confuse temptation with sin](temptation-sin.html), but being tempted is not in itself a sin. We sin when we give in to temptation. That is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13, NLT). In most instances, the best course of action is [to flee](flee-temptation.html). The account of Joseph in Potiphar’s house is a perfect example of how God provides the way of escape from temptation (Genesis 39:1–23\). Joseph refused to give in to Potiphar’s wife’s repeated sexual enticements. He rightly understood that such sin was an offense against God (verse 9\). When the temptress tried to force Joseph into her bed, he took advantage of God’s exit route and ran from the house, leaving his cloak in her hand (verse 12\). Joseph gives us a literal demonstration of Paul’s admonishments to “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18\) and “stay away from every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22, CSB). We avoid temptation by staying far from it. Proverbs 4:14–15 warns, “Keep off the path of the wicked; don’t proceed on the way of evil ones. Avoid it; don’t travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by” (CSB). If we want to stop indulging our sweet tooth, we stay out of the candy store. We keep ourselves far from evil and temptation by running to God and His Word. Paul urged Timothy to “run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you” (1 Timothy 6:11–12, NLT). James instructed us to humble ourselves before God, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7, NLT). Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations with the truth of God’s Word, and so can we (Matthew 4:4, 10\). God also provides a way of escape from temptation through prayerful vigilance. Jesus told Peter, James, and John to “[watch and pray](watch-and-pray.html) so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38\). Later, Peter counseled believers to “be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Peter 5:8–9\). Peter’s final recorded words included the command to “be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:17–18, NLT). Sometimes we need to come alongside other Christians in an accountability setting for support and prayer. Paul taught that, if someone is “overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted” (Galatians 6:1, CSB). As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are stronger together as we carry one another’s burdens (Ecclesiastes 4:12\). Whenever we stare temptation in the face, we must remember that we’re not alone (Deuteronomy 31:8\). The Lord is with us, and His Spirit is at work in us, enabling us to crucify “the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:22–24\). God will never leave us or abandon us to our own resources. We must look to Him and other believers for the way of escape that God has promised to provide.
What does the Bible say about justice?	Answer “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never\-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24\). Justice is a major theme in Scripture, which contains many calls for justice and commands to worship God for His justice. Justice has to do with conduct in relation to others. Just behavior accords with what is morally right and fair. Justice is the quality of doing what is right. The Justice of God [God is just](God-is-just.html) (Deuteronomy 32:4\). The justice of God can be defined as “that essential and infinite attribute which makes his nature and his ways the perfect embodiment of equity, and constitutes him the model and the guardian of equity throughout the universe” (ATS Bible Dictionary, 1859\). God’s rule over the universe is grounded in justice and righteousness (Psalm 89:14\). There is never a time when God has been unjust; it is against His unchanging nature to be anything but perfectly just. “The King is mighty, he loves justice—you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right” (Psalm 99:4\). “The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9, NKJV). Adam and Eve saw the justice of God when they were punished for their sin in the Garden. Even in that judgment, however, they experienced mercy, as “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21\). God’s justice requires Him to deal with sin. Scripture records many instances of God’s justice meted out for mankind’s rebellion: the flood of Noah’s day, the plagues in Egypt, the destruction of Ahab and Jezebel’s house, and the Babylonian Captivity, just to name a few. The justice of God is also demonstrated at the cross. As Jesus was crucified, the sins of the world were laid on Him (Isaiah 53:4–5\), and Jesus’ death became the propitiation, or the satisfaction, of God’s justice: “God put \[Christ] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness” (Romans 3:25\). God could not just ignore sin; justice requires a penalty. To our eternal benefit, that penalty for sin fell on Jesus Christ: “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26\). Of course, it was also at the cross where God’s mercy and love were on full display. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT). The cross is the intersection of God’s [justice and mercy](mercy-justice.html); God’s justice was meted out in full (upon Christ), and God’s mercy was extended in full (to all who believe). He is truly “a just God and a Savior” (Isaiah 45:21, NKJV). The Mandate for Justice Because God is just, He demands that mankind, created in His image, also display justice (Micah 6:8\). Before Israel had a king, God ensured that His people had justice, as the whole book of Judges attests. Deborah the prophetess set up court beneath a palm tree (Judges 4:5\), and Samuel presided over a circuit court, traveling from place to place to hear cases and administer justice (1 Samuel 7:16\). Later, the king became the nation’s chief justice. Scripture is full of commands that humans act justly. This includes acting on behalf of those whose rights are being denied and those who are powerless to defend themselves: • “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause” (Isaiah 1:17, ESV). • “Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place” (Jeremiah 22:3, ESV). • “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3–4\). God’s desire for justice extends to crime prevention and the punishment of evildoers: • “For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong” (Isaiah 61:8, ESV). • “When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers” (Proverbs 21:15, ESV). • “Whoever says to the wicked, ‘You are in the right,’ will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them” (Proverbs 24:24–25, ESV). The Mosaic Law specifically forbade unjust weights and measures (Leviticus 19:35–36\) and condemned the taking of bribes (Exodus 23:8\). God places a special responsibility on judges and other authorities to provide justice, warning them in Psalm 82 that they will themselves face judgment. Every human tribunal is under God’s order to do what is right: • “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:15, ESV). • “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another” (Zechariah 7:9, ESV). • “Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God” (Deuteronomy 1:17\). • “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor” (Exodus 23:6, NLT). • “Justice, and only justice, you shall follow” (Deuteronomy 16:20\). Justice is linked to a right relationship with God, and those who know God will act justly: • “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7\). • “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely” (Proverbs 28:5, ESV). • “The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice” (Proverbs 17:23\). • “Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!” (Psalm 106:3, ESV). Man’s Injustice We live in a world of [injustice](Bible-injustice.html). Because of the fall of mankind and the sinful nature we inherited from Adam, we all tend toward what is morally wrong instead of toward what is morally right. The result is that we live amid partiality and unfairness, and, even as we honor the concept of justice, we see many examples of the corruption of justice. Isaiah the prophet decried the state of Jerusalem in his day, as the city “once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them” (Isaiah 1:21–23\). And Isaiah continues, “Justice is far from us. . . . We look for justice, but find none. . . . Justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance. . . . The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice” (Isaiah 59:9, 11, 14–15\). As the world drifts further from God, justice becomes a rarer commodity. When sin is redefined as a virtue, and righteousness becomes offensive, then justice is twisted, the wicked go unpunished, and innocent people are victimized. God Will Bring Justice Believers look forward to the day when the Lord returns and establishes true justice on the earth. Whatever the injustice in this world, God has promised, “I will repay” (Romans 12:19\). A world pining for justice will finally see it administered when the King of Righteousness comes: • “The Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done” (Matthew 16:27; cf. Psalm 62:12\). • “With righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4\). • “Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness” (Psalm 96:13\). • “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war” (Revelation 19:11\). • “Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 32:19\). The Lord has promised to return and set things right. Truth will win in the end. In the meantime, we wait, and we do not lose hope: “The Lord is a [God of justice](God-of-justice.html); blessed are all those who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18, ESV). And we praise Him for His justice: “I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High” (Psalm 7:17, NLT).
What is the Kidron Valley in the Bible?	Answer The Kidron Valley is a place just outside of Jerusalem, in between the city and the Mount of Olives. The name Kidron (or Cedron in the KJV) is either a reference to the “darkness” or “murkiness” of the water that periodically flows in that place or to the cedars that grow in that area. The Kidron Valley is technically a wadi, as a stream runs through it only after heavy rains. This location is associated in the Bible with sorrow, judgment, and death. For example, 2 Kings 23:1–6 describes [King Josiah](Josiah-in-the-Bible.html) commanding “the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts.” Once removed from the temple, the idols were “burned . . . outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley” (verse 4\). King Josiah did the same with the [Asherah pole](Asherah-pole.html) (verse 6\). Similar reforms were accomplished by [King Asa](King-Asa.html) and [King Hezekiah](life-Hezekiah.html), both of whom disposed of idols in the Kidron Valley (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chronicles 29:16; 30:14\). When David fled Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion, he crossed the Valley of Kidron (2 Samuel 15:23\). When King Solomon confined the rogue [Shimei](Shimei-in-the-Bible.html) to the city, he forbade him from going any farther than the Kidron Valley (1 Kings 2:36–37\). From 2 Kings 23:6, it seems that, in the time of Josiah, the Valley of Kidron contained “the graves of the common people.” According to the historian [Josephus](Flavius-Josephus.html), Queen Athalia was executed in the Valley of Kidron (Antiquities of the Jews, ix. 7, § 3\). Jesus must have crossed the Valley of Kidron many times in His travels. On the night of His arrest, Jesus “went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden” (John 18:1\). Once in the [Garden of Gethsemane](garden-of-Gethsemane.html), Jesus felt the full weight of His impending death, so much so that “his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44, NLT). The Bible speaks of an end\-times judgment on the earth. As God is restoring the fortunes of His people, Israel, He says, “I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel” (Joel 3:2\). The Valley of Jehoshaphat, or the [Valley of Decision](valley-of-decision.html) (Joel 3:14\), is thought by many to be a reference to the Valley of Kidron. In each case, the Kidron Valley serves as backdrop to death and sorrow and judgment. There is coming a day, however, when the Valley of Kidron will shed its sorrowful reputation. God promises that, one day, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:1\). “See, I . . . gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return. . . . I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble” (verses 8–9\). Then, God says, “I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow” (verse 13\). The Lord’s plans for a restored Jerusalem will include a change in the Valley of Kidron: “The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished” (verse 40\). The Valley of Kidron, with its sad history of idolatry, impurity, and condemnation, will one day be “holy to the Lord,” and God “will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34\).
Is there an angel named Phanuel in the Bible?	Answer The Bible gives the names of two of God’s holy angels: [Gabriel](angel-Gabriel.html) and [Michael](Michael-the-archangel.html). We have no other names beyond those two. There is a man named Phanuel (Luke 2:36\), but no angel named Phanuel in the Bible. We can attribute the idea that an angel named Phanuel exists to his mention in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. A good portion of the [Book of Enoch](book-of-Enoch.html) deals with angelology and demonology. According to the Book of Enoch, Phanuel is one of four angels who stand before the throne of God—the other three being Michael, Gabriel, and [Raphael](angel-Raphael.html). Phanuel is “the fourth, who presides over repentance, and the hope of those who will inherit eternal life” (Enoch 40:9\). He is also said to have the task of “expelling the impious angels and prohibiting them from entering into presence of the Lord of spirits” (Enoch 40:7\). The mythology goes on to name Phanuel as the ruler of the Ophanim, angels in the throne room of God who never sleep. And he is one of the angels involved in the judgment of the wicked angels: “Phanuel shall be strengthened in that day and shall then cast \[the demons] into a furnace of blazing fire, that the Lord of spirits may be avenged of them for their crimes; because they became ministers of Satan and seduced those who dwell upon earth” (Enoch 53:6\). The Bible does not give us much information about any of the angels, holy or otherwise. The Book of Enoch is a strange and sensationalistic work of non\-canonical literature. We have no reason to accept the Book of Enoch as truth, with the exception of the portion of the Book of Enoch quoted in Jude 1:14–15\. There’s no way to know if an angel named Phanuel actually exists, and investigations into mythology are ultimately unprofitable.
Who was Grigori Rasputin and what impact did he have on Christianity?	Answer Grigori Rasputin (1839—1917\) was a [religious mystic](Christian-mystics.html) and self\-proclaimed holy man who gained the confidence of the Romanov family (Tsar Nicholas) and exerted great influence over them. He was one of the most influential and divisive figures of the final days of the Russian Empire. Many of the details about Rasputin are in dispute, and some are no doubt exaggerated, but what follows is generally accepted as true. Rasputin was born a peasant in Siberia. It seems that much of his early life was spent seeking some form of spiritual enlightenment. He traveled to various holy sites and spent time with people of various religious beliefs. In time he came to believe that the way to gain intimacy with God was through sin. He traveled throughout Russia as a “holy” man, mystic, and “monk,” although he was not a member of any monastic order. He claimed to be able to heal and predict the future. He gained a significant following, all the while sinning to excess. Rasputin was a large, imposing figure, about 6’3” (compared to Tsar Nicholas, who was 5’5” and Vladimir Lenin, who was 5’4”). According to the French ambassador, Rasputin once claimed to be the savior of Russia, saying, “Despite my terrible sins I am a Christ in miniature” (quoted in Rasputin: The Saint Who Sinned by Brian Moynahan, Random House, 1999, Chapter 1\). Rasputin was given to alcohol; he was crude and debased, disheveled, unwashed and foul\-smelling—traits that he claimed were proof of his holiness. At the same time Rasputin was described as charming and seductive. He was openly immoral, sleeping with his women followers. Eventually, Rasputin was introduced to the royal family of Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra Romanov. Their son Alexi suffered from hemophilia, and, although the details are sketchy, the Tsarina came to believe that Rasputin could heal him. Thus, he was welcomed into the court and began to exert influence over the imperial family. When Russia entered World War I, Rasputin was against the nation’s involvement and tried to convince Tsar Nicholas to withdraw. Many of the Russian nobles did not trust him and began to look for ways to remove him from his position of influence. Although popular with many, Rasputin was a divisive figure and wildly unpopular with many others. When Nicholas left St. Petersburg to lead the war effort, Rasputin began to exert more influence, even firing government officials. There are rumors that he seduced the Tsarina as well. Finally, the Russian nobility had had enough of Rasputin and decided to kill him. First, he was fed cake laced with poison, but that seemed to have no effect. Then he was shot and left for dead, but when the would\-be murderers returned several hours later, Rasputin was attempting to escape from the house, so they shot him again several times. (Some reports indicate that he may have been stabbed as well.) Finally, to make sure he was dead, the assassins tied him up and threw him in the icy Neva River. Several days later, his body was recovered. By some accounts, an autopsy revealed that he had water in his lungs, which would indicate that he was still alive when he was thrown into the water. Rasputin is not someone who is normally thought of as having any significant impact upon Christianity. His popularity, like that of any false teacher, revealed that many were looking for something to fill a spiritual void. Unfortunately, this spiritual void in Russia may have contributed to the popular acceptance of Bolshevik ideology. Additionally, Rasputin’s divisiveness and unpopularity with many Russians may have contributed to the rejection of the Tsar in favor of Lenin and the Bolsheviks. If that is the case, then Rasputin may have given an unwitting boost to the communist revolution. [Communism](communism-Bible.html) ultimately brought tremendous persecution to genuine believers in Russia and what would become the Soviet Union. In paving the way for the future persecution of Christians, Grigori Rasputin did have an impact on Christianity.
Does the Bible predict the destruction of Damascus?	Answer [Damascus](Damascus-in-the-Bible.html), with its population of 2 million, is the capital of Syria and ranks among the oldest cities in the world. The history of Damascus is one of upheaval, bloodshed, invading armies, destruction, rebuilding, and more destruction. To better understand Isaiah 17, which speaks of the destruction of Damascus, it is wise to begin with a look at Isaiah 7\. As this narrative opens, the northern kingdom of Israel, called Ephraim, is plotting an unholy alliance with Damascus, the capital of Syria, against the southern kingdom of Israel, known as Judah. As King Ahaz and the people of Judah are justifiably frightened by the threat of war, the Lord gives the prophet Isaiah a message of hope and comfort: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘It will not take place, it will not happen, for the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is only Rezin. Within sixty\-five years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people. The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all’” (Isaiah 7:7–9, ESV). So, victory will not come to Ephraim and Damascus; the southern kingdom will resist falling to their enemies. It should be noted the destruction of Ephraim and Syria is also foretold in Isaiah 9:8–21\. Let us now examine this key passage concerning the destruction of Damascus as foretold by Isaiah the prophet: “‘Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel,’ declares the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 17:1–3, ESV). As the Lord God decreed, the Syrian monarch was killed, and the great city of Damascus was sacked by [Assyrian invaders](Assyrians.html): “Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to wage war on Jerusalem, and they besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. At that time Rezin the king of Syria recovered Elath for Syria and drove the men of Judah from Elath, and the Edomites came to Elath, where they dwell to this day. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath\-pileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.’ Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasures of the king's house and sent a present to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria listened to him. The king of Assyria marched up against Damascus and took it, carrying its people captive to Kir, and he killed Rezin” (2 Kings 16:5–9, ESV). As is sometimes the case, prophetic passages may have a “near and far” application or a “dual fulfillment.” The Assyrians pillaged Damascus, but Damascus did not cease being a city as prophesied (Isaiah 17:1\). The ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy may occur at the beginning of a Lord Jesus’ [millennial reign](dispensation-of-Millennial-Kingdom.html) when He judges the Gentile nations: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left” (Matthew 25:31–33, ESV). The nations that demonstrated hostility toward Israel will be punished. The Syrians have long been enemies of the Jews, and, to this day, Syria continues breathing threats against the nation of Israel. Such antagonism against God’s chosen people will not go unnoticed, and King Jesus’ judgment will be swift and certain. Again, history shows Damascus has been destroyed many times, but its final destruction may very well occur at the beginning of Jesus’ one\-thousand\-year rule over the earth from His throne in Jerusalem. As foretold in Psalm 2:9, our Lord will destroy His enemies: “You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” At this future judgment, Damascus will be no more. There are two kinds of Bible prophecy: fulfilled prophecy and prophecy waiting fulfillment. What God has decreed will surely come about. Every prophetic utterance that has not yet taken place will, in God’s time, be fulfilled to the letter (2 Peter 3:9\). The Bible gives a stern warning against the peoples, rulers, and nations who would destroy Israel: “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:10–12, ESV).
What does the Bible tell us about the suffering of this present time (Romans 8:18)?	Answer [Suffering](Bible-suffering.html) is an unavoidable part of our lives in this fallen world. But earth is not our permanent home (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13\). As we wait for eternity, we can cling to this life\-transforming hope communicated by the apostle Paul: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18, NKJV). Redemptive suffering is Paul’s theme in Romans 8:18–27\. Because of humanity’s fall, everything in creation has been subjected to God’s curse (Romans 8:20; see also Genesis 3:14–19\). Along with every other created thing, believers long with eager anticipation for their ultimate adoption and emancipation from the curse (Romans 8:19\). We can endure through the suffering of this present time because even our best experiences here on earth don’t hold a candle to the matchless glory of our future destiny and lasting reality in God’s eternal kingdom. When the curse of sin is lifted in the new heavens and new earth, we will live as “God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay” (Romans 8:21, NLT). Today’s trials pale in significance when reframed against the setting of heaven’s Eden\-like glory. The apostle Peter affirms, “I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 5:1, NLT). After we have “suffered a little while,” Peter promises that Christ Himself will restore us and make us “strong, firm and steadfast” in His eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10, NLT). For now, we place our hope and trust in God because we “through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5\). Paul testifies that God gives us the strength to endure all things (Philippians 4:13\). And Peter encourages us through every difficulty to “greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:5–6\). Again, the apostle urges, “Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world” (1 Peter 4:13, NLT). Paul describes the suffering of this present time as “our light and momentary troubles” (2 Corinthians 4:17\). He equates the experience to “groaning as in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22, NLT). A mother can undergo excruciating labor accompanied by the joyous anticipation of embracing her newborn baby. We “groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently)” (Romans 8:23–25, NLT). Paul describes the sufferings of this present time and then crystalizes their purpose: “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NLT). The early apostles knew more than most of us ever will about the suffering of this present time. Both Peter and Paul died as [martyrs](Christian-martyrs.html) for their faith in Jesus Christ. According to tradition, Paul was beheaded and Peter was crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. Yet, even if we suffer as violently as these two brave apostles, we can hold on to the hope of a glorious future where death is conquered and [sorrow, grief, and pain](God-will-wipe-away-every-tear.html) will all be wiped away (Revelation 21:4\). When we apprehend this indisputable promise from God, we realize that the sufferings of this present time weigh no more than a feather compared to the hefty, eternal weight of glory.
What is death of God theology?	Answer German philosopher [Fredrich Wilhelm Nietzsche](Friedrich-Nietzsche.html) (1844—1900\) introduced the phrase God is dead in a philosophical novel called Thus Spake Zarathustra. By “God is dead,” he meant that the idea of an all\-knowing, all\-powerful, all\-seeing God was no longer something in which modern humans could believe. Death of God theology, also known as [radical theology](radical-theology.html), advocates secularism and an abandonment of traditional belief. In the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, philosophers, theologians, and writers started to build upon the postmodern thinking that Nietzsche introduced and attempted to launch a movement called [God Is Dead](is-God-dead.html). It did not gain enough momentum to have widespread impact. However, the ideas behind it and the continuation of postmodern thinking did leave its mark on culture. Until that time in history, most people, even those without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, still basically accepted that God was knowable and involved in humanity’s affairs. God is dead theology introduced people to the concept that there is no God at all or, at the very least, God is not who He said He was in Scripture. Death of God theology teaches that religion is irrelevant, and churches and theologians will have to get along as best they can without God from now on. Death of God theology naturally leads to these associated ideas: • there are no moral absolutes and no universal standard to which all people should conform • there is no purpose or rational order in life • any design seen in the universe is projected by men who are desperate to find meaning in life • man is independent and totally free to create his own values • the “real” world (as opposed to a heaven and hell) is man’s only concern God is dead theology wrongly assumes that humans can determine if God is knowable or even [exists](Does-God-exist.html). A goldfish may decide that the moon does not exist. That doesn’t change the moon one bit. The goldfish could argue quite credibly that it has never seen the moon or that the moon doesn’t affect its life. But the moon continues its orbit around the earth. The goldfish may even go so far as to say, “You can believe in the moon if you want to, but I will not because of my logic.” The moon will still wax and wane despite the goldfish’s strong opinion. When people surmised that God is dead, God lost none of His authority, power, or divinity. Death of God theology is primarily a challenge to God’s authority over our lives. Ever since the Garden of Eden, we like to make our own rules, and we dislike being told what to do. So we pretend that God is dead. But the truth is that God “lives for ever and ever” (Revelation 10:6\). He is Life, and knowing Him is eternal life (John 17:3\). Jesus showed us who God is: “He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16\). Nietzsche wrote, “God is dead.” A few people repeated it. They could not see God and argued that He had never interfered in their lives. But death of God theology will not and cannot change the God of the universe. People die. Churches may die. But God will not. Longfellow had it right for every generation: “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep.”
What is the book of Gad the seer?	Answer The book of Gad the seer is an ancient record of [King David’s](life-David.html) life and reign mentioned in 1 Chronicles 29:29: “Now the acts of King David, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer” (NKJV). The book of Gad the seer was apparently written by [Gad](Gad-the-seer.html), a prophet who ministered during David’s life. Other translations name it “The Record of Gad the Seer” (NLT) or “the Chronicles of Gad the seer” (ESV). It was common for ancient kings to keep annals of their royal activities, and ancient prophets sometimes played a role in the compilation of these records or provided a divine perspective on historical events. Sections of Jeremiah and Isaiah provide examples of prophetic historical narrative, though the records kept by Gad may have been more straightforward and procedural. Either way, the chronicler knew of Gad’s work, commended it to his readers, and likely drew on it himself in the composition of 1 and 2 Chronicles. The biblical books of Kings and Chronicles reference numerous [historical sources](book-of-the-annals-of-the-kings-of-Israel.html), citing them for support and using them to fill in gaps left by their selective narrative (1 Kings 11:41; 15:31; 2 Chronicles 13:22\). The Cochin Jews in India possessed a [pseudepigraphal](pseudepigrapha.html) work claiming to be written by Gad the seer, which was discovered in the 18th century. There is only one extant, relatively recent copy of this interesting manuscript, currently housed at the University of Cambridge. It contains supposed visions from God and stories about David and the people around him. Its original date of composition is a matter of debate, but the most common alternatives are either the first few centuries AD or the Middle Ages. The real book of Gad the seer is currently lost and will probably remain lost. The chronicler’s reference to other sources points to the historical authenticity of 1 and 2 Chronicles and should give Christians even greater confidence in the factual nature of the Old Testament. As John Thompson, an Old Testament scholar, concludes regarding 1 Chronicles 29:29, “The use of written records preserved by Samuel, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer may be a reference to material now found in the canonical books of Samuel and Kings. Whether or not that is the case, the point here is that the facts to which Chronicles bears witness are well attested and that in fact David did much more than is written here” (1 and 2 Chronicles, Broadman \& Holman Publishers, 1994, p. 200\).
What happened at the Council of Hippo?	Answer The Council of Hippo or the Synod of Hippo met in AD 393 in Hippo Regius, today known as the seaport city of Annaba, Algeria, in northern Africa. Compared to other [church councils](ecumenical-councils.html), the Council of Hippo was a minor event. The city of Hippo often played a notable role in the early Christian church and was home to St. Augustine, the highly regarded theologian and bishop of Hippo who wrote The City of God, On Christian Doctrine, and Confessions. Augustine was in attendance at the Council of Hippo. The Council of Hippo was the first time a council of bishops met to approve a biblical canon that closely resembles today’s [Roman Catholic Bible](Catholic-Bible.html). The Council of Hippo identified the books of the New Testament as follows: “The \[books of the] New Testament: the Gospels, four books; the Acts of the Apostles, one book; the Epistles of Paul, thirteen; of the same to the Hebrews; one Epistle; of Peter, two; of John, apostle, three; of James, one; of Jude, one; the Revelation of John” (Canon 24, ratified by the [Third Council of Carthage](Council-of-Carthage.html), AD 397\). But the Council of Hippo’s list of Old Testament books included Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, the Wisdom of Solomon, and Ecclesiasticus—books that help comprise the [Apocrypha](apocrypha-deuterocanonical.html). The Catholic Bible contains these books, and they may be considered of some historical interest, but they are not “God\-breathed” by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16–17\), according to Protestant Christianity. It could be argued no synod or council had the authority to choose the books of the Bible; rather, the whole of the canonical writings, the sixty\-six Old and New Testament books of the Bible, was “discovered and agreed upon” by godly church leaders who had devoted themselves to much study and prayer. In his commentary on Galatians, Martin Luther wrote, “We are not the masters, judges, or arbiters, but witnesses, disciples, and confessors of the Scriptures, whether we be pope, Luther, Augustine, Paul, or an angel from heaven” (1:9\). The Council of Hippo also reaffirmed the requirement of clerical continence. No member of the clergy, including married clergymen, was permitted to engage in sexual intercourse. [Celibacy](celibacy-priests.html) was seen as necessary, as the clergy acted as mediators between God and man. Today, Roman Catholic priests, monks, and nuns take vows of celibacy and are not permitted to marry; married deacons are not required to abstain from sexual intercourse within the boundaries of marriage, but unmarried deacons, like priests, monks, and nuns, must remain unmarried and celibate after ordination. While the Council of Hippo played a significant role in the shaping of Roman Catholicism, its influence on Protestantism is relatively minor and may be regarded as little more than a footnote in early church history.
