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.
Paul's Direct Quotations of Greco-Roman Philosophers and Poets
Paul directly quotes or alludes to Greco-Roman philosophers and poets in only a few places in the New Testament. These instances include Acts 17:28, 1 Corinthians 15:33, and Titus 1:12. In Acts 17:28, Paul addresses the Areopagus in Athens, engaging with Greek philosophical and religious thought...
The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1:16-17)
Romans 1:16-17 is a foundational passage in Christian theology, emphasizing the power and universality of the gospel and the principle of justification by faith. Paul declares that he is "not ashamed" of the gospel (εὐαγγέλιον [euangelion]), for it is the power (δύναμις [dynamis]) of God for...
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...