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John 1:14
[Bible Verses]John 1:14 declares that the Word, who existed from the beginning, was made flesh and dwelt among humanity. It is the most concise statement of the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation and provides a basis for confessing both the divinity and the humanity of Jesus.
Exodus 21:23-25
[Bible Verses]Known as the law of retaliation, this passage calls for repayment of "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth." Although often misunderstood as encouraging revenge, it is generally interpreted as a law that originally limited punishment to a measure proportionate to the injury. It is also well known as the saying that Jesus quoted and went beyond in the Sermon on the Mount.
Joseph (Son of Jacob)
[People]Joseph is a figure in the Book of Genesis, the son of Jacob and Rachel. Sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers, he rose to become the country's chief administrator and saved his family during a famine. He is distinct from Joseph of Nazareth, the legal father of Jesus.
Zechariah 12:10
[Bible Verses]Zechariah 12:10 is a prophecy in which God promises to pour out upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, so that they look on the one they pierced and mourn. Because the New Testament cites it in connection with the crucifixion and the second coming of Jesus, it is frequently discussed as a messianic prophecy.
Leviticus 25:8–12
[Bible Verses]Leviticus 25:8–12 is a provision of the Law commanding that the fiftieth year, which follows seven sabbatical years (forty-nine years), be kept holy as the "Jubilee." A trumpet is to be sounded on the Day of Atonement to proclaim liberty, and each person is to return to his land and family. The passage is frequently cited in discussions of the ministry of Jesus and of social justice.
Isaiah 9:1–7
[Bible Verses]Isaiah 9:1–7 is a prophecy proclaiming that light will shine on the land of Galilee, darkened by the Assyrian invasion, and that a child will be born who will reign on the throne of David with judgment and with justice. Christians read it as a prophecy of the birth of Jesus Christ and of his ministry in Galilee, and it is widely read at Christmas.
Psalm 8:5-8
[Bible Verses]Psalm 8:5-8 praises God for making human beings "a little lower than the angels" (or "than God"), crowning them with honor, and giving them dominion over all things. The passage is frequently cited in discussions of human dignity and of responsibility for creation. It is also known as a text that the Epistle to the Hebrews applies to Jesus Christ.
Bronze Serpent
[Bible]The bronze serpent was a serpent of bronze that Moses made at God's command and set on a pole so that Israelites bitten by fiery serpents in the wilderness might live. The account appears in Numbers 21, and in John 3 it becomes an image pointing to the cross of Jesus.
Scribe
[Bible]A scribe was originally a professional who wrote documents and kept records. After the Babylonian exile, the term came to refer to experts who copied and taught the Law. In the New Testament, scribes appear as a group that frequently disputes with Jesus.
Sadducees
[Bible]The Sadducees were a Jewish sect of the New Testament era centered on the high-priestly families and the aristocracy of the Jerusalem temple. Because they rejected the resurrection, angels, and spirits, they came into conflict with Jesus and the apostles.
Messiah
[Bible]Messiah, from the Hebrew for "anointed one," is a title applied in the Old Testament to kings, priests, and others; it later came to designate the deliverer whom God would send. The New Testament confesses Jesus as the Messiah, that is, the Christ.
Kidron Brook
[Bible]The Kidron Brook is a stream that runs through the valley east of Jerusalem, between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. It appears in the accounts of David's flight, the removal of idols by the kings of Judah, and the night on which Jesus was arrested.
Leprosy
[Bible]Leprosy is the biblical term for an "unclean" disease of the skin and for blemishes on garments and houses. Leviticus sets out the regulations for its diagnosis and for purification, and leprosy also figures in the accounts of Miriam, Naaman, and Uzziah and in the healing narratives of Jesus.
Frankincense
[Bible]Frankincense is an aromatic substance made from the resin of trees native to southern Arabia and northeastern Africa. In the Old Testament it was used in the holy incense and the grain offering, and in the New Testament it appears as one of the gifts the wise men presented to the infant Jesus.
Palm Tree
[Bible]In the Bible, the palm tree is the date palm. It is associated with the joy of the Feast of Tabernacles, the flourishing of the righteous, and the decoration of the temple. In Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and in the heavenly worship of Revelation, it signifies welcome and victory.
Basilides
[People]Basilides was a Christian Gnostic teacher who taught in Alexandria, Egypt, in the first half of the second century. The Church Fathers treated him as a leading representative of heresy and attributed to him the claim that Simon of Cyrene was crucified in place of Jesus.
Jeconiah
[People]Jeconiah, also called Jehoiachin and Coniah, was one of the last kings of Judah. After reigning for three months, he was taken captive to Babylon and was released from prison thirty-seven years later. His name also appears in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.
Myrrh
[Bible]Myrrh is the fragrant resin of trees native to southern Arabia and northeastern Africa. In the Bible it was used as a spice, a cosmetic, and an ingredient in the holy anointing oil, and it appears as one of the gifts of the Magi and as a burial spice for Jesus.
Tassels
[Bible]Tassels (fringes) were the cords that the people of Israel attached to the four corners of their outer garments in accordance with Old Testament law. They served as a sign reminding the wearer of God's commandments. In the New Testament they are frequently discussed in connection with the account of the woman with the issue of blood who touched the edge of Jesus' garment.
Temple Veil
[Bible]The temple veil was the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple. Only the high priest could pass behind it, and only once a year. The Gospels record that the veil was torn when Jesus died.