This verse lies in the section between the letters to the seven churches and the opening of the seven seals. Whereas the imagery in the chapters which precede and follow focus on God as holy Judge, chapters four and five […]

This verse comes in the midst of Zechariah’s prophecy about the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. The people of Israel were constantly tempted to protect themselves and their interests through treaties with other nations or by relying upon their […]

In the opening verses of his letter, Peter describes the wonders of salvation.  Here he turns to our responsibilities as we respond to this salvation. The phrase “prepare your minds for action” is a good translation of a phrase that […]

The opening verse of the Bible summarizes the Genesis creation narrative and would have been read as a shocking contradiction of the creation myths of Israel’s ancient contemporaries. Here God exists before the creation and is not himself part of […]

Psalm 138 is a song of thanksgiving and praise. David expresses his gratitude to the Lord for hearing his prayers (verse 3) and he invites the kings of the earth to share in his praise (verses 4-5). The Lord hears […]

Having outlined the key benefits of the move from the Old to the New Covenant in 3:4-4:6, beginning in this verse Paul utilizes the image of “jars of clay” to describe this movement in an extended description that continues through […]