By Mike Peek

Perea was the region beyond the Jordan and Herod Antipas was Tetrarch there during John’s ministry. Antipas was the Herod who had John imprisoned and beheaded. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Herod imprisoned John in the castle Macherus which was located in Perea. [1] Therefore, this meeting between John and the Jewish leaders has John’s imprisonment and death as its backdrop.  During John’s ministry, the majority of the priests were from the sect of the Sadducees and rarely were they of the Pharisees because these two groups were in opposition to one another. The Sadducees were a Jewish religious/political group in the first century A.D. In the New Testament, especially the gospels, the Sadducees often appear beside the Pharisees because both groups were in opposition to Jesus and his followers. [2] However, by saying, “Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees,” (Jn 1:24) the author brings the reader’s attention to the sect of the Pharisees.  The Phar...

Overcomer (Image: overcomermovie.com ) I had the privilege of watching the recent Kendrick Brothers movie “Overcomer.” I have enjoyed their movies in the past, but “Overcomer” is by far their best production. There is much in Overcomer to talk about having now seen it, but there are two things that I saw in the advertisements that caused me to go see the movie: First, I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and I knew through the advertisements that Overcomer was a Christian movie; however, I must admit that I am usually leery of supposed Christian movies because they do not all contain sound theological doctrine. Second, I knew through the advertisements that the main character in the movie was a cross-country runner and cross-country running was my sport in high school. I transitioned to road running after high school; to the honor and glory and praise of God I am still running thirty-two years later. Overcomer, however, is not a movie about cross-country running, it is a m...

Ministry News Biblical Training Centre for Pastors The nurse theologian was 1 of 18 missionaries this week who took part in a partnership orientation/teacher workshop with Biblical Training Centre for Pastors in Stone Mountain, Georgia. We are all together in this photo, along with the 3 men who facilitated the workshop. It was humbling to meet these missionaries and hear what God has called each of them to do in the name of Jesus Christ for the church.  For example: 1 group is working with the Hmong people in Thailand and will be translating the BTCP manuals into the heart language of the Hmong peoples. They are also working on a concordance for the Hmong Bible translation. There are 2 curriculum tracks:  1.     The BTCP track is for qualified men per 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6 in pastoral leadership.  2.     The BTCL track is for both men and women to be adequately trained for ministry and has 2 sub-tracks. a.  ...

Text: John 1:14-18 The God-Man By Mike Peek Context Greek philosophers thought of the Word as the perfect force by which the universe is structured. In Jewish writings personified wisdom, the Word and the Law were identified with one another and they believed that God created the world through His Wisdom•Word•Law. Greek philosophers saw the Word as invisible and eternal, which to them, was the ideal; therefore, they could not conceive that the Word might become flesh. Jewish teachers rightly taught that a man could not become a god; however, they never considered that God might become a man. My favorite passage in Scripture is Exodus 33-34, and for good reason: it is God’s revelation of His glory to Moses and it parallels the theme of our text. Let us take a look at how Exodus 33-34 and John 1:14-18 parallel. 1 Exodus 33-34 John 1:14-18 God dwelt among his people in the tabernacle (33:10); Moses pleaded that God would continue to dwell with them (33:14-16) Th...

Faith and the True Light Text: John 1:9-13 By Mike Peek Context The disciple whom Jesus loves begins this paragraph using Jewish imagery. Jewish tradition said that God offered the law to all seventy nations on Mount Sinai but only Israel excepted the Word of God; therefore, the Jewish people believed the Gentiles were unenlightened. Though many Israelites disobeyed the law of God, they believed that when the law came forth at the end of time all of Israel would accept the Word of God. [1] Isaiah 2:3 Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. The author breaks from Jewish tradition emphasizing that reception of the Word is not by ethnic birth but by spiritual rebirth. Jewish tradition applied the title “Children of God” to the nation of Israel...

The Witness John Text: John 1:6-8 By Mike Peek Context In the first century, “Witness” was a Greco-Roman legal concept and a legal concept among Jews. [1] The Greek word translated into English “Witness” denotes evidence given judicially: this could be a record, a report or a testimony. [2] This is the same word used in the Gospel of Mark regarding Jesus trial before the high priest, chief priests, elders and scribes when they were attempting to obtain testimony against Jesus. (cf.Mk.14:53-65) In the first few words of the Gospel According to John we have a legal metaphor taking shape. The reason being that many who would read this text during the time that it was written and shortly thereafter would find themselves in a trial setting giving “Witness” for the hope that is in them. Isaiah (v.44:8, NASB) prophesied of “Witness” taking place: ‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is th...