Guardrails for Studying Theology

GodWords readers ask a LOT of questions. That's good! Unfortunately, many of the questions (and arguments) betray a certain level of ignorance about what the Bible says, and what it means. They show that many don't know how to study theology.

What Does Shema Mean?

Shema is a very interesting word. It's commonly thought to mean "obey," but that's not the whole story. There's no Hebrew word for "obey," and there's no English equivalent for shema. It's far richer than that, so it's good to see how the writers of Scripture use it. The name Simon is related, coming from the Hebrew Shim'on. Video, 3:25.

The Death of Moses in Deut. 34 and Authorship

Moses is believed to have written the Pentateuch... that is, the first five books of the Old Testament. Would that include the account of his death and burial found in Deuteronomy 34? Some suggest that Moses prophesied his own death.

Bible Reading Plans

Christians need to read the Bible. More than that, we need to study the Bible. It should be our primary source for information about God, and about how we should live. Below is a list of articles to help you read, and study, the Bible.

An Informal Guide to Study Bibles

Dr. Doug Groothuis offers some help in choosing a quality study Bible.

Jeremiah Buys Land in Prison, Symbolizing a Future Redemption

Jerusalem is under siege by the Babylonians and Jeremiah is imprisoned by King Zedekiah yet, according to God's instructions, he buys land from a relative. This suggested a hopeful future for Israel (and may have symbolized the redemption offered by Jesus).

How to Imitate Biblical Heroes

The Bible speaks of imitation: imitating Christ, imitating Paul as he imitates Christ, and - by implication - imitating the life and faith of those who have gone before us. Read about imitation, and the dangers to be avoided.

The Lawless One in Thessalonians

Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica about a man he called 'the lawless one.' Who was he? What do we know about him, and what does this teach us about spiritual counterfeits?

The Scapegoat Ritual and Its Ancient Near Eastern Parallels

In Leviticus 16 we read of the scapegoat ritual, where the sins of the people are transferred onto an animal and it is sent away. The biblical ritual has parallels in ancient Eblaite, Hittite, Ugaritic, and Neo-Assyrian rituals and include bulls, mice, frogs, and more.

What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

Too often, the Holy Spirit is all but ignored by modern Christians. The Father and the Son seem to get all of our attention, but the Spirit isn't a spiritual afterthought. What is His role in the life of a follower of Jesus?

How Was the Hebrew of the Bible Originally Pronounced?

This article won't keep you from stumbling over the names of Old Testament people and places in your Sunday School class. It will, however, help you understand the variety in the linguistic history of written Hebrew.

Brian Shelton, “The Biblical Case for Prevenient Grace”

The Bible teaches that we are born in sin, and will not seek God on our own... yet all are called to repent. How is this possible? The answer is known as 'prevenient grace,' which bridges the gap between what we are able to do and what God calls us to to.

The Sons Are Exempt from the Law

We who follow Jesus take part in the new covenant, but some are confused about whether Christians are included in the old. Here we see in Matthew 17 that Jesus' followers are exempt from the Law because we are children of the King.

The Contemporary Conflation of Slavery in the Bible

Slavery has been a plague throughout all of human history, including today. Skeptics of Christianity point to the existence of slavery in ancient Israel as evidence that God is not the loving, self-sacrificing person portrayed in the rest of the Bible.

Did the Early Church Invent the Divinity of Jesus over a Long Period of Time?

Skeptics of Christianity sometimes claim that Jesus never claimed to be God, and that belief in His divinity was a legend that developed over time. When did this belief develop? How early can it be established?

The Top 40 Messianic Prophecies

The Jewish Scriptures - the Old Testament - speak often of the coming Messiah. The New Testament clearly claims that Jesus is that Messiah, and points to many Old Testament prophecies as being fulfilled by Jesus. Here are 40 of the 300+ prophecies associated with Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

Do We Really Believe in the Holy Spirit?

In John 14, Jesus said that we who follow Him will do what He did, and - somewhat surprisingly - even greater things. This isn't due to our amazing knowledge and talents, but due to the Holy Spirit working through us. Do we really believe this is true?

The Basics of New Testament Textual Criticism

Textual criticism deals with the ancient manuscripts of the Bible. It's an important area of study, and Daniel Wallace is a world-renowned expert in the field. This 2-hour video explains the concept, covering topics like textual variants and how the manuscript evidence behind our modern Bibles is excellent.

6 Covenants Fulfilled in Christ

Covenants are essentially contracts, or agreements. The Bible tells of a number of covenants that God made with different people. Here we see that they are all fulfilled by Jesus. The questions I get about sabbath-keeping and the Ten Commandments and being Torah-observant all come from a misunderstanding of the nature of covenants.

Angels

What are angels? How does the Bible describe the different kinds of angels, and what they do on God's behalf? What do other religions say about angels? A good overview.

Uncommon Brothers: Why God’s Men Need Good Men

Men need men. We need each other for support, for examples, for companionship, for courage, for wisdom. The Bible talks a lot about close friendships... and these friendships are essential. We should pray for friends like these.

How Should We Interpret The Bible?

In my experience, most Christians would agree that they're not really sure how to interpret the Bible. This is a crucial issue for the Kingdom of God. If followers of Jesus can't understand the Bible, who can? Biblical literacy begins with simply reading the text, and biblical understanding comes from reading it properly.

Articles about Bible Study