Tag: study

Jesus, The Bread Of Life: Satisfying Your Deepest Hunger

A 2023 Barna study found 74% of Americans feel a “spiritual hunger” for meaning, yet only 20% believe they’ve found it. We chase promotions, relationships, or social media likes, but the void persists. Why?

Carl Pollard

What are you hungry for? And I don’t mean what you’re grabbing from Subway for lunch, but that craving deep in your heart. Is it success? Love? Security? Purpose? We live in a world that promises to fill us up but leaves us starving. A 2023 Barna study found 74% of Americans feel a “spiritual hunger” for meaning, yet only 20% believe they’ve found it. We chase promotions, relationships, or social media likes, but the void persists. Why? Because our souls weren’t made for temporary fixes—they were made for Jesus, who declares in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

John 6 is a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. It kicks off with Him feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish (vv. 1-14). The crowd’s amazed, ready to crown Him king (v. 15). But the next day, they chase Him across the Sea of Galilee, not for His teaching, but for more bread (v. 26). Jesus sees through their motives and points to a deeper truth. In the Old Testament, God sent manna to sustain Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4-15), but it couldn’t save their souls. Now, Jesus stands as the true bread from heaven, sent to satisfy not just bodies but souls for eternity.

Jesus is the Bread that Satisfies (John 6:35). When He says, “I am the bread of life,” He’s claiming to be God Himself, echoing God’s name to Moses (Exodus 3:14). Bread was life in the ancient world—sustenance you couldn’t survive without. Jesus says, “That’s Me for your soul.” His promise is wonderful: come to Him, believe in Him, and your hunger and thirst are gone forever. Think of the Samaritan woman in John 4, chasing love in all the wrong places. Jesus offered her “living water,” and now He offers us “living bread.” What are you chasing? Success that fades? Approval that doesn’t last? Jesus says, “Stop chasing what can’t satisfy.” 

Jesus is the Bread that Surpasses (John 6:48-50). The manna fed Israel, but they still died—physically and, for many, spiritually (Numbers 14:29-30). Jesus is greater. “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” The crowd wanted another miracle, another meal (v. 30-31), treating Jesus like a means to an end. We do this too, praying, “Fix my finances, heal my body,” while missing the real gift—Jesus Himself. King Solomon had it all—wealth, wisdom, power—yet called it “vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Why? He chased temporary bread. Jesus surpasses every counterfeit, offering life that never fades.

Jesus is the Bread that Saves (John 6:51). He says, “The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” This points to His death on the cross, where He gave His body for our sins. To “eat” this bread is to trust in His sacrifice, believing His death and resurrection secure your eternity. Many walked away, unable to accept this (v. 66), but Peter got it: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (v. 68). Jesus isn’t just sustenance; He’s salvation.

So, how do we live this out? Feed on Jesus daily through Scripture and prayer—start with John 6 this week. Let go of temporary bread—write down what you’re chasing and pray for God’s will in your life. Share the Bread with a starving world—point a friend, coworker, or neighbor to Jesus. He sees your hunger and says, “I am the bread of life. Come to Me. Believe in Me.” If you’re a Christian, stop chasing crumbs and feast on the Bread that never runs out.

That’s Your Interpretation

Neal Pollard

There are multiple Greek words used in the New Testament to talk about the process of explaining and interpreting God’s Word.

  • Mark 4:34 tells us Jesus was “explaining” His parables and other teachings to the disciples. This word means to loose or set free, to clarify and interpret.
  • Luke 24:27 is the first of six occurrences of a word translated “explained,” “translated,” and “interpreted” to speak of Jesus explaining to the disciples on the road to Emmaus how the Old Testament Scripture concerned Himself. The word refers to formal, extensive explanation of what is difficult to understand.
  • A trio of passages in Acts (11:4; 18:26; 28:23) refer to a word meaning to “expose” (a fourth use in Acts is used by Stephen to speak of Moses’ parents setting him outside, 7:21) or explain, manifest, declare, and expound. The latter three are all used in reference to a man taking God’s Word and explaining it to others.
  • 2 Peter 1:20 is the passage telling us that “no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation….” This word (“interpretation”) means to release or unravel, the act or process of explaining even what is difficult or complex.

We live in a world where even the religious decry any attempt to give an absolute meaning or interpretation of a verse or paragraph of the Bible. While great care and careful study should accompany any effort to understand what Scripture is saying, the passages above (and a great many others) prove that God intended for His Word to be interpreted. Yet, it is suggested that there was a right way for them to be understood. Definitive, binding conclusions could be drawn. All people could (and must) conform to the commands, teachings, and principles of those passages.

Truly, everyone who thoughtfully studies it interprets the Bible. Our challenge is to faithfully, honestly, and truly understand each passage in its context and ultimately harmonize it with the whole of Scripture. The Bible repeatedly speaks of Jesus and others taking the Old Testament, making interpretations and sharing them as authoritative truths to be obeyed.

Paul uses another word, unique to him, to tell Timothy to “handle accurately the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Other Scriptures speak of this “word of truth” as being intrinsically tied to bringing about our salvation (Eph. 1:13; Jas. 1:18). The word translated “handle accurately” means “to cut in a straight line; ἵνα ὀρθοτομῇ τὰς ὁδούς σου so that he gives you the right direction, so that he teaches you correctly, so that he gives you the right teaching” (Lust, Eynikel, and Hauspie, LEX LXX Lex., np). Leave it to a tentmaker to use such an analogy.

The New Testament is filled with passages teaching us about salvation, church organization, worship, gender roles, sexuality, morality, and much, much more. If these and other Scriptures can be cut straight, can’t they be cut crooked (cf. 2 Pet. 3:16)? If parables had a right interpretation, couldn’t they have wrong ones? If the Old Testament can be used to explain truth about Jesus, couldn’t they also be used to teach error about Him? The work of Peter, Aquila and Priscilla, and Paul in Acts, explaining to others, is implicitly endorsed as sound and proper. Doesn’t that mean that one could fail in such efforts by improper handling of Scripture? If holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, the intention was for their words to be taken, processed, and utilized in a way that produced God’s pleasure and approval.

