In the previous blog we saw in particular what Paul teaches in the 1st Thessalonians letter. The 2nd Thessalonians letter is a sequel to the first letter. This is evident not only from the numbering, but also from what Paul… Lees verder
In the 2nd Thessalonians letter, Paul provides additional teaching to his readers. Paul had only been in Thessalonica for three weeks (Acts 17:2) and had written to the Thessalonians in his first letter about the parousia (>presence, second coming) of… Lees verder
Prayer is often seen as reciting a prayer, as is done, for example, by praying a form prayer before eating. But the Bible understands prayer as not just speaking to God, but has a much broader meaning. We might call… Lees verder
The first words we find of Jesus recorded in the Bible were spoken at the age of twelve. He was in Jerusalem with his parents to celebrate the Passover festival there. On the way back, Joseph and Mary thought that… Lees verder
1 Corinthians 15 is the chapter that talks about resurrection and vivification. It tells that death is abolished (:26), swallowed up in victory (:54) and that therefore, because there will be no more death, vivification will be the ultimate part… Lees verder
In an earlier blog I pointed out that the word translated forgiveness in our Bible translations actually means deliverance. In both verses that I quoted from Paul’s letters, another word appears. It is the Greek apolutrosis, which is translated as… Lees verder
Although the concept of forgiveness plays a major role in the language used in Christianity, the word does not appear very often in the Bible. The Greek word aphesis (G859), which is translated as forgiveness, is found 17 times. Only… Lees verder
Paul encourages his friend Timothy in his second letter to have a pattern of sound words. What does he mean by this? What are healthy words and what does he mean by having a pattern? Sound words for Timothy were… Lees verder
Paul was a representative of Christ Jesus. That’s how he starts his letters. “Paul, apostle” (Greek: apostolos = delegate). He was delegated and set apart by God for the gospel of God (Rom.1:1). Paul had received a ministry from God,… Lees verder
I received a question from a reader of my previous blog: the ecclesia in Psalms 8 and 110, which perhaps more people have. I have been asked this question many times and that is why I think it would be… Lees verder
Paul bases an important part of his argument in Ephesians 1 on Psalm 8 and Psalm 110. In this passage he says that the Christ is seated at God’s right hand in heaven (Eph.1:20), a reference to Ps.110:1. Christ is… Lees verder
When Paul explains the gospel in his letters, he uses Adam several times as a type of Christ. Through Adam, sin and death entered the human world. Christ is the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45) and through Him those who… Lees verder
The book of Psalms is made up of five books and has beautiful structures. Anyone who has ever looked into this will recognize that they are of a Divine design. The book ends grandly, in Psalm 150, the last Psalm,… Lees verder
Paul explicitly calls himself an apostle of the Gentiles (=nations) a number of times. When it really comes down to it, Paul appeals to Caesar as a Roman, and therefore as a Gentile (Acts 25:11). This is in contrast to… Lees verder
For a long time I thought that the virgin birth was something that only happened in the Bible. And then only in one case, namely regarding the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the mother of the Lord Jesus,… Lees verder
Recently I spoke at a Bible study about Paul, apostle of the nations. There I was asked: what exactly is a Jew in the Bible? This study was mainly about Paul as an apostle of the Gentiles, but also about… Lees verder
This blog was previously published on December 21, 2015. Last changes made on May 21, 2024. Yesterday (December 21, 2015) I spoke in Urk about “the wise men from the east”. In my speech I quoted a prophecy from Num.24:17,… Lees verder
We find the expression, the living God, several dozen times in Scripture. God is called the living God, because He Himself lives and is incorruptible. This is in contrast to the dead and dumb idols, which do not live and… Lees verder
Genesis is the first book of the Bible and in it we find many fundamental truths that will be returned to later in Scripture. Think of the figure of Abraham, used as an example by Paul, but also by James.… Lees verder
Religion is always exclusive. It excludes (others). In addition, it is hypocritical, people say one thing but mean something else. In the religious world people speak of a God of love and with the same mouth they confess that anyone… Lees verder
In 2 Kings 6:24-7:20 we read a story in which the city of Samaria is besieged by the armies of the king of Aram. The siege causes great famine in the city (6:25). Elisha, who is a type of Christ,… Lees verder
Anyone who is familiar with the good news that God looks out for all and reconciles the universe to himself has, I think, heard this objection (or one like it). Will even Hitler be reconciled to God? That can’t be… Lees verder
When Paul announces the gospel that he was allowed to pass on, he speaks of the salvation of all people (1 Tim.4:10), the vivification of all people (1 Cor.15:22) and the justification of all people (Rom.5:18). Although the salvation, vivification and… Lees verder
King David is a wonderful type of Christ, the Son of David. At the birth of Jesus it is already announced that He would receive the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32). That will be fulfilled in the near… Lees verder
In Hebrews 10:1 the writer of Hebrews says that the law, the old covenant, has only a shadow of goods to come. The law pointed ahead to things that were yet to come. In one of Paul’s prison letters, the… Lees verder