Sample Bible Studies | Knowable Word

The Lord Shows Compassion as a Father Shows Compassion

April 22, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Much of what we learn as humans happens through comparison and analogy. The biblical authors use this reasoning in several places; see Colossians 3:12–13 for an example where Paul exhorts his readers to forgive each other as the Lord has forgiven. Christians can understand their responsibility by looking to what God has done.

The Bible runs the comparison game in the other direction too, with some deep and surprising results. Instead of exhorting people to act more like God, we learn what God is like by looking at people! In this article I’ll discuss one example found in Psalm 103.

Describing the Lord’s Steadfast Love

Psalm 103 is majestic, and I’ve written about it before. As I was re-memorizing it recently, David’s logic gave me a start.

In one of the center passages of this psalm, David states a common, foundational truth about God.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Ps 103:8)

In verses 9–14 David then explains what these descriptions of God mean. That passage contains these memorable verses.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
    he remembers that we are dust. (Ps 103:11–14)

Part of God’s steadfast love is his compassion, and this compassion is compared to a father’s for his children. I knew that, but I hadn’t observed the text carefully enough to feel the full impact.

A Supreme Example

When David wants to describe how great God’s steadfast love is toward those who fear him, he looks at how high the heavens are above the earth. Who could calculate that height?

When David wants to explain how far away God removes our transgressions from us, he reaches for the distance between the east and the west. Again, an immense (infinite?) distance!

Then, when David wants to illustrate how compassionate God is, he turns to fathers. In the context of the comparisons David is using, this means that the compassion of a father toward his children is a supreme example of compassion. Dare we say it: David couldn’t reach for a greater earthly example!

This text has turned me inside out over the past few weeks, mainly because I see how lacking I am in compassion toward my children. How can it be that God describes himself this way?

A Baked-in Assumption

What we have in Psalm 103:13 is evidence of an assumption made by a biblical author. This is not an exhortation for fathers to be compassionate; instead, it is an argument based on what good fathers are like.

So, any father looking for Biblical guidance won’t find a command here. Rather, David teaches about God relying on how God has made fathers. This means that fathers who have the indwelling Holy Spirit should be the best examples of all.

Note that we are not drawing this application from the main point of this psalm. And we do not want to build any theological pyramids on minor or tenuous conclusions from Scripture. We must tread carefully, meditating on and applying an author’s main point first.

However, it is hardly shocking to say that Christians in general and fathers in specific should be compassionate. This is part of what it means to be one of God’s people (Col 3:12).

How to be Compassionate

I’ll end this brief observation by noting that David offers additional help to those who wish to grow in compassion. We only need to read the next verse.

For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust. (Ps 103:14)

Let’s follow the grammar. The Lord’s compassion is connected by the word “for” to his knowledge of us. Because he knows our frame, he shows compassion to those who fear him.

From this I conclude that one of the best ways I can grow in compassion for my children is to know them better. As a loving father, I can make a study of them, learning their strengths and weaknesses, their fears and joys, their victories and vulnerabilities.

Like me, my children are dust. But the particular kind of dust they are matters, and the more I understand their frame, the better I will be able to show them a proper, fatherly compassion.

Psalm 104: Praise the Lord Who Governs the Earth and Cares for His Creatures

April 8, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Some of the psalms stick in our memories because of their vivid imagery or their just right phrasing of a meditation or longing of our heart. The psalms which have been set to recognizable music are especially memorable.

But we don’t always study those psalms which move us deeply. Today we’ll take a close look at Psalm 104.

Yahweh is Great

After exhorting his soul to “bless the Lord,” the psalmist begins his prayer with one of its main themes: “O Lord my God, you are very great!” (Psalm 104:1) The rest of this stanza—and the rest of the psalm—provide his reasoning.

The Lord is “clothed with splendor and majesty,” shining like light. He is also majestic in the way he governs heaven: riding on the clouds and the winds, putting them to work for his purposes (Psalm 104:1–4).

God Governs the Waters

The Lord is worthy of blessing because “he set the earth on its foundations” (Psalm 104:5). Verses 5–9 of this psalm describe the way God commands the waters on the earth, either at creation or after the flood (or both?). Regardless, God is the one who rebukes, appoints, and sets a boundary for the waters, “that they might not again cover the earth” (Psalm 104:9).

