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Timothy Timothy traveled with Paul for much of his missionary career and was one of Paul’s best-loved and most trusted assistants. Two of Paul’s last letters were written to Timothy at a time when Timothy was providing leadership for the...
John, Son of Zebedee John, brother of James and son of Zebedee, was one of the twelve apostles. Early tradition identifies him as the author of the Gospel of John, the Letters of John, and the book of Revelation.
Zadok Zadok was an important transitional figure in the history of Israel’s priesthood. Since he seemingly appears out of nowhere in the narrative of 2 Samuel (8:17), some scholars suggest that he was not really born into a priestly family.
Illustration connecting Abram's failure to Peter's—both became "the snake" when they prioritized human concerns over God's plan, showing that all heroes of faith struggle.
In The Elephant Man, John Merrick suffers severe deformities that make him a carnival freak. Frederick Treves sees past the exterior to the gentle, intelligent soul within. I am not an animal! I am a human being! Merrick cries.
Zerubbabel Zerubbabel, a Babylonian-born Jew, relocated to Judea in 538 BC as governor of Jerusalem under Persian rule. Cyrus, the king of Persia, had declared that Jews captured and exiled from Judah might return to their homeland; Zerubbabel led one...
Barnabas Barnabas is presented in Acts as a model Christian leader. A native of Cyprus, Barnabas was active in the Jerusalem church and demonstrated unselfish generosity in meeting the needs of the poorer members of that community (Acts 4:32-37).
Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22).
Matthew (Levi) Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans and became one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. According to early tradition, he was the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
Ahab Ahab, Israel’s eighth king, inherited the northern kingdom from his powerful father, Omri (1 Kgs 16:27-28), and reigned in Israel from 874 to 853 BC. Ahab married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Under her influence, Ahab began...
Rahab Rahab, a prostitute and a woman of faith, remains enigmatic centuries after her brief appearance in Israel’s history. Because she placed her faith in Israel’s God and helped the two Israelite scouts who came to her house, her life...
Corinth Corinth was one of the oldest cities of Greece, with evidence of settlement going back to at least 3000 BC.
Hittites The Hittites were once unknown to secular history and thought to be a mythical people by some critics of biblical history.
Philippi Philippi was a minor village of Thrace until about 357 BC, when Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, conquered the site and rebuilt it. He named the village after himself, fortified it as a military...
Titus Titus was a Gentile convert who served as one of Paul’s trusted assistants. One of Paul’s last letters was addressed to him, when Titus was helping to consolidate the church at Crete.
The Pharisees The Pharisees were one of three major Jewish sects, along with the Sadducees and the Essenes. The Pharisees comprised a non-political lay movement within Judaism.
Moses Moses was the founding leader of Israel as a nation. God used Moses at a critical juncture in the history of his people. He was the prophet who received the law and mediated God’s covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:3-6).
Before the first battle, Maximus rallies his men: "What we do in life echoes in eternity." It's a soldier's cry, but it carries theological weight. Paul writes: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
In Coco, the dead truly die only when no one living remembers them. Héctor is fading because his daughter Coco, now elderly, is forgetting him. Miguel races to restore her memory before it's too late. "Remember me," the song pleads—a...
In Slumdog Millionaire, Jamal's entire life—abuse, loss, poverty, crime—prepares him to answer game show questions. Each traumatic memory holds a clue. His suffering becomes his qualification.
In Children of Men, humanity faces extinction—no child has been born in eighteen years. Theo Faron must protect Kee, the first pregnant woman in a generation. Amid war, chaos, and despair, Theo becomes her refuge. God is our refuge and...
In Dunkirk, small civilian boats cross the English Channel to rescue stranded soldiers. Dawson, a weekend sailor, pilots his yacht into a war zone. When a rescued soldier asks why a civilian would sail toward the danger, Dawson's son answers:...
In Wonder, Auggie Pullman enters middle school with a severe facial difference. He is stared at, bullied, isolated. Yet the film insists: he is fearfully and wonderfully made. The Psalmist says, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
In Jiro Dreams of Sushi, 85-year-old Jiro Ono has made sushi for over sixty years. His restaurant has three Michelin stars. He still wakes early, still perfects his craft, still dreams of better sushi.