In a relativistic age, where knowledge, truth, and morality is said to not be absolute, authoritative, and binding, such passages are ignored or denied. Yet, there they stand, resolutely declaring that Scripture must be properly interpreted. The task for you and me is to humbly, prayerfully, and diligently read, meditate upon, study, then obey from the heart all that God commands in His Word. Is it important? Jesus thought so, asserting, “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day” (John 12:48; cf. John 14:26; 16:13). May “our interpretation” harmonize with the meaning He clearly intends and instructs through His inspired writers! Nothing else will suffice!

Booth Saved Lincoln?

So much is said and taken for granted without benefit of further study. That’s true of history, but even more true of the Bible.

Neal Pollard

The very title might offend some people, but it is the truth. Of course, context helps. It was Edwin Booth, not John Wilkes. And it was Robert, not Abraham, Lincoln. Edwin and Robert were among customers buying passage on a sleeping car in Jersey City, New Jersey. Lincoln lost his balance and fell into an open space between the train and the station platform. By all accounts, he would have been crushed and likely killed if Edwin had not “vigorously seized” and “quickly pulled up and out” onto the platform (Letters of Note: Volume 1: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience. Chronicle Books. 2014. p. 282). 

Context can be very helpful. Without it, we can draw some erroneous and even fatal conclusions. This is especially true with the Bible, a book many may know a little about but neglect to study with depth and purpose. Doctrines and conclusions are based on statements taken out of context.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31).

“The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart…” (Ex. 9:12; 10:20; 14:8; etc.).

“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated…” (Mal. 1:2; Rom. 9:13).

“Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved…” (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13). 

“Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (Mat. 18:20). 

Sometimes, the content of a verse is explained and understood better just by reading the verses before and after it. That is the case is Acts 16:31 and Matthew 18:20. In Acts, the jailor is taught about Jesus and faith includes repentance and baptism (Acts 16:32-34). In Matthew, the subject is not worship but church discipline (18:15ff). 

Sometimes, a statement needs to be understood in light of the broader context. That would be the case regarding Pharaoh and Esau. The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart through the plagues, causing the Egyptian king to rebel against God’s will and choose pride over penitence. In the case of Esau, as Paul explains, the idea is of God’s sovereign choice. God was not unjust. He had a purpose for choosing Jacob over Esau (Rom. 9:11). 

Sometimes, a statement causes us to look deeper into all the Bible says about the subject. Consider the idea of calling on the name of the Lord to be saved. Rather than salvation by confession, the Bible teaches what is involved in calling on the name of the Lord. Ananias taught Saul that this is done when one is baptized, washing away sins (Acts 22:16).

When we are studying the Bible, we must always do so contextually. Whether that is the immediate context (the verses around a statement) or the broader context (everything the Bible says about it or further light shed on it elsewhere), it makes the difference in the conclusions we draw. God expects us to “handle accurately the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15)! May we be the best Bible students we can be. 

What The Holy Spirit Will Never Do

Neal Pollard

There is no question that the Holy Spirit, as an everlasting personality of God, is unlimited in power.  He can do whatever it is possible for God to do, for He is God.  It is interesting to read or hear religious people, from preachers to other members, claiming or asserting things the Holy Spirit is doing in churches and lives today.  In fact, several of these claims demand an answer, principles from scripture that must be considered before such claims are believed and embraced.  What are some things the Holy Spirit will never do?

The Holy Spirit will never override our free will.  John Calvin, a 16th century protestant reformer, went to an extreme that placed salvation solely in God’s hands.  He contended that man did not have a part in it at all.  From this premise came five broad religious ideas that eventually became identified as Calvinism.  One of these tenets is called “irresistible grace,” the idea that those God chooses for salvation are led to faith by the work of the Holy Spirit upon the human heart.  Tragically, this false idea is supported by many in religion today.  Yet, Scripture makes it clear that even in the first century, when the Holy Spirit operated miraculously in confirming the spoken message of Christ, His apostles, and other early Christians, He never directly operated upon the human heart in a way that overtook or overwhelmed the free will of the individual.  Cornelius received the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:48-49), but how was he saved?  Acts 11:14-15 indicates that it was words told to him whereby he and his house were to be saved.  1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us that God chose to save souls through the message preached.  One can look in the Bible from cover to cover and never find a statement or implication that God acts directly upon the human heart in a way that overtakes our will and leads us to belief and salvation.  Scripture repeatedly urges man to choose for himself, if he wills (Rev. 22:17; Matt. 11:28-30; etc.).  The Holy Spirit works powerfully upon the human heart to persuade man to obey God, but He does so through the powerful word (Heb. 4:12; Rom. 1:16).  This message is so compelling and convicting, but God has left it to our free will to decide whether to accept or reject this message.

The Holy Spirit will never contradict revealed truth.  Increasing claims are made in churches today about what the Spirit is working in churches to accomplish.  Often, the Spirit has been given credit for a church’s change of policy in women’s role, how or on what to spend money (such as for a grandiose campus), or even a strange, new doctrine.  Such assertions, however, ring hollow.  If these contentions were true, such would reflect most negatively on the character and nature of God.  The result of God revealing one thing in scripture, then revealing something else directly, is contradiction and confusion (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40).  God claimed that He was giving us His will for all people of all time (John 14:26; 16:13; Jude 3, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3).  If He is still revealing new truth through the Spirit, was He right in those passages?  If He is still revealing new truth through the Spirit, how does this not reflect on His honesty?  God cannot lie (cf. Ti. 1:2), but those who claim Holy Spirit guidance in revealing new truth today, if they are correct, make Him such.

