theology

Little Known Bible Characters #7: Salome

Posted on March 25, 2025May 19, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Previous entries in the series:

Little Known Bible Characters #6: King Chedorlaomer
Little Known Bible Characters #5: Harbonah the Eunuch
Little Known Bible Characters #4: Eutychus
Little Known Bible Characters #3: Trophimus
Little Known Bible Characters #2: ‘The List of Offenders’
Little Known Bible Characters #1: Iddo

There are two Salomes in the Bible. Both are New Testament women, but have vastly different characters.

Salome #1 is not named in Matthew 14:6-11; Mark 6:22-28, but only says she was the “daughter of Herodius.” Josephus tells us her lineage and her name: Salome. Salome #1 danced for Herod and Herod was pleased. He promised her anything she asked for. She wanted the head of John the Baptist on a platter, and she got it.

The Salome #2 that I focus today on appears later in the New Testament. She IS named, and appears several times. —Matthew 20:20-24; 27:56; Mark 10:35-40; 15:40, 41; 16:1, 2. Mark tells us her name, and Matthew goes further and names her as the mother of Zebedee’s children. Zebedee was the prosperous fisherman who was mending his nets when Jesus came along and called his sons to discipleship. Who were these two sons? Mark 3:17 reveals their identity: James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, ‘Sons of Thunder’).

So, the family is Zebedee, Salome, James, and John

Given that when Jesus called the sons away from their father and the father’s work, and Zebedee did not argue or restrain them, it seems likely that he had more than likely trained his boys (now men) in the admonition of the Lord. Salome, the mother, also seems to have been spiritually prepared to accept Jesus as Messiah. She began following Jesus as well. And in the end, she along with the other women, were present through His earthly ministry, the crucifixion, and after His death when even her two sons had fled.

Salome as any mother wanted the best for her sons. Having followed Jesus through His ministry, having identified Jesus as the Messiah, she boldly but reverently asked Jesus for something…

Christ Meeting Sons and Mother of Zebedee by Paolo Veronese, 1565

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. And He said to her, “What do you desire?” She said to Him, “Say that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine shall sit, one at Your right, and one at Your left.” But Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” (Matthew 20:20-23).

Mark 10:35-40 has the same scene but Salome is omitted and it’s James and John asking. Warren Wiersbe says,

Before we criticize what they did, let’s notice some commendable features in this event. For one thing, they did believe in prayer, and they dared to believe the promise Jesus had given about sitting on thrones (Matt. 19:28). The word “regeneration” in that verse means “new birth,” and refers to the new world over which Jesus and His followers will reign when He returns to earth. It must have taken faith on their part to believe He would establish these thrones, because He had just told them that He was going to die.

Eastern Orthodox icon of the two Marys and Salome at the Tomb of Jesus (Kizhi, 18th century).

But there were several things wrong with the request, as well. Wiersbe again,

Little did Salome realize that the path to the throne is a difficult one. James was the first of the disciples to be martyred, and John had to endure hard days on the Isle of Patmos. These three believers wanted their will, not God’s will, and they wanted it their way. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 75). Victor Books.

Remember, these Bible people are human, just like us.

Most assume Salome was part of the crowd of women present, “who were mourning and grieving for Him” when Jesus turned to them and said “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not cry for me…” in Luke 23:28.

Crucifixion, from the Buhl Altarpiece, 1490s. Salome is one of the two leftmost women with a halo.
© Ralph Hammann – Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Salome was present at the crucifixion but a little far off as Mark records. But they were there.

Now there were also some women watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome. (Mark 15:40).

Lockyer says, “Salome, along with the other women “stood afar off,” probably because of the malicious crowd, the rough soldiers, and the horrors of the cross, all of which was sufficient to make them timid. They were full of love and sympathy, even though they stood afar off. With tear-filled eyes with which they had shown their devotion on the way to the cross (Luke 23:28), they still beheld Him as He hung there in death.”

Salome was faithful not only to the end, but afterwards:

The Resurrection – When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might come and anoint Him. (Mark 16:1).

Salome was faithful with her husband in raising their children and providing a model for worship and patience waiting for Messiah to come. Probably never did she believe it would happen to her in her lifetime. When it did, she was all-in. She must have been spiritually satisfied that her sons were following. She followed, she learned, and she loved Jesus. Her sorrow at His crucifixion was real and deep. Her dedication was evident when she bought the spices to anoint His body in the little time between His death and sunset when Sabbath began. It was evident again when she arrived at pre-dawn 3 days later to anoint His body.

