EXPOSITORY ARTICLE | Jeff Asher | Nachogdoches, Texas
In John four, Jesus converses with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. His objective is to prepare her intellectually and spiritually so that He may introduce Himself to her as the Messiah. He used the circumstances of their meeting and their mutual need for the well to initiate the conversation. Jesus asked her to favor Him by drawing water from the well for a drink. Read More
CHURCH ARTICLE | Jeff Asher | Nachogdoches, Texas
Church is one of several words that entered our language through the influence of the King James Bible. In his rules for the translators, King James I of England desired “the old ecclesiastical words to be kept.” Therefore, ekklesia was never actually translated but transliterated, sort of. Church comes into English from the Scottish kirke, which is derived through Germanic influences from a shortened form of the Greek kuriokon meaning “belonging to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:20; Revelation 1:10). Complain, as many do, about the word, it is nevertheless a scriptural designation (cf. Matthew 2:6; Romans 9:25–26; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Matthew 16:18). However, it is not a translation. Read More
EXPOSITORY ARTICLE | Jeff Asher | Nacogdoches, Texas
This chapter has proven no small source of complication, confusion and consternation to many dedicated Bible students. Part of the difficulty lies in the English versions which are not completely unbiased in their own assumptions about the passage. Add to this the use of difficult words and repetitive phrases (some of which cannot be avoided) and even the diligent reader gets bogged down. Also, the theological systems and creeds have influenced and prejudiced the minds of many who would study the passage. The pervasiveness of such doctrines as “original sin,” “total depravity,” “limited atonement,” and “human inability” cloud the perception and impede understanding. We are just unaware sometimes of the prejudice we bring to a text. We must strive to be open-minded, seeking an honest encounter with the words on the page.