The parable of the wheat and the tares, among others, explains our role in choosing a path between settling for our earthly lineage, or taking our royal place in the lineage of Christ.

Jesus told his apostles he was sent not to bring peace, but a sword. What does he mean by this, and how does it relate to the Messianic expectations of Jews under Roman rule?

When asked to think of Jesus, most people probably think of his miracles. But what do his miracles teach us, why are the stories about them told in the order they are, and is there some greater miracle underneath them all?

Jesus taught us how to pray, when to use judgment (and when to avoid it), the dangers of pride, and tied it all into his role as Redeemer of all creation.

The “Old Testament” is the covenant Yahweh instituted on Mt. Sinai, when he called Israel to be a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. The New Covenant is Jesus’ fulfillment and upgrade of this covenant, where he takes the kingdom of priests, and turns everything upside down.

Early in his ministry, Jesus comes into confrontation with important symbols of Jewish life. What we learn from these encounters highlights the difference between Heaven and Earth, Light and Darkness, between God and Man.

The story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness could have come from only one source: the Lord Himself. This is Jesus’ account not only of his own temptation, but of how temptation will appear in our lives.

The baptism of Jesus is not just a symbol of Jesus’ death, but a fulfillment of many Old Testament events pointing toward the Messiah, and teaches lessons about God as Creator, as giver of mercy, as liberator, as guide, as personal Savior, and as God.

John chapter 1 is more than a simple story; it’s the decoder ring to the entire Gospel of John, which is revealed by John’s first chapter to be a carefully honed narrative, crafted and pruned to show only the most vital concepts and events to help us believe in Jesus and live through Him.

When we look at these treasured scriptures from a new perspective, a much more traumatic narrative emerges. And a much more comforting one.