Category: Bible Insights

Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.

Linus Reminds Us What Christmas is All About

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date December 25, 2014

Of the four biographies of Jesus in the Bible, my favorite is Luke’s. Luke also contains the best-known account of Jesus’ birth, made popular by the Peanut’s character Linus.

Watch Linus explain what Christmas is all about.

This well-known clip is from the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas. Debuting over fifty years ago, the show addressed the secularization and commercialization of Christmas.

In the past five decades, the situation has grown much worse.

Let’s reclaim what Christmas is all about, starting with today—whether it’s Christmas or not.

May you and your family celebrate Jesus throughout the year.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 1-3, and today’s post is on Luke 2:8-14.]

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags holiday, Jesus

Bible Insights

Check Out Bible Gateway

The Best Online Scripture Resourse

I’m taking a one-week break in my posts about women in the Bible to talk about a good friend who just had a facelift. I didn’t know this was coming and was shocked when I saw the results. Hardly a recognizable feature remained.

In fact, I panicked: something’s wrong! Even after a few days, I’m still getting used to the new look.

My good friend is not a person, however, but a website: BibleGateway.com.

I use BibleGateway almost every day to research the Bible. I can quickly look up verses in multiple versions, providing insight and clarity.

The New International Version (NIV) is my default version, with supporting help from the New Living Translation (NLT), Contemporary English Version (CEV), Amplified Bible, and The Message.

I also use it to search for words or phrases. This is a great tool to look up verses I somewhat know, such as “What’s the verse that talks about the first who will be last?”

Four verses came up: Matthew 19:30, Matthew 20:16, Mark 10:31, and Luke 13:30.

I also use the word search to do word studies, such as how many times is love mentioned in the book of First John?” The answer is 25; only Psalms mentions love more often.

Another example is “How often does the reoccurring metaphor “end of the rope” occur in The Message?”

The answer is ten, six of which are in Psalms. (See my post “At the End of Your Rope.”)

Of course, there are many more resources on BibleGateway, but I use these two daily.

Check out the new BibleGateway. It’s sleek design, elegant look, and new features smartly support the invaluable resource behind this new look.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible

Discover the Amazing Women in Scripture

I spent a season with my Bible reading focused on notable women in the Bible. Some are famous, many are obscure, and a few are infamous. It’s been an interesting study, and I’ll share some of what I’m discovering.

What I’ve learned is that even though the writings in the Bible cover a time in history when men dominated the culture and women were disregarded, God often tapped his female followers to accomplish amazing things.

Join me in celebrating their lives and contribution to our shared faith. So far my list includes:

Ruth (the great grandmother of king David)
Esther (the Queen who saved her people)
Deborah (the judge)
Hannah (Samuel’s mom)
Sarah (Abraham’s wife)
Naomi (Ruth’s mother-in-law)
Rebekah (Isaac’s wife)
Rachel (one of Jacob’s wives)
Leah (one of Jacob’s wives)
Abigail (one of David’s wives)
Michal (one of David’s wives)
Tamar (in the family tree of Jesus)
Rahab (in the family tree of Jesus)
Bathsheba (in the family tree of Jesus)
Naaman’s servant girl
Jephthah’s daughter
Mary (the mother of Jesus)
Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist)
Anna (the woman in the temple who awaited Jesus’ birth)
Eve (the wife of Adam)
The Mother of Jabez
Miriam (the sister of Moses)
Dinah (the daughter of Jacob and Leah)
Orpah (the sister-in-law of Ruth)
Peninnah (the wife of Elkanah, along with Hannah, the mother of Samuel)
King Solomon’s Wives
The Wise Woman from Tekoa
Jochebed (the mother of Moses)
The Widow of Zarephath
The Widow and her oil
The Shuammite Woman
Athaliah (the evil queen)
Jael (the brave woman who kills Sisera)
The Chosen Lady (who John write about in his second letter)

Guess what? I have one hundred more biblical women to cover. And they’re all in my new book Women of the Bible.

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Jael, Women of the Bible

Bible Insights

Do You Hear the Voice of God?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 27, 2014

Listening for God’s Direction

Some people tell me they’ve never heard God speak to them. Of those, I suspect many actually do hear him, but they don’t realize it.

For others, they need to train themselves to listen. And there may be a few people with something blocking their ability to hear him.

Consider the Israelites in the Bible. They heard God speak and were so fearful they begged him to stop. Instead, they asked Moses to serve as an intermediary between them and God. And God did as they asked.

God ceased talking to the people and instead spoke only through selected leaders, priests, and prophets. I suspect the rest of the Old Testament would have unfolded quite differently had they not made this foolish request.

However, Jesus changed all that, allowing everyone who follows him to approach God directly and hear from him. This may be in audible words, a small whisper, or words, thoughts, and images he places in our minds.

If we aren’t hearing from God, maybe all we need to do is ask—and then listen.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Exodus 20-22, and today’s post is on Exodus 20:19.]

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Tags hear God, serve God

Bible Insights

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 13, 2014

Demonstrate Our Faith by What We Do

I enjoy the writing and teaching of James. His words offer concise, practical teaching about being a follower of Jesus.

James talks about the great faith of Abraham, exemplified by his willingness to kill his son Isaac in obedience to God. (Spoiler alert: It was only a test. God didn’t actually make Abraham follow through with it. See Genesis 22:1-18.)

Anyone can say they have faith, but their actions prove it. Without a tangible demonstration, the existence of faith remains in doubt. Faith is not cerebral or an introspective endeavor. In truth, our actions speak louder than words.

