Category Archives: bible

NT Doctrine — Acts 6:1-8

There’s a lot of background to this lesson that is not obvious to casual readers. First is that local Judean people were clannish. Despite the urbanization around Jerusalem, and the significant influx of Gentile influences through first the Greeks, and … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — Acts 5:12-42

It was summer in Jerusalem. There was more than one kind of heat, though. The gospel of Jesus burned like a bonfire in His disciples.Luke tells us the miracles that accompanied Jesus were even more prevalent in the Apostles. One … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — Acts 4:23-5:11

This blossoming congregation in the precincts of Jerusalem was becoming a nation within the nation of Judah. The first verse in our selection notes that, having been released by the Sanhedrin, Peter and John returned to their growing household. Luke … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — Acts 3:1-4:22

It didn’t take long for the Jewish leadership to take offense at this explosion of faith in Jesus. Diaspora or not, the crowd of Jesus’ disciples was growing, and their presence was strongly felt in the city. Jesus had said … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — Baptism

The English word “baptism” is taken from the Greek word baptizo used in the New Testament to signify the ancient Hebrew ritual washing. The Hebrew word most commonly associated with the practice is mikveh, which means “a gathering of waters”. … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — Acts 2

The symbolism is so thick you could cut it with an ax. The Day of Pentecost is just another name for First Fruits. In this chapter of Acts, we are about to see the first fruits of the New Covenant … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — Acts 1

(For this chapter, I can find no reason to rewrite the commentary I’ve already published elsewhere.) Luke mentions that Jesus in His resurrected form remained for some 40 days on earth. During that time, He met with His disciples extensively … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — Matthew 28:16-20 & Luke 24:50-53

There is no strong consensus on the days Jesus spent on earth after His resurrection. We know that He met with His disciples twice in Jerusalem at both ends of the week of Unleavened Bread. The parallel passage at the … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — John 21

John was humble enough to make his final chapter about Peter, the appointed leader of the Twelve. This was his endorsement of that appointment, though he published his Gospel long after Peter and the others were dead for at last … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — John 20

Parallels: Matthew 27, Mark 16 and Luke 24. Jesus lay in the tomb. As the Lamb, He died on the day of Passover, a High Sabbath. Then, there had been the regular Sabbath the next day. Finally, in the wee … Continue reading

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