Dr Paul Allen

The angels told the disciples that Jesus will return “in the same way” in which he ascended to heaven (Acts 1:11). Does that mean that he will return on the Mount of Olives, “a Sabbath day’s walk from the city” east of Jerusalem (Acts 1:12 NIV), where this event took place? The prophecy in Zechariah 14 seems