Recall the context of these verses: The disciples had come to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah and that the establishment of His kingdom was imminent. As His closest followers they supposed they would occupy positions of importance in that kingdom, so that on their way back from Caesarea Philippi they had argued over…
Recall the context of these verses: The disciples believed Jesus was the promised Messiah and were expecting the imminent establishment of His kingdom after the manner of the kingdoms of this world with which they only were familiar. Others had ceased to follow Jesus because He was not fulfilling their expectations while they had remained…
How is Gehenna or “the fiery hell” different from Hades or Sheol, the place of the dead? Note: Gehenna was understood to be in Hades (NT Greek) or Sheol (OT Hebrew), where the departed spirits of all men went when their physical bodies died (cf. Num 16:29-33, 1Sa 28:8-19, Isa 14:9-15, Mat 11:23, Act 2:27). …
Consider again the context of the words in this passage that were spoken by Jesus to His closest disciples. They assumed that because they had continued to follow Jesus when others had fallen away (see Joh 6:66-69) that they would occupy positions of importance in His kingdom. Would we not think the same? And yet…
What is a stumbling block? Note: the Greek word used is skandalon from which we get our scandal; in the LXX it is used for a noose or snare, and is properly the baited trap-stick, the moveable stick or trigger of a trap; see Jos 23:13, Jdg 2:3, 8:27, 1Sa 18:21, Psa 106:36, 140:5, 141:9. …
Read Mark 9:33-37 where Mark describes the conversation that took place in the context of the argument (Luk 9:46) that had arisen among the disciples as to which of them was the greatest (Mar 9:34). What did John say in response to Jesus’ correcting their faulty understanding of what it means to be great in…
Recall that Jesus’ disciples believed the establishment of Christ’s kingdom was imminent and that they as His followers would occupy positions of prominence in it after the manner of the worldly kingdoms with which they were only familiar. As a result, an argument had arisen among them as to which of them was or would…
In light of the disciples’ perceptions of the imminence of Christ’s kingdom appearing after the manner of the kingdoms of the world, what would their thoughts have been about the privilege and prestige of its chief officers and leaders? Who would they have supposed those leaders to be? What had recently happened that would seem…