Search Results for: sabbath

There are several reasons the Jewish Sabbath is no longer a requirement for God’s covenant people. (For more, see this article.) I take up the theme again to share some… Read More

To hear The Sabbath (40 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and… Read More

When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes. — Erasmus of Rotterdam Zeal without doctrine is like a… Read More

In Joshua 6, God commanded the Israelites to circle the city 7 days in a row. Therefore, one of those days had to be a Sabbath. Would walking around the… Read More

This article first appeared in A Light to London, the bulletin of the London Church of Christ, May-June 1987. Christians must observe the Sabbath! Such at any rate is the… Read More

1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. 2 Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,… Read More

1 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick some ears of corn, rub them in their hands and eat the grain. 2 Some… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Decalogue D: The 4th Commandment (17 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when… Read More

        Main ideas: Sabbatarians are right about the day: Sabbath is the 7th day, sundown Friday-sundown Saturday. The 4th-C church created a “Sunday Sabbath”. (Although Christians had long been… Read More

Common Misconceptions  The study of conscience biblically is a very interesting study, due partly to how misunderstood the subject actually is by many.  For example, it is common to hear… Read More

What is the truth behind the 4th Commandment on the Sabbath? If Saturday is the 7th day, and the Sabbath, why do we not worship on Saturday? If we observe… Read More

What’s a Sabbath day’s walk? How far were the ancient Jews allowed to walk on a Sabbath? Exodus 16:29 discouraged long walks on the Sabbath. Traditionally, the limit was 2000… Read More

What do the Jews teach is the purpose of the Sabbath? What do they do with all that free time? Orthodox Jews teach that Shabbat is for the purpose of… Read More

1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.  2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic… Read More

We continue our study of the crucifixion, from the middle of John 19. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (24 minutes), or right click here, to save and listen… Read More

Following Christ requires focus, commitment, discipline. And there are so many distractions. We need to put considerable effort into arranging our lives so that we can live as his disciples. After… Read More

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf, and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not… Read More

1 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee, since He did not want to travel in Judea because the Jews were trying to kill Him. 2 The Jewish Festival of Tabernacles… Read More

31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high… Read More

1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering… Read More

by Daniel Berk, Madrid Shabbat Shalom For the first time in my life, I attended a Jewish Friday Sabbath Service with the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Congregation. Their synagogue in… Read More

This entire chapter illustrates how Jesus is the light of the world (8:12; 9:5). Without him all are blind. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (21 minutes), or right… Read More

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”… Read More

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that… Read More

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear… Read More

13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On… Read More

Must Christians observe the Sabbath? Please see the article on the Sabbath. which first appeared in A Light to London, the bulletin of the London Church of Christ, May-June 1987.  Click here…. Read More

To listen to CLEAN podcast 17, The Synagogue Demoniac (11 minutes), click on arrow. To download and listen later, right click here and choose ‘save target as’ or ‘save link as’. Scriptural study: Mark 1:21-28 Jesus… Read More

Let us consider a question emailed to me, the answer to which is illuminated through careful study of the original language. Acts 20:7 in the NIV states that Paul and… Read More

I. Recommitment: The Old Testament Principle The Old Testament may surprisingly have something to say about “pruning,” or calling people to recommit themselves to their baptismal confession. There are a… Read More

By Malcolm Cox On the day of writing it’s our 37th wedding anniversary. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that my wife is the best thing that’s ever happened… Read More

Talks in this series. Each talk comes with brief notes and key scriptures. 1 — Why focus on this movement? (Please listen to this if you’re unfamiliar with Messianic Judaism.)… Read More

To hear the podcast on The Ethiopian Eunuchs (25 minutes), click the play arrow. You can download it from here. This podcast is O.T. character podcast 54 and N.T. character… Read More

1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so… Read More

1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and… Read More

1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was… Read More

Feast on God’s Word Jesus insists, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4, quoting Deut. 8:3). As bodies… Read More

        Review: Galatians: Deals with a set of teachings remarkably similar to modern Messianic Judaism. As in Romans, the phrase “the Law” refers to Torah, not works-righteousness…. Read More

What is ‘holiness’? ‘Holiness’ is the state of being ‘holy’. The noun ‘holiness’ appears infrequently in the scriptures, but the adjective ‘holy’ appears often. Certain concepts are paired with ‘holiness’. A… Read More

Today we finish John 4 and begin John 5. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (25 minutes), or right click here to download and listen later. 43 When the two… Read More

A brother in a church in my state has been making the use of “Yahweh” (God’s name, in Hebrew, in the Old Testament) a matter of salvation. He is now going… Read More

by Douglas Jacoby We would like to encourage you with the story of Michael Jacobs, 59, of Marietta, Georgia. Mike was brought up Jewish (bar mitzvah, rich cultural heritage, values… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Decalogue J: The 10th Commandment (14 minutes) To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