The Holy Spirit will never assert what cannot be confirmed.  Considering the work of Moses, then the later prophets, Jesus, His apostles, and others who asserted that their message was directly from God, one finds miracles being performed which confirmed without doubt the source of the message.  Without such tangible confirmation, how does the one who receives the claim know that claim to be true?  Anyone can claim that the Spirit revealed something to them or told them to do something, but how can anyone know they are right without clear confirmation?  That is what Aaron’s rod was for.  Isaiah (7:14), Jeremiah (44:29), Zechariah (3:8), and others all pointed to a sign that would confirm the veracity of their message.  History bears witness to the truthfulness of their claims (cf. Deut. 18:22).  After the church was established, Paul was already teaching in the first century that the miraculous gifts would not be needed once the written word was completed (1 Cor. 13:8-12).  God has never left Himself unsubstantiated.  How do we confirm doctrine?  We go to the Word God breathed.  It reveals His thoughts and His will.  He will not sanction men’s unconfirmed claims, and we are wise not to rest our hopes on such.  It is a dangerous and unfounded precedent to simply claim divine guidance without proof.  With such an approach, every person can claim a certain revelation, guidance, and heavenly message.  Without confirmation, no one’s claims can be tested!

The Holy Spirit is Divine, living, and powerful.  As God, He is at work in lives today.  He indwells the Christian (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:14; etc.).  He strengthens the inner man (Eph. 3:16).  However, may we never fall prey to the false ideas that man creates and that cannot be verified by scripture (cf. 1 John 4:1).  The Bible exists for the reason of testing such ideas as these.  It must be the standard that proves and disproves men’s claims today.  Know for certain that the Holy Spirit does not today, nor has He ever, overtaken man’s free will.  He will never lead one to a conclusion or teaching that contradicts the Word He inspired holy men of God to pen.  If one claims a Holy Spirit-given message that is more, less, or different from scripture, it must be rejected!  If the alleged Holy Spirit-given message is the same as scripture, then why would God have given us scripture in the first place if He was going to directly dispense the same message apart from the Word?  Finally, He will never allow men to pass off as truth that which they cannot confirm in some way that proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the message is divinely given.  Let God’s people be diligent students of the Bible and as such able to discern right and wrong in such matters as these!

Meaning

Gary Pollard

Among the dozens of the-most-commonly-asked-questions Carl compiled for me, most fall into one of maybe three fundamental categories. Most of them also betray a sense of chaos in how people view reality. How do I know something is true/accurate/best practice? Is it always true? What about when a person stops being alive? Is it all nothingness? What is happiness? Is it quantifiable? What is my responsibility to other people? Do I have one? What makes me different from non-human life? Is there a significant difference? What is real? How do we know? Is it possible to be absolutely positive? What is my destiny? Do I have one? Why am I conscious? Am I, or is this a construct? 

Chaos and the abyss were frequently described in the ancient world as having nothing below and nothing above. You can’t look up/forward to some goal, and you had no solid base to stand on. No fixed point to compare something to. No metric to organize information into a usable hierarchy. It was conceived of as the worst possible existence, all of hopelessness and despair realized. It was seen as the destiny of those who deserved the most severe punishment, as no experience could possibly be worse than this. 

Ironically, the “freedom” promised by social/moral liberation proponents almost immediately devolves into this nightmare. People in general seem to feel lost and unable to know what’s real. Even much of our humor is now dark, existential hopelessness! So many are addicted to short-term euphoria, and each crash is a fresh wave of meaninglessness. We look everywhere for answers, but don’t always know if we can trust those answers because they’re so often subjective. There are too many threads to chase and knots to untie, and we don’t even know where to start. 

To a seeking person, the division so prevalent in Christianity can be discouraging. How can anyone trust something that no one seems to agree on? Where people are, problems are. That’s true of literally every human enterprise, and doesn’t warrant discounting it entirely. And most of those disagreements are because of ignorance, not because of faulty source material. 

So if you’re looking for meaning and hope, give the Bible a chance! This might seem reductive or cliche to non-believers, but its teachings have brought so much good to the world. That alone makes it worth pursuing! Most importantly, it gives tangible hope for the future and a solid, reliable base to stand on. It helps us understand reality like no other source! At the very least, give it a shot.

Here are some (hopefully) helpful tips for beginner Bible readers: 

  1. Bias is impossible to avoid entirely, but keep an open mind (believer and non-believer alike). An open mind prevents legalistic or liberal extremes, which are no bueno. Come to the text with questions and a desire for accurate answers. Be willing to adopt, adjust, or discard your beliefs when the narrative requires it. 
  2. If you haven’t yet done a deep dive into its divine origins, presuppose absolute reliability. You’ll come to that conclusion anyway, and this lessens anxiety when seeing something that challenges a current belief. 
  3. Stick with the New Testament at first, and avoid commentaries like the plague (I’m writing one, don’t read it). Don’t give up on a passage that’s hard to understand — try harder. Use a good, easy-to-read modern translation primarily, but have a couple others on hand too. I love the ERV, but also use NIV, GW, and NET Bible. 
  4. Look for the narrative in each section you’re reading. What main idea does everything else seem to support or illustrate?
  5. John’s writings are a great place to start if you’re looking for the most fundamental building blocks of meaning. Don’t just read the words, look into the concepts he presents. 
  6. Ask questions. So many answers to the fundamental questions listed above are in the scriptures. They work so much better than any of the subjective secular answers offered today. 
  7. Highlight, underline, and otherwise mark up the text. Look for connections and for ways to bring out each concept. You’re not looking for a code or some kind of religious experience, you’re looking for meaning. It will eventually become the lens you look through to understand reality, and the hope you have of humanity’s destiny. You will gain a deep appreciation for who God is and what he does for humanity and what he will give us when he comes back!  
  8. Read all of it. It’s all good stuff — and there’s nothing wrong with starting at what resonates most with your interests or questions! Those interests only become more interesting once you have a better understanding of all the other stuff, too! 

Are You Feeding Your Soul?

Jeremy Waddell

We all go through phases in life. Several of us have entered the same phase in life over the past few months with our families…

  • This phase that has challenged
    • our honesty, 
    • our health, 
    • our time & money, 
    • it’s taken up space in our house,
    • it’s even challenged our marriage vows to a certain degree…”in sickness and in health, for better or worse.”

-Sourdough Bread-

  • All jokes aside, with every phase and experience in our life there is always a lesson to learn. 
  • Just so everyone knows Ashley makes the BEST sourdough bread…now anyway! 