What is the manifold wisdom of God (Ephesians 3:10)?	Answer The apostle Paul never missed a teaching opportunity. In Ephesians 3:1–13, he interrupted his own prayer to expound on the divine mystery of God revealed in the New Testament church of Jesus Christ. The previously hidden secret was now made known—both Jews and Gentiles would share equally in the [gospel](what-is-the-gospel.html) of salvation (verse 6\). God had a specific purpose for using the church in this way: “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10–11\). The word translated “manifold” in Ephesians 3:10 means “many and varied; having many features and forms; wrought in various colors; diversified, intricate, complex, many\-sided.” God’s wisdom in His extraordinary plan of salvation, as seen in the new and mysterious creation of the church, is a multi\-faceted, many\-colored, culturally diverse, rich, and beautiful community of believers. There is no other human co\-op like it in the world. According to Bible commentators, “the manifold wisdom of God” is a poetic and artistic expression suggesting the intricate nature of an embroidered pattern as in Joseph’s “tunic of many colors” (Genesis 37:3, NKJV). Each member of the body of Christ manifests a different aspect of God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27; James 3:9; Ephesians 4:24\). Together, believers form a perfect blend of harmony and diversity. The many features, forms, and colors of fellowship in the church reflect the manifold wisdom of God. For the earliest Christians, and particularly the Jews, the up\-to\-that\-time secret mystery of the church was truly a mind\-blowing revelation. Even “the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” were learning about it for the first time. To the Romans, Paul declared, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” (Romans 11:33, NLT). Paul referred to the church as “the [mystery](mystery-of-God.html) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26–27\). God’s mystery is Christ “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3\). Jesus possesses the manifold wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30\) and reveals it to the world through [His body, the church](body-of-Christ.html). We have Christ in us—the hope of glory. It still astonishes and overwhelms that God has chosen to package the treasure of His manifold wisdom in fragile, human “jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7–11\). The Bible reveals the manifold wisdom of God as unsearchable, deep, and beyond measure (Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 92:5; 147:5\). James describes it as “wisdom from above,” which is “first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere” (James 3:17, NLT). On the other hand, human wisdom has no merit of its own (1 Corinthians 1:19–21; Isaiah 29:14\). Nevertheless, [God gives His wisdom](wisdom-of-God.html) to humans as a gift (Proverbs 2:6; 1 Corinthians 2:6–16; James 1:5\), and His followers are to continue praying and asking Him for spiritual wisdom (Colossians 1:9\). As believers, we can picture the manifold wisdom of God as a global, body of Christ\-shaped tapestry. Our individual lives are the various colored threads woven together in unity of purpose—to display God’s manifold wisdom through the church. We do this by taking the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ to all the people of the world.
Who were the Cherethites in the Bible?	Answer The Cherethites are mentioned ten times in the Old Testament. (The NIV uses the spelling Kerethite, and one time the KJV uses the term Cherethims while using Chrerethites the other times.) Based on 1 Samuel 30:14, “We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire” (ESV), it seems that Cherethites is another name for the [Philistines](Philistines.html). It could also be that the Cherethites were a sub\-group of Philistines or a people closely associated with the Philistines. Ezekiel 25:16 and Zephaniah 2:5 make the same connection. The other times that the Cherethites are mentioned are in association with [King David](life-David.html). There were people from the surrounding lands who were loyal to David, and he had squads of soldiers/mercenaries who appear to have been organized by nationality. For instance, 2 Samuel 15:18 tells us, “And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king” (ESV). So, the Cherethites were a defined group within or closely associated with the Philistines. The Old Testament does not intend to say that all of the Cherethites were loyal to David, but that there were some Cherethites who were loyal to him. Beyond that, the Old Testament simply does not give any more information on the Cherethites.
What was Sandemanianism?	Answer Sandemanianism was a sect within Christianity with a flawed doctrine about faith. Its teaching started in about 1730 with the Scottish Presbyterian minister John Glas, so the followers were originally called Glasites. Glas was one of the earliest men in Scotland to believe in voluntaryism, or the total [separation of church and state](separation-church-state.html), a concept completely contrary to the teaching of the time. Later, Robert Sandeman, Glas’s son\-in\-law, became the recognized leader of the sect, whose members in both England and America came to be called Sandemanians. Glas and Sandeman were admirers of John Calvin, and Sandemanians claimed to be [Calvinists](Calvinist.html), but Calvinists never accepted the aberrant beliefs of Sandemanianism. Glas was removed from the Church of Scotland in 1730\. Followers of Glas and Sandeman wanted to return to a “pure” New Testament religion, as they understood it. That included foot washing, the love feast, weekly communion, the holy kiss, and control over how church members used their money. They also taught that Christ’s kingdom was entirely spiritual and absolutely not of this world, and thus a national church was unbiblical. Sandemanianism’s true divergence from orthodoxy concerned the concept of faith. Sandemanians equated faith with mere intellectual assent to the facts of the Bible. Defined as a “simple faith” or “bare faith,” the faith promoted by Sandeman required no emotion or even an act of the will to produce salvation. It was an extreme version of [easy believism](easy-believism.html). Sandemanians did not look for spiritual changes as the Holy Spirit interacted with them because that was a too subjective measure and unnecessary. Sandemanians thus opened themselves up to charges of [antinomianism](antinomianism.html). In his epitaph, Sandeman said “that the bare death of Jesus Christ without a thought or deed on the part of man is sufficient to present the chief of sinners spotless before God” (www.britannica.com/biography/Robert\-Sandeman, accessed 2/8/22\). As Sandemanianism spread around England and to America, so did the censure. Critics said that Sandemanianism produced a cold orthodoxy, an authoritarian church, and too much of a focus on the local church over the universal church. Sandemanians strayed from the Westminster definition of faith, and some said that they had the faith of devils because it was absurd to propose that God justified any person through a faith unaccompanied by love (see James 2:19\). Sandemanians were missing the important trust aspect of faith—actual reliance on God’s Word instead of only rational acceptance. Even with such harsh criticism, it took a long time for Sandemanianism to completely die out. The last of the Sandemanian churches in America closed in 1890\. Their London meeting house did not close until 1984, and the last elder of the church started by Glas and Sandeman died in Edinburgh in 1999\.
What does it mean that we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28)?	Answer Humanly speaking, Christians are a diverse lot. We come from every nation, tribe, and people group (Revelation 7:9\). We speak different languages, possess a variety of skin tones, and reflect unique cultures and social classes. But for all who are members of Christ’s family, race, rank, and gender lose their significance: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, ESV). Every person comes to Jesus Christ the same way—[by grace through faith](by-grace-through-faith.html) and repentance from sin (Acts 16:30–31; Ephesians 2:8; 2 Peter 3:9; Mark 1:15\). “Jew nor Greek” speaks of race, nationality, and ethnicity. “Slave nor free” refers to our rank, social class, or profession. And “male and female” indicates our gender. These distinctions lose their importance in the heavenly Father’s eyes. We are all one in Christ His Son. The apostle Paul explained, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12–13, NLT). Our spiritual connection unites us into one faith and one family: “For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all” (Ephesians 4:4–6, NLT). We are all one in Christ has wide\-ranging implications. First, it calls for unity and harmony among brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. We are to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, like Jesus, showing humility, gentleness, patience, “bearing with one another in love,” and making “every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3\). We can embrace our differences, even celebrate them, as long as “above all” we clothe ourselves “with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14, NLT; see also Ephesians 5:2\). The unity of believers is emphasized in Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer as the Lord prays that “all be one, just as you and I are one . . . so that the world will believe you sent me. . . . May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:21–23\). Relational unity in the church is the best witness to the reality of Jesus Christ and God to the world. The unity Christ prayed for is not an organizational unity or a denominational unity but a [spiritual unity](Christian-unity.html) based on faith in Christ and the glory of God within. “Christian harmony is not based on the externals of the flesh but the internals and eternals of the Spirit in the inner person. We must look beyond the elements of our first birth—race, color, abilities, etc.—and build our fellowship on the essentials of our new birth” (Warren Wiersbe, Be Transformed, Victor Books, 1989, p. 80\). [Discrimination](Bible-discrimination.html), [prejudice](Bible-prejudice.html), and [racism](racism-Bible.html) have existed in every generation, but there is no room for such bias in God’s family. As Paul so eloquently stated, “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us” (Ephesians 2:14, NLT). God made human beings—the entire human race—in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26–27\). If we hate someone because of the color of his skin, are we not hating a part of God’s image? Paul also said, “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” (Colossians 3:11, NLT). How can we hate or discriminate against someone if Christ our Savior lives in him? Every form of condescension, partiality, and intolerance based on race, rank, and gender must be repented of and nailed to the cross because we are all one in Jesus Christ. Christians should be united in passion, plan, and purpose, just as the Father and Son are united in the same. Christians are all treasure\-bearing earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7\). Christians are all redeemed by the same blood; we are all going to the same heaven; we have a shared aspiration, a shared enemy, and a shared hope and joy.
What is essentialism in philosophy?	Answer Philosophical essentialism is the idea that the nature of things is invariable and constant. Essentialism posits that one must be able to describe an entity according to that which is required, or essential, to its nature and existence. The bird is perhaps a helpful example. One may ask what is essential to being a bird. Is it flying ability? No, flying is not essential to being a bird because there are certain birds that don’t fly (ostrich, emu, etc.). There are also non\-bird creatures that fly (e.g., bats). A flying bird may experience an injury and not be able to fly anymore. Yet it is still a bird. If flying is not essential to being a bird, what is? Here are several aspects of being a bird that are essential: feathers, wings, a beak, no teeth, and bearing young in a hard\-shelled egg. There may be other creatures that have one or more of these characteristics, but, for a bird, all of these are essential. If these characteristics are not present, then, whatever we have, it is not a bird. The main issue regarding essentialism in philosophy surrounds the essence of humans. What are we? What makes us different from other creatures? Is there anything that is essential to being human? If one is viewing this issue from the framework of atheism and physicalism (all that exists is physical matter: protons, neutrons, atoms, elements, etc.), then there is nothing that is uniquely essential to being human. Indeed, from a purely physicalist framework, there is nothing to differentiate humans from the higher apes such as chimpanzees and gorillas. Those who hold to physicalism view humans as “jumped\-up monkeys” or “wet robots.” In the ultimate sense, if the physical world is all there is, and all that differentiates animals from rocks or trees, et al, is how the atoms are arranged, then nothing is essential and nothing is ultimately different from anything else. Everything is differentiated stardust, but nothing more than stardust. Essentialism does fit within the biblical framework. Indeed, in the physical world, God differentiates all kinds of things. A helpful example of God’s differentiation of things is found in the [six days of creation](creation-days.html) in Genesis 1\. On each day, God creates something different and assigns these creatures certain roles and places in the creation. They are distinct from one another. God, in Genesis and throughout the rest of Bible, declares that there are essential differences in the created world. Specifically, when God creates man on the sixth day, He creates man in His own image. Nothing else in all creation bears the image of God—only humans. Thus, what specifically differentiates humans from the rest of the physical world is that humans carry within them the image of God. Bearing the image of God is an essential requirement for being human. What does it mean that humans bear the [image of God](image-of-God.html)? It means many things, but of prime importance is the reality that, as with God, we are moral creatures. We have a conscience by which we determine the rightness of a thought or action. In Romans 2:15, we are told that our conscience “bears witness” to rightness and sin. We have thoughts that accuse us or excuse us based upon our understanding of right and wrong. Whether or not we have a formal, moral law like the Ten Commandments, we all have an understanding of right and wrong, good and evil. This is an essential characteristic of what it means to be human. As we consider essentialism, it is vital that we are aware that there may be forms of essentialism that do declare distinct, essential differences among the physical creatures but do not hold to humans as image bearers of God. Any form of essentialism that denies that humans are image bearers of God is empty deceit and human tradition (see Colossians 2:8\), and we are not to be taken captive by such philosophy.
What is the two-source hypothesis?	Answer In addressing this issue, it is helpful to first understand what is the [Synoptic Problem](synoptic-problem.html), the question of how to explain the similarities and differences among the Synoptic Gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are the Synoptic (“Same View”) Gospels in that they share many similarities. Thus, they can be studied synoptically or comparatively with the goal of learning about these similarities and differences. The Gospel of John is quite different from the other three gospels and stands on its own. Biblical scholars have spent much time thinking through the issue of how the three [Synoptic Gospels](Synoptic-Gospels.html) came to be in relation to each other. One idea of how the gospels came about is called the two\-source theory or the two\-source hypothesis. This theory postulates that Mark was written first because both Matthew and Luke contain almost all of Mark while each adding additional information. Matthew contains approximately 92 percent of Mark’s content, while Luke contains approximately 58 percent of Mark. As is observable, both Matthew and Luke also contain much more information not included in Mark. The two\-source hypothesis puts forth the idea that both Matthew and Luke used Mark as one source while also using a second, unknown source to compile the rest of the materials in their gospels. This second source is often referred to in scholarly circles as “Q.” Thus, the two\-source hypothesis addresses the Synoptic Problem by postulating that Mark was written first, both Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source in writing their gospels, and Matthew and Luke used an additional source we call “Q.” Luke gives a helpful statement regarding the two\-source hypothesis. Note what he states in the prologue to his gospel in Luke 1:1–4: “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled a among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” From this statement, we can learn helpful facts about how these gospels came about. Note that Luke says that “many have undertaken to compile a narrative” (ESV) about Jesus. He also notes that “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered” (ESV) this information. Thus, when Luke puts together his “orderly account” of the life of Jesus, he is using multiple sources, including what appears to be written narratives about various events in the life of Christ. Some may have recorded several events of His life or just one or two. If Luke is using the Gospel of Mark as a source, that clearly is a large narrative record. It also seems that Luke is using oral accounts from “eyewitnesses.” In Luke 2:51, we find that Jesus’ mother, Mary, “treasured all these things in her heart.” “These things” are events in the life of the young Jesus. It is likely that Luke spoke with Mary in putting together his gospel. The “ministers of the word” Luke mentions very well may include some of the original apostles who were used of God to start up the church as recorded in Acts. In regard to eyewitness accounts as well as written narratives of the life of Christ, it is helpful to remember Jesus’ words in John 14:26 where He tells His disciples that the Holy Spirit will “teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” This affirms that the gospel writers were compiling and writing down accounts of the life of Jesus from reliable, [Holy Spirit\-inspired words](Bible-inspired.html) and recollections of Jesus’ followers. In conclusion, scholarly topics such as the two\-source hypothesis can be helpful in understanding how God, through the Holy Spirit, brought about His gospels. Regardless of whether we ever come to a place of confidence regarding exactly how the gospels were compiled, we are confident that it was ever and only by the power and guidance of God the Holy Spirit.
What are the minimalist and maximalist approaches to Scripture?	Answer “Minimalism” and “maximalism” are labels applied to viewpoints within Old Testament scholarship. In the context of biblical scholarship, the minimalist represents the liberal viewpoint that suggests a new, progressive approach to Scripture, while the maximalist takes a more conservative, traditional approach. The question at stake is the historicity of the Old Testament: how much of the text, if any, reflects actual history, and what criteria should be applied when studying it from a historical angle? Scholars labeled minimalists generally reject the historicity of the biblical text, while maximalists generally accept it as historically accurate. Some radical minimalists argue that the Old Testament books are mostly fictitious, composed sometime between the Persian conquest of Babylon and the first century AD. These same scholars would also argue that “Israel” as a national entity, the way it is portrayed in the Bible, did not exist. Maximalists, to the contrary, argue that the [Bible](Bible-God-Word.html) is essentially reliable as a historical work and should be viewed as a primary source for the time period it portrays unless evidence can be demonstrated to prove otherwise. The way that maximalists and minimalists approach the historicity of the Old Testament is the major sticking point between the two camps. According to many maximalists, the Bible should be viewed as historically reliable unless forceful external evidence is brought against it. For many minimalists, the Bible should be dismissed unless forceful external evidence is available to defend each of its individual propositions. The names minimalist and maximalist come from their respective starting positions: minimalists believe scholars should accept the minimum amount of biblical data as historical, and maximalists argue that the maximum possible amount of biblical data should be viewed as historical. For example, several prominent minimalists argue that the biblical portrayals of King David and King Solomon are essentially fictitious. They would contend that there was no united monarchy of Israel at that time, certainly not to the extent described in the Old Testament. Maximalists would be more charitable to the text, arguing that, when properly understood, the accounts of David and Solomon fit the historical reality. Many contemporary scholars do not place themselves in either camp, sitting somewhere along the spectrum between maximalist and minimalist. Some accept the historical nature of certain parts of the Old Testament. Others believe that the Old Testament was based on recollections of historical events but heavily embellished and redacted to the point that it is no longer usable by historians or archaeologists. Some people refer to scholars near the center of the spectrum as “moderates.” It is important to recognize that, most of the time, minimalists and maximalists are both dealing with the same data. It is their approach to the data that is being contrasted, not the data itself. Every scholar brings certain assumptions to the available data and arranges the evidence accordingly. Many minimalists assume that God does not exist, that miracles are impossible, and that the Old Testament is hopelessly propagandistic; therefore, any real history stemming from the biblical text is improbable. Many maximalists are committed Christians and lend additional historical weight to the text due to their convictions about [inspiration](Bible-inspired.html). To be discerning individuals, we must recognize different people’s starting assumptions, listen to a wide variety of voices on any given topic, and gather as much relevant data as possible. As Christians, though, we do not have to approach these issues with a blank slate: we rely on our faith in God and His [reliable Word](Bible-reliable.html) as we navigate these difficult scholarly discussions.
What does it mean to be sheep in the midst of wolves (Matthew 10:16)?	Answer As Jesus readied His [twelve disciples](twelve-apostles-disciples-12.html) to go out and minister, first He gave detailed guidelines for their early mission (Matthew 10:5–15\), and then He prepared them for opposition and persecution: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16, ESV). Jesus knew that His messengers would encounter fierce resistance, so He immediately dismissed any idealistic notion of what it meant to be His servant. He told them that persecution and betrayal would come from unexpected places and all kinds of people, even family and friends (Matthew 10:21–22, 34–36\). Jesus also knew that many would respond to the disciples’ message, so they had to go. To be as “sheep amidst the wolves” is the Lord’s fitting imagery portraying how we obey His call and take the message of salvation to receptive souls scattered amid a crowd of hostile challengers. Reflecting the character of meek and gentle sheep, our message is one of love and compassion. Luke 10:3 uses the language of “lambs among wolves,” emphasizing the dedicated vulnerability that ought to exemplify Christ’s servants, messengers, missionaries, and evangelists. We are to go out clothed with grace, mercy, kindness, and humility—“innocent as doves”—but also with wisdom, truth, and integrity—“wise as serpents.” We keep our attitude and actions pure and harmless and our eyes wide open, “alert and of sober mind” because our “enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8\). The future peaceful reality of sheep and wolves living together in harmony (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25\) is not yet our reality. The apostle Paul testified to church leaders, “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock” (Acts 20:29\). To His disciple Timothy, Paul wrote, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12\). Jesus desires that we be fully prepared to be hated and treated poorly just as He was (Matthew 10:25\). Yet we can find comfort and encouragement in our struggles, knowing such ill\-treatment is a sign of our close fellowship with Jesus (Acts 5:41; 2 Corinthians 11:16–33; 12:1–10; Philippians 3:10–11\). Sheep are defenseless animals. Unless they stay near their shepherd, these animals have no hope of surviving against a pack of wolves. Jesus, who is “the [great Shepherd](True-Shepherd.html) of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20\), assured His disciples repeatedly that He would care for His sheep, leading, guiding, protecting, and laying down His life for them (John 10:1–16, 26–30\). Even though we will face persecution in our mission to follow and obey Christ, He encourages us not to fear: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:28–31\). Matthew 10:16 was not the disciples’ first exhortation to expect persecution as servants of God’s kingdom. In His [Sermon on the Mount](sermon-on-the-mount.html), Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10–12\). Honor in God’s kingdom is a blessing reserved for those who actively seek to advance His righteousness and serve the King. Initially, the “wolves” in Jesus’ analogy included the [Pharisees](Pharisees.html) and Jewish religious teachers who violently persecuted the early church. But the caution to be like sheep amidst the wolves is relevant to believers in every age who must live as Christ’s ambassadors in a dark and unreceptive world. Without our Shepherd, we are defenseless and in danger. But with Jesus, we are promised protection and peace (John 14:27; 16:33; Psalm 3:5–6; Matthew 6:25–34; 11:28; Romans 8:28, 35–39\).
What is the sacrifice of thanksgiving in Psalm 116:17?	Answer Psalm 116 is a song of praise and thanksgiving from one whose prayer for help has been answered. The worshiper sings of the Lord’s great deliverance from a profoundly distressing, life\-threatening predicament (verses 3–4, 8\). In response to the Lord’s goodness, the psalmist vows publicly to bring an offering of sacrifice and praise to the temple: “I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 116:17–19, ESV; see also verses 13–14\). According to the book of Leviticus, there were five main [types of sacrifices](Old-Testament-sacrifices.html) or offerings: • the burnt offering (Leviticus 1; 6:8–13; 8:18–21; 16:24\) • the grain offering (Leviticus 2; 6:14–23\) • the peace offering (Leviticus 3; 7:11–34\) • the sin offering (Leviticus 4; 5:1–13; 6:24–30; 8:14–17; 16:3–22\) • the trespass offering (Leviticus 5:14–19; 6:1–7; 7:1–6\). The sacrifice of thanksgiving or “thank offering” falls into the category of peace offerings (Leviticus 7:11–15\). It was offered for wondrous occasions of salvation from distress, death, or sickness (Psalm 50:23; 107:21–22; 56:12–13; Amos 4:5\). With the sacrifice of thanksgiving for a peace offering, the worshiper was to bring an animal sacrifice (Leviticus 7:15\) accompanied by leavened and unleavened bread, wafers and cakes (Leviticus 7:12–13\). The priest would share in the meal, being careful to “sacrifice it properly” so it would be acceptable to God, eating “the entire sacrificial animal on the day it is presented” (Leviticus 22:29–30, NLT). The ancient Hebrews understood that God would only accept sacrifices that satisfied His conditions. It could also be that the psalmist is not referring to an actual sacrifice at all but rather a simple expression of thanksgiving. Hosea 14:2 speaks of offering to God the “fruit of our lips,” and this may be what the author of Psalm 116 has in mind, not a ceremonial sacrifice. In response to God’s merciful salvation, the psalmist vows to publicly thank and praise the Lord. Thanksgiving was central to worship in the Old Testament, just as it is in the New Testament church (Colossians 2:7; 4:2\). As the children of Israel offered up sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord, so believers today give thanks “always and for everything to God” (Ephesians 5:20, ESV). The apostle Paul tells believers that it is “God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” to “be thankful in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT). The writer of Hebrews urges us to offer [thanksgiving](giving-thanks-to-God.html): “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Hebrews 13:15\). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is not truly a sacrifice if it comes without any effort or expense. A worthy sacrifice always comes at a cost (2 Samuel 24:24\). Just as Jewish worshipers had to bring offerings without spot or blemish, Christians must also offer God the very best they can. One sacrifice of thanksgiving is obedience, which is of greater importance to God than animal offerings and sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22\). Those who genuinely love God desire to obey Him (John 14:15; 1 John 5:2\). Their hearts are faithful to Him. The thankfulness of true believers comes from a sincere heart of gratitude (Mark 7:6–7; Isaiah 29:13\). God wants His children to worship Him in truth (John 4:24\). If we are truly grateful to God for His lovingkindness and mercy in our lives, we will offer sacrifices of thanksgiving naturally. We will recognize that everything we have is a gift from Him (James 1:17\). Through even the most troubling and challenging times, we can offer sacrifices of thanksgiving by giving our “bodies to God because of all he has done” for us and letting our lives “be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him” (Romans 12:1, NLT). In the story of the one thankful leper, Jesus made it clear that praise and thanksgiving are evidence of genuine faith (Luke 17:11–19\). Thankfulness and faith go together, just as ingratitude and faithlessness do (Romans 1:21\). The sacrifice of thanksgiving is a natural outflow of the Christian life (Psalm 92:1–4; 1 Timothy 4:4\), springing from a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:16–17\).
What is the tongue of the learned (Isaiah 50:4)?	Answer In the third of the “[Servant Songs](Servant-Songs.html)” of Isaiah, Israel’s Messiah speaks of His God\-appointed mission: “The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned” (Isaiah 50:4, NKJV). The word translated as “tongue” here refers to “speech” in the original Hebrew. The tongue of the learned literally means the “speech of those who are taught.” The Messiah’s God\-given role is to hear and speak what God His Father teaches Him. Jesus is a humble and obedient servant, passing on only what He has heard and learned daily, “morning by morning,” through direct fellowship with God the Father. “I do nothing on my own,” said Jesus, “but speak just what the Father has taught me” (John 8:28\). Jesus yielded to the will of His Father (John 5:19, 30; 6:38\). He opened His ears to hear and obey the voice of God and relinquished His tongue to speak the words of God. Spending time alone with His Father, Jesus sought guidance and meditated on God’s Word (Mark 1:35\). In this way, Christ was given the tongue of the learned to speak divine wisdom and comfort to the weary (Matthew 11:28–30\). Jesus modeled the ultimate example of being a Christian disciple (John 4:34\). “A word in season to him who is weary” is the good news of the gospel. In Isaiah 61:1, the Messiah declares, “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has [anointed](anointed.html) me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed” (NLT). The tongue of the learned belongs not to those who acquire human wisdom but to those who are divinely taught. The Messiah’s mouth was “like a sharpened sword” or “a polished arrow” hidden in the shadow of God’s hand (Isaiah 49:2\). When Jesus opened His mouth to speak, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,” was unleashed (Ephesians 6:17\). The crowds were amazed at His teaching because He taught with God’s authority, wisdom, and power (Matthew 7:28–29; 13:54; Mark 6:2; John 7:46\). Jesus is [the Logos](what-is-the-Logos.html), the Living Word of God (John 1:1–4, 14\). He hears, learns, speaks, and lives God’s total message, that is, everything His Father wants to communicate to humanity (Colossians 1:19; 2:9; John 14:9\). Jesus lived among us as God in the flesh, and He revealed God the Father to us (John 17:26\). When first called by God, [Moses](life-Moses.html) doubted his ability to be the Lord’s spokesperson. Moses balked, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue” (Exodus 4:10, ESV). But God reassured Moses: “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Exodus 4:11–12, ESV). Moses developed the tongue of the learned by walking in close fellowship with God, listening to His voice (Numbers 12:6–8; Exodus 33:11\), spending time in His presence (Exodus 34:29\), and then speaking what God taught him to say (Exodus 24:3; 31:13\). The tongue of the learned is the true disciple’s tongue. This tongue is well\-trained in righteousness (Psalm 34:13; Proverbs 12:18; James 3:9–10\), producing a fountain of life (Proverbs 10:11\). Those who submit to the will of God, listen to Him attentively, and learn to speak what He teaches them to say become effective ministers of the Lord.
