Title: "Navigating the Challenges of the Last Days:
Insights from Biblical Wisdom"
Introduction:
Embark on a transformative journey through biblical wisdom as we navigate the challenges and complexities of the last days. Explore with us as we glean insights from scripture to understand the characteristics of people in the end times and discover how we can stand firm in faith amidst the shifting tides of society.
Scripture Passage: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)
Cross References: Matthew 24:10-12, Luke 21:34-36, Jude 1:17-23
Commentary:
In 2 Timothy 3, Paul provides a sobering depiction of the attitudes and behaviors prevalent in the last days. He warns of people being lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. This description serves as a cautionary reminder for believers to remain vigilant and steadfast in their faith.
In Matthew 24 and Luke 21, Jesus forewarns of the dangers of being weighed down by the anxieties and distractions of life, urging believers to be watchful and prayerful in preparation for his return.
Jude, in his letter, exhorts believers to contend for the faith earnestly, recognizing the presence of scoffers and mockers in the last days who will follow their own ungodly desires. He encourages believers to build themselves up in their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, and keeping themselves in God's love.
Application Questions:
How do the characteristics of people in the last days described in scripture resonate with the realities of today's society?
In what ways can we guard against being influenced by the attitudes and behaviors of the world while remaining engaged in it?
How does prayer and spiritual discipline equip us to withstand the challenges of the last days?
What practical steps can we take to share the hope of Christ and the truth of the gospel amidst a culture that opposes it?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in the midst of the challenges and trials of the last days, grant us wisdom and discernment to navigate the complexities of this world. Strengthen us to stand firm in our faith, rooted and grounded in your truth, even as the world around us grows increasingly hostile to your ways. May we be beacons of light and hope in a dark and uncertain world, pointing others to the saving grace found in Christ. Amen.
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You Are Chosen!
You did not meet Jesus by accident. You were chosen.
Jesus declares, "No man can come to me unless the Father gives them to me." That includes you! You did not meet Him by chance.
The Father chose you. He invites you to join His family, to know Him personally, and to make Him your own as you become His.
If you've already accepted Him, great! Take a moment to thank Him for what he is doing in your life.
If you have not accepted Him as yet, please reconsider. The King of kings and Lord of all the universe is sending you a personal invitation to be with Him. What are you waiting for?
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John 19:5–7
5 ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἔξω, φορῶν τὸν ἀκάνθινον στέφανον καὶ τὸ πορφυροῦν ἱμάτιον. καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄνθρωπος. 6 Ὅτε οὖν εἶδον αὐτὸν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ ὑπηρέται ἐκραύγασαν λέγοντες· σταύρωσον σταύρωσον. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλᾶτος· λάβετε αὐτὸν ὑμεῖς καὶ σταυρώσατε· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐχ εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ αἰτίαν. 7 ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· ἡμεῖς νόμον ἔχομεν καὶ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὀφείλει ἀποθανεῖν, ὅτι υἱὸν θεο��� ἑαυτὸν ἐποίησεν.
My translation:
5 Yeshua, then, came outside, bearing the thorny wreath and the purple garment. And he says to them, “Look, the man.” 6 When, therefore, the chief priests and the attendants saw him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify crucify.” Pilate says to them, “You take him and crucify him; for I find in him no cause for charges.” 7 The Judeans answered him, “We have a law and according to the law he is obligated to die, for he made himself Son of God.”
Notes:
19:5
οὖν could be transitional (“Then”, NASB, HCSB) or inferential (“So”, NRSV, NET).
The subject of the 2nd aorist ἐξῆλθεν (from ἐξέρχομαι) is ὁ Ἰησοῦς. The verb is modified by the spatial adverb ἔξω.
φορέω (6x) is, “I carry, wear, bear”, a common term for wearing clothes (ICC), expressing wearing ‘habitually or for a considerable length of time, in contrast to φέρω’ (BDAG). The present participle φορῶν is circumstantial or denotes manner with ἐξέρχομαι above.
