ENDURANCE THROUGH suffering. That’s the overarching message of the epistle of 1 Peter. But there’s a lot more in there that we had forgotten.
In his letter to the “exiles” — which probably meant the Jewish converts outside Israel, but could also mean we Christians living in a world surrounded by the Enemy and their agents — Peter exhorts women to subject themselves to their husbands, and for husbands to honor our wives so that our “prayers may not be hindered.”
Filed under Bible Study, New Testament
OUR STUDY in the New Testament this week focuses on military formations and tactics, although it might not seem that way at first. We cover Ephesians 5 and 6, with a lot of time on the passages that instruct husbands and wives on their relationships to one another and a description of the whole armor of God — and why those verses describe a holding action and not an attack on the Enemy.
Filed under Bible Study, New Testament
Camel in front of the “needle gate” at Nazareth
MARRIAGE AND divorce can be sensitive topics, so it’s no wonder the scribes and Pharisees tried to use them to trip up Jesus. As with every encounter between them, however, Jesus turned the tables and discredited his antagonists.
We discuss the request by James and John to sit at Jesus’ right hand in his kingdom, the cursing of the fig tree, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and several well-known parables, including the rich young ruler, the laborers in the vineyard, and the parable of the tenants.
Filed under Bible Study, New Testament
GOD’S STANDARDS of morality as revealed in His word are a lot more egalitarian than skeptics will admit. Today we discuss God’s instructions for caring for the poor, widows, and orphans, and we go into some depth on marriage, divorce, and gender roles for men and women.
Note chapter 22 of Deuteronomy. Skeptics love to point to this chapter for examples of the barbaric nature of Yahweh. They prove nothing except that anyone can take passages out of context (especially by ignoring the New Covenant in Christ) to make a point.
Filed under Bible Study, Old Testament
