Essays on Gentiles

There are two main scenes in John, Chapter 4. First, Jesus is thirsty and goes to Jacob's well to drink water. But He goes to find a Samaritan woman. Jesus goes to find her. He offers her the water of life, the one that satisfies all thirst. He is a Jew, and she is a Samaritan. And in those times, a Jew did not talk to a Samaritan woman, and when Jesus spoke to her, she was surprised. Furthermore, Jesus planned to meet her there. He went there to talk to her, the meeting was not by chance. He ...

Lot’s and Paul’s stories in the Bible

Lot’s Encounter A crucial and outstanding aspect that has been well presented in Genesis chapter 19 is the issue of remaining righteous no matter the situation at hand has been demonstrated in an amplified way (Carroll & Prickett, 2008). At times, a heavy resentment has to be overcome with not so favorable options, but just to defend what is righteous. In Sodom, the two messengers could not find a room to stay. No one accepted strangers in the place since they did not adhere to the immoral culture that had taken root in the region. The two strangers were ...

Every person has a worldview in life, and it may be described in different ways depending on the individual. A worldview can be defined as a set of beliefs an individual has about a major question in life such as if God exist, the way he looks, how can a person know God, is there life after death, and how to differentiate between right and wrong among others. There is the need to refer to the Holy books such as the Bible and Quran to get the answers to the inescapable life questions. The biblical worldview is composed of ...

Christians believe Jesus Christ was both human and God simultaneously. Jesus was conceived by Mary and raised by his earthly father, Joseph, and Mary thus depicts he was human. Through the conception by Mary, it shows that he was human after all. Moreover, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for forty days and nights by Satan just like any other mortal being. Humanity is associated with temptations and sinning. However, for believers to have faith in him as the Messiah, he resurrected from the death. After Jesus had been crucified at the Calvary, He was buried whereby he arose ...

Introduction

Mission, covenant, and salvation not only demonstrate the common grounds between Christians and Jews but also illustrate the many challenges that remain unresolved. The Christian-Jews relationship remains a major cause of debate and divergent opinions over the identity of God’s people. Some people believe that today’s Church consists of God’s new people while others maintain that Jews God’s chose people; therefore, they are most valued. Both Christians and Jews consider themselves as the true descendants of Israel. The Church also believes that it is the true Israel and should partake in the various biblical promises ...

- In Luke 1:43, the Holy Spirit first works in the form of Elizabeth (Oxford). In this moment, she proclaims the coming birth of the Lord through her sister and exalts Mary as blessed.

Without the presence of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth would not have known these things. The Spirit then appears in Simeon to proclaim Jesus as Lord to both his parents. Unlike the first passage, this one further expounds on the baby’s purpose to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel (Oxford Luke 2:32). He then further predicts the ...

The Life of Saint Paul the Apostle

Saint Paul is the greatest missionary of the Christian Church and he is well – educated both in Jewish and non – Jewish studies. He is born between 5 and 10 AD at Tarsus in Cilicia with Jewish father and mother. His Jewish name is Saul and he became a persecutor of the followers of Jesus Christ of Nazarene. He studied under the great Jewish rabbi Gamaliel. In Damascus, he experienced conversion and became a faithful Christian. He is transformed into a passionate enthusiastic apostle of Christ with three missionary trips throughout Asia Minor. In Rome, as his final trip and his ...

Introduction

The book of Ruth is an Old Testament fascinating story of a gentle woman who marries into a Jewish family and voluntarily accepts to live the way of the Israelites. The main character, Ruth, is one of the female ancestors of David and Christ Jesus. Some of the unique attributes of the book is that it’s the shortest book in the bible with only four chapters. Ruth, the central character is a Moabite woman, her mother in law’s name is Jewish widow called Naomi. The Ruth story is an intricate chronology of family misfortune, loyalty, love and commitment.

One of ...

It is understood in Christian tradition and theology that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead lies at the heart of Christian practice and theology. The gospel texts are read in Christian tradition as epiphanies while the following texts like Galatians reveal the workings and mechanisms of the early church. This paper explores the history and message of the book of Galatians, paying particular attention to its authorship, its underlying message and its influence in the growth of the early Christian Church and the Christian movement of today. As Young observes, Jesus did not teach ...