The adjective ἀκάνθινος (2x) is, “made of thorns”, from ἡ ἄκανθα (see v. 2) + suffix -ινος indicating material. ἀκάνθινον is attributive with τὸν ... στέφανον (“wreath, crown”; see note on v. 2). The adjective πορφυροῦν (“purple”; see note on v. 2) is attributive with τὸ ... ἱμάτιον. τὸν ... στέφανον καὶ τὸ ... ἱμάτιον is the compound direct object of φορέω above.
Pilate is the unexpressed subject of the historical present λέγει (from λέγω). αὐτοῖς, referring to the Jewish priests and temple guards (see v. 6) is the indirect object of the verb.
For ἰδοὺ, see note on 4:35. The nominative (ὁ ἄνθρωπος) is used idiomatically after ἰδοὺ to denote the object to which one’s attention is to be directed. Most translations insert, “here is”. CGT suggests the statement and presentation of Jesus is designed to elicit ‘pity rather than contempt’ from the crowd. ICC: “See the poor fellow!”
19:6
οὖν is inferential (“So”, NASB, omitted in most other translations).
The clause introduced by the temporal conjunction ὅτε modifies the main verb ἐκραύγασαν below. The direct object of the 2p 2nd aorist εἶδον (from ὁράω) is αὐτὸν, referring to Jesus, and the compound subject is οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ ὑπηρέται (“officers, guards”; see note on 7:32). The repeated article sees the two groups as distinct, although in agreement here.
The subject of the aorist ἐκραύγασαν (from κραυγάζω “I cry out”; see note on 11:43) is the chief priests and guards (see above). The present participle λέγοντες (from λέγω) is pleonastic after a verb of speech.
σταύρωσον (2x; from σταυρόω “I crucify”) is an aorist imperative. EGGNT suggests the absence of a direct object may have been due to a desire on the part of the chief priests to form a simple slogan to incite the crowds.
The indirect object of the historical present λέγει (from λέγω) is αὐτοῖς, referring to the chief priests and guards, and the subject is ὁ Πιλᾶτος.
The direct object of the 2nd aorist 2p imperative λάβετε (from λαμβάνω) is αὐτὸν, referring to Jesus, and ὑμεῖς is the emphatic subject. αὐτὸν also functions as the direct object of the aorist 2p imperative σταυρώσατε (from σταυρόω).
ἐγὼ is the emphatic subject of the negated present οὐχ εὑρίσκω. οὐχ is less emphatic than was οὐδεμίαν in verse 4; Pilate is beginning to weaken. αἰτίαν (“grounds/basis for charges; see note on 18:38; cf. v. 4) is the direct object of the verb. The prepositional phrase ἐν αὐτῷ could be locative (“no guilt in Him”, NASB) or indicate opposition (“against him”, NRSV, NIV, NET); HCSB: “no grounds for charging Him.”
19:7
The dative direct object of the aorist passive ἀπεκρίθησαν (from ἀποκρίνομαι; aor. pass. form with mid. dep. sense) is αὐτῷ and the subject is οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, referring perhaps not only to the chief priests and guards but also to the crowd they have assembled.
ἡμεῖς is the emphatic subject of the present ἔχομεν (from ἔχω) and the direct object is νόμον.
The prepositional phrase κατὰ τὸν νόμον modifies the present ὀφείλει (from οφείλω; with the inf.: “ought”) whose unexpressed subject is Jesus. The article with τὸν νόμον is demonstrative (“according to that law”, most translations). The 2nd aorist infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (from ἀποθνῄσκω) is complementary with οφείλω. CGT, ICC note that the reference is to Leviticus 24:16.
ὅτι is causal (“because”) with οφείλω above. υἱὸν, modified by genitive of relationship θεοῦ, is predicate to ἑαυτὸν, which is the direct object of the aorist ἐποίησεν (from ποιέω): “made himself out to be Son of God”; NRSV, NIV, NET: “claimed to be ...”.
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