a. How does Paul’s reading of Abraham’s story support this belief (that the law actually points to the importance of faith)? Pay attention to the way Paul reads the story of Abraham in chronological sequence: 1) Genesis 15:6//Rom 4:3, 9 2) Genesis 17:10-11//Rom 4:10-11a “Righteousness is being true to one’s social obligations and commitments” (Footnotes,… Continue reading →
a. What miraculous event marks the beginning of the mission in Jerusalem, and how does Luke describe the growth of the church in Jerusalem? “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it… Continue reading →
1. Matthew was written about twenty years after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE. In the intervening period, the Pharisees were in the process of becoming the most powerful sect within Judaism. Matthew’s group envisions itself as a rival to the Pharisees and representatives of the “true” form of Judaism. In this contentious… Continue reading →
