Eternal Life, Eternality, Everlasting Life The divinely bestowed gift of blessedness in God’s presence that endures without end. This relates especially to the quality of life in this age, and to both the quality and duration of life in the age to come. Key to understanding the biblical meaning of these terms is the Bible’s […]
Ezra, Theology of The Sovereignty and the Works of God. God is “the God of heaven and earth” ( 5:11 ). He raises up kings and grants to them their authority ( 1:2 ). He is able to stir up their hearts so they will do his bidding ( 1:1 ). Mighty Artaxerxes, the king of kings, cannot refuse any request […]
Exodus, Theology of The disclosure of God in the Book of Exodus develops from a distant deity of an oppressed people in Egypt to one in intimate relationship with the people of Israel on their way to the promised land. A theological goldmine results, impacting the concepts and theological ideas of the rest of the […]
Ezekiel, Theology of Ezekiel and his contemporaries confronted what for the Israelites was the most traumatic possible challenge to their faith: the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. It is difficult for the contemporary Protestant to grasp the significance of this theological catastrophe. Perhaps the best we can do is imagine the impact it would […]
Ecclesiastes, Theology of Debate surrounds the interpretation of Ecclesiastes. Some early Jewish interpreters even suspected the canonicity of the book. It sometimes gives apparently contradictory advice. The book’s author, who goes by the name “Qohelet” (translated in modern versions as “the Preacher” or “the Teacher”), can, on the one hand, say that he “hated life” […]
Elect, Election The term “elect” means essentially “to choose.” It involves discriminatory evaluation of individuals, means, ends, or objects with a view to selecting one above the others, although not necessarily passing negative judgment on those others. It also involves the will, in that a determination is made, a preference expressed that one seeks to […]
Ephesians, Theology of Pauline authorship of Ephesians does not appear to have been doubted in the early church. It is listed among Paul’s letters in the early manuscripts and cited as such by early Christian authors such as Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.2.3), Clement of Alexandria (Stromateis 4.65), and Tertullian (Against Marcion 5.11.17; 5.17.1). It is included among Paul’s […]
Education in Bible Times Education is essential to the survival of any social group, since a community secures its continued existence and development only through the transmission of its accumulated knowledge, derived power, and ideological aims to the next generation. Education may be simply (and narrowly) defined as the process of teaching and learning, the […]
Elder In both the Old and New Testaments, the term “elder” indicates one of advanced age (Heb. zaqen [eqz]; Gk. presbyteros [presbuvtero”]) who had a office of leadership within the people of God. The Old Testament. We are not informed about the origin of this office, which was also known outside Israel ( Gen 50:7 ; Num 22:7 ). It probably developed from […]
Endurance [N] Continuing Christian commitment in the face of difficulty. Born in a context of hostility, persecution, and the death of their Lord and his disciples, the endurance of Christians in the face of persecution and temptation underlies most the New Testament. Pictorial athletic imagery was used to summon Christians to faithfulness as they prepared themselves […]