What Does The Word Christian Mean?

 The word Christian means someone who is associated with Christ or someone who is a follower of Christ.  A Christian is devoted and committed to Jesus who is the Christ, the only Son of God.  The term Christian is used in the New Testament only three times (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16).  

(Acts 11:26)"And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians." (ESV) 

(Acts 26:28)"And Agrippa said to Paul, In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" (ESV) 

(1 Peter 4:16)"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." (ESV)  

What Do The Names Jesus And Christ Mean?

 The name Jesus means the LORD saves, or Yahweh saves.  Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua.  Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus saves his people from their sins.  

(Matthew 1:21)"She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (ESV) 

The name Christ means anointed one.  Christ and Messiah are actually the same thing.  Christ is the Greek term while Messiah is the Hebrew term.  Jesus the Christ was anointed or set apart to deliver his people from their sins.  

(John 20:31)"but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (ESV)  

Who Was William Tyndale?

 William Tyndale (1495-1536) was a priest and scholar who was born in England.  He was educated at Oxford where he learned Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.  Tyndale's knowledge of these languages would prepare him to translate the Bible into English.  

William Tyndale sought to translate the Bible into English to make it available to common people.  This was opposed by the Roman Catholic Church.  With no support in England, Tyndale went to Germany, where he completed his translation of the New Testament into English in 1526.  The Tyndale New Testament was the first English version translated from the Greek.  

William Tyndale managed to translate some of the Old Testament into English from the Hebrew.  But in 1535 he was betrayed by an associate and was arrested for translating the Bible into English.  Tyndale was executed for heresy in 1536.  He was strangled and then burned at the stake.  His last words were, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes."  

William Tyndale's translations were highly influential on English translations that followed, including the King James Version.  Trouble came to Tyndale for using "congregation" instead of "church", "elder" instead of "priest", and "repent" instead of "do penance".  He also coined English words such as godly and atonement.  William Tyndale was a hero of the Protestant Reformation.   

Psalm 127:3 (A Bible Translation Comparison)

 (ESV)"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward."  

(LSB)"Behold, children are an inheritance of Yahweh, The fruit of the womb is a reward." 

(CSB)"Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward." 

(NRSV)"Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward." 

In Psalm 127:3 we have an unusual occurrence.  Two Bible translations (ESV,LSB) that do not usually use gender neutral language have "children".  On the other hand, two Bible translations (CSB,NRSV) that do regularly use gender neutral language have "sons".   

How Tall Was Goliath?

 Goliath was a champion of the Philistines who fought against the army of Israel.  David defeated Goliath with a sling and a stone (1 Samuel 17:50).  

(1 Samuel 17:4)"And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span." (ESV) 

A cubit was about 18 inches and a span was about 9 inches.  The Old Testament manuscripts differ on the height of Goliath.  The Masoretic Text (Hebrew text) has six cubits and a span (9ft. 9in.) and this is followed by most translations (ESV,LSB,NIV,CSB,NKJV).  On the other hand, the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament), a Dead Sea Scroll (Qumran manuscript), and Josephus (Jewish historian) say Goliath was four cubits and a span (6ft. 9in.) and this is followed by the NRSV and NET.   

When A Monk Married A Nun

 In 1525 a former monk married a former nun.  Their names were Martin Luther (1483-1546) and Katherina von Bora (1499-1552).  Martin Luther joined the monastery and was ordained as a priest in 1507.  Katherina von Bora joined a convent at the age of 16.  

Of course Martin Luther led the Protestant Reformation.  Through his study of the Bible, Luther came to see that the Roman Catholic Church was in error on the gospel and the authority of Scripture.  He also found that the Catholic doctrine forbidding clergy to marry was not Biblical.  In 1521 Martin Luther was declared a heretic and an outlaw for his stand on Biblical teaching which the Roman Catholic Church opposed.  

Eventually the writings of Martin Luther made their way into the convent where Katherina von Bora and other nuns were able to read them.  In 1523 Luther arranged for several nuns including Katherina von Bora to be smuggled out of the convent in fish barrels. 

Luther tried to arrange several different marriages for Katherina von Bora but none was successful.  Eventually he decided to marry her himself.  The couple were married in June of 1525, and a former monk married a former nun. 

Martin and Katie Luther had a good marriage.  Luther referred to her as, "Katie my rib." He also said, "I would not exchange my Katie for Paris or all of France, for Venice or all of Italy, for God has given her to me and has given me to her." Katie Luther managed the home and often engaged in theological discussion  with her husband, Martin Luther.  The couple had six children together.      

Did God Create Jesus? (Colossians 1:15)

(Colossians 1:15)"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." (ESV) 

This verse has been used by ancient Arians and modern day Jehovah's Witnesses to deny the deity of Christ.  They suggest that the phrase "firstborn of all creation" means Jesus was a created being.  But this verse needs to be looked at in context.  An important verse for background in correctly understanding Colossians 1:15 is Psalm 89:27. 

(Psalm 89:27)"And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth." (ESV) 

The Psalm is speaking about David who was not the firstborn of his family.  He was actually the youngest of his brothers.  The term "firstborn" is figurative, actually meaning highest rank.  

So in Colossians 1:15 "firstborn of all creation" actually means Jesus ranks above all creation.  This fits the context of the Colossians 1:15-20 passage.  The passage says all things were created by him, through him, and for him.  He is said to be preeminent and in him all the fullness of God dwells.  

Jesus is the Creator, he is not part of the creation.  Jesus is co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father.  Jesus is indeed, God.