When making bread:

  • You can have the greatest recipe.
  • Use the right ingredients and follow the directions perfectly.
  • But if we aren’t feeding that starter daily, which is the base of the bread, then the bread is not going to come out right.  
  • It’s a living thing that needs to be fed everyday regardless of when we plan to use it. 
  • Sometimes Ashley will take a “bread break”, put it in the refrigerator and doesn’t plan to use it for a few days…
  • It’s still living without being fed, for a while anyways, but it’s not as strong or good as it could be. 

So how can we learn a spiritual lesson from sourdough bread?

We can say all the same things about our souls!

  • We need to feed our souls daily with reading our Bible, with prayer, with fellowship if we want to be and remain strong Christians. 
  • Just because we know the recipe of salvation and have followed all the steps perfectly doesn’t mean that it just stops there.
  • Our souls are living and need feeding daily! 
  • 2 Peter 3:17-18– “beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with error of the wicked; but grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
    • Not reading the word daily can make us weak and unprepared for when wicked things creep into our lives.

Acts 17:11— “they searched the scriptures daily.”

1 Timothy 4:13– “till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

There are many verses in the Bible telling us to read it and use the scriptures every day. 

There are verses we all know by heart and lean on all the time: 

  • 2 Timothy 3:16– “All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness.”
    • It’s useful for us and for others. 
  • 2 Timothy 2:15- “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
    • God expects us to work hard in knowing the scriptures and understanding them so we can grow and can teach others.
  • Hebrews 4:12- “For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword…and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  

Being in the word, reading daily, feeding our soul the knowledge of God through His inspired writers will keep our hearts and lives on the right path! It will help us grow closer to God and to be ready to teach others about Him. 

As it says in Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4 “…man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  We need the meat of the word to keep our souls strong! 

If you struggle with studying and being in the word, as I know I do and probably all of us do, then now is the time to make a change.  Put out the distractions in life that keep you from it, try harder to read daily!  

God’s Word Is Your Compass

Brent Pollard

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.” (Deuteronomy 30.11–14 NASB 1995)

The Bible is widely known, but not all individuals believe in it. Moreover, simply believing in the Bible does not guarantee a transformation in behavior. This fact is unfortunate, as the Bible provides easily understandable and actionable instructions from God (see Psalm 19:7).

Despite the varying levels of belief, it is essential to acknowledge the Bible’s widespread availability and recognition. In this digital age, accessing God’s word is just a swipe away on a smartphone. Given the Bible’s evergreen status, it’s reasonable to assume that most people also possess a printed copy. This accessibility demonstrates God’s neverending ability to provide guidance and wisdom.

Given the Bible’s widespread availability, it is crucial to understand that it offers guidance and advice. We should always count on the Word of God as our compass, using it as both guidance and assurance. The Bible instructs us to discuss and share its teachings as a practical guide for daily living, using the phrase “in your mouth” (v. 14). It’s like a handbook for navigating life, packed with wisdom we can draw upon for all our daily decisions.

However, merely reading or hearing God’s words is insufficient; they must be internalized in our hearts (see Psalm 119.11). The text emphasizes the importance of internalizing the Word of God in our hearts. It is crucial to adopt the messages conveyed by the Bible to develop our values and actions. This internalization marks the beginning of a genuine transformation. As the teachings of the Bible permeate our existence, they shape our decisions, leading us to act with deep understanding.

The ultimate purpose of religious truth is to promote obedience, not satisfy curiosity or thought. Consequently, the word of God has immense power to motivate us to take action. As believers, we must implement the teachings of the Bible into our daily lives. Following its principles is a clear indication of our genuine faith. The Bible reinforces the importance of putting one’s beliefs into action (see Hebrews 11 and James 2.14–26). As James urged, we must be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers” (James 1:21 NASB 1995).

In conclusion, the Bible is more than just a book; it is a personal compass that deeply connects with our hearts and influences our conduct. God has crafted the teachings to make them easy to understand and practice daily. To fully benefit from the Bible, we must actively engage with it, allowing it to shape our beliefs, decisions, and actions. By doing so, we can experience the transformative power of God’s word in our lives.

The Profound Context of Matthew 16:24

Brent Pollard

The Pitfalls of Proof-texting

Are you occasionally guilty of proof-texting? Proof-texting is the practice of using specific passages from the Bible to justify a larger body of doctrine or belief. For example, teaching that a simple prayer is all required to obtain salvation is incorrect when someone uses a verse like Romans 10:13. However, we may occasionally engage in sloppy proof-texting. It might become a standard practice to pull a verse out of context and use it to teach a specific lesson, especially when delivering a sermon on a timely topic.

Sometimes, I’m like the Ethiopian official of Acts 8, unable to understand independently and needing a Phillip to guide me in applying Scripture. On other occasions, I’ve not been as diligent in my Bible reading and study. As an illustration, consider Matthew 16.24:

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me…’” (NASB)

Unpacking Matthew 16.24

So, what is the deeper meaning behind this verse? At a cursory glance, it advocates living a selfless, Christ-centered life. Can that be the correct point of view but an incomplete answer? Have you ever pondered on Jesus’ motivation for this statement? Considering the verses around it highlights the importance of this particular verse even more.

Foretelling His Death

Before Matthew 16.24, Jesus reveals His impending suffering, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem to His disciples. Matthew elaborates on this detail in verse 21. Following Peter’s rebuke, Jesus retorts, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.” (Matthew 16.23 NASB) This rebuke paves the way for His subsequent proclamation.

Cost of Discipleship

When Jesus asked His disciples to “take up their crosses,” He wasn’t merely alluding to inconveniencing themselves. In the Roman context, the cross symbolized a horrific death. Jesus propounds a radical form of discipleship, which might entail severe hardships, even to the extent of death.

Identity of Jesus

The backdrop of Matthew 16.13–20, where Peter acknowledges Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” intensifies the narrative. Their recognition of His identity as the Messiah profoundly impacts His call to discipleship and the prophecy of His demise.

Theme of the Kingdom

Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, the theme of the Kingdom is prevalent. Jesus paints a picture of a Kingdom that defies worldly conventions—where the last shall be first, the meek inherit the earth, and true leaders serve. The call to bear one’s cross redefines power, leadership, and sacrifice within this framework.