Salome’s godly motherhood and worshipful model in following Christ is an example to us. James was the first apostolic martyr and John the last to pass into heaven. Even if Salome was not alive to endure that grief, as Lockyer said, “The mother sought earthly crowns for her sons, but through losing their lives for Christ’s sake, they gained greater honor in heaven. … Happy and grateful are those Christian parents who live to see their offspring wholly dedicated to the service of the Lord.“

Little Known Bible Characters #8: Tryphena and Tryphosa
Little Known Bible Characters #6: King Chedorlaomer
Little Known Bible Characters #5: Harbonah the Eunuch
Little Known Bible Characters #4: Eutychus
Little Known Bible Characters #3: Trophimus
Little Known Bible Characters #2: ‘The List of Offenders’
Little Known Bible Characters #1: Iddo

theology

Finding Peace Amidst Chaos: A Spiritual Journey

Posted on March 24, 2025 by elizabethprata

by Elizabeth Prata

I made that collage above shortly after I was saved. I was reading Philippians, which famously says,

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7).

I liked to think that I could be calmly drinking tea, when the world around me becomes chaotic.

I think we all like to think that.

I’ll get real here. There were predicted some severe storms to come last weekend. Not just one or two weather guys, but most weather guys were saying it was a once in a lifetime event, deaths will occur, and all that. They were serious this time. We do get tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. But usually the energy in the storms dissipates to below severe levels once they pass through Mississippi, Alabama and western Georgia and get to us here in East Georgia.

I thought, well, maybe not this time. The weather guys all were strongly recommending citizens take all due precautions. I began to get nervous. Tornadoes freak me out. I prepared in all the ways the emergency organizations and the weather people said to. I got more and more nervous as Saturday dragged on. I kept saying ‘God’s got this and then I’d take it back and get nervous again. In my opinion anxiety shows distrust in God’s goodness, omniscience, and wisdom in all circumstances- even uncomfortable, dire, or life-threatening ones. I was troubled by my lack of equanimity. I was all, ‘Lord, I trust you! Help my untrust!’

So I finally put my hands together and had a long talk with Jesus in a focused, worshipful prayer. And then I became peaceful.

As to the verse, what does it really mean? You know that it makes sense on the surface but it also makes sense when you read it and meditate more deeply, and then it has an even deeper meaning if you go even deeper with it. That is how the scriptures are alive, helpful with meaning no matter how many times you read it. According to Strong’s, in the Greek all the words mean exactly what you think they’d mean. I thought Barnes’ Notes had the best commentary on the verse.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible–

And the peace of God – The peace which God gives. The peace here particularly referred to is that which is felt when we have no anxious care about the supply of our needs, and when we go confidently and commit everything into the hands of God. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee;” Isaiah 26:3; see the notes at John 14:27.

Which passeth all understanding – That is, which surpasses all that people had conceived or imagined. The expression is one that denotes that the peace imparted is of the highest possible kind. The apostle Paul frequently used terms which had somewhat of a hyperbolical cast (see the notes on Ephesians 3:19; compare John 21:25), and the language here is that which one would use who designed to speak of that which was of the highest order. The Christian, committing his way to God, and feeling that he will order all things aright, has a peace which is nowhere else known. Nothing else will furnish it but religion. No confidence that a man can have in his own powers; no reliance which he can repose on his own plans or on the promises or fidelity of his fellow-men, and no calculations which he can make on the course of events, can impart such peace to the soul as simple confidence in God.

Shall keep your hearts and minds – That is, shall keep them from anxiety and agitation. The idea is, that by thus making our requests known to God, and going to him in view of all our trials and wants, the mind would be preserved from distressing anxiety. The way to find peace, and to have the heart kept from trouble, is thus to go and spread out all before the Lord. –end Barnes’ Notes

It is OK that we may get nervous, anxious, scared. We’re human. God knows this. But when we feel those things we have a holy Priest who hears our prayers and stands ready to impart this peace to us.

1. The peace we are promised is given,
2. The peace we are given is not simply offered, it is imparted to our body/mind/heart,
3. The peace we are given which is imparted soothes us to our very soul,
4. We do not understand how this occurs (passed all understanding) but it does. It simply does.

Just saying ‘God’s got this’ is head knowledge that is uttered in my own strength. It wasn’t enough to calm me before the storms came. But focused prayer and appealing to the Great Intercessor delivered a peace that shouldn’t be, but it is. It prompted Paul to sing in jail, Stephen to appeal on behalf of the stone throwers even as the stones rained down, for isolated Apostle John to worship on the rock of Patmos.

Picture this peace as a holy, heavenly blanket swaddling us, Christ’s babes, enveloping us to soothe the wrinkled heart, the troubled mind the restless soul.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7).

theology

The Mysteries of Ancient Architecture: What We Can Learn

Posted on March 22, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The dome was *built between 1420 and 1436* to a plan by Filippo Brunelleschi, and is still the largest masonry vault in the world.

There are curious mysteries in the world that have had me intrigued for years. In my travels I’ve seen fabuous architecture like the Roman Colosseum and Aqueducts. Paving stones still in use on the old Appian Way. Cathedrals like Notre Dame in France and Milan’s Duomo. Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence which features an ingenious double dome that allows it to be so cavernous and not collapse. Those are all genius wonders, but minor compared to the hugely magnificent yet mysterious items we, to this day, cannot figure out how they were built.

