C h r y s a l i s | A weblog for thinking Christian Moms.

Martha – A Weak Distracted Faith?

Or a Strong Bold Faith?
Guest Post by Carolyn Schott

I confess I’m a closet Martha. The two glimpses we get of her give me the eerie feeling I’m looking in a mirror.

The first glimpse of Martha is in Luke 10:38-42 where she is preoccupied with dinner preparations. Mary is seen as the faithful listener; Martha is seen as whining and distracted.

The second glimpse is the scene in John 11:19-44 after her brother Lazarus has died. Here her faith is seen as weak, that she doubts Jesus’ power to resurrect Lazarus.

But I think these views of Martha have it wrong, and that she was a woman with a very strong faith.

The Over-Achiever and Perfectionist

Personally, I understand Martha’s “need-to-get-it-done” attitude much better than I do Mary’s. If 13 hungry men showed up on my doorstep for dinner, I could no more sit around and listen to stories than I could fly.

Martha welcomes Jesus and the disciples into “her” home. Not her husband’s or her brother’s, but her home. She is obviously used to being in charge. Her responsibility to prepare for guests is deeply ingrained in her.

I’ve always bristled at sermons and commentators who say that Martha’s need to get the work done means her faith is weak. It seems a criticism of Martha’s personality. But is that what Jesus really meant?

Priorities or Personality?

Jesus tells her “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being worried about.” (NLT) His scolding is a dash of cold water in her face, “Martha, chill out!” She’s caught up in the details–“Do I need to send Lazarus out to kill a lamb? Why didn’t I bake more bread this morning?”

Obviously her priorities are wrong and her focus is too small, when it should be on the greater truth of Jesus.
Perhaps he does want her to stop, listen to his teaching, and strengthen her faith. But maybe he just wants Martha to relax. Maybe it’s time for her to call out for pizza (or whatever the first century equivalent would be) and not be a perfectionist. Maybe her hard work is not the issue, only her stressed and frenzied attitude.

Martha’s Faith

What Jesus really wants from her depends on the strength of her faith. Is her faith weak and in need of teaching? Or does she have a solid foundation of belief, but let herself panic at the arrival of unexpected dinner guests?

In John, when Jesus asks what she believes, she responds immediately “You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” (John 11:27). Who else other than Peter states their faith to Jesus so boldly and concretely?

Better for Who?

If Martha’s faith is solid, why does Jesus say Mary has “chosen what is better?” The usual interpretation is that Mary’s choice to listen would be a good choice for Martha, too.

But maybe Jesus simply meant that Mary has chosen what is better for Mary! Perhaps Mary is the one whose faith is weak and needs more teaching time. Listening to Jesus is a better choice and more beneficial for her than working in the kitchen. Maybe Martha’s faith is so solid that preparing dinner (although with less stress) is a perfectly acceptable choice for Martha, as long as she allows Mary to continue to hear Jesus’ teaching.

Too Bold?

One of the things I love about Martha is her boldness. She doesn’t wait for Jesus, she goes out from the village to meet him on the road. I picture her looking Jesus directly in the eye as she says “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Was she reproaching him? I don’t think so. I think she was being her usual down-to-earth self, stating a fact. And Jesus seems to honor her directness. Without parables or analogies he states just as directly to her “I am the resurrection and the life,” a statement he has rarely said so clearly to anyone.

This time, Martha is focused in exactly the right place. She runs to Jesus about her brother’s death. And it is Bold Martha that gets honored by Jesus’ direct revelation of his purpose, not Weeping Mary.

Is her warning about the smell of Lazarus’ decomposing body a symptom of doubt? That seems unlikely after her statement of belief in Jesus as the Son of God. How could anyone possibly believe the Son of God couldn’t resurrect someone?

Doesn’t it make more sense that her faith is so solid that she is simply accepting and unquestioning of what Jesus has allowed to happen? They called for Jesus, he didn’t come, Lazarus died. That must be the way Jesus intended it to be. Martha is sad, but accepts without argument. I wish my faith could always be so accepting!

