Hard Verses: Not Your Namby Pamby Bible Study. These Bible Verses Are Hard!

  Hard Verses Episode 14: Face toward Jerusalem, Luke 9:51 Hard verses is a podcast not afraid to take on the harder verses in the Bible.  Each week we find difficult verses in God's word. Wanted to give props to Dr. Ed Gallagher for directing my mind to the verse because of his class. Limited Resource Dynamics in Ancient Israel. The Problem. Luk 9:51  And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, Luk 9:52  And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. Luk 9:53  And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. What was going on here? What does it mean that He “stedfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem?” He sent messengers to Samaria and did not receive Him, because His face was though he would go to Jerusalem????  All Jews were supposed to go to Jerusalem for three feast days, so why are the Samaritans made at Him now? The

  Hard Verses Episode 13: Mystery made known, Wanting to thank all those who have shared. It is working.  Wanted to thank Billy Hines for the suggestions. The Problem. Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. What mysteries were given? Do we know what the mysteries are? Are there still mysteries that we do not know in relation to this? The Solution. Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understa

  Hard Verses Episode 12: Marry only in the Lord; 1 Cor. 7:39 Wanted to thank everyone for sharing and all the positive response.  Wanted to thank everyone for all the new suggestions. Wanted to thank Larry White for the suggestion. The Problem. 1Co 7:39  The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. What does it mean to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord? Can she only marry another Christian man? Can she only marry in a Christian manner? The Solution. The issue is what does “in the Lord” mean and then modify? Earlier “in the Lord” is apparent to mean a Christian in Paul’s other writings. Rom 16:11  Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.                  The NIV actually translates this passage this way. 39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but

  Hard Verses Episode 11: Calling on the Name of the Lord.  Romans 10   Wanted to thank Billy Hines for the suggestion of today’s verses.  Also wanted to thank all of those that shared the episode last week.  I saw who you were.  Thank you so much.   The Problem. Romans 10 is pretty clear that we are to call upon the name of the Lord. Rom 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Rom 10:12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of th

  Please, Please, Please share on the social networks.  Thank you so much for the support. Hard Verses Episode 10: Blaspheming the Holy Spirit   Want to thank Ted Burleson.  About podcast and the class.   The Problem. Luk 12:10  And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. How is it that speaking against the Son of God is forgivable but speaking against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven? If you speak against the Holy Ghost as a child or drunk or out of your mind would this mean you just give up and live like you want because you are eternally lost, no matter what you do? The Solution. Let’s look at the parallels. Luk 12:8  Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: Luk 12:9  But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. Luk 12:10  And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of

  Hard Verses Episode 9: The Land of Nod   Wanted to take time to give a little thanks. Jake for loaning me his Zoom H4N to record. Wanted to thank Blue Microphones for sending us a replacement for the one with a hum in it. We have started a Bible study program at Flomaton entitled “Bible Genius” Making the weeks available online.   The Problem. The Land of Nod. Gen 4:13  And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Gen 4:14  Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. Gen 4:15  And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. Gen 4:16  And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Gen 4:17  And Cain knew his wife; and s

  Hard Verses Episode 8: Rahab Lied (Joshua 3, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25). Wanted to thank Derek Crump for the suggestion for this episode.   The Problem. Let me take you back.  The children are about to go into the Promised Land in the book of Joshua.  This time they will make it.  The spies went into Jericho and this woman, Rahab the harlot, lied and hid the spies to have them escape.  She is heralded as a woman of faith and acclaim by God’s inspired word (Heb. 11:31, James 2:25).  This means that God is tolerant of lying as long as it is for a greater good.  This is called “situational ethics.”  Could this be the case?  I thought that all liars have their place in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8).  This sounds like a problem. The Solution. What exactly does it say? Jos_2:1  And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. Jos 2:2  And it was told the king of Jericho, sayi

Hard Verses Episode 7: Inscription on the vesture and thigh (Rev. 19:16).     Wanted to clarify from last week the 1 Peter 3:18-19 (He spoke to the spirits that were in prison was from Don Gary, not Jordan Gray. The Problem. Rev 19:16 “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Much of Revelation has difficulty in nailing down concrete situations and details because of the symbolic language used. This verse is no different. The book is coded up because otherwise it would not get delivered or cause problems for the messengers. The Solution. Rev 19:16 “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” The main problem we are having is a lack of historical knowledge on this custom. For time sack, I will not get into the previous and post verses but will focus strictly on this. What is a vesture? What is up with the thigh? “Two images likewise of this man are seen in Ionia, on the way that leads from Ephesus to Phocae

  Hard Verses Episode 6: He Preached to the Spirits in Prison (1 Peter 3:19). Wanted to thank Sam Cook for the Intro work, Jordan Gray (actually Don Garey, sorry) for the suggestion and Alan Caudle for the legal disclaimer at the end. The Problem. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  1 Peter 3:18-20 KJV Who? Who is the “he” in “by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison?”   What? Who or what are the spirits in prison? What did He preach to the spirits in prison? When? When did He preach to the spirits in prison? Where? Where were the spirits in prison? Where did Jesus preach to the spirits? Why? Why did He preach to the spiri

Hard Verses Episode 5: The Graves Were Opened and the Saints Arose (Matthew 27:52-53). Wanted to thank Miriam for the suggestion. She had posted on social media the suggestion.  Her post came up first. The Problem. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, truly this was the Son of God. (Matthew 27:50-54 KJV). At the time of Jesus’ death there are several things that occur. Darkness over the land. The veil of the temple was torn into. The earthquake. The rocks broke. The graves were opened. Many bodies of the dead saints arose.

Hey You!!! Download this file below.  You will need it. The Unjust Steward Digging Deeper into the Parable Hard Verses Episode 4: The Unjust Steward. (Luke 16:1-13) Part 2.     The Problem. And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.  I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?  And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.  Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? A

Be sure and download the PDF below. I promise it will help to understand the lesson. The Unjust Steward Digging Deeper into the Parable   Hard Verses Episode 3: The Unjust Steward. (Luke 16:1-13) Part 1.     The Problem. And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.  I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?  And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.  Then said he t

Hard Verses Episode 2: I came not to call the righteous, but the sinner... (Mark 2:17)   The Problem.   Upon first glance there are a few questions that come to mind. I thought that Jesus came to call everyone to repentance. John 3:16 and 17--That the world might be saved. God has called righteous men before. Noah (Gen. 6:9), (Job 1:1). I thought that evil communications corrupts good manners (1 Cor. 15:33). The problem from those first century Jews. The respected teacher of the law (Jesus) seemed to draw the undesirables. They asked the disciples, why is He hanging out with these people? Sinners? There was a problem with Jesus associating with Gentiles and Samaritans. Also when one calls sinners to associate and follow Him, that does not look like godly behavior.  Were they even changing their behavior?   The Solution.   Jesus came to die for all men so how it is that he is only calling the sinners and not the righteous. Many cases one could replace "righteous" with "self-righteous."

Show Notes.   Thanks to my son, Sam Cook, for the introduction.   The Problem (why is this verse considered so difficult).   Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.   Even the people during that time had a problem with this saying. Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? Joh 6:61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?   Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Joh 6:67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Jo