Post Matthew 16:24’s Context

After 16.24, in verses 25–28, Jesus revisits the essence of radical discipleship. He challenges established ideas about life, pointing towards a deeper spiritual understanding.

Broader Interpretation

Many correctly perceive Jesus’ words in Matthew 16.24 as a directive to lead a Christ-focused life. But its genuine gravitas emerges when contextualized. After foretelling His sufferings and ultimate sacrifice, Jesus presents discipleship not as mere renunciation but potentially a path encompassing suffering, even death. Peter’s affirmation and the recurring Kingdom theme in Matthew magnify this verse’s impact. To fully grasp its true meaning, one must look at the larger narrative and how it fits the Gospel’s overarching theme: the Kingdom’s reversal of societal norms and values. This comprehensive viewpoint adds depth and richness to the essence of Christian faith, emphasizing the importance of perseverance.

A Sturdy Bridge Over The Deadly Sea

Neal Pollard

The Tay Bridge in Dundee, Scotland, opened for passenger services on June 1, 1878. That very summer, Queen Victoria was a passenger onboard the train that passed over that bridge, at the time at over a mile and a half the longest railway bridge in the world. This led her to knight the bridge’s builder, Thomas Bouch. But on Saturday, December 28, 1879, the bridge collapsed in a violent wind and rainstorm as a train carrying 75 passengers was crossing it. All perished! It was the worst engineering disaster of its time. Commissioners blamed faulty design, construction and maintenance, a too narrow bridge, inferior materials, and improper precautions against wind loads for the tragedy. Shortcuts, financial problems, and engineers driving too fast all contributed to the collapse. It was a tragic loss for Scotland.

As tragic as this was, equally tragic was the response of the Church of Scotland which blamed those responsible for running and riding the train on the Sabbath for drawing God’s wrath. A bridge builder built a faulty bridge, but several supposed ministers misused the Bible to build faulty theology.

Properly handling the Bible is the responsibility of more than preachers. God expects it of all of us. So much is passed off as religious truth that bears little if any connection with what the Bible actually says. In 2 Timothy 2:14-19, Paul instructed Timothy to promote of a culture of not only reading, but of investigating that leads to understanding.

What good things happen when you properly study the Bible? You accurately handle the word of truth (15), you have no cause for shame (15), and you stand on the firm foundation of God (19). What bad things do you avoid by properly studying the Bible? You avoid “ruin” (14), ungodliness (16), straying from the truth (18), upsetting the faith of some (18), and wickedness (19).

When dealing with something as important as eternal truth and its counterparts, we must be skilled workmen (15). Shoddiness leads to disastrous results. People claim that the Bible teaches all sorts of things, many of whom have done little if any studying regarding their claims. Our job is to counter useless (14), ruinous (14), worldly (16), empty (16), gangrenous (17), upsetting (18), foolish (21), ignorant (21), and argument-producing (23) teaching that comes from men rather than God. Our job is to help build a bridge between men and God over the chasm that leads to spiritual death. What we build with and how we build makes all the difference! 

Teachers’ Aids

Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog


Several of our classes have assistants to the Bible class teacher. She (or
perhaps in select cases “he”) serves in a support role, helping students do handwork, find Bible verses, or occasionally keep order. These are vital roles, and often a teacher’s aid later actually becomes a teacher. Teachers’ aids are part of a great team and education system that benefits everyone in the classroom.
There is a constant, pressing need for more teachers’ aids. I don’t mean in the actual classroom during the “Bible class hour.” These aids are needed Sunday afternoons, late Wednesdays, Saturday afternoons, and/or opportune moments between these times. These aids have even more power than those helping the teacher in the classroom. They are the parents and care-givers of the students. There are several ways they can “aid” the teachers who put in hours of preparation time and tons of energy and emotion into the task of teaching.
Aid teachers by making sure your children do their homework. Most teachers give homework, memory work or activity sheets. This is a vital supplement to the actual lesson taught in class. When children come to class with their homework done, teachers are elated and made to feel that their efforts are appreciated. They feel that their students take the class as seriously as they do.
Aid teachers by asking about what they have learned. Ask your children what they talked about in class that day. Ask them to review as much as they can. Ask them what they learned and how they can make application from the class. What better topic of conversation can parents and children discuss on the way home from services?
Aid teachers by making sure they feel appreciated. One way to do this is by making sure you practice the first two suggestions. However, having the child send a thank you note or by personally thanking your child’s teacher, you are aiding through the means of encouragement. Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Teachers are no different.
The qualifications are simple enough. To be this type of teacher’s aid, simply do all you can to partner with the efforts of your children’s teachers. Your child, your home, and your child’s teacher will all be blessed by it.

Neal Pollard

pinch-hitting for Carl, who is in the delivery room!

Three Keys To Better Bible Classes

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

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Dale Pollard  

The Tompkinsville church family is blessed to have some righteous and knowledgeable elders. In the past week and in separate Bible classes these men have each shed some insight on three different biblical texts. One elder brought a passage of scripture to the table that clarified the difference between anger and sinful anger. Another elder gave a separate take on the dispersion of humanity after the language change at Babel. After a discussion surrounding the blessing that was promised to Jacob, one of the elders broadened the scope and showed how that promise played out in Jacob’s life and in the life of the Israelites. Though the insights they offered in class were contrary to some beliefs in the brotherhood, they navigated the disagreements with grace and tact. These were not matters of salvation and in some cases were simply a matter of opinion.

The biblical text is not always clear in the English translations since there is the cultural and linguistic barriers that must be taken into consideration. Since that’s the case, there are occasionally opposing views that could both be correct. To some degree, speculation and educated guess work will attempt to fill in the gaps. Is there a hard line in the sand that indicates when anger becomes sinful? Certainly. Could God have miraculously scattered the confused people after the Tower of Babel was completed? Yes. God could have also allowed them to naturally migrate to their respective regions. Are there several applications that can be taken from Genesis 32 where we read that Jacob wrestled with God? Definitely. A church family should appreciate an eldership with a heart and mind so immersed in God’s word that they have drawn their own conclusions based on their personal study. Godly men and women express their faithfulness in Bible classes in several ways. 