God Waters the Earth and his Creatures

God not only controls the oceans and seas, he directs each spring and stream. In verses 10–13 we see that God wants his creatures and even the mountains to be well-watered and satisfied. “Every beast of the field” drinks from God’s springs; the birds find shelter in the trees and sing a song of contentment (Psalm 104:11–12). God is the one who “water[s] the mountains” and “the earth is satisfied” with his provision (Psalm 104:13).

God Provides so Man can Provide

God governs the water so the earth will produce good things. The livestock benefit from the grass growing and man uses the plants to “bring forth food from the earth” (Psalm 104:14). God provides for necessities and more: wine, oil, and bread are given to “gladden” and “strengthen” his people (Psalm 104:15).

God Provides Shelter for Animals

God plants and waters the trees (Psalm 104:16). One of the reasons? So that the birds would have a place to build their nests (Psalm 104:17). But God cares for other animals too—the wild goats and the rock badgers find refuge in the mountains and among the rocks (Psalm 104:18).

God Governs the Seasons, the Sun, and the Moon

In this psalm, we get a tour of the earth and the heavens, all the different elements of creation that God’s hand controls. God made the moon and he makes darkness (Psalm 104:19–20). The darkness of night provides a time for “the beasts of the forest” to hunt for food (Psalm 104:20). In their roaring and in their retreat, the young lions are “seeking their food from God” (Psalm 104:21). The day and night are even markers for the labor of humanity (Psalm 104:23).

Earth is Full of Creatures Dependent on God

Verses 24–30 are the heart of the psalm. The psalmist takes another survey of all earth’s creatures and concludes that God is worthy of praise. God’s works are “manifold” and full of “wisdom.” “The earth is full of your creatures” (Psalm 104:24).

For the first time in the psalm, the writer turns to the sea, “great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great” (Psalm 104:25). God deserves praise for the ships in the sea as well as Leviathan (Psalm 104:26).

Verses 27–30 show just how dependent the creatures of earth are on their creator. They look to God for food, and they are filled with good things when he opens his hand (Psalm 104:27–28). But God can also hide his face or take away their breath, returning them to the dust (Psalm 104:29). In contrast, God renews the face of the ground as he sends forth his Spirit to create (Psalm 104:30).

Responding to the Great Creator and Ruler

The final five verses of this psalm represent the psalmist’s response to meditating on God’s creative, sovereign rule. He is to be praised!

The psalmist cries for God’s glory to endure forever (Psalm 104:31) even as we read what this glory involves: God can make the earth tremble and the mountains smoke by his glance and touch (Psalm 104:32). It is appropriate to sing long and loud to this God, to rejoice in the Lord (Psalm 104:33–34).

The final verse of the psalm contains a cry for the elimination of sinners and the wicked (Psalm 104:35). This may seem like a tangent, but the psalmist connects the Lord’s holiness to his ruling power and praiseworthiness. Such a powerful and pure God cannot dwell with sinners! They must surely be “consumed.”

As Christians, we confess that Christ is all and that the entire Bible points to him. Here is another such instance. How will sinners (and sin) be eliminated from the earth? Christ will come; the Spirit will come; the Father will transform sinners into glad and grateful children.

If you’re anything like me, the last line of this psalm is easy to say with the psalmist: “Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 104:35)

10 Truths About Jesus from Hebrews 3

March 11, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

The first six verses of Hebrews 3 are bursting with truths about Jesus. In this article, I will hang these truths in frames on the wall, as it were, so that we might walk around and consider them. Like the author of Hebrews, I want us to see how glorious Jesus is so that we might respond by listening and holding fast to him.

Consider Jesus

That word “consider” in the opening paragraph was no accident. In Hebrews 3:1–6, there is only one command: Consider Jesus.

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. (Hebrews 3:1–2)

In the verses that follow, the author gives us much to consider!

Thus far in the epistle, the author has been arguing that because Jesus is superior to the angels, readers/hearers should “pay much closer attention” to what they have heard from Jesus (Hebrews 2:1). What the angels declared was good and reliable, but now Jesus has accomplished “a great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3).

In chapter 3, the author compares Jesus to Moses, providing many reasons for these first century Jews to endure to the end as Christians.

Ten Truths

In my observation of Hebrews 3, these ten truths about Jesus jumped out. (Some of what I’ve included also requires interpretation, but that is to be expected!)

Jesus is the apostle of our confession (verse 1)

We think about Jesus having apostles much more than him being an apostle. But “apostle” just means “one who is sent out,” which is an apt description of Jesus.

Jesus is the high priest of our confession (verse 1)

The author of Hebrews spends a lot of time on this subject, introducing Jesus as a high priest a few verses earlier (Hebrews 2:17). Note the way these two offices—apostle and high priest—reference the new and old covenants.

