Why was the New Testament written in Greek while the Old Testament was written in Hebrew?
Why is the New Testament in Greek?
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Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
11 Freedom or Slavery: How Peter Exposes False Promises (2 Peter 2:17–22)
Peter warns that the false teachers are like springs without water, promising freedom but delivering destruction and he warns his readers not be deceived by their empty promises.
Gospel of Luke Bible Study Resources
Everything you need to kick start your study of the Gospel of Luke: maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study.
2018 Reflections
A look at what we added to the blog in 2018, the most popular podcasts of the year and the all-time favorites.
10 Balaam and the Way of False Teachers (2 Peter 2:13-16)
Continuing his warnings about the false teachers, Peter uses of Balaam from Numbers 22-24. Like Balaam, the false teachers are profiting from causing the people of God to stumble.
09 Who are the Glorious Ones and Why are They Reviled (2 Peter 2:10-12)
In the third major interpretative challenge of 2 Peter 2, we tackle the questions of who are the glorious ones, why would they be reviled and what does Peter want us to learn from this example?
08 The Certainty of Judgment: Hope and Warning (2 Peter 2:5–10)
The coming judgment of God is not a popular topic today. We prefer to emphasize God’s love instead. Yet Peter thought judgment was important enough to include in his final letter, so that would remember it long after he is gone.
Understanding Biblical Greek Verbs
Bible Study software has made biblical Greek more accessible for those who never learned the language. Now with 1 click you can access the Greek word and its conjugation but what are you looking at? Here’s a helpful primer on Greek verbs.
07 Does Peter quote Enoch And Why it Matters (2 Peter 2:4)
Does Peter quote Enoch? Why would an apostle quote a non-biblical source? Find out in this episode of Wednesday in the Word.
3 Tips for Bible Study in a Post-truth World
3 Tips for Bible Study in a Post-truth World. We may be more interested in emotion than facts, but good Bible study methods haven’t changed.
06 Why 2 Peter 2 and Jude Sound So Alike and Why It Matters (2 Peter 2:1-3)
2 Peter 2 and the Epistle of Jude presents the same ideas in the same order and often use the same words. Did Peter copy from Jude? Did Jude copy from Peter? Or did they both copy from someone else? What’s going on?
05 The Prophetic Word: Why You Can Trust Scripture (2 Peter 1:12–21)
Peter asserts the gospel is not a clever philosophy but divine revelation from God. Which presents us with a choice about how we understand the Bible.
04 Brotherly Affection and Love: How They Assure Your Faith (2 Peter 1:7–11)
In 2 Peter 1:5-11, Peter explains the connection between believing the gospel and pursuing a lifestyle of godliness. When we come to believe the gospel, these qualities follow. In last week’s podcast, we defined the first 5 terms on the list. In this podcast we’ll finish the list and cover Peter’s conclusion that our lives as believers will be marked by these growing qualities.
Women’s Ministry Resources
Women’s Ministry Resources from 20 years as a Director of Women’s Ministry. Plus a philosophy of women’s ministry.
03 What Peter Teaches About Virtue, Knowledge, and Self-Control (2 Peter 1:5–6)
In 2 Peter 1:5-11, Peter is explaining the connection between believing the gospel and pursuing a lifestyle of godliness. I argued in the previous podcast that these qualities are NOT the cause of spiritual maturity, rather they RESULT from spiritual maturity. When we come to believe the gospel, these qualities follow. In this podcast we’ll define each term in the list and discuss why Peter includes it and how it results from faith.
02 What Peter Teaches About the Marks of Genuine Faith (2 Peter 1:5–11)
To understand 2 Peter 1:5-11, we need to know that: 1)Peter is speaking to churches who are bewitched by false teachers who are encouraging them to pursue greed and sensuality; 2)Believing the gospel includes a change in lifestyle.
01 Everything You Need for Life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:1-4)
Peter wrote this letter to churches infected by false teachers to encourage them to remain true to the apostolic gospel. He encourages them to reject both the message and the lifestyle of the false teachers. He starts his case by proclaiming thatin the gospel we have everything we need to obtain Life and godliness. #witw #Biblestudy #2peter
2 Peter: How to find life
Simon Peter served as an apostle of Jesus Christ for 3 or 4 decades. As his earthly life drew to a close, Peter wrote his second letter to encourage and admonish the churches. What truths did he think were so important that he had to make sure he wrote them down before he died? Peter strongly emphasizes our future hope and the return of Christ. Our future hope is more than living forever: it concerns being freed from sin and death and sharing the holiness of God.
