New Testament
Continuing the Testimony of the Acts of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:1-3)
Acts 1:1-3 provides an introduction to the book of Acts and sets the stage for the narrative that follows. In Acts 1:1-3, Luke addresses his writing to Theophilus, who is likely a patron or a person of high social status. He explains that his earlier work, the Gospel of Luke, was about all that...
Believers Had Everything in Common (Acts 4:32-37)
This brief comment, on the way how the believers shared their possessions, pictures the social order in the early Christian community. This order is no doubt influenced by the fervent expectation of the coming of the kingdom of God.
Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle to the Romans was always drawing considerable attention among theologians. For example, it was this epistle which significantly contributed to conversion of Augustine, to Martin Luther's discovery of justification by faith or was used by Karl Barth to form manifesto of dialectical...
Righteousness Through Faith (Romans 3:21-31)
Romans 3:24 speaks about "redemption that came by Christ Jesus". We do not event think about that, but this redemption has on its background very strong ancient contextual image. Redemption is not just ordinary synonym for salvation, but it concerns literal redeeming of a slave (there is a Greek...
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ (Romans 5:12-21)
In this passage, the Apostle Paul explains how sin entered the world through Adam, and how Jesus Christ came to offer redemption from this sin. While all humanity is inherently sinful due to the original sin of Adam, salvation and righteousness are available to all through the grace of Jesus...
Adoption (Romans 8:14-17)
Verses of Romans 8:14-17 open one of the essential Pauline theological themes that we call adoption. In these verses, Paul develops his thesis from Romans 8 about the implications of the presence of the Holy Spirit in Christian life. One of the outcomes is the interconnection of God and people and...
Nothing can separate us from God's love (Romans 8:31-39)
Romans 8:31-39 is one of the most profound and comforting passages in the New Testament, offering deep theological insights into the love of God, the security of believers in Christ, and the unbreakable bond between Christ and those who belong to him. Paul poses a rhetorical question, "If god is...
Institution of the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
This passage highlights the establishment of the Lord's Supper, also known as the Eucharist, as a fundamental Christian practice. It emphasizes the importance of remembering and proclaiming Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus instructs his followers to partake in the bread and the cup...
Concerning Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-14:40)
The whole discourse on spiritual gifts is one of the most controversial sections in the entire Bible. The study of the original text and employment of literary criticisms open the text in a different way than usually done on the popular level. We would like to point out one particular emphasis...
Resurrection Creed (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 is considered to be an early church's creed. It expresses recorded oral tradition of the resurrection of Jesus. Yet brief, it is very deep. These particular points are stressed: fulfilling of the Scriptures, confirming the reality of the resurrection, and that Christ is both...