Thus, even MORE intriguing are the The Easter Island statues, Stonehenge, Nazco Lines, the Sphinx, Gobekli Tepe, and the PYRAMIDS of course!

I wrote about Gobekli Tepe in 2011, the pictures are amazing.

AI said of Gobekli Tepe, “Göbekli Tepe is special because it’s the oldest known monumental, megalithic structure, dating back to the 10th-9th millennium BCE, predating both agriculture and settled civilization, and is believed to have been a religious center for hunter-gatherers.”

Some people have proposed that it was at or near the Garden of Eden, or somehow associated with it.

Something one of the cited articles said about this amazing series of structures, was that “Bewilderingly, the people at Göbekli Tepe got steadily worse at temple building. The earliest rings are the biggest and most sophisticated, technically and artistically.“

Atheists and skeptics dismiss the Bible as having been written ‘by a bunch of illiterate, ignorant shepherds.’ It is a common rejoinder. They look at the past and all they see are unskilled populations and ignorant societies, and believe we are at the pinnacle of sophistication. We aren’t. We are actually dumber now. As one example, our concrete piers fail in salt water very quickly. Roman piers only get stronger and are still in use 2000 years later.

This thought about the intelligence and sophistication of past civilizations is picked up by Answers in Genesis author Dr. Jack Hughes. @DrJackHughes wrote on Twitter/X the other day the following interesting essay.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

Dr. Hughes: “Having a thought about the pyramids. Because of the advanced technology apparent in the pyramids, I have wondered if they are pre-flood structures as some claim. The Bible, contrary to common evolutionary myth, teaches that mankind used to be smarter, not dumber. We haven’t evolved, we have devolved because of the curse. This is why some of the oldest structures evidence the most advanced construction techniques e.g., Malta temples, Göbekli Tepe, Stonehenge, Newgrange, Baalbek, etc. Man’s lifespan before the flood was nearly 1,000 years (see Gen. 5). The human genome was not as decayed by sin and the curse then as it is today. People weren’t poisoned by bad food and the contaminates like we are today. People surely used most of their brain capacity.”

“Imagine having a photographic memory and living for 900 years! When you look at the early, pre-flood account in the Word of God you discover that mankind, before the flood, though exceedingly wicked (see Gen. 6:5), were innovators, figured out music, metallurgy, farming, building, etc. So, what if the pyramids were built pre-flood as huge obelisks (for whatever purpose), the flood came, encased them in mud, which over time has turned to sedimentary rock?”

“There are reasons to think the pyramids were at one time submerged in water at the flood. Yet, one of the arguments against the pyramids being pre-flood is that “they are built on sedimentary rock.” Well, it appears they may be built on bedrock, 680 meters (2,231 ft) below the surface. Either shafts were dug deep into the post-flood sedimentary rock, or very tall structures were built, that were later encased in mud at the flood and turned into stone.”

“When I consider the latter, and the weight of the pyramids, it seems unlikely that a structure 2,231 tall could be built to support its weight, even if it was made out of granite blocks. Yet another idea is that the pyramids were built into the pre-flood bedrock, and were obelisk type structures, partly built into the ground and built above the ground, and the flood covered most of the part of what sticks above ground in mud, that turned to sedimentary rock after the flood. Crazy discoveries are happening around the world and some, like Göbekli Tepe, are purposefully being covered up (e.g., tomb of Gilgamesh). What are governments afraid we might discover? Could it be evidence that confirms the Bible is true and that evolution is a lie? I think so. Fascinating stuff.”

Justin Peters concurred that this was his thought as well:

Justin Peters: “I agree completely. Humans thousands of years ago were far more intelligent than are we. I once saw a documentary on the Sphinx and it made a compelling case that it shows distinct signs of water erosion.“

When Dr. Hughes says Gobekli Tepe is being covered up, he is not kidding. It literally is being covered up. The Istanbul Chronicle reports, “Since 2016, all excavation work at Göbeklitepe, a site of extreme historical significance, has reportedly been stopped. Instead, a roof has been constructed over the site, and areas that needed to be excavated have been covered with trees.” They are also building roads over it.

Whether or not we discover the truth about these things in heaven, it is still an interesting notion that the secular world sees, and deep-down knows, that, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We are made to worship.

theology

Unveiling the Truth: Understanding Purposeful Disingenuousness

Posted on March 19, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Beth Moore’s “aw shucks, li’l ole me, I’m here to serve you” demeanor is a lie. It’s actually purposeful disingenuousness. I remember that time she said she spent the weekend at “a beach house” but it was really her own $900,000 waterfront mansion. She couldn’t just say “my beach house” but instead she purposely crafted a statement that gave the opposite impression.