Genesis 2:2 says that after the creation days, God rested. But I thought God never gets tired. Doesn’t Psalm 121 say he never needs to sleep? Please explain. The original Hebrew… Read More

To listen to Crime & Punishment 2: Thoughts on Capital Punishment (27 minutes), click on the play button below. To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link… Read More

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,… Read More

1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats… Read More

21 They went as far as Capernaum, and at once on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 And his teaching made a deep impression… Read More

1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away… Read More

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on… Read More

31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his message… Read More

1 He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2… Read More

1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his… Read More

I’m reading Ezra and am wondering if you have any insight for me. Ezra 4:1 states that “the enemies of the Jews” wanted to join in the work of building… Read More

. Jesus & John (Matt 11:1-6) Sensitivity to John “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Once… Read More

Review and Prepare: Revelation 2:18-29 Here are some notes you might like to use for a spiritual review of 2022 and to help prepare spiritually for 2023. The videos I… Read More

Strength in Weakness: An Interview with Dr. Douglas Jacoby on “Gay and Christian?” The following interview appears in Guy Hammond’s new book, Gay and Christian? How Pro-Gay Theology is Crashing… Read More

A House of Prayer for All Nations 56:1-8—Justice and righteousness intimately connected. “Son of man” (v.2) is a Hebraic expression meaning mortal. No one is excluded, e.g. foreigners and eunuchs…. Read More

Background Lydia is from Asia (Thyatira), but resident in Europe (Philippi). She is the first convert from Europe in the book of Acts. Philippi is a Roman colony—there’s no synagogue…. Read More

        Main ideas The Jew-Gentile Controversy Just how “Jewish” do Christians need to be? The answer: Not at all, although it is okay for actual Jews to… Read More

By Amy Krall, for Stands to Reason In a post where I touched on the change from Saturday to Sunday as the day of worship, I was challenged in the comments to… Read More

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).   Jesus’ words would probably have… Read More

Non-members can listen to several of the audio lessons (the Jesus N.T. Character Podcast, A Christian Response to Global Financial Crisis; Serving the Poor: Second Thoughts; Avatar; The Hunger Games, etc.), but… Read More

How long are the days in Genesis 1? Some of my friends insist they can only be regular 24-hour days. Others think they may be long periods of time. I’m… Read More

Is there miraculous knowledge in the numbers of the Qur’an? I have heard it said, for example, that the word “day” turns up exactly 365 times in the Qur’an –… Read More

[Guest article] December 19, 2016 So here we find ourselves in the United States, a full decade behind our neighboring Canadians, in a land where gay marriage is not only… Read More

I’ve heard many times that salvation is a “free gift” and one can do nothing to earn it, and that’s what sets Christianity apart from other religions. But obedience to… Read More

Good answers Below are claims a skeptic might make — and possible responses the believer might make in return. 1. In portraying a 6-day creation 6000 years ago, Genesis is… Read More

Evolution & Genesis (for newsletter 2 Sept 2015 in Answering Skeptics, R) Nature and Scripture, as we have seen, are complementary. This means that science and theology should be complementary,… Read More

In the previous lesson we examined 10 examples of biblical practices that may have cultural aspects. In other words, before we analyze form and function, the extent to which we… Read More

Israel was called to demonstrate the true God to the world (Exodus 19:4-6; Isaiah 49:6; Malachi 1:11,14; etc). Her religion was radically different to all other ancient religions (such as… Read More

One of our dear brothers has stopped coming to church because he is wrestling with two questions: (1) Why do many Christian theologians believe that Paul kept Nazirite vows and… Read More

Listen to Business Ethics (22 minutes). Click here to download. Consequences of breakdown of of ethics The breakdown of ethics in the workplace has dire social and personal consequences: Resentment and… Read More

Christ Through the Ages, 19: Hebrews–Not Just Superior, But Supreme!  Listen to the podcast (19 minutes) — and learn. To download, right click on the link and click “Save Link… Read More

The 8th lesson in our series is Matthew: Jesus was Jewish (15 mins). To download, right click on the link and click “Save Link As” or “Save target As” -… Read More

Did God create Jesus? I was reading John 5:26 (For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself). But I thought… Read More

I am reaching out to  a woman who has a gay brother. This man is in a committed relationship and is also a committed church member in a large denomination that… Read More

To listen to Steven Jacoby’s Tithes & Offerings, Pt. 2 (29 minutes), click on the play button: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as”… Read More

To listen to Steven Jacoby’s Tithes & Offerings, Pt. 1 (25 minutes), click on the play button: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as”… Read More

Ron Moseley’s book, Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church (Clarksville, Maryland: Messianic Jewish Publishers, 1996) is an interesting read. I have met representatives of this… Read More