  • First, they understand that the truth must be spoken in love (Ephesians 4.15). They are able to tell the difference between matters of opinion and matters of salvation. 
  • Second, they are eager to maintain a unity of spirit and a bond of peace (Ephesians 4.3-6). Godly members are not purposefully divisive or quick to start heated debates. 
  • Third, the older Christians recognize the responsibility they have to share their wisdom with the younger generation and the godly youth respect the wisdom that is given from the older generation (Titus 2.2-12). 

When the body of Christ is unified it’s also unstoppable. The church family that respects those God-given rolls that we are all assigned will find that Bible classes, Biblical discussion, and relationships are enriched and strengthened. Knowledge is both shared and received in love and humility. 

Deprivation In The Land Of Plenty

Friday’s Column: Supplemental Strength

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Brent Pollard

It is likely the most willfully ignorant who would deny that we are entering a period of inflation. Various issues are causing this, such as rising fuel costs and a growing sector of society preferring unemployment to gainful employment. To illustrate this, look no further than our ports. There are dozens of ships parked off our coasts with an insufficient workforce to unload the products at the docks. COVID-19 indeed gets its share of the blame for this but, despite the pundits, cannot account for it all. Thus, we are beginning to see shortages of certain products and empty shelves in stores. For example, we will be running out of certain products again while it sits on a ship just hundreds of feet from our shore. Thus, we may well experience deprivation in the shadow of plenty. 

This deprivation happens with greater frequency within our collective spiritual lives. For example, how many households own unread Bibles? I would venture to guess that there are many. So here we have people sitting in the presence of plenty but suffer for a “lack of knowledge” (cf. Isaiah 5.13; Hosea 4.6). The Israelites ended up in captivity because of a similar choice of ignoring God’s Word. We cannot suppose that a gracious-but-just God would allow those of us living under the New Testament to skate when committing the same offense. Jesus depicted a Judgment scene in His Sermon on the Mount. Do you recall what He said to those crying, “Lord, Lord?” God only allows heavenly entry to those doing the Father’s will (Matthew 7.21-23). And where do we learn of God’s Will? Peter says that God has given us all things about life and godliness (2 Peter 1.3ff). And Paul reminds us that the Scriptures are God-breathed [inspired] (2Timothy 3.16-17). Lastly, Jesus confirms this Word as truth (John 17.17). Indeed, God has left us with a book into which even the angels desire to look (1 Peter 1.12). 

So why do people suffer spiritual want? God’s Word sits like those cargo ships, within reach of those who would profit from it. The problem lies in the lack of readers on this side of eternity’s shore. Oh, there are excuses, to be sure. For example, “I’m too busy and cannot find time to read.” Or “I get enough instruction during church services.” But their stores are increasingly empty of what the spirit most needs. Unlike our current economic situation in the United States, where reliance on imports leaves us in a lurch, there is a different reality in the spiritual realm. Since we refuse to partake of the plenty God has supplied, the devil gladly steps in and stocks our shelves for us with the sensual. Since our focus is on the immediate, we don’t notice we’ve traded our soul for that which will destroy us (Matthew 6.19-21; Luke 9.25; Luke 12.16-33). 

Get to work (2 Timothy2.15)! Grab that Bible and unload its truth into your heart. Don’t suffer deprivation in the shadow of plenty.    

9 Kernel Crop

Thursday’s Column: Carlnormous Comments

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Carl Pollard

 
Have you ever seen those little rocking horses that little kids ride? They hop on and rock back and forth, but they never go anywhere. There’s a whole lot of motion and work put in, but there’s never any progress made. Just like we don’t sit in a rocking chair to go somewhere, we need to understand how to work towards growth and maturity in our faith and knowledge.

We can work towards growing as Christians, but if we aren’t studying properly, or have the wrong mindset, our work and effort will never produce the outcome we are looking for. 2 Peter 3:18 tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.” We are told by Peter through inspiration from God to “grow” and this isn’t a suggestion. It’s an imperative we are commanded to obey.

If you’re like me, this seems like a general command that can be overwhelming. If we want to grow a garden we have to do several things in order to be successful. We have to prepare the soil (no rocks or weeds) in order to give the plants what they need to grow and produce. There’s maintenance work to be done once the plants begin to grow. Keep weeds from choking out the plants, and make sure they are watered. Keep animals and bugs from destroying the plants. Make sure they get enough sunlight. And depending on the type of plant we will need to trim and cut excess leaves and stems to help it produce more produce (see what I did there?). Having a garden takes time, effort and patience.

Gardens don’t just magically appear. But there are some rare exceptions. I was burning some old clothes and furniture last year and I decided to throw some spoiled corn in the fire. When summer came around guess what I had sprouting out of my fire pit? Stalks of corn! And I got a great harvest of about 9 kernels. I ate them and it was pretty good! As Christians we will grow to a point without having to work too hard. We can learn from the lessons we hear at church, we can grow from what our parents teach us, but there will come a time when that won’t be enough. The corn in my fire pit only grew so much before it started turning brown. Turns out the roots were only surface deep because there was a sheet of metal keeping them from growing deeper. This in turn affected the produce that came from the plant. Hopefully as Christians we want to produce more than 9 kernels, and in order to grow properly we need put in the work.

Peter tells us that as Christians we must increase in grace (Eph. 2:8-9; Col. 3:16; 2 Pt. 1:2), grow in knowledge (Eph. 4:15; Col. 1:10, 2:19; 1 Pt. 2:2), and be motivated by a desire to glorify Christ (2 Pt. 3:18).

Our effort should produce results. In order for this to happen we must know the proper steps to take. We should never be satisfied with our knowledge of scripture. There’s no such thing as knowing too much Bible. We should never settle for the small amount of growth we encounter at services 3 times a week.

Am I willing to put in the work?

Traditional Traditions Transitioned

Thursday’s Column: Carlnormous Comments

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Carl Pollard

 
Say that three times in a row. Now that you’ve done that, let’s focus on a very important question. Are traditions splitting the church? To answer this we must look at the source of our traditions. As a church we follow both divine and man-made traditions. The ones from God must be followed and taught in the church, but the ones from man have no authority from God.
 
