TEMPLE LEADERS ORGANIZED an ambush with the intent of placing Jesus under arrest, but it was not yet time. He evaded their trap, pronouncing harsh judgment on them. The "woes" He lists against the religious leaders contrast with the first seven blessings that introduce the Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5:3-9). He accused the …
The Learned Humility of Paul
Sociological studies of the early Christian church indicate that the vast majority of Christians during the first three centuries belonged to the lower echelons of society, or at least did not fit well in the higher ranks. We know from the Gospels that Jesus spent most of His time with poor, ill, and despised people. …