What is life & death and why should I care?
Understanding the gospel means we must understand the problem that the gospel solves. While the word gospel means “good news,” understanding the gospel begins with bad news: death.
perfect, telos, G5056
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek noun for perfect, telos.
Family break 2021
The podcast is on break to celebrate the arrival of my newest grandchild. We’ll return to the Gospel of Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount in mid-September.
The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:1-12 Summary
The beatitude describe people who have saving faith and will inherit a place in the kingdom of God. Upon conversion, we don’t start perfectly, courageously and consistently displaying all these qualities of poor in spirit, meek, mourning and so forth. Rather as we grow in faith, we grow in these qualities.
July 2021 Reflections
WitW: Do you interpret the Bible literally? I’m often asked as if no self-respecting adult would do such a thing. Of course, I do! Interpreting the Bible literally means interpreting it according to the way it was written.
23 Why Jesus Says You’re Blessed When Everyone Hates You (Matthew 5:10-16)
People marked by the being poor in spirit, mourning over sin, hungering for righteousness, pursuing peace and mercy, etc. will draw the hostility of the world, but they will be rewarded with eternal life in the kingdom of God. We, his disciples, are not to shrink from following Jesus for fear that the world might hate us. We are to follow him, even though that invites mocking, scoffing and persecution.
22 Why Peacemakers Inherit the Kingdom (Matthew 5:9)
Peacemakers commit the costly act of refusing to answer injury for injury and seeking a peaceful reconciliation instead will find their inheritance as children of God in the kingdom of heaven. When we realize how deeply we ourselves are indebted to God’s grace and dependent on His mercy, we also realize we’re in no position to condemn the sins of others.
immorality, porneia, G4202
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for immorality, porneia.
21 What does Pure in Heart Mean? (Matthew 5:8)
The pure in heart are not those who are morally perfect. Rather their hearts have been cleansed of rebellion and rejection of God. The pure in heart live like the gospel is true, though not perfectly. One day they will stand before God and be accepted.
stumble, skandalizō, G4624
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for stumble or fall away: skandalizō
comfort, parakaleō, G3870
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Biblical Greek verb for comfort, parakaleō G3870.
mercy, eleeó, G1653
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for mercy, ἐλεέω
About the Author
Krisan Marotta is a Bible teacher and host of Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.