(Luke 4:16) According to Colossians 1:16 and Hebrews 1:2, the pre-incarnate Christ was directly involved in the creation process. These texts declare that all created things came into existence through Him. Paul further expresses that Christ had a part in creating invisible things (Col. 1:16-17), which would, of course, include the Sabbath. Although Christ was central … Continue reading –>
(Exod. 20:8-11) Although many refer to the seventh day as the Jewish Sabbath, the Bible reveals that the Sabbath predates the Jews by many centuries. Its roots go back to the Creation itself. Genesis 2:1-3 declares that after God had completed His acts of creation in six days, He rested on the seventh day and … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 2:1-3, Heb. 1:1-3, Acts 13:14, Mark 2:23-28, John 5:1-9, Isa. 65:17. Memory Text: The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28, NKJV). The vast majority of Christian denominations observe Sunday as the … Continue reading –>
Patricia lives in central Cameroon. She’s a lot like other girls. She likes to jump rope and talk with her friends. But in some ways Patricia is different from other children. She has HIV and often feels sick. Two years ago Patricia’s mother died of AIDS, and Patricia and her sister went to live with … Continue reading –>
Further Study: Ellen G. White, The Sermon on the Mount, pp. 298-314 in The Desire of Ages. Jesus takes up the commandments separately, and explains the depth and breadth of their requirement. Instead of removing one jot of their force, He shows how far reaching their principles are, and exposes the fatal mistake of the … Continue reading –>
(Matt. 5:38-48) It appears that the common theme here (Matt. 5:38-48) is revenge. This first theme concerns the many commandments in the Mosaic law that are built on the principle of repaying a crime with an equal punishment, an idea called lex talionis, a Latin term meaning law of retaliation. As we see in a … Continue reading –>
(Matt. 5:33-37) The first two antitheses (murder and adultery) are based on the Decalogue. The antithesis regarding divorce and the ones that follow are taken from other sections of the Mosaic law, including the one about swearing falsely and performing oaths to the Lord. Read Leviticus 19:11-13. What specific points do we find here? See also … Continue reading –>
(Matt 5:27-32) Jesus’ next example involves commandments concerning adultery. He first cites the seventh commandment, You shall not commit adultery. In the context of the law of Moses, adultery took place when a married person was sexually involved with someone other than a spouse. The law was very clear that both parties found guilty of … Continue reading –>
(Matt 5:21-26) After He clarified His intention to uphold the law, Jesus started to explain a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. He begins by citing the sixth commandment (Exod. 20:13) and summarizing, from the law of Moses, the penalty for violation (Exod. 21:12, Lev. 24:17). The sixth commandment does not include … Continue reading –>
Read again Matthew 5:17-20. How interesting that Jesus would greatly emphasize the law here, while at the same time making the statement that He did about the scribes and Pharisees, who so greatly emphasized the law, as well. What important lesson does this passage teach about true obedience to the law? Jesus begins this section … Continue reading –>
