Category: Bible Insights

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

Bible Insights

What Does the Lord’s Prayer Really Say About Forgiveness?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 22, 2008

Don’t Withhold Forgiveness

When you pray, be careful what you pray—I’m serious, be very careful.

In the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples (also called “The Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father”), one part says:

“Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.”

Some translations use the word “sins” or “transgressions” in place of debts, but the intent is the same.

The request is that God will forgive us…to the degree we forgive others.

That is, if we forgive fully, we are asking God to forgive us fully. However, if we only forgive partially—keeping grudges, holding on to ill-feelings, or harboring hate—then we are asking God to only forgive us partially.

Our lack of forgiveness towards others could limit the amount of forgiveness we receive. Ouch!

So when I pray that prayer, I do so carefully and with some trepidation; some days, I even want to skip that part!

However, skipping it is not the answer.

A better solution is to be steadfast and diligent in forgiving others—then we can likewise expect the same from God.

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.

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Tags forgiveness, prayer

Bible Insights

An Example of Obedience in the Life of Joseph

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 21, 2008

An Example of Obedience in the Life of Joseph

Four times, Joseph received instructions from God:

1. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to go ahead and marry Mary (Matthew 1:20).

2. Later, an angel spoke to Joseph in a dream, warning him of the threat on Jesus’ life and instructing him to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14).

3. A third time, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him it was safe to return from Egypt (Matthew 2:19-20).

4. Lastly, Joseph received additional instruction in a dream to go to Galilee and not Judea (Matthew 2:22).

Each of the times God spoke to Joseph, he obeyed without question or delay:

He married Mary, as instructed,
he got up and left for Egypt in the middle of the night,
he later returned to Israel, and
he settled in Galilee.

God can speak to us in various ways: by a dream, vision, or even angels, through the Bible or others, or the Holy Spirit.

However we may hear from God, there is but one acceptable response: to obey without question or delay, just as Joseph did.

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Tags angel, Egypt, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Joseph, Mary

Bible Insights

Are You an Alien?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 8, 2008

Do You Belong Here?

The Bible sometimes calls the followers of Jesus, aliens*. This seems like a strange and insulting label.

An alien is someone who doesn’t belong, an outsider.In common usage, an alien is from another country, but jumping to the world of sci-fi, an alien is from another world or alternate existence.

Is this starting to come into focus? If we follow Jesus, we don’t belong here; we are just passing through to the home that awaits us in heaven.

We are indeed aliens—but do we act like it? Acting like aliens means we have a different focus, different goals, and different priorities. It means we are different and people should see that difference.

Are you an alien—or do you belong here?

* See Ephesians 2:19, Hebrews 11:13, and 1 Peter 2:11; some translations use words like exiles, migrants, strangers, and temporary residents. The Message uses the phrase, “world is not your home.”

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Bible Insights

Jesus was Jewish

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 4, 2008

That statement catches many Christians (that is, followers of Jesus) off guard. It is easy to label Jesus, since he is the impetus for Christianity, as a Christian, even though his time spent on earth was as a Jew.

Indeed, he was born a Jew, into a Jewish culture, and had a clear Jewish lineage. He was raised and educated in Jewish beliefs and traditions.

His ministry was primarily to Jewish people (though he certainly ministered to non-Jews and made it clear that his message was for all people, his focus was the Jews).

In addition, most of his disciples were Jews, as presumably were most of his followers.

In fact, initially Christianity was viewed as a sect of Judaism.

Yes, Jesus was Jewish.

As such, there is much that his followers owe to and can learn from Jewish traditions and beliefs.

This is one important reason to study the Old Testament and to embrace our common ground with our Jewish bothers and sisters.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Acts 26-28 and today’s post is on Acts 28:22.]

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Bible Insights

The Curtain in the Temple was Torn in Two

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 31, 2008

The “Holy of Holies” (also called “the Most Holy Place” or “the Holiest of all”) was the innermost part of the tabernacle and later, the temple.

It was so sacred that only the high priest could enter it and then only once a year.

When Jesus died, the veil (which was very thick, more akin to a wall) in the temple around the Holy of Holies was torn in two, from top to bottom. This is significant for two reasons:

First, being torn from the top down signifies that it was God’s doing. Since it was 30 feet high, a person would only be able to tear it from the bottom up. In effect, God was saying, I’m changing the old way of doing things.

