David Journal

Tag: Bible Dictionary

  • Timothy

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    Timothy did a hard thing in choosing to be circumcised in order to be more effective as a missionary among Jews even though circumcision isn’t required under the new covenant. He did it not because it was necessary but so that it wouldn’t be a stumbling block for those he was working with. I’ve noticed…

  • Barnabas

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    Barnabas did what Jesus asked the rich young man to do, he sold all that he had and have it to the apostles and spent his life in gospel service. According to the Bible Dictionary he was regarded like an apostle even though he wasn’t numbered among the twelve. Barnabas reminds me that priesthood manliness…

  • Cornelius

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    Part of me wonders if Cornelius is the same centurion who has Jesus hall his servant without even coming to his house. Obviously we don’t know anything like that but it is certain that a man who would have that much faith would also have the capacity to break the barrier that Cornelius broke by…

  • Paul

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    The lesson from Paul isn’t his conversion, miraculous as that was, but rather his earnest devotion to what he thought was right both before and after his conversion. Paul threw himself 100% into whatever he felt was right. When he thought the Christians were perverting the law of Moses he persecuted then with gusto. When…

  • Ananias

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    What kind of faith was required for Ananias to voluntarily go to Saul who he knew to be very antagonistic to the saints? I’m sure he worried about whether he would be caught and persecuted by going to Saul. He choose to exercise faith and follow the instructions he had been given. The result was…

  • Philip

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    Philip was another of the seven and while we know less of him than we do of Stephen we do know that he was still around to give Paul a place to stay during one of his journeys and Paul testifies to the way he raised his children by the fact that his daughters had…

  • Stephen

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    I believe that Stephen was the first martyr for Christianity. He was apparently very well versed in the gospel as he was the first to proclaim to the Jews that the law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ. This must have incensed Saul at that time although later it was a central message in the…

  • Gamaliel

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    It is interesting that Gamaliel, who convinced the Sanhedrin to be slightly lenient with the apostles after the death of Christ, was the teacher of Saul who was anything but lenient with the followers of Christ. We don’t have any indication that Gamaliel accepted Christ but he demonstrated the wisdom and perspective of a good…

  • Thomas

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    I noted before that Thomas was one who demonstrated that righteous manhood could go unheralded until it was derided for having cracked. At the time I thought that was all I would have to say about Thomas and his infamous doubting. I think it is critical to note that righteous manhood is not defined by…

  • Nicodemus

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    I get the impression that Nicodemus was much like Joseph of Arimathea. Both were Pharisees who seem to have treated Christ at least respectfully. We hear of Joseph at the end of Jesus’ ministry and we had of Nicodemus early in His ministry. To me that explains why Nicodemus, while respectful, doesn’t appear deferential in…