What is a diocese? What is an archdiocese?	Answer A diocese is a jurisdiction of a bishop or pastor. People within a certain diocese fall under the pastoral care of the bishop of that district. Originally, the Roman Empire was divided into dioceses, which were areas of land, so divided for administrative purposes. When Christianity became the official Roman religion, each diocese was appointed a bishop to oversee the ministry in that area. As the Roman ecclesiastical system spread to other regions, the division of cities into religious dioceses continued. A diocese is divided into smaller parishes, with each parish assigned a priest who ministers there. All the parish priests in one diocese are supervised by a bishop. Several dioceses are grouped together to form an archdiocese, which is supervised by an archbishop. In the [Roman Catholic Church](Roman-Catholicism.html), the United States is divided into over 17,000 parishes with 144 dioceses and 32 archdioceses, as well as one archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. There are an additional 16 dioceses and 2 archdioceses in the Eastern Catholic Church (www.usccb.org/about/bishops\-and\-dioceses\#tab\-\-episcopal\-regions\-archdioceses\-and\-dioceses\-in\-the\-us, accessed 2/8/22\). Because of the vast number of congregants and churches, many major metropolitan areas have an archbishop as well, even though the city may not be technically considered an archdiocese. Above the archbishops are the cardinals and finally the pope. Today, most people think of dioceses within the Catholic Church, but several other churches, including the [Episcopal Church](Episcopalians.html) (100 dioceses in the U.S. grouped into 9 provinces), have a similar hierarchical arrangement with dioceses and archdioceses. Other churches, such as the [Evangelical Lutheran Church in America](Evangelical-Lutheran-Church-America.html), have a hierarchical arrangement with bishops and archbishops, although their responsibilities may not fall along the geographical boundaries of a diocese or archdiocese.
How should parents respond to abusive adult children?	Answer It is easy for parents to excuse the attitudes or behaviors of their children, no matter their age, because of the long histories and dynamics parents and children have. Situations can become even more complicated if an elderly parent is dependent on the care of an adult child. If that relationship is abusive, the parent is in a difficult situation and may not know how to respond. If you are experiencing verbal, mental, emotional, or physical abuse, wait for a safe opportunity and contact a trusted family member or friend to remove you from the situation as soon as possible or call 911\. Many states have call hotlines for elder abuse. If you are unsure if you are experiencing abuse, go to the National Institutes for Health Elder Abuse website for more information and guidance: [www.nia.nih.gov/health/elder\-abuse](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/elder-abuse). At the heart of [abuse](Bible-abuse.html) is selfishness, a sin we all struggle with in one way or another. Anger and mistreatment of others are symptoms of the underlying selfishness. Understanding this can help us in knowing how to respond. First and foremost, pray about the abusive situation (Philippians 4:6–7\), asking God to direct in word and deed. God promises to generously give wisdom where needed and asked for (James 1:5\). If the adult child is a Christian, pray specifically for the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the intervention of the body of Christ (Galatians 6:1–10\). If it is safe, consider confronting the adult child who is perpetrating the abuse. Jesus is our best example for this in how He handled confrontations with those closest to Him, the disciples. He did not sweep anything under the proverbial rug but addressed sin in individualized ways. Caroline Newheiser, co\-author of When Words Matter Most, writes, “Christians love each other well when they address one another’s sins with Christlike love. Think of how Jesus dealt with the sin of his disciples: the anger of James and John, the fear of Peter, the doubt of Thomas, and the pride of all twelve as they debated who would be greatest in the kingdom. Christ confronted, instructed, and restored. He always spoke the truth in love, although sometimes sternly. But his disciples knew that he loved them, even in their weakness and sin” (www.crossway.org/articles/7\-tips\-for\-confronting\-a\-friend\-in\-sin, accessed 2/8/22\). Scripture repeatedly encourages open, loving communication about sin in passages such as Proverbs 27:5–6, Luke 17:3, Galatians 6:1, Hebrews 3:13, and 1 Thessalonians 5:14\. Above all, rebuke must be done in love (1 John 4:11\), which means preparing one’s heart beforehand through repentance, prayer, and meditation on Scripture. It is especially important in abusive relationships to have an advocate during the confrontation for safety purposes. It could be another family member or two, a trusted friend, or a pastor, someone who will help communicate what is being experienced by the elderly parent. Ask God for the right person, timing, and words. Scripture is our best weapon against sin and evil, as it is sharper than any [double\-edged sword](sword-of-the-Spirit.html), able to judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12\). The Holy Spirit can use His Word to convict in ways that we cannot (1 Thessalonians 1:5\). God is the defender of the fatherless and widow, those who are vulnerable and often mistreated (Exodus 22:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:6\). He will bring justice to those hurt by others. If you suspect elder abuse or are experiencing it, please consult these resources with the help of a trusted family member or friend to safely end the abuse and get help: Eldercare Locator 800\-677\-1116 [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) <https://eldercare.acl.gov> National Adult Protective Services Association 202\-370\-6292 [https://www.napsa\-now.org](https://www.napsa-now.org) National Center on Elder Abuse 855\-500\-3537 [ncea\[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) <https://ncea.acl.gov>
What is the fellowship of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10)?	Answer The [apostle Paul’s](life-Paul.html) singular ambition in life was to know Jesus Christ experientially. More than merely acquiring superficial head\-knowledge, Paul wanted to connect with Jesus on the closest possible relational level: “My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10, HCSB). Nothing else in life mattered to Paul. He was willing to lose every earthly possession and pursuit for the sake of intimately knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7\). He considered “everything else worthless,” labeling it “garbage” compared to “the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” His supreme objective was to “gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8\). For Paul, to experience a relationship with Jesus in this way meant sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings, even if that meant death. In Galatians 2:20, Paul reiterated his desire to share in a dynamic, all\-in union with Jesus: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20\). Paul taught believers that “the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:5, NLT). The early apostles believed that participating in the fellowship of Christ’s suffering was part of our preparation for sharing in His future glory. To his student Timothy, Paul explained, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12, NLT). Peter urged believers not to “be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world” (1 Peter 4:12–13, NLT). In Philippians 2:5–11, Paul told believers to have the same attitude or mindset as Christ. Our preparation for heaven involves becoming like Christ, being conformed into His image (Romans 8:29; Philippians 3:21\). Jesus embodied humility and obedience to God as He walked a path to death. The very purpose God sent His Son was to suffer and die for us that we might be saved (1 John 3:16; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18\). To be like Christ, we must enter the fellowship of His suffering and death “so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:10, NLT). Paul informed Christians in Colossae, “I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church” (Colossians 1:24, NLT). We should not be shocked to encounter [trials](trials-tribulations.html) in this life because following Jesus inevitably leads to the cross. One commentator urged, “We must be ready for—and we cannot hope to avoid—the downward path of the Crucified” (Motyer, J., The Message of Philippians, InterVarsity Press, 1984, p. 169\). Jesus told His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, [take up your cross](take-up-your-cross.html), and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, NLT). Taking up our cross means being willing to surrender our lives and even die for the sake of following Christ. Jesus didn’t paint a rosy picture of discipleship. Instead, He said, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?” (Luke 9:24–25, NLT). Just before Paul spoke of the “fellowship of His sufferings,” he said his goal was to know Christ “and the power of His resurrection.” As we share in hardship and persecution on our downward path to the cross, Jesus is our co\-companion on the journey. He promises never to leave us alone (Matthew 28:20\). Christ is a living Savior who pledges to impart His resurrection power and give us the strength to endure and even overcome (Romans 8:11; Philippians 3:10; John 16:33\).
What does it mean that the gospel was preached to those who are dead (1 Peter 4:6)?	Answer [Peter](life-Peter.html), writing to believers scattered throughout various provinces of Asia Minor (1 Peter 1:1\), encourages them even as they face suffering and persecution. In a section of his first epistle, Peter speaks of the gospel that “was preached also to those who are dead” (1 Peter 4:6, NKJV). To understand what Peter meant by the gospel’s being preached “to those who are dead,” we should look at the immediate context. Here is a brief summary of the verses leading up to 1 Peter 4:6: 1 Peter 3:18–22, Christ has suffered for sin, was raised again, and ascended to His position of authority in heaven. 1 Peter 4:1, Believers in Christ must likewise be ready to suffer in this world and consider themselves dead to sin. 1 Peter 4:2, Life is to be lived for the will of God, not for the lust of the flesh. 1 Peter 4:3, Before they were saved, believers lived as the pagans do, pursuing all sorts of sin. 1 Peter 4:4, Now, believers’ lives have changed, and their former companions are surprised at the transformation and engage in slander against the believers. 1 Peter 4:5, The unsaved who are persecuting the believers will give an account to God, who is ready to judge all. This brings us to 1 Peter 4:6 and its statement that the gospel was preached to those who are dead. We will consider the verse phrase by phrase, using the New American Standard Bible: For the gospel has for this purpose \- The good news of salvation in Christ has a certain divine objective. been preached even to those who are dead, \- During their lifetime, the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, [martyred](Christian-martyrdom.html) for their faith in Christ. (The NIV and CSB insert the word now before dead to make the meaning clearer.) that though they are judged in the flesh as people, \- These believers died, as all people do. they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. \- Because of the gospel, these martyrs live forever, according to God’s purpose. So, in this passage the apostle Peter gives great hope and encouragement to believers who are suffering for their faith. They are following Christ’s example, as He also suffered at the hands of sinners. Their enemies will be judged by God, who is keeping track of injustice. Their friends who have died are right now experiencing eternal life in heaven, and they, too, will overcome death through the power of the [gospel](what-is-the-gospel.html).
What is pharmakeia in the Bible?	Answer The Greek word pharmakeia appears in Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 18:23\. Terms from the same root word appear in Revelation 9:21, Revelation 21:8, and Revelation 22:15\. These are typically translated into English as “sorcery,” “witchcraft,” or “sorcerer.” Ancient Greek uses of pharmakeia closely mirror the generic modern English word drugs ; the same Greek root word produced English terms such as pharmacy and pharmacist. Modern use of the word [sorcery](Bible-sorcery.html) evokes images of supernatural power and spells; biblical use of pharmakeia doesn’t fit well with such ideas. Rather, the term suggests various forms of drug abuse. Those might include drug use in pagan worship, as an addiction, or as a poison used to manipulate and control others. In modern English, separate terms distinguish medicines, chemicals, and illicit [drugs](sin-drugs.html). As used in most contexts, a “pharmacist” and a “drug dealer” both distribute chemicals, but of different kinds and for drastically different reasons. Because English vernacular uses entirely different words, phrases like selling drugs evoke something illicit while taking meds or [prescription drugs](Christian-prescription-drugs.html) don’t imply anything nefarious. Ancient Greeks used words like pharmakeia to refer to that entire spectrum: from medicines to psychoactives to poisons. This makes cultural and biblical context crucial when interpreting terms related to pharmakeia. Ancient societies were no stranger to mind\-altering chemicals. Archaeologists note the presence of opium, [hemp](recreational-marijuana.html), and many other substances in Bible\-era cultures. These compounds were not as potent as modern options but still capable of powerful effects. For example, synthetic drugs like carfentanyl are a hundred thousand times as powerful as an equivalent dose of natural opium—this is what allows a small dart to tranquilize an elephant. But opium itself is still a strong drug. Mood\-altering substances were also used in connection to ancient religious practices. Temples such as those in Greece sometimes used mind\-altering drugs in fortune\-telling and oracles. These may have included natural vapors and deliberately concocted mixtures. When Paul wrote Galatians and John recorded Revelation, these practices would have been part of pagan idolatry. Substances that alter a person’s perceptions can be used as legitimate medicines (1 Timothy 4:4\). They can also be abused for recreation. Even worse, they can be used in a predatory manner, influencing others and taking advantage of their skewed awareness. The biblical concept of “sorcery” seems to lean toward the latter end of this spectrum. A biblical “sorcerer” could be thought of as the equivalent of a modern “drug dealer.” Or as the type of person who slips chemicals into a woman’s drink to take advantage of her. Galatians 5:20 is part of Paul’s list of contrasts to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23\). That list of works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19–21\) does not appear to be random. The references are collected into groups of similar offenses. Paul begins by mentioning sexual sin, then idolatry, then “sorcery”—pharmakeia—and then division, before moving on to drunkenness and debauchery. His reference to pharmakeia is grouped closer to idolatry and sexuality than it is to drunkenness, which hints at the use of illicit drugs in ungodly spiritual practices. John’s references might also be connected to pagan worship; Revelation 9:21 comes immediately after a condemnation of idolatry. Yet this reference also sits between mentions of murder and sexual sin. Revelation 18:23 is part of a condemnation of Babylon, referring to its “deception.” The phrasing closely echoes the statement of Nahum 3:4, which refers to “charms.” The Hebrew root word used in Nahum is kesheph. That is used in reference to idolatry and often translated as “sorcery,” and is seen in 2 Kings 9:22, Isaiah 47:9, 12, and Micah 5:12\. Combining these contexts, the exact meaning of pharmakeia isn’t crystal clear, but neither is it completely obscure. There’s no sense that Scripture uses terms such as pharmakeia in reference to supernatural powers. Instead, biblical “sorcery” seems to be about abusing drugs for idolatry, recreation, and/or oppression of others.
What is the meaning of double honor in 1 Timothy 5:17?	Answer In 1 Timothy 5:17–25, the apostle Paul gave special guidance regarding [church leadership](duties-elder-church.html). He recognized that these individuals were not perfect. But Paul was eager for the church to appreciate and acknowledge the value of pastors, teachers, elders, and other leaders who work hard and serve in a worthy manner: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17\). Paul considered ministry leadership an honorable position to hold. Earlier, he told Timothy, “This is a trustworthy saying: ‘If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position’” (1 Timothy 3:1, NLT). The leader who performs the duties of his position responsibly and diligently, according to Scripture, is worthy of double honor. “Double honor” refers not only to an [abundance of respect](pastor-appreciation.html) and obedience from members of the church but also reasonable pay. The Greek word translated “double” in 1 Timothy 5:17 means “two\-fold.” And the term for “honor” in the original language includes the notion of a price or compensation. In English, we also connect the word honor with the idea of recompence through the noun honorarium, “a payment for unbilled professional services.” Paul felt that dutiful and diligent shepherds of God’s flock, the church, ought to be honored in two ways: in proper esteem and fair compensation. Paul’s meaning becomes apparent in his following statement: “For the Scripture says, ‘You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.’ And in another place, ‘Those who work deserve their pay!’” (1 Timothy 5:18, NLT). The apostle argued that, if God in His law had made provision for the hard\-working ox (Deuteronomy 25:4\), then members of Christ’s body ought to show proper concern for their spiritual leaders. Paul’s second statement, “The laborer deserves his wages” (ESV), closely resembles these words of Jesus: “For the worker deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7\). Elsewhere, Paul said, “Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them” (Galatians 6:6, NLT). The church has an obligation to protect dedicated leaders from being overworked and underpaid. Failure to adequately support them indicates a lack of honor. Paul’s use of “double honor” is probably associated with the “double portion” reserved for the oldest son in a family (Deuteronomy 21:17\). The dual benefit of being the firstborn was both respect and financial reward. Paul worked as a tentmaker to support himself in ministry (Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 9:3–18; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8\) but considered his position the exception, not the rule. Scripture teaches that it is both suitable and essential for Christian ministers to receive financial support from the congregations they serve, just as a laborer rightly deserves a paycheck from his employer. Paul singled out [preachers and teachers](teaching-pastor.html), indicating that their work is of utmost importance in the church. Those who fulfill these services in a commendable manner are especially deserving of double honor.
What was the Investiture Controversy, and how did it impact Christianity?	Answer The Investiture Controversy, also called the Investiture Contest or the Investiture Dispute, lasted from AD 1076 to 1122 and involved a disagreement over the leadership of the medieval church. In the United States, there is a [separation of church and state](separation-church-state.html). While in more recent times this “doctrine” has been corrupted to mean that religious principles and organizations have no place in political/public debate, the original intent was to protect the church from being dominated by the state and to prevent any one church from gaining control over the government. Political officials do not appoint church officials, and vice versa. Despite cries from secular progressives today, the United States has never had an issue with church and state that remotely resembled the mingling of church and state in the Middle Ages—the kind of mingling the Founding Fathers were hoping to guard against. In medieval Europe, however, religious and political power were thoroughly mingled. From the 400s, many church offices were appointed by the secular rulers or nominated by them and then approved or “rubber stamped” by church leadership. Even the [pope](pope-papacy.html) was often nominated by the king or emperor. Secular authorities often intervened to solve church disputes. In many cases, bishops (who oversee a diocese, a large territory of many parishes) and abbots (who oversee a monastery) were appointed directly by secular rulers. These positions usually came with access to land and wealth, and many times the appointee was a younger son or relative of the secular ruler. Church offices were simply a favor that the ruler he could bestow or a position that he could sell to the highest bidder (one who would be loyal to him). The process of conferring these positions is called investiture. In the 11th and 12th centuries, some church leaders as well as some reformers began to challenge the practice of investiture. Church leaders tried to assert more power, and secular rulers pushed back. Some of the nobles sided with the church, often for political reasons as they wanted the secular authorities who ruled over them to have less power. For about 50 years, there were armed conflicts between supporters of the pope and supporters of the [Holy Roman Emperor](Holy-Roman-Empire.html). All of these quarrels and conflicts are known as the Investiture Controversy. The controversy was finally settled in 1122 at the Concordant of Worms, where Emperor Henry V and Pope Calixtus II agreed that there would be a separation between religious and political authority and that the church should have authority to appoint church officials. How did the Investiture Controversy impact Christianity? As a result of the Investiture Controversy, the power of the church increased, at least in regard to making appointments to church offices, and the power of the Holy Roman Emperor declined. With a weakened emperor, local rulers were able to exercise more authority in their own realms. It was this fragmentation of power that, some 400 years later, helped the Reformation in Germany. [Martin Luther](Martin-Luther.html) was protected by Fredrick III of Saxony because the Holy Roman Emperor did not exercise ultimate control in Germany and was unable to enforce the punishment that the pope wanted to inflict on Luther. Because local rulers exercised increasing authority in their own realms, it was easier for parts of the Holy Roman Empire to embrace the Reformation without fear of retaliation from either pope or emperor.
Who are the fourteen holy helpers of Catholicism?	Answer The fourteen holy helpers in Catholicism date back to a crisis in the fourteenth century. From 1346 to 1353, approximately two out of three Europeans died from the bubonic plague. Known also as the Black Death, the disease was transmitted by flea\-infested rats; as there was no known cure, more than 25 million people died during the plague’s seven\-year rampage. Symptoms included swollen lymph nodes, breathing difficulties, fevers, chills, pains in the abdomen, arms, and legs, and blackened skin tissue brought about by gangrene. As Europe was largely [Roman Catholic](Roman-Catholicism.html) during the Middle Ages, many turned to fourteen selected saints—the fourteen holy helpers—for healing and protection against the ravages of the bubonic plague. These fourteen saints, [canonized](beatification.html) by the Roman Catholic Church and credited with supernatural attributes, were believed to have the power to preserve and even heal those infected by this fatal disease. The fourteen saints chosen to be holy helpers are as follows: • St. George — protector of animals, healer of herpetic diseases • St. Blaise — healer of throat diseases • St. Erasmus — protector of animals, healer of stomach/intestines, [patron](patron-saints.html) of sailors • St. Pantaleon — healer of consumption, protector of animals, patron of doctors/midwives • St. Vitus — healer of epilepsy, protection from animal bites, protection from storms, patron of actors/dancers • St. Christopher — protection from sudden death, patron of travelers • St. Denis — protection from demons, healer of headaches • St. Cyriacus — healer of eye diseases, protection from demons, protection against temptation • St. Acathius — healer of headaches, invoked during death’s agony • St. Eustace — invoked against fire, invoked against family woes, patron of hunters • St. Giles — protection from plagues, protection from nightmares, patron of beggars and the disabled, patron of breastfeeding • St. Margaret — healer of backaches, patron of childbirth • St. Catherine of Alexandria — healer of tongue diseases, patron of philosophers, patron of young women, patron of students • St. Barbara — protection from fire/lightning, protection from sudden death, patron of artillerymen, patron of builders and miners Officially, the Roman Catholic Church denies teaching their followers to [pray to saints](prayer-saints-Mary.html); rather, the faithful are instructed to seek the prayers of saints just as they would ask for intercessory prayers from living family members, friends, and other acquaintances. In practice, however, many Catholics pray directly to saints despite official church teachings. Nowhere in the Scriptures are we told to seek prayers from the dead. Attempts at communicating with the dead, which could be considered forms of necromancy, are unequivocally condemned in the Bible (Leviticus 20:5–8; Deuteronomy 18:9–12\). Furthermore, praying directly to the fourteen holy helpers or other saints for their blessing and favor is tantamount to idolatry (Exodus 20:3–6; Leviticus 19:4; Isaiah 45:20\). Dead saints do not grant favors and blessings; God alone is the source of all goodness (2 Corinthians 9:8–10; Philippians 4:19–20; James 1:17–18\). When His disciples asked how they were to pray, the Lord Jesus instructed them to appeal directly to God the Father (Matthew 6:5–15\) in the name of Christ Jesus (John 14:13–14\). In other words, we come to the Father with our needs by the authority of the Son. As God is our Great Physician (Exodus 15:26; Psalm 103:3; Jeremiah 33:6\), why should His people place their hope in the dead? On the contrary, James, our Lord’s half\-brother, wrote, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14–15, ESV). Regardless of motive or intention, invoking favors from saints is a practice steeped in superstition, tradition, necromancy, and idolatry. Our “holy helper” is the Spirit of God, our Comforter and Paraclete. As believers in Christ Jesus, we can approach our Heavenly Father directly with our praise, concerns, questions, fears, and needs.
Is “to thine own self be true” in the Bible?	Answer “To thine own self be true” is not in the Bible. Whether it is a good motto to live by all depends on what one means by it. “To thine own self be true” is from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It is part of the advice that the king’s advisor Polonius gives to his son Laertes before he leaves home for France. The fuller context (from Act I, Scene 3\) will help: “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy; For the apparel oft proclaims the man, And they in France of the best rank and station Are of a most select and generous chief in that. Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” There is a lot of good advice here, and much of it would be in agreement with biblical principles. In context, Polonius is telling his son to be authentic and genuine, which is usually pretty good advice. If you don’t pretend to be something you are not, you will not appear false to other people. If you are a pretender, a poser, a faker, or a hypocrite, you may fool some people, but eventually you will appear false—you will be exposed for what you are. If you are genuine, you will never have to worry about being exposed. The Bible never specifically states this, but it does speak about the dangers of [hypocrisy](Bible-hypocrisy.html). Although Shakespeare was not a Christian, as far as we know (and we know very little about the man other than his writings), he wrote when the culture was largely dominated by Christian values. Today, if someone takes “to thine own self be true” as his motto apart from the over\-arching [Christian worldview](Christian-worldview.html) and biblical moral framework, it could become an excuse for almost any kind of bad behavior: “I don’t love my wife anymore, but I do love my secretary. I need to be true to myself.” “I was born a man, but I feel like a woman. I need to be true to myself.” “I would spend more time with my kids, but I get so much more fulfillment by being successful at work. I need to be true to myself and do what I enjoy.” “I really should get a job, but work is so boring. I think I will just hang out at the pool. I need to be true to myself.” “I know I promised to help you, and at the time I meant it. But I just don’t feel like doing it anymore. I have to be true to myself, and I have changed my mind.” “Being true to myself” without any context could mean that I will act sinfully or irresponsibly because it is what I really feel like doing. The Bible presents authenticity as doing what is true and right—being honest and genuine—even if you don’t feel like it or even if it is to your disadvantage. Psalm 15:4 speaks highly of the man who “who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” In this case, a person swears (promises) to do something or be truthful about something even if it is to his detriment. This is being genuine and authentic. However the modern application of “to thine own self be true” might be that, regardless of the truth of the matter or what you may have promised in the past, you have to protect yourself, and if you have to lie or break a promise to do it, that is OK because that is being authentic—that is “your truth.” So, “to thine own self be true” is a fine motto, as long as it is understood within the context of a Christian worldview and a biblical moral framework. If you are a Christian, being true to yourself is really being true to the person you are in Christ and being true to what He has called you to be and do (Ephesians 4:1\).