Faith produces activity, action that shows obedience to God and love towards others. James concludes by writing that faith-prompted action is true righteousness, that is “right living.”

We live right when we express our faith by our actions. As such, our actions speak louder than words.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is James 1-3 and today’s post is on James 2:21-24.]

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Tags doubt, faith, righteous

Bible Insights

Embracing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 27, 2014

Celebrate the Trinity

Many people are surprised to learn the word Trinity isn’t in the Bible.

Trinity reflects the nature of God, one God, with three distinct parts: the Father (creator), the Son, Jesus (savior), and the Holy Spirit (guide).

I understand Trinity to mean “three in one.” It’s not a polytheistic implication, as some people assume, but an acknowledgment of God’s character.

Just as I relate to my wife in different ways (friend, partner, lover, and so forth), depending on the situation, God can reveal himself to us through different personas—and we must accept all three.

Not able to find Trinity in the Bible, I looked for mentions of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the same verse.

Matthew 28:19 is the only place I can find all three—and it’s a most significant circumstance. In baptism, all three aspects of God’s person are affirmed—and with equal standing.

We must do the same, equally embracing God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our true worship of God should be to all three unified parts of his singular reality.

A most helpful book on the subject is The Threefold Art of Experiencing God by Christian A. Schwarz.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Matthew 26-28 and today’s post is on Matthew 28:19.]

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Bible Insights

God Speaks Through Feelings and Thoughts

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 20, 2014

Not only can God speak to us through audible words, through silent words, and through visions, he can also direct us through our thoughts, a kind of a sixth sense, a supernatural knowing. People may say, “I just felt I needed to do this.”

Other verbs that uncover this type of godly communication include prompted, urged, and compelled. People may say, “I can’t explain it, but it simply seemed like the right thing” or “I somehow knew what to say.”

Many people experience this type of awareness, but they may not even know God is behind it. Examples of this are also in the Bible.

Consider when Paul feels compelled to go to Jerusalem or when Jonathan acts with brash boldness, even though it’s humanly foolish to do so.

Another time is when the early church decides how to handle a divisive teaching. Also, consider when God directs Paul in writing his letters, when teaching, and even in court.

God can speak to us in many ways. Are we ready to listen?

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Tags God speaks, supernatural

Bible Insights

God Speaks Through Visions

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 13, 2014
2 Comments on God Speaks Through Visions

God not only speaks to us through audible words and inaudible words, but he communicates to us through images and scenes. These may happen in our waking hours or when asleep.

God used a dream to show Joseph (son of Jacob) the future, with his parents and brothers bowing down to him. God also communicated to Joseph (Jesus’ father) through dreams, first to go ahead and marry Mary and later to escape to Egypt.

Daniel saw images sent from God.

Peter had a vision telling him to let non-Jews know about Jesus.

Of course, most of Revelation, the last half of Daniel, and much of Ezekiel contain visions portending the future that God gave to his prophets.

In the Bible, God spoke to his people through visions, dreams, and images. His power isn’t diminished now. What he did then, he still does today.

God speaks to us. How he accomplishes it doesn’t matter.

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Tags God speaks, Visions

Bible Insights

God Speaks Through Inaudible Words

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 6, 2014

In addition to speaking to us in audible words, God can also communicate to us inaudibly, implanting his words into our minds through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes it’s instructions to do something, as with Phillip in the desert and Peter at Antioch.

In other instances, he reveals words for people to tell others. For example, God directed Peter what to say when questioned by the religious leaders. He gave wisdom to Stephen, revealed the future to Agabus about a famine, and directed Paul as he spoke to Elymas.

Other times God’s messages can be private communication, such as God revealing to Paul what awaited him in Jerusalem.

This is all through the work of the Holy Spirit, who directs all who follow Jesus.

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Bible Insights

What is the Apocrypha in the Bible?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 2, 2014

Question: What is the Apocrypha?

Answer: The word Apocrypha isn’t in the Bible. The Apocrypha is a group of Old Testament books that are not in all versions of the Bible, such as the current Protestant and Hebrew Bibles.

They are, however, part of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox versions of the Bible. Since much of Christianity deems these writings as holy and inspired, it’s important to consider them.

These books are:

Roman Catholic Cannon

The Roman Catholic Bible (see the New American Bible, as well as the New Jerusalem Bible, Douay-Rheims, and Good News Translation) includes the following books of the Apocrypha:

Eastern Orthodox Cannon

3 Maccabees
4 Maccabees
1 Esdras
Prayer of Manasseh
Psalm 151
Letter of Jeremiah (sometimes included in Baruch, chapter 6)
(The Prayer of Azariah, usually included in Daniel, as part of chapter 3.)
(Susanna, usually included in Daniel, chapter 13)
(Bel and the Dragon, usually included in Daniel, chapter 14)

Interestingly, the Apocrypha books were part of the original King James translation of the Bible but were later removed.

Furthermore, the Apocrypha was part of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which was in use during Jesus’ time.

What happened to them? Why were these books removed? The justification is they aren’t in the Hebrew Bible and there are no versions of them written in Hebrew. Hence their removal.

I think that was a bad call. These books contain some epic stories and can add flavor to our understanding of God. We should embrace them rather than reject them.

To read a version that includes the Apocrypha books, consider Common English Version (CEB).

[See more Bible FAQs for answers to other frequently asked questions.]

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Tags Apocrypha, Maccabees, read the Bible