“What was the Sanhedrin?”……The term Sanhedrin is from a Greek word that means "assembly" or "council" and dates from the Hellenistic period, but the concept is one that goes back to the Bible. In the Torah, God commands Moses Numbers 11:16 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Gather before me seventy men who are recognized […]

“Who were the Sadducees and the Pharisees?”……Answer: The Gospels refer often to the Sadducees and Pharisees, as Jesus was in constant conflict with them. The Sadducees and Pharisees comprised the ruling class of Israel. There are many similarities between the two groups but important differences between them as well.……The Sadducees: During the time of Christ […]

Shechem, Sichem, Sychem, Sychar [ShÔöÇ├┤’chem]-SHOULDER. 1. A son of Hamor, a Hivite prince-"a prince of the country"-that is, of Shechem. It is not certain whether the Levitical city was named after the son of Hamor, or whether he was named after the city (Gen. 33:18, 19, 34; Josh. 24:32; Judg. 9:28). The Man Who Disgraced […]

Solomon His name means: “Peaceable” His work: The son of King David and Bathsheba, Solomon was the third king of Israel. His character: Known until this day as the wisest man who ever lived. His sorrow: Although he was an extremely intelligent man, later in his life he became disobedient to God and sacrificed everything […]

Sosthenes[SÔö╝├às’thenÔöÇ├┤s]…–of sound strength or saviour from "i save." The chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth who suffered at the hands of the Hellenistic Greeks when Gallio dismissed the case against Paul (Acts 18:17 RV). The believer or "brother" whom Paul unites with himself in addressing the Corinthian Church (1 Cor. 1:1). Perhaps both references […]

“Why is it important to study the various characters in the Bible?”……The Bible is filled with characters, literally and figuratively. Perhaps the best way to describe how the Bible portrays its characters is “human” because they are, in fact, human. The Bible is true and the people that inhabit its pages were real people with […]

“What should we learn from the life of Stephen?”……Acts 6:5 introduces a faithful man of God named Stephen: "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit." It is noteworthy that there have always been those faithful believers whose love for and commitment to the Lord seem to shine through so greatly that others […]