Jesus is the apostle and high priest (verse 1)

I’m not repeating myself here, I’m only drawing attention to the singularity of Jesus. There were many apostles, and there were many high priests (each one was replaced when they retired or died), but Jesus is the only one who occupies both offices.

Jesus was faithful to God (verse 2)

All that the Father called Jesus to do, Jesus did. He did not duck a single responsibility or duty.

God appointed Jesus (verse 2)

The one Jesus was faithful to was the one who appointed Jesus to his work.

Jesus’s faithfulness was like Moses’s faithfulness (verse 2)

Moses was a man who spoke with God with a frequency and intimacy unlike anyone else in the Old Testament. Moses was not perfect, but he was faithful, and Jesus’s faithfulness was like that.

Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses (verse 3)

Despite their faithfulness being comparable (to a degree), the glory they are due differs dramatically. Jesus is far more glorious.

In terms of glory, Jesus is like the builder and Moses is like the house (verse 3)

How much more glorious is Jesus than Moses? Well, we do not praise a building for its design, beauty, or longevity, do we? No, we praise the architect and builder! Praising the building would be just as misguided as preferring Moses.

Jesus is the Christ (verse 6)

Note how the author had been referring to “Jesus” in verses 1–3 but then calls him “Christ” in verse 6. Titles are never used by accident, and we should hear the author emphasizing that Jesus is the Messiah. That would be powerful for Jewish Christians.

Jesus is faithful over God’s house as a son (verse 6)

The contrast in verses 5–6 is masterful.

Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. (Hebrews 3:5–6)

Moses was faithful, but Jesus is faithful. Moses was faithful in God’s house, but Jesus is faithful over God’s house. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Jesus is faithful as a son.

Listen to Jesus

At first glance, this contrast appears to be missing one ingredient. Moses’s task as a servant is stated, “to testify to the things that were to be spoken later.” Where is the corresponding task of Jesus?

It is included in Moses’s job description! Moses pointed to the one who would speak later—Jesus, the Messiah, the son who is over God’s house. And we are his house!

Jesus is the one who speaks to us; this is a key to understanding the entire letter and is introduced in Hebrews 1:2. And if we follow the author’s logic, the implication is clear. If faithful Moses pointed to Jesus as the one worthy of our attention, respecting this great prophet of old means following Jesus of Nazareth now.

We Must Pay Close Attention or We Will Drift Away

January 29, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Imagine a leaf in autumn pulling free from the branch where it started to grow just seven months before. It tumbles and glides through the air, landing in the river below. Once in the water, the leaf does not choose its destination; the current carries it away.

This leaf is experiencing drift. The whims of water and wind, along with gravity and the shape of the riverbed, take the leaf along to its next resting place.

The author of the book of Hebrews wants us to know that unless we are careful, we will be much like this leaf.

What We Have Heard

The second chapter of Hebrews opens with a conclusion to an argument.

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. (Hebrews 2:1)

The word “therefore” presses our noses in the words previously written, focusing on “what we have heard.” We have been told that while God spoke to the fathers “by the prophets,” “he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The writer, after highlighting the nature and work of the Son, goes on for the rest of the chapter to argue how much “superior to angels” this Son is (Hebrews 1:4).

Do Not Neglect Such a Great Salvation

The fact that Jesus is superior to the angels means that we should pay more attention to his words than theirs. The testimony of the angels “proved to be reliable” and laid the foundation for just retribution for disobedience (Hebrews 2:2), but the testimony of the Son brings a great salvation (Hebrews 2:3).

Side note: The reference to the Mosaic covenant as being delivered by angels seems to be a mixture of Scriptural allusions (Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19) and tradition.

The implication of this line of reasoning is clear: Ignore the Son at your own risk! Since “every transgression” under the Mosaic law “received a just retribution,” and since Jesus’s words are worthy of closer obedience (since he is greater than the angels), we shall not escape “if we neglect such a great salvation” (Hebrews 2:2-3). Those who have heard the Son have not just heard the offer of salvation—there is judgment for those who ignore or refuse this offer.

A Sure Message

The author wants readers to know this message of the Son can be trusted. He writes that this “great salvation” was “declared at first by the Lord” and also “attested to us by those that heard” (Hebrews 2:3). A first-hand account of Jesus’s teaching was both powerful and persuasive! But the testimony didn’t end there.

The author of Hebrews says that God himself was involved—he “bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles” (Hebrews 2:4). Like in the days of Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, God occasionally gives signs and miracles to authenticate the message of his servant.

