A theologian or theologist is someone who studies theology, which is the study of God and religious beliefs. Theology comes from the Greek words theos meaning “God” and logos meaning “word.” So theology is literally “words about God.” The Bible does not use the specific terms “theologian” or “theologist,” but it does speak about people who carefully studied the Scriptures and sought to understand God’s truth. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul was well-versed in Old Testament theology and presented deep spiritual truths in his letters. Apollos was described as an eloquent man with a thorough knowledge of the…
Author: Mike Solis
Jesus’ statement about fulfilling all righteousness is found in Matthew 3:15, which says “But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’” This statement was made in response to John the Baptist’s reluctance to baptize Jesus, since John felt that Jesus should be baptizing him instead. So what did Jesus mean by this intriguing statement? To understand Jesus’ meaning, we first need to examine the context. Jesus had traveled from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, who was preaching a baptism of repentance for the…
Nomina sacra (Latin for “sacred names”) refers to a special way of abbreviating certain important divine names and titles in early Greek New Testament manuscripts. These abbreviations were typically formed by taking the first and last letters of the word and placing an overline above them. Some of the most common nomina sacra abbreviations include: ΘΣ for Θεός (God) ΚΣ for Κύριος (Lord) ΙΗΣ for Ἰησοῦς (Jesus) ΧΣ for Χριστός (Christ) ΠΝΑ for Πνεῦμα (Spirit) ΥΣ for Υἱός (Son) ΠΗΡ for Πατήρ (Father) ΑΝΟΣ for ἄνθρωπος (man/human) ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣ for σταυρός (cross) ΜΗΡ for μήτηρ (mother) The origin and purpose of…
Discerning the will of God is a topic that many Christians struggle with. We all want to know God’s plan for our lives, but figuring out what exactly that is can often feel confusing. The Bible provides wisdom and guidance to help us understand how God leads and directs His people. Here are some key biblical principles for discerning God’s will: Renew your mind In order to discern God’s will, we need to have a renewed mindset that aligns with God’s truth and priorities. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the…
Ahinoam of Jezreel was one of King David’s wives mentioned in the Old Testament books of Samuel. Her name in Hebrew means “My brother is pleasantness”. She was originally from Jezreel and later married David after he became king of Judah in Hebron. Here is a detailed overview of what the Bible reveals about Ahinoam: Ahinoam’s Marriage to David The first reference to Ahinoam comes in 1 Samuel 25:43, which states that after David married Abigail, he also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. This happened while David was still living in the wilderness and running from King Saul. At this point,…
The prophet Isaiah spoke of a “covenant with death” that will be annulled in Isaiah 28:18, which says “Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.” To understand this verse, we need to examine the context. In Isaiah 28, Isaiah was pronouncing judgement on the kingdom of Judah for their lack of faith and trust in God. The leaders of Judah had made an alliance with Egypt to protect themselves from the Assyrian empire (Isaiah 28:14-15). This…
2 Peter 3:17 says “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.” This verse comes in the context of Peter’s warnings about false teachers who will arise and lead people astray. The phrase “fall from your secure position” refers to believers being led away from the truth of the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ into destructive heresies and immoral living. There are a few key things this phrase communicates: 1. Believers have a secure position in Christ Peter calls his readers “beloved”…
Grumbling, complaining, and arguing are common human behaviors that happen when we focus on the negatives in life. However, the Bible warns believers against engaging in these damaging attitudes and actions. Here are some key Bible verses that address grumbling and provide wisdom on how to overcome discontentment. Exodus 16:2-3 In the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate…
The concept of a “foothold” in spiritual terms refers to giving ground or opportunity for evil spirits to gain influence and exert control in a person’s life. It is based on the biblical understanding that there is a spiritual realm beyond the physical, consisting of God’s holy angels as well as fallen angels or demons who oppose God and seek to harm people. Several key biblical passages address this idea of footholds and provide insight into how they operate: Ephesians 4:27 – “And do not give the devil a foothold.” This verse directly warns believers not to give the devil…
The Bible has a lot to say about the importance of dignity and how we should treat others with respect. Here are some key Bible verses about dignity: Genesis 1:26-27 – Made in God’s Image These famous verses remind us that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, which gives all people inherent dignity and worth: “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth…