This is Matthew ‘the Taxman’ Apostle, coming to you live and ringside, bringing you blow by blow coverage for this evening’s main event. We’ve got quite a bout for you tonight, Folks… a real David and Goliath struggle for power that promoters have dubbed “the Contest of Kings.”...
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December 13, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
Extreme stress has a way of bringing out your true nature. In dire circumstances, some reveal the selfish and corrupt side of being human, others, however, rise above the fear and panic and reveal godly character. In them, some small part of the image of God shines forth in...
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September 28, 2022 Praveen Hiwale
Biblical Studies, New Testament Studies
Question: How do you think the newly formed church thrived in the face of persecution and prospered spiritually in spite of the martyrdom of Stephen and James? First Answer: The Twelve Apostles were leading the church through the power of the Holy Spirit in effective witness to the...
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September 26, 2022 Mithun Borde
Biblical Studies, New Testament Studies, Uncategorized
I love discovering deeper layers of meaning in books and movies than stand out on the surface. I thrill when, having read or watched something on one level, I discover upon further personal meditation or discussion with others the true profundity of the work. Of the many things...
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September 23, 2022 Andrew Sargent
New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT, Uncategorized
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. It is not uncommon when teens grow into young adults to mistake their college level introduction to philosophy, theology, science, or even biblical studies (often from faithless instructors) as worldview shattering enlightenment. Arrogance in this “knowledge” often overwhelms faith. In...
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September 22, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
John the Baptist is an important figure in all four gospels. Mark begins with John’s baptisms, Luke with the events of his birth, and John weaves him into the prologue of the incarnation as one sent from God. One thing that the New Testament does NOT begin with,...
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August 10, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
When Jesus called Peter to become a fisher of men, I seriously doubt he had any thought of the role he would someday play in fulfilling Israel’s sacred mission to the Gentiles. For him, one who most closely related to the older brother in The Parable of The...
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August 8, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Studies, New Testament Studies
Jesus’ manifesto in Luke 4:18-19 says: THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE...
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August 5, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Studies, New Testament Studies
When trying to understand one of Jesus’ parables, there are four vital questions to answer about it. Let’s go over them. Question #1: What is the nature of the details in a parable? Is it a pure Allegory? Allegory is an extended metaphor. Metaphor equates two things...
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August 3, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Studies, HAGALAH, New Testament Studies
When going to Bible college, my professors were wont to say that God’s ten plagues against Egypt were attacks against the gods of Egypt. Did not Yahweh say to Moses in Exodus 12:12, “…on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD”? Just as...
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August 1, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
The story of the burning bush is rather famous among Sunday School aficionados. In fact, in a completely made up nation-wide survey of 5-10 year olds who attended church at least bi-monthly with their families in 2019—there were not enough kids for the 2020 study—the story of the...
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July 29, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
The story of Cain and Abel is usually heralded as a classic tale of sibling rivalry, hate, and murder. It is a tale of persecution, the godless hating the righteous. Is this not the very perspective of none other than Jesus Himself in Matthew 23:35? While this is...
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July 27, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
Oaths are self-curses made before God or gods to establish the trustworthiness of promises or testimony. Oaths were religious tools for securing good faith between potential enemies so that they might have some relationship or safe interaction. Think of our common school yard oath, “Cross my heart and...
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July 25, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
Believe it or not, John 5 should be read in light of John 9. If you take John 5 out of the gospel and read it by itself, you will fail to gain several insights into that story that its brother story in John 9 is meant to...
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July 22, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
Pst… Psst… Pssst… Hey! You! Come over here, I want to tell you something you won’t believe about John 4. It blew my mind. Doing Old Testament Studies, sometimes you discover something wonderful about the New Testament. Not too long ago I discovered something magical about John 4...
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July 20, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
If a Bible reader had to nominate some group in Scripture for “Most Hated,” I doubt many would name anyone other than the tax collectors. In fact, tax collectors are singled out for scorn directly or indirectly over 30 times in the synoptic gospels. Jewish hatred for tax...
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July 18, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
If a Bible reader had to single out some group in the Bible who seemed particularly despised, I doubt many would name anyone other than the tax collectors. In fact, they are singled out for scorn directly or indirectly over 30 times in the synoptic gospels. Are we...
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July 15, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
This Christmas, I refuse to stoke my own superior minded ego by telling you all the things we Christians get wrong about the visit of the Magi… how they don’t actually show up on the night of Jesus’ birth… how they most likely weren’t kings… how we have...
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July 11, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
Happy New Years!!! Whoopdeedoo! The calendar went back to January 1st, alert the media, break out the fireworks, dance in the streets… with coats and mittens. Why do we make such a big tadoo over it? Is it not just a calendar… just one more trip around the...
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July 8, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
One of my favorite things to study in the Bible is the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament. I say USE because the New Testament writers do many things with the Old Testament, only one of which is to interpret it for us. They apply it, draw...
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July 6, 2022 Andrew Sargent
Uncategorized