God also bore witness to the veracity of Jesus’s message “by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will” (Hebrews 2:4). After the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost, gifts were visible throughout the young church. These also pointed to the great salvation declared by the Lord.

Pay Much Closer Attention

In Hebrews 2:1–4 there is only one command (with one reason). We “must pay much closer attention to what we have heard” (Hebrews 2:1). Given the context, this means we must pay careful attention to God’s message through his Son.

If we don’t focus on this message—this gospel—we will drift away from it. Like the leaf in the water, we will not stay still. When we stop fixing our eyes on the good news of king Jesus, we will get caught up in just about anything else. The cultural currents that flow strongest and closest to our hearts will carry us downstream, away from our great salvation.

In this case, the what of application is easy but the how is more challenging. How exactly do we pay close attention to what we have heard? How do we help those around us pay close attention?

Part of the answer for all of us is recognizing that we are “prone to wander,” as the hymn writer says. Because we are forgetful, we need reminders about what is important and true and vital to our faith.

Within our churches, we must therefore figure out good ways to build friendships and structures that support these reminders. These reminders must happen during weekly worship, but there may be other opportunities that could help us remind each other about what we tend to forget.

The Titles of Jesus in the Gospels

January 15, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Do you remember choosing your first email address or social media username? This was a heady experience for me—I was picking a word or phrase by which I would be known. And this was nothing compared to the pressure my wife and I faced when selecting names for our children!

Authors know a bit of this pressure. The ways that characters refer to each other carry a lot of meaning. Consider the following scenario. A man appears in a courtroom before a judge, and the judge asks if he would like to make a statement. Among many other possibilities, the man might begin his statement with “Your honor,” “Judge Perkins,” “Ms. Perkins,” “Barbara,” or “Honey.” In that setting, each of those addresses carries a different, significant meaning.

The writers of the New Testament Gospels, while inspired by the Holy Spirit, were human authors. They chose their words carefully, especially when referring to the central character of their work: Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore, we can learn a lot about the purpose of a Gospel as well as Jesus Himself by studying the ways that Gospel writers referred to Jesus.

I have made a small project of this study and I have listed the criteria I used for including a title or name in the first post of the series. I’ve also posted a link to the raw data on our Resources page so that interested readers might ask their own related questions.

Before listing the articles in this series, an important note is in order. The titles and names used for Jesus should not be considered apart from the context in which they are written. Just like the example of the man before the judge, the details of the setting, offense, and personal history of the characters involved matter a great deal. So while this current study can identify trends and tendencies, it is not definitive on its own. Each use of a name or title has its primary and most significant meaning within the historical and literary context in which it is used.

With that said, here are the eight articles in this series. I hope they will be of benefit to all who dive in.

Top 10 Titles of Jesus in the Gospels

The Titles of Jesus in Matthew

The Titles of Jesus in Mark

The Titles of Jesus in Luke

The Titles of Jesus in John

Jesus is the Christ

Jesus is the Son of God

Jesus is the Son of Man

You Better Believe in Constant Reliance

January 12, 2024 By Peter Krol

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian. The third reason for this is the need for constant reliance.

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Hebrews 10:32-39

‌Hard Struggle is not Incompatible with Great Joy

Let’s be honest: The way of following Jesus is one filled with “a hard struggle with sufferings” (Heb 10:32).

Jesus never promised that following him would be easy. He called it a hard way and a narrow gate that few would find (Matt 7:14).

‌However, that hard struggle is not incompatible with great joy. The people to whom Hebrews was written had their stuff taken from them on account of being Christians, and they accepted it with joy (Heb 10:34)!

‌How is that possible? How does a person endure hard suffering with unexpected joy?

‌Only if you know that you have “a better possession and an abiding one” (Heb 10:34b). In other words, you’re giving up something you can’t keep anyway, in order to gain something you can’t lose (Jim Elliot). You’ve got a deep understanding that a better future awaits you, and this understanding gives you confidence in a great reward (Heb 10:35).

‌It’s not worth it to throw away such confidence! Like the children in a famous psychological experiment, you can deny yourself one cookie now, because of the promise of two cookies later.

‌In short: “You have need of endurance” (Heb 10:36). The sort of endurance that doesn’t “shrink back” in the hard times, but perseveres in faith (Heb 10:38-39). The need of the moment is constant reliance on the Lord Jesus.