Conclusion

Martha is usually cast as the Type-A personality, obsessed with work, faulty in her faith for not listening to Jesus’ teaching and not believing in Jesus’ power.

I think it’s more likely she was a woman of a solid and strong faith, but with weaknesses like any of us. In a minor domestic crisis (unexpected dinner guests), she “majors in the minors” and spends her time on unimportant details. But in the face of the real tragedy of her brother’s death, her faith doesn’t waiver.

The author of this guest post, Carolyn Schott is a free-lance writer & editor. Visit her website and travel blog for more good reading. Thanks for your fantastic insights Carolyn!

Related: Every week, join the fine folk at Amy's Finer Things Friday for a plethora of really great links.

Photo Credits: WorthTheWhiskcom, orange juicy, lanuiop, lalallallala (Flickr)

Coming Up—I'll be taking a short blogging break for a week or so. Check back soon for more "thinkful" content for Moms!

Do you think most commentaries and sermons misrepresent Martha? Are you a Martha or a Mary?

Advanced Blogging Tutorial

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Note to Subscribers: Please click through to Chrysalis. HTML code is not published in some Feed Readers.

PhotoHunt: Theme—Monthly
Written by e-Mom. Share on Twitter or FB. Subscribe in a Reader

This week, the theme at tnChick's PhotoHunt happens to be "monthly." Very timely, since I'll be using the button for my "monthly" Marriage Monday meme as an example in today's tutorial. And who among us doesn't enjoy beautiful wedding photos? I never grow tired of them,
do you?

How to Create a Scroll Box Below a Button

Most bloggers know how post a button in their sidebar. If you want to make it really easy for visitors to copy your blog's button and paste it in their sidebar, you will need to put your button's HTML code into a scroll box.

To create a scroll box, simply surround your button's code with "textarea" tags. These tags contain the parameters of how wide (rows) and how high (cols) you want the box to be. You can easily adjust these numbers to make the scrollbox wider or taller.

NOTE: In order for the scroll box to configure, you must REMOVE all four single quote marks. DO NOT remove the double quotes. Also, take careful note of the spaces. There is a single space after "6" and cols where the line of code breaks on this page.

Example: <'textarea rows="6" cols="30"'>BUTTONCODEHERE<'/textarea'>

To center the scrollbox below your button, simply surround the textarea tags with <'center'> and <'/center'>. (You can use these same tags around your button's code to center it too.)

NOTE: You must REMOVE all eight single quote marks.

Example: <'center'><'textarea rows="6" cols="30"'>BUTTONCODEHERE<'/textarea'><'/center'>

Here's how my Marriage Monday button and scroll box look when they're configured:

Want this button?

By the way, please join us for Marriage Monday on
June 7, 2010. Our group topic will be "Our Honeymoon Memories." More guidelines and information will be posted here at Chrysalis the weekend before. For information about how to join the Marriage Monday blogroll, please see my sidebar. Oh, and feel free to grab the code for the Marriage Monday button if you want it.

Happy PhotoHunting!

Photos: Heather Lazar (Flickr)

Please do not hesitate to ask for help if you have any problems.

Explaining Gender Differences to Teens

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Guys are Waffles, Girls are Spaghetti

Maybe you’ve had a chance to read Bill and Pam Farrel’s excellent book, Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti. If you haven't, I highly recommend it. As a wife who dearly loves her husband, I’m always on the look-out for great material that unravels the mystery of why we often seem like members of two different species.

Somewhere in my travels around the blogosphere, I came across this promotional video geared for young adults. (4:17 mins.) The Farrels have teamed up with youth leader Chad Eastham to produce a new book, Guys Are Waffles, Girls Are Spaghetti (Thomas Nelson, 2009). Chad Eastham is a seasoned author and speaker; he's a Revolve® Tour speaker addressing hundreds of thousands of teens each year. He also serves as a teen culture expert through Healthy Visions, a research agency for teens.