What was the Marrow Controversy?	Answer The Marrow Controversy was the controversy over a seventeenth\-century book, The Marrow of Modern Divinity, by Edward Fisher, a lay minister writing under the pseudonym “E. F.” The title, which sounds strange to modern readers, uses the word marrow to refer to the inmost or essential part and the word divinity to refer to a godly life. If the book were published today, it might be titled The Core of Christian Living. The book was originally published in two parts, in 1645 and 1649\. The Marrow of Modern Divinity is a fictional, four\-way dialogue involving a young Christian, an antinomian, a legalist, and a minister. The book attempts to lead the reader down a path that avoids the extremes of [legalism](Bible-Christian-legalism.html) (an emphasis on keeping the law as a means of acceptance before God) and [antinomianism](antinomianism.html) (a rejection of any “required” standard of behavior for the Christian). The Whole Christ is a book that Sinclair Ferguson wrote in 2016 about the controversy. The complete title is The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. In this book, Ferguson explains the dispute between the “Marrow brethren” and those opposed to Fisher’s book, and he also points to the remedy for both legalism and antinomianism. The Marrow of Modern Divinity was not widely read and may have remained in obscurity if it had not been read and republished in 1718 at the urging of the influential Scottish pastor and theologian Thomas Boston. However, some in the Church of Scotland objected to the book, claiming that it did in fact endorse antinomianism. From May 1719 to May 1720, a committee investigated the book and returned with the finding the book did encourage antinomianism. The Church of Scotland prohibited ministers from endorsing the book and instructed them to warn their congregations against it (which may have actually caused more people to want to read it). Boston felt that the committee had misunderstood the book and appealed the ruling, responding to the findings of the committee. This appeal was rejected, leading Boston to publish an annotated edition in 1726 in hopes of clearing up the controversy. Both the original and Boston’s annotated edition are still available in print today. Those who were opposed to The Marrow of Modern Divinity felt that it endorsed antinomianism. Those who endorsed it leveled charges of legalism against opponents. Yet this “Marrow Controversy” was between people who were all in agreement with the Westminster Confession of Faith, which goes to great lengths to explain justification by grace through faith (avoiding legalism) and the responsibilities of Christian living (avoiding antinomianism). Legalism and antinomianism are not strictly doctrinal, but also have to do with our attitudes and outlook (see Timothy Keller’s analysis in the forward to Ferguson’s book). In the Christian life, even among genuine believers, some will tend toward legalistic thinking. Even though they “know” that their acceptance before God is not based on their performance, they still tend to live their lives in that way and perhaps judge others through the same lens. On the other hand, some genuine Christians are caught up in the freedom of grace and think that they can live any way they want. Sometimes they sin thinking it simply doesn’t matter. The Whole Christ concept is Ferguson’s answer to both antinomianism and legalism. Ferguson writes that the cure for both legalism and antinomianism is “understanding and tasting union with Jesus Christ himself. This leads to a new love for and obedience to the law of God, which he now mediates to us in the gospel” (The Whole Christ, Crossway Books, 2016, p.157\). The answer to antinomianism is not a reasonable dose of legalism. The answer to legalism is not a reasonable dose of antinomianism. Ferguson says the answer to both is simply Christ and the gospel. The ruling sentiment should be love for and fellowship with Christ. When we truly experience Him and get to know His love, we are freed from the necessity of performance but also freed to do good works that He has for us (see Ephesians 2:8–10\). In terms of Jesus’ [Parable of the Prodigal Son](parable-prodigal-son.html), the prodigal was antinomian, and the elder brother was legalistic. Both sons needed to come to their father, who stood ready to extend grace and enjoy their fellowship.
Why was Abraham called a friend of God (Isaiah 41:8)?	Answer In Isaiah 41:8, God speaks to Israel, calling them “descendants of Abraham my friend.” [Abraham’s](life-Abraham.html) friendship with God is also mentioned by King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:7 and by the apostle James in James 2:23\. Thus Abraham was accorded the high honor of being called a “friend of God.” Literally, Isaiah 41:8 could be translated as “Abraham, who loved Me.” Abraham showed his love for God through his faith accompanied by obedience (Genesis 12:1, 4; 15:6\). He was more than an acquaintance of God and more than a companion. He was a friend of God. A friendship is a reciprocal relationship between two people who share a bond of mutual affection. Friends can be described as those who: – know and understand each other – like each other – have shared interests – want to spend time together – help and protect each other Friendship is not fickle. Scripture says that “a friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17\), bad times included. Abraham’s friendship with God was based on God’s [everlasting covenant](Abrahamic-covenant.html) with Abraham and Abraham’s faith in accepting it: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2–3; cf. Genesis 15:1–21\). As the physical descendants of Abraham, the people of Israel were assured of God’s continued protection. After reminding Israel that their ancestor Abraham was His friend, God said, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish” (Isaiah 41:10–11\). As the [spiritual descendants](sons-of-Abraham.html) of Abraham (Galatians 3:7\), believers in Jesus Christ can also be assured of God’s presence and protection. We are also God’s friends through the One who loved us and died for us (John 15:13\). As friends of God, we know Him and are known by Him. We trust Him. We share His interests. We want to spend time with Him in Bible reading and prayer. When God asks us to do or not do something, we try our best to please Him. The beautiful thing is that those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior are already more than friends of God. They are [adopted](Christian-adoption.html) into the family of God and are children of God: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:3–5, ESV). That is how special we are to God. We are part of His family, and we cannot be taken out. He will never disown us or abandon us. Jesus is the “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24\). More than servants and more than friends, we are part of God’s family and will live with Him in His house for eternity (John 14:2\).
What happened on Kristallnacht?	Answer Kristallnacht, a vitriolic outbreak of [anti\-Semitic](anti-Semitism.html) lawlessness, occurred in Germany on November 9, 1938\. Kristallnacht, which means “Night of Broken Glass,” saw the torching of Jewish synagogues and the vandalizing of Jewish homes, schools, cemeteries, hospitals, and businesses. During the Nazi\-led turmoil, nearly one hundred Jews were murdered; immediately following the night of violence, 30,000 Jews were arrested and herded to Nazi concentration camps. Kristallnacht is also known as the November Pogrom. Leading up to Kristallnacht were several key events. After Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933, Germany’s Jewish population began facing a series of government\-sanctioned policies that were repressive and dehumanizing. As Nazi propaganda falsely blamed Germany’s mounting economic and social ills on the Jews, Jewish businesses were subject to boycotts, Jewish civil servants were dismissed from their jobs, marriages between Jews and Aryans were strictly forbidden, Jewish students were denied admission into German universities, and books, plays, and music by Jewish authors and composers were burned. By the fall of 1938, these largely non\-violent restrictions gave way to Hitler’s “Final Solution,” a euphemism for the wholesale extermination of Jewish people. The violence of Kristallnacht was triggered by the assassination of Ernst vom Rath, a German diplomat in Paris. The gunman was Herschel Grynszpan, a teenage Jew whose parents had been forcibly exiled from their home in Hanover, Germany, to Poland. The Nazi Party’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, used the teen’s attack against the diplomat to stoke the flames of anti\-Semitism. Beginning with the “Night of Broken Glass,” or Kristallnacht, until the end of World War II, some 6 million European Jews were mercilessly hunted down and slaughtered in what is now known as the Holocaust. Anti\-Semitism has no place in authentic Christianity. Hostility toward Jewish people is grievous, abominable, and inexcusable—a scourge that should never contaminate the words, actions, communications, or teachings of Christ’s born\-again followers. As believers, we must never forget our faith’s undeniable Jewish roots, nor should we forget the debt we owe to God’s [chosen people](Gods-chosen-people.html). The apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, was a devout Jew of impeccable credentials: “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee” (Philippians 3:5, ESV). After his [Damascus Road conversion](Damascus-Road.html), Paul exchanged the rites, rules, and rituals of Judaism for the gospel of Jesus Christ, yet he never lost his love for his fellow Jews. On the contrary, Paul wrote, “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 9:1–5, ESV). For the sake of his people, the apostle Paul would have forfeited his salvation if such an exchange were possible. As Paul considered the Jews’ worth beyond that of his very soul, surely, we must never speak or act in ways that bring offense to the beloved people chosen by God, the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8\). Let us remember that God revealed Himself first to the Jews while the rest of the world bowed to mythical gods and grotesque idols made of wood, metal, and stone. And let us also remember our Lord Jesus Christ was born a Jew, a descendant of King David, Israel’s greatest monarch (Matthew 1; Revelation 22:16\). Mistreating Jews is an offense that stirs the anger of God (Genesis 12:3\). Regrettably, America and Europe are experiencing new and frequently violent surges of anti\-Semitism. Hostility toward Jews is on the rise—and not necessarily from the fringe element of society. Many politicians, entertainers, and journalists show their contempt toward Jews in words and deeds ranging from subtle to overt. As anti\-Semitism gains momentum, those engaged in this bigotry will be playing directly into Satan’s hand. Unlike the Christians in Germany who were largely silent during Kristallnacht and the Nazi campaign to annihilate the Jewish people, may it never be said the twenty\-first century church stood idly by while an unbelieving world renewed its campaign of hatred against the Jewish people.
How should Christians respond to people who annoy them?	Answer Often, when we are annoyed by someone’s actions, words, or behavior, it is because that person has failed to understand or use a social cue that we think is obvious. The person either cannot or will not interpret the situation correctly and then proceeds to say or do something we see as annoying. Different people have different “triggers” for what annoys them. Some people are annoyed by bad grammar; others are annoyed by those who correct bad grammar. But there are some behaviors that many, if not most, people find annoying: using one’s cell phone during a face\-to\-face conversation, talking during a movie, humming to oneself, exhibiting poor table manners, invading others’ personal space, being late, picking one’s teeth in public, and making all conversations about oneself. There’s nothing particularly harmful about such behaviors; they’re just annoyances. But what’s a believer to do when encountering people who do such things? First, we must deal with our own reaction to people who annoy us. We cannot control another person’s behavior. We most certainly are called to control our own (2 Timothy 1:7\). Many times, [pride](pride-Bible.html) is at the root of our annoyance (Proverbs 13:10\). We believe that we know better and behave better than the person who is annoying us. Again, we see the social cue, and they do not. We take issue with that person and his or her failure to properly behave. After an inward check on our hearts (Proverbs 4:23\), we must ask the Holy Spirit for help in seeing the person and the situation from His point of view. A fruit of the Holy Spirit is patience (Galatians 5:22–23\), and [patience](fruit-Holy-Spirit-patience.html) is definitely needed when dealing with people who annoy us. We are called to love (John 13:35\), compassion, kindness, humility, and gentleness (Colossians 3:12–13\). These attributes should guide our response to all people, including those who annoy us. There were several times that the disciples wanted to prevent people from “annoying” Jesus. At various times, children, a blind man, a Samaritan woman, and a prostitute with perfume wanted to interact with Jesus, and the disciples or others desired to prevent them from “bothering” the Lord. But Jesus was not annoyed. He never put social norms above loving the person in front of Him (Matthew 19:13; John 4; Luke 7:36–39; Luke 18:35–42\). When someone annoys us, we must first check our hearts and then ask the Holy Spirit for help in reflecting Jesus Christ to others (2 Corinthians 6:3–10\). If “love covers over all wrongs” (Proverbs 10:12\), then love can surely cover annoyances.
Why does Proverbs 23:10 tell us not to remove the ancient landmark?	Answer Maintaining honesty in every area of life is the focus of many proverbs of Solomon, including this saying in Proverbs 23:10: “Do not remove the ancient landmark” (NKJV). One way a person could cheat his neighbor was to move or remove the ancient landmarks. These landmarks were etched stones usually heaped in a pillar with an inscription indicating a boundary line between fields, districts, or nations (Genesis 31:51–52\). According to most ancient law codes, including the Law of Moses, removing a boundary marker was a serious violation. Preserving age\-old customs, laws of justice, and traditional land allotments was essential to safeguarding Israel’s national integrity and identity (Deuteronomy 19:14; 27:17\). “Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set,” commands Solomon again in Proverbs 22:28 (ESV). In Job 24:2, the moving of historical landmarks was equivalent to theft. If a corrupt landowner wanted to expand his assets, he could confiscate a portion of a neighbor’s land for his own use by moving the landmark. This practice would be similar to repositioning an official survey marker to steal a slice of someone else’s real estate. Also, by moving an ancient landmark, one could steal the flocks out of a neighboring pasture. In Hosea 5:10, the Lord condemned Judah’s cruel and callous rulers, comparing them to “those who move boundary stones,” that is, those who have no regard for justice or the traditions of the law. For their crimes, God promised to pour out His wrath on them. Deceitfulness and lying are traits of the wicked and ought not to be found in God’s people (Proverbs 12:20; Colossians 3:9\). “No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house,” warns the psalmist (Psalm 101:7\). The Lord delights in our [truthfulness](Bible-honesty.html) with Him and others (Psalm 51:6\). God sees what we do in secret (Jeremiah 23:24; 2 Samuel 12:7–12; Job 13:10; Psalm 44:20–21; 90:8; 101:5; 139:1–15\). He considers all forms of dishonesty sinful, including removals of ancient landmarks (1 Timothy 1:9–11; Malachi 3:7–12; Psalm 5:4–6\). There are consequences for such sins, including God’s judgment (Leviticus 6:1–7; Hosea 4:1–2; Isaiah 29:20–21; Acts 5:1–10\). The significance of Solomon’s mandate “do not remove the ancient landmark” is developed through the earliest laws of holiness: “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another. Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. Do not defraud or rob your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:11–13\). In the New Living Translation, Proverbs 23:10 says, “Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.” Perhaps nothing is more detestable to God than pilfering land and flocks from [orphans and widows](orphans-and-widows.html), or, in other words, stealing from the neediest and most vulnerable members of society. God’s loyalties are firmly established on the side of widows, orphans, and those who need our help (Exodus 22:22–24; Jeremiah 22:3; Psalm 146:9; Proverbs 15:24\). The Lord will come to their aid and expects His followers to do so as well (Deuteronomy 24:19–21; Isaiah 1:17; Psalm 82:3\). The message of Proverbs 23:10, not to remove the ancient landmark, is the akin to the point made by James: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27\). The Lord is a God of truth and integrity, who always deals honestly and fairly with others, and His people are to be like Him. God desires us to pursue honesty in our inner being and in our dealings with others (2 Corinthians 8:21; Hebrews 13:18\). For this reason, Paul urged, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9\). Proverbs 23:10 is also used by some independent Baptist churches to support [Landmarkism](landmarkism-Baptist-bride.html), the idea that we should not remove the theological “landmarks” or “guideposts” that separate the church from the world. Landmark Baptists, also called Landmarkers or Baptist Briders, see themselves as safeguarding the purity of the church, as originally established. Unfortunately, Landmarkism also teaches that Baptist churches are the only true churches and that the kingdom of God is equivalent to Landmark Baptist churches in toto. Landmarkism, with its aberrant ecclesiology, is to be avoided.
What does God mean when He says, “I am the God of all flesh” (Jeremiah 32:26)?	Answer The [prophet Jeremiah](life-Jeremiah.html) ministered in a time when Israel’s day of reckoning was sealed. Because of the people’s repeated idolatry and refusal to obey God’s Law, Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the surviving Jews would be transported to [captivity in Babylon](Babylonian-captivity-exile.html). But the Lord reassured Jeremiah that all was not lost. He intended to regather His people and make a new covenant with them (Jeremiah 32:36–44\). God told Jeremiah, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, ESV). All flesh is a figure of speech frequently used in Scripture to refer to all the living human inhabitants of the earth. It encompassed all of God’s creatures, particularly humanity. In Genesis 6:12, “All flesh had corrupted their way on the earth” (ESV). King David urged, “Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:21, ESV). And at the beginning of his ministry, John the Baptist quoted the prophet Isaiah, saying, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6, ESV). “All mankind” (NIV), “all the peoples of the world” (NLT), and “every creature” (CSB) are appropriate substitutes for “all flesh” (ESV). “I am the God of all flesh” was Yahweh’s reminder that His power and influence over all humankind were without limit. Jeremiah could trust that in God’s “hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10\). He was the “the God who gives breath to all living things” (Numbers 16:22\) and “the God of the spirits of all flesh” (Numbers 27:16, ESV). The all\-powerful, sovereign Lord had created all people, and He had a plan to offer redemption to all people. Yes, He would need to discipline and punish them for their disobedience, but that would not be God’s final act. In Jeremiah 33:1–26, God promised restoration and peace to Judah. God’s question, “Is anything too hard for me?” was obviously rhetorical since Jeremiah had just declared, “Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17\). The Lord of the universe, the God of all flesh, was able to accomplish what frail humanity could not. We see a clear link between this passage in Jeremiah and the new covenant of salvation in Jesus Christ through the sacrifice of His [blood on the cross](blood-of-Christ.html). When the disciples heard Jesus explain how difficult it was for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, they asked, “Then who in the world can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25, NLT). God’s creatures do not have what it takes to save themselves. But with God all things are possible. And Jesus said as much: “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:25–26, NLT). The One who said, “I am the God of all flesh” also said, “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11\). All people stand in need of salvation, which is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1–2\). What human beings could not do to save themselves, God did by providing gracious entrance into heaven through the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:6–8; Titus 3:4–7; Ephesians 2:4–9\). “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” (Titus 2:11, ESV). “All flesh” is a reference to a powerless and perishing humanity. Every person’s life, death, and salvation depend on the God of all flesh, who alone can save.
Who was Elisabeth Elliot?	Answer Elisabeth Elliot (1926—2015\) was a Christian [missionary](Christian-missionary.html), speaker, and author. She rose to prominence after her husband, [Jim Elliot](Jim-Elliot.html), and four other missionaries were killed by the Auca tribe (now known as the Waodani/Wourani/Hourani tribe) in Ecuador. Elisabeth Elliot (née Howard) was born on December 21, 1926, in Brussels, Belgium, where her parents were missionaries. They returned to the United States shortly after her birth, and Elisabeth grew up in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. Her father was editor of The Sunday School Times. Elisabeth entered Wheaton College to study classical Greek for the purpose of becoming a Bible translator. It was there that she met her future husband, Jim Elliot. The details of their courtship are told in her book Passion and Purity. After a number of years of uncertainty, they married in 1953 and went to South America as missionaries. Their daughter Valerie was born 10 months later. Jim and four other missionaries became convinced they should take the gospel to a hostile, unreached tribe who were referred to at the time as the Aucas. (The word auca is actually a derogatory term and has fallen out of usage.) After months of planning and preliminary contact with the Wourani, the five missionaries landed in their territory in a single\-engine Piper airplane. Within a week, they were attacked and killed on January 8, 1956\. Jim and Elisabeth had been married for less than 3 years. LIFE magazine covered the story of the missionaries in its January 30, 1956, issue. LIFE published a follow\-up story on May 20, 1957\. Elisabeth and her daughter, Valerie, and Rachel Saint, the sister of one of the other missionaries, remained in Ecuador and looked for an opening to take the gospel to the Wourani. During that time Elisabeth also told the story of the five [martyrs](Christian-martyrdom.html) in the book Through Gates of Splendor. Then she edited and published the journals of Jim Elliot (Shadow of the Almighty). The opening to take the gospel to the tribe that had killed her husband came when a Wourani woman fled the violence of the tribe and came into contact with Elisabeth and Rachel. After coming to faith in Christ, the native woman agreed to lead the missionary women back to the tribe, where they were received in safety in 1958\. Elisabeth, Valerie, and Rachel lived with the tribe for several years. They translated the Gospel of Mark into the Wourani language, and many tribe members came to faith. Elisabeth Elliot returned to the United States in 1963, while Rachel continued working with the tribe. After returning to the U.S., Elisabeth married Addison Leitch, a professor at Gordon\-Conwell Theological Seminary in Wenham, Massachusetts, although she continued to write and minister with the last name Elliot. Leitch died of cancer in 1973, about four years after his marriage to Elisabeth. In 1977, Elisabeth married her third husband, Lars Gren, a hospital chaplain. Elisabeth became a writer\-in\-residence at Gordon\-Conwell and also an adjunct professor. She served as a stylistic consultant for the New International Version. She continued to write (over 20 books total) and speak around the country. From 1988 to 2001, she could also be heard on her daily radio program, Gateway to Joy. Several themes are apparent throughout Elisabeth’s ministry: [sexual purity](sexual-purity.html), growth through [suffering](why-do-Christians-suffer.html), surrender and [obedience](Bible-obedience.html) to Christ, and biblical gender roles. Elisabeth refused to speak in Sunday morning services. (Her radio program was aimed at women, although many men listened as well.) She continued to be rigorous and disciplined in her personal and public life, until she had to withdraw from public ministry in 2004 due to the onset of dementia. She died on June 15, 2015, at the age of 88\. Her ministry lives on in her books, which are still popular, and in reruns of her radio program, which can be heard on the Bible Broadcasting Network. Selected bibliography of Elisabeth Elliot: Through Gates of Splendor, 1957 Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot, 1958 The Savage My Kinsman, 1960 Love Has a Price Tag, 1979 These Strange Ashes, 1979 Marriage Is a Gift, 1982 Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ’s Control, 1984 A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael, 1987 A Path Through Suffering, 1990 And here are a few quotes from Elisabeth Elliot: “There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.” “Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” “Faith’s most severe tests come not when we see nothing, but when we see a stunning array of evidence that seems to prove our faith in vain.” “To be a follower of the Crucified means, sooner or later, a personal encounter with the cross. And the cross always entails loss.” “Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is just do the next thing. God will meet you there.” “We are to worship ‘in spirit and in truth.’ Never mind about the feelings. We are to worship in spite of them.” “Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you.”
What is statism?	Answer Statism occupies one end of a political spectrum, where the opposite is anarchy. The more a political philosophy rejects centralized power, the closer it is to anarchism. Approaches that prefer greater government control are more statist. Statism holds that control of economic or social concerns should be in the hands of [government](Bible-government.html). Extreme forms of statism are difficult to square with a biblical view; Scripture acknowledges value in government without seeing it as the ultimate solution to any problem. The Bible clearly rejects the extreme of [anarchy](Bible-anarchy.html); Scripture notes the benefits of law and order and the necessity of certain levels of government oversight (Romans 13:1–7; Genesis 2:16–17; 1 Timothy 2:2\). Where the Bible speaks against aggressive statism is just as important, but less direct. The Word offers warnings about investing too much power in human authority (1 Samuel 8:10–19; Proverbs 29:2\) and teaches that government is never more than a fraction of the answer to any given problem (John 18:6; Acts 5:29\). Political terms like statism overlap with other ideas while not being identical to them. Two common examples are [nationalism](Bible-nationalism.html) and [socialism](socialism-Christian.html). These share qualities with statism but also include distinct differences. Support for strong government control without excessive devotion to a particular nation is statist yet not nationalist. Extreme loyalty to a country, while rejecting aggressive control by the government is nationalist but not statist. Of course, a person can also be both: fanatically devoted to a nation and investing total authority in its government. The same is true of socialism. This term implies a communal control of production resources. A person who believes government should heavily regulate or control those resources is promoting a form of statism, in practice. At the same time, advocates for community\-controlled resources independent of government control would be “socialist,” but not “statist.” Socialism is more difficult to distinguish from statism than nationalism is, but socialism and statism are not precisely the same thing. Certain political terms appear more often as criticisms than as voluntary labels. Statism is frequently used as a critique, implying inappropriate control in the hands of government. Few embrace the term to describe their own philosophy. In a similar way, anarchy is usually applied as an insult, though there are some who voluntarily accept that they are anarchists. As opposite poles of a spectrum, neither statism nor anarchy is fully compatible with a biblical approach. In the broad range between those two extremes is ample room for [civil discussion](Republican-Democrat.html) (Romans 14:1\).
What does it mean that Jesus led captivity captive and gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:8)?	Answer After explaining that God has blessed believers in Jesus with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ (Ephesians 1:3\), Paul catalogs what those blessings are and how they came to be (Ephesians 1—3\). After praying that the Ephesian believers would truly understand Christ and what they had been given in Him (Ephesians 1:14–23 and Ephesians 3:14–21\), Paul exhorts believers to [walk in a manner worthy](walk-worthy.html) of their incredible calling (Ephesians 4:1\). Paul explains that Jesus led captivity captive and gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:8\) and that Jesus’ gifting was an expression of His grace toward those who have believed in Him. As Paul encourages believers to walk in a manner worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1\), he challenges them to show tolerance to one another in love (Ephesians 4:2\), preserving the peace that they had been given (Ephesians 4:3\). Reminding his readers of the basis for their peace with God and with one another, Paul adds that it is based on their oneness and God’s singular provision for them (Ephesians 4:3–4\) and on the fact that there is one God and Lord over them (Ephesians 4:5–6\). Even in [unity](Christian-unity.html), there were differences and different roles for believers. All had been given a measure of grace by God, as Christ had given of Himself (Ephesians 4:7\). Paul elaborates on Jesus’ gift, alluding to Psalm 68:18 and noting that, when Jesus ascended on high, He led captivity (or captives) captive and gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:8\). Psalm 68:18 records David speaking to God, saying that God had ascended on high, led captive captives, and received gifts among men. Paul observes that, similarly, Jesus also had ascended on high and led captivity (or captives) captive, so Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 and then adds that Jesus gave gifts to men. Paul explains that Jesus had first descended at His death and burial (Ephesians 4:9\) and that He then ascended far above all (Ephesians 4:10\). By leading captives out of captivity, He demonstrated His authority over death and His authority to give gifts. It may be that Paul uses the phrase led captivity captive to refer to those who had died before and who awaited Jesus’ sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sin to have access to heaven. If that is Paul’s meaning, then, after Jesus descended to the grave ([Sheol](sheol-hades-hell.html)), Jesus would have led those who had been in captivity to death into the promised freedom of life with God. Because the text doesn’t specify this as Paul’s meaning, we can’t be dogmatic that this is what Paul is alluding to. Still, as Paul is certainly referencing (at least) Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, Paul is reminding his readers that Jesus is qualified to deliver and to give gifts. Paul further explains that, when Jesus led captivity captive and gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:8\), those gifts were specifically the gifts (to the church) of 1\) [apostles](what-is-an-apostle.html), 2\) [prophets](prophet-Bible.html), 3\) [evangelists](what-is-an-evangelist.html), and 4\) [pastors and teachers](teaching-pastor.html) (Ephesians 4:11\). These four gifts were not gifts given to individuals; rather, they were people who filled these roles and were given to the church so that it might be built up properly as God designed (Ephesians 4:12\). While the New Testament speaks of several other kinds of gifts (see Romans 12:6ff, 1 Corinthians 12:4ff, 1 Peter 4:10–11\), the gifts in this context are given to the church. The gifts listed in the various lists are given to individuals (1 Corinthians 12:7\). The gifts in Ephesians 4:8 are specifically described as being given by Christ, who led captivity captive and gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:8\).
