In the book of Acts (Acts 8:26–40) we find an interesting “special mission.” An angel of the Lord suddenly appears to Philip, giving him an assignment: “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Having accepted the mission, Philip then receives further instructions: “Go to that chariot and stay near…
The book of John tells a parable not mentioned in the other Gospels (John 9). One Sabbath Jesus met a man who had been blind since birth. His disciples asked if whether the man or his parents committed some sin for him to have been afflicted with such a condition. Responding that neither was the…
In the parable of the sower (Matt 13:1–23; Mark 4:1–20; and Luke 8:4–15), Jesus tells the story of a farmer sowing his seeds, scattering them into both good and bad soil. Jesus then interprets the parable, explaining the outcome for each terrain where the seeds fell. Interestingly, the farmer in this story seems quite inept.…