Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of Many modern interpreters believe that eschatology, the doctrine of the endtimes, is the center of the apostle Paul’s thought, beginning with his presupposition of the two-age structure. According to early Judaism, time is divided into two consecutive periods: this age and the age to come. The former is characterized […]
Colossians, Theology of Introduction. Although short in length and written to a church Paul did not plant, Colossians stands tall in highlighting the centrality of Jesus Christ as the mediator of God’s saving activity. It emphasizes that those who belong to Jesus need only draw on the resources God provides through Jesus in order to […]
Christ, Christology Jesus Christ is the central figure whom the Old Testament foreshadows and the New Testament proclaims as prophecy become fact. It is accordingly of first importance to understand the biblical portrayal of the Messiah (Heb. masiah [jyiv’m]; Gk. Christos [Cristov”], from chrio [crivw], to anoint), whom God has anointed to redeem his people and creation. A key passage that […]
BIBLE, ENGLISH VERSIONS. Published trs. of the Holy Scriptures in the Eng. language. Outline I. Need for versions and new versions. A. The ordinary reader cannot read the Scriptures in the original Heb. and Gr. Only a Biblereading Christian can be an effective Christian to the limit of his potential; only a Bible-reading church can […]
Bible, Inspiration of the The cornerstone of evangelical theology lies in its confession of the inspiration and authority of the Bible, as the revealed “Word of God Written.” Since the term “inspired” is used of the Bible in different ways, it is important to clarify the particular sense in which it should be employed, not […]
Study of the Bible that seeks to discover what the biblical writers, under divine guidance, believed, described, and taught in the context of their own times. Relation to Other Disciplines Biblical theology is related to but different from three other major branches of theological inquiry. Practical theology focuses on pastoral application of biblical truths in modern […]
Bible, Canon of the The word “canon” derives from the Hebrew term qaneh and the Greek term kanon, both of which refer to a measuring rod. It designates the exclusive collection of documents in the Judeo-Christian tradition that have come to be regarded as Scripture. The Jewish canon was written in both Hebrew and Aramaic, while the Christian […]
Bible, Authority of the: The central question that runs through the Bible is that of the authority of God. His authority is majestically displayed in Genesis 1, where the words “and God said” puncture the darkness of chaos and speak the cosmos into being. It is supremely challenged by a creature of his own making […]
Baptism of the Holy Spirit Seven New Testament passages speak of baptism of/in/with/by the Holy Spirit. The varying prepositions reflect the fact that the Spirit is both the agent and sphere of this baptism. Six of these passages refer to John the Baptist’s teaching, contrasting his baptism in water with Jesus’ future baptism in the […]
Baptize, Baptism The Greek root-word baptizein [baptivzw] means to plunge, immerse, sink; hence to wash; to be immersed, overwhelmed (in trouble). From Jewish rules of purification concerning ritual uncleanness the word gained a technical religious connotation implying “purification” from all that might exclude from God’s presence. When, at the diaspora, numerous Gentiles sought admission to Israel, the […]