What is the Adam-God theory in Mormonism?	Answer The Adam\-God theory is a controversial concept within [Mormonism](Mormons.html), the body of doctrine held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter\-day Saints (LDS). The Adam\-God concept was first proposed by [Brigham Young](Brigham-Young.html), the successor to LDS founder [Joseph Smith](Joseph-Smith.html). Young insisted that Adam was God the Father, most notably in a sermon given in 1852: “Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner! When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days! about whom holy men have written and spoken—He is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do.” “. . . Jesus, our elder brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the garden of Eden, and who is our Father in Heaven. Now, let all who may hear these doctrines, pause before they make light of them, or treat them with indifference, for they will prove their salvation or damnation.” Cited from A Sermon by President Brigham Young, Delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 9, 1852\. Reported by G. D. Watt. Even at the time it was first presented, the Adam\-God theory was controversial. Yet Young and other LDS “prophets” defended it and continued to make references to the idea. However, the Adam\-God theory never gained as much popularity as other [LDS doctrines](Latter-Day-Saints.html). In contrast to other distinctive aspects of Mormon theology, the Adam\-God theory was never solidified as an official, formal teaching of the church. Modern LDS apologists attempt to brush aside Young’s teaching as a mis\-recorded sermon, a misunderstanding, or simply an errant belief by one man. Despite never being official dogma, the Adam\-God theory still presents serious concerns for those attempting to defend LDS theology. Brigham Young was the successor to Mormon founder Joseph Smith, and his statements on this topic are clear. Either that makes Smith a false teacher, or it suggests an error in LDS teaching. This relates to a common problem with the LDS church, which is infamous for radical shifts in official doctrine over time. The two most well\-known examples concern polygamy and restricting non\-whites from priesthood. These are concepts about which LDS “prophets” made clear statements over the course of decades and which the church supported, only to be entirely rejected later for various reasons. Depending on the source, the Adam\-God theory will either be described as an example of a major doctrinal concern, a minor disagreement, or an obscure misunderstanding. These differences are ultimately irrelevant. Whether Brigham Young taught something incorrect about Adam and God is a proverbial drop in the bucket, since the core LDS concept of God is [entirely false](Mormon-Christian.html). LDS teaching holds that God was once a flesh\-and\-blood mortal being who ascended to godhood; the only controversial aspect of the Adam\-God theory within Mormonism was Young’s identification of God with Adam.
What does it mean that God will reveal the hidden things (Daniel 2:22 and 28)?	Answer Daniel 2 records an important prophetic vision given to [King Nebuchadnezzar](Nebuchadnezzar.html) and the king’s search for its meaning. The [prophet Daniel](life-Daniel.html) provides the solution and proves that “there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (Daniel 2:28\) and “reveals deep and hidden things” (Daniel 2:22\). Nebuchadnezzar had one particularly troubling [dream](Nebuchadnezzars-dream.html), causing him to lose sleep (Daniel 2:1\). To ensure that he was getting the correct interpretation, he insisted that his counselors tell him the dream itself and not just the interpretation (Daniel 2:2–9\). The king’s men recognized that such a request was humanly impossible, asserting that there was no man on earth who could declare the matter to the king (Daniel 2:10\). They suggested that only a god could do something so remarkable (Daniel 2:11\). When Daniel heard that the king had ordered the death of all his wise men because they couldn’t meet Nebuchadnezzar’s demand, he and his three friends prayed for God to deliver them (Daniel 2:12–18\). While no human could do what Nebuchadnezzar was asking, God would reveal the hidden things. God revealed to Daniel the mystery, and Daniel worshiped God (Daniel 2:23\). Before the king’s order to execute his counselors could be carried out, Daniel communicated with Nebuchadnezzar’s executioner and told him that God had provided the answer—God had revealed the hidden things (Daniel 2:24–25\). Nebuchadnezzar summoned Daniel, asking whether he could reveal the dream and its interpretation (Daniel 2:26\), and Daniel reminded him that no person on earth could do such a thing, but that there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and that God reveals the hidden things (Daniel 2:28\). Because God revealed the hidden things to Daniel, he was able to tell the king both the dream itself (Daniel 2:31–35\) and the interpretation of the dream (Daniel 2:36–45\). Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of a statue with a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron with feet partly of iron and clay (Daniel 2:31–33\). A stone uncut by human hands struck the statue at its feet and destroyed it completely, and then that stone filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:34–35\). Because God had revealed the hidden things, Daniel was able to explain that the head symbolized Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom (Daniel 2:38\), the chest and arms the kingdom that would follow (Medo\-Persia), and after that a third kingdom (Greece), symbolized by the bronze belly and thighs (Daniel 2:39\). Daniel further explained that there would be a fourth kingdom, as strong as iron, yet brittle and partially divided (Rome), symbolized by the legs of iron and the feet partly of clay and iron (Daniel 2:40–43\). After those kingdoms God would set up His own kingdom, symbolized by the rock that destroyed the statue (Daniel 2:44–45\). God’s kingdom would be eternal and fill the whole earth. God revealed the hidden things to Daniel and saved the lives of Daniel, his three friends, and the other wise men of Babylon. At the same time, God revealed His plan for the ages, beginning with the present world power—Babylon, led by Nebuchadnezzar. God would allow these kingdoms to subsist for a time but one day would intervene directly and rule over the earth Himself. God also revealed to Daniel a short time later that Ruler would be the Son of Man, the Messiah of Israel (Daniel 7:13–14\). This One, whom we know as Jesus, will [return from heaven](second-coming-Jesus-Christ.html) one day and gather those on earth who have believed in Him (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17\), bring them with Him to remain in heaven until the completion of Daniel’s 70th week (as in Daniel 9:24–27\), and then return to earth to fulfill the prophecy of Daniel 2:44–45\. Throughout Scripture God has revealed the hidden things—the mysteries, or things not previously revealed.
When will God fulfill the promise of bringing one shepherd over Israel (Ezekiel 34:23)?	Answer Ezekiel 34:23 records God’s promise that He will set one shepherd over Israel—His servant David—who will feed them and himself as their shepherd: “I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.” The context immediately preceding this passage describes the people’s need for a good shepherd and gives insight into when God will fulfill the promise of bringing one shepherd over Israel. The first section of Ezekiel 34 is an indictment against the shepherds—the rulers—of Israel in Ezekiel’s day. They were feeding themselves and serving their own interests rather than looking out for the people (Ezekiel 34:2–3\). These selfish shepherds had not met the needs of the people, leaving them weak, diseased, broken, scattered, and lost. And perhaps even worse, rather than helping the people, these shepherds dominated them (Ezekiel 34:4\). Instead of being cared for, the people were scattered and became food for the beasts of the field (Ezekiel 34:5\)—that is, they fell prey to their enemies. They wandered about with no one caring for them (Ezekiel 34:6\), because those who were responsible for their care were focused only on themselves. Because of their terrible failures, these evil shepherds were judged. One day, God would fulfill the promise of bringing one shepherd over Israel (Ezekiel 34:23\). God would rescue His flock (Ezekiel 34:10\). God would care for His flock Himself, tending to them as the other shepherds should have done (Ezekiel 34:12\). He would bring them to their own land (Ezekiel 34:13\) and feed them in the rich pastures of the land of Israel (Ezekiel 34:14\). God would feed them, lead them, seek the lost, bring back the scattered, and strengthen the sick; but those who were fat and strong (the shepherds who had fed only themselves) He would feed judgment (Ezekiel 34:15–16\). When God fulfills the promise of bringing one shepherd over Israel (Ezekiel 34:23\), He will judge between those who had oppressed and those who had been oppressed (Ezekiel 34:17–21\). God will deliver the flock from any who would cause it harm (Ezekiel 34:22\). The one shepherd over Israel is identified as David, who will be a prince among the people (Ezekiel 34:24\). This is a possible reference to the Christ, the [Son of David](Jesus-son-of-David.html). God will covenant with His people for peace and will protect them so they would be secure and blessed (Ezekiel 34:25–27\). Unlike in previous days when they were led by wicked shepherds, the people would acknowledge God and the fact that He had delivered them (Ezekiel 34:27–28\). They would know that it was God who had established them and made them safe (Ezekiel 34:29\), and they would know that they were His people and that He is their God (Ezekiel 34:30–31\). While this passage does not identify exactly when God will fulfill the promise of bringing one shepherd over Israel (Ezekiel 34:23\), it speaks of a time when God will judge and intercede to rescue the people. These events coincide with the [Day of the Lord](day-of-the-Lord.html) and the [millennial kingdom](millennium.html), the time when the Messiah will come to earth again (having come the first time to pay for sin) to judge, deliver, and rule (see Isaiah 12:2; Joel 3:14; Malachi 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 6:17\).
What are vessels of wrath (Romans 9:22)?	Answer In Romans 9, Paul deals with the sovereignty of God in [election](doctrine-of-election.html), picturing God as a potter working with clay: “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory?” (Romans 9:21–23\). The vessels of wrath are contrasted with the vessels of mercy; one set is slated for destruction, and the other for glory. Let’s take a quick review of the letter to the Romans: Paul highlights the need everyone has for God’s righteousness (Romans 1—3\) and how God provided for humanity to have that righteousness by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This gift is available because of Jesus’ sacrifice at the cross (Romans 3—4\). In Romans, Paul also describes the results for everyone who has received God’s grace (Romans 5—8\) and provides evidence of God’s trustworthiness in how He provides salvation to Jews and Gentiles (Romans 9—11\). Paul concludes his letter by outlining the responsibilities of believers to live righteously (Romans 12—16\). In Romans 9:22 Paul mentions vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, reminding his readers that the story doesn’t end happily for everyone. Even as he is challenging his readers to trust in God, Paul laments the fact that many of his fellow countrymen (Israelites) were unbelieving (Romans 9:1–5\). Paul explains, however, that this sad state of affairs was not a failure of God or His Word (Romans 9:6\). God had [promised](Abrahamic-covenant.html) that Abraham’s descendants would be blessed but had chosen Abraham’s line through Isaac and then Jacob (Romans 9:7–13\). Not everyone who would come from Abraham would be blessed through that specific promise. God had certainly promised blessing for all the families of the earth through Abraham’s specific descendant (Genesis 12:3b)—Jesus Christ—but the promises pertaining to a great and blessed nation would be for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The question is whether God has the right to choose whom He will bless and how. If God is sovereign, then we should trust Him as the One who knows how to deliver us. But Paul introduces the idea in Romans 9:22 that there are vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. Not everyone will trust in Him, apparently. If God has the right to choose who will be blessed and how, then some might question whether God is unjust by not ensuring the same outcome for everyone. Paul addresses this question in Romans 9:14–18, explaining that God has the right (as the Creator) to have mercy on whom He will have mercy and the right to harden whom He will harden (Romans 9:18\). Paul cites God’s dealings with Pharaoh in Exodus as an example. Paul then anticipates the question of how God can hold people accountable if, ultimately, He is making these kinds of choices (Romans 9:19\). Rather than answer directly, Paul appeals to God’s sovereignty as the Creator and the owner of what He has created (Romans 9:20–21\). Pottery doesn’t question the right of the potter to fashion it in a particular way. The potter has the right to [fashion from the clay](potter-and-clay.html) whatever he wants. Paul elaborates by asking a series of questions: what if God—who has the power to judge and exert His authority—was patient with vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (Romans 9:22\)? Does God have the right to be patient? Or is He restricted in His ability to show mercy and patience? Clearly, God has that right with no restrictions. Some have wrestled with Paul’s statement that there are vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. Some have even concluded that he is teaching a doctrine often called [double election](double-predestination.html)—that God chooses who will not be saved in the same way He chooses who will be saved. But, like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:6, we should not go beyond what is written. We need to be careful about making inferences when a verse is not explicit. In the case of the vessels of wrath, Paul raises a hypothetical—a “what if”—to remind readers that God has the right to make such choices if He so desires. But Paul stops short of asserting that God is making such choices. Paul’s point is that God has the right to have mercy on whom He chooses and harden whom He chooses (Romans 9:18\), but that is different from asserting that God chooses some not to be saved. Paul isn’t addressing that question; he is making a point about God’s [sovereign authority](God-is-sovereign.html). Thus, if someone is not receiving a blessing because God didn’t promise him that blessing, neither God nor His Word has failed. If He is indeed the Creator, He has the right to bless whom He will, and He has the right to harden whom He will. If He is the Potter, how He deals with vessels of wrath prepared for destruction is His prerogative.
What happens to those who walk in pride (Daniel 4:37)?	Answer [King Nebuchadnezzar](Nebuchadnezzar.html) of Babylon was given an unusual opportunity to learn about what happens to those who walk in pride in Daniel 4\. It was a hard lesson to learn, but an important one. The king had a dream that troubled him, and only the [prophet Daniel](life-Daniel.html) was able to provide the interpretation (Daniel 4:6–7\). Nebuchadnezzar explained the dream: he had seen a great and glorious tree (Daniel 4:10–12\). As he watched the tree, he saw someone come down from heaven and give an order that the tree be chopped down, but the stump was to remain (Daniel 4:14–15\). Remarkably, the one who had come from heaven began to speak of the tree as if it were a person. From those words, the king understood that the person the tree signified would share with the animals the grass of the earth (Daniel 4:15\) and his mind would be changed from that of a man to that of a beast for seven periods of time (Daniel 4:16\). This sentence was pronounced so that all would know what happens to those who walk in pride (Daniel 4:37\), that God is the Ruler of all, and that He bestows authority on whomever He wishes (Daniel 4:17\). As Daniel explains the meaning of the dream, he is alarmed, realizing it is about Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:19\). The king certainly walked in pride (Daniel 4:37\), and God planned to humble him. The tree that was cut down in the dream was Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:20–22\), who would lose his glory and become like a beast for “seven times” so he would learn that God is the one who gives authority (Daniel 4:23–25\). Once Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself before God, his kingdom would be returned to him (Daniel 4:26–27\). As the narrative of Daniel 4 continues, Nebuchadnezzar describes that all these things happened just as the dream predicted. A year later, Nebuchadnezzar was [filled with pride](pride-Bible.html) as he commended himself for the greatness of the kingdom he had built (Daniel 4:29–30\). While he was still speaking, Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind and became like a beast (Daniel 4:30–33\). After the prophesied time, Nebuchadnezzar’s reason returned to him, and he humbled himself before God, exclaiming that God is sovereign and does according to His own will (Daniel 4:34–35\). Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was restored, and, this time, rather than view it with personal pride, he praised, exalted, and honored God: “His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:34–35\). Nebuchadnezzar had learned what happens to those who walk in pride. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (see Psalm 138:6; Proverbs 3:34; Matthew 23:12; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5\). Jesus modeled the importance of [humility](Bible-humility.html)—the willingness to treat others as worthy of more honor than oneself (Philippians 2:1–11\). The quality of being humble before God (Micah 6:8\) and treating others accordingly is demonstrated clearly in many ways in the Bible. Some of the lessons on humility show what happens to those who walk in pride (Daniel 4:37\).
What is the significance of the statement in Romans 1:22 that “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools”?	Answer In the beginning of his letter to the Romans, Paul explains the universal need for righteousness (Romans 1—3\). In this section, Paul writes of the “godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18\) and then makes a significant statement about such people in Romans 1:22: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (KJV). Previously, Paul explained that he values the opportunity to preach the [gospel](what-is-the-gospel.html) (the good news about Jesus the Christ, or Messiah), because that good news is God’s power to deliver people from their sin and restore them to a right relationship to God (Romans 1:16\). While that good news includes specific details that hadn’t been known previously, the basic idea that God saves people [by grace through faith](by-grace-through-faith.html) was not new; that had been revealed in the Scriptures long before—righteousness has always been by faith (Romans 1:17\). The problem is that people are unrighteous, separated from God, and in need of His righteousness. In His holiness, God has revealed His anger toward those who have suppressed His truth in their unrighteousness (Romans 1:18\). God has made the truth about Himself evident to everyone (Romans 1:19\). Through His creation He has shown everyone His invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature to the extent that everyone is without excuse (Romans 1:20\). Everyone is accountable for the evidence that God exists and what is revealed about Him in the natural world. Sadly, in unrighteousness, people have refused to honor Him as God and to be grateful for all He has done. In rejecting Him, people have turned to alternative explanations that are speculative (Romans 1:21\)—anything to explain away the Designer so as not to be accountable to Him. That willful blindness darkens the heart even further, and “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Even as mankind increases in knowledge and struts his “wisdom,” he remains foolish about the things that really matter. There is no more basic foolishness than to deny the existence of God (Psalm 14:1\), and there is no more basic wisdom than to fear God (Psalm 111:10\). “Where is the wise person? . . . Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:20–21\). When we reject the Designer, we have to try to explain away His design that is so evident throughout His creation. In our proclaimed wisdom, because we refuse to be subject to the Designer, we contrive foolish explanations to dismiss the natural order and design. This is the significance of the statement in Romans 1:22 that “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Paul is challenging his readers not to make that mistake but to acknowledge God instead. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23\), and the penalty for that sin is death (Romans 6:23\). But God has revealed how we can be righteous and have a relationship with Him (Romans 3:21–22\): we can receive His grace through belief in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24 and 3:28\). Rather than “professing themselves to be wise” and therefore become “fools,” Paul wants his readers to actually be wise and put their trust in Jesus Christ.
Why did Jesus choose Judas?	Answer Jesus chose Judas Iscariot as one of the [twelve disciples](twelve-apostles-disciples-12.html). Judas was “a devil” (John 6:70–71\), “a thief” (John 12:6\), an unbeliever (John 6:64\), and spiritually unclean (John 13:10\), yet he held a respected position within the group (John 13:29\). Since Jesus “knew what was in each person” (John 2:25\), it may seem puzzling that He would select Judas, the one who would later betray Him. Jesus chose [Judas](Judas-Iscariot.html) as a disciple because, ultimately, Judas fit into the plan of God. Jesus had come to earth to die for the redemption of sinners. That death, “the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18, NKJV), was not an accident but was God’s intended purpose. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming for baptism, he spoke of Jesus as a sacrifice: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, ESV). Jesus was not fooled by Judas. He knew exactly what Judas was like and what he was going to do: “Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him” (John 6:64\). In Judas, we have a clear example of how a person can be religious, hear the Word of God taught, witness genuine miracles, and for all appearances seem to be saved, and yet not be born again. One of the reasons Jesus chose Judas was that prophecy had to be fulfilled. Speaking of His imminent betrayal, Jesus says, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him” (Matthew 26:24; cf. John 13:18\). After Christ’s resurrection, Peter also points to fulfilled prophecy in relation to Judas: “Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus” (Acts 1:16, ESV). He also links Judas’s actions to Psalms 69:25 and 109:8 (Acts 1:20\). Another reason that Jesus chose Judas was that God’s sovereign plan had to be accomplished. In Acts 2:23 Peter states in his sermon to the people of Jerusalem that “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23, ESV). Not only was the betrayal of Jesus foreknown by God, but it was part of His “definite plan.” So, Jesus chose Judas to fulfill prophecy and because the plan of God required someone to betray the innocent Son of Man. However, none of this means that Judas and others who condemned and crucified Jesus were without fault. Judas Iscariot bore the responsibility for what he chose to do. Jesus said, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Mark 14:21\). Peter also speaks about the sovereign plan of God and the guilt of those who act in sinful ways. In Acts 3:17 Peter says, “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:17–19\). Even though the people had “acted in ignorance” in the fulfilling of prophecy, and even though Christ had to suffer according to the plan of God, the people who brought about Jesus’ death were guilty and had to “[repent](repentance.html).” Throughout the Bible, we see that God can use even the most wicked of mankind’s actions for good (see Genesis 50:20\). Nothing could be more wicked than betraying and murdering the Son of God, yet in spite of that evil—even through that evil—God provided salvation and “disarmed the powers and authorities \[and] . . . made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them” (Colossians 2:15\). God does not create evil, but He does control it. God does not participate in sin, but, in His power and wisdom, God can and sometimes does use the sin already existing in our world to fulfill His purpose. Judas was chosen with the foreknowledge of God that he would betray Jesus, but his betrayal, rather than stop God’s plan for salvation, actually advanced it.
What is Samaritanism?	Answer Samaritanism is a religion that derives its name from the region north of Jerusalem called Samaria. Samaritanism is based on the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Old Testament—although the Samaritan Pentateuch or [Samaritan Torah](Samaritan-Pentateuch.html) is written in the Samaritan script for the Samaritan people. It is the only text the Samaritans consider inspired, rejecting the rest of the Hebrew Bible and the entire New Testament. Faithful Samaritans emphasize the role of Moses as a prophet and lawgiver, and they honor the location of the Samaritan temple that was built in Samaria at [Mt. Gerizim](mount-Gerizim.html). As in Judaism, Samaritanism does not allow images of Yahweh, and it keeps many of the same feasts that the Jews observe. A brief history of the Samaritans will help understand Samaritanism. Here are some highlights: • after the reign of King Solomon, Israel is divided into north and south in 931 BC • in 722 BC, the Assyrians conquer the northern kingdom of Israel, including the city and region of [Samaria](Samaria-in-the-Bible.html) • the [Assyrians](Assyria-in-the-Bible.html) leave a remnant of Israelites and import foreigners to settle the region; these emigrants bring many foreign gods to worship (2 Kings 17:29\) • in 586 BC, the [Babylonians](Babylon-in-the-Bible.html) conquer the southern kingdom of Judah • the Judeans return to their land and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem in 515 BC • the people of Samaria oppose the rebuilding of the Jewish temple (Ezra 4; Nehemiah 4\) • the Samaritans build an alternate temple on Mt. Gerizim in their own territory • in c. 128 BC, during the [Maccabean Period](Maccabean-Revolt.html), Jewish forces destroy the Samaritan temple Thus, by the time of Christ, there existed a continuing animosity between Jews and Samaritans. It was a rift rooted in race and religion and a lot of bad blood through history. The Samaritans built their own temple on Mt. Gerizim because they believed that on this mountain Moses told the Israelites to build an altar to the Lord. However, Deuteronomy 27:4–5 actually says that Mt. Ebal was the place God chose for an altar. The Samaritans consider “Mt. Ebal” to be a corruption of the text made by Ezra to favor the Jews. According to Josephus, the Samaritan temple was destroyed by Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus I (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XIII, Chapter 10, § 2–3\). The temple and the nearby city were never rebuilt, so the temple is not in use today. The ruins have been the subject of archaeological projects and are a national park in Israel. In the Gospel of John, Jesus asks for a drink of water from a woman in Samaria. She is astonished that He would do this, asking him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (John 4:9, ESV). To make the point clear for his readers, John then adds this comment: “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (John 4:10\). Samaritanism holds to four principles of faith: 1\) There is one God, the God of Israel. 2\) There is one prophet, Moses. 3\) There is one holy book, the Torah handed down by Moses. 4\) There is one holy place, Mt. Gerizim. (www.israelite\-samaritans.com/religion, accessed 3/1/22\) Samaritanism observes the Sabbath and follows the laws of purity in the Torah. They also sacrifice lambs at Passover and look for the coming of the Taheb (the Returning One or the Restorer) who will fulfill Deuteronomy 18:15, judge the earth, and restore true religion in the end times (see the Samaritan woman’s expectation in John 4:25\). Today there are around 800 Samaritans who keep the religious practices of Samaritanism. They comprise one of the oldest and smallest religious groups in the world (www.bbc.com/travel/article/20180828\-the\-last\-of\-the\-good\-samaritans, accessed 3/1/22\).
What does it mean to be persecuted but not forsaken (2 Corinthians 4:9)?	Answer Paul defends his apostleship for the sake of the Corinthians so they can be encouraged and built up in the certainty of the gospel (2 Corinthians 12:19\). In his letter Paul recounts some of the difficulties and [persecutions](Christian-persecution.html) he and other apostles were facing. In this context he notes that they were “persecuted, but not forsaken” (2 Corinthians 4:9, ESV). Paul was thankful to be proclaiming a message of grace and freedom rather than law and bondage (2 Corinthians 3\), and, because of the importance of that ministry, he and the other [apostles](twelve-apostles-disciples-12.html) would not lose heart. Rather, they would be bold in their proclamation of the truth (2 Corinthians 4:1–2\). They had clear consciences as they fulfilled the ministry of proclaiming that truth to everyone, even though there were many who were blinded and would not accept that message (2 Corinthians 4:3–4\). They were not proclaiming this message in their own power or by their own wisdom; they were proclaiming Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5–6\). They readily recognized their own weakness and limitation—they were merely [earthen vessels](treasures-in-jars-of-clay.html) for a heavenly message of grace (2 Corinthians 4:7\)—and the power of the message was not of themselves. Consequently, the Corinthians could have confidence in the apostles’ message because it was true and originated from God. The apostles were not the source of the power; they were simply ministers of it. Paul underscores their own limitations and weakness when he explains that they are afflicted in every way, but not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8a)—they had hardship, but that hardship could not defeat them because they were standing in the truth. They were perplexed, but not in despair. They struggled with perhaps even a degree of anxiety but would not fall into depression because of the certainty of their hope (2 Corinthians 4:8b). They were persecuted but not forsaken (2 Corinthians 4:9a)—though many had rejected their message and even did so violently at times, Paul knew they were not alone. God had not left them, no matter how severe the rejection by some. They had even been literally struck down, but they were not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:9b). No matter the difficulty they faced, the apostles recognized it was nothing as severe as Christ had encountered, and they were simply fulfilling what He had commissioned them to do (2 Corinthians 4:10–11\). Even in their weakness and the difficulties they faced, they kept in mind the reason for their ministry: that people could receive Christ by faith and have life (2 Corinthians 4:12\). Everything Paul and the other apostles faced, they did so for the sake of those who would receive their message (2 Corinthians 4:15\). So, even in difficult and painful situations, they would not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:16\). They were not focused on the temporal difficulties; instead, they set their minds on the eternal value of the ministry God had given them (2 Corinthians 4:16–18\). In some ways, we also may face persecution and difficulty, but, if we are suffering for that which has eternal value, then we are not forsaken. God never deserts or forsakes those who are His (John 10:27–31; Hebrews 13:5\). We can focus on Him—like the apostles did—and not lose heart (see Hebrews 12:1–3\).