Mathews 6:9-13 reveals a considerable Christian belief anchored on the foundation of prayers. This reinforces the grace of prayers as a sufficient framework of guiding the Christian way of life. It from this principle that Mathews 6:9-13 underscores the need for acknowledging the presence of God and the inherent connection and fellowship of Christians through prayers. The petitions envisioned in this passage focuses on the attention of worshipers on God as well as entrusting God with the provision of the needs of Christians. Evidently, prayer is the fundamental experience, practice and ritual in the Christian life. This is the indispensable aspect ...

Introduction

Saint Thomas Aquinas is one of the people accredited for having brought theology into the limelight. However, though theology existed long before the emergence of philosophers and fathers if the church, individualistic drives such as those of Aquinas brought a deeper understanding into the mysteries of theology. Modern day theology would not have gotten any bearing without the impact of philosophers and scholars who simplified the understanding of theological concepts. While it cannot be independently verified what the motivation was behind the interest in theology, it is clear that theology is what it is because of the input of the ...

Introduction

As the process of migration continued to rise in America, it led to increased consumption of goods in the market. Ethnic groups expressed unique norms and values on the consumption behavior. Among the ethnic groups were the Jewish communities, which immersed themselves into cultural groups and portrayed great deal in their purchasing power, which put them in the upper socioeconomic class. The important thing about American Jewish is their connection between consumer decision making and ethnicity. It is believed that Jewish ethnicity exerted more effect on behavior of individuals as compared to other ethnic groups in America. Jewish consumers ...

An epistle to Romans, i.e. the Christian Church in Rome, was written by Paul and addressed to a community of people, in contrast to some personal letters he used to write during his mission as well. It has some signs of hope as well as some challenges. The main topic of the first eight chapters of the text is on understanding the Christian faith and giving practical implications for Christians in this particular community. In this essay I will present Paul’s message to Romans and its possible meaning including my interpretation on it. Basically, Paul presents two main ...

There are not many philosophers in history as influential as Saint Thomas of Aquinas. His works have influenced western philosophy for centuries and found a way to conciliate theological thought and reason. He was a man of his age, one who followed tradition and sought nothing more than to remain faithful to Christ and his church, but knew how to introduce long rejected philosophical systems that were considered contrary to the interests of the clergy. This work is gives an account of the life of Thomas of Aquinas, his academic works, his philosophy and the impact he had on the western ...

1 Samuel is one of the oldest documented writings and it belongs thematically with 2 Samuel. In some editions they are known as first two Books of the Kingdoms, thus leaving 1 and 2 Kingdoms as third and fourth books in this sequence. This is a very logical connection, since all the four books describe chronological events of the years preceding and following the establishment of the Jewish kingdom as an institution. Functionally 1 Samuel is a book of the Prophets (the other two being Law and Writings). This fact tells us that 1 Samuel is not only a historical book, describing ...

The holy book of Romans is undoubtedly one of the most elaborate works of Apostle Paul to the Christians living in Rome, which was then an important city both into the Roman Empire and in the work of the gospel. Rome was both an administrative and religious center, with a highly cosmopolitan population. The book of Romans is actually not Paul’s first letter but it is placed as the first epistle because of its depth in dealing with the person of the messiah Jesus Christ and the message of the kingdom of God that he came to expose to ...

Jesus Is the Christ

A paper

Introduction3

Summary of Critique4 The gospel according to Matthew6 Matthew's sinister motives?7 Jesus as the son of David7 Luke's gospel10 Conclusions11 INTRODUCTION In the book; Jesus is the Christ, Bird focuses on the personal differences of the writers of the gospels as the reason for the variations in the details and inconsistencies between them. Bird examines the weaknesses of the writers in producing information that suggests their areas of focus and intentions. This critique seeks to identify both Bird's faults and strengths as well as establish the accuracy of his comments, ...

In order to clearly approach this matter, we must first understand the meaning of the word Jew. Who can be defined as a member of a cultural society who belongs to the Judaism religion and whose lineage can be traced to the Hebrew of the Israel and to their father Abraham. It comes from one of Abraham’s ancestors who was named Eber. Teachings from another tradition say that the word came from ‘eyver’, which translates to mean the ‘other side’. It is in reference that Abraham travelled from Euphrates separating himself spiritually and morally from other nations. It is ...

