Proof-texting, where we come already armed with answers, can be like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Bible study should be about discovery.

God’s name is not just a label by which we identify Him and differentiate Him from the gods of Egypt; it’s a name that declares who He is and what He does.

Psalm 107 describes men who do business upon the great waters on ships.

The concluding doxology (praise to God), though briefer, is like the previous doxologies in Romans 8:31-39 and 11:33-36.

God inspired the authors of the Bible to write down His Word for us, which is clear from passages like Rom 15:4: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (All quotes are from the ESV.)

The instruction of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians about restoration was critically important to that ecclesia. After listing the works of the flesh that would prevent inheritance of eternal life for the unrepentant, he then cataloged the expression of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:19-24).

Paul now conveys greetings to the Roman brothers and sisters from his companions. Once again in this chapter, we see how scrupulous he is to mention those companions’ names to his associates, his friends, and his brothers and sisters in Rome. Everyone is known by name; no one is a mere statistic...

Imagine the mixed feelings Tamar experienced when greeted with this proclamation. She most likely felt joy at the prospect of the birthright she’d risked her life to ensure. She’d orchestrated the plan to force Judah to provide the seed, the heir to the promises of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

A Warning Against False Teachers - “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned” Romans 16:17-20. Paul concludes his letter to the Roman ecclesia by warning the brethren against the danger of false teachers.

Here two groups of believers are mentioned without accompanying descriptions or commendations: “the brothers with them” (v 14), and “all the saints with them” (v 15). Apparently, Paul’s ties with these believers were not as strong as his ties with all the others who have been previously mentioned.

We know that Jesus chose His apostles for the most important mission in history. “And he said unto them, Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16). But other than the New Testament accounts of the lives and the preaching of a few of the apostles, where did they all go and how did their lives end?

Cowering in a house in Jerusalem, their remaining hope was to escape the sword. Jesus had been crucified and buried along with their hopes of seeing his Kingdom established. The eleven who remained were scared. But soon, these same men would turn the world upside down. Soon they would spread God’s word the across the Roman world. How could that be possible?