Today, she said her 2 million square feet of forested land is “some acres.” The post leaves one with the impression that they are lucky homeowners to be able to cling to a few trees on their lot, when the truth is her property is actually the largest land tract in the entire area, 2 million square feet equaling 45 forested acres with a spring running through it. This is a well-established pattern with Moore, and in fact, most false teachers. A contrived version that either exaggerates what is not there or hides what is there. It’s non-transparency.

I have no doubt that she loves it. That’s fine. But taking time to parse her words in order to give the reader an impression that is not true is less than holy.

Merriam Webster dictionary defines purposeful disingenuousness as “giving a false appearance of simple frankness: calculating“. And that is false teacher Beth Moore to a T.

Ladies, remember what Paul said about being transparent. He didn’t use the word transparent, but he described transparency in 2 Corinthians 1:12-14, saying “For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. 13 For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end; 14 just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, on the day of our Lord Jesus..“

Paul was saying he had been plain, open, clear, has a pure conscience, and does not rely on fleshly wisdom (which is actually no wisdom at all).

Transparency, or openness, or allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, is what makes us human. It’s what allows for human connection. Our bonds will be strong if we are real with one another.

Like Beth Moore, if we continually carefully craft an outer persona that does not match the inner woman, all she are left with is lies and a rotten core; and for us, an eventual feeling of betrayal when the truth is finally uncovered. And it always comes out. People can tell when we are being humbly honest and when we are equivocating. When we are vulnerable in real ways, and when we are serving up poop on a plate.

AN oft-cited verse when discussing transparency in our relationships is from 1 John 1:7, but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Walking in the light is walking in truth, sincerity, honesty… Barnes’ Notes makes this insight on the 1 John 1:7 verse,

We have fellowship one with another – As we all partake of his feelings and views, we shall resemble each other. Loving the same God, embracing the same views of religion, and living for the same ends, we shall of course have much that is common to us all, and thus shall have fellowship with each other.

How can we be resembling one another in our pursuit of Jesus’ likeness when we conceal our selves by presenting a dishonest persona to our fellows?

The false teacher HAS TO hide themselves because they are false. They have constructed a careful but artificial persona.

While true Christians live a natural life full of honesty and bonded meaning with one another:

False teachers have to present a parsed, curated, artificial version of themselves both in word and deed. But especially words. As a discerner, we need to hear the words but have an ear to understanding when their words do not match their behavior or lifestyle. Carefully crafted but artificial humility and hiding the truth, will do no one any good. A false teacher may survive her concealment for a while, but discerning folks will see the truth behind the words. And if not, anyway- in the end “nothing is concealed that will not become evident, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.” (Luke 8:17)

theology

Advancing the Kingdom: Our True Calling

Posted on March 18, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

We’re human beings. We’re living on this planet, in a city or town, in a neighborhood. We have jobs, many of us, where we engage daily with corporate politics, personalities, infrastructure. We have hobbies and groups and clubs. We are involved.

Sometimes we get so busy and so involved, we become unwisely invested in the systems around us. It’s good to be involved, but not to the point that we become so embedded that we forget about the kingdom.

We are on this earth to advance the kingdom. We are supposed to be ambassadors for Christ. We’re supposed to reflect His likeness through our holy living, our kindness, our faith, our witness.

If we become SO involved in world systems we incorrectly focus on that and shunt to the side our real job, which is involvement in church and in spiritual practices.

Here is what my pastor had to say about the advancement of the kingdom in a recent sermon:

Well finally, it should go without saying but it needs saying. That the Kingdom of God advances only by His Gospel. The Kingdom of God advances only by the Gospel. That truth should be so obvious, but it is so frequently cast aside. The Kingdom of God is not advanced by any other means.

It does not advance by political power. Or by turning nations into theocracies. Or by winning elections. It does not advance by military might. Or coercion. Or a legal mandate. It does not advance by entertainment. Or by acquiescing biblical truth in order to find common ground with sinners. He does not advance by having more children, or by educational practices, or by withdrawing from society.

When Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world, He meant just that. We cannot and must not use the world’s means to advance His kingdom. Many false teachers have come who exploit believers and pervert the mission of the church for selfish gain. Throughout the history of Christianity, wherever and whenever people have hijacked the church in order to advance their conception of the Kingdom of God by means of the world’s methods, it has not only failed, but it has soiled the name of Christ, produced an abundance of false converts, and wrecked the [local] church.

Where is the Christian nation today? Where are its holy leaders and humble people? It’s nowhere to be found because the kingdom of God will not be established as a government on this earth until the King returns. Jesus is the King, not us. It’s His kingdom, not ours. Therefore God’s people must use only God’s methods to spread God’s message in order to advance God’s kingdom while we wait for our King. And so let’s wait for our King. –end

When 12 year old Jesus stayed behind at the temple and his parents could not find Him, His reply to his mother as to why He had treated His parents that way, was,

And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). NASB

Or as the NKJV says more familiarly, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?“

We must prioritize our charge on earth that we have been given. Not that we neglect the daily things we must do. I mean, dishes must be done, salaries must be earned, children must be tended to… but the priority of our lives is Jesus, and being about our Father’s business. We advance the kingdom in only that way.

theology

The Danger of Drifting: A Faith Shipwreck Warning

Posted on March 17, 2025March 17, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

“Man without Christ is a shipwreck upon the rocks, rocked by every wave of temptation, with no anchor, with no hope. Death looms before him as a door to judgment, for the wages of sin is death,” says Dustin Benge in his Hearts Aflame episode of Puritan devotionals.

