House of Truth Ministries
January 2025
House of Truth Ministries is about sharing the Gospel in various venues.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)
January 2025
House of Truth Ministries is about sharing the Gospel in various venues.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)
Virginia and I at the Lions Club annual Santa’s Car Show
There were about one hundred Christmas tracts given out at the car show as well as tracts on the cults. Also, we can accept the use of Zelle for Donations.
Tools for Biblical Study
Part One
By Kurt Van Gorden
Part One
By Kurt Van Gorden
The student of Scripture should have a general understanding of the Bible. More so, the prospective Bible teacher, preacher, Sunday school teacher, missionary, or any Church leader should have a working knowledge of the Bible. The following tools are recommended for a richer and more rewarding time in studying God’s Word.
We should use the many great works of past Christian writers; whose lives are a testimony of faithfulness to God that is often unparalleled in modern times. Men like Adam Clarke, who through the 1820s endured bitterly cold winters and ill health while praying for hours for insight into God’s Word. God preserved his life to write a six-volume commentary after which he died a mere 30 days following its completion. Others like Matthew Henry and John Gill enslaved themselves to Christ’s ministry while producing books that have blessed untold millions of Christians for three hundred years after their death.
Commentaries: Commentaries are not to be shunned, as is often the mistaken belief of the untaught Christian. It has been well stated by Christian scholars of the past that there is no greater commentary on the Bible than the Bible itself. We expand this view to include Jesus. Jesus is the greatest commentary upon both the Old and New Testament Scriptures. He told us the purpose and fulfillment of all the former Scriptures concerned Him (Luke 24:44).
Jesus taught His disciples for a period of three years. It is from His Apostles that we draw our second source of New Testament information. The closest followers of our Lord Jesus Christ were inspired of the Holy Spirit to give us the proper and clearest understanding of His ways. Their writings are cherished today by true Bible believers as fully inspired of God and given to the Church for direction and doctrine. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is evident in their writings (2 Timothy 3:16). The Apostles were guarded by the Holy Spirit from making mistakes in the words and works of Christ (John 14:26).
The Apostolic fathers of the Church are those who knew the Apostles, but were too young to have encountered the Lord. Their insights and comments upon the Scriptures are invaluable in Christian study because of their proximity to the Apostles. Two such Apostolic Fathers, Irenaius and Polycarp, were personal disciples of the Apostle John. Their writings have been translated in The Apostolic Fathers (Jack Sparks, Nelson Pub.) and The Apostolic Fathers (Lightfoot, Hendrickson pub.).
The pre-Nicene Church Fathers also provide valuable insights into the teachings of the early Church. Their writings are translated in the Ante-Nicene Fathers (A. Roberts, Hendrickson pub., 10 volumes). Each generation of Christians strove to closely follow the Lord Jesus and His teachings. Several of the many great commentators who are faithful to God’s Word are Matthew Henry, F. F. Bruce, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Robert C. H. Lenski, Adam Clarke, Albert Barnes, Matthew Poole, John Gill, and J. P. Lange. Some of the recommended multiple-volume commentaries by multiple authors are the Expositor’s Bible, the Word Bible Commentary, New International Commentary, and the Tyndale Commentary. Some recommended single-volume commentaries are The International Bible Commentary (Bruce), Bethany Parallel Commentary, Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Ewell), Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Matthew Henry, Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament, and the New Bible Commentary (Wenham).
In our current age liberal theologians have sown seeds of tare among the wheat. We need to be watchful of those in the past century who have done their utmost to cast doubt upon God’s Word rather than esteeming it as holy. In particular, watch for such names as Julius Wellhausen, Emil Brunner, Karl Barth, Rudulf Bultmann, Fredrich Schleiermacher, Raymond Brown, John Hick, Hans Kung, Reinhold Neibuhr, Karl Rahner, Robert M. Grant, Bishop Spong, William Barclay, Norman Vincent Peal, and James Hastings. Liberal commentaries where caution should be exercised are the Interpreter’s Bible, the Jerome Bible Commentary, and the Anchor Bible Commentary.
