There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— Ecclesiastes 3:1 NASB Time – How difficult it is for us to not read this verse (and the following elaboration) as if it is about dates on the calendar! The addition of just a few extra words pushes…
Monreale and Marsala (Sicily)
These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations. Genesis 10:31 NASB Families – Italy. Ah, imagine the life. Beautiful scenes. Amazing architecture. More amazing food. Our images of life here aren’t just shaped by travel brochures. They are formed by movies like…
therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; Genesis 3:23-24a NASB Sent/Drove – If your Bible has chapter and section headings, then it probably says something like this before you even begin to read Genesis 3: “The Fall of Man.” …
Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. Jeremiah 17:5 NASB Cursed – What does it mean to be cursed? Be careful. The Hebrew word ʾārar might not be what you think about curses. “A striking fact is that there is such…
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 NIV Do to others – What is the greatest commandment? The scribe asked Yeshua and received a two-pronged answer. Love God and do unto others. The two are essentially equal. Perhaps…
who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, Galatians 1:4 NASB Who gave Himself for our sins – “Jesus died on the cross so that I could be saved.” That’s the way we usually interpret this phrase. But is that…
and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Galatians 1:2 NASB Churches – In 1349, a ship carrying wool set out from England, bound for some destination in the north. During its journey, crew members started dying. Attempts to quarantine the sick on board failed. The Black Plague took one person after…
“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ Matthew 5:33 NASB Make false vows – The rabbis never had to deal with exegetical issues in the book of Matthew. They may have never read Matthew’s gospel. But we do, and so…
“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. Genesis 9:6 NASB By – Is abortion murder? That’s the rabbinic concern with the translation of this verse. Oh, you thought this verse was about a court determining the basis of capital punishment. But that’s because…