Guidance for Our Teens

Chad Eastham and the Farrels understand that at a pivotal time of their development and social lives, teens are left to try and understand one another without very much guidance. Loaded with humor and fun examples, this book looks like a great way for teens to learn about healthy relationships with the opposite sex.

“Guys' brains are like waffles-they keep their lives compartmentalized in boxes. Girls' brains are like spaghetti-everything in their life is connected to everything else. This book for teens includes brain development, social habits, differences in emotions, and relationship building skills for teens to develop early in their life.”—Editorial Review

Recent Customer Reviews

I haven’t seen anything like this book anywhere before. If you’re currently parenting teens, I encourage you to check it out.

• 5.0 out of 5 stars. What makes guys tick for teenage girls. I have teenage daughters and nieces, they have all enjoyed Chad's book and video. The lessons in communication differences between men and women will help them throughout their... Pubished 14 days ago by a reader named Reeder.

• 5.0 out of 5 stars. Cheesy title but meaty content on relationships between men & women. I have to admit that the title of this book didn't appeal to me and had me wondering if it the content would be as bad as I perceived the title to be... Published 1 month ago by chilemery.

• 1.0 out of 5 stars. Waffling spaghetti writing. A poorly written pop-psych book with a Christian subtext. The authors state that boys compartmentalize and girls are integrate... Published 3 months ago by Mike.

• 4.0 out of 5 stars. Cute book offering lots of opportunities to discuss Bible vs real life. I was interested in previewing this book in hopes to pass it on to my 13-year-old son. I also was open to learning something about the changing mind of the pubescent boy... Published 3 months ago by Eman Nep.

Related: For more great reads, join Jennifer for What's on Your Nightstand? at 5 Minutes for Books. Also, discover a world of relevant information at the Carnival of Homeschooling.

How do you explain gender differences
to your kids?

Spiritual Growth: Discerning God's Guidance

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Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Ps 119:105 KJV)

Consider posting a photo and a verse and linking up for Amydeanne's Word-Filled-Wednesday. You'll meet some sweet blogging sisters if you do!

Reflection: Butterflies & Saying Good-bye
Written by e-Mom. Share on Twitter or FB. Subscribe in a Reader

A student went to his teacher and posed a difficult question, “How do you know the will of God for your life?” The answer his teacher gave was very wise. He said, “God’s will can be compared to a ship sailing into the harbor on a dark night. There are bright lights on three buoys that must line up. When they do, the ship can sail into port safely. The lights represent truth that can be found in the opening and closing of doors in your life circumstantially; in the study of Scripture; and in the counsel that comes from mature people around you.” When they all agree, then you will know the will of God.

Sometimes God’s messages do come to me in threes like that. I’ve noticed that occasionally the same message is offered in different ways: as an event in my life; an image; as a printed word or series of words; out of someone's mouth in conversation (unbeknownst to them); or even as a gut feeling or racing heartbeat. I really have to be paying attention to make the connections. I think I am offered three similar messages when God is making a very important point.

Mourning the Loss of My Mother

For instance, in a sense, my mother died twice. When she died her natural death, I had already grieved her passing from my life several years before. She toppled from her pedestal as Mother, capital “M” after a big disappointment. My grief over the disappointment was transformed into peace by three important messages that were sent my way. And I was comforted by God’s tender presence in my loss.

A Necessary Transformation

I grieved Mom’s passing from my life when my daughter, Paula was pre-school age. It was a very hot summer, and quite unusual for our city. Paula was enrolled in a week-long “explorer” class at our local Science Center. The theme for the week was butterflies. On Monday, each budding naturalist was given a white lidded bakery box with a clear plastic window.