When Jesus Christ rose he told his disciples to be his witnesses in Jerusalem and in the whole of Judea as well as Samaria as seen in Acts 1:8. In fact, the book of Acts covers how the church carried out this commission and this included apostles Peter and Paul. In the first twelve chapters of the book Paul plays a key role in the preaching of the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles and as from chapter thirteen Paul takes over. These two apostles shifted from exclusively preaching to Jews to involve Gentiles because now they had to preach ...

Since the beginning of religion, as it is clear today, controversy has always been on the forefront. As early as before the coming of Christ, the religion has been known to be an emotive issue. A sneak preview into the early days of religion shows that Jews and Gentiles were perhaps some of the worst enemies in matters religion. That was because both groups viewed each other as lesser beings in worshipping and religious practices. This rift was mended partly during the gospel of Jesus Christ, and its completion was visible during the ministries of Paul and Peter.

Evidences of the shift from the Jewish gospel and the Gentile Gospel

The ...

Allows Expounding on Ancient Greek Ideas

Introduction Historically, from the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and the founding of Christianity, the treatment of Christians depended on who ruled Rome. The long-term significance of the Edict of Milan’s in 313 (Rosenwein 1) authoritarian pronouncement gave the right for Christians worshiping and conducting their faith in God on their own terms without fear of disquieting treatment and more importantly without persecution. This scholastic undertaking discusses how the Edict of Milan ensuring the safety of believers during the evolution of the first Christian church resulting in emerging theological ideas aligned to the human condition. In doing so, ...

Paul is considered one of the greatest apostles of Jesus who evangelized Christianity across the world. He inspired and motivated the early Christians who were experiencing persecutions and religious divisions brought about by competing interpretation of Christ teachings. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul appealed to the community of believers there to be united in mind and purpose and avoid divisions and disagreements (Corithians1:10-11). He preached about Christian virtues of love, perseverance, faith, obedience and reconciliation throughout his ministry. These virtues have been observed by Christians since early Christian era. Paul’s conversion to Christianity played an important ...

Paul relays that Abrahams’ authenticity was deemed to him as rectitude (Rom 4:3-22). The starting point for him being reckoned as righteous was due to his believed in God even before he was circumcised. Initiation was a symbol of God’s covenant to him, because his uprightness was relayed through his authenticity a while before there was edict though still uncircumcised. Abraham is deemed as the father of scores of nations. Paul puts down concerning the candidness of Abraham (Rom 4:1-16). His faithfulness towards God made him to become the first righteous person. Abraham existed long prior to Moses, whom ...

Abstract

This paper is the final research paper for the course, and discusses the Salt Lake Temple – one of the list of suggested topics. Research was undertaken using extensive searches of internet and library resources, in order to locate information on the size and location of the temple, the timeframe of its construction, the civilization and culture responsible for its creation and existence, and just how it was built (methods of construction, materials, tools and equipment) and the composition of the workforce responsible. The final section of the paper discusses how the temple might be built differently if it was ...

The Gospel According to St. Matthew is the first book that appears in modern versions of the New Testament, but it is not the gospel that was written first. That title generally goes to the Gospel of Mark. Those who try to place Matthew into its literary context generally begin with the question of authorship. Obviously, the book does not name its author at any point. It was the Christian bishop Papias of Hierapolis, who wrote that “Matthew collected the oracles in the Hebrew language and each one interpreted them as best he could” (Turner 15-16). This might make ...

Introduction

Most religious men have their own favorite figure in the Hebrew bible. Just like me, I love to read and learn more about my famous biblical personality. The reason for this is that I am often reminded by His deeds and how I had wished I would know more about Him. To me, my prominent personality can be a model to anyone who thinks of Him accordingly. The one I will talk is none other than the one mentioned by all of God’s humble servants – whether they are as friends (II Chronicles 20:7; Exodus 33:11; Isaiah 41:8), kings (Proverbs ...

