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The orthodox, historical consensus of biblical interpretation.
Key question: “What is the most widely accepted and historically grounded understanding of this text?”
25,889 sermon illustrations through the Traditional lens
In Les Miserables, Jean Valjean is a convict, hardened by nineteen years in prison. A bishop shows him mercy, giving him silver candlesticks, calling him brother. Valjean tears up his parole papers and becomes someone new—a mayor, a factory owner, a father figure.
At the end of The Lord of the Rings, Frodo cannot stay in the Shire. His wounds are too deep; Middle-earth holds too much pain.
In 12 Years a Slave, Solomon Northup—a free Black man kidnapped into slavery—survives twelve years of horror. The injustice is so vast it seems unstoppable, a river of evil. Amos cried: "Let justice roll down like waters." But for Solomon, injustice was what rolled down.
In Babette's Feast, two elderly Danish sisters take in Babette, a French refugee, as their cook. For fourteen years she serves them plain food. When she wins the lottery, she spends it all on one magnificent French feast for the...
The Son of Man The Hebrew and Aramaic idiom “son of man” simply means “human being.” But the majestic yet humble figure in Daniel 7:13-14, who is “like a son of man”—meaning that he looked like a man—also appears to be much more.
The Roman Church The details of the founding of the church in Rome are not known with certainty. There was a large Jewish population in Rome, and some Jews from Rome were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost...
Rome In the first century AD Rome was both a cosmopolitan city and a mighty empire that had brought peace and stability to the Mediterranean world.
Hittites The Hittites were once unknown to secular history and thought to be a mythical people by some critics of biblical history.
Xerxes I Xerxes I, who reigned over the Persian Empire from 486 to 465 BC, was the son and successor of Darius I (Hystaspes).
Jethro (Reuel) Jethro, also called Reuel (Exod 2:16-18; Num 10:29), was “the priest of Midian” (Exod 2:16). Moses rescued Jethro’s seven daughters from the rough treatment of other shepherds at a well and helped them water their flocks.
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...
Herod the Great Herod the Great was the Roman-appointed king of Judea (37–4 BC) at the time of Jesus’ birth (Matt 2:1; Luke 1:5). He was a strong military leader, a brilliant politician, and a cruel tyrant.
Elisha Elisha the prophet was Elijah’s follower and successor in the northern kingdom of Israel during the late 800s BC, a time when the leaders and people of the northern kingdom turned their backs on God and worshiped the Canaanite god Baal.
James, Son of Zebedee James, son of Zebedee and brother of John, was one of the twelve apostles, and he was among the first to be killed as a follower of Jesus.
John the Baptist John the Baptist was a fiery open-air preacher who called people to repent and be baptized. John worked in the role of Elijah, to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah (Mal 4:4-5; Matt 11:14; 17:12; Mark 9:13).
Women Named Mary Four other Marys, apart from the mother of Jesus, are mentioned in the Gospels: (1) Mary Magdalene (probably from Magdala in Galilee) was freed from demon possession by Jesus (Mark 16:9) and became a faithful follower and...
Simon Peter Simon Peter was the most prominent of the twelve apostles. After Jesus’ death, he became the primary spokesman for the early Christians in Jerusalem and was the apostle primarily responsible for evangelizing the Jews (Gal 2:7-8).
Melchizedek Melchizedek is a mysterious biblical personality whose name means “king of righteousness.” He was a Canaanite priest and king; there is no record of his family or of the beginning or end of his life. Abraham met Melchizedek after defeating four Mesopotamian kings.
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).
Gideon Gideon, an Israelite judge, was the son of Joash, from the tribe of Manasseh. Gideon described his clan as the least powerful in Manasseh and himself as the least important in the clan. His story tells how God can...
Noah Noah was the son of Lamech, a descendant of Seth (Gen 5:3-29). Lamech might have hoped that Noah (whose name means “rest” or “relief”) would ease the curse of hardship in working the ground. Instead, God used Noah to...
The Greeks Greek civilization played a major role in the ancient world, and Greek culture was a primary influence on the world into which Jesus was born and in which the New Testament was written.
Eli Eli was Israel’s chief priest at the Tabernacle at Shiloh, Israel’s central shrine during the period of the judges. Eli apparently descended from Ithamar, Aaron’s youngest son (cp. 1 Kgs 2:27; 1 Chr 18:16; 24:3).
Aaron Moses’ older brother, Aaron (see Exod 6:20; 7:7), played a crucial role in founding Israel and its institutions, particularly the priesthood. He first appears after Moses’ calling at the burning bush (Exod 3:1–4:17).