Paula brought her treasure home and she placed it on top of the antique oak dresser in her bedroom. Together we peeked through the cellophane. There we saw two gray butterfly crysalises suspended from the top of the box.

All week, we made sure there was water in a shallow cup inside the box. By Friday, two brilliant butterflies had emerged from their thin paper-like chambers. “Mom, it’s time to let them go!” Paula exclaimed excitedly late Saturday afternoon.

So we carefully carried the box out the kitchen door and down to our garden where we sat together on the lawn next to the swingset. Paula clambored between my outstretched legs, and then she steadied the box on her lap. We counted “One, two, three, go!” and she popped the lid open with a flourish.

With a few delicate flutters, the two butterflies rose up and away from us toward our mixed border of tall wildflowers. Paula was thrilled. She nestled back against my chest in delight. “Isn’t life wonderful?” she exclaimed joyously. That shared moment was thrilling for both of us.

Later, when I was getting ready to discard the box, I noticed a few drops of red blood-like liquid that marked the cardboard below each vacant crysalis. It must have been a painful metamorphosis, I concluded, and not easy at all. In fact, I thought, it must have been quite a struggle for those butterflies.

That evening, my mother called long distance on the phone. We agreed to meet for brunch the next day (Sunday) at a popular seafood restaurant in a town about two hours away. I was full of news about my children’s summer camps, activities, and accomplishments. And I was eager to share all of this with their Nana—someone who knew about what life was like with busy little people in the house. After all, who could relate better than my own mother?

Through my tears, I read the name of the vessel painted across the transom. It said: “Butterfly.”

I had saved up a lot to say that day, and I was excited about our visit. But I should have known better. As always, my mother’s need to talk was much greater than mine. She took up the entire four-hour visit, bursting with her own news. Mom was so hungry for a listening ear, that I didn’t have the opportunity to say one word. I wept all the way home.

Driving home on the freeway, I watched a small sailboat strapped to trailer pass by on my right. Through my tears, I my eyes were drawn to the name of the vessel painted across the transom. It said: “Butterfly.” Suddenly, I remembered the butterfly metamorphosis that Paula and I had witnessed the day before. And I realized that I too must undergo a painful transformation.

By the time I braked by the curb infront of our shuttered Cape Cod bungalow, I had gone through a profound change. I was transformed from a young woman with a mother, to a young mother with an older needy friend. At long last, I accepted the fact that my mother would never be the kind of nurturing Mom that I had always wanted and needed. At the same time, I also recognized another startling truth. I would never be the sophisticated, career-minded daughter that my mother had always wanted either.

About three days later, I received a nice thank you note from a friend I had been out to lunch with. The notecard was illustrated with an orange watercolor of a beautiful butterfly. With that final nudge from God, I knew there was no changing the facts. My hope of my mother, as Mother, was never going to become a reality. I allowed my girlish dream to die.

My relationship with Mom was much easier after that.
I let go of my expectations, anger and disappointment. And
I was finally able to freely give her the support that she so desperately needed as a struggling, middle-aged divorcee.

Our Parents Are Human

Perhaps our parents die twice for all of us. Maybe we mourn their passing as numinous figures when we finally see them for who they are: ordinary people with needs and wounds just like our own. If we don’t go through this transition, perhaps we should. Perhaps their deaths are much harder unless we do. At her death, I was very sad for mother, and all the things she had suffered. But I did not grieve her loss as my Mom with a capital “M” then.

Related

My in-depth articles “Knowing God’s Will: Guidance Guidelines” Part I and Part II might also be of interest to you.

Photos: BurnBlue, DaveParker & ZoeRochelle (Flickr)

Coming Up—How to Explain Gender Differences to Teens

How do you experience God's guidance?

COOL Commenters

This is a list of bloggers who regularly leave comments at Chrysalis. You're invited to jump into our discussions... we'd love to hear your thoughts!

If you leave your e-mail address, I'll try to respond to your comment within
24 hours. Please don't be shy!