In the episode above, we meet Scottish late Puritan Thomas Boston. In Boston’s well-regarded classic, Human Nature in its Fourfold State, Benge explains that “Thomas Boston vividly portrays the fallen condition of humanity—alienated from God, enslaved to sin, and without hope apart from Christ. The depth of human ruin is sobering, yet it magnifies the glory of divine grace.”

Do you recognize the depth of your natural misery without Christ’s redemption?

The episode talked about man without Christ,

“Man without Christ is like a ship wrecked upon the rocks, tossed by every wave of temptation, with no anchor, no hope.”

This maritime metaphor is real to me. I have sailed about 15,000 nautical miles living in a sailboat upon the waters from Maine to Florida and across to the Bahamas and back, twice. I’ve sailed from Tampa Florida to the Dry Tortugas, and zoomed from Naples, Florida to Rhode Island in a 21 foot powerboat. I’ve crossed the Gulf Stream in calm, at night, and in a storm. Gone through the washing machine that is Hell’s Gate in New York City. I’ve been in the Storm of the Century 1993. I’ve been in Hurricane Bob. I know lighthouses, rocks, shoals, and shipwrecks (Charley’s Crab was lost in the storm of ’93, and another friend lost his boat in a different storm in the Caribbean). We came close to shipwreck ourselves, twice.

Shipwreck is a very bad thing.

Worse would be making a shipwreck of the faith.

Russian painter Ivan Aivazovsky (1817-1900) made a career out of painting maritime scenes, including shipwrecks. Like this one:

Without Christ, we can do nothing. Oh, I know the skeptic will say, ‘Doody-head, of course we do things! We live and breathe and work and have kids and play baseball and drive cars and all the things!” Correct. But the pagan without Christ can do nothing that pleases Him. Without Christ we cannot bear fruit for the kingdom, worship Him rightly, live for holiness, reflect His image, or do anything at all.

Paul advised Timothy to ‘fight the good fight’, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. (1 Timothy 1:19).

Jude wrote that the ungodly pretenders are unreasoning animals and warned that they “are the ones who are hidden reefs in your love feasts…“(Jude 1:12a). Do you know what hidden reefs do? Wreck your ship.

Hebrews 2:1 says For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. Do you know what happens when you don’t pay attention? Your mooring becomes loose and you drift away from the dock or the mothership, and untethered, you soon lose sight of land. Shipwreck.

‘Drifting’ is the thing to be afraid of. Just as some boat, not made fast to the bank, certainly glides down stream so quietly and with so little friction that her passengers do not know that they are moving until they come up on deck, and see new fields around them, so the ‘things which we have heard,’ and to which we ought to be moored or anchored, we shall drift, drift, drift away from, and, in nine cases out of ten, shall not feel that we are moving, till we are roused by hearing the noise of the whirlpools and the falls close ahead of us; and look round and see a strange country. McLaren’s Expositions.

Now, if you are truly saved, you can never lose your salvation. Judas had the rejection inside of him all the while, he just pretended to be a disciple of Christ. He followed with his feet, but his heart could do nothing.

Matthew Henry says of 1 Timothy 1:19’s shipwreck,

As for those who had made shipwreck of the faith, he specifies two, Hymeneus and Alexander, who had made a profession of the Christian religion, but had quitted that profession; and Paul had delivered them to Satan. Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2352).

Warren Wiersbe said, “Paul changed the illustration from army to navy (1 Tim. 1:19). He warned Timothy that the only way to succeed was to hold fast to “faith and a good conscience.” It is not enough to proclaim the faith with our lips; we must practice the faith in our daily lives“. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 213). Victor Books.

A good conscience is key to the verse. Shipwreck comes when one ignores the conscience, suppresses what is good, and eventually sears it so that he or she drifts, winds up on the rocks, and wrecks their faith.

As is said in the Hearts Aflame article, The depth of human ruin is sobering, yet it magnifies the glory of divine grace.” The wondrous mystery is that Jesus relieves us of our sin burden, erases it from the record books when we repent. Those who recognize the depth of our natural misery are deeply grateful for having this burden and misery removed. The Lord’s divine grace shines so brightly that the Christian never looks away but only grows in love and attachment to Him, and as a result, we are “keeping a pure conscience.”

Further Rescources

John MacArthur: The Vanishing Conscience (book)

The Conscience, by Richard Greenham (essay)

The Puritan Conscience by J. I. Packer (essay)

theology

Curate your soul

Posted on March 15, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I have always been a museum-goer. My parents did a good job of introducing me to cultural things and museums were one of those cultural things. A museum is where I first heard the word “curate” or “curator”.

