by Paul Apple | Jun 9, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION CAN BE DEFENDED BY UNDERSTANDING BOTH GOD’S WORD AND GOD’S POWER INTRODUCTION: The issue at stake in this controversy with the Sadducess is the doctrine of the resurrection. The hypothetical case study of how to handle...
by Paul Apple | Jun 8, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BEGIN WITH YOUR PRIMARY OBLIGATION TO SUBMIT TO GOD AND YOU WILL HAVE NO STRUGGLE SUBMITTING TO CIVIL GOVERNMENT INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: Matthew now returns to the controversies that are the core of this section. The three parables have established the...
by Paul Apple | Jun 7, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CONTEMPT FOR KINGDOM INVITATION AND KINGDOM REQUIREMENTS RESULTS IN FATAL CONSEQUENCES INTRODUCTION: Definition of Contempt: a feeling that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approval; lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense...
by Paul Apple | Jun 6, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE WICKEDNESS OF ISRAEL’S RULERS IN REJECTING GOD’S PROPHETS AND EVENTUALLY HIS OWN SON HAS CAUSED A RADICAL SHIFT AWAY FROM A KINGDOM FOCUS ON THE NATION OF ISRAEL INTRODUCTION: This parable must be interpreted from the perspective of the Apostle Paul’s...
by Paul Apple | Jun 4, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ACTIONS MEAN MORE THAN MERE WORDS – GOOD INTENTIONS CANNOT BE SUBSTITUTED FOR GENUINE REPENTANCE AND THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: This is a parable about rejection and unbelief, a reluctance and yet a final willingness to do the...
by Paul Apple | Jun 3, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: HARD HEARTS THAT REFUSE TO SUBMIT TO THE LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CANNOT OBJECTIVELY JUDGE HIS CLAIMS INTRODUCTION: Warren Wiersbe: This series of three parables grew out of the demand of the chief priests and elders for Jesus to explain what authority...
by Paul Apple | Jun 2, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JUDGMENT ON THE HYPOCRISY OF ISRAEL FORESHADOWED IN THE CURSING OF THE FRUITLESS FIG TREE INTRODUCTION: Jeffrey Crabtree: Commentators divide over the significance of this miracle. Hagner (33B:604) says this miracle can only be understood as anticipation of...
by Paul Apple | Jun 1, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MESSIAH KING ASSERTS HIS AUTHORITY OVER THE TEMPLE IN ANTICIPATION OF IMPENDING JUDGMENT INTRODUCTION: Daniel Doriani: We call this episode “the cleansing of the temple” but that phrase understates the significance of Jesus’ action. By taking such...
by Paul Apple | Jun 1, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GRAND ENTRANCE OF THE MESSIAH KING INTO JERUSALEM ACCOMPANIED BY POPULAR PRAISE BUT BLIND PERCEPTION INTRODUCTION: Michael Wilkins: The crescendo of Jesus’ messianic ministry occurs as he enters Jerusalem, the city of the great King (Ps. 48:1–2), the center...
by Paul Apple | May 30, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BLIND PEOPLE CAN HAVE THEIR SIGHT RESTORED BY CALLING UPON JESUS FOR HIS COMPASSIONATE MERCY INTRODUCTION: D. A. Carson: It reminds us that the one going up to Jerusalem to give his life as a ransom for many is the Messiah, the Son of David, whose great...
by Paul Apple | May 28, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TRUE GREATNESS IN THE KINGDOM DERIVES FROM HUMBLE SERVICE AS MODELED BY JESUS, NOT THE SELFISH AMBITION OF THE WORLD INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: After the immediately preceding announcement of the suffering and death that await Jesus, the two disciples’...
by Paul Apple | May 28, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS CONTINUES TO PUT THE FOCUS ON HIS UPCOMING BETRAYAL, CRUIFIXION AND RESURRECTION (WHILE HIS FOLLOWERS ARGUE OVER WHO IS THE GREATEST) INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: Jesus is aware of his destiny and deliberately chooses the cross, while the disciples,...
by Paul Apple | May 26, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: RATHER THAN INSECURITY OR ENVY REGARDING REWARDS FOR SPIRITUAL SERVICE, BELIEVERS SHOULD FOCUS ON GOD’S GRACE IN GRANTING ETERNAL LIFE AND HIS JUSTICE AND SOVEREIGN DISCRETION INTRODUCTION: This passage raises a number of difficult interpretative questions?...
by Paul Apple | May 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: LOVERS OF WEALTH MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN FOLLOWING CHRIST OR CLINGING TO THEIR MATERIALISTIC VALUE SYSTEM (THE IDOLS OF POSSESSIONS) INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: The narrative now turns to the story of a young man whose great riches kept him from the full and...
by Paul Apple | May 24, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS WELCOMES LITTLE CHILDREN AND POINTS TO THEIR HUMILITY AND DEPENDENCE AS IDENTIFYING MARKS OF KINGDOM CITIZENS INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: The movement from husband-wife relations to children is a natural progression. Children here become a model for...
by Paul Apple | May 23, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD DESIGNED MARRIAGE TO BE A PERMANENT ONE-FLESH DIVINE UNION BETWEEEN MAN AND WOMAN FOR LIFE INTRODUCTION: Orthodox Evangelical commentators have long been divided on their positions on this passage as it relates to the teaching of Jesus regarding the...
by Paul Apple | May 20, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: HAVING BEEN FORGIVEN MUCH, BELIEVERS MUST NOT PUT LIMITS ON THE FORGIVENESS THEY EXTEND TO OTHERS INTRODUCTION: R. T. France: The opening exhortation to forgive without limit is undergirded by a parable which compares God’s forgiveness and ours; it is...
by Paul Apple | May 19, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE STEPS FOR CONFRONTING SIN IN THE BELIEVING COMMUNITY DEPEND ON THE DELEGATED AUTHORITY FROM THE RATIFYING DIVINE PRESENCE INTRODUCTION: Richard Gardner: Having acknowledged the possibility of stumbling or straying, Matthew goes on to treat the question:...
by Paul Apple | May 16, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: 3 REASONS WHY WE MUST NOT DESPISE ANY OF GOD’S VULNERABLE SHEEP SINCE THEY ALL ARE INDIVIDUALLY VALUED INTRODUCTION: David Turner: In addition to dealing decisively with sin in their own lives, disciples must also avoid contempt for fellow members of the...
by Paul Apple | May 15, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DON’T BE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO FELLOW BELIEVERS OR TO YOURSELF INTRODUCTION: John MacArthur: in Matthew chapter 18 a most-interesting thing is going on. The disciples, children of God, who belong to Jesus Christ, are provoking one another to sin. By arguing...