A Life Uncommon

All You Have to Give

Always Learning

A Pair of Bartletts

Avoiding the Sandy Land

Becoming A Titus 2 Woman

Blogging Along

Blue Cotton Memory

Bold & Free

Confessions of a Snowflake

Crickl's Nest

Diary of 1

Five Minutes of Fame

Frugal Creativity

Forever His

Giggles-n-Gulps

Gold in the Clouds

Heart for Him

In Word Adorning

Janette's Sage

Joyfull Living

Lamp Unto My Feet

Lisa Notes

Mother Wit

Nice Thoughts & Thrills

Overflow of a Forgiven Soul

Scattered Stones

Spilling the Beans

Stray Thoughts

Susannah's {Kitchen}

Spiritually Unequal Marriage

The 160 Acre Woods

The Next Step

The Road We Traveled

This Little Light of Mine

Photo: Adam Logan (Flickr)

Top Ten Marriage Killers

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Forewarned is Forearmed
from TroubledWith.com

Like these two cuddly tigers, married couples have the potential to love each other, or to tear each other to pieces. This list is intended to act as an early warning system. As wives, we’re better off knowing the risks to our relationship before our problems escalate into a crisis.

1. Over commitment and physical exhaustion. Beware of this danger. It is especially insidious for young couples who are trying to get started in a profession or in school. Do not try to go to college, work full-time, have a baby, manage a toddler, fix up a house and start a business at the same time. It sounds ridiculous, but many young couples do just that and are then surprised when their marriage falls apart...
[See Workaholism & Divorce]

2. Excessive credit and conflict over how money will be spent. Pay cash for consumable items, or don't buy. Don't spend more for a house or car than you can afford, leaving too few resources for dating, short trips, baby-sitters, etc. Allocate your funds with the wisdom of Solomon.
[See Dave Ramsey on Your Marriage & Your Money]

3. Interference from in-laws. If either the husband or wife has not been fully emancipated from the parents, it is best not to live near them. Autonomy is difficult for some mothers (and fathers) to grant, and close proximity is built for trouble.

4. Space invaders. I am not referring to aliens from Mars. Rather, my concern is for those who violate the breathing room needed by their partners, quickly suffocating them and destroying the attraction between them. Jealousy is one way this phenomenon manifests itself. Another is low self-esteem, which leads the insecure spouse to trample the territory of the other. Love must be free and it must be confident.

5. Alcohol or substance abuse. These are killers, not only of marriages, but also of people. Avoid them like the plague.

6. Pornography, gambling and other addictions. It should be obvious to everyone that the human personality is flawed. It has a tendency to get hooked on destructive behaviors, especially early in life. During an introductory stage, people think they can play with enticements such as pornography or gambling and not get hurt. More…

7. Sexual frustration, loneliness, low self-esteem and the greener grass of infidelity. A deadly combination!
[See Affair-Proof Your Marriage.]

8. Business failure. It does bad things to men, especially. Their agitation over financial reverses sometimes sublimates to anger within the family. [See Help! I Married an Entrepreneur]

9. Business success. It is almost as risky to succeed wildly as it is to fail miserably in business. The writer of Proverbs said, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (30:8).

10. Getting married too young. Girls who marry between 14 and 17 years of age are more than twice as likely to divorce as those who marry at 18 or 19 years of age. Those who marry at 18 or 19 are 1.5 times as likely to divorce as those who marry in their 20s. The pressures of adolescence and the stresses of early married life do not mix well. Finish the first before taking on the second.

This excerpt is quoted from the article, "Twelve Marriage Killers" by James Dobson C. Ph.D.

If you’re marriage is currently in trouble, I urge you to seek the help of a pastor or qualified Christian marriage professional.

Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory. (Prov 11:14 NIV)

Photos: ucumari2 (Flickr)

Up Next—Spiritual Growth: My Personal Testimony of God's Guidance

What would you add to this list?