‌This is just another way to say the same thing Hebrews has been saying all along. “Hold fast to your confession” (Heb 3:1, 10:23). “We have such a great high priest” (Heb 8:1). “Jesus is your better and abiding possession” (Heb 10:34). “Let us draw near to him with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb 4:16, 10:22).

‌Application

‌The only sin that warrants the Holy Spirit’s outrage and the Father’s vengeance is the sin of unbelief (not persevering in faith).‌ This chapter is not talking about broad struggles with sinful behaviors, but with the sin of disloyalty to Christ, also called unbelief.

‌So the solution to that sin is that you don’t ever throw away your confidence that something better is coming. Today, tomorrow, and the next day, you persevere in faith. You endure the hard times, knowing that Jesus remains your king, your priest, and your inheritance.

‌What might apostasy look like? What are the beliefs of a person who has thrown away their confidence in Christ?

‌This will never change.
The people whose opinions matter most will hate me.
I’ll lose what I’ve worked so hard to gain, and it will be the end of me.
It’s not worth it.
Jesus is not worth it.

‌The better you get at recognizing such beliefs in yourself, the better you will get at recognizing them in others. Then you and I can spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Toward endurance in Christ. Toward constant reliance on him to rescue and redeem.

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going in the Christian faith, in love for Christ Jesus.

‌In Christ, we have confident entrance. Without him, there is nothing but certain vengeance. Therefore, here and now, day after day after day, we exercise constant reliance.

‌We will never grow out of our need for trusting Christ Jesus. That’s not just what you do on the first day, when you become a Christian. It’s what you do every day, up until the Last Day.

‌May the Lord guard us and guide us, that we might never shrink back from him and be destroyed, but that we would persevere in faith and preserve our souls (Heb 10:39).

‌You better believe it’s worth it.

Jesus is the Son of Man

December 18, 2023 By Ryan Higginbottom

eberhard grossgasteiger (2017), public domain

All authors employ names and titles to convey meaning. The biblical writers are no exception.

I’m nearing the end of a project examining the names and titles for Jesus in the Gospels. My first article laid out my methodology and looked at the top 10 titles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have written about the titles of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and I am wrapping up this project by studying three specific titles of Jesus used in the Gospels. I’ve written about Jesus being called “Christ” and the “son of God.” Today we will consider what it means for Jesus to be called the “son of Man.”

Old Testament Background

We may think of “Son of God” as the title of Jesus that points to his divinity and “Son of Man” as Jesus’s title which emphasizes his humanity. As I wrote previously, that’s a bit too simplistic.

In many Old Testament uses, the phrase “son of Man” does mean “human.” See, for example, Numbers 23:19, Job 16:21, Isaiah 56:2, Jeremiah 50:40, or Ezekiel 2:1. Most uses of this phrase in the Old Testament occur in Ezekiel as it is God’s preferred way to address the prophet.

However, when Jesus is called the “son of Man,” it is clear this is not just a stand-in for “person.” Jesus called himself the Son of Man scores of times, in ways that pointed beyond mere humanness.

As we explore additional Old Testament background for this title, we find an important passage in the book of Daniel.

I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
    and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
    that shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13–14)

In one of Daniel’s visions, great, terrible beasts have gained power until the Ancient of Days sits on a throne of judgment. Dominion was taken from the beasts and then, in this passage, given to “one like a son of man.” But we see from verse 14 that this is no ordinary human—this is an everlasting king with a worldwide dominion who seems to have a heavenly origin.

Daniel hears an interpretation of this vision, and the one like a son of man seems to be—in part—representative. Daniel is told that the “saints of the Most High” will receive and possess the kingdom (Daniel 7:18, 22, 27). What is given to the one like a son of man is eventually given to (or shared with) the saints.

By Jesus’s time, it seems that “Son of Man” had become a title with this passage as a large part of its background. In other words, “Son of Man” had distinct Messianic overtones.

Usage in the Gospels

By far, the person in the Gospels who most frequently refers to Jesus as the “Son of Man” is Jesus himself. I count 80 occurrences of this title in the Gospels, and 77 of them are spoken by Jesus. Additionally, this was Jesus’s favorite way to refer to himself—he used a title for himself a total of 131 times, with the 77 occurrences of “Son of Man” followed distantly by “Son” (23 times), “teacher” (6 times), and “Lord” (6 times).

Given the background discussed above, we should not be surprised to see the title “Son of Man” closely associated with authority, judgment, or a future coming of Jesus. (He also uses this title often when predicting his own suffering and death.) We don’t have the space for a complete list—see the data for yourself—but here are a few examples.

