Acts 28 – I love the image of Paul here at the end of Acts. He is a man who, under normal circumstances, would have no joy. He’s been falsely accused, spent a considerable amount of time …
Rome
38 posts
Acts 27 – It’s interesting to me that Paul could have fallen by the wayside so many times in his life. Luke gives us an amazing description of how and why Paul ended up in Rome. When …
Acts 25 – The reason Paul was able to appeal to Caesar and the higher court was because he was rightfully a Roman citizen. The tricky part, as I understand it, was that the Jews wanted to …
Acts 18 – Corinth had a bad reputation for being a city chock full of immorality. It was known as the hub for Aphrodite (fertility goddess) worship. It was also known for having a major temple dedicated …
Acts 13 – Paul and Barnabas visit multiple synagogues and work there way across the island of Cyprus from east to west. When they reached Paphos, they encounter a snag. A Jewish false prophet by the name …
Revelation 19 – After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are …
Revelation 18 – Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. Romans 12:19 NASB Paul’s words ring true …
Revelation 17 – We have already reiterated it over many chapters, but Rome stood proudly as a pagan symbol against Christ and His church. Here in Revelation 17, she is personified as a notorious prostitute. She represents …
Revelation 16 – The continuity of the seals and the trumpets is broken up with the bowls as they move seamlessly through all seven with no interlude between the 6th and 7th as we have traditionally seen. …
Revelation 14 – First question I asked myself… who is Babylon? John, again, is writing symbolically here. Literal Babylon was a mere fraction of what it had been in years past. But, the wording certainly plays into …
Revelation 13 – The First Beast At the end of Revelation 12, we read of Satan’s rage. He sets out to destroy the people of God. Now, in Revelation 13, we are introduced to the two henchmen …
Revelation 4 – The Throne We just recently studied the book of Ezekiel and Leviticus which have some strong ties to the language here in Revelation. Before God’s throne, John sees brilliant and vivid imagery that is …
Galatians 1 – Just like we see today in the political sphere, Paul was battling against two extreme views within the Christian movement. There were the Judaizers who were local Christians (Gentiles) that had succumbed to the …
1 Thessalonians 1 – In the opening verses of this letter, we read Paul’s words which seem to indicate he had a high regard for the church of the Thessalonians. He is assured of their calling, and …
Matthew 26 – Judas Iscariot is an interesting person to study. There are so many questions that center around his existence and ministry alongside Jesus. First, we must realize that even before Satan entered him, Judas had …
Matthew 24 – There is a break between verses 2 and 3 that separate the thoughts of Jesus. He starts by describing the ransacking of Jerusalem which eventually happened in 70 AD. Legend has it that future …
Matthew 19 – The topic of divorce was a hot-button issue back in Jesus’ time, and it remains the same today. Back then, it was the issue that ultimately landed John the Baptist in prison shortly before …
Matthew 10 – Jesus’ selections were complete. Among his disciples were some strange picks by human standards. Among those chosen were a tax collector, several fishermen, and a religious zealot who opposed Rome. Many were unschooled men. …
Matthew 9 – Interestingly, as Matthew writes his account of his own selection as a disciple, he chooses to use his new name, Matthew, instead of his old name, Levi. As Levi, he was a tax collector, …
Philemon 1 – Paul offers us a lesson in diplomacy and peacemaking. At the time, Paul was a prisoner in Rome and his friend Philemon was stationed in Colossae. We don’t know all the details but it …
Romans 16 – This is a phenomenal chapter that champions the role of women in the church. Romans 16 begins with an affirmation of a woman serving in a position of leadership. I commend to you our …
Romans 15 – This week, I learned a very relevant historical fact that alters the way I read and understand the book of Romans. The very first house churches in Rome would have been comprised of mostly …
Romans 2 – When you hold up God as the standard, as you should, that standard is one that not only condemns the person you are correcting but yourself as well. As the old saying goes, “You’re …
Romans 1 – John Calvin said of Romans, “When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.” Martin Luther praised the Book of Romans: “It is the …
John 18 – “While human politics is based on the premise that society must be changed in order to change people, in the politics of the Kingdom it is people who must be changed in order to …
John 5 – Bearing witness to yourself is not reliable in court. Jesus didn’t need to provide witnesses for His authority, but in His grace, He would. John the Baptist John’s lamp testified to Jesus but he …
Zechariah 2 – There is so much we could unpack in this short chapter of only 13 verses. It is rich with symbolism and prophecy. But I want to draw your focus to one section that stuck …
Obadiah 1 – Obadiah is unique in the sense that he one of the only minor prophets to address a nation other than Israel or Judah. Most likely being a contemporary of Elijah and Elisha, He would …
Daniel 7 – The prophetic part of Daniel starts here with Chapter 7. It is unlikely that we can know exactly what is being talked about here, or even the timing of these events. Scholars have differed …
Daniel 2 – What does Daniel’s interpretation mean? He tells us that the gold represents King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Empire. Three greater kingdoms would come after the reign of Babylon (silver, bronze, and iron). With each level, there …
2 Corinthians 10 – Most likely, Paul was dealing with a false teacher or many false teachers who had infiltrated the Corinthian church and discredited his ministry and teaching. He pivots here in chapter 10 to bring …
Mark 13 – No one knows the day or hour. This is a familiar passage, yet, there is one question that I’ve always wondered. If Jesus was both God and man, then why didn’t He know the …
Mark 3 – The healings of Jesus are well-documented and factual. Interestingly, the Jews did not dispute the healing power of Jesus, but rather, the source of that power. The Greeks did not dispute the healings either, …
Mark 1 – It’s fascinating to identify the different writing styles of the Gospel authors. Matthew began with genealogy. His mission was to write to the Jews and prove that Jesus was the heir to David’s throne. …
Luke 23 Commentary by Brad Boyles He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He …
Luke 19 – In Chapter 19, Jesus tells the parable of the ten minas. A mina was 1/60 of a talent and would have come out to around 3 months of wages. Jesus goes to Jerusalem to …