PhotoHunt: Theme—Half

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Advanced Blogging Tutorial

Written by e-Mom. Share on Twitter or FB. Subscribe in a Reader

This delightful young boy's face is half-masked. Today's theme at TNChick's PhotoHunt also made me think of how frequently I'm lazy when leaving comments on Blogger blogs. Often, I only take my knowledge of HTML half way.

For instance, if I want to include a link to a relevant post with my comment, instead of creating a proper clickable HTML link, I simply leave the full URL. It always looks messy, long, and cumbersome!

How to Create a Clickable Link in Blogger Comments

NOTE: When creating your link, DO NOT remove the double quotes, but DO remove ALL FOUR single quotes around the a's. (Also, be sure to leave a space between a and href="etc.")

To insert a clickable link, type:

<'a' href="YOURLINKGOESHERE">The Link's Title<'/a'>

Example:

<'a' href="http://alonethoughts.blogspot.com/">Blogging Along<'/a'>

Repeat NOTE: When creating your link, DO NOT remove the double quotes, but DO remove ALL FOUR single quotes around the a's. (Also, be sure to leave a space between a and href="etc." )

Your link will end up looking like this: Blogging Along

Click PREVIEW before you publish your comment to see if you've used the HTML correctly. If not, no one will know and you can try it again!

Your Mission... Should You Decide to Accept It

Today, your challenge is to try creating a link in my comment box. If you goof up, no problem. Simply send your comment to the trash. Then start over!

Related: How to Bold a Word & How to Italicize a Word & How to Center Text & Images

Photo: Carf (Flickr)

Next Week: How to Create a Scroll Box Below a Button

Anything else you would like to learn?
(If you're having problems, please don't hesitate to ask for help!)

Elisabeth Elliot in the Spotlight

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A Mentor & Mother to Many

Written by e-Mom. Share on Twitter or FB. Subscribe in a Reader

Several generations of Christian women have been impacted by the writings of this beloved author and speaker. Perhaps you consider Elisabeth Elliot one of your mothers in the Lord, as I do. For fifty years, Elisabeth’s best selling books, timeless teachings, and courageous faith have influenced believers and seekers of Jesus Christ around the globe.

Drawing from her experiences as a daughter, wife, mother, widow, and missionary, Elliot has brought the message of Christ to all those who would listen—and she is still touching the lives of younger women today. For instance, at "Women Living Well" Courtney talks about how Elisabeth Elliot’s book, Through Gates of Splendor influenced her decision to study at Moody Bible Institute. Meanwhile, Barbara H. at "Stray Thoughts" has linked to an interview with Elliot’s daughter, Valerie with an update Elisabeth Elliot’s current health status.

Elliot’s Best Selling Books

If you’re unfamiliar with the author, favorites among Elliot's titles include, Through Gates of Splendor, Passion & Purity, Quest for Love, God’s Guidance, Let Me be a Woman, and The Shaping of a Christian Family. Released in 2006, the movie “End of the Spear” told the story of her missionary work and her husband Jim’s martyrdom in Ecuador. If you haven’t already, encourage you to check a few of these out at Christianbook.com.

A Short Biography

Quoted from “Back to the Bible” website, here’s a brief biography of Elisabeth Elliot’s fascinating and deeply consecrated life.

“Elisabeth was born in Brussels, Belgium, where her parents served as missionaries. She graduated from Wheaton College and later went to Ecuador as a missionary. In 1953 she married a former classmate, Jim Elliot. Together they worked on translating the New Testament into the language of the Quichua Indians. Their daughter, Valerie, was born in 1955. Ten months later, Jim was killed by the Auca Indians while attempting to take the Gospel to that primitive tribe. Elisabeth continued her work among the Quichuas and later lived and worked among the Aucas.

She returned to the United States and remarried. Her second husband, Addison Leitch, a professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, died of cancer in 1973. Today, she lives north of Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband, Lars Gren. Her daughter, Valerie, and her husband, Walter, and their eight children live in Simpsonville, SC.”