Paul the Apostle is considered one of the most influential icons of the Christian faith. His writings form a great part of the Bible’s New Testament. His writings have greatly impacted on the Christian thinking making him one of the most significant author and apostle in the Christian religion. Paul is described as a courageous soldier of Jesus who took the initiative of spreading the gospel through early Christian communities throughout the Roman Empire. In his missionary work, he transversed widely using Antioch (his home) as his foundation. Antioch was a major Christian center before even Paul started ministering. Saint Paul’ ...

In its first three centuries, Christianity began to separate from Judaism while also selectively incorporating the Jewish Scriptures and laws that it regarded as most useful, as is clear from the Didache. There were Gnostic Christians who were prepared to reject Judaism completely, along with the books of the Bible that finally became known as the Old Testament in the 4th Century. They regarded the Genesis Creator of the Hebrew Bible as a false and evil God and also denied the humanity and Jewish heritage of Jesus and his earliest followers. Orthodox Christianity did not accept the Gnostic argument that ...

SHORT SUMMARY

Jesus of Nazareth was a Palestine Jew who grew up in Galilee, an important center of the militant Zealots and resistance to the rule of the Romans and their local collaborators like the Herodians and the Temple priests in Jerusalem. Contrary to later interpretations, his original message was not intended to undermine the traditional Jewish religion, but to emphasize that the Kingdom of God was at hand and that his disciples should love God and one another. His commandments were for the Jews to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and to love ...

This paper reviews the film The Shop on Main Street. The movie is set during the World War II at a time when aryanization was rife. As part of the process, an apathetic Slovak carpenter is given the prospect to take over a store belonging to a Jewish woman who is nearly deaf. The woman is oblivious of the process and does not quite understand why the carpenter wants to take over the store. A Slovak who is antagonistic to the process attempts to aid the woman by convincing the carpenter that the business is running at a loss. In order to ...

Context

The story of the Good Samaritan is narrated in the gospel of Saint Luke in the bible in the New Testament. The parable is narrated to a lawyer who intended to test Jesus. The lawyer had first asked Jesus what he had to do in order to inherit the kingdom of heaven. The lawyer was an expert of law. This means that he was just testing Jesus since he already knew what he was to do. As a teacher of law, this lawyer knew all the laws. However, he was trying to find a reason which he could use to prosecute Jesus. ...

How many commands are there in the Torah / Pentateuch? How many positive? How many negative?

There are a total of six hundred and thirteen (613) commands in Torah. The commands can either be negative to imply that people should abstain from some acts. The negative commands are three hundred and sixty five (365). While the positive initiate performing certain acts and are a total of two hundred and forty eight (248).

Where are the Ten Commandments found in the Bible?

The Ten Commandments are found in the book of Exodus chapter twenty verse two to seventeen in the bible. How does Matthew show that Jesus is a prophet like Moses? Give at least 2 examples. Mathew indicates Jesus to be a prophet just like Moses ...

Outline

Various books in the New Testament have various topics they dwelt on depending on the context. In the Acts of the Apostles, the discussions centers on the Holy Spirit. As it will be seen in this study, the book of Acts begins by pointing out the fact that Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit as a helper of the disciples. The prophecy was fulfilled during the Day of the Pentecost when disciples received it. This is portrayed when they began talking in tongues that no one could comprehend. This study also provides succinct description of the passages and verses where ...

Abstract

Everyone is quite familiar with the Mission of Christ in the world when God has sent Him to save mankind from all sin and become the Messiah. However, if one is asked about what God’s Mission is to the world; many often speculate this as they are uncertain of His Mission for mankind and for the world He has created. Many noted that God’s faithful Mission is to watch over us and teach us His Will, but there is more to this Mission that everyone must understand and identify. Upon reading the Old and New Testaments, the ...

Abstract

Paul is considered the greatest Christian missionary and its first theologian who was born in 5 AD. His home town was in Tarsus—present day Turkey—and his parents were Jews who called him Saul. According to the Bible, he was a dedicated Christian persecutor before being converted by Jesus into a missionary and theologian. This paper will outline and summary of the events in the three missionary journeys that Paul underwent in spreading the gospel of Jesus.

First Mission

The journey took place in 46-48 AD and is considered his shortest missionary despite the fact that it was very iconic in the ...