We should use the many great works of past Christian writers; whose lives are a testimony of faithfulness to God that is often unparalleled in modern times. Men like Adam Clarke, who through the 1820s endured bitterly cold winters and ill health while praying for hours for insight into God’s Word. God preserved his life to write a six-volume commentary after which he died a mere 30 days following its completion. Others like Matthew Henry and John Gill enslaved themselves to Christ’s ministry while producing books that have blessed untold millions of Christians for three hundred years after their death.
Commentaries: Commentaries are not to be shunned, as is often the mistaken belief of the untaught Christian. It has been well stated by Christian scholars of the past that there is no greater commentary on the Bible than the Bible itself. We expand this view to include Jesus. Jesus is the greatest commentary upon both the Old and New Testament Scriptures. He told us the purpose and fulfillment of all the former Scriptures concerned Him (Luke 24:44).
Jesus taught His disciples for a period of three years. It is from His Apostles that we draw our second source of New Testament information. The closest followers of our Lord Jesus Christ were inspired of the Holy Spirit to give us the proper and clearest understanding of His ways. Their writings are cherished today by true Bible believers as fully inspired of God and given to the Church for direction and doctrine. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is evident in their writings (2 Timothy 3:16). The Apostles were guarded by the Holy Spirit from making mistakes in the words and works of Christ (John 14:26).
The Apostolic fathers of the Church are those who knew the Apostles, but were too young to have encountered the Lord. Their insights and comments upon the Scriptures are invaluable in Christian study because of their proximity to the Apostles. Two such Apostolic Fathers, Irenaius and Polycarp, were personal disciples of the Apostle John. Their writings have been translated in The Apostolic Fathers (Jack Sparks, Nelson Pub.) and The Apostolic Fathers (Lightfoot, Hendrickson pub.).
The pre-Nicene Church Fathers also provide valuable insights into the teachings of the early Church. Their writings are translated in the Ante-Nicene Fathers (A. Roberts, Hendrickson pub., 10 volumes). Each generation of Christians strove to closely follow the Lord Jesus and His teachings. Several of the many great commentators who are faithful to God’s Word are Matthew Henry, F. F. Bruce, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Robert C. H. Lenski, Adam Clarke, Albert Barnes, Matthew Poole, John Gill, and J. P. Lange. Some of the recommended multiple-volume commentaries by multiple authors are the Expositor’s Bible, the Word Bible Commentary, New International Commentary, and the Tyndale Commentary. Some recommended single-volume commentaries are The International Bible Commentary (Bruce), Bethany Parallel Commentary, Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Ewell), Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Matthew Henry, Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament, and the New Bible Commentary (Wenham).
In our current age liberal theologians have sown seeds of tare among the wheat. We need to be watchful of those in the past century who have done their utmost to cast doubt upon God’s Word rather than esteeming it as holy. In particular, watch for such names as Julius Wellhausen, Emil Brunner, Karl Barth, Rudulf Bultmann, Fredrich Schleiermacher, Raymond Brown, John Hick, Hans Kung, Reinhold Neibuhr, Karl Rahner, Robert M. Grant, Bishop Spong, William Barclay, Norman Vincent Peal, and James Hastings. Liberal commentaries where caution should be exercised are the Interpreter’s Bible, the Jerome Bible Commentary, and the Anchor Bible Commentary.
PRAYER AND SUPPORT
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. All donations are tax-deductible. Checks can be written to House of Truth Ministries, and they can be sent to the address below. Online donations are accepted as well. Also, Zelle can be used to make a donation.
House of Truth Ministries
Box 729
La Habra, CA 90633
My E-mail
jeff@HouseOfTruthMinistries.org
Online Donation
http://HouseOfTruthMinistries.org/Donate.html
House of Truth Ministries YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtvAk11yMYsOfFhy3W81jw
Christian Witnesses' YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpIQy8YGTBX181POz72yxuA
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. All donations are tax-deductible. Checks can be written to House of Truth Ministries, and they can be sent to the address below. Online donations are accepted as well. Also, Zelle can be used to make a donation.
House of Truth Ministries
Box 729
La Habra, CA 90633
My E-mail
jeff@HouseOfTruthMinistries.org
Online Donation
http://HouseOfTruthMinistries.org/Donate.html
House of Truth Ministries YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtvAk11yMYsOfFhy3W81jw
Christian Witnesses' YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpIQy8YGTBX181POz72yxuA