The first letter of John is an extended consideration of the love of God, and its fourth chapter turns to the moral implications of God’s love. For John, the presence of genuine love for others is a sign that …
Although Mark 16:9-20 was almost certainly not in the original text of Mark’s Gospel (see the notes included in the margins of almost any modern Bible), this verse so closely mirrors the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-19 that it is …
Psalm 79 is a song of lament. The psalmist cries out to God on behalf of the people of Israel as they together mourn the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (verse 1). The psalm offers a wonderful balance of …
This verse immediately follows Jesus’ “Great Commandment” in the preceding verse, a command to love others as He has loved us (John 13:34). This Commandment comes on the heels of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13:1-17 and predicting …
Psalm 103 is a song of thanksgiving. David joyfully expresses gratitude to God for all that He has done, both for himself and for the people of Israel. This verse is both a self-directed command and an invitation to others …
In the Jewish literature of the first century, the law was sometimes described as a “yoke,” emphasizing its limiting character. Paul’s point was not to disregard the law, but rather to view it properly. On the one hand, the law …