Elisabeth Elliot’s Popular Daily Devotionals

Elisabeth is no longer traveling and speaking. However her husband, Lars Gren publishes monthly updates about their lives at, “Ramblings from the Cove.” Enormously popular, Elisabeth’s timeless daily devotions can be found here.

Today’s message happens to be directed to older WOTTs (Women of Titus Two) like me:

“In 1948 when I had been at Prairie Bible Institute (a very stark set of wooden buildings on a very bleak prairie in Alberta) for only a few weeks, I was feeling a bit displaced and lonesome one afternoon when there came a knock on my door. I opened it to find a beautiful rosy-cheeked face framed by white hair. She spoke with a charming Scottish burr.

‘You don't know me, but I know you. I've been praying for you, Betty dear. I'm Mrs. Cunningham. If ever you'd like a cup of tea and a Scottish scone, just pop down to my little apartment.’

She told me where she lived and went on to say that my name had been mentioned in a staff meeting (she never said how—was I thought of as a misfit at PBI? I wonder) and the Lord had given her a burden for me. Many were the wintry afternoons when I availed myself of her gracious offer and we sat together in her tiny but very cozy basement apartment while she poured tea for me and I poured my soul out to her. Her radiant face was full of sympathy, love, and understanding as she listened. She would be quiet for a little, then she would pray and, looking up, cheer and strengthen me with words from God. During and after my missionary years she wrote to me until she died…

The apostle Paul tells Titus that older women ought to ‘school the younger women to be loving wives and mothers, temperate, chaste, and kind, busy at home, respecting the authority of their own husband’ (Titus 2:4-5, NEB). My dear ‘Mom Cunningham’ schooled me—not in a class or seminar, or even primarily by her words. It was what she was that taught me. It was her availability to God when He sent her to my door. It was the surrender of her time, an offering to Him for my sake. It was her readiness to ‘get involved,’ to lay down her life for one anxious Bible school girl. Above all, she herself, a simple Scottish woman, was the message…’”

Photos. Top: Botanical Garden, Quito Ecuador by Theodore Scott (Flickr) Bottom: Google Images

Coming Up—Top 10 Marriage Killers

Your thoughts or reflections?

Bible Study: Test Your Scripture I.Q.

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Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Phil 3: 13-14 NIV)

WFW: New Testament Q&A
Written by e-Mom. Share on Twitter or FB. Subscribe in a Reader

Q. What time periods are covered in the
New Testament?

A. The New Testament Canon reflects three historical stages of development of the Church. They include the inception as described by the four Gospels (6 B.C. - A.D. 30); the expansion as reflected in Acts and the Pauline epistles (A.D. 30 - 60); and the consolidation when such books as Paul’s Pastoral Epistles and the Petrine and Johannine writings were likely published (A.D. 60 - 100).

Q. What is “this is that?”

A. A Jewish method of Scripture interpretation called pesher was used by the Qumran community and the New Testament writers. It can be summed up with the phrase “this is that,” whereby a historical situation found in a prophetic Old Testament passage was applied to the present time (e.g. Acts 2:16; Eph 4:8-10; Rom 10:6-8).

Q. Is salvation by works or grace?

A. In Galatians 3:4-7, Paul argues that it is foolish rely on human effort as the basis for salvation. Paul earnestly reminds his Gentile listeners that they received their salvation by faith; it was the result of hearing and believing his preaching about Jesus Christ.

Q. When is the Church’s birthday?

A. Called the “birthday of the church,” the day of Pentecost was the day that the Holy Spirit came upon a large group of praying believers with supernatural audible and visible signs. (Acts 2:2-15). They were powerfully united and emboldened by the Spirit for witness.

Q. What was debated at the Council of Jerusalem?

A. The issue under debate at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) centered on the phenomena of Spirit-filled Gentile believers, and the extent to which they were required to observe the ceremonies and precepts of Jewish law, including the rite of circumcision.

