The Encourager

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Sunday School Lesson

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 Marriage and the Family - Dr. Sandy Higgins explores the roles of parents, raising children, abortion, courtship, the Basis of Christian Living in the Home, God's Pattern Under Pressure, Heartbroken Homes, Being Single, Failing Fathers and other topics from the Bible's point of view.

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 George Müller Biography - George Müller was one of the early brethren in the United Kingdom who is known for his work of faith among orphan children by running his organization by faith to provide for their needs.

"May it not be the will of God that I should establish schools for these children, asking Him to give me the means?"

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Gloria Christopherson

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Free Online Bible Commentaries

The Online Bible Search program at Gospel Hall provides free online Bible commentaries, dictionaries and concordance features.  The free online bible commentaries are available along with the dictionary under the link titled "Online Bible Search" or here.

Instructions for the Free Online Bible Commentaries

1. Select the link Free Online Bible Commentaries.

2. Choose a Bible version to read online (ASV -American Standard Version, BBE - Bible in Basic English, DBY - Darby "New Translation",  GFR - God's Word for Readers,  KJV - King James Version, WEB - World English Bible, YLT - Young's Literal Translation, or the ESV - English Standard Version)  The online bible commentaries are based on the King James Version except for Darby who used his own Darby Translation in his commentaries.

3. Select one of the online commentaries (Barnes Notes on the New Testament, Darby's Synopsis of the Entire Bible, William Kelly's Notes on the Bible, Jamison Brown Faucett, or Robertson's Word Pictures on the New Testament).  Some of the online commentaries are only for the NT.  Others include both the OT and NT.

About the Free Online Bible Commentaries

Albert Barnes (1798–1870) was an American theologian, born at Rome, New York, on December 1, 1798. He graduated from Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, in 1820, and from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1823. Barnes was ordained as a Presbyterian minister by the presbytery of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, in 1825, and was the pastor successively of the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, New Jersey (1825–1830), and of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia (1830–1867).

Of the well-known Notes on the New Testament, it is said that more than a million volumes had been issued by 1870. The Notes on Job, the Psalms, Isaiah and Daniel found scarcely less acceptance. Displaying no original critical power, their chief merit lies in the fact that they bring in a popular (but not always accurate) form the results of the criticism of others within the reach of general readers. Barnes was the author of several other works of a practical and devotional kind, including Scriptural Views of Slavery (1846) and The Way of Salvation (1863). A collection of his Theological Works was published in Philadelphia in 1875.

John Nelson Darby, (November 18, 1800 - April 29, 1882) was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren, and founder of the Darbyites. He is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism.

WILLIAM KELLY — the title-pages of whose works generally bear only the initials "W. K." — was born in the North of Ireland, in 1820. Being early left fatherless, he was already supporting himself by tuition to the family of Mr. Cachemaille, Rector of Sark, when, in 1840, he made the Christian confession, and he shortly afterwards embraced the views of the church characteristic to "brethren", with whom he then at once united. He retained a close connection with the Channel Islands for thirty years, residing chiefly in Guernsey, but for the latter half of his Christian career his home was at Blackheath.

He was a graduate, in classical honours, of Trinity College, Dublin, and was recognised as not merely a sound, erudite scholar, but a controversialist of formidable calibre. Besides aiding Dr. S. P. Tregelles in his investigations as a Biblical textual critic, Mr. Kelly himself published, in 1860, a critical edition of the Revelation of John, which Professor Heinrich Ewald, of Goettingen, declared was the best piece of English work of the kind that he had seen.

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What is the difference in Isaiah 9:6" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 9:6 between the expressions the “child born” and the “Son given”?

