Simply Gospel

May my steps be worship. May my thoughts be praise.

Text Examinations

  • The Prophet Over Jerusalem

    And when [Jesus] drew nigh, he saw [Jerusalem] and wept over it, saying, “If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass Continue reading

  • Connecting Judges to Ruth

    God connects the details in His word to one another. Sometimes we wonder why God includes certain chapters, passages, or details in His Bible. Such chapters may be 17-21 in which terrible wickedness is recorded with little divine comment. Serving almost as bookends to these events are chapter 17:6 and 21:25, which both say basically Continue reading

  • The Mustard Seed – Part 1

    And he said, “How shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or in what parable shall we set it forth? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth, yet when it is sown, groweth Continue reading

  • Are We Having Fun Yet?

    There are times in this life when sorrow rolls over us and peace is far away. There are times when our sin is ever before us. The phrase, “Are we having fun yet?” is a sarcastic remark that permeates pop culture. Usually, when we ask this question, we are feeling the exact opposite. “Are we Continue reading

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  • “Complete My Joy”

    Paul does not often single individuals out in his letters unless it is something positive. However, when he does, Paul is serious about what he’s talking about. One such letter containing an instance of Paul singling individuals out is Philippians in chapter 4:2-3. He specifically entreats Euodia and Syntyche to live peacefully with each other. Continue reading

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  • Walking Worthily of Our Calling

    Salvation has location. Ephesians 1 emphasizes what we find in Christ. Terms like In Him, in the Lord Christ, in Jesus are repeated throughout the chapter, and this concept bleeds over into chapter 2. Paul explains that being in Christ constitutes a new life, emerging from the death of sin into the spiritual resurrection in Continue reading

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  • Jesus Wept

    John 11:35 is famous for being the shortest verse in the Bible, and yet its message is profound in its depth. Jesus’ weeping demonstrates His emotion and relationship with humans. The issue of God and “impassibility” has been one of the matters of dispute in theology for generations. Does God have emotions, and is He Continue reading

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  • Praying As the Psalmists Prayed

    Usually, when we study the Psalms, we study them as poetry and songs, as passages of comfort and praise. There is nothing wrong with this approach, but two-thirds of these psalms are laments. They are petitions to God, and one aspect we can appreciate from these poetic verses is that we can approach God in Continue reading

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  • Examining the Chiasm of Matthew 17-20

    In the Bible, we sometimes find a structure called chiasms, and these will follow a pattern of ABC CBA and occasionally ABC D CBA, with everything building up to a central point and then returning from that point to the opening statement. Such a structure exists between Matthew 12:22 and Matthew 20:19. Beginning in Matthew Continue reading

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  • John’s Picture of the Messiah

    Each of the gospel writers have a slightly different representation of the Messiah. Matthew, Mark, and Luke bear several similarities in their presentations and focus, but the Gospel of John stands out from the others. John records only seven miracles in his gospel, and five of those are unique to John. He portrays Jesus in Continue reading