How can we truly know God
Image Credit: geralt
Notes from a sermon preached on 20th May 2018 (Pentecost Sunday 2018), based on John 16:12-15.
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Bible
Dismissing Paul
Paul Barnett has written a very helpful, carefully applied, commentary on 1 Corinthians.
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Feeding the 4000
Matthew and Mark both record two feeding miracles. In Matthew 14:13-21 we have the feeding of the 5000; in Matthew 15:21-29 we have the feeding of the 4000.
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The angel Gabriel
Image Credit: SAJ-FSP
Angels don't normally have names in the New Testament. Why does Luke tell us that it was the angel Gabriel who appeared to Mary? Let's think this through.
Structure of Daniel 2-7
Image Credit: Rodney Campbell
Daniel chapters 2-7 are written in Aramaic; the rest of Daniel (chapter 1, and chapters 8-12) are in Hebrew.
The most obvious way to divide Daniel into two is to note that Daniel chapters 1-6 contain stories about Daniel, whereas chapters 7-12 contain visions seen by Daniel.
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What is an "Apocalpyse"
I'll just park this here for future reference.
Sometimes you see writers say that certain parts of the Bible are written in the "apocalyptic" style of writing.
Recognising the "genre" of part of the Bible can be very important when it comes to reading it properly. For instance, parables and historical narrative communicate in very different ways; you'd completely misread the gospels if you confused them.
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The Fall of Arrogant Rulers
Image Credit: Margie Savage
“There seems to be one fundamental law of a very solemn kind which touches this question of judgement; and when I turn to the ancient prophets and recall the limited area of history they had at their disposal for making their inductions, I am always surprised at the curious aptness with which they seem to have found the formula in this connection — a formula which they put in a special position of priority.
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Change of person in Daniel 4
Image Credit: Bob West
Some commentators worry themselves about the fact that Daniel 4 is a mixture of first person account (Nebuchadnezzar speaking) and third person account (another narrator, writing about Nebuchadnezzar). They think this indicates that Daniel 4 was originally two different accounts, clumsily edited into what we now have.
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The mercy of God at Pentecost
Image Credit: Kristina
Here, once again, is David Gooding, in his book True to the Faith.
Read this slowly, let it sink in, and take time to enjoy the amazing mercy and grace of God shown that first Pentecost:
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Why Pentecost? Why that day?
Image Credit: Soreen D
Why Pentecost? Why did the Spirit come on the church on that day in particular?
It's a good question. Jesus ascended on a Thursday; the Spirit did not come for another 10 days. Why the wait? Jesus only said that they'd have to wait for "a few days", but 10 is longer than it might have been.
Perhaps it was just expedient. There would be multi-national crowds in Jerusalem over the Pentecost festival, making it a perfect time for them to hear the wonders of God in their own tongues.
Maybe.
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