Q. What is Gnosticism?

A. There are two contradictory ethical conclusions drawn from Gnosticism. They are asceticism which maintains that the body is inherently evil, versus the idea that only the spirit is real and the temporary physical body is of no consequence to salvation.

Q. What was the result of Paul’s vision of the Macedonian man?

A. Paul’s response to his night vision of the Macedonian man (Acts 16:6-10) influenced the spread of the Gospel west to Europe, leaving a monumental impression on Western civilization.

Q. What end time events are listed in 2 Thessalonians?

A. In 2 Thessalonians Paul reminds his readers of several events that must occur before Christ’s glorious return. Perhaps alluding to Jesus’ teaching found in Matt 24: 4-31, Paul says an unprecedented apostasy or “rebellion” will occur (2 Thess 2:3). Secondly, the restrainer who holds back the unseen power of evil will be removed (2 Thess 2:7). Finally, the antichrist will exalt himself in God’s temple; he will deceive many people with all kinds of occult miracles; and he will be victoriously overthrown by the Word of Christ (2 Thess 2:4,
8-9).

Q. What theme is expounded in Philippians?

A. Paul’s joyous epistle to his beloved Philippians expresses the theme of humility throughout. The opening Kenosis Hymn or “Christ hymn” (Phil 2: 5-11) provides the starting point for Paul’s exhortations to selfless obedience. Christ’s perfect submission to God the Father is a model for all believers, and the Philippians must follow his example. While spurning his earthly credentials, Paul reveals his own servant’s attitude even if his martyrdom is the final outcome.

Q. What are the qualifications of an elder?

A. Paul counseled Titus to appoint church elders by following conventional forms of synagogue leadership. Qualifying elders were to be strong family men, to display Godly character, to show hospitality, to be well-taught, and to be able to teach and refute false teachers (Tit 1:5-9).

Q. Name one word that reoccurs in Hebrews.

A. Addressed to the second generation of Jewish Christians under the pressure of persecution, Hebrews argues for the superiority of Jesus Messiah against the older patterns of the Mosaic Law. The recurring theme which occurs throughout the epistolary speech can be summarized with the word “better.” A series of comparisons drawn between the Sinai covenant and the new covenant in Christ, consistently reveal that the shadow of the former has been superseded by the substance of the latter.

Q. Name one word that reoccurs in 2 Peter.

A. Considered by some interpreters to be his last will and testament (1:14), Peter’s second epistle expounds the theme of true knowledge versus false knowledge (1:12). A quick count reveals that Peter used the words know, knowing, known, and knowledge of Christ over a dozen times. True knowledge, says Peter, descends from above. It is a gift of God and salvation centers in his incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. According to Peter, personal knowledge of Christ brings conformity to his character, usefulness for his service, and a secure hope for eternity.

Q. Give an example of a non-biblical work quoted in the NT.

A. In Jude verse 9, a reference is made to an incident described in the apocryphal book The Assumption of Moses. This book is just one of a number of non-canonical literary works that are quoted in the New Testament. Other examples include 1 Enoch (Jude 1:14-15) and the Greek poet Aratus (Acts 17:28). References to works outside the Canon were generally directed to audiences who considered them worthwhile reading.

Well done! I hope you enjoyed this quiz. No real prizes this time, just the chance to increase your Bible knowledge. I'm indebted to The New Testament Survey by Merril C. Tenney for this information.

Extra Credit: 3,000 Years in 90 Seconds

Geography buffs can watch the history of the Middle East (and beyond) unfold. Here's an interactive map showing the various civilizations that have ruled the region from ancient Egypt to modern times.

Related: This week, you can join all the fine folk for Word-Filled-Wednesday at Lori's blog, All You Have to Give. See you there!

Photo Credits: Ian David Blum & Reavel (Flickr)

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