What is functional equivalence in Bible translation?	Answer Functional equivalence, or [dynamic equivalence](dynamic-equivalence.html), is one approach to Bible translation. Functional equivalence attempts to convey the meaning of the original text, even if it requires a bit of rewording in the target language. Functional equivalence prioritizes natural readability and comprehension in the target language rather than literal accuracy and strict fidelity to the wording of the original text. It has been summarized as “thought\-for\-thought” translation. The opposite of functional equivalence is formal equivalence, which emphasizes word\-for\-word translation, preserving grammar as much as possible and resulting in a more literal translation. Every translator must make critical decisions when translating the Bible from its [original languages](languages-Bible-written.html). Even in the most “word\-for\-word” translations, decisions must be made where synonyms and confusing sentence structures exist. Translations that are too strict are typically hard to make sense of. For example, if you were to rigidly translate every single word from Greek into its English equivalent using a dictionary, your New Testament would be full of meaningless conjunctions and articles, because [Koine Greek](Koine-Greek.html) used conjunctions and articles differently than English does. The question is not if someone will make interpretive decisions as part of the translation process, but what philosophy guides the choices. In the world of Bible translation, two basic philosophies have been historically recognized among the major translations: • Functional equivalence, which attempts to communicate what the author originally intended without being rigidly constrained by the syntax and diction of the original language. • Formal equivalence, which seeks to translate what the author said in the closest way possible, preserving grammar and word forms when appropriate. The first option, functional equivalence, is a theory of Bible translation that emphasizes idea over structure. When the aim is functional equivalence, a translator may make changes to the form of a verb or replace a conjunction with a punctuation mark. Some of the scholars who developed dynamic equivalence as a translation theory switched to calling it “functional equivalence” due to misunderstandings around the word dynamic. Functional equivalence strives to convey the meaning of the text and is more willing to sacrifice the structure of the original language to accomplish this goal. Eugene Nida, one of the scholars who helped define functional equivalence, describes translation this way: “Translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source\-language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style” (Nida, E., and Tabor, C., The Theory and Practice of Translation, Brill, 2003, p. 12\). This is a helpful picture of the functional equivalence approach. The functional equivalence approach can be extremely positive, as sometimes a rigid translation simply does not make sense. Additionally, there are words and concepts in the original languages that do not have a direct equivalent in the target language. The danger of functional equivalence is that it can become too interpretive, allowing the translator to decide the “meaning” for himself. As an example of the difference between functional equivalence and formal equivalence, we’ll look at Ephesians 3:18\. In the Greek version of this passage, Paul does not supply an object at the end of the verse. Translated literally, it simply reads, “to comprehend, with all the holy ones, what \[is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” (LSV). Some translations elect to translate the verse as is (NASB, ESV, NRSV, NET). This would be an example of formal equivalence. Other English translations, more inclined to functional equivalence, choose to supply an object from the surrounding context, attempting to elucidate Paul’s meaning (see NIV, HCSB). For example, the NIV says, “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:18, emphasis added). The Greek word for “love” is not in verse 18, although it appears in the next verse, and so we know what Paul is speaking of. Neither approach is necessarily wrong, but the difference illustrates how a translation philosophy plays out in the real world. Most English [Bible translations](Bible-versions.html) fall somewhere along the spectrum of functional and formal equivalence and do not adhere strictly to one approach. When studying a passage, it is worth comparing different translations to understand the full scope of what the author is saying. Ultimately, the most important thing is to [read the Bible](why-read-Bible.html), allowing it to penetrate your life and draw you closer to God.
What is the latter and former rain in Hosea 6:3?	Answer Hosea 6:1–3 predicts that the people of Israel would return to the Lord after a period of judgment. In that day, the people of Israel will say, “Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth” (NKJV). The “latter” and “former” rains are called the “winter rains” and “spring rains” in the NIV. The Lord had “torn” and “stricken” His people—i.e., Hosea predicts that God will discipline them (Hosea 6:1\)—because they were unfaithful to the covenant they had promised to keep (Exodus 24:3, 7\). While the judgment would be certain and severe, God would demonstrate His grace and restore the people. He would heal them and bandage their wounds (Hosea 6:1\). He would come to them like a refreshing and nourishing rain (Hosea 6:3\). He would come like the latter and former rain, which would seem to refer to the early rain after planting and the later rain at harvest. Because of God’s promises, His people could know with certainty that God would keep His word—that He would indeed come to them as the latter and former rain to restore and refresh. While the context doesn’t specify when this restoration would take place, the passage seems to be pointing forward to the salvation that would be provided through [the Messiah](is-Jesus-the-Messiah.html): God would revive them after two days and raise them up on the third day (Hosea 6:2\). This prophecy seems to correlate directly with the events of Jesus’ death, as He died, was buried, and then rose again on the third day (see 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3–4\). Paul mentions that Christ’s resurrection on the third day was “according to the Scriptures” (or writings). While there may have been a written gospel account by the time Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians (Matthew and Mark may have written by that time), Paul is probably referring to the Hebrew Scriptures and may have had Hosea 6:2 in mind. If Hosea’s prophecy of revival in the two days and raising on the third day (Hosea 6:2\) is pointing forward to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, then the immediately following context that God would visit the people of Israel as the latter and former rain is likely also a picture of how refreshing and nourishing that event would be for the people under God’s judgment. In Hosea’s time, there was coming a somber judgment because of the people’s disloyalty to God and their transgressing of the covenant. But there was also a coming day of restoration for Judah (Hosea 6:11\). God would come to the people as latter and former rain. It is important to note that God doesn’t ignore sin, and His holy standard is high—perfection, in fact (see Matthew 5:48\). When God restores the people of Israel, He first deals with their sin problem. The Messiah would die as a sacrifice to pay for sins; thus, the nation would no longer be in bondage to the Law of Moses (the [Old Covenant](old-covenant.html)) or the consequences of breaking that covenant. God would forgive their sins as part of a [New Covenant](new-covenant.html) (Jeremiah 31:31\). That blessing of forgiveness from sin through the sacrifice of the Messiah would be not just for one nation but for all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3b). The Messiah would be like the latter and former rain for Israel and Judah (Hosea 6:3\), and He would also be the water of life for all who would believe in Him (John 4:13–14\).
What is the significance of the fact there were giants in those days (Genesis 6:4)?	Answer Genesis 6 records the expansion of the human race and its descent into further corruption. The writer records that there were “giants on the earth in those days” (Genesis 6:4, NKJV) and offers a brief explanation of how that came to be. As humanity multiplied and began to be numerous on the earth (Genesis 6:1\), the “sons of God” took wives (Genesis 6:2\), and they began to increase. In light of the rapid multiplication of humanity and its evil, God limited the human lifespan to one\-hundred, twenty years (Genesis 6:3\). Prior to that time, people lived a [very long time](Genesis-long-lives.html)—even up to around nine hundred years (see Genesis 5\). Though lifespans were decreasing on their own, God intervened to limit them greatly. Despite this significant limitation, there were giants (Hebrew, Nephilim) in those days—in the days of Noah. These were mighty men of renown and were apparently the products of relationships between the “[sons of God](sons-of-God.html)” and the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:4\). The giants in those days were extraordinary, leading some to suppose that the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2 and Genesis 6:4 are fallen angels and not merely regular people. In that theory, these fallen angels took on physical form and procreated with women. The demon\-human hybrid DNA resulted in giant size and, apparently, enhanced physical abilities. There are three objections to this theory: First, there is nothing in the text that suggests the “sons of God” are angels. While the phrase can be used of angels (as it is apparently in Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7\), it is also regularly used of people (e.g., Matthew 5:9 and Luke 20:36\). Second, there is no indication that angels are physiologically compatible with women and can procreate with them (unless this is the only instance). Third, the theological implications are significant enough that one might expect some further explanation. Instead, we only see the offspring referred to as “giants” ([Nephilim](Nephilim.html)) and mighty, but nothing beyond that. Others have suggested that the sons of God might be people possessed by demonic beings. As in the other view, the phrase sons of God would still refer to fallen angels. While this view would resolve the physiological implications, there is nothing in the text that would suggest this possibility. A third view is that there were giants in those days simply because humanity hadn’t been fully genetically corrupted—everyone was big and tall and mighty—and God intervenes to shorten human lifespans. This theory takes the biblical account at face value, that these sons of God were simply men. In any case, there were giants in the land at this time before the flood and “afterward” (Genesis 6:4\). There were still giants during the time of Israel’s conquest of Canaan (Numbers 13:33\) and David’s time (1 Samuel 17:4–7\). If these Nephilim were superhumans resulting from demonic and human cohabitation, it seems they would have died in the flood (Genesis 7:21–23\). The fact that they were still around after the flood is either evidence that the fallen angels performed the same act again at some point after the flood, or it is another indicator in support of the third view that these giants on the earth from time to time were exceptional, but not superhuman. Whatever the case, Genesis 6:4 states that there were giants in the land in those days. The passage does not explicitly say how these giants came to be. It is best to not be dogmatic on an issue that the Bible says so little about and that is not theologically significant in the grand scheme of things.
What do condescension and accomodation mean in relation to God?	Answer In theology, accommodation and condescension are two terms that refer to the process by which an infinite and perfect God [contextualizes](contextual-theology.html) His communication for imperfect and finite people. More simply, condescension is the idea that God chooses to communicate in a way that His audience can understand. Many eminent theologians throughout history have used the idea of accommodation to explain the way that God relates to His creatures. [Anthropomorphisms](anthropomorphism.html) in the Bible, for example, are often explained in terms of accommodation, since God is Spirit (John 4:24\). By the use of anthropomorphism, God accommodates Himself to us, explaining His actions and feelings in a way we can identify with and understand. Like every theological viewpoint, perspectives of condescension or accommodation exist on a spectrum. Nearly every theologian acknowledges that God condescends to human knowledge in some form. God speaks through human languages, writes through human authors, and manifests Himself through natural phenomena (fire, clouds, etc.). But some people take the doctrine of accommodation to an extreme, arguing that aspects of the Bible should be discarded because they reflect untrue notions that God simply accommodated for the sake of communicating a broader point. In this way, the doctrine of accommodation sometimes becomes an intellectual cudgel, wielded against biblical statements of morality or reality that make certain audiences uncomfortable. For example, some say that, when Jesus spoke of Moses being the author of the Torah (see Mark 10:5 and John 5:46\), He was simply accommodating the prevailing idea of that time. In other words, although Jesus knew that Moses did not write the law, He spoke as if he did for the sake of His hearers and their assumptions. Of course, for Jesus to accommodate a false view would be tantamount to lying and diametrically opposed to [His holy nature](Jesus-sinless.html). In conclusion, accommodation is a broadly accepted idea with less broadly accepted applications. Some sort of accommodation, or condescension, is necessary—how else can an infinite God communicate to finite humanity? Some theologians refer to this as “adaptation” rather than “accommodation” to distinguish it from the heretical view that Jesus Christ bent the truth. Gregg Allison defines the right view of accommodation as “God’s act of condescending to human capacity in his revelation of himself. Though affirmed earlier in history, this doctrine is especially associated with [John Calvin](John-Calvin.html). He underscored the appropriateness of God, who is infinitely exalted, accommodating himself to human weakness so that his adjusted revelation would be intelligible to its recipients. Indeed, God stoops like a parent communicating with a child. This accommodation is especially seen in Scripture: it is the Word of God written in limited human languages for sinful human beings with limited capacity to understand it, yet it does not participate in human error” (Allison, G., “Accommodation,” The Baker Compact Dictionary of Theological Terms, Baker Publishing Group, 2016\). God has chosen to communicate with us in ways we can understand, and for that we are eternally grateful. That condescension or accommodation demonstrates His [omniscience](God-omniscient.html) and [omnipotence](God-omnipotent.html), as well as His great love and care for His creatures. Taken too far, the doctrine of accommodation becomes harmful. God never used accommodation to approve of human error, and Jesus never practiced deceit.
What does it mean that the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth (John 16:13)?	Answer In John 13 Jesus begins teaching His faithful disciples in what has come to be known as His “[Upper Room Discourse](Upper-Room-Discourse.html).” In that great discourse, Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all the truth (John 16:13\). Many wonder whether this is something that applies to us as well or simply to the disciples. In the context, Jesus helps us understand the specificity of His promise that the Holy Spirit will “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13, NKJV). First, it is worth noting that some English translations say “all truth,” while the Greek New Testament actually includes the definite article, so a more precise way to translate what Jesus said is that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all the truth. There is a specific truth to which He is referring, and the Holy Spirit would guide them into that. Specifically, the Spirit would reveal what the Son and the Father would have Him disclose (John 16:13–15\)—things about Jesus (John 16:14\). Jesus had already told the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit—the [Helper](paraclete-Holy-Spirit.html)—who would teach them and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had said to them (John 14:26\). Jesus’ later reference (in John 16:13\) to the coming of the Holy Spirit and His work of guiding them into all the truth was fulfilled literally. Peter later said that [God moved the writers of Scripture](Bible-inspired.html), and they spoke from God (2 Peter 1:21\). When Matthew wrote his gospel, for example, Matthew didn’t need to borrow from anyone; he was in the room when Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. It seems that Mark, who served alongside Peter for some time, wrote down Peter’s account (as church historian [Eusebius](Eusebius-of-Caesarea.html) suggests in his History, 24:5–8\). Luke researched reliable sources (presumably including the disciples) as he wrote his account of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 1:1–4\). John, another eyewitness, wrote his own gospel, stating that what he had written provided sufficient information for people to believe in Jesus and have life in His name (John 20:30–31\). Before the disciples would begin their ministry, they were to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4\). After the Holy Spirit came, the disciples were equipped for their work, and we see them proclaiming powerfully the gospel of Jesus Christ (e.g., Peter in Acts 2—4\). The Holy Spirit had indeed guided them into the truth (John 16:13\) and brought to their remembrance what Jesus had said to them (John 14:26\). While we certainly benefit from that work of the Holy Spirit—as we have the writings of these men whom the Holy Spirit guided into the truth—it is clear from other contexts that this is not how the Holy Spirit works with all believers. Guiding into the truth was simply a purpose for which He was sent to empower and equip the disciples. Paul tells Timothy, for example, that Timothy should be diligent as a workman, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15\). Timothy would have to work to understand what had been written, and he would have to be diligent to hold true and pass along the things he had heard from Paul (2 Timothy 2:2\). Similarly, we are told that all Scripture is from God’s mouth and is profitable for believers’ growth and equipping (2 Timothy 3:16–17\). We are thankful for and benefit greatly from the Holy Spirit guiding the apostles into all the truth, and we recognize that, because of the Spirit’s work through the disciples, we have His record: the Bible. We should be diligent in studying the Bible to know the Lord better.
Why did Jesus say, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42)?	Answer The life of Jesus Christ exemplified [obedience](Bible-obedience.html). He came to earth to fulfill His heavenly Father’s will no matter how painful the task set before Him. Nonetheless, Jesus spoke honestly with God when faced with His crucifixion: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me” (Luke 22:42, NLT). In His human state, Jesus did not want to endure a torturous death. Yet in the same breath, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42\). This scene in [Gethsemane](garden-of-Gethsemane.html) records one of the most desperate hours of anguish in the life of Christ (Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14:32–42; Luke 22:40–46\). He told His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed to the point of death” (Mark 14:34\). Worse than the thought of death, Jesus, in His humanity, must have dreaded the thought of bearing the sins of the world (1 Peter 2:24\). In the garden, the Lord fell to the ground flat on His face and offered God this desperate cry of His soul: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39\). Christ’s words and actions here serve as a great comfort to us, His followers. God wants His children to pour out their hearts to Him in sincerity (Psalm 62:8\). He is our refuge, our safe haven. Like Jesus, we can reveal the deepest longings in our hearts to our loving heavenly Father. He knows what we are feeling, and we can trust Him to carry the burdens of our souls. Facing the cross, Jesus was able to pray, “Not my will, but yours be done” because He was wholly submitted to His Father’s will. “My food,” He had said, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34\). “By myself I can do nothing,” explained Jesus, “for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:30\). Obedience to God’s will was central to Christ’s mission. He told His disciples, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38\). Hundreds of years before, Scripture foretold Christ’s destiny to come to earth and do God’s will (Hebrews 10:5–7; cf. Psalm 40:6–8\). For Christ’s followers, “Not my will, but yours be done” is the definitive prayer that never fails. According to 1 John 5:14–15, we can pray with confidence “if we ask according to his will.” Praying [God’s will](know-God-will.html) guarantees that He hears us and will grant what we ask. In fact, one of the primary purposes of prayer is to allow the will of God to be accomplished and to bring glory and honor to His name on earth. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “[Our Father in heaven](our-Father-which-art-in-heaven.html), hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10\). Those who pray this way, desiring God’s will above all else, reveal that they are indeed Christ’s disciples (Matthew 7:21; see also Matthew 12:50; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21; John 15:10; Ephesians 6:6\). The apostle Paul encouraged Christians to seek the Holy Spirit’s help to pray in agreement with God’s will: “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will” (Romans 8:26–27, NLT). Paul also urged believers to “learn to know God’s will” for their lives because God’s will “is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NLT). When Jesus said, “Not my will, but yours be done,” He surrendered His own will to God’s, fully convinced that His Father knew what was best. When we pray this way, we yield ourselves to God’s wisdom, trusting Him to work out what’s best for our lives, too (Romans 8:28\).
What is sacramentalism?	Answer The word sacrament comes from the Latin word sacrare, meaning “hallow” or “consecrate.” In its most literal sense, sacrament means “holy obligation.” In practice, a sacrament is an act or ritual that is believed to grant or bestow God’s grace. According to the Roman Catholic Church, “The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us, the visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1131\). Sacramentalism is the teaching that the sacraments are efficacious in and of themselves and necessary for salvation. The doctrine is common to both the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which teach that participation in the rites confers God’s grace upon the participants. The seven sacraments of [Roman Catholicism](Roman-Catholicism.html) are as follows: Baptism Eucharist Confirmation Reconciliation Anointing of the sick Marriage Holy Orders And here are the seven sacraments of the [Orthodox Church](Eastern-Orthodox-church.html): Baptism Communion Chrismation Penance Anointing of the sick Marriage Holy Orders Is sacramentalism correct? Is salvation attained by the keeping of the sacraments? The answer is a resounding no, for, as the apostle Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV). Salvation is a gift that cannot be earned. The very meaning of grace is “undeserved favor.” To insist eternal life can be gained through ritualism frustrates the [grace of God](definition-of-grace.html) and negates Jesus’ finished work on the cross. Let us consider these other passages: • “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28, ESV). • “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1, ESV). • “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:6, ESV). • “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Galatians 3:11, ESV). Sacramentalism has its roots in Judaism; in ancient Israel, the rituals of circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, and bathing for purification were common practices. The sect of the [Pharisees](Pharisees.html) placed great emphasis on handwashing, not so much for sanitary purposes, but as a ritual against personal defilement. The practice of ritualistic handwashing was seen as a restorative measure against defilement, but were the Pharisees truly honoring God by the keeping of their traditions? In the following passage, we see the manner in which our Lord Jesus responded to their religious customs: “Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’ And he said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men’” (Mark 7:1–8, ESV). Outwardly, the performing of elaborate rituals gave the Pharisees the appearance of piety, but Jesus, knowing the hardness of their hearts, condemned these hypocrites for “making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do” (Mark 7:13, ESV). Sacramentalism is unbiblical, for, if the performance of rites and rituals is necessary for salvation, the gospel’s message of grace is made void and Christianity becomes just another works\-based religion. As believers in Christ Jesus, we joyfully partake in the [ordinances](ordinances-sacraments.html) of baptism and communion, but we do so because we are saved and not in order to be saved.
Why should we owe no man anything except to love one another (Romans 13:8)?	Answer In Romans 13:8, Paul says that we should “owe no man anything except to love one another“ (NKJV). Then he says that “whoever loves others has fulfilled the law“ (verse 8\) and that all of the commandments from the Old Testament are summed up in the one command to love your neighbor as yourself (verse 9\). In other words, believers fulfill God’s commands by treating others with respect and loving one another. In the immediate context, Paul commands the Christian to “let no debt remain outstanding“ (Romans 13:8\). The Christian must pay all of his or her obligations, whether those be taxes, debts, or something else. The apostle then goes on to say that the only debt a Christian should have is the debt to love one another. That universal debt never ends. It is the only one he or she can never fully repay or pay off. We must always love not only our fellow Christians, but all people whom God has made. In Matthew 22:34–40, Jesus taught that loving one another was the [most important commandment](greatest-commandment.html) to obey. In this passage, Jesus is approached by the Pharisees who sought to test Him with a difficult question. One of the Pharisees, an expert in the law, asked Jesus, “What is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, which commanded the Israelites to love God first and foremost and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. So both Jesus and Paul teach that the most important thing a believer can do is to love God and [love one another](love-one-another.html). We should owe no man anything except to love one another because this is what God has chosen to do for us. He chose to not give us judgment and punish us for our sins. Instead, He chose to love us by sacrificing His Son, Jesus, [on the cross](meaning-of-the-cross.html) to pay for our sins. Because of this sacrifice, we are forever indebted to God, and we repay that debt by loving Him and loving one another. To owe no man anything except love can be a difficult and challenging command to live out as a believer. We can be scrupulous in fulfilling our obligations, paying off debt, and giving to each his due. But paying out the love we owe is harder; it seems we’re often short on the currency of love. We get frustrated with one another, disagree with one another, or simply don’t like being around one another. However, in John 13:35 Jesus says that the world “will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (see also John 17:25–26\). When we choose to look past our interpersonal challenges and focus on loving one another, we show the mark of disciples and are actually showing the world what God’s love is like. So we should owe no man anything except love because love is the greatest commandment. It fulfills the law and shows the world who God is.
What does it mean to “not go beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6)?	Answer In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul describes the nature and work of true apostleship. In verse 6 he says, “Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written.’ Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.” It’s not entirely clear where the saying do not go beyond what is written came from, but it is obvious that the Corinthian believers were familiar with it. Some people speculate that it refers to the Old Testament quotations Paul had referenced previously (such as 1 Corinthians 1:19 and 2:16\) or even the theological statements he had written up to this point in the letter. Most likely, though, this saying refers to the general principle that everything a believer does should be based on biblical truth. In saying, “Do not go beyond what is written,” Paul wants his readers to understand that the words and teachings of Scripture are ultimately sufficient and true. Truth is not dependent on the personality or charisma of those who teach. In the first century AD, the Corinthian church was full of many problems, including factional divisions and favoritism. Some in the church only wanted to follow or listen to certain leaders (such as [Paul](life-Paul.html) or [Apollos](who-Apollos.html)) rather than Christ alone (1 Corinthians 1:12\). As a result of their sectarianism, it appears that some of the believers conducted themselves in a way that “went beyond “ what was appropriate as followers of Jesus. We might say that they were listening to the words of their preferred leader more than they were to the words of Scripture itself. Paul challenged this mindset among the Corinthians by stating his desire among them was to know nothing “except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2\). So, to “not go beyond what is written” means to focus on Jesus and His Word above all else. It means to trust that the Bible has all the answers and truths we need to live a holy and pleasing life before God—we don’t need anything beyond what God has provided for us in His Word (see 2 Peter 1:3\). In fact, in the very last chapter of the Bible, we are warned not to add or take away from the inspired words of God (Revelation 22:18–19\). We must consider all Scripture as sacred and not seek to tamper with it. In other words, we should “not go beyond what is written” in Scripture, for it is the very Word of God. For today, this means that believers should strive to know and trust the Bible as God’s Word. If we don’t adhere to what the Bible strictly says, it’s easy to go beyond what is written. Every time someone says, “Speaking in tongues is the proof of salvation“ or “Christians shouldn’t own a television“ or “Mary is the mother of God,“ that someone is going beyond what is written. The Bible never says any of those things. We must be able to tell right from wrong, of course, and the Bible clearly delineates the two. But we also must be able to tell where the Bible is descriptive versus where it is prescriptive. If we confuse [description with instruction](descriptive-vs-prescriptive.html), we usually run into error. The Bible must be the final and ultimate authority for believers rather than the latest book, the newest cultural trend, or the most popular Christian speaker. Believers should work hard to study and memorize the Bible and seek to live out its teachings in their daily lives. In doing this, and not adding to what it says, they will ensure they do not “go beyond what is written” for life and faith.
Who was Corrie ten Boom?	Answer Cornelia Arnolda Johanna “Corrie” ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker and part of the Dutch resistance during World War II. For her role in sheltering Jews in her home, Corrie ten Boom was arrested and sent to Ravensbrück, a women’s concentration camp in northern Germany. Corrie survived [the Holocaust](God-allow-Holocaust.html) and went on to become a writer and speaker who never stopped communicating God’s goodness. Corrie ten Boom was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 1892 to watchmaker Casper ten Boom and his wife, Cornelia. She had three older siblings: Betsie, Willem, and Nollie. A few years later, the Ten Boom family moved to Haarlem, where Casper took over his father’s watchmaking shop. Working with her father, Corrie ten Boom discovered she loved the watchmaking business, and in 1922 she became the first woman to be a licensed watchmaker in the Netherlands. In addition to that work, Corrie established a youth club for teenage girls, providing them with Christian teaching and classes in performing arts, sewing, and handicrafts. The Ten Booms were part of the Dutch Reformed Church, and all the children were raised to give generously to the poor and hold tightly to their faith. In the 1800s, Corrie’s grandfather had worked to improve relations between Christians and Jews. Her brother Willem was a Dutch Reformed pastor who studied anti\-Semitism and ran a nursing home for the elderly—a place that became a refuge for Jews fleeing Germany in the 1930s. In May 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands and occupied the country for the next five years. Corrie ten Boom’s club was banned from meeting, but it was not long before other people started coming to her for help. The Ten Booms became involved in the Dutch underground—hiding Jewish refugees and members of the resistance movement from the Gestapo and its Dutch counterpart, passing out ration cards, and smuggling Jews to safety. Corrie and her family kept Jews in their own home, building a secret room in their house as a hiding place. It is estimated that about 800 Jews were saved through the efforts of the Ten Boom family. In February 1944, a Dutch informant told the Nazis about the Ten Booms’ activities. The Sicherheitsdienst, an arm of the Nazi SS, raided Corrie’s home, and the whole family and everyone who had been attending a prayer meeting in their home, about thirty people, were arrested. Amazingly, the six Jews and resistance workers who were in the hiding place went undiscovered, and police officers who were part of the resistance were eventually able to coordinate their escape. Corrie ten Boom, her sister Betsie, and their father were held in prison even after the Nazis released all the others. Casper ten Boom died about ten days later, and Corrie was held in solitary confinement for three months. At her first hearing, she defended her work, especially with the disabled, saying that a mentally disabled person could be more valuable to God than a watchmaker or even a lieutenant. Corrie and Betsie ten Boom were first sent to Herzogenbusch and then finally to Ravensbrück. Using a smuggled Dutch Bible, the two sisters held worship services in the camp, and through their example of love and faith, many of their fellow prisoners became Christians. Sadly, Betsie ten Boom’s health began to fail, and she died in December 1944, one of 92,000 women who perished in Ravensbrück. Twelve days after Betsie’s death, Corrie ten Boom, at the age of 53, was released on a clerical error. Corrie found out afterward that all the other women in her age group were sent to the gas chamber just a week after she left. Corrie arrived home in the middle of the Dutch “hunger winter” but immediately opened her arms to shelter the mentally disabled fleeing execution. After the war, Corrie ten Boom set up a rehabilitation center that helped concentration camp survivors. In 1946 she returned to Germany, meeting with and forgiving two guards from Ravensbrück, including one who had been especially cruel to Betsie. She began traveling the world, calling herself a “tramp for the Lord.” She told her story in over sixty countries, wrote books, recorded a series of forty radio broadcasts, and gave all the glory to God. Most importantly, she shared the love of Jesus and the gospel of God’s [forgiveness](Bible-forgiveness.html) wherever she went. She wrote a letter of forgiveness to Jan Vogel, the informant who had betrayed her family to the Nazis. She encouraged prisoners who, like her, were tempted to give up hope. In 1975, the movie The Hiding Place was released, sharing the story of the courage and faithfulness of Corrie ten Boom and her family. In 1977, Corrie ten Boom emigrated to America and settled in California, where she died on April 15, 1983, her 91st birthday, after suffering her third stroke. In 1988 the Ten Boom home in Haarlem, the Netherlands, was opened to the public as a museum to preserve the memory of the spiritual heritage Corrie’s family left behind. Selected bibliography of Corrie ten Boom: The Hiding Place (with John and Elizabeth Sherrill), 1971 Tramp for the Lord (with Jamie Buckingham), 1974 Corrie Ten Boom’s Prison Letters 1975 In My Father’s House, 1976 Each New Day, 1977 He Cares, He Comforts, 1977 Father Ten Boom, God’s Man, 1978 And here are a few quotes from Corrie ten Boom: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” “Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” “Don’t bother to give God instructions; just report for duty.” “The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation.” “If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love!” “God has plans—not problems—for our lives.” “It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts.”