According to AI, “A curator’s role involves overseeing and managing collections, including historical items, artwork, and other artifacts, ensuring their preservation, proper presentation, and accessibility for exhibits and displays within institutions like museums, libraries, and historical sites.“

The curator selects the art pieces and decides which goes where in order to make a cohesive experience for the viewer in the museum, or gallery, wherever the pieces are that have been curated.

And that setting is where the word “curate” remained for most of my adult life.

Until the internet. Until the internet really got going with social media exploding everywhere.

Now I hear the word curate all the time. According to AI again, in terms of social media,

“In the context of social media, “curate” means selecting and sharing valuable, relevant content created by others to engage your audience and build your brand’s reputation as a credible source of information.”

Everyone is a curator. People curate their Facebook wall. They curate their Twitter stream. They curate their Instagram photos. They curate their TikToks. Everybody is a curator.

I got to thinking… do we curate our souls?

The world’s most precious commodity is the soul. Everybody has one. Someone somewhere might not have a social media to curate, but everyone has a soul.

“The sinful body is the sepulchre in which it is entombed, until Christ
giveth it life.” ~The Greatness of the Soul, John Bunyan.

The New Testament is FULL of wise advice, admonitions, and exhortations on how to curate this precious item, this invisible, ephemeral, but real and actual thing. A soul dwells inside all who are unborn and who are born. It emerges wrapped in flesh and lurks in the heart to do only evil against God.

Upon Adam’s sampling the fruit, Boston wrote, “Death also seized his soul; he lost his original righteousness, and the favor of God; witness the pangs of conscience which made him hide himself from God. And he became liable to eternal death…“

But God’s mercy is such that He did not leave us in that hopeless state. He sent His own Son to live the perfectly holy life that we could not ever live. He was killed for this, dying on the cross, and buried. But He rose again on the third day and ascended into heaven, to sit at the right hand of the Father. His feet are upon the footstool of all enemies, including death.

“Turn your eyes, O prisoners of hope, towards the Lord Jesus Christ; and embrace him, as he offers himself in the gospel. “There is no salvation in any other,” Acts 4:12.” Thomas Boston, “Human Nature in its Fourfold State“.

If you have been redeemed, dear reader, how do you curate your soul? The very soul wrested from death’s grip at bloody expense? Have you committed your interests to the Glorious Savior?

Boston again, “Be frequently reflecting upon your conduct, and considering what course of life you wish to be found in, when death arrests you; and act accordingly. When you do the duties of your station in life, or are employed in acts of worship, think with yourselves, that, it may be, this is the last opportunity; and therefore do it as if you were never to do more of that kind. When you lie down at night, compose your spirits, as if you were not to awake until the heavens be no more. And when you awake in the morning, consider that new day as your last; and live accordingly.”

Further Resources

Human Nature in its Fourfold State by Thomas Boston at Monergism, read online for free

The Greatness of the Soul, John Bunyan at Chapel Library, download for free

theology

Tragic Trends: Sexual Predators seem to be everywhere

Posted on March 14, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’m on Twitter a lot (now called X). I get the headlines and weather in just a few lines. I commune with Christian friends, both virtual and in real life that I know personally. I see nice photos of different areas of the country. It’s a good social media for me.

I’ve also seen a lot of headlines lately about public education teachers arrested for lewd or sexual acts with their minor students. Enough to make me investigate whether there has been a noticeable uptick in reported incidents over the past few months. It seems to me there has been, which could suggest increased media coverage—or simply more incidents coming to light. From CA to CT to Delaware to NYC, and sadly, many in Texas, have been in the news just this past month.

Even worse, there has been momentous and tragic news of this sort in Christian circles, too. The news that Steve Lawson had been engaged for five years in an adulterous affair with a young woman in her twenties and thirty+ years his junior came to light a few months ago and was a severe shock to many.

But even this week, Robert Preston Morris, formerly pastor at mega-Gateway Church in Texas, was indicted on charges he had engaged in sexual misconduct with a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s. In March 2025, he was indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. A warrant has been issued for Morris’ arrest. What happened was, Morris was a pastor invited to a friend’s home and over repeated visits, molested their host’s 12 year old child. This is an unconscionable evil and betrayal of the worst kind.

This same week, International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOP KC) founder pastor Mike Bickle is found in a released report which alleges 17 cases of abuse. The report states “The allegations range from spiritual abuse to rape.” Two of the women at the time of the alleged molestation/rape were minors. Another unconscionable evil.

Can you think of anything worse than USING the name of Jesus as a cover and His church hunting ground in order to prey on children?

