Bible Quotations

Bible Quotations We provide Bible Scriptures from the Old and New Testament to elevate your spirit in good times and

09/23/2020

The Gift of Human Freedom
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Everyone loves to receive a gift. Especially when the gift is something we want or need. It is a sign of the giver's love. And every time we use the gift, we remember the one who thought of us and gave it.

The Bible teaches that God loves to give good gifts to us (Matt 7:11). One of his best is the gift of human freedom.

In all likelihood few other concepts have been so misunderstood. At the same time, none is more important. Without a proper understanding of human freedom, we fall prey to two destructive extremes. On the one hand, we can demote humans to the status of "robots." On the other hand, we can convince ourselves— arrogantly, but wrongly— that we are "calling the shots." The Biblical concept of human freedom avoids both extremes and enables us to receive and use the wonderful gift God has given us.

God's gift of human freedom began with our creation in Genesis 1-2. Having been made in the image of God (Gen 1:27), Adam and Eve were given the gift of freedom. But it entailed a combination of liberty and limit. All plants and animals were given to them and placed under their control. The result was a marvelous unity and harmony in the creation. But God make it clear that they were not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were given liberty, but within a special limit.

This is the basic understanding of human freedom in Scripture: We are free, but not absolutely. This combination of liberty and limit characterizes the rest of Biblical history, and it continues to do so today. Before the fall, Adam and Eve (representing humanity) lived peacefully with that combination of liberation and limitation. But after the fall both their own personal story and the human story include tragic illustrations (i.e. the tower of Babel) of an insatiable desire to go beyond the boundary in the quest to expand the dimensions of human freedom.

09/02/2020

The New Testament
All Christian Bibles—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant—contain exactly the same NT books. Further, in modern editions, all use the following arrangement: The (four) Gospels and Acts, followed by the Pauline Letters and General (non-Pauline) Letters, and finally Revelation. The bulk of the NT (21 of 27 "books") consists of letters (the Greek term is "epistles"), 13 of which were written by the apostle Paul. Most of them are addressed to churches, a few to individuals. Acts provide background information for many of these letters.

The letters in the NT are not ordered chronologically, but rather on the basis of length. Thus, Romans is first among the Pauline Letters, because it is the longest, and Philemon is last, as the shortest. Similarly, Hebrews is first among the General (non-Pauline) Letters, and Jude is last. (Note: A second letter written to the same addressee is always attached to the first.)

"Where can I find more information about the NT books?" asked Joel.

"Perhaps the following references and comments will help...."

The Gospels and Acts
"These books are foundational to the NT and Christian faith. Thus a special introduction to "The Synoptic Gospels"

The Synoptic Gospels

A careful comparison of the four Gospels reveals that Matthew, Mark, and Luke are noticeably similar, while John is quite different. The first three Gospels agree extensively in language, in the material they include, and in the order in which events and sayings from the life of Christ are recorded. (Chronological order does not appear to have been rigidly followed in any of the Gospels, however.) Because of this agreement, these three books are called the Synoptic Gospels (syn, "together with"; optic, "seeing"; thus "seeing together"). For an example of agreement in content see Matt 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26. An instance of the verbatim agreement is found in Matt 10:22a; Mark 13:13a; Luke 21:17. A mathematical comparison shows that 91 percent of Mark's Gospel is contained in Matthew, while 53 percent of Mark is found in Luke. Such agreement raises questions as to the origin of the Synoptic Gospels. Did the authors rely on a common source? Were they interdependent? Questions such as these constitute what is known as the Synoptic Problem. Several suggested solutions have been advanced.
The use of oral tradition. Some have thought that tradition had become so stereotyped that it provided a common source from which all Gospel writers drew.
The use of an early Gospel. Some have postulated that the Synoptic authors all had access to an earlier Gospel, now lost.
The use of written fragments. Some have assumed that written fragments had been composed concerning various events from the life of Christ and that these were used by the Synoptic authors.
Mutual dependence. Some have suggested that the Synoptic writers drew from each other with the result that what they wrote was often very similar.
The use of two major sources. The most common view currently is that the Gospel of Mark and a hypothetical document, called Quelle (German for "source") or Q, were used by Matthew and Luke as a source for most of the materials included in their Gospels.
The priority and use of Matthew. Another view suggests that the other two Synoptics drew from Matthew as their main source.
A combination of most of the above. This theory assumes that the authors of the Synoptic Gospels made use of oral tradition, written fragments, mutual dependence on other Synoptic writers or on their Gospels, and the testimony of eyewitnesses.
(Taken from the NIV; The Reflecting God Study Bible
Page1431)

Authors of the Synoptic Gospels
The Gospel of Matthew
The early church fathers were unanimous in holding that Matthew, one of the 12 apostles, was the author of this Gospel. However, the results of modern critical studies—in particular those that stress Matthew's alleged dependence on Mark for a substantial part of his Gospel—have caused some Biblical scholars to abandon Matthean authorship. Why, they ask, would Matthew, an eye witness to the events of our Lord's life, depend so heavily on Mark's account? The best answer seems to be that he agreed with it and wanted to show that the apostolic testimony was not divided.
Matthew, whose name means "gift of the LORD," was a tax collector who left his work to follow Jesus ( 9:9-13). In Mark and Luke, he is called by his other name, Levi.