So, are traditions splitting the church? The word “tradition” means to “pass something down.” Galatians 1:14 says, “and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.” Were the traditions that Paul was learning about passed down by man or by God? He labels them as being his “ancestors’ traditions.”
 
We must be careful to determine if a tradition that is being taught is divine or was instituted by our “ancestors.” For example, serving the Lord’s Supper from the front of the auditorium on a table that says, “Do This in Remembrance of Me”, and using brass plates are man-made traditions. This is not found in scripture.
 
There’s nothing wrong with practicing this tradition. The problem is when some try to enforce this and say “if you don’t do this for the Lord’s Supper then you haven’t really done what has been commanded.”
 
This teaching of tradition can split the church and we must be careful that we are enforcing God’s tradition and not our own. To do this we should ask, “Is it a violation of Scripture, or is it a tradition?” It’s okay to go along with traditions, but it is not okay to bind human traditions as a salvation issue.
 
There are some in the church that have taken their man-made traditions to heart. So we must ask ourselves, are we binding man-made traditions on others for salvation? Do we get upset if someone changes up the order of worship? Maybe we get mad when there are only two songs between the opening prayer and the sermon?
 
Divine traditions are what we must follow, and we must not force man-made traditions. Galatians 1:8-9 says, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” Paul’s point is this: “Who did you receive it from?”
 
1 Corinthians 15:1-3 tells us, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” It is important that we check to see where the tradition came from.
 
Paul got his teachings from Jesus Christ. That is the divine source we must use. Not your preacher or the old wise man. This tradition was divine. Even if it is a tradition that has been around for many years, this does not automatically make it a divine tradition.
 
We must always keep in mind two facts when it comes to tradition.
  1. Divine tradition is binding while man-made is not.
  2. Look for the source of the tradition in order to clarify fact number one.

“Praying The Scriptures”

MONDAY’S COLUMN: NEAL AT THE CROSS

Neal at ATF 2020

Neal Pollard

Yesterday morning, Chuck Raymer prayed an especially beautiful prayer, well-thought-out and earnest, but also filled with quotations of Bible verses or parts of them (near the beginning, he quoted Psalm 100:3)(his prayer begins at about 6:30 of the recording on YouTube of yesterday morning’s service: It starts here). My good friend and former co-worker in Colorado, Corey Sawyers, would often adapt the words of an entire psalm and pray it as he led us in the assemblies. There is something especially powerful about prayers that are Scripture quotations. It’s certainly something biblical.

In Acts 4:23, Peter and John, after having been released from being held by the Jews for preaching Jesus, met with the Jerusalem congregation. They lifted their voices to God with one accord and addressed Him. In their brief prayer (note verse 31), they quoted Exodus 20:11 (also found in Nehemiah and Psalms) and Psalm 2:1-2. They were so full of the Word that it came out even in their prayers. Look at the Levites who led Judah in prayer in Nehemiah 9:4-37. Much at that prayer quotes passages and events found in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). Most powerfully of all, Jesus prayed Scripture at a more difficult moment than any other human being will ever face (Mark 15:34). The praying prophet, Daniel, turned to God in prayer being moved by the words of Jeremiah (Dan. 9:2-3). How will it help us to pray the Scriptures in our own lives, whether in publicly leading prayer or in our private devotional lives?

IT LETS THE GOD WE WANT TO HEAR US KNOW THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO HIM.

Certainly, God knows His Word, but so does He know our every innermost thought, desire, and need. But, there is something about addressing God by including great truth from His Word that can really enrich those prayers. It tells Him we are mindful of His will even as we seek to influence it. 

IT BUILDS OUR FAITH IN THE TRUTH AND PROMISES OF HIS WORD.

Repetition is not just the key to learning, but it can also greatly aid our comprehension and retention. As you pray Scripture, you help reinforce those promises and truths. You will actually be reflecting on them as you pray it back to God. 

IT HELPS US TO APPLY THE WORD TO OUR DAILY LIVES.

Scripture can become more real and meaningful as we make verbalize it in prayer. It can take incidents and teachings in Scriptures and directly apply those verses to what we are going through. So often, we are going through the same exact types of things men and women of the Bible were going through. How can it be more practical than this: “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psa. 119:11)?

There are probably several more reasons why we should quote and allude to Scripture in our prayer lives, but these are at least a few. You will certainly never say anything more truthful and right in your prayers than God’s Word. You will also be walking in some very righteous footprints, of those in Scripture who prayed Scripture back to God. 

“Self-Sufficient Study”

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary III

Gary Pollard

All gas internal combustion engines require three things to operate: fuel, spark, and compression. If one of the three is working improperly, a number of symptoms can arise. This is an oversimplification, of course, but those three systems must be mostly operable in order to be usable. 

Troubleshooting can be expensive if a person has little or no experience with this common engine type. Learning to maintain a vehicle and enact basic repairs saves an enormous amount of money! Relying on someone else to do it is often very costly. 

We fully understand that not everyone is equipped to be a scholar-level theologian. However, many Christians take this idea and swing the opposite direction. How many have been Christians for decades and have just a basic understanding of scripture? How many multi-generational Christians snore at the thought of advanced biblical studies? How many have only the knowledge they retain from a sermon? How many base their understanding and beliefs on the values held by respected friends or family? 

No one is perfect; the more a person learns through deep bible study, the more they are confronted with their own inadequacies. But a dedicated student of the scriptures also gains this: 

  1. A profound appreciation for grace and its role in our practical lives. 
  2. Mind-blowing discoveries and realizations about the nature of God and eternity that bullet-proof our faith. 
  3. The full emotional and intellectual impact of biblical principles. 
  4. A deeper understanding of the goals, message(s), meaning, and practical applications of a book. 
  5. A heartwarming and emotion-eliciting  appreciation for the role of The Word, Jesus, and His hand in creation, sustaining the genetic line that brought about His physical death, the timeless sacrifice He made by subjecting Himself eternally to the Father, and the role He plays today on our behalf.
  6. An ability to defend the faith, refute false doctrine, convert a lost soul, and build faith in others. 
  7. An ability to avoid sin more effectively. 
  8. A far lesser likelihood of accepting false doctrines or harmful practices.  
  9. Excitement, joy, and fulfillment about being a Christian! 
  10. A great disdain for arguments over petty issues that are weakening the church, and the ability to shut them down and refute them soundly. 