What are the books of 1 and 2 Clement?	Answer [Clement of Rome](Clement-of-Rome.html) was a first\-century Christian convert who became a pillar in the early church. He is best known as the first bishop of Rome and for writing 1 Clement, a non\-canonical letter to the church in Corinth. A second letter of a spurious nature has also been credited to him. It is possible that Clement was the same Clement mentioned by the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:3\. Clement was personally acquainted with the apostle Peter and, quite possibly, Paul and John. First Clement, written c. AD 95, was addressed to the church in Corinth. Those familiar with the apostle Paul’s two letters to the church in Corinth, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, will recall a body of believers plagued by internal disputes, corruption, pride, carnality, false doctrine, and upheaval. With firmness of conviction tempered by a father’s tender love, the apostle Paul sought to restore the spiritual health of the Corinthian church. First Clement reveals that, although the church in Corinth flourished for a time (1 Clement 1—2\), soon after Paul’s death, the Corinthian believers reverted to their corrupt and carnal ways (1 Clement 3\). This regression motivated Clement to pen a disciplinary letter to the believers in Corinth. This letter is what we now call 1 Clement. In his letter, Clement issued stern warnings against those believers who were harboring envy and pride. These faults were catalysts of strife and division and were responsible for the shipwreck of the faith of many. Clement reminded the believers that envy and pride could only be eradicated by genuine humility (1 Clement 56:1\). This truth is timeless, for gentle spirits and humble hearts are the best anodyne for congregations steeped in pride and troubled by selfish ambition. First Clement makes mention of Peter (1 Clement 5:4\), Paul (1 Clement 5:5–7; 47:1\), and the early [Christian martyrs](Christian-martyrs.html) who gave their lives for the cause of Jesus Christ (1 Clement 6:1–2\). During Clement’s time, Rome’s hostility toward Christianity was intense. Many believers forfeited their lives for the sake of the gospel. Clement called upon believers to remain strong in the face of persecution, for this life cannot compare to the glories to follow. Remaining true to the apostolic teachings, Clement reaffirmed the doctrine of [justification by faith](justification-by-faith.html) apart from works. This cornerstone doctrine sets Christianity apart from the world’s many religions, cults, and isms, for the Bible is clear in teaching “the just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4, NKJV; cf. Ephesians 2:8–9; Galatians 3:11; Romans 1:17\). Good works are an outward manifestation of the faith within, but good works, regardless of magnitude, are incapable of saving lost sinners. First Clement remains true to this fundamental teaching. Clement reminds his readers that their focus should be on the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Clement 36:1–2\). They are Christ’s foot soldiers, and their fellow believers are spiritual brothers and sisters. Faithful church leaders who serve according to their spiritual gifts are ordained by God (1 Clement 42\). Clement rebuked the church for stripping some [godly elders](qualifications-elders-deacons.html) of their leadership roles (1 Clement 44\). He warned that their shameful mistreatment of these faithful servants is “no small sin” (1 Clement 44:4, Hoole, trans.). While 1 Clement contains a treasury of truth and wisdom, Clement apparently believed in the mythical phoenix, a winged creature that arose from its own ashes (1 Clement 25:1—26:1\). The mention of this immortal bird from Greek mythology is proof that 1 Clement was rightly deemed not part of the canon of Scripture. Although 1 Clement is not part of the New Testament, the book was widely circulated among the early churches. Despite its flaws, 1 Clement is worth at least a perfunctory reading by believers today. The book is beautifully written, makes lengthy references to numerous Old and New Testament passages, and offers timeless wisdom for keeping the church doctrinally sound, morally pure, personally edifying, and, foremost, focused on our Lord Jesus Christ. As for the book known as 2 Clement, it is not really a letter; rather, it is a homily, as indicated in 2 Clement 19:1, where the author mentions that he has “read” the material to his audience. No one knows who wrote the sermon, although almost everyone agrees that it was not written by Clement. Church leaders such as [Irenaeus](Irenaeus-of-Lyons.html), [Clement of Alexandria](Clement-of-Alexandria.html), and [Origen](Origen-of-Alexandria.html) only referenced one Epistle of Clement, not two. The anonymous author of 2 Clement has been variously identified as Soter, a second\-century bishop of Rome; an unknown Christian in Corinth; and a preacher in Alexandria, Egypt. It was probably written c. AD 150\. Significantly, 2 Clement quotes Jesus’ words in Luke 5:32 and calls what Jesus said “Scripture” (2 Clement 2:4\). Obviously, there was a written record of Christ’s words in the mid\-first century, and churches were considering those words as authoritative Scripture. Second Clement stresses the need for good works in the church: “So then, brethren, let us confess Him in our works, by loving one another, by not committing adultery nor speaking evil one against another nor envying, but being temperate, merciful, kindly. And we ought to have fellow\-feeling one with another and not to be covetous. By these works let us confess Him, and not by the contrary” (2 Clement 4:3, Hoole, trans.). But 2 Clement goes beyond what the Bible says, even saying that “fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving better than both” and “almsgiving lifteth off the burden of sin” (2 Clement 16:4, Hoole, trans.). Such teaching is unbiblical. Second Clement was not written by Clement. It is of historical interest as a post\-apostolic sermon, but not of much spiritual value.
What does it mean that Jesus Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14)?	Answer In Ephesians 2:11–18, the apostle Paul explained part of Christ’s mission of peace, specifically, to reconcile and bind Jews and Gentiles into one people, one united community of believers—the [body of Christ](body-of-Christ.html). Jesus “Himself is our peace,” declared Paul (Ephesians 2:14, NKJV). For centuries, the Jewish people looked down on the Gentiles. Because of their covenant relationship with God, Jews considered themselves superior to Gentiles, an attitude that drove a deep\-seated wedge of hostility between the two groups. But Jesus Christ settled the long\-standing division and obliterated the distinction between Jew and Gentile. Most of the Christians in the Ephesian church were of Gentile background. Paul wrote to them, “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death” (Ephesians 2:14–16, NLT). In Christ, all people have the same spiritual standing: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28\). Regardless of our race, gender, or nationality, we are all saved the same way, and, once saved, we are “fellow citizens” and members of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19\). Together in Jesus Christ, “the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21\). Jesus Himself is our peace means that, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, God made it possible for all people to live at peace with one another. It also means that humans can be reconciled to God and experience peace with Him: “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1, NLT). The person and work of Jesus Christ is God’s ultimate provision of peace for humanity. Before salvation, sin separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 4:18\). But when Jesus died, He paid the full penalty for our sins. He was “pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him” (Isaiah 53:5; see also Colossians 1:20\). Only through a relationship with the risen Christ can [peace with God](peace-with-God.html) be achieved and maintained. Jesus Himself is our peace means His presence is our source of peace. Paul called Jesus “the Lord of peace” who gives “peace at all times and in every way” (2 Thessalonians 3:16\). The Lord told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27\). The prophets foretold that Christ would come as the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6\) who would “proclaim peace to the nations” (Zechariah 9:10\). Jesus fulfilled the prophecies and preached “peace to you who were far away \[the Gentiles] and peace to those who were near \[the Jews]” (Ephesians 2:17\). At the time of Christ’s birth, the angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14\). Jesus Himself is our peace. In Him, we have “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” to guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7\). Jesus came to bring peace on earth and called His followers to continue His mission (Matthew 5:9\). We do this by sharing the gospel—“the good news of peace through Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:36\)—and by living in peace with one another (Romans 12:18; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14\). Because Jesus Himself is our peace, we can enjoy harmony and wholeness in our relationship with God and others.
What is neo-scholasticism? What is neo-Thomism?	Answer Neo\-scholasticism and neo\-Thomism are terms used to describe the 19th\- and 20th\-century revival of [Thomistic](Thomism.html) and [scholastic](Scholasticism.html) thought within the Roman Catholic Church. In response to the growing philosophical movement known as modernism, the Roman Catholic Church encouraged a rejuvenation of scholastic thought. Scholasticism, particularly the work of Thomas Aquinas, came to be viewed as the ultimate response to [modernism](Christian-modernism.html) and the appropriate philosophical position of the Roman Catholic Church. Papal support for neo\-scholasticism and neo\-Thomism was explicitly given in Aeterni Patris. In this encyclical, Pope Leo XIII urged the [Catholic Church](Roman-Catholicism.html) to promote the philosophical teachings of [St. Thomas](Saint-Thomas-Aquinas.html) and return to the philosophical framework of scholasticism. After describing Aquinas’s work in glowing terms, Pope Leo XIII urged the church to “restore the golden wisdom of St. Thomas, and to spread it far and wide for the defense and beauty of the Catholic faith, for the good of society, and for the advantage of all the sciences. . . . Let carefully selected teachers endeavor to implant the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas in the minds of students, and set forth clearly his solidity and excellence over others” (Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, On the Restoration of Christian Philosophy, Aeterni Patris, August 4, 1879\). Neo\-scholasticism is a general term that covers the revival of the teachings of multiple early church and medieval theologians; neo\-Thomism, on the other hand, narrows the focus to the work of Thomas Aquinas. Neo\-scholasticism as a whole seeks to apply scholastic philosophical frameworks, chiefly those developed by Aquinas, to modern issues. Proponents of this movement explain that it is not merely a slavish adherence to the intellectual ideas of the past, but a dynamic effort to adapt and expand those ideas for the modern world. One Roman Catholic philosopher, writes, “Thomism is not simply a museum piece; it is a living and developing movement of thought, deriving its inspiration from Aquinas but conducting its meditation on his writings in the light of subsequent philosophy and of subsequent cultural developments in general” (Copleston, F., Aquinas, Penguin Books, 1991, pp. 258–259\). In summary, neo\-Thomism or neo\-scholasticism is a movement to reestablish Thomistic and scholastic thought within the Roman Catholic Church. Developed as a response to modernism and spurred on by several popes, most notably Pope Leo XIII, proponents of neo\-Thomism strive to return Roman Catholic philosophy to the framework and principles of Thomas Aquinas. It continues to be a popular way to address reason and theology in Roman Catholicism, and, as a movement, continues to influence Roman Catholic philosophy today.
Does the Bible talk about hierarchy in society?	Answer As a history of humanity, the Bible often refers to the hierarchy of various societies. Very early in history, we can see stratification in society, with landowners being separate from laborers, slaves, and foreigners in a region. In most ancient societies, widows and orphans also ranked among the lowest in the hierarchy. Ancient Israel, like all nations, was organized in a hierarchy of authority: [Moses](life-Moses.html) and Aaron were the leaders of the Israelites after their time in Egypt (Exodus 4:27–31\). Aaron led the priests (Exodus 29\). Each clan or family had a group of leaders (Numbers 36:1\). There were appointed “officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens” (Exodus 18:25\). Later, during the monarchy, the hierarchy included a king at the top (1 Chronicles 28:4\). Besides hierarchies of authority, the Bible alludes to hierarchies of class, military rank, religion, and socioeconomic status. An example of class hierarchy mentioned in Scripture is found in Esther 1:16, which speaks of the king, the queen, the nobility, and “the peoples of all the provinces”; later in the same passage, the whole of society is referred to in terms of “the least to the greatest” (verse 20\). Examples of military hierarchy abound the Bible: one example is the centurion in Matthew 8:9 who speaks of himself as “a man under authority, with soldiers under me.” Examples of religious hierarchy in the Bible include the [Levites](tribe-of-Levi.html), who were the only ones who could carry the ark of the covenant (1 Chronicles 15:2\); and the teachers of the law and the [Pharisees](Pharisees.html) who “sit in [Moses’ seat](Moses-seat.html)” (Matthew 23:2\). Finally, an example in the Bible of socioeconomic hierarchy is seen in Jesus’ words that “the poor you will always have with you” (Mark 14:7\). A social hierarchy of some type is normal and natural and even necessary to maintain order. In fact, God instituted authority structures (Romans 13:1\), and He commanded first\-century Christians to “honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17; cf. Proverbs 24:21\). Even in the [millennial kingdom](dispensation-of-Millennial-Kingdom.html) of Christ, a hierarchy will exist. Christ will be King, and the twelve apostles are promised to “sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:30\). So, there is nothing sinful about a hierarchy, per se. It’s important to remember that a person’s place in a hierarchy is not indicative of his or her worth as a person. The Bible teaches that everyone, from a king down to the lowest servant, is created in the image of God. Humanity often confuses the issue, assigning a certain value or worth to those with more authority, more money, or higher rank. Such thinking is unbiblical. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34\), and neither should we show favoritism (James 2:1–9\). Also, just because God establishes authorities doesn’t mean that all hierarchies are pleasing to Him. Some hierarchies in this world are the result of the fall of humanity and the broken, sinful state of the world. The [caste system](Casteism-caste-system.html) of Hinduism, for example, is a thing of evil. And just because the Bible acknowledges a hierarchy exists doesn’t mean God approves of everything that takes place within it. The Bible is clear that God does not approve of discrimination, exploitation, or the abuse of power. The Bible acknowledges that social hierarchies exist, but it also repeatedly calls for the protection of widows and orphans (Exodus 22:22\). The Mosaic Law provided far more humane and protective regulations of slavery than any other nation at the time (Exodus 21\). And Israel was given a direct command to treat immigrants fairly: “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt” (Exodus 23:9\). We should not confuse God\-established authority with human\-made social structures or hierarchies occasioned by sin. God’s structures are meant for our protection and provision, even as mankind attempts to corrupt them; human hierarchies are meant to elevate some and subjugate, abuse, or exploit others. One day, “every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low” (Isaiah 40:4\), and those who abuse their power, marginalize the weak, or in any way degrade human life will face justice (see Psalm 36:6; Revelation 19:11\). We can count on God’s righteous justice to make all things right when He accomplishes His will at the end of the age.
Why did John the Baptist’s followers ask Jesus if He was the Coming One in Luke 7:19?	Answer Various names and titles belong to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second Person of the triune Godhead. His personal name is [Jesus](meaning-name-Jesus.html), meaning “savior.” [Christ](what-does-Christ-mean.html) is the Lord’s title and means “anointed one.” For thousands of years, Israel looked forward to the arrival of an anointed Savior promised by God and foretold by Israel’s prophets (Daniel 9:25–26; Isaiah 9:1–7; 11:1–10; Jeremiah 23:5–6\). When [John the Baptist](life-John-Baptist.html) arrived on the biblical scene, the time had come. John’s mission in preaching repentance (Mark 1:4\) was to prepare the people of Israel and the world to receive their long\-awaited Savior—the Coming One, Israel’s Messiah. Many of John’s followers were confused, “waiting expectantly” and “wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, ‘I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire’” (Luke 3:15–17\). John then pointed his followers to Jesus (John 1:29\). When John was locked up in prison, he sent two disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Luke 7:19, NKJV). John sought confirmation that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. Was Jesus indeed Israel’s deliverer, the Coming One they had been expecting, or should they look for someone else? John was likely expecting the Messiah to bring judgment, wrath, and destruction (Luke 3:7–9\). Jesus didn’t seem to fit the bill. Everything John had done in ministry to the point he was arrested was to prepare Israel and the world for the Coming One. John and his followers assumed their Messiah and Savior would come as a mighty ruling King (see John 6:14–15; Luke 19:38\) and not a humble servant. Jesus answered the question John had asked from prison: “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor” (Luke 7:22, NLT). For now, the Messiah had come to bring the good news of salvation. He had been anointed “to bring Good News to the poor, . . . to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” (Luke 4:18–19, NLT; see also Isaiah 61:1–2\). The Messiah would come again to bring judgment in the future, but for the present He was bringing good news. The apostle Paul explained that the historical Adam served as “a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come” (Romans 5:14, NLT). Citing Habakkuk 2:3, the writer of Hebrews referred to God’s promise of a Coming One who would rescue those who trust in Him and live by faith: “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away” (Hebrews 10:37–38, NLT). In Revelation 1:8, Jesus is “the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end, . . . the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One” (NLT). Even now, Jesus is the Coming One. His closing words to us in Scripture are “Behold, I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20, ESV). As believers, we are to live every day with the eager expectation and anticipation of Christ’s return (Revelation 16:15; 2 Peter 3:11–14\).
What is the significance of Caesarea in the Bible?	Answer Caesarea, often called Caesarea Maritima to differentiate it from [Caesarea Philippi](Caesarea-Philippi.html), was an important port city in the first century AD and the site of numerous events in the book of Acts. Caesarea Maritima is located about 30 miles north of modern Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean coast. In ancient times, it boasted one of the world’s largest artificial harbors and was a center of Roman governance in the region. In the New Testament, it is mentioned only in the book of Acts. The first biblical figure associated with Caesarea was [Philip the Evangelist](Philip-in-the-Bible.html), who shared the gospel in Caesarea after a “great persecution” expelled many believers from Jerusalem (Acts 8:1, 40\). Eventually, Philip settled down in Caesarea, living there with his family and hosting other believers at his home (Acts 21:8\). [Paul the apostle](life-Paul.html), another famous evangelist, traveled through Caesarea several times. Early in his ministry, when his life was threatened in Jerusalem, the believers there helped him escape through Caesarea to Tarsus, undoubtedly aboard a Caesarean ship. After his second missionary journey, Paul passed through Caesarea on his way to Syrian Antioch, using his time in Caesarea as an opportunity to visit Jerusalem, about 52 miles away (Acts 18:22\). On his famous (and final recorded) trip to Jerusalem near the end of the book of Acts, Paul stayed in Caesarea with Philip the Evangelist for several days, meeting with Agabus the prophet and enjoying fellowship with local believers (Acts 21:8–16\). The disciples in Caesarea begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem but eventually traveled with him when they realized he could not be dissuaded (Acts 21:12–16\). Later, Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea for years, facing several trials there before various Roman officials, with whom he was able to share the [gospel](what-is-the-gospel.html) numerous times (Acts 23—26\). Two more significant biblical events took place in Caesarea Maritima. First, Caesarea was the home of [Cornelius the centurion](Cornelius-in-the-Bible.html). Peter visited Cornelius in his home, and Cornelius and his household were converted, an incredibly important occasion when salvation was publicly and irrefutably extended to the Gentiles. Caesarea was also the location of [Herod Agrippa I’s](Herod-Agrippa-I.html) death at the hand of an angel of God (Acts 12:23\). The construction of Caesarea is fascinating and worthy of further study. It was originally a small Phoenician town known as Straton’s Tower, and it was aggressively developed by [Herod the Great](Herod-the-Great.html) into a major port city. Herod oversaw the construction of a massive artificial harbor, one of the largest in the world at the time, called Sebastos. Both the city of Caesarea and the harbor of Sebastos were named after Herod’s patron, Augustus Caesar (Sebastos being the Greek equivalent of Augustus). In addition to the artificial harbor, Herod built magnificent theaters, a palace, and an aqueduct. Caesarea continued to have a storied history into the early Christian era, hosting major figures in the early church and preserving Christian literature in its libraries. It became a flourishing, multi\-ethnic community and an important center for education, writing, and intellectual discourse. Eventually, Caesarea suffered attrition during the Middle Ages through conflict between Christian and Muslim forces, and it was ultimately destroyed in the thirteenth century by a Mamluk army. More recently, Caesarea was the site of a major archaeological discovery: the “Pilate Stone,” discovered in 1961, confirms the prefecture of Pontius Pilate during the time of Christ. As a monument to man’s achievements, both Caesarea Maritima and the Roman Empire that sponsored it are long gone. However, the gospel of Jesus Christ, which impacted this famed city, lives on around the world and continues to change lives today.
What is the Gospel of the Hebrews?	Answer The Gospel of the Hebrews is an ancient, now lost work that apparently contained stories about the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Several of the early church fathers briefly quoted the Gospel of the Hebrews, but we do not have any copies of the book itself. Because there are no extant manuscripts, it is impossible to say exactly what the Gospel of the Hebrews contained. Some scholars believe that it may have been a Hebrew version of the [Gospel of Matthew](Gospel-of-Matthew.html), and a few argue that it preceded the canonical gospels. Most scholars, however, believe the Gospel of the Hebrews was composed in the late first or early second century and that its content was based on independent traditions about Jesus. Some scholars believe that the Gospel of the Hebrews was originally written in Greek, although [Jerome](Saint-Jerome.html) indicates that he had translated it from Hebrew (On Famous Men, 2–3\). Jerome called it “the Gospel according to the Hebrews, which is written in the Chaldee and Syrian language, but in Hebrew characters, and is used by the Nazarenes to this day” (Against the Pelagians III:2\). According to the historian [Eusebius](Eusebius-of-Caesarea.html), the early church father [Papias](Papias-of-Hierapolis.html) claimed that Matthew had originally recorded Jesus’ words in the Hebrew language (History, III:39\.16\). There is still much uncertainty concerning the origin and content of the Gospel of the Hebrews, in light of the current lack of manuscripts. The Gospel of the Hebrews, as the name suggests, seems to have been oriented toward Jewish Christians. Some of the quotes are similar to Jewish wisdom literature. Jerome relates that, in the Gospel of the Hebrews’ resurrection account, the Lord’s brother [James](life-James.html) is prominent (On Famous Men, 2\); this fact suggests a Jewish\-Christian influence in the book. Despite the handful of allusions to it in early church writings, the Gospel of the Hebrews was never considered canonical. [Origen](Origen-of-Alexandria.html) cast doubt on the veracity of the book in that he preceded a quotation from it with the words “If any one should lend credence to the Gospel according to the Hebrews” (Commentary on the Gospel of John, II:6\). Two other works generally come up in any discussion about the Gospel of the Hebrews: the Gospel of the Ebionites and the Gospel of the Nazarenes. The Gospel of the Ebionites was a religious text used by the heretical [Ebionites](Ebionism.html); it was perhaps a modified version of the Gospel of the Hebrews or an adaptation of the Gospel of Matthew. The Gospel of the Nazarenes was another early Hebrew or Aramaic text, though it may be another name for the Gospel of the Hebrews. The relationship of these three works to each other is a subject of debate among scholars and is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. The early church ultimately rejected the Gospel of the Hebrews. Christians can be confident that, under the sovereign guidance of the Holy Spirit, the early church made the right decision. There are no “[lost books](lost-books-Bible.html)” of the Bible, and all the books that are in the Bible are the books God intended to be in the Bible. The [four gospels](four-Gospels.html) we possess accurately recount the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who achieved victory over death and paid the price for our sin so that we might live forever with Him.