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—’Rise, pick up your bed and go home.'” (Matthew 9:6)
“For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)
“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:41–42)
“As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.’ And they were greatly distressed.” (Matthew 17:22–23)
“Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28)

Conclusion

Jesus’s title as the “Son of Man” points to his humanity, but it carries more weight. Jesus is the one who will be given all dominion and authority, and all people and all nations will serve him.

At this time of year, Jesus’s supreme reign might appear paradoxical. His path to the throne leads through the grave; he conquers by dying. And a crucial part of the story begins in the middle of history, as a baby is born to a humble young couple.

(Note: This was a helpful source as I prepared this article.)

You Better Believe in Certain Vengeance

December 15, 2023 By Peter Krol

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian. The second reason for this is the Lord’s certain vengeance.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:26-31

‌A Serious Warning

Here is one place in the book of Hebrews where it’s tempting to disregard what the passage says. What I want to write is that Jesus paid it all, and that nothing can ever change that. So if you trust him, you are secure now and forever.

‌And that is all true — but only if you hold fast to your confession.

‌Heb 10:26 says that there is no sacrifice for deliberate sin. That’s right from the Old Testament. One of the most common misconceptions of the OT sacrificial system is that people could commit any sins they wanted, and then just go and offer a sacrifice to fix it and keep themselves good with God.

‌But the Prophets are abundantly clear that God hates sacrifices offered under such presumption. In the book of Leviticus, where the sacrificial law is laid out in great detail, there is no sacrifice prescribed for those who go on sinning deliberately, in total disregard of God, his commands, or his fatherly affection.

‌A Clear Warning

But don’t misunderstand me. When the author mentions “sinning deliberately,” he’s talking about something specific. He’s not talking about my struggle with overeating, nor with anyone’s honest struggle with lust, anger, or greed. Those are all problems that must be addressed, but those are not what he has in mind here.

In Heb 10:28, he talks about the law of Moses prescribing execution for those who set aside the law. He’s referring to Deut 17:2-6 which says the following:

‌“If there is found among you … a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them … then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death…

‌You see, the sort of “deliberate sin” that was punishable by death was the sin of transgressing the covenant — abandoning Yahweh, the God of Israel, as their God. Such folks might have still participated in temple worship as a cultural experience, but they did not hold fast to the true God as their God.

‌That’s what he’s talking about in Heb 10:26-31.

He’s talking about the same thing he talked about in Hebrews 6. He’s talking about those who give up on Jesus. Those who decide it’s not worth it to keep going with him. Those who believe they can find something better than Jesus in this world and in the acceptance of those who are in this world.

‌He’s talking about what we call apostasy: the act of denying the Christian faith, renouncing Jesus Christ as your king and priest, and relying on yourself to figure out what is true and what is right.

‌A Dramatic Contrast

So if you fear whether this might be about you, just keep in mind the contrast between this paragraph and the previous one.

‌In Heb 10:19-25, he talks about those who hold confidently to their confession of Jesus and maintain loyalty to him. They are not perfect. They are not sinless. They have not yet completed their growth curves in Christ. But they won’t let go of him.

‌And in Heb 10:26-31, he describes those who deny Christ. They are finished with him. They’re done with following him. They have set him aside in favor of another god or an alternate lifestyle. Holding on to him is the last thing they want to do.

‌And what can such a person expect?

‌Well, the good news is that the death penalty for apostasy is no longer in force among the covenant people of God. But the bad news is that there is a fearful expectation of judgment; a fury of fire awaits (Heb 10:27). Something worse than death awaits, because God does not take it lightly when people trample on his Son and outrage his Spirit (Heb 10:29). There is a future of certain vengeance (Heb 10:30). Apostates are now in God’s hands, which ought not be a comforting reality (Heb 10:31).

Application

‌Please take this warning seriously.‌ No matter what you have ever experienced or done, there is only one sin that will warrant the certain vengeance of God: unbelief (or disloyalty).

‌I am often tempted to fear that my behavioral sin is “deliberate” and thereby deserving of judgment. But it is tremendously assuring to recognize that “sinning deliberately” in this context refers to the sin of unbelief or apostasy. This motivates me more than ever to hold fast to Christ through whatever trials I face.

‌But holding fast to Christ means confessing sin and turning away from it.

‌One of the most common reasons people turn away from the faith, is because their sin becomes more pleasing to them than the Lord Jesus. So they need to keep their sin a secret in order to continue pretending to be Christian.