10 Shepherds, Sheep, and Lions (1 Peter 5)
Peter concludes his letter by returning to his main theme: Stand firm in the gospel. Peter wrote his first letter give his readers perspective. Our “big picture” –what we believe is true — changes how we think, what we say, and what we do. Peter’s primary concern is to ensure we have the right big picture. He summarizes this theme addressing the leaders of the community.
09 How to Live Now in Light of Eternity (1 Peter 4:7-19)
This section marks the beginning of the end of the letter. In conclusion, Peter returns his main theme of the letter: how you deal with fellow believers and hostile nonbelievers. His answer is in each case you need the right perspective.
Psalm 1: The Righteous and the Wicked
Psalm 1 is classified as a “wisdom” psalm. In many ways it functions as an introduction to the book of psalms.
08 What Does “Spirits in Prison” Mean in 1 Peter? (1 Peter 3:18-4:6)
1 Peter 3:18-4:6 includes one of the more difficult passages in the New Testament. However we understand this section, the context suggests that the main point should be related to patiently enduring suffering for the sake of another.
07 Who is There to Harm You? (1 Peter 3:8-17)
Peter wraps up the second major section of his letter reminding his readers that the more we embrace the truth of who Jesus is and what he did for us, the less we have to fear. The more we know where life, hope and blessing are to be found, the freer we are to let go of this world.
06 What 1 Peter 3:1–7 Teaches About Wives, Husbands, and Submission
In his 3 examples, Peter addresses people who are stuck in a binding social relationship which they cannot easily escape. His advice to all 3 situations is the same: As aliens and strangers you are called to live in a hostile unbelieving world. When possible show the unbelievers that you are a person of virtue by behaving in a submissive and respectful way. Love your oppressor so that your faith is not interpreted as rebellion and hostility, and they may see God’s grace through you.
05 What to Do When You’re Treated Unjustly (1 Peter 2:11–25)
Peter gives us the principle in 1 Peter 2:11-12 and then he applies that principle to 3 situations where someone is be treated unfairly in a binding social relationship: a citizen under an unjust government, a slave under an unjust master and a wife married to an unbelieving husband. This talk examines the first 2 examples.
04 Living Stones: How 1 Peter 2:1–10 Redefines Your Identity in Christ
Have you seen a map of the universe taken from space with a tiny insignificant pinpoint of light labeled “you are here”? In 1 Peter 2:1-10, rather than demoralize us with our insignificance, Peter inspires us with the plan of God and how we are a part of it.
03 How Hope in Christ Changes Everything (1 Peter 1:14-25)
In 1 Peter 1:14-25, Peter explains that the gospel gives us a living hope that ought change every aspect of our lives. Just as the Olympic athletes change their values, their goals, their actions, their words and their daily routines in light of their Olympic goals, so the gospel ought to change us.
Abraham’s Family Tree
This chart summarizes the Abraham’s family tree, based on what we know from Scripture.
02 Living Hope in a Broken World (1 Peter 1:1-13)
In the field of psychology, “locus of control” refers to the extent to which a person believes they can control the world around them. People with a strong internal locus of control tend to attribute the outcome of events to factors under their own control. People with a strong external locus of control attribute outcomes of events to external circumstances. But both have a perspective which influences and predicts their actions. The book of 1 Peter is about that big perspective. In a sense, Peter is writing to explain a “gospel locus of control.”
Gospel of John Bible Study Resources
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study the Gospel of John.
01 From Fisherman to Apostle: How Peter Learned to Follow Jesus as Lord
An introduction to the letter of 1 Peter and a look at Peter’s calling from Luke 5.
Small Group Welcome Survey Example
Learning some basic information when new small groups start can save misunderstanding later. Asking participants to answer a few basic questions the first day can help leaders structure the time to better meet the needs of a group. Here’s an example “Small Group Welcome” survey.
02 Philemon: How to Be a Hero (Philemon 1:12-25)
The Epistle to Philemon is a private letter written by the Apostle Paul. Along with the letter, Paul returning Onesimus, a slave who ran away from Philemon. This letter appeals to Philemon to take the right action and free Onesimus, but it speaks volumes to us today about how to live our daily lives.
Small Group Ground Rules Sample
When starting new small groups, it’s helpful to establish expectations up front with a clear set of ground rules. Here’s a sample we’ve developed over 25 years of ministry.
01 Philemon: How to Be a Hero, Part 1
The Epistle to Philemon is a private letter written by the Apostle Paul. Along with the letter, Paul returning Onesimus, a slave who ran away from Philemon. This letter appeals to Philemon to take the right action and free Onesimus, but it speaks volumes to us today about how to live our daily lives.
Philemon: How to be a Hero
While philosophers often use this letter to talk about the evils of slavery and sometimes condemn Paul for not taking a strong stance against it, I think this letter has much more to say to us as individual believers about how we should live our daily lives.