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Jesus wanted the Temple to be a house of prayer and a place of healing. Can our churches and our lives be that, too? [Matthew 21:12-13; 21:14-17] Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 21:12-17 Jesus wanted the Temple to be a house of prayer and a place of healing. Can our churches and our lives be that, too? August Jernberg (1826–1896). Kristus utdriver växlarna ur templet [Christ Driving the Moneychangers out of the Temple]. 1857. Cropped. Göteborgs konstmuseum (Gothenburg Museum of Art), Gothenburg, Sweden. Public domain. Photo by Hossein Sehatlou, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_Driving_the_Moneychangers_out_of_the_Temple_(August_Jernberg)_-_Gothenburg_Museum_of_Art_-_GKM_0008.tif . Tom Faletti August 4, 2025 Introduction to Matthew 21:12-17, Jesus’s first day in Jerusalem What do you think is the first thing Jesus does after he arrives in Jerusalem and gets off the donkey? Make a courtesy call to the political leaders? Visit the religious leaders and ask for their blessing? Get a permit for a rally where he can preach to the people in the city? Set up a healing tent? As we will see, the first thing he wants to do is heal people, but he needs a quiet place to do it. So the first thing he does is one of the most disruptive and confrontational things he could have done: clear the Temple of the people providing currency exchange services and selling sheep and doves for sacrifice. Matthew 21:12-13 The cleansing of the Temple: Jesus clears the Temple area of commercial business We saw in our study of the previous passage that, in the time of the Maccabees, palm branches were waved as part of the ritual in which the Temple was restored and purified after its defilement by the Greeks. Here, Jesus is addressing what he sees as a new defilement of the Temple. Some scholars see in this passage a reference to Mal. 3:1-3, where the prophet says that the Lord will come suddenly to his temple and “he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD” (Mal. 3:3, NRSV). What does Jesus do in the Temple? Who is the target of his disruption? Why does he do this? Jesus quotes from two places in the Old Testament. Let’s take them in reverse order. A den of robbers When Jesus refers to a “den of robbers,” he is drawing from Jeremiah 7:4-11. In that passage, God tells the people not to boast about the Temple because they are oppressing others and acting unjustly and have turned the Temple into a den of robbers (v. 11) In what ways might the Temple have become a “den of robbers”? The selling and buying took place in the outermost court of the Temple complex – not in the Temple building itself but in the Court of Gentiles. This was the first of several courts Jews had to walk through to reach the Temple itself, which could only be entered by the priests. The Temple tax, which every male Israelite was required to pay yearly, was a half-shekel, which was equivalent to about two days’ wages. However, the Temple authorities would not accept Roman or Greek coins because the emperor’s image was stamped on the coins. They would accept only Tyrian coins (because of their higher silver content) and Jewish coins. The currency exchange fee was about 10% (one gera or ma’a, which was around one-twentieth of a shekel, according to my research). In addition to paying that fee, if you brought a larger coin and needed to have change given back to you, the charge was doubled. So the fee was 10%-20% of two-days’ wages, which was a significant charge for poor people, who didn’t always find enough work to earn a days’ wages every day and who were sacrificing several days of wages to come to the Temple. There was a thriving trade in cattle, sheep, and doves (see John 2:14) for the sacrifices people needed to make at the Temple. For pilgrims, it was hard to bring an animal from far away, so people in Jerusalem sold sheep to them. This could have been seen as a helpful service, unless the prices were set high to take advantage of the pilgrims. Furthermore, you could only sacrifice an animal that was without blemish, and the power to decide if an animal was without blemish was in the hands of the Temple priests. It was easy for the Temple authorities to reject a supposedly “imperfect” animal, so the potential for abuse was high. Doves With regard to doves: Poor people who could not afford a sheep were allowed under the Law to bring turtledoves and pigeons (Lev. 5:7). Also, whereas Israelite men were commanded to offer a lamb, women were directed to offer a dove. Barclay says that price for a dove inside the Temple precincts could be as much as 20 times as high as the price outside the Temple (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 , p. 270). Matthew and Mark both specifically mention that Jesus overturned the seats of the people selling doves. In John, he specifically chastises the people selling doves, telling them to stop making his Father’s house a marketplace (John 2:16). Why might Jesus be especially concerned about the selling practices regarding doves? Since doves were the offerings made by poor people, Jesus might have been particularly concerned about how the sellers were taking advantage of poor people. Poor people are easier targets for financial abuse since they have little power to respond, so perhaps the markup was especially large for doves, or perhaps he was concerned more generally about the impact of these practices on the poor. There is one other significant point of background: The high priest Annas had major control over this business and therefore probably took it personally when Jesus drove out the sellers. Are there ways that we can be at risk of turning God’s holy places into places of commercial exploitation? There is a lot of money-making associated with the Christian faith (consider Christian music, Christian books, Bible sales, Christian movies, Christian art, statues, candles, devotional materials, Sunday school materials, etc.). How can we evaluate when it is appropriate, or not, to make money from religious activities? A house of prayer In verse 13, Jesus says that his house should be a “house of prayer.” This phrase comes from Isaiah 56:6-7, where God says that foreigners will come to the Temple and worship there, and it will be a house of prayer for all people. Even if there was no exploitation going on, how might the money-changing and selling and buying have made it hard for this to be a house of prayer? How might this have been particularly problematic for the Gentiles, and why would Jesus care? Jews could go beyond the Court of the Gentiles, to the courts where things were quieter. But Gentiles could not go further and were stuck in the court where the marketing was going on. Do you think that all of the people involved in changing money and buying and selling were evil? Or is it possible that many were devoutly trying to honor God in their lives? Is it possible for Christians today to be faithful believers but not realize that they are caught up in accepted practices that undermine God’s work? What might be some examples? How might we take this message into the business world? What should the Temple have looked like and sounded like and felt like, as a house of prayer? If our churches are to be effective houses of prayer, what do we need to help them look like and sound like and feel like? Matthew 21:14-17 Jesus heals people and responds to the criticisms of the leaders After Jesus has cleared the Temple courts of the sellers, it is presumably a quieter, more prayerful place. What is the first thing Jesus does (verse 14)? Notice that he does this in the Temple – i.e., in the courtyards of the Temple – a place that is crowded with thousands upon thousands of