The Gospel of Mark
Although there is no direct internal evidence of authorship, it was the unanimous testimony of the early church that this Gospel was written by John Mark. The most important evidence comes from Papias (c. A.D. 140), who quotes an even earlier source as saying: (1) Mark was a close associate of Peter, from whom he received the tradition of the things said and done by the Lord; (2) this tradition did not come to Mark as a finished, sequential account of the life of our Lord, but as the preaching of Peter—preaching directed to the needs of the early Christian communities; (3) Mark accurately preserved this material. The conclusion drawn from this tradition is that the Gospel of Mark largely consists of the preaching of Peter arranged and shaped by John Mark. (see note on Acts 10:37).

The Gospel of Luke
The author's name does not appear in the book, but much unmistakable evidence points to Luke. This Gospel is a companion volume to the book of Acts, and the language and structure of these two books indicate that both were written by the same person. They are addressed to the same individual, Theophilus, and the second volume refers to the first ( Acts 1:1). Certain sections in Acts use the pronoun "we" ( Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16), indicating that the author was with Paul when the events described in these passages took place. By process of elimination, Paul's "dear friend Luke, the doctor" ( Col 4:14), and "fellow worker" ( Philemon 24) becomes the most likely candidate. His authorship is supported by the uniform testimony of early Christian writings (e.g., the Muratorian Canon, A.D. 170, and the works of Irenaeus, c. 180).
Luke was probably a Gentile by birth, well educated in Greek culture, a physician by profession, a companion of Paul at various times from his second missionary journey to his first imprisonment in Rome, and a loyal friend who remained with the apostle after others had deserted him ( 2 Tim 4:11).
Antioch (of Syria) and Philippi are among the places suggested as his hometown.

07/21/2020

Historical Books
The Historical Books (Joshua—Esther) constitute nearly one-third of the OT. Israel's earliest historians appear to have drawn on written documents as well as oral traditions in constructing their narrative of the past. Specific reference is made, for example, to "the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer" (1 Chronicles 29:29), "the book of the annals of Solomon"
(1 Kings 11:41), "the book of the annals of the kings of Judah"
(1 Kings 14:29), "the book of the annals of the kings of Israel"
(1 Kings 16:5), and "the annotations on the book of kings"
(2 Chronicles 24:27). Presumably these historians also made use of varied lists available to them—genealogies, records of populations and towns, and administrative documents (especially from the era of the kings)—such as letters, reports, and palace and temple records.

Scholars trace through the OT two larger connected narrative of Israel's history. The first (Joshua-2 Kings), is labeled the "Deuteronomistic History" since Deuteronomy serves as the flagship for the work's governing theological perspectives. This narrative of Israel's history portrays life in the promised land as a constant struggle to remain obedient to God's covenant. ultimately, Israel fails and falls under divine judgment: The nation and Davidic monarchy collapse; the temple is destroyed; the people go into exile.

The second history was written at the time of Israel's restoration from exile. Called by scholars the "Chronicler's History," it is contained in 1-2 Chronicles and may have included Ezra-Nehemiah. This version of Israel's history parallels Genesis-2 Kings, from Adam through the Davidic monarchy to the return from exile. The Chronicler points to David as the archetypal king and religious leader. While narrating Israel's failure and judgment, he envisions a future in which God's people live in holy community.

"You need to know, Joel, how important history is to understanding the Bible," I continued.

The Bible does not contain a comprehensive account of all human history. The line of persons and events it traces is called by scholars the "history of salvation." It is a narrative that begins with Israel and leads to Christ; details his incarnation, death and resurrection; reports the establishment of the church; and concludes with prophecies concerning the End. This narrative reveals not only what God has done and said but also includes a record of how people (including Israel) have responded.

A knowledge of Biblical history is important to a proper understanding of the books contained in it. They were not written in a vacuum, and each presumes and reflects particular historical circumstances. In large measure the message of the Bible is conveyed to us in the form of historical narrative. Moreover, a key aspect of its theology is based on and derives from the story of how—from Genesis to Revelation—God has been at work to save fallen humanity; to call forth a holy people as witnesses to His grace, power and holiness; and to establish His rule and reign on the earth.

Poetical Books
"Click HERE for a good introduction source to the Wisdom Literature. Here we will look at only a few comments on this category of books, as well as the Psalms.

The so-called "Poetical Books" include two major kinds of literature. Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes belong to an ancient tradition known as "Wisdom Literature." The Psalm and the Song of Songs, as music literature, represent another tradition.

Psalm—the "centerpiece of the Bible"—is a hymnbook, a collection of the best worship materials Israel produce during the period of its OT history. The Psalms have been extensively used throughout the history of the Christian church, in both public and private worship.