We know that Jesus was tender about children and toward children. He considers children, and widows, a most vulnerable demographic. Always at risk, children have been misused in every culture and period in history. In ancient Rome a father could kill his child without penalty. They were seen as property. In Hawaii, China, and Japan, many female and disabled children were killed to maintain a strong race without overpopulation. Girl children were not as preferred as male children. Child sacrifice was rampant. (Molech, among other cultures). Child labor was routine.

Sexual predators have always been around. But even lately it seems to be growing worse in every level of society. We read about abductions of children who are trafficked and put up for sale to sexual predator and porn rings.

God puts a high value in children. Almost the first command God gave to the man and the woman was to be fruitful and multiply. “The Bible emphasizes the significance of children from the opening chapters of Genesis, where God makes the earth and every living thing on it to be fruitful—including the man and woman (Gen 1:27–28). Humanity can only fulfill God’s mandate of fruitfulness by bearing and raising children…” The Lexham Bible Dictionary.

Children were to honor their parents, and were expected to work with the family, especially in that agrarian culture. In return, children, especially boys, were educated in the scriptures, liturgies, and expected to attend the festivals. They were full participants in daily life of the family and the community.

In the New Testament, “Thompson notes that 50 percent of children in the ancient Roman world died before age 10, and Graeco-Roman society valued girls less than boys. Infants born with disabilities or unwanted female infants were commonly left exposed to the elements. As Christianity grew more influential in the Roman Empire, the Jewish and Christian value for human life increasingly pervaded Roman society. Christian emperors of Rome outlawed infant exposure in AD 374“. The Lexham Bible Dictionary.

Jesus valued children.

We are perhaps most familiar with the verse from Matthew 19:13-15, “Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After laying His hands on them, He departed from there.”

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10).

The Gospels record that Jesus healed several children and even brought at least one child back from the dead. For example:

• He raised Jairus’ daughter from death (Matt 9:18–26; Mark 5:22–43; Luke 8:41–56).
• He healed the Gentile Syrophoenician woman’s daughter of a demon (Matt 15:21–28; Mark 7:24–30).
• He healed the demon-possessed son of a common man (Matt 17:14–19; Mark 9:14–28; Luke 9:37–42).
• He healed a royal official’s son (John 4:46–54).

By healing such a variety of children—both boys and girls, Jews and Gentiles, poor and wealthy—Jesus showed that He valued all children, for their own sake as well as for their families and communities.
The Gospels further portray Jesus ascribing value to children by welcoming them and inviting them to come near to Him even over the objections of His disciples (Matt 19:13–15; Mark 10:13–16; Luke 18:15–17). Jesus also identifies qualities in children that He wants His disciples to emulate. For example, He uses the humility of a child as a leadership model for His disciples (Matt 18:1–5; Mark 9:35–37; Luke 9:46–48). In Mark 10, Jesus states, “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” The Lexham Bible Dictionary.

As sin increases, we know that the warnings from Paul to Timothy are true: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” The last days have been since Jesus ascended, but with sin, it always gets worse. As time goes on, our sin-soaked world will eventually reach the state where it’s Genesis 6:5 again, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.”

Child abuse, molestation, neglect etc. are heinous crimes against little ones who are defenseless and rely upon their adults to nurture and protect them. I will be glad for the day when there is no more sin, no more predation, and no more evil against our precious little ones.

Further Reading

Challies: Why my family doesn’t do sleepovers

GTY: Providing Shade for our Children

theology

Diligence in Hearing: A Path to Spiritual Growth

Posted on March 13, 2025March 13, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

When we receive the word of God, we have a responsibility to it. Before we are saved, our responsibility is to repent and believe the Gospel, for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:15).

After we are saved, we still have a responsibility regarding our response to the word. Here is my pastor:

“What you receive from it will be directly related to how you receive it. Look at the verse in Mark 4:24. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and still more will be added to you. Now that’s a very simple principle. What you get out of or from God’s word will depend on how well you pay attention to it. In other words, there’s a reward for diligent understanding of God’s word, diligent effort. If you apply yourself to carefully understanding and heeding God’s word, you’re going to be richly rewarded for your efforts.”

The pastor continues with other verses along the same principles, earnestly devoting yourself to the Word as you receive it will yield wisdom, discernment, joy, and more. Pastor again:

“In Proverbs 19, verse 27; Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. But if you take heed of what you’ve been taught, then the truth will become a guard over you. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:16, keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by doing so, you will save both yourself and your hearers. And so don’t be careless in how you receive God’s Word. Pay attention to what you hear. And like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk that by it you may grow up into salvation. Have you been careful in how you hear? In our scripture reading today in Hebrews 5, the author criticizes the audience. He says, you have become dull of hearing, Hebrews 5, verse 11; “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food. For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” In other words, this is a classic description of someone who has not taken heed of the truth. They have not received it, thought carefully about it, and applied it to their lives.”

On the next day’s devotional, I heard Dustin Benge’s reading of the Puritan John Owen from his classic “Communion with God.” The principle of hearing well was brought up again. These ‘spiritual coincidences’ delight me.

