The Bible has much to say about leadership and authority within the home. There are differing perspectives on exactly who God intends to be the head of the household. Some key points to consider include: Husbands called to lead There are several passages that specifically instruct husbands to take responsibility for leading their families spiritually. For example: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her…In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (Ephesians 5:25-28) “Husbands, live…
Author: Richard Curi
A burnt offering in the Bible is a type of sacrifice offered to God. It was a common feature of ancient Israelite worship as prescribed in the Old Testament. The burnt offering symbolized the total dedication and surrender of the worshipper to God. Origin and Purpose of Burnt Offerings The practice of burnt offerings appears to have originated very early in human history. In the biblical Book of Genesis, Abel brings “fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock” as an offering to the Lord (Genesis 4:4). Throughout the Book of Genesis, the patriarchs like Noah and Abraham…
The Jerusalem Bible (JB) is a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible into English that was first published in 1966. The full name is The Jerusalem Bible: Reader’s Edition. It was the first major modern English Bible translation to be published after the Revised Standard Version in 1952. The Jerusalem Bible was translated directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts into English by a group of scholars at the École Biblique in Jerusalem. The École Biblique is a prestigious Dominican school of biblical higher criticism located in Jerusalem. The translation itself was overseen by Alexander Jones, a biblical…
The question of which church is the true church is an important one for Christians. At its core, it is asking how we can identify the church that Jesus Christ founded and recognizes as His own. Scripture provides some key pieces of evidence to help discern the true church that Jesus established. The Church is Founded on Jesus Christ The true church recognizes Jesus Christ as its founder and head. Ephesians 5:23 states that Christ is “the head of the church.” And Colossians 1:18 calls Christ “the head of the body, the church.” Any church that is the true church…
The story of Lazarus being raised from the dead by Jesus is one of the most remarkable miracles recorded in the Bible. It is found in John 11:1-44. Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha who lived in Bethany. When Lazarus became ill, his sisters sent word to Jesus that “the one you love is sick” (John 11:3). However, Jesus did not go right away to Bethany, but waited two days before departing. When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Martha met Jesus and told him if he had been there, Lazarus…
The Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) is an English translation of the Bible published by the World Bible Translation Center. The ERV aims to make the Bible accessible and understandable to all readers, including those with low literacy levels or learning disabilities. Here are some key points about the Easy-to-Read Version (ERV): The ERV uses simple vocabulary and grammar to make the text easier to comprehend. It avoids complex theological terms and obscure language. The translation style is meant to sound like natural, everyday English when read aloud. Sentence structure and word order are simplified. The ERV divides long, complex sentences into…
The concept of “dying to self” is found throughout the New Testament. It speaks to the idea that in order to truly follow Christ, we must die to our old sinful nature and become alive in Christ. Here is an overview of what the Bible teaches about dying to self: We must die to sin and self Romans 6:2 says “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” The old self ruled by sin must die so that we can live a new life in Christ (Romans 6:6-7). Just as Christ died and was raised to…
William Carey was an English Baptist missionary and is considered the “Father of Modern Missions”. He was born in 1761 in the village of Paulerspury in Northamptonshire, England. Carey was raised in the Church of England but was converted to the Baptist faith when he was 18 years old. After becoming a Baptist preacher, Carey became passionate about taking the gospel to faraway lands. At the time, it was still uncommon for Protestants to engage in overseas missionary work. In 1792, Carey authored a short booklet titled “An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion…
In the Bible, a scorner is someone who treats God’s word and truths with contempt, mocks at righteousness and scoffs at those who seek to live according to God’s ways. The scorner is often contrasted with the wise and upright person who fears the Lord and pursues holiness. The Book of Proverbs has the most to say about scorners. Proverbs 9:7-8 warns, “Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.” This passage shows…
The story of Jesus allowing demons to enter a herd of pigs is found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Here is the account from Luke 8:26-39 (ESV): 26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with…