vv.1-10: “The purpose of James’s discussion of the tongue and wisdom appears in this next section. There were struggles in the Christian community James was writing to. Each person wanted their own way and their own advantage. James makes it very clear that these struggles are not from God and calls on those involved to [...]
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debbiefitz
vv.1-12: “The first point that James needs to make is that the tongue is a powerful tool for evil. He does this through a long, careful argument. “The tongue is the chief tool of the teacher, so that is where James begins. Not many of you should presume to be teachers means more accurately ‘not [...]
vv.1-12: “There is no doubt that there must have been social problems in the early church. The Church was the only place in the ancient world where social distinction did not exist. There must have been a certain initial awkwardness when a master found himself sitting next his slave or when a master arrived at [...]
v.1 “James is most likely the brother of Jesus. More specifically, since Jesus was virgin born, James was his half brother. In Acts this same James appears as the leader of the Jerusalem church (Ac 15:13ff.; 21:18). He describes himself as ‘a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ This word designates a [...]
vv.1-6 Show hospitality (13:2). The word rendered “entertain strangers” (philoxenia) connotes treating a person, perhaps a stranger, nobly and magnanimously in the context of one’s home, joyfully seeking to bring that person refreshment. In the ancient world it was expensive to stay overnight at an inn, and such establishments usually had poor reputations. Thus, an [...]
vv. 1-13 In Hebrews 8 we have a synopsis of the new covenant in prophetic form. Since the new covenant is true Christianity, this passage, although not exhaustive, sums up the essence of what it means to be a Christian. […] Let us consider what the new covenant is. It is, as expressed above, grounded [...]
vv.1-2 Following a common exegetical practice known as “argument from silence,” the author capitalizes on Genesis 14’s lack of any reference to Melchizedek’s ancestry, birth, or death. His point is not that Melchizedek exists as some form of supernatural being. Rather, he focuses on the details of what the narrative does and does not say. [...]
vv.1-4 “Certain qualifications for high-priesthood under the old covenant are highlighted here as a basis for explaining more fully how Jesus can be the high priest of the new covenant. High priests were selected and appointed to act as mediators between the people of Israel and God. They were to represent them in matters related [...]
vv.1-10 “The author argues that the purposes of God are not frustrated because Israel of old disobeyed him and failed to enter the rest he had promised his people. The promise remains. If the ancient Israelites did not enter God’s rest, then someone else will, namely the Christians. But this should not lead to complacency. [...]
vv.1-3 “Moses held a special place in the hearts of the Jews of the first century. He was considered to be the greatest person in history in certain strands of Jewish tradition, and in some, the Messiah was expected to be a ‘new Moses’ (cf. Deut. 18:15 – 18: ‘The LORD your God will raise [...]