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Inquisition
[History]The Inquisition was a system through which the Roman Catholic Church, from the Middle Ages onward, sought out, interrogated, and punished people suspected of departing from orthodox doctrine. It is commonly divided into the Medieval Inquisition, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Roman Inquisition.
Cappadocia
[Bible]Cappadocia was a region in the east-central interior of Asia Minor, in what is now central Türkiye. In the New Testament it appears in the account of Pentecost and as one of the regions addressed in 1 Peter.
2 Thessalonians 3:7–9
[Bible Verses]A passage in which Paul and his companions, though entitled to support from the Thessalonian church, worked night and day to provide for themselves and presented this as an example for the believers to follow. It is frequently cited in discussions of self-supporting ministry, bivocational pastors, and pastoral compensation.
Euodia and Syntyche
[People]Euodia and Syntyche were two women believers in the church at Philippi, named in Philippians 4:2. Paul urged them to "be of the same mind in the Lord."
Messianic Secret
[Doctrine & Theology]The Messianic Secret is a term in New Testament studies for the scenes in the Gospel of Mark in which Jesus repeatedly commands others not to reveal that he is the Messiah. The German theologian William Wrede named the motif in the early twentieth century, and it has since become a major theme in Gospel research.
1 Kings 18:21
[Bible Verses]These are the words Elijah spoke on Mount Carmel, demanding that the people of Israel, who were wavering between Baal and the LORD, make a clear choice for God. The verse is frequently cited as a call to decisive faith and as a warning against syncretism.
Jesus Called Justus
[People]Jesus called Justus was a Jewish coworker of Paul whom the apostle names in the closing greetings of the Epistle to the Colossians. He appears only once in the Bible, in Colossians 4:11.
1 Samuel 3
[Bible]1 Samuel 3 is the chapter in which the LORD calls the boy Samuel, who is growing up at the tabernacle in Shiloh, four times during the night and announces judgment on the house of Eli. After these events, Samuel becomes known throughout all Israel as a prophet.
Hebrews 1:1–3
[Bible Verses]Hebrews 1:1–3 is the opening passage of the Epistle to the Hebrews. It declares that the God who spoke through the prophets has in these last days spoken through his Son, and it presents the Son as the agent of creation, the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of his being. It is frequently cited as one of the principal Christological texts of the New Testament.
The Seven Signs of the Gospel of John
[Bible]The seven signs of the Gospel of John are seven events recorded in John 1–12, a Gospel that calls Jesus' miracles "signs." John presents these events as indications that reveal who Jesus is and lead people to faith.
Fishers of Men
[Bible]A phrase Jesus used when He called disciples who were fishermen on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It likens the work of bringing people to God to catching fish and appears in Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17.
Acts 8:32–35
[Bible Verses]In this passage Philip explains to an Ethiopian eunuch, who was reading the passage in Isaiah 53 about the one "led as a sheep to the slaughter," that the words refer to Jesus. Because it is a leading text identifying the "Suffering Servant" of Isaiah 53 with Jesus, it is frequently cited and discussed.
Ezekiel 34:11–16
[Bible Verses]Ezekiel 34:11–16 is a passage in which God promises that he himself will be the shepherd who seeks out, gathers, and cares for his scattered sheep. It is frequently cited in sermons on Jesus as the "good shepherd" and on the responsibilities of pastors.
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
[Bible]The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl are two brief parables of Jesus recorded in Matthew 13:44-46. They convey the worth of the kingdom of God by depicting a person who discovers it and joyfully sells everything he owns to obtain it.
Galatians 4:9–11
[Bible Verses]In this passage Paul rebukes the Galatian believers who, after coming to know God, were turning back to serve the "weak and beggarly elements" and to observe days and seasons. It is frequently cited in discussions of Sabbath and festival observance, the church year, and legalism.
Return from Exile
[Bible]The return from exile was the return of the people of Judah, who had been carried off to Babylon, to Jerusalem in several waves after the decree of Cyrus, king of Persia, and their rebuilding of the temple and the city walls.
Samaritans
[Bible]The Samaritans were a people who lived in the region of Samaria in central Palestine, regarded Mount Gerizim as their place of worship, and accepted only the Five Books of Moses as Scripture. In the New Testament period they were bitterly at odds with the Jews.
Harbona
[People]Harbona was a chamberlain who served the Persian king Ahasuerus. He told the king about the gallows Haman had set up to hang Mordecai, and Haman himself was then hanged on it (Esther 7:9).
Heman
[People]Heman is an Old Testament figure who appears in 1 and 2 Chronicles as a Levite worship leader in charge of temple music in the time of David. The same name also appears in the title of Psalm 88 and in 1 Kings 4.
John 8:31
[Bible Verses]John 8:31 records Jesus' words to the Jews who had believed in him: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." The verse is frequently cited in discussions of the relationship between faith and discipleship and of persevering in faith to the end (the perseverance of the saints).