The father’s love “was fixed on us before the foundation of the world. Before we were, or had done the least good, then were his thoughts upon us, — then was his delight in us; — then did the Son rejoice in the thoughts of fulfilling his Father’s delight in him, Prov. 8:30, says Owen. Why did the father love us? There was “nothing in us for which we
should be beloved” and “though we change every day, yet his love changeth not. Could any kind of provocation turn it away, it had long since ceased. Its unchangeableness is that which carries out the Father unto that infiniteness of patience and forbearance…”

Seeking the special closeness with God through our prayers and receiving of His word is a special privilege of the saints. “Men are generally esteemed according to the company they keep. It is an honour to stand in the presence of princes, though but as servants.
What honour, then, have all the saints, to stand with boldness in the presence of the Father, and there to enjoy his bosom love!” says Owen. “What a safe and sweet retreat is here for the saints, in all the scorns, reproaches, scandals, misrepresentations, which they undergo in the world.”

“His love is not ours in the sweetness of it until it be so received. Continually, then, act thoughts of faith on God, as love to thee, — as embracing thee with the eternal free love before described. When the Lord is, by his word, presented as such unto thee, let thy mind know it, and assent that it is so; and thy will embrace it, in its being so; and all thy affections be filled with it. Set thy whole heart to it; let it be
bound with the cords of this love.” ~John Owen

Receive His word faithfully, earnestly, knowing His love is immense and directed toward His children. Receive it, do diligence with it, and return this love in worship and in all our strength, mind, and heart.

Fly to the fountain, once filled with blood, now gushing love to all who are in Him. Receive His word with joy, implant it in your heart, do not delay, for within is a bountiful mercy. Owen concludes,

“Indeed, the great sin of believers is, that they make not use of Christ’s bounty as they ought to do; that we do not every day take of him mercy in abundance. The oil never ceaseth till the vessels cease;
supplies from Christ fail not, but only when our faith fails in receiving them.”

Further Resources

Hearts Aflame: John Owen Communion with Christ

CCEL, Communion With God by John Owen, online

Embrace the Challenge of Reading ‘Communion with God’ by John Owen, by Mike McKinley: summary of key points in Owen’s work

theology

Don’t be a pig’s snout- Lessons from Proverbs for Women

Posted on March 12, 2025 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

As a ring of gold in a pig’s snout, So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. (Proverbs 11:22).

It’s obvious what this means. But…is it obvious?

That’s the beauty and the wonder of God’s word, especially Proverbs. On the surface, it’s easy to understand what it’s saying. But the word of God is living and active, so digging into it yields further depths of understanding.

Bibleref explains the overall sense of the proverb: “The comparison made here is meant to be slightly shocking, as pigs were considered unclean animals. Beauty is represented by something small and insignificant, as compared to the disgusting, filthy, and enormous problem of indiscretion.“

I find that if I ask questions of the text, it will yield answers. I wondered after reading this proverb as part of my daily Bible reading yesterday, I asked myself, what exactly does the proverb mean by ‘discretion’?

I like Biblehub.com because it has the Bible in every translation, commentaries, original languages, lexicon, word dictionaries and much more, all in one spot. I looked up the word discretion in Strong’s Hebrew:

Usage: The Hebrew word “taam” primarily refers to the sense of taste, but it extends metaphorically to denote discernment, judgment, or understanding. It is used to describe the ability to perceive or evaluate situations, often in a moral or spiritual context.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Hebrew culture, the concept of “taste” was not limited to the physical act of eating but was also a metaphor for experiencing and evaluating life. Just as taste helps one discern the quality of food, discernment helps one evaluate moral and spiritual matters. This metaphorical use reflects the holistic view of human experience in the Hebrew mindset, where physical senses often parallel spiritual insights.

“Just as a gold nose ring in a pig’s snout is incongruous, even so indiscretion in a beautiful woman is incongruous. Outward beauty should be accompanied by inward virtue. The negative illustration is Jezebel while the positive is Abigail.” Gingrich, R. E. (2005). The Book of Proverbs (Volume I) (p. 29). Riverside Printing.

Discernment is important. Yes, the proverb is alluding to a woman’s virtue, taste, and beauty, but a key point is her ability to evaluate spiritual and moral situations.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14).

Discretion, or discernment, or using proper evaluative methods, are important for the biblical woman. Far from the improperly used ‘Judge not lest ye be judged’ verse (out of context) a Proverbs woman or wife who lacks discernment is as ugly as a pig’s snout. We can dress her up with jewelry and fine clothes, but her inability to cling to hat is good will make her ugly as a pig, which is offensive to the Bible people because as stated, pigs are highly unclean.

Peter makes this same point in the New Testament:

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

A women attains unfading beauty by communing with God and training her senses to distinguish between good and evil so as to better obey and love what God loves and hate what God hates. This is discernment.

And Jesus made the same point in Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Prettying up the external does a man or woman no good if the internal is devoid of discretion.

1 Timothy 1:5
The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.