‌Therefore, some of you may need to stop being so afraid of being found out. Being found out now might be the best thing that ever happens to you, as you do not want to fall into the just and outraged hands of the living God.

‌Hold fast to Jesus, and you have confident entrance into heaven. Whatever you have done can be forgiven! No sin can ever disqualify you from being with Jesus forever, except for the sin of not trusting Jesus to forgive your sins.

‌Let go of Jesus, and there is little but certain vengeance.

‌There will not be any unbelievers in heaven. No-one there, except those who want to worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going. But how do we do that. What does it look like?

‌That takes us to third reason it’s worth it to keep going, which, after the holidays, we’ll discover in the final paragraph of Hebrews 10.

You Better Believe in Confident Entrance

December 8, 2023 By Peter Krol

You better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian. The first reason for this is your confident entrance.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:19-25

‌‌Draw near (Heb 10:22) and hold fast (Heb 10:23). Those are the chief instructions of this paragraph.

Draw Near

‌You ought to draw near to the holy places of heaven. The place where Jesus now lives and reigns and ministers as a high priest forever. You and I, even now, even today, can draw near to that place with him.

‌Why can we do that? Two reasons:

Jesus has opened a new and living way to get there (Heb 10:20).
We have Jesus as a great high priest (Heb 10:21).

‌In other words: He went ahead to blaze a trail before us, and he’s now waiting with open arms to receive us. Because of both those things, v.19: We have confidence to enter the holy places (Heb 10:19).

‌I remember the first time I went camping with my sons. I had never gone camping before, mostly because of my sleep disorder. But as a result, I had grown solidified over time in my inability to do anything outdoors, such as camping.

‌But the first time my sleep was healthy enough to allow me to try it, I really needed some friends to show me the way and to welcome me. One friend blazed the trail: making all the arrangements and setting up all the equipment. Other friends got there ahead of me, welcoming me at my arrival, and showing me what I needed to do, so that I didn’t have to figure it all out on my own. I’m sure you can imagine that this gave me great confidence!

‌That’s what Jesus does, in order to lead us to be with his Father in heaven. He blazed the trail ahead of us. And he serves us and waits for us there with open arms and ready hands. All of this enables us to draw near to him in heaven.

‌“But,” you might say, “I’m not in heaven with Jesus! So what does this mean for me now?”

‌That’s a great question, because until the Day comes when we are actually present with Jesus in heaven, what that means for us now is that we follow the second chief instruction in Heb 10:23: hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.

Hold Fast

‌All through the book of Hebrews, the author has been urging us to hold fast to Jesus by holding fast to our confession of him. This means we publicly acknowledge him as our King, Priest, and Inheritance. We confess this before the church — not only when we are baptized, but every time we gather to sing, pray, and teach one another. Because in Jesus, heaven and earth are coming together.

‌So we confess these things before the world — at any cost.

‌Holding fast to our confession of Jesus as king, priest, inheritance, and superior to all creation under heaven — that’s how we draw near to Jesus in heaven for now. Until we reach that day when he returns, and we get to be with him forever, physically.

‌But even that drawing near, that holding fast — that confident entrance into heaven with Jesus — that is really difficult to do. And it’s even more difficult to persevere in once you’ve tried it.

‌For example, let’s say a young person is in a class at school, or playing on a sports team, and they give credit to the Lord Jesus for their success. Or they testify to how good it is that God created us male and female. They might be laughed at to the point of embarrassment. Once that happens, it’s not so easy to do it again, is it? The memory of that public ridicule makes them think twice about confessing Jesus as king and Lord of all.

How much more difficult is it for adults, whose respect, reputation, or livelihood might be on the line? Many of us try to make it seem more “grown up” to keep our mouths shut about Jesus in public places.

‌This is hard. This is really hard. Is it worth it to keep going, especially when we’re punished for it? How do we do this?

Consider How to Stir One Another Up

‌Because of that difficulty to endure, the author concludes that we need each other (Heb 10:24).

It is not enough to consider how I ought to hold fast the confession. It is crucial that both you and I consider how to stir one another up to love and good deeds. That means we must not neglect our meeting together (Heb 10:25). The closer we get to the day of Jesus’ return, the more important it is to continue meeting together, so we might stir one another up.

‌Application

‌Let the truth of place and priest fuel your confidence. Because Jesus your priest is in heaven, you get to be with him. You are with him now, in spirit, when you confess him as your king, priest, and inheritance. You will be with him then, in the body, when he returns and reunites heaven and earth once and for all.