As a bonus, learning to read and translate Greek or Hebrew (at least with the help of a lexicon, a decent understanding of rules of each language, and their proper application in each context) will give even more profound insight into words and concepts we read in our native translations. 

Relying on what others tell us is not sufficient! We may find that the cost, eternally, is far steeper than what we would pay to the most expensive mechanic for repairs we could do at a fraction of the cost. Not only will we gain a great appreciation for what we know and live by becoming true Bible students, but it also greatly enhances our ability to live a faithful Christian life. 

 

Study Is Serious

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary III

Gary Pollard

 
Lies closest to the truth do the most damage. It can be easy to deceive the average person because many simply will not question what they hear or read. Whether the subject is politics, science, religion, or urban legends, many have opinions based primarily on a cursory understanding of the subject matter.
 
In most areas of life, this lack of investigation or study is benign. Our eternity is not remotely impacted by (erroneously) thinking that Kalashnikov’s rifles are inherently inaccurate.
 
When it comes to our faith, however, we are left without excuse. Christians have an obligation to investigate what is taught (Acts 17). In order to effectively do so, we must have the desire to become serious bible students.
 
Depth of study is not just for theologians! The ability to analyze and accurately draw meaning from God’s word is something each Christian should pursue. Phrases like, “That’s too smart for me,” or, “Not everyone’s a preacher,” or, “It’s all Greek to me,” or any other excuse we may use will not fly at judgment.
 
The Spirit expects us to be knowledgeable enough in His words that we could teach on the subject (Hebrews 5.12). Teachers are proficient or expert in their subjects, not just vaguely familiar with them.
 
A great place to start in one’s journey to proficiency is to take the responsibility of learning seriously. We expect those who work with nuclear power to have some knowledge in their field because of the risk potential. With the Bible, souls and eternal destinations are at stake; if we appreciate this, it should drive us to become dedicated students of the word.
 

What Does The Bible Say?

Monday’s Column: Neal at the Cross

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Neal Pollard

Most people have very strong convictions, pro or con, about religious matters.  Many who claim to be religious form opinions and draw conclusions with very little if any biblical consultation.  How ironic is it to claim to follow God while ignoring and even rejecting His very revealed will?

Many religious people, church attenders and not, are guided by their feelings, desires, opinions, preferences, and consciences (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3; Prov. 14:12).  Perhaps they have a favorite preacher or other religious figure they implicitly trust.  Their religion may be submitted and subjugated to the message of the culture or even the media. It may be based on convenience and comfort.  Throughout time, man has attempted to serve God on his own terms and based on what he thinks is right.  Whether ignorantly or defiantly, he puts himself on a throne upon which only Jesus belongs (Mat. 28:18).

How long could religious error survive if potentially divided parties could lay aside personal interests and objectively study the sacred text?  So often, the religious world is divided because of man-made doctrines and traditions.  Instead of looking to the Bible to answer the important questions of time and eternity, men often come up with the answers they want and then go looking for Bible verses to support their predetermined views.  Consider that some of the most popular religious ideas—salvation by saying the sinner’s prayer, premillennialism, speaking in tongues, women worship leaders, once-saved, always-saved, and instrumental music—are not practiced or believed based upon their being taught in Scripture but instead their being the beliefs and views of mankind.  How thrilling it would be if we could unite every religious person in the desire to come to the text, the glasses of prejudice or sectarian beliefs removed, and let God tell us what to believe and how to live!  That is possible, but it begins with each of us humble, sincerely asking, “What does the Bible say?”

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“It’s all Greek to me.”

Tuesday’s Column: Third’s Words

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Gary Pollard

This is a familiar phrase to most of us, usually used when responding to something so difficult to understand that it warrants saying. Advanced math brings this phrase to my mind (no one should never mix the alphabet with numbers, by the way). For most people, any topic or conversation with very difficult-to-understand components will prompt, “It’s all Greek to me.” We understand that it is used in good humor and not as a slight against Greek, but I believe that it has also discouraged the “average” Christian from studying the original language of the New Testament. 

Before I continue, allow me a disclaimer: I am not a scholar, by any means, in the use of the Attic/Ionic-based ancient language known as Koine Greek. I am an enthusiastic student of the language, but not an expert. The purpose of this article is to hopefully knock down some of the myths surrounding the language and hopefully encourage us all to pursue a knowledge of it. 

Myth #1: Greek Is Super Hard to Learn

This could not be further from the truth. Greek makes a lot more sense than English! This is not to say that it is easy (learning any language is difficult), but it is most certainly attainable. Start with the Greek alphabet and memorize it. Once you can sound out words, try memorizing as much vocabulary as you can. If you can, find a Greek New Testament with a lexicon in the back and memorize those. With that base, learning the more complex grammar rules and language structure becomes significantly easier. 

Myth #2: You Need to Be an Expert to Get the Benefits of Greek Study

Regardless of what anyone says, the New Testament really comes to life when you can read it without the third party that is translation. You get the full emotional and intellectual impact of a writer when you can read his words first-hand. You do not have to be a Greek scholar to get some of that impact! Technology today can be an incredible tool. One such tool is Logos Bible Software. It is a free app that allows anyone to look up a word in the New Testament and understand more about its meaning. Another resource is a good lexicon like BDAG. This can be had (in an earlier edition) on abebooks.com for a couple of dollars. 

Why study Greek? It will help you grow immensely in your spiritual life. It will help you understand truths more clearly. It will give you even more joy and excitement in your study. It will give you a better grasp of the English language. It will give you a firsthand look at scripture without the bias sometimes present in translation. This is not, by any means, necessary for salvation or even spiritual growth and maturity. It is, however, one of the most incredible tools any Christian will have for in-depth bible study. As an added bonus, you can chuckle a little more anytime someone says, “It’s all Greek to me.” 

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