What does “every spiritual blessing” mean in Ephesians 1:3?	Answer In Ephesians 1:3–14, the apostle Paul opens his letter with an extended benediction. The entire twelve\-verse passage constitutes one continuous sentence in the original Greek language. Paul gushes forth with declarations of God’s blessings without stopping for a breath. He begins, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (verse 3\). Every spiritual blessing refers to all the conceivable gifts of [redemption](redemption.html) that Christians receive by being united with Jesus Christ. Paul draws an intentional reference to [the Trinity](Trinity-Bible.html) in Ephesians 1:3–14 and again in verse 17\. God the Father is the originator and source of every spiritual blessing. The realm or scope of these gifts is “in Christ.” Only through our identification and union with God’s Son are we eligible to receive His untold blessings. And the nature of the gifts is spiritual. The Holy Spirit is the executor who applies the work of Christ to our hearts and lives. Paul goes on to outline “every spiritual blessing.” First, we have God’s gift of being [chosen and predestined](predestination.html) “for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4–5\). Just as Yahweh chose Israel to be His treasured possession, He chooses believers to receive the great honor and privilege of becoming His beloved spiritual children through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our heavenly Father loves us so very much that “he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1, NLT). Next, Paul features the gift of God’s “[glorious grace](grace-of-God.html)” that He has “poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:6–8, NLT). Our heavenly Father is rich in grace, kindness, forgiveness, freedom, wisdom, and understanding, and He makes us rich in the same, in Jesus Christ, His Son. For this reason, Paul could say, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19\). Certainly not the least of God’s blessings in Christ is that “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7\). The Greek word translated “redemption” here refers to the act of making full payment to free an enslaved person. When we believe in Jesus and receive Him as Lord and Savior, our [sins are forgiven](got-forgiveness.html), paid for by His death on the cross (Matthew 26:27–28; Colossians 1:14\). Christ’s death satisfies God’s demands, releasing us from sin and its associated death sentence (Romans 8:1–2\) and making us “holy and blameless in his sight” (verse 4\). Another spiritual blessing in Christ is that God makes “known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:9–10\). Paul is speaking here about the divine mystery of the [New Testament church](what-is-the-church.html), which was formerly kept a secret but is now revealed in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:26–27\). God’s plan is for both Jews and Gentiles to share equally in the gospel of salvation and form one new people united in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:12–13; 3:3, 5–6, 9\). Every spiritual blessing also includes the truth that we have obtained a heavenly inheritance (Ephesians 1:11–14\). For now, we are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our [inheritance](inheritance-in-Christ.html) until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (verses 13–14\). We are marked with [God’s seal](Holy-Spirit-seal.html)—the Holy Spirit—who provides us with spiritual security and proof of ownership. In eternity, we will take full possession of that inheritance. Every spiritual blessing encompasses all the gifts of the Holy Spirit given by God the Father to those who have experienced His salvation in Jesus Christ. Peter affirms that God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3\). Believers in Jesus have no shortage of reasons to praise God for abundantly blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
What is the meaning of “the laborer is worthy of his hire” in 1 Timothy 5:18?	Answer The Bible teaches the importance and appropriateness of churches providing financial support to Christian ministers who admirably serve their congregations. In 1 Timothy 5:18, the apostle Paul cites two passages to back up his claim that church bodies must honor and care for hard\-working pastors to prevent them from becoming overworked and underpaid. The first is “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (NIV). The second is “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (ASV 1901\). In the first instance, Paul cites Deuteronomy 25:4\. He reasons that, if God in His law expressed concern for hard\-working animals to be fed and cared for, church members ought to show proper consideration for their pastors, teachers, and spiritual leaders, supplying them with a decent wage. It’s good to feed the cow; it’s better to feed your pastor. Paul’s second reference, “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (ASV) or “The laborer deserves his wages” (ESV), is most likely a recitation of Christ’s words: “For the laborer deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7, ESV). Jesus said this to His disciples when He sent them ahead of Him as “laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2, ESV), encouraging them to accept hospitality and food from people who would receive them (Luke 10:7–8\). Significantly, 1 Timothy 5:18 calls the Gospel of Luke “Scripture.” In 1 Timothy 5:17, Paul explains further: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” A study of the term [double honor](double-honor.html) reveals that it refers to both respect and remuneration. The phrase emphasizes generosity. Paul expects the church to provide reasonable pay for a job well done, and failure to do so indicates a shortage of respect and honor for one’s spiritual leaders. In the Old Testament, the priests and Levites who ministered in worship were supported by the community of believers so that they “could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 31:4; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:13\). Thus, it stands to reason in the New Testament church that those who devote their lives to the work of the gospel should likewise be supported by the congregations they serve. To the church in Galatia, Paul wrote, “Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them” (Galatians 6:6, NLT). He informed the believers in Corinth, “In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it” (1 Corinthians 9:14, NLT). It’s true that Paul earned his own living, supporting his ministry work through [tentmaking](Paul-tentmaker.html) (Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 9:3–18; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8\). But Paul explained in detail that his case was an exception for a particular purpose (1 Corinthians 9:4–27\). It’s interesting to note that neither of Paul’s scriptural parallels is particularly complimentary. He first compares Christian ministers to oxen, beasts of burden. Second, he likens them to farmhands. Paul’s illustrations are appropriately chosen, not to demean but to stress that the gospel ministry is hard work. Those who serve well deserve to be honored, [appreciated](pastor-appreciation.html), and paid a fair wage. Just as it is right for farmers to feed their livestock and employers to pay laborers worthy of their hire, it is proper and essential for the local church to provide adequate financial support to its dedicated Christian ministers.
How can we always be “abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58)?	Answer If one word could sum up the nature of the [apostle Paul’s](life-Paul.html) commitment to the call of Christ on his life, it would be excellence. Paul desired to excel in everything He did for the Lord (2 Timothy 2:15\), so he tackled his God\-assigned mission to preach the gospel with all\-out fervor, giving himself entirely to the work. He warmly encouraged fellow believers to do the same: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV). When Paul said to always be “abounding in the work of the Lord,” he may have had these words of the prophet Jeremiah in mind: “Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD with slackness” (Jeremiah 48:10, ESV). Paul knew that life as a gospel minister was arduous work (2 Corinthians 11:23–28\). It was often tedious and thankless work, too, so he encouraged Christians not to “grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9, ESV). The term abounding means “being abundant or plentiful, going beyond, or producing or existing in large quantities.” The work of the Lord refers to the work of preaching, teaching, and being a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul’s wording in 1 Corinthians 15:58 closely resembles his question in 1 Corinthians 9:1 when he defends his work as an apostle: “Don’t you agree that I’m an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren’t you the result of my work for the Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9:1, GW). Paul said that his ministry protégé Timothy was “doing the work of the Lord, as I am” (1 Corinthians 16:10\). And of Epaphroditus, his “fellow worker and fellow soldier,” Paul said, “He nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life” (Philippians 2:25–30, ESV). Believers can always be abounding in the work of the Lord no matter what we do to further the kingdom of God. Whether we are onstage preaching the message or behind the scenes cleaning toilets or cooking for the crowds, we ought to devote ourselves to it wholeheartedly: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23–24\). To church elders, preachers, teachers, and ministry leaders, Paul taught, “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7–8, NLT). We can always be abounding in the work of the Lord if we keep the same tenacious attitude as Paul. He completed the job with unswerving dedication, recognizing that serving Christ involves real labor. The rewards of heaven are worth going all out for, which is what Paul meant when he said our labor is not in vain. When the going gets tough or unexciting, ministers of the gospel must remember to “never tire of doing what is good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13\). We are not called to idleness but to diligence (2 Thessalonians 3:6–15; Hebrews 6:11–12\). Jesus taught this principle in the [parable of the sower](parable-sower.html). The sower of the seed labored, knowing that some of the seed would fall on good ground and “produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown” (Mark 4:20; see also Matthew 13:1–23\).
What does James 1:12 mean when it says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial”?	Answer Often when we are suffering through a difficult season, we can’t see the forest for the trees. We lose sight of the bigger picture. James urged us to open our eyes to God’s perspective so we might see the divine purpose behind the [trials](joy-trials.html) we face. That is why he wrote, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12, NIV). The Greek word James chose (makarios), translated as “blessed,” means more than simply being happy or fortunate. It speaks of someone who has been highly favored with grace from God. The adjective describes an inner joy that is undisturbed by outward circumstances because it comes from resting and trusting in the Lord (Romans 15:13\). Jesus used the same term repeatedly throughout [the Beatitudes](beatitudes.html) to describe the life of a citizen in God’s kingdom (Matthew 5:3–12\). This person’s life is blessed and fulfilling because it is lived under the King’s rule and according to His kingdom’s precepts. The verb perseveres in James 1:12 means “faces and withstands with courage, endures.” James is not saying that experiencing a trial is a blessing in itself. Instead, it is steadfast endurance through the ordeal that brings God’s blessed gift—“the crown of life.” God has reserved an extraordinary blessing for those who serve Him faithfully and suffer for Him (2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 3:11\). Jesus Himself promised to give the crown of life to those who suffer persecution “even to the point of death” (Revelation 2:10\). The blessings gained through trials are not only for the distant future but also for the here and now. When we embrace problems from heaven’s viewpoint, we recognize the opportunities for personal growth and spiritual enrichment they can produce in us. Earlier in his letter, James wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2–4, NLT). The author of Hebrews considered trials God’s way of [disciplining us](Lord-God-discipline.html) “for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10\). Discipline is unpleasant, but “later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (verse 11, ESV). We can persevere through trials with a better, more positive attitude when we keep God’s end goal in view. The apostle Peter offered a similar incentive to persist: “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:6–8, NLT). The apostle Paul encouraged us by example to preserve through trials: “We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us” (2 Corinthians 6:4–7, NLT). With the laser\-focused determination of an Olympian athlete, Paul set his sights on the goal of [finishing the race](run-the-race-set-before-us.html) and winning the heavenly prize (Philippians 3:12–14; 1 Corinthians 9:24–25; 2 Corinthians 4:8–12; 11:23–27\). As we struggle through hardships, we will do well to remember that “blessed is the man who perseveres under trial.” God is at work in us, imparting strength, character, endurance, and divine graces as He leads us toward the ultimate blessing of the crown of life in our eternal home with Him.
What is Utraquism? What is an Utraquist?	Answer The word Utraquism is from a Latin phrase meaning “under both kinds.” The “both kinds” referred to are both elements of the Lord’s Table (communion, [Eucharist](Holy-Eucharist.html).) An Utraquist was someone who believed that those receiving communion should partake of both the bread and the cup. The traditional [Roman Catholic](Roman-Catholicism.html) position had been that the laity could only receive the bread (wafer) at the Eucharist, and the wine was reserved for the clergy. This practice was maintained for a number of reasons stemming from the fact that Catholics believe in [transubstantiation](transubstantiation.html)—that is, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of the Lord. They also teach that the wafer contains both the body and blood of the Lord. Traditional Catholic practice forbade congregants from partaking of the cup for fear they might spill or drip the blood of Christ, and then it would be trampled underfoot, which would be sacrilegious. In the early fifteenth century, [Jan Hus](Jan-Hus.html), a Catholic priest in Bohemia, began objecting to some of the abuses of the Catholic Church. One of the reforms that Hus advocated was allowing the laity to take both the bread and the wine at Mass. This position was called Utraquism, and those who advocated for it (following Huss on this point although not necessarily on others) were called Utraquists. An Utraquist could also be called a Calixtin or Calixtine (from the Latin word for “chalice,” which is the cup that held the wine). While the Utraquists did push this particular reform, they did not go as far as Hus on many other points. Hus was eventually condemned and burned at the stake, but Utraquists were considered to be generally orthodox Christians according to the Council of Basel in 1433\. In that day and age, religion and politics were thoroughly mixed. If the absolute authority of the Roman Catholic Church could be successfully challenged on a theological point, that might also weaken its political authority. If the Church’s hold over the masses was weakened, other political forces that rallied around the disputed theological point might have the opportunity to gain some popularity and control. This meant that Utraquists posed a threat to the Catholic authorities. George of Poděbrady was an Utraquist who opposed the pro\-Catholic ruling party in Bohemia (the Czech Republic today) and captured the capital, Prague, in 1448\. The pro\-Catholic Hapsburg king Ladislav was a minor at the time, and a compromise was reached to allow George to rule as regent until the king came of age. Ladislav came to power in 1453 but died suddenly in 1457, and George was elected king in 1458\. George refused to bend to the pope’s political wishes, and the pope attempted to turn the nobles against him. These religious/political hostilities continued in Bohemia for the next 150 years, and during that time a separate Utraquist church was formed. Utraquism became the standard in Bohemia. Finally, an Utraquist army was defeated by the armies of the Holy Roman Emperor at the Battle of White Mountain (near Prague) in 1620\. After that, Utraquism was outlawed in Bohemia. Today, [Protestants](what-is-a-Protestant.html) follow Utraquism, and the laity receive both the bread and wine at communion. The Roman Catholic Church now allows for the priest to have some discretion over whether he will allow it. Official Catholic teaching is that the body and blood of the Lord cannot be separated, so anyone who takes the bread actually receives both the body and blood of the Lord.
What was the Decian persecution?	Answer For a brief two years, Trajan Decius (AD 201—251\) was emperor of the Roman Empire, and he was no friend of Christians. In AD 250, the former senator, consul, and governor of Illyricum (modern\-day Serbia) further distinguished himself by leading his troops to victory over an army of Balkan rebels under the command of Pacatianus. A year earlier, Decius had defeated Philip the Arab, then Emperor of Rome, at the Battle of Verona. Elated by his victories on the battlefield, Decius’s army proclaimed their general the new Emperor of Rome in AD 249\. Under Decius’s rule, Christians throughout the empire suffered terribly. This, which [John Foxe](John-Foxe.html) listed as the seventh of the great Roman persecutions, is known as the Decian persecution. It began in AD 250 when the emperor decreed mandatory participation in a supplicatio. A supplicatio was a sacrifice offered to the pagan gods after important military victories or in times of national threat. Typically, Roman citizens offered a sacrifice of wine (similar to the Jewish drink offering) before partaking in the meat of a sacrificial animal, usually a bull or a goat. A supplicatio’s intended purpose was twofold: to gain favor from pagan deities and to strengthen the empire’s collective resolve. Faithful Christians would not willingly sacrifice to pagan gods. Until Decius’s rule, [persecution of Christians](Christian-persecution.html) had been confined to specific areas and were sporadic in nature; however, the Decian persecution affected believers across the Roman Empire. All Roman citizens, who numbered between 50 and 60 million, were required to participate in the supplicatio. Each participant was given a libellatici, that is, a certificate of compliance to prove he had obeyed the emperor’s edict. Christians who defied the edict were subject to torture, imprisonment, and death. Fabian, bishop of Rome, was the first Christian of prominence to suffer death at the hands of Decius. Wishing to escape the Roman government’s wrath, some Christians fled to safer locations. Others bribed local officials who were willing to issue falsified documents for a fee. Other Christians simply yielded to Rome’s demands; however, believers who participated in the official sacrificial ceremonies were generally excommunicated. While there are no reliable records indicating the number of Christians who were martyred during the Decian persecution, the Roman government’s mistreatment of dissenters was barbaric and widespread. Emperor Decius may have harbored a special hatred toward Christians, as Philip the Arab, whom Decius had battled, was said to have been a Christian convert. Not all historians believe Decius’s primary motivation in issuing his infamous decree was to harass Christians. There is no denying the measure of the emperor’s extreme hostility toward believers, but some historians contend his actions were intended, first and foremost, to bolster unity within the vast reaches of the Roman Empire. While Decius’s motivations are debatable, there is no denying his persecution resulted in unspeakable cruelty and the forfeiture of countless lives. Many Christians preferred death to satisfying Rome’s blasphemous demands. One such Christian, whose name was Nichomachus, was brought before Roman officials and ordered to bow to Rome’s pagan deities. Knowing torture and death awaited him, the condemned man replied, “I cannot pay that respect to devils, which is only due to the Almighty” (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, “The Seventh Persecution, Under Decius”). James, the half\-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ and a pillar in the early church, wrote, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4, ESV). Just as gold and silver are purified by intense heat, persecution is the “refiner’s fire” that strengthens the church. No one enjoys mistreatment, and suffering is something we all wish to avoid, but the “testing” of our faith produces a faith that endures—a pure, lasting faith that brings honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ. As to [suffering](suffering-of-this-present-time.html) brought about by trials, calamities, and persecution common among believers, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5b, ESV).
What is the meaning of “cleanse your hands, you sinners” in James 4:8?	Answer [James](life-James.html) observed a widespread problem of worldliness infiltrating the lives of Christians in the early church. He beckoned his readers to repent from their sinful ways and return to the Lord: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double\-minded” (James 4:8, ESV). James’ use of the phrase cleanse your hands linked his command in a spiritual and moral sense to the language of the ancient Jewish ceremonial rituals of worship. Whenever the priests entered the wilderness tabernacle and approached the altar to minister to the Lord, they were required to cleanse their hands and feet with water from the [bronze basin](bronze-laver.html): “They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations” (Exodus 30:21, ESV). James may have also had these words of King David in mind: “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god” (Psalm 24:3–4\). James’ charge to “cleanse your hands” focused more on the people’s worldly actions and outward deeds. God had issued a similar order through the prophet Isaiah: “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil” (Isaiah 1:16, HCSB). We get our hands dirty when we play in the world’s sandbox. We cleanse our hands by removing them from sinful pursuits and moral compromises and then seeking [God’s forgiveness](got-forgiveness.html). We purify our hearts through the inward renewal of the mind and spirit (Psalm 51:10\). The apostle Paul taught believers to give their bodies—including their hands—to God as “a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:1–2, NLT). James called the people “[double\-minded](double-minded.html)” because they continued to grasp tightly to the world while claiming to love and worship God. A parallel indictment characterized the people of Isaiah’s time: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13\). James saw that it was time for the people to tear down the walls of denial and get honest with themselves before God. He encouraged them to draw near to God in [genuine repentance](how-to-repent.html) by experiencing gut\-wrenching sorrow for their sins: “Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor” (James 4:9–10, NLT). Jesus Christ taught that inner purity is more important than outward, ritualistic cleansing: “The words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you” (Matthew 15:18–20, NLT; see also Mark 7:1–9, 14–15, 20–23; Luke 11:37–41\). When James said, “Cleanse your hands, you sinners,” he was speaking figuratively, using the washing of one’s hands as a symbol of repentance and the washing away of sin. In truth, we cannot cleanse ourselves from sin. Only God, through “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7, ESV). Christ shed His blood on the cross, providing the necessary sacrifice for our sins so that we could receive God’s forgiveness and complete cleansing (John 1:29; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12–22; 1 Peter 1:18–19\). We can now draw near to God “by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19–22, ESV).
Is the scientific method biblical?	Answer The scientific method is the systematic process by which a person seeks to solve a problem or answer a question in the realm of the natural sciences. The steps are as follows: 1\. Make an observation. 2\. Ask a question. 3\. Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation. 4\. Make a prediction based on the hypothesis. 5\. Test the prediction. 6\. Iterate: use the results to make new hypotheses or predictions. This method is used across multiple sciences, including biology, physics, geology, and many others. [Aristotle](Aristotelianism.html) is credited with developing the first known form of systematically analyzing nature and science. The Bible does not specifically enumerate the scientific method as a process to know and understand the world. If the point of the scientific method is to attain truth or knowledge, then it must not take precedence over the source of all knowledge, which is God Himself (Proverbs 2:6\). However, we can see forerunners to this process in the way that humans have interacted with the world from the very beginning. Humans have been asking “what if” and “why” for centuries, testing God’s world and God’s Word along the way. Eve wondered if she would really die if she ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6–7\). Abraham asked God if He would really destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16–33\). Moses asked God how on earth he could be the man for the job (Exodus 3:7–14\). Job asked God why tragedy had befallen him (Job 7:11–21\). These individuals were all seeking to understand the world around them. The scientific method is based on observation and an if\-this\-then\-that supposition to predict behavior or outcome. The scientific method has been successful in helping humanity understand much that happens in the natural world, and the result has been countless advances in industry, medicine, transportation, etc. The scientific method has also furthered the social sciences, archaeology, statistical analysis, and other diverse fields of study. All of creation is through and for the all\-powerful, all\-knowing God (Colossians 1:15–17\). He has created the universe in such a way as to make exploration and understanding possible—there are certain “laws” by which nature functions and identifiable patterns of behavior we can observe. God set the stars in their places (Psalm 8:3–4\), “set the earth on its foundations” (Psalm 104:5\), and “gave the sea its boundary” (Proverbs 8:29\). “The Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6\). Wonder and curiosity also come from God, and the scientific method is simply a way that mankind uses God\-given wonder and wisdom to better understand God’s creation. Thomas Torrance, theologian and minister, spent considerable time reconciling science and theology in a biblical way, seeing them as “allies in a common front where each faces the same insidious enemy, namely, man himself assuming the role of Creator” (Theological Science, Oxford University Press, 1969\). The scientific method, though not expressly communicated by the Bible, is [not in conflict](science-God.html) with it, either. Some of the great pioneers of science have been committed to a belief in God as the Creator and to learning of God’s handiwork through the scientific method. A few of the theists who have made a mark in science are: • Roger Bacon, an early advocate of the modern scientific method and the man responsible for popularizing the concept of the “laws of nature.” • William Turner, the “father of English botany.” • John Napier, the inventor of logarithms and known for promoting the use of decimals. • [Blaise Pascal](Blaise-Pascal.html), famous for developing “Pascal’s Law” in physics and “Pascal’s Theorem” in mathematics. • Robert Boyle, a founder of modern chemistry who did pioneering work in the scientific method. • Carolus Linnaeus, the “father of modern taxonomy.” • James Clerk Maxwell, who formulated electromagnetic theory and predicted the existence of radio waves. • Max Planck, the founder of quantum mechanics and winner of a Nobel Prize in Physics. • Sir Robert Boyd, a pioneer in space science.
What are miaphysitism and dyophysitism?	Answer The terms miaphysitism and dyophysitism are used to explain the nature of the incarnation and how Jesus should be thought of as both God and man. Dyophysitism is the position that Jesus is one person of one substance but with two different natures: one divine and one human. This term is from the Greek duo for “two” and physis for “nature.” Miaphysitism is the position that Jesus is one person of one substance with only one, fully integrated nature that is both fully human and fully divine. This term is from the Greek mia for “one” and physis for “nature.” The real difference comes down to whether Christ has two natures or one. The issue is not whether Christ is fully God and fully human, but in what way He is both. The Bible never explicitly answers these questions, but Bible\-believing Christians try to find the position that best accounts for all of the biblical evidence. Also, each of these positions has implications that need to be addressed. It helps to understand miaphysitism and dyophysitism in contrast to each other and in relation to some other views. [Apollonarius](who-was-Apollonius.html), who became bishop of Laodicea in 361, taught that Jesus had a human body and a divine nature, without a human mind or spirit. However, this would make Jesus something other than a genuine human, and Apollinarianism was rejected by the Council of Alexandria in 362 and the [Council of Constantinople](Council-of-Constantinople.html) in 381\. Another position put forward was that of [Nestorius](Nestorianism.html), who became bishop of Constantinople in 428\. This position states that Jesus had two natures so divided that He was actually two persons. However, this position was rejected, as Scripture is clear that Jesus is only one person and there is no indication that a human Jesus did anything independently of a divine Jesus or vice versa. Another position, the [monophysite position](monophysitism.html), also called Eutychianism after Eutyches, a church leader who lived 378—454, states that Jesus had one nature in which the human nature was fully absorbed by the divine nature and essentially became a third kind of nature. So, Jesus’ nature was more than human, but less than divine. A variation on this is that Jesus’ human nature was completely absorbed into his divine nature, so that only the divine nature remained. This would be similar to Apollinarianism, mentioned above. The orthodox position finally formulated at the [Council of Chalcedon](council-of-Chalcedon.html) in 451 tried to account for all of the biblical data. The council stated that Jesus is one person with two natures—one divine and one human. He is genuinely human and genuinely divine. Jesus exhibits characteristics of both. He can be exhausted, asleep in the boat, and then be awakened and command the storm to be still (Mark 4:37–41\). He can be tempted yet not sin (Hebrews 4:15\). Some will lump monophysitism and miaphysitism together. However, non\-Chalcedonian churches today who officially hold to miaphysitism (a number of [Eastern Orthodox churches](Eastern-Orthodox-church.html)) say they affirm that Jesus is fully divine and fully human in His nature and that their differences with dyophysites are merely semantic. Some Christian theologians get much exercised about differences like these. For the average Christian in modern times, such questions and distinctions may seem insignificant, if not mind\-numbing. At times, theologians may delve more deeply into areas of mystery and draw dogmatic conclusions that may reach beyond the straightforward propositions of Scripture. Likewise, sometimes ordinary Christians do not care about the more difficult implications of theological positions and formulations in favor of simply “I love Jesus” or “Jesus loves me.” Both errors should be avoided. We should care deeply about these things without being dogmatic where Scripture has not given us clear statements. Scripture does not directly address whether Jesus had two natures or one, fully integrated nature that did not confuse or dilute His human or divine qualities. In some cases, it may come down to semantics. If miaphysites affirm the full deity and full humanity of Jesus and also affirm that in His death He was an adequate representative of the human race so that He could atone for our sins as the second Adam (Romans 5:12–20\), then it would seem that they are thoroughly orthodox in this area, even though their position is close to (and often equated with) one that has been deemed heretical. In other instances, if one’s position leads to implications that are clearly unbiblical (denying either the humanity or deity of Christ, thus denying His ability to represent us on the cross), then the charge of heresy is warranted.
Who is Philippians 3:19 referring to when it says, “Whose god is their belly”?	Answer Our stomachs are insatiable. They can be filled temporarily, but the reality is, no matter what or how much we eat, we are sure to hunger again. For the believer, God satisfies spiritual hunger, but for the person “whose god is their belly,” true satisfaction will never come. In Philippians 3:18–19, Paul describes “the enemies of the cross of Christ” as those “whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things” (NKJV). These people whose god is their belly seek to fill their own appetites with earthly things and without God. They serve themselves and their [fleshly lusts](lust-of-the-flesh.html), and their end is destruction. In contrast, believers are [citizens of heaven](citizenship-in-heaven.html) (verse 20\), walking in the ways of God and trusting in the only One who can truly satisfy. [False teachers](false-teachers.html), whose god is their belly, live according to the flesh and pursue physical satisfaction. Unconcerned with spiritual growth, they eagerly take advantage of believers in order to fill their own stomachs. They glut themselves at the expense of God’s people. Self\-denial is not in their vocabulary. Paul urges believers to follow his example instead (Philippians 3:17\), as he is committed to “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (verse 14\). Believers are not to be deceived by false teachers (Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:8\). Jesus warned His followers that many would come in His name to deceive (Matthew 24:5\). Instead of following and teaching what God says, false teachers whose god is their belly believe and teach what they desire, what their audience wants to hear, or what gains popularity. They are not mistaken teachers with good intentions; they willingly deceive their hearers. They use godliness and faith as a means of financial gain (1 Timothy 6:5\). They “are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Romans 16:18\). Enemies of the cross, whose god is their belly, make a stand against God and Christ’s loving sacrifice. The cross is of supreme importance (Galatians 6:14\), and there is no neutrality in response to the cross. In sorrow, Paul describes the destiny of these enemies of the cross. “Even weeping,” Paul warns that the end of these people is destruction (Philippians 3:18\). Believers are called to a life of self\-denial to follow Christ: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and [take up their cross](take-up-your-cross.html) and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34–35\). A person whose god is their belly is not living for Christ but for self. Believers are also called to live for more than just this temporary reality on earth. The enemies of the cross have “set their mind on earthly things” (Philippians 3:19\). Those whose god is their belly are focused only on what is here and now and gratifying to the flesh. Believers are called to remember that their citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20\). Our heavenly identity changes our perspective in life’s difficulties and fuels the way we live. God’s Word tells us to “put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5; cf. Romans 8:13\). One day, “the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, . . . will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Philippians 3:20–21\). The believer’s body, including the belly, will one day be transformed and fit for glory. What a person believes is reflected in the way he lives. As Jesus said, “A tree is recognized by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33\). Unlike those whose god is their belly, a true child of God displays the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23\). True believers set their minds on heavenly things and live for the Lord. Their desires and priorities are in their proper place. As citizens of heaven, we remember that only God can fully satisfy. We know the One True God, and He is not our belly.

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