More importantly, this opened up the Holy of Holies, showing that everyone could now approach God, at any time—not just the high priest once a year.

Jesus changed things indeed, making it possible for all us to directly approach God.

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Tags Jesus, temple

Bible Insights

Sarah Laughs at God

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 25, 2008

In Genesis 18:10-15 we read the amazing story of Sarah being promised a son in her old age. When she hears this, she laughs—I would to; it seems preposterous. But for an all-powerful God, nothing is impossible.

In fact God rhetorically asks Abraham (Sarah’s even older husband) “Is anything too hard for [me]?”

Sarah’s laughter at God’s promise may have been delight, but more probable, it was doubt. Even so, God did as he promised and Isaac was born to Sarah and Abraham within the year.

Despite Sarah’s laughter over what was humanly impossible, God later commends her for having faith, Hebrews 11:11. Although she doubted, she apparently had enough belief so that God would later esteem her for her faith.

We may not have immense faith, but a little faith, even with some doubt sprinkled in, is enough for God.

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Tags Abraham, doubt, faith, Sarah

Bible Insights

Does God Give Love or Justice?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 18, 2008

Most people correctly understand that God is love. They then reason that out of love, he will unquestionably accept them as they are, welcoming them into heaven when they die.

This is an oversimplification of his love.

God is also just. His just nature requires that there be a punishment for the wrong things that we do.

If, out of love, God didn’t require punishment for wrongdoing, that would make him unjust. Lacking justice and being unfair is unloving.

Therefore, he must punish wrong living. That punishment was taken on by Jesus (if we accept it); otherwise we must face the punishment ourselves.

So God’s just nature requires punishment, but his loving nature covers that punishment through Jesus.

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Bible Insights

Do You Bless God?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 17, 2008

Discover How to Praise God

I often say the word “bless.” In prayer, I frequently ask for God’s blessing on myself and others. In essence I am asking for God’s divine favor or grace to be imparted.

Other times I have seen one person bless another by “conveying well-being or prosperity” to them. Sometimes this is done in the context of a prayer, a commissioning ceremony, or a benediction.

Both of these examples make sense to me and are readily understandable—because in both instances a “person” of authority or power is blessing someone of lessor standing (Hebrews 7:7).

However, I recently heard someone “bless” God. Initially I assumed that he misspoke. When he said it again, I thought he had it backwards.

After all, it seems a bit arrogant to bless God in the same way that we ask him to bless us.

Then I began stumbling on this in the Bible. Some translations of Psalms 26:12 and 34:1, for example, talk about blessing God. Other versions instead use the words “praise” or “extol.”

Fortunately, the dictionary provides some help in understanding this seeming dichotomy. One of the definitions of “bless” is to “To honor as holy; glorify: Bless the Lord.”

So in expanding my understanding of “bless” to include honor and glorify, then, yes, I bless God! Do you?

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Bible Insights

A Question With Life and Death Ramifications

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 10, 2008

Peter cried when he realized he had denied even knowing Jesus. [Mark 14:72]

What makes this even more ironic is that earlier that same day he pledged his support to Jesus, claiming to be willing to die with him. [Mark 14:31]

For most people, admitting that we “know” Jesus is a relatively easy thing to do.

Yet Peter was confronted with a seemingly life and death situation: say “yes” and he too could be crucified with Jesus; say “no” and he could avoid further scrutiny, thereby saving his skin.

In the life-in-the-balance pressure of the moment, Peter caved in and said “no.”

In some parts of the world, admitting that you followed Jesus could easily result in death or at least suffering. How well would we fare in such a test?

Would we cave in or be bold regardless of the consequences?

However, beyond the literal, natural meaning of this story there is a more profound supernatural perspective. In the spiritual sense, we can say “yes” we know Jesus and live—forever; saying “no” is what leads to death.

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Bible Insights

Biblezines

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 27, 2008

Bibles in Magazine Format

Biblezines^TM are the Bible in magazine format, with additional info and content packed in.

For many who wonder if the Bible is relevant to them and their lives, this modern format with compelling sidebars, makes the Bible come alive in practical and vibrant ways.

There are 11 Biblezine versions, geared towards different age groups and demographics. Biblezines are published by Thomas Nelson.

Why don’t you check them out?

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Tags read the Bible