Human beings love using metaphors, comparisons between two things that are unlike to bring out some special way in which they are alike. In I Peter 2:4-12, the author piled on a series of metaphors and quotations from the Old Testament to explain, first, who Christ is and, second, who Christians are. The first metaphor he used was that Christ is a living stone, the cornerstone in fact. Christians in turn are built upon him as living stones and are also a chosen race, a holy and royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, and God’s people. All of these privileges are the result of God’s mercy not of Christian’s merit.
Because of God’s work of salvation in us, we need to work out our salvation.
In preparation for the time when he would not be with them, Jesus began to give the disciples on-the-job training in evangelizing and showing...
If genealogies are not the most engaging reading, why would Matthew begin his history of Jesus with one in Matthew 1:1-17? Actually, genealogies can...