Read Acts 17:16-32. In Acts chapter 17, Paul tried to deliver the gospel message in a new context: the philosophy of Greek culture. How do different cultural backgrounds impact how we evaluate the importance of various ideas? A background knowledge of Near Eastern culture is helpful for understanding some biblical passages. “For example, Hebrew culture attributed … Continue reading –>
The Bible was written in very ancient languages: the Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, with a few passages in Aramaic, while the New Testament was written in Koine Greek. The majority of the world population today does not speak and read those ancient languages. Hence, the Bible has to be translated into different … Continue reading –>
Read Luke 24:36-45. What prevented the disciples, who were very familiar with Scripture, from seeing the true meaning of the Word of God, even when events predicted in it had unfolded before them? No one comes to the text of Scripture with a blank mind. Every reader, every student of Scripture, comes to the Bible with … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 24:36-45; 1 Cor. 12:10, 1 Cor. 14:26; Acts 17:16-32; John 12:42-43. Memory Text: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV). To read the Bible also means … Continue reading –>
Road to Jesus By Antonis Matsoukaros I grew up in Cyprus, a Christian country. But my family was only nominally Christian. When I was 12, I became sick, and no doctor could make we well. So, I began to seek God. I visited various churches in hope of finding healing. I bowed before images and … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: In the chapter on Biblical Interpretation in the Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, read the sections on The Analogy of Scripture: “Scripture Is Its Own Interpreter”, The Consistency of Scripture, and The Clarity of Scripture, pages 64-66. Read chapter 20, “Bible Teaching and Study”, in the book Education, pages 185-192; “The Primacy of the Word” in Selected Messages, book … Continue reading –>
Read Isaiah 8:20. Why is it always important to refer back to the biblical “law and testimony” as the norms for our teaching and doctrine? What does this mean for the ministry of prophets who have not become part of the biblical canon? When we talk about sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Seventh-day Adventists are inevitably confronted with the … Continue reading –>
Only because there is an underlying unity of Scripture can the Bible function as its own interpreter. Without such unity, Scripture could not be the light that reveals its own meaning, where one portion of Scripture interprets other portions and thus becomes the key to understanding related passages. Read Luke 24:27, Luke 24:44-45. How does Jesus refer … Continue reading –>
Any appeal to Scripture alone makes little sense if the text of the Bible is unclear in its meaning. Read Matthew 21:42; Matthew 12:3, Matthew 12:5; Matthew 19:4; Matthew 22:31; Mark 12:10, Mark 12:26; Luke 6:3; Matthew 24:15; and Mark 13:14. What does Jesus’ repeated referral to Scripture imply regarding the clarity of its message? The biblical testimony is unambiguous: the Bible is sufficiently clear … Continue reading –>
The Bible itself claims that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16, NIV) and that “no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation”, and that men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21, NIV). With God as the Bible’s ultimate author, we can assume a fundamental unity … Continue reading –>
