The expression “for My [or His] name’s sake” occurs eleven times in the New Testament, in all four Gospels (seven times), Acts (once), John’s first and third epistles (once each), and Revelation (once).1 It is not found at all in the epistles of Paul, Peter, James, Jude, or the book of Hebrews. I was interested

In the September-October 2013 issue of Grace in Focus, Bob Wilkin argued that in Matt 7:21-23 unbelievers at the Great White Throne Judgment will call Jesus “Lord” and will point to their works in an effort to justify themselves before Him. They will point to works they did in Jesus’ name (e.g., prophesying, casting out

It is a bit surprising, in light of how often people say that repentance and faith go hand in hand, to discover that they are only found together four times in the NT. The words believe (pisteuō) and faith (pistis) occur 266 and 299 times respectively in the NT. That is over 560 uses. Yet

Observation Here is an observation I made while studying Jesus’ Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matt 18:21-35. This is basically the first parable which Jesus told in Matthew involving a king and his servants (though Matt 13:24-30 might also be considered the first). But people are often troubled by statements the Lord makes to

There are only seven uses of the Greek word anenklētos (blameless, above reproach, irreproachable) in the New Testament. Three of these uses refer to one of the requirements of an elder (1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6) or a deacon (1 Tim 3:10). Those are fairly well known. The other four are not so well known.

Have you ever noticed the similarity between Matt 20:1-16 and 2 Pet 1:1-11? I didn’t at first. Of course, Peter was one of the recipients of Jesus’ teaching in Matt 20:1-16 (see Matt 19:27-30). In fact, it is the question Peter posed to Jesus (Matt 19:27) that prompted Jesus’ response in the succeeding verses. We

While doing a Logos search I discovered that the expression woe to that man (ouai tō anthrōpō ekeinō) occurs only four times in the NT, twice in Matthew (18:7; 26:24) and once each in Mark (14:21) and Luke (22:22). I wondered whether the Lord might have a specific man in mind in all these places,

And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads (Rev 22:3-4). In the OT, to see the face of the king refers to having access