you are here: home
BIBLE COMMENTARY
ON THE SITE
--> basic commentaries
Short texts (usually 1-2 paragraphs), whose purpose is to concisely define the meaning of a selected Bible passage. They focus on presenting interpretation without taking arguments and providing contexts, for example:
"...in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the remission of the trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, (8) in which He did abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence" (Eph. 1:7,8 YLT)
Commentary: by saying that the grace of redemption is given to believers in the form of wisdom and prudence, the apostle Paul indirectly shows the meaning of our Lord's sacrifice. According to Rom. 5:18-19, the price for Adam's disobedience was maintaining total obedience by Lord Jesus. Because crucifiction was his last experience, the Bible speaks of redemption through the blood (verse 7). The price of redemption thus seen is absorbed by believers in the form of wisdom because the model of complete obedience in Jesus Christ was also presented to his followers, whose task is to work out the same kind of attitude that the Lord presented during his earthly ministry.
Related themes:
- expanded commentary on Eph. 1:7,8
Basic commentaries are available on pages dedicated to individual Bible books in the 'Bible commentaries' section (see navigation at the top of the page), then select Old or New Testament and after loading the new page, select the link with the name of the book, e.g. bible commentaries > new testament > ephesians
--> expanded commentaries
Expanded commentaries are independent texts based on a specific Bible passage (one or more verses). They differ from basic commentaries in several respects, e.g. they are longer (often divided into separate headings), open with a summary and have their own argument line supported by references to other parts of the Bible. Links to expanded commentaries can be found on pages dedicated to individual Bible books below basic commentaries, "Related themes" section (see the basic commentary exampled above).
--> bible lectures
Lectures are an extended form of expanded commentaries. The subject of lectures are longer passages of the Bible or topics that are comprehensively analyzed on the basis of many different Biblical contexts. Lectures are published at bible lectures (see navigation at the top of the page).
FREQUENT SEARCHES
BASIC BIBLICAL DOCTRINES IN LECTURES
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ
The lecture discusses in a possibly detailed way the sacrifice that was made by Jesus Christ for the redemption of mankind: why it was necessary, how man's fall determined the way it was carried out, why Jesus had to die, how his baptism relates to his sacrifice and how we benefit from this today.
Baptism in the spirit
Baptism in the spirit is our immersion into the knowledge of the Word of God. The experience of baptism depends on prior birth of the spirit in which the sacrificial agape love - the love of the truth - develops understanding and, subsequently, the character on the image of Jesus Christ. Supernatural gifts are the power of the spirit, but do not constitute an indispensable element or testimony of baptismal experience.
Ethics in the Bible
The problem of ethical evaluation arises because we set goals in our lives that involve taking certain sacrifices. The ethical criteria allow to determine whether the sacrifice is in a broad sense possible to bear. The lecture discusses three Biblical evaluation criteria: the criterion of truth, trust and will, as well as it undertakes the ethical assessment of the original sin and the problem of the universality of moral principles in the context of the Old and New Testament provisions.
Justification in Christ
The essence of justification is the restoration of justice in man's character, the reform of personality to complete conformity with God's principles. The lecture discusses the conditions of justification: repentance, conversion, consecration and spiritual birth, as well as some Biblical terms frequently used in connection with justification, i.e. forgiveness of sins, remission of sins and reckoned justification.
Lord's supper
Our celebration of the Lord's Supper is an element of a greater fulfillment of the figural Passover. Israel on the 14th day of Nisan each year celebrated a supper commemorating their departure from Egypt; believers in Christ today - all who repent in his name, accepting the antitypical circumcision and thus leaving Egypt of this world - also once a year, at the same time, celebrate the supper commemorating the death of the antitypical Paschal lamb, Jesus Christ, according to the pattern he shows, by eating unleavened bread and wine.
New creation and transformation of the inward man
A significant part of the New Testament is a symbolic description of the functioning of the human psyche. Terms such as birth of the spirit, spiritual baptism, new creation, earnest, seal and anointing of the spirit, the Body of Christ, etc. describe this one theme from different perspectives. The aim of the lecture is to integrate the variety of New Testament terminology to illustrate how the Bible not only draws a coherent picture of human psychology, but also shows a method of character reform through learning and practicing the truth.
Spirit, soul and body in the Bible
The concepts of spirit, soul and body refer to various aspects of human personality in the Bible. In particular, the spirit describes our consciousness in the element of understanding, disposition and will (thus the reflective part of our psyche). The body, in addition to the material aspect of our existence, also describes the human subconscious with its built-in patterns of behavior (therefore our character). The concept of the soul defines personality as a result of the cooperation of spirit and body. The lecture discusses definitions of the spirit, soul and body, refers to the relationship between them and illustrates their meanings with the help of relevant parts of the Bible.
The judgement of mankind
The concept of judgement in the Bible has four essential meanings: 1) instruction, 2) testing, 3) correction, 4) final statement/ decision. The judgement of humanity in all these meanings will take place on the next Judgement Day under the management of the Kingdom of God. In the present Gospel Age, the judgement of the Church is in progress: the elect who hope to attain to the positions of judges during the approaching judgement of mankind.
BASIC BIBLICAL TERMS
Repentance - (Gr. metanoia) - literally 'change of mind' - turning away from conduct contrary to God's principles, disapproval for sin motivated by obligatory love (piety)
Conversion - (Gr. epistrofe) - literally 'change of direction' - repentance-based approval for God's principles, positive assessment of righteous behaviour
Consecration - 1) separation from sin, 2) service for the Word of God in its study, teaching and evangelization
New creation - new mind shaped by development in the knowledge of the Word of God and maturity in its application
Begettal of the spirit - the beginning of the new creation by the spirit of service for the Word of God, which is given to the elect on the condition of repentance in the name of Jesus Christ
Birth of the spirit - 1) the beginning of the new personality effected by the new creation and its work towards imprinting the pattern of truth in the character, 2) resurrection to the spiritual nature
Baptism in the spirit - literally 'immersion into the teaching'. Development of character based on maturity of understanding and application of the truth
Body of Christ - the community of all believers in Jesus Christ
Church - (Gr. ekklesia) - members of the Body of Christ included on the basis of God's election in the present Gospel Age
Royal priesthood - all the called (in the second meaning) who due to the spirit of new birth enjoy the hope for the resurrection to the glory of the divine nature and the position of kings and priests with Jesus Christ
The elect - believers in Jesus Christ who repent and thus receive the consecrating love agape, which leads them to experience birth of the spirit
Calling - 1) proclamation of the Gospel inviting listeners to repent and convert to God through Jesus Christ, 2) God's granting of the spirit of new birth to the elect who listen to the Gospel and repent
Justification - the process of a reform of man's character until full compliance with God's justice. Justification begins at repentance but its fulfillment requires the experience of birth of the spirit
Redemption - Jesus Christ's provision of the equivalent price for Adam's transgression - the price of perfect obedience to God in bearing witness to the truth
New Covenant - God's relationship with man based on conditions of justification, and therefore requiring repentance and conversion which will be accepted by God and which will initiate the process of the real reform of man according to the principles of divine justice