Year: 2014

Bible Term: Ten Commandments

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

The Ten Commandments are listed in Exodus 20:3-23 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. Interestingly, neither of these passages calls this list the Ten Commandments (although the phrase is used in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13, and Deuteronomy 10:4). The Ten Commandments are:

Do not have any other gods.
Do not worship idols.
Do not use God’s name wrongly.
Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Honor your parents (there is a promise of blessing if we do)
Do not murder
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not lie (give false testimony)
Do not covet

When asked which command was the greatest, Jesus said we should love God fully; the second greatest is to love others as much as ourselves. He concluded by saying everything else hinges on these two principles of loving God and loving others.

Key verse about Ten Commandments: Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. (Deuteronomy 4:12-14, NIV)

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Temple

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

In general, a temple is a holy meeting place for religious activity.

In the Bible, there are several temples. The first is Solomon’s temple, which was later pillaged and destroyed. It was grand and extravagant.

The temple was reconstructed by Zerubbabel and sometimes referred to as the temple of Zerubbabel; it was more basic and simpler, akin to Moses’ tabernacle.

Later, King Herod greatly expanded Zerubbabel’s temple. However, his motives were selfish and not God-honoring.

Herod’s goal was to call attention to himself and garner the favor of the Jewish people. This temple was later destroyed by Roman soldiers, just as Jesus predicted (Luke 19:41-44).

In other uses, Jesus’ body is called a temple (John 2:19-21), the bodies of Jesus’ followers are temples (1 Corinthians 6:19), and heaven itself is God’s temple (Revelation 7:15).

Key verse about Temple: Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. (1 Kings 3:1-3, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Tabernacle

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

The general usage of the tabernacle in the Bible is the tent where Moses kept the ark of the covenant; it was a holy and revered place.

Later, the tabernacle was effectively replaced with the temple, built by King Solomon.

In a more general sense, a tabernacle is any holy place.

Key verse about Tabernacle: “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. (Exodus 25:8-9, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Synoptic Gospels

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

Three of the four books in the Bible about Jesus’ life (Gospels) are quite similar, likely based on a common reference source. They are Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

It’s speculated that Matthew and Luke borrowed passages from Mark or perhaps that all three used a common, but unidentified, source. Nevertheless, each provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of Jesus.

Despite their similarities, each of the Gospels was written with a different purpose or audience in mind and with a specific focus or intent. As such, we see many similarities, as well as uniqueness, between these three Gospels.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Synagogue

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

A synagogue is a Jewish meeting place and house of prayer.

In a strict sense, it is not a temple.

Jesus often taught in synagogues (Matthew 13:54 et al) and the early church met in synagogues as well (Acts 13:14 et al), although they later met in houses (1 Corinthians 16:19 et al).

Key verse about Synagogue: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:4-6, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Spiritual Maturity

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

Just as babies drink milk and mature people eat solid food, new followers of Jesus require spiritual milk and need to be fed; whereas established followers should be able to feed themselves, that is, grow spiritually.

When believers can spiritually feed themselves, they are spiritually mature.

This concept is discussed in 1 Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:12.

Key verse about spiritual maturity: “You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48, AMP).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Spiritual Gifts

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

Spiritual gifts are abilities and powers that Jesus gives to each of his followers, as he sees fit for the effective functioning of his church. Three key passages about spiritual gifts are 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12:4-8, and Ephesians 4:7-13.

A list of the gifts are:

administration / ruling
apostleship / pioneering
craftsmanship
creative communication
discernment
encouraging / exhorting
evangelism
faith
giving
healing
hospitality
intercession
interpretation
knowledge
leadership
miracles
pastor / shepherding
prophecy / perceiving
serving / ministry
showing mercy
teaching
tongues
wisdom

Key verse about Spiritual Gifts: Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:1-3, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Spiritual Discipline

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

Spiritual disciplines are practices we willingly pursue in response to a God who created us, saved us, and guides us. Spiritual disciplines draw us closer to God, deepen our understanding of who he is, and help make us into the men and women he desires us to become.

Spiritual disciplines are not something we do out of guilt or obligation; they are not a way to gain God’s attention or earn our salvation.

The list of spiritual disciplines is varied and inexact. Prayer, Bible study, fasting, and meditation are commonly cited examples of spiritual disciplines. Many people end the list with these four, whereas others add additional activities.

Tags read the Bible, spiritual

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Sovereignty

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

Sovereignty is the right or authority to exercise total control over a person, peoples, situation, or place.

God is sovereign, exercising his sovereignty over us. This concept doesn’t sit well with most people in today’s culture. This fact, however, doesn’t make it any less true, just harder to accept.

The concept of sovereignty is demonstrated brilliantly by the metaphor of a potter working with clay (Romans 9:21 et al), where the potter enjoys total control over what the clay becomes.

(Note that this is just a one-word picture of understanding God and his relationship to his followers; it must be held in balance with other equally insightful and more encouraging—metaphors that help us understand more fully who God is.)

Key verse about Sovereignty: “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. (Daniel 5:17-19, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Southern Kingdom

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

The Southern Kingdom, also known as the Southern Tribes of Judah, was one of two nations that resulted when Israel split due to the unwise leadership of King Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 10). The other nation was the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Like the Northern Kingdom, the Southern Kingdom, was later conquered and deported. They, however, eventually returned, as covered in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah.

It was through the Southern Kingdom (Judah) that the royal line of King David was perpetuated.

Key verse about Southern Kingdom: “And because he had no son, Jehoram [his younger brother] became king [of Israel, the northern kingdom] in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah [the southern kingdom] (2 Kings 1:17, AMP).

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