The Prophets
In Christian Bibles, the "major" prophets are first presented, followed by 12 "minor" prophets (at the end of the OT). These titles refer not to significance but to length (see note on the 12 minor prophets).

The major (i.e., longer) prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. Lamentations is attached to (and follows) Jeremiah, because Jeremiah is the presumed author of this book too. Daniel, like the book of Revelation, contains apocalyptic visions of the future; in the English Bible, it too is attached to the major prophets.

All of the prophets were spokesmen of God and applied God's word to the spiritual issues of their times (which were considerable, and not unlike many of those of our own day). They also predicted future consequences and divine actions. The NT claims that some of these were fulfilled in the life and death of Jesus Christ. Other prediction are still outstanding (i.e., future), such as
Isaiah 65:17-25.

An understanding of the historical context of each prophet's ministry is important to a proper interpretation of his message.

"How about the New Testament?" asked Joel, prompting me onward....

07/08/2020

A General Introduction to the Bible

"Interesting," Joel said, interrupting me. "Could you tell me more about the OT books?"

"Sure. I'll introduce them by categories."

The Old Testament (OT)
Genesis is the book of "beginnings." In the early chapters (1—11), Genesis tells about the beginnings of the earth, depicting God as the Creator of all things. It describes his creation of human beings and represents both male and female as made in the "image of God." It also reports the "fall" of humanity into sin by an act of disobedience to God, and the consequences of sin. The bulk of the book (chs. 12—50) narrates the lives of he patriarchs ("first fathers"): Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his son Joseph, showing God at work through them to call out and redeem a people unto Himself.

Exodus tells how God reveals Himself to His people Israel (the descendants of Jacob) as their Deliverer, redeeming them from bo***ge. This "mighty act" and the revelation of God's power to save are fundamental to both Jewish and Christian faith.

Leviticus reveals God as the "Holy One." His salvation has a goal: "Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." This expectation and appeal apply to both the people of Israel and Christian believers (Lev 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15).

The third book is called Numbers because twice in it a census or numbering of the people takes place. The book also contains the story of Israel's wanderings "in the wilderness" (the title of the book in the Hebrew Bible) en route to the promised land. The generation who experienced God's deliverance from Egypt failed to enter because of unbelief and rebellion. The NT, on the basis of this story, exhorts Christian believers, "Be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it" (Heb 4:1).

Deuteronomy involves the reiteration or renewal of the covenant between God and the next generation, those who entered the promised land. Its clear stipulation of the terms of God's covenant provides all subsequent Biblical writers (particularly the historians and prophets of the OT) a basis for judging human conduct in the light of God's law.

06/30/2020

A General Introduction to the Bible
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This introduction to the Bible is part of a greater work done by Zondervan Press in the NIV-Reflecting God Study Bible.

"I think I've figured it out," said Joel. "The Bible is like an anthology, of writings by different authors, all bound in one volume.

"That's correct. Let me explain...."

Our Christian Bibles actually contain two collections of materials, bound in a single volume. Both collections are regarded as divinely inspired and, properly interpreted, authoritative in matters of faith and doctrine.

The first is called the Old Testament (OT). Originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, it contains the Scriptures of God's chosen people, the Jews. The second is called the New Testament (NT). Originally written in Greek, it contains Christian writings from the first century, the era of Jesus' life and ministry and the beginnings of the church.

While all Christian Bibles contain exactly the same books in the NT, they differ somewhat in the OT. Most Protestant Bibles are identical in content with the Hebrew Bible of the Jewish people. The two do vary, however, in the names and ordering of the books.

The books of the Hebrew Bible are arranged in three major groupings: the Law (or, Torah), the Prophets and the Writings. Christian Bibles arrange the books as follows: the Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Poetical Books and the Prophets.

Roman Catholic editions of the OT contain the same books as do the Protestant Bibles, plus seven others (and additions to Daniel and Ester). The Greek Orthodox Church adds four more.

These additional books come from the Greek Bible, called the Septuagint, used by the first-century church. Though not regarded by Protestants as canonical (i.e., inspired and authoritative), they are included in some modern editions of the Bible. Labeled as the Apocrypha or the Deuterocanonical books, they are usually placed between the OT and NT since most of them have their origins in the "intertestamental" period. Scholars regard these books as important to understanding the immediate historical backgrounds to the NT.

"Interesting," Joel said, interrupting me. "Could you tell me more about the OT books?"

"Sure. I'll introduce them by categories."

06/25/2020

Since we are going to be quoting from the Bible, I want to take this opportunity to start with a summary of what the Bible is and how the books are a lamp to our feet. The following is a passage that will shed some light on the polar opposite points of view concerning the Bible:

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here too, Heaven is opened and the gates of Hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

While these words are not part of the sacred text of the Bible, the thoughts expressed here reflect all that the Bible reveals about man and man’s relationship to God.

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