‌Your priest is in that place, so you can approach with confidence.

‌But that’s not all. There’s another crucial application: Do not isolate yourself! If you think you can get through the challenges you’re facing on your own, you are terribly deceived. Drawing near to Christ, to our confession, and to each other is how we nurture our confidence and endurance.

‌Perhaps you need a reminder of what is true, lest you throw away your confidence. Perhaps you need to be more honest and vulnerable about what you’re going through. Perhaps you need to be more receptive to the help that is available to you.

‌Whatever it is for you: draw near and hold fast.

‌This is not just about you, but about your entire church. You might hold the key to someone else’s confidence. You might have the experience, or the Scriptural insight, to stimulate another brother or sister to believe it’s worth it to keep going.

‌So you better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian.

‌Jesus has given you confident entrance into heaven, which is not yours to keep for yourself, but something to help you encourage others with.

‌In the next paragraph, we’ll discover the second reason it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian.

Jesus is the Son of God

December 4, 2023 By Ryan Higginbottom

All authors employ names and titles to convey meaning in their work. The biblical writers are no exception.

I’m nearing the end of a project examining the use of titles and names for Jesus in the Gospels. My first article laid out my methodology and looked at the top 10 titles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have written about the titles of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I will wrap up this project by looking closely at three titles of Jesus that were used frequently in the Gospels. I’ve written about Jesus being called “Christ,” and today we’ll examine what it means for Jesus to be called the “son of God.”

Not Only Meaning “Divine”

Both “son of God” and “son of Man” are common titles for Jesus in the Gospels. For Bible readers familiar with the doctrine of the dual nature of Jesus—that he is both human and divine—it may be easy to file “son of God” as a claim to his divinity and “son of Man” as a marker of his humanity. However, this divide is not as neat as we might guess.

In fact, both titles point to both natures of Jesus.

Old Testament Background

Luke 3:38 identifies Adam as a “son of God,” so even within the Gospels that term cannot only connote divinity. Beyond pure biology, theologians point to the use of “son” in the Bible as capturing (among other things) both resemblance and obedience. The nation of Israel is also referred to as God’s son (Exodus 4:22–23), and the way that Jesus is identified with Israel (see Matthew 2:13–15) contributes to the meaning residing in this title.

However, one of the most influential Old Testament passages behind the title “son of God” is 2 Samuel 7. Here is an important excerpt.

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. (2 Samuel 7:12–14a)

In this passage, God promised David a descendent to rule on his throne. Solomon cannot be the ultimate fulfillment of this promise, because God promises to “establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (emphasis mine). From this we can see that “son of God” was connected to the kings of Israel.

So, we should not be surprised when we see Jesus referred to as the “son of God” in close proximity to claims or questions about a king over Israel. We read this when Nathanael erupted in praise, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49). These titles are also linked when Jesus is taunted during his crucifixion (Matthew 27:40–43).

Usage in the Gospels

What we find in the Gospels is that “son of God” is used both with the Old Testament background in view—which has a decidedly human element—and to indicate that Jesus is divine, begotten of the Father. In other words, “son of God” can mean, depending on the context, either that Jesus is the royal, human, chosen representative of God, or that he is the divine Son. (Of course, some uses by the Gospel authors may have both meanings in mind!)

The Gospel authors use the title “son of God” in fascinating ways. Mark opens his Gospel with this title (Mark 1:1) and John closes his with the same, where he states his purpose for writing (John 20:31). A large number of appearances of “son of God” are in the mouths of either demons, those demon-possessed, or the devil himself (Matt 4:3; 4:6; 8:29; Mark 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:3; 4:9; 4:41; 8:28).

Many of the uses of this title are linked to the title “Christ” (Matt 16:16; 26:63; Mark 1:1; 14:61; Luke 4:41; John 11:27; 20:31). “Son of God” also appears to be a title that comes out in worship or confession (Matt 14:33; 16:16; 27:54; Mark 15:39; John 1:34; 1:49; 11:27). Finally, appropriate to the Christmas season we will soon enter, the angel Gabriel told Mary that her child would be the Son of God (Luke 1:32, 35).

Conclusion

Jesus’s title as the “son of God” is rich and complex. While it indicates Jesus’s divinity, it also marks him as the king who has come to reign. This is good for us to remember as we confess Jesus as the Son of God—he is the second person of the Trinity, but he is also the good and gracious king to whom we owe obedience and worship.

(Note: these were two helpful sources for me in preparing this article: source 1, source 2.)

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