What Did Paul Really Mean? “New perspective” scholars argue that we need, well, a new perspective on justification by faith. Simon Gathercole | posted 8/10/2007 08:48AM Pick up any recent… Read More

Any study of prophecy eventually leads us to Christ. Prophecies about the Messiah are called “Messianic” prophecies. The term “messiah” comes from the Hebrew Massiah, which means “anointed one.” The… Read More

Bible Reading Tip 1: Get a version of the Bible you can understand and enjoy. These days there are numerous readable (and reasonably accurate) translations available to the reader of… Read More

My mother-in-law stumped me with this question. Why did God allow David to eat the bread which was lawful only for the priests, but condemn Saul for offering a sacrifice,… Read More

I have a question about the Messianic Jewish movement. I searched on both of your sites and couldn’t find if you wrote on this topic. My sister who isn’t part… Read More

For N.T. Character Study 31, The Mother and the Seven Brothers (19 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save… Read More

To listen to Ecology (19 minutes), click on the play button: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on The Name of God (18 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as”… Read More

Here are a lesson and notes on Hebrews: Bridge between the Testaments (50 minutes). Bridging books There are several books in the NT that intimate connect with the OT, like… Read More

This lesson is a critique of Ron Moseley’s Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church (40 minutes). Introduction To download the podcast, right click on “download”… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Amos, lesson J (18 minutes). To download the file, please click HERE. If the link does not work when you left-click on it, right-click on the… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Amos, lesson E (19 minutes).   To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you can… Read More

Here are a podcast plus notes on New Year’s Day (10 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you… Read More

To hear Holiness (42 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you… Read More

Could you tell me if there is a good reference book about the meaning behind God’s repetition of numbers in the Bible? (3, 7, and 40 come immediately to mind.)… Read More

1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do… Read More

32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear his cross. 33 And when they had come to a… Read More

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there… Read More

1 Paul an apostle– sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—2 and all the… Read More

1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him… Read More

1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?”… Read More

14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him…. Read More

36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who… Read More

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions… Read More

1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2… Read More

1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a high priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of… Read More

1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand,… Read More

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and… Read More

1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them… Read More

What do you believe is the significance of Matthew 12:2-7? Can I conclude that God might accept people even though they are not completely following his word accurately? — Jaxon… Read More

The Bible says Jesus was baptized "to fulfill all righteousness." Since Jesus was sinless, what does this mean? Matthew 3:15 describes Jesus’ baptism at the hands of John. Yes, Jesus… Read More

In Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples but in John, they are clamoring for the body to be taken down before the beginning of Passover…. Read More

With all this talk about the end times and the Left Behind series, what does the Bible actually say about Armageddon? I wrote the following two-part article series in 1986.ARMAGEDDON!I am convinced… Read More

I have heard people say that we Christians are Jews, since the Bible says we are "children of Abraham." Is this right? Am I really Jewish? No, this is not… Read More

This is a complex question though a good one. Many Bible readers point to Genesis 9:6 insisting “See God demands the death penalty here.” Yet while the New Testament recognizes… Read More

This is the “handout” to accompany the church history powerpoint presentation made in Lagos, Nigeria (2005). In addition, the 7 lessons of church history are: 1. No clergy/laity distinction! 2…. Read More

Do you still hold to your position that the Apocrypha does not belong in the Bible? The Apocrypha: Second Thoughts (2000) Perhaps you have heard of Tobit, Judith, or Ecclesiasticus…. Read More

A song of ascents. Of David. How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on… Read More

According to Matthew 12:40, "the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (NIV). Now if Jesus was crucified on Friday (the… Read More

Can a person’s lack of faith prevent someone else from becoming a Christian? And will God – prompted by faithful prayers – change the heart of a person that is… Read More

In the Old Testament capital punishment was mandated for many offenses: 1. Adultery (Leviticus 20:11) 2. Attacking parents (Exodus 21:15) 3. Bestiality (Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 20:15) 4. Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16)… Read More

Douglas Jacoby, Stockholm 1990 The following study is useful for anyone who has heard that we should never “judge.” Certainly, a judgmental spirit is wrong and unbecoming of a believer,… Read More

The following article originally appeared in A Light to London, January & February 1986. I am convinced that we are living in the most exciting period of human history the… Read More

74 DAYS of Quiet Times At the start of 2013 we offered a series of 40 podcasts (with notes) with the overall purpose of drawing near to God. Your many… Read More

40 Days of QTs Scroll all the way down for the introductory podcast and notes explaining the 40-day series. You can listen to the podcasts later, even after the series “disappears,” by… Read More

2023 Newsletters Mar 15 – Ask, Seek, Knock / Q&As / Jesus Loves Me—Senior Style Mar 8 – Women of Worth / Science & Faith / Spiritual Abuse Mar 1… Read More