There is an important difference, I believe, and one which the exponents of what they term “the New Light,” as to the Eternal Sonship of our Lord, would do well to consider. Why is the “child” said to be “born,” but the “Son” not born, but “given”? We read in Isaiah 7:14" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 7:14 that God had been pleased to offer to king Ahaz a sign to confirm his doubting soul, that the line of David would not be superseded by the son of Tabeal, according to the Satanic design of Rezin and Pekah, which would have set aside the purpose of God regarding His future King, who must be of the seed of David according to the flesh. Ahaz had liberty of choice; he might ask for any sign in the depth, that is commensurate with the drying up of the Red Sea, or in the height commensurate with the standing still of the sun in answer to Joshua’s prayer. The king who was continually tempting God by his disobedience, refused this offer: He would not tempt the Lord, he said. Very well, then, the Lord will give a sign greater than any other known so far in the history of the world—the Virgin Birth of Him who was God:
“Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (v. 14). A great effort of unbelief has been made to show that the word,” ‘almãh,” translated “virgin,” should be rather rendered “young married woman.” Such an objection hardly shows unusual scholarship, so much as a lack of common sense; for the fact of a young married woman having a son would be no sign at all. In this verse, in the phrase “a virgin shall.. . bear a son,” the same verb is used as in Isaiah 9:6," TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 9:6, “a child is born.” Here the Son is viewed as the Son of
Mary in the sense of Matthew 1:25" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 1:25 “She brought forth her first-born Son.” Why then is the “Son” said to be “given” in Isaiah 9:6" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 9:6? The reason is that there the One born is viewed as the One who had already been Son from all eternity. He could not become that by human birth. The child was born, but God gave His Eternal Son.

W.H.

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How do the Scriptures look upon such as habitually absent themselves from the Breaking of Bread, and are seldom or never seen at the Gospel Meeting or the Prayer Meeting? Has Numbers 9:13" TARGET="_blank">Numbers 9:13 any application to them?

I do not think that we could apply Numbers 9." TARGET="_blank">Numbers 9. 13 to them, unless by way of pointing out from it how seriously neglect of obedience to God’s commands was dealt with under law, in any case where there was no legitimate excuse for it. It must, however, be understood that “shall be cut off from among his people”, does not necessarily imply that his fellow-Israelites were to slay him. See Leviticus 20" TARGET="_blank">Leviticus 20: , where in various verses a clear distinction seems to be drawn between “shall be cut off” and “shall be put to death,” the former referring to action taken by the Lord Himself. Something similar is seen, even in the days of grace, in 1 Cor. 11:30," TARGET="_blank">1 Cor. 11:30, where certain members of the assembly had been taken away by death, not indeed for absence from the Supper, but for irreverence when present.

Where there is habitual absence from the meetings, something else lies behind it, the absence being merely a symptom of a deeper disorder. In some instances it means that the person concerned is beginning to turn away from all that he once professed to have and enjoy. In Hebrews 10:25-31" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 10:25-31 the “FORSAKING OF THE ASSEMBLING OF OUR. SELVES TOGETHER” seems to be viewed as the first manifestatior outwardly of a course which ends in apostasy; and the individual who is guilty of it may eventually prove to be an “adversary” (ver. 27). In other cases the staying away is due to some real or imagined grievance, and if there is any substance whatever in this grievance, an effort should be made to remove it if possible.

Between these two extremes lie many differing degrees of backsliding by which the trouble may be caused, and which should give scope for the exercise of any pastoral gift or activity there may be in the assembly. And in the course of this it may possibly be discovered that due allowance has not been made for the circumstances of the person, and for hindrances which may make regular attendance a difficult matter.

On the other hand, where absence from the meetings has been entire, and for a prolonged period, the point might require to be considered, whether the one concerned is still to be looked upon as a member of the assembly, or whether it should be made clear that he is no longer such. Otherwise, unnecessary reproach may be brought on the saints through his actions, even years afterwards.

W.R.

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Printable Nativity Scenes

A printable manger scene for your Sunday school craft.  This Christmas, create a creche with the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the wise men and the shepherds at the stable in Bethlehem the first Christmas night.

This printable nativity scene can be printed, cut and taped in less than one hour. 

Click here or the picture to download the printable PDF file.

Other Printable Resources

If you are a Bible class teacher, you may also be interested in the items in the Sunday School section of this site.

- Word puzzle creators to create your own crossword puzzles and word games.

- Sunday school worksheets ready made for almost every story in the Bible.

- Other printable activities such as a printable 3D model of the Tabernacle or a 3D printable model of Noah's ark .

- Subscribe to The Encourager, a monthly newsletter for Sunday school teachers.

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