pilgrims. What does this tell you about Jesus? Given that the Jewish leaders have not been friendly to Jesus, what does it tell you about Jesus that he is doing this right in the Temple courtyards? Why do you think the chief priests and scribes are unhappy that children are crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David”? How does Jesus respond (verse 16)? Jesus quotes from Psalm 8:2. This is the psalm that begins, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.” The verse Jesus quotes is the very next verse, which says, roughly: out of the mouths of babes and infants, you have [done something – scholars aren’t sure what the words mean here] to silence your enemies. Jesus chooses not to quote the words calling them “enemies” – he is an eternal optimist, hoping people will respond to his teaching. What is Jesus implying, by using this quote? What kind of link is he implying between himself and God? Notice that Jesus defends himself by quoting God’s Word to the religious leaders. How important is it to know the Bible? It is telling that the chief priests had no problem with the hubbub of the animals and the buying and selling and money changing in the Temple precincts, but now they are indignant about the noise of the children’s praise of Jesus. They see (verse 15) the miracles of healing that Jesus is performing. Yet they are indignant about the children, rather than moved by the healings. The chief priests may be unhappy that Jesus is healing people in the Temple precincts. Leviticus 21:16-23 said that people with a “blemish” – i.e., a physical deformity or deficiency – were not supposed to approach the altar. But Jesus is welcoming them right there in the Temple precincts, not far from the altar. The chief priests and scribes are more focused on their ideas about what the Temple should look like than on the good that Jesus is doing. Are we sometimes like that too, focused on our rules and preconceptions and missing the good that God is doing? Do any examples come to mind? If so, how might you do things differently? Jesus spends the night in Bethany, presumably with his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Martha and Mary are mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, and all three of them are mentioned in the Gospel of John. Take a step back and consider this: Jesus had had a special fondness for the Temple at least since he was 12 years old, when he first called it “my Father’s house” (Luke 2:49). He clearly believed that this was a special place – a place where heaven and earth meet and people have a special opportunity to commune with God. He is now making it not only a place where prayer can happen, but also a place where healings happen. Are there places that you think of as specially graced for prayer, healing, and communion with God? If so, how do you nurture the prayerfulness of those spaces? We are not bound to a Temple as the unique place where God resides, but rather have come to understand that every Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who resides in us. What are some things we might consider doing to make our hearts, our souls, our very selves more fitting places of prayer, and healing, and communion with God? What can you do to nurture a spirit of prayer and healing in your own life? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

When you welcome children as God does, you never know the impact you might have. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 19:13-15 When you welcome children as God does, you never know the impact you might have. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti February 13, 2024 Matthew 19:13-15 Welcoming children Who do you think was bringing children to Jesus, and why? Why do you think the disciples were trying to keep them from Jesus? Some commentators argue that this is not about playing up how wonderful children are. A footnote in the New Oxford Annotated Bible says that this is: “Not an idealization of childhood” ( The New Oxford Annotated Bible , footnote to Mark 10:1-16, p. 1810). This may be about status, not about how cute or sweet or innocent children are. Children had the lowest status in Jewish society. The disciples were trying to maintain “control” so that Jesus could focus on more important things than children; but Jesus disagrees. What is Jesus’s view of those who have no status? No one is unimportant to Jesus. What is important to Jesus? What does this passage tell us about how things look or feel in the kingdom of heaven? How should this affect how we go about our lives? Take a step back and consider this: If parents are modeling the love that Jesus has for children, it will have lifelong effects on their children. The effects may sometimes be hidden at the time, but later, that love may manifest itself in powerful ways. In the movie Belfast (directed by Kenneth Branagh, TKBC and Northern Ireland Screen, 2021), the deeply loving relationship between 10-year-old Buddy’s grandparents has generation-crossing effects on their children and grandchildren. When Buddy’s father teaches Buddy to be welcoming to people of all faiths, we understand that he learned it from his parents. And now he is shaping his child (who became the actor Kenneth Branagh we know), who has shaped the thinking of millions of people through his movies. Our faithful love, reflecting the love of God in our marriages and family relationships, and the ways we pass on that love to our children, matters deeply. By our love, we shape how well our world reflects its Creator. So let us not lose sight of how important our treatment of children is. We have an awesome calling to show children the love of God and let them experience what it means to be part of the love in God’s kingdom. When we love them, we may be setting in motion good things that may bear fruit years later. How can we use well the awesome opportunity to love the children in our families and help them experience the welcoming and love of Jesus? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

The return of Christ and how to be ready. [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11] Previous 1 Thess. List Next 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 The return of Christ and how to be ready. Photo by Matthias Münning on Unsplash . Tom Faletti January 31, 2025 1 Thess. 4:13-18 Christians, dead and living, will join Christ when he returns This passage has been a distraction for many, due to poor theology. Some Christians have woven whole books and movies out of inventive interpretations of Paul’s language and the Book of Revelation. Let’s examine what Paul actually says. Paul uses the term “fallen asleep,” a term the early Christians frequently used by for the dead. In what sense are they only “sleeping”? Looking at verses 13-14, what is the concern that has troubled the Thessalonian community? They are troubled that members of the church have died before Jesus has returned. Why does Paul say they can have hope? In verse 14, what is the connection he makes between Jesus and Christians who die? How does Jesus’s resurrection affect your view of death? When we lose a loved one, grief is natural and to be expected. But how does our faith affect our grief? Paul now turns to a brief discussion of Second Coming of Christ. In verse 15, he says that what he is going to tell us in verses 16-17 is a “word of the Lord.” We do not have this in any of the Gospels. It might have been received as a prophetic utterance in the early church or as a prophetic revelation to Paul himself. What is Paul’s main point in verse 15? Why might it matter to Christians that, when Christ returns, those who have already died will not be left behind? The Nicene Creed, which is accepted by most Christian denominations, professes belief in the Second Coming of Christ when it says, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.” Although the Nicene Creed had not yet bee formulated, this is what Paul is talking about in this passage. In verses 16-17, Paul describes the return or Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 16, what words or sounds signal that the time has come? The Lord gives the command, and then two things happen, or one thing happens that is described in two ways: the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. When that signal is given, what happens first (still in verse 16)? Christians who are dead rise. What Paul says here seems to be consistent with what Jesus says in Matthew 24:31. Let’s look at it: Read Matthew 24:29-31 What elements of Jesus’s words are matched in what Paul says? Jesus will return. Jesus will come in the clouds. A trumpet will sound. Jesus will gather his followers. He will gather the dead as well as the living. He says he will gather them from the four winds and from one end of “the heavens” to the other – this is poetic language, but “the heavens” means not just the people living on the Earth. A trumpet sound could be literal, but it could be symbolic. What does the sounding of a trumpet signal? What kinds of people get heralded by the sound of trumpets? What difference does it make to you that Jesus will return with power and glory? What difference does it make to you that those who have died will rise again – that we will have a resurrection? What difference does it make to you that your loved ones who have gone before you will be part of the resurrection? Return to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 . In verse 16, Paul says that the dead will rise to life. In verse 17, he says that the people who are alive at that time will be “caught up” with the dead who have risen, to meet the Lord in the air. The Greek word for “caught up” is used in other places in the Bible to mean “snatched” or “taken by force” (e.g., Matt. 11:12; 13:19; John 6:15; 10:12, 28, 29; Acts 8:39). When the Scriptures were translated into Latin, this word was translated to a Latin word that begins with the letters rapt . When the Latin was translated into English, it became our word “rapture.” This passage later became one of the primary passages used by people such as Tim LaHaye of the Left Behind series, and Hal Lindsey in The Late Great Planet Earth and other books, to teach a particular theory about the end times in which Christians are “raptured,” or taken to heaven, before the tribulation that everyone else must face. People who subscribe to that theory are described as pre-tribulation pre-millennialists. What Paul teaches does not support the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial view popularized with the modern use of the term “rapture.” That “rapture” teaching is actually not consistent with the Scriptures, which is why it was rejected throughout much of Christian history until the 19th century. Almost all Christians agree on certain truths: Christ will return. The dead will be raised. Christians who are dead and Christians who are still alive will be united with Christ and live with him forever. That’s what Paul says. But Christians don’t get to escape tribulation by being snatched up to God while everyone else is left behind to suffer. The Catholic Church does not accept that claim. The Orthodox Churches do not accept it. The Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches to not accept it. Many other Christian churches do not accept it. It goes against established Christian teaching that reaches all the way back to St. Augustine. This new interpretation of the “rapture” did not become a popular belief until isolated groups of Christians proposed it starting in the 19th century. There are at least two key flaws in the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory. First, nothing in Scripture supports the idea that Christians will be protected from tribulation. On the contrary, the Bible tells us over and over again to expect serious suffering. Second, the theory is intertwined with the idea that after Christ comes to take Christians to heaven, there will be a 1000-year gap before the final judgment. Jesus and St. Paul are clear that when Christ comes in his Second Coming, three things will happen immediately: the dead will be raised, those who are still alive will be caught up to Christ, and Christ will carry out the final judgment. There is no 1000-year gap in the middle. Revelation 20:2-3 mentions a 1000-year period known as the “millennium” without explanation as to whether it is symbolic or literal. The mainstream understanding of the millennium is that it is a symbolic “1000” years that began when Jesus ascended into heaven and will end when he returns in glory. During this time, God is restraining evil so that the Word of God can be spread throughout the whole Earth. However, as Jesusa and Paul taught, a time of severe persecution (the “tribulation”) will come before the end, and Christians will not be exempt from that persecution and suffering. See The Rapture? It’s Not a Pre-Millennial Escape from Tribulation for a fuller exploration of how the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory contradicts what Jesus and St. Paul clearly teach. Is it a disappointment or a relief to you that Paul, here in 1 Thessalonians, does not teach what has been popularized in books and movies such as the Left Behind series? Why? In verse 17, Paul says that we will be with the Lord forever. What difference does it make to you that we will be with the Lord forever? In verse 18, Paul tells the Thessalonians to use these teachings to “console” (NABRE) or “encourage” (NRSV) each other. How might these teachings about the end times be consoling or encouraging? How are these teachings a source of consolation or encouragement to you? 1 Thess. 5:1-11 Always live in the light, ready for the Lord As Paul continues to discuss the return of Christ, he refers to “the day of the Lord,” which is a term used in Old Testament prophecies in the books of Daniel, Isaiah, Joel, and other prophets. For the Jews of Jesus’s and Paul’s time, that was when God would bring victory for the Jews. Christians re-interpreted it as the day when Christ would return in power and glory. Considering verses 1-3, what can we know about when Christ will return in his Second Coming? What do you think of Paul’s analogy comparing Jesus’s coming to the coming of a “thief in the night”? (FYI- 2 Peter 3:10 uses the same analogy of a thief.) What does it suggest to you as to how you should be prepared? In verses 4-5, what does Paul say about darkness and light? What does it mean to be “children of light”? In verses 6-7, Paul talks again about people “sleeping,” but this time it is not a metaphor for death. What does the metaphor of “sleeping’ mean this time, and what is Paul calling us to do, to avoid “sleeping” like others do? What does it look like to be the kind of Christian who lives in the light? How can you be a child of the light more fully or consistently? In verse 8, Paul tells us to put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. He is again talking about the three theological virtues: faith, love, and hope (first mentioned in 1 Thess. 1:3). In this metaphor, they are defensive gear, to protect our head and heart. How do faith, love, and hope protect our head and heart? How do you “put on” faith, love, and hope? In verse 10, Paul uses the word sleep again, but now he is using it as he did in 4:13-18 to refer to death, not as he used it in 5:6-7 regarding lax living. What does he call us to do in verse 10? Since Christ died for us, we are called to respond by living with him, in this life and after we die. How can we live with Christ while we are alive? Paul ends this section by again urging us to encourage each other (verse 11). How can we do that? Paul also urges us to build each other up. What does that mean, and how can we do it? Looking back over 1 Thessalonians 4:13 through 5:11: Which of Paul’s teachings in these passages is most comforting or encouraging to you right now, and why? Which of Paul’s teachings here challenges you to take a new step, and what can you do specifically to respond? Take a step back and consider this: Paul talks about faith, love, and hope twice in this letter. In 1:3, he says the Thessalonians are actively exhibiting all three of these virtues. In 5:8, he urges them to put on the protection of faith, love, and hope. In some ways, faith, love, and hope sum up the whole gospel: if we are actively living our lives in accordance with these three virtues, we will be living the kind of life to which we are called in Christ Jesus. Genuine faith puts God first in all things. Genuine love treats others with the same love God has for us. Genuine hope helps us endure suffering and hold fast to the God who loves us. Which of these virtues would be good for you to focus on this week? Why? We are not alone. God is working to help us respond to these virtues, which he has placed in us. What can you do, or stop doing, to allow the virtues of faith, love, and hope to guide every aspect of your life? Bibliography See 1 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/1-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 1 Thess. List Next

God wants Christians to work for justice. Previous Justice Articles Next Justice and the Bible God wants Christians to work for justice. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti February 28, 2024 In the Bible, God repeatedly calls us to work for justice. Here is a short overview of the many Scripture passages where God’s demand that we work for justice is clear : God makes every human person in his image (Genesis 1:27) and tells us to treat all people with respect (1 Peter 2:17). Jesus tells us that he is present in every person in need (Matthew 25:34-40). Repeatedly, throughout the Old Testament, God demands that his people establish justice in their society (Amos 5:15), end the oppression of immigrants and those who are poor (Zechariah 7:8-11), provide for the poor and alien (Leviticus 23:22), and treat the immigrant like a citizen (Leviticus 19:33-34). He tells us to free the oppressed and provide for the needy (Isaiah 58:6-7). He calls us to defend the weak, the poor, and the oppressed (Psalm 82:3-4). He tells businesses to treat their customers fairly (Leviticus 19:35-36; 23:35-36) and to pay just wages to their workers (Deuteronomy 24:14-15; James 5:4). He tells governmental leaders to seek justice, defend the oppressed, and take up the cause of those who are at the bottom of society (Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3). He directs those in political authority to act with justice and deliver the needy from those who oppress them (Psalm 72). How can we follow the Lord’s commands to establish justice in our land if we do not work to transform the social and political structures of our society? With so many Scripture passages directing us to take action for justice, how can any preacher suggest that salvation is just between you and God and we don’t need to be involved in transforming our society, our government, our businesses, and our culture? Furthermore, if we live in a democracy, we are responsible for our government’s laws. We cannot claim that God does not care if we allow laws that violate the principles of justice He has established – we are responsible to choose, guide, and influence our lawmakers, who are responsible to work for justice on our behalf. God demands that we get involved. He will hold us accountable for our response to His call to seek justice in our world. May we respond to God’s intense desire for justice and join His work to make it so. Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Justice Articles Next

Jesus tells us to eat his flesh and drink his blood. How does your celebration of the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist/Holy Communion reflect this teaching? [John 6:51-59] Previous Next John List John 6:48-59 Jesus tells us to eat his flesh and drink his blood. How does your celebration of the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist/Holy Communion reflect this teaching? Image by Sylvain Brison, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti February 22, 2026 Read John 6:48-59 Jesus calls us to eat his flesh and drink his blood In verse 48, Jesus repeats, “I am the bread of life,” which he said in verse 35. In verse 35, it marks a transition to new material, and it may be a transition in verse 48 also. However, before turning to that new material where he commands us to eat his flesh and drink his blood, Jesus bridges the two sections by summarizing what he said in the previous passage. What does Jesus say in verses 49, 50, and the first half of 51 that he has already said in verses 27-47? Why does he emphasize these things? Why are they so important? Up to this point (through the first half of verse 51), most of Christendom is in general agreement about what Jesu is saying in this chapter. The various denominations within Christianity all see verses 35-47 as an invitation to believe in Jesus, who was sent down from heaven by the Father, and to receive eternal life through him. The major disagreements begin with the second half of verse 51 (John 6:51b) and what follows it. Different Interpretations of John 6:51-59 The Christian churches diverge on how to interpret verses 51-59. Is this passage merely saying in a different way what Jesus said in the previous passage, or is Jesus making a new point about what we call the Lord’s Supper/Holy Communion/the Eucharist? More specifically, is this just another way of calling us to believe in Jesus, or is it calling us to embrace the real, literal presence of the risen Christ in the Eucharist/Holy Communion? There is a wide range of views: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that in this passage Jesus is speaking literally and spelling out the nature of the Eucharist/Holy Communion: namely, that what is received in communion in a Catholic Mass is literally the flesh and blood of the risen and glorified Christ, even though they remain under the appearances of bread and wine. Catholics call this “transubstantiation.” The Orthodox Churches teach that the consecrated bread and wine in our Eucharistic celebrations become the body and blood of Christ and that there is a literal transformation of the bread and wine, but they do not try to define in dogma the mystery of that transformation and they do not accept the Roman Catholic doctrine of “transubstantiation.” Lutherans believe that the body and blood of Christ are “truly and substantially present” in the consecrated bread and wine but that it is still bread and wine. Episcopalians believe that Christ’s body and blood become “really present,” without any need for the consecrated elements to stop being bread and wine. Most evangelical churches reject the idea that the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of Christ. They see the communion service as purely memorial in nature and interpret John 6:51-59 as figurative or symbolic language that calls us to be united to Christ spiritually by faith. They say Jesus is telling us to feed on him in a spiritual sense and incorporate him spiritually into all we are. They argue that in John 6:63 Jesus signals that he wasn’t speaking of literal flesh and blood. There is also a debate over how this passage relates to other passages in the Bible. To many scholars, there is a clear connection between (1) what Jesus teaches in John 6:51-59, (2) the Last Supper as described in the Synoptic Gospels, (3) what the apostle Paul describes uses similar language in 1 Corinthians 10:16, and (4) what we celebrate in our time as the Eucharist/Holy Communion/Lord’s Supper. Some evangelical scholars deny that John 6 has a connection to the Last Supper, arguing that John’s material should be read as being in chronological order and the Last Supper hasn’t happened when Jesus says these things. Other evangelicals do think these passages are related. For example: In the International Bible Commentary , David J. Ellis says that the connection to the Lord’s Supper is “inescapable” and that “the teaching of the Lord Jesus” in this passage “can only be fully understood in the light of the feast which He inaugurated” – although Ellis says the flesh and blood language is only “metaphorical” (Ellis, p. 1244). In Dr. Lloyd J. Ogilvie’s Communicator’s Commentary Series , Dr. Roger L. Fredrickson argues that although the “primary purpose of these verses is to teach us how to feed on the Son of Man, to take Him into our innermost being by faith,” this teaching is also about “the meaning of the Lord’s Supper.” He suggests that there is “a particular sense in which Christ’s presence is made real among His people when we eat the bread and drink the wine” and that it “goes beyond a remembrance of Christ and His sacrifice” (Fredrickson, p. 138). For those who would like to explore this further, some brief background reading might be useful. In around AD 155, Justin Martyr summarized the thinking in the early church about the practice of the Lord’s Supper (which he called the “Eucharist”) in his First Apology , where he described the Eucharist as “the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus” (Justin, read paragraphs 65-66). Evangelicals, Protestants, and even Catholics who wonder why Catholics don’t consider this a form of cannibalism might find this article helpful: “ Are Catholics Cannibals? ” (Staples). An example of how evangelicals present their disagreement with transubstantiation can be found here: “ What Did Jesus Mean in John 6:54 ”. Notice that this entire debate is over what cannot be seen with our physical eyes. Protestants and Catholics agree that the elements at communion have the appearance of bread and wine and that if you examined them under a microscope with the most advanced scientific instruments, you would see the molecules and cell structures that constitute bread and wine. Evangelicals and Catholics agree that the bread and wine (or grape juice) used in an evangelical church is only bread and wine. The disagreement is over whether the bread and wine used in a Catholic Mass literally becomes the body and blood of the glorified Christ even though it retains the appearance of bread and wine – and whether that transubstantiation is what Jesus meant by what he said in John 6:51-59. What is your experience of communion? Without judging anyone else’s views, what does it mean to you when Jesus says, “The bread I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (verse 51)? What do you think Jesus is saying in the rest of this passage (verses 52-59), and how does it relate to your celebration of the Eucharist/Holy Communion? In verse 52, the Jewish religious leaders object to what Jesus is saying. Why would this be objectionable to them? It sounds like nonsense or cannibalism to them. Moreover, in a moment, Jesus is going to add that we are called to drink his blood, and the drinking of blood was prohibited under Jewish Law. Jesus knows that they are troubled by his words and that it sounds to them like cannibalism. Yet he doesn’t soften his language. Instead, he restates his point 4 more times, even more intensely and explicitly, in verses 43, 44, 45, and 46. For Protestants: Why do you think Jesus does not rephrase it, if he isn’t actually saying that we are called to eat his flesh and drink his blood? For Catholics: Why do you think Jesus makes such a big point about this? In verse 54, Jesus says that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood have eternal life, and he will raise them up on the last day. In verse 56, Jesus says that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood remain in him, and he remains in them. In verse 57, he says that they will have life because of him. In verse 58, he says they will live forever. Which of these ways that he describes it is the most meaningful to you, and why? Eating and drinking are essential to our physical life. Jesus is essential to our spiritual life. Jesus wants us to be as dependent on him and connected to him as we are to our physical food and drink. How can we live our lives in a manner that is as dependent on Jesus as our bodies are dependent on food and drink? How can your celebration of communion help you to become more fully united with Christ so that you can live a life more fully dedicated to serving him and him alone? John begins the chapter about the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus as the Bread of Life by saying, “The Passover feast was near” (John 6:4). Why would he choose to make a point of that? How does this chapter about Jesus as the Bread of Life connect to the Passover? Jesus made the connection between himself and the unleavened bread of the Passover at the Last Supper, when he said: “Take, eat; this is my body” (Matt. 26:26) and shared the bread with his disciples. The Jewish celebration of Passover remembered that the Israelites were “passed over” when the angel of death saw the blood of lambs on the lintels of their doors. The Jewish celebration of Passover was immediately followed by the 7-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, which celebrated the Israelites’ hasty journey out of Egypt. Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for us. John notes in verse 59 that this dialogue took place in the synagogue in Capernaum. What stands out in your mind as you envision Jesus having this discussion in the synagogue with scribes and Pharisees who worship God there? Take a step back and consider this: People on all sides of the transubstantiation debate call attention to two sermons given by Augustine in the early 400s. In what is now known as his Sermon 227, he spoke on Easter morning to newly initiated Christians who had been baptized the night before. Here is how he began that sermon: I had promised those of you who have just been baptized a sermon to explain the sacrament of the Lord’s table, which you can see right now, and which you shared in last night. You ought to know what you have received, what you are about to receive, what you ought to receive every day. That bread which you can see on the altar, sanctified by the word of God, is the body of Christ. That cup, or rather what the cup contains, sanctified by the word of God, is the blood of Christ. It was by means of these things that the Lord Christ wished to present us with his body and blood, which he shed for our sake for the forgiveness of sins. If you receive them well, you are yourselves what you receive. You see, the apostle [Paul] says, We, being many, are one loaf, one body (1 Cor 10: 17). That’s how he explained the sacrament of the Lord’s table; one loaf, one body, is what we all are, many though we be. (Augustine, Volume 6, p. 254 ) Augustine says that if you receive the body of Christ well (i.e., worthily), “you are . . . what you receive”; that is, when you receive the body of Christ, you are the body of Christ. Similarly, in his Sermon 272, which he delivered on Pentecost to newly initiated Christians, Augustine says: What you can see on the altar, you also saw last night; but what it was, what it meant, of what great reality it contained the sacrament, you had not yet heard. So what you can see, then, is bread and a cup; that’s what even your eyes tell you; but as for what your faith asks to be instructed about, the bread is the body of Christ, the cup the blood of Christ.... [Somebody might ask,] “How can bread be his body? And the cup, or what the cup contains, how can it be his blood?” The reason these things, brothers and sisters, are called sacraments is that in them one thing is seen, another is to be understood. What can be seen has a bodily appearance, what is to be understood provides spiritual fruit. So if you want to understand the body of Christ, listen to the apostle telling the faithful, You, though, are the body of Christ and its members (1 Cor 12:27). So if it’s you that are the body of Christ and its members, it’s the mystery meaning you that has been placed on the Lord’s table; what you receive is the mystery that means you. It is to what you are that you reply Amen , and by so replying you express your assent. What you hear, you see, is The body of Christ ? and you answer, Amen . So be a member of the body of Christ, in order to make that Amen true. (Augustine, Volume 7, p. 300 ) Augustine sees the consecratedbread on the communion table as the body of Christ and also sees us at the communion table as the body of Christ. This teaching of Augustine is sometimes paraphrased as: Be what you receive; receive what you are; that is: Be the body of Christ that you receive; receive the body of Christ that you are. In both sermons, Augustine goes on to urge his listeners to live in unity with one another. He argues that, as the bread is made from many grains that have become one loaf, and as the wine is made from many grapes that have become one cup, so too we must be one united body. It is a sad irony that the Eucharistic celebration that Augustine saw as a sacrament of unity has become a central point of division among the Christian denominations. How can you embrace the unity of the body of Christ in your celebration of communion? How can we strive for some level of unity with those who do not agree with us about the meaning and application of John 6:51-59? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

We explore how to apply the Bible to our everyday lives today, with Bible Study resources for individual and small group study, including background and questions. Bible Study New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Philemon Other Studies Hope Jubilee Year 2025 Mary Leading a Study Old Testament (I hope to get to the Old Testament, but the New Testament is my first priority.) Why use Faith Explored Bible Studies? Faith Explored Bible Studies provide study materials that equip individuals and small groups so that they can study the Bible confidently and apply it to their lives in practical ways. Each study includes: Thought-provoking questions that challenge us to apply the Word of God to our lives today. Just enough background and commentary to guide us through the passages that might be confusing. Thoughtful reflections that encourage us to take Jesus seriously and live our lives fully for Him. Our studies are not scholarly tomes filled with dry academic analysis (although we provide analysis), and our studies are not simply devotional (although we provide reflections that encourage faith). What makes Faith Explored different and potentially life-changing is that we offer a wide variety of questions on every passage that lead people to grapple with the text: What does it really say? What does it mean? And how can we apply it in our lives today? Our goal is useful knowledge and spiritual transformation . Why study the Bible? The Word of God is "living and active" (Hebrew 4:12) When we read the Bible, the word of God comes alive in our hearts. It is not a dead letter from the past, but God’s timeless message for us today. When we study the Bible, God does amazing things in us. He comforts, encourages, teaches, challenges, and empowers us. The Word of God fills us with the love of our Father and Creator, transforms us to live like Jesus, and opens our hearts to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is “a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105) God’s Word shows us the way to live in this world. We face so many challenges in our desire to live lives that honor God. The Word of God shines a light that illuminates the way. It shows us how to deal with the challenges in our lives, how to think like Jesus, and how to be a follower of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. If you want to learn more about what God is saying to us and how to apply God’s Word to our lives today, pick a book of the Bible and dive in! Leading a Small-Group Bible Study We have leadership training materials with a variety of tips and techniques for leaders. These materials can help leaders guide a small-group Bible Study in a way that helps the group explore the Bible deeply and function well together. See our small group leadership training materials here: Leading a Small-Group Bible Study . Image at top and Bible Study group image both provided by Wix.

Subscribing to Faith Explored is free and lets you receive an email notification when new posts are added that can help you apply the Bible to your everyday life. Thank You for Subscribing! We appreciate you! As a subscriber you will receive email notifications when we post new articles, which can help you grow in your faith! If you haven't already become a member, join here to post comments: Become a member Check Out Our Blog Posts What Would You Like to Do Now? Explore a Bible study to grow in your faith: Matthew Philemon John Hope 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Mary Read an article on how to apply the Bible to everyday life: How to Deal with Difficult People When a coworker, teammate, church member, student, or family member is not doing the right thing, what should we do? It is tempting to respond with anger. This expert on human relationships offers a different approach that is more effective in dealing with difficult people. Take a look at what to do – and what not to do. Can an Awe-Inspiring Rocket Launch Bring Glory to God? Last week’s SpaceX rocket launch was awe-inspiring because engineers and scientists spent years using their gifts and talents to achieve an amazing goal. When we use the curiosity, creativity, and intellect that God placed in us at our creation, to do good, it is awesome and can bring glory to God, even if that is not our intention. What is the Light We are Called to Shine? The song “This Little Light of Mine” comes from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:13-16), where Jesus tells us to let our light shine. But what is the “light” we are called to shine? Jesus’s answer might surprise you. The 3 Temptations We All Face We face 3 common temptations: to fill our wants inappropriately, to seek inordinate attention, and to pursue power at the cost of integrity. They lure our public figures. How do you respond when they entice you? Birthright Citizenship Protects Every American, Not Just Newcomers Among the unseen implications of the attempt to abolish birthright citizenship is this: Even natural-born citizens would be at risk. Here's how abolishing birthright citizenship would hurt natural-born citizens. Are We Afraid of Black American History? Does it traumatize you to hear the truths of Black American history? Are they too dangerous? Do we have to hide from them in fear? Or can we handle the truth in the stories of our nation’s history? A Martin Luther King Day reflection. Image at top  Mateus Campos Felipe, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Oher images provided by Wix.

We welcome everyone as we explore how to apply the Bible to our lives today, with resources for individual and group study developed over 40 years of church service. Welcome to Faith Explored! What is Faith Explored? Faith Explored is a virtual community for people interested in exploring how to apply God’s Word to our lives today. Our mission is to help each person understand God’s Word and put it into action in their lives. To achieve this goal, we seek to help people: increase their understanding of the Bible ; explore how we can apply God’s Word to our lives today; embrace the adventure of living our lives for God, in our unique individual lives and in communion with others; and identify concrete ways we can work for justice and change the world as we are inspired, transformed, and empowered by Jesus. We welcome people of all faiths in this exploration. We believe that everyone can benefit from studying how the Bible applies to our lives. While our approach is decidedly Christian (and Catholics, evangelicals, and Pentecostals can all be comfortable here), we believe that we can learn from others even as they may learn from us. How Faith Explored got started Faith Explored grew out of Tom Faletti’s quest to bring to a wider audience what he has developed in more than 40 years of small-group Bible Study. When we meet in small groups for Bible Study, we seek to provide a place where people can increase their understanding of the Bible, learn how to put their faith into action through the application of God’s Word, and experience Christian community. While Faith Explored is a virtual network rather than an in-person faith group, we hope Faith Explored will also promote understanding of God's Word, foster spiritual growth, and provide a supportive community for people interested in exploring their faith. Who is Tom Faletti? I am a native of California. In 1976, I investigated the evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and therefore was not just a great man, concluded that Jesus is God, and gave my life to Him. I entered into a personal relationship with God and promised to serve Him the rest of my life. Having been raised a Catholic, I remained in my church and started working to expand understanding of the Scriptures to anyone who was open. I also led programs with evangelical Christians and people in the charismatic renewal, and learned how to present the truth of God’s Word in ways that can help people of all backgrounds grow in faith. That is why, even though I remain deeply involved in my local Catholic parish, Faith Explored should be a comfortable place for people from any denomination. I graduated from Stanford University and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. I also earned a Graduate Certificate in Catholic Theology from St. Joseph’s College of Maine. My work life included 3 years of service as the youth minister in the parish church I grew up in; 24 years of service on Capitol Hill, where I worked to expand access to health and nutrition programs and improve the lives of everyday people; and 13 years as an award-winning high school teacher. I have been a committed follower of Jesus since 1976; a Bible Study leader for more than 40 years; and an advocate for truth with a passion for justice all my life. I live in Washington, DC, with my wife (and best friend) Sonia. We have been happily married for 45 years and have 3 adult children. My life is guided by a commitment to faith, family, kindness, respect, truth, and a wholehearted response to the call issued to every person that “You Can Change Your World!” Image at top by Mohamed Nohassi, and image of cross by Tabea, both provided by Unsplash via WIx. Image of small group provided by Wix.

Paul continues to guide the young church at Thessalonica with wisdom that is still relevant to local churches and the whole Church today. Previous 2 Thess. List Next Introduction to 2 Thessalonians Paul continues to guide the young church at Thessalonica with wisdom that is still relevant to local churches and the whole Church today. Detail of an image by Lucia Macedo provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti March 10, 2025 Introduction A NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN This study material can be very enriching either for small-group Bible Study or for personal study and growth. We will occasionally offer instructions that would be useful for a small-group study. Introductions for a Small-Group Bible Study If you are studying as a group, it is important to build community, beginning with ensuring that everyone knows everyone else’s name. If you are either (a) starting a new year, or (b) have several new members, begin with introductions. One way to do this would be to ask everyone in the group to answer these questions: Share with the group your name, your connection to the Church or the parish or this group, and why you are interested in studying the Bible with other people. When have you received a letter (or perhaps an email) that was especially important in your life? What was it about? This is a study of Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians. See the Introduction to 1 Thessalonians for the primary background information for this letter. Introduction to 2 Thessalonians After Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians (known as 1 Thessalonians), something went wrong. We don’t know precisely what problem arose, but in 2 Thessalonians, Paul warns the Thessalonians (in 2 Thess. 2:2) not to become alarmed by a letter allegedly sent from him, claiming that the day of the Lord “is at hand” (NABRE) or “is already here” (NRSV) – i.e., that the Second Coming has already begun. (“The day of the Lord” was the term used in prophetic books of the Old Testament – Daniel, Isaiah, Joel, and others – for the miraculous time when God would bring victory for the Jews. Christians re-interpreted it as the day when Christ would return in power and glory.) Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians 16:21 and Galatians 6:11 that he ordinarily dictates his letters and someone else does the actual writing (the formal term for that person is an “amanuensis”). At the end of this letter (2 Thess. 3:17), Paul implies that he always signs his letters in a way that is distinctive and identifiable. He is suggesting that a forgery written in his name could be detected because it would be missing Paul’s genuine signature. It is also possible that Paul’s own words in his first letter were a source of the Thessalonians’ confusion. In 1 Thessalonians, he described the Lord’s coming as a sudden event, and they may have interpreted “sudden” to mean that it was imminent and they might have missed it. Most scholars believe this letter was written by Paul shortly after 1 Thessalonians, in which case it was probably written around AD 50 from Corinth. However, other possibilities have been suggested: Some say that it was written before 1 Thessalonians; some say it was written to some other church; and some suggest that it was written decades later by someone else using Paul’s name (which would be highly ironic given its claim that Paul’s authentic signature offers clear evidence that the letter was written by him). In this letter, Paul wants to clear up confusion about the Second Coming of Christ. He also wants to reinforce and expand on his teaching about the kind of orderly life that Christians should live. When has something you have said been misrepresented? What did you do about it? Do you have distinctive ways of writing or of using the signature block at the end of your emails, or distinctive ways of beginning or ending your emails or texts, that people might use as a guide to deciding whether a message is actually from you? How important to you are those signs of your individuality, and why? How is your individuality important in the body of Christ and in the kingdom of God? Take a step back and consider this: Paul is eager to guide the young church at Thessalonica – to support them in their faith, thank them for the love they show for one another, and encourage them in their endurance in the face of persecution. Paul has great concern for the church at Thessalonica. How do you demonstrate a concern for your own local church? In what ways do you support your fellow church members in their faith, participate in and bolster their love for one another, and encourage those who are facing difficulties? Bibliography See 2 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/2-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 2 Thess. List Next

God loves us with an incomprehensibly immense love. But he doesn’t force us to accept it. People can choose to live in the darkness without him. Previous Next John List John 3:16-21 God loves us with an incomprehensibly immense love. But he doesn’t force us to accept it. People can choose to live in the darkness without him. Statue of Jesus Christ, in the chapel at the Jesuit residence at Georgetown University, Washington, DC. Photo by Tom Faletti, 13 Apr. 2024. Tom Faletti December 30, 2025 Read John 3:16 God so loved the world that he sent his only Son In Jesus’s time, Greek writing did not use quotation marks. Therefore, translators must make a judgment about whether verses 16-21 are quoting Jesus or are John’s commentary on what Jesus said in the previous verses. Modern Bibles are divided on the matter. In the following questions, I will refer to those words as coming from John (i.e., no quotation marks), because it sounds like what the early Christians might have said in interpreting what Jesus did for them. If Jesus spoke the words in John 3:16-21, his listeners would have had little understanding of what he was saying. However, if you think these are Jesus’s words, please substitute “Jesus” for “John” in the following questions. In your own words, what does verse 16 say? The word “love” appears more than 50 times in John’s Gospel. The first instance is here in verse 16. Why is love a particularly important part of the message of John 3:16? What does it mean to say that God “loved” the world? John sometimes uses the word “world” to mean people who reject Jesus, but here he means all of creation and all of the human beings God created. If God loves the whole world, how should that effect how we treat others? What does “believe in him” mean? What does “eternal life” mean to you? How is eternal life “eternal” both in the type of life it is and in how long it lasts? Which word or phrase in verse 16 is especially meaningful to you, and why? Many Christians use John 3:16 as a shorthand summary of the entire gospel or good news of Jesus. If you were going to summarize the gospel – the central message of your faith – in a sentence or two, how would you say it? If you are in a small group, write out your answers and then share them with each other. If meeting online, paste your answer in the chat. In what ways is this verse an encouragement to you? Read John 3:17-21 God did not send Jesus to condemn the world, but some choose to live in darkness What does verse 17 say? Many people have a highly developed concept of God as a God of judgment. How might verses 16-17 help balance our image of God? The Greek word that is translated as “condemned” can also mean “judged.” Verse 18, with its reference to being “already” condemned, could be misinterpreted to suggest that people don’t have a choice. That is not what John is saying. This verse must be interpreted in the light (pun intended) of verses 19-21, where John indicates that people choose to live in light or darkness. What does this tell us about people’s final judgement or ultimate status with God? People have a choice to believe or not. Some people embrace the light and live with Christ. But some people reject the light. They have judged or “condemned” themselves by their own choice to reject the light of Christ. In verses 18 and 19, John identifies two pieces of evidence that indicate that someone has chosen to walk in darkness: they do not believe (verse 18), and their work is evil (verse 19). What are some examples of evil acts you see in our world today that appear to come from the darkness? Now look at the other option. Based on verses 18-19, what is the evidence that indicates that a person is walking in the light? Verse 18 gives us the first piece of evidence that we are walking in the light: that you believe in Jesus. And believing is not just a matter of saying that you believe: for John, believing means that you are putting into action what you claim you believe. John gives us a second piece of evidence in verse 19: that your deeds are not evil. What do verses 18-19 tell you about yourself? In verse 20, what reason does John give for why people prefer to avoid the light? Do you think it is true that there are people who resist the light of Christ because they don’t want to give up the things they are doing that are inconsistent with being born from above? Explain. Although each of us may have made a clear decision at some point to be born from above and live in the light of Christ, we are not perfect. Are there ways that we might not want to give up things that don’t belong in the light? Are there ways that we try to hang out in the shadows, so that the aspects of ourselves that are not Christlike might not be noticed? How so? This passage draws a bright line. In John’s view, there are only two options: to choose to be in the light or to choose to be in the darkness. But sometimes we fail; sometimes we sin. John makes it clear in other places that Jesus forgives us when we sin. How can that promise of forgiveness encourage you to live more fully in the light of Christ? How does this passage challenge you in your faith, in your thought life, in your words, or in your actions? Take a step back and consider this: John’s language is so black and white (light vs. darkness) that many Christians wonder how God at the end of our lives, will deal with the fact that even when we have chosen to believe in him we still sin. The various Christian traditions have different answers to this question. Here are some examples: The Catholic Church teaches that when people die, they go through a final purification called “Purgatory” in order to achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven (Catechism of the Catholic Church, pars. 1030-1031 ). Protestant churches see it differently. For example, Calvin taught that every person is predestined by God for eternal life or eternal condemnation. He affirmed that those destined for heaven continue to sin in their earthly lives, but he argued that God purifies them immediately at death, with no purgatorial process. In some Protestant traditions, there is a belief that, for people who have committed their lives to Christ, God no longer sees their sins but only the saving work of Christ. St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 that on the Day of Judgment, the work of each person will come to light. He speaks symbolically of our deeds being like gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, and says that our work will be tested by fire. For some people, he says, their work will be burned up and the person “will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). This suggests that there is a process by which God purifies us when we die so that we can enter into eternal life with him purged of our sinfulness. God knows that believers will not be perfect, and he purifies them as he brings them into eternal life with him. Knowing that God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son to live and die for us, how do you think God deals with the fact that, because even believers sin, when we die we are not likely to be fully without sin? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

Paul sends Onesimus to Philemon with a letter. Previous Philemon List Next Introduction Paul sends Onesimus to Philemon with a letter. Paul and Onesimus. “A Letter to Philemon.” VideoBible.com . Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/vb-philemon/ . Tom Faletti October 4, 2025 Introduction The apostle Paul wrote this brief letter to Philemon, asking him to treat kindly a man they both knew. The introductory notes are brief, so they are included in the study of the first part of the letter, which can be found here: Philemon 1-7 . Click Philemon 1-7 to see the Introduction and continue with the study. Bibliography See Philemon - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/philemon/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Philemon List Next

Become a member of Faith Explored to comment on posts, and subscribe to be informed when new posts are added, to help you apply God's Word to your everyday life. Become a Member of the Faith Explored Community Already a member? Click here to see what's next! Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! The most important first step is to subscribe so that you will receive email notification of new posts. But if you also become a member , you can comment on our blog posts and ask questions. You can become a member, and subscribe at the same time if you want, by c licking the blue button here (it's free). Become a Member If you subscribe , Faith Explored can help you grow in your faith by sending you email notices when we post new articles. If you become a member , you can also comment on posts and asks questions, which can help you help others grow in their faith. To subscribe and become a member, click the blue button above. To subscribe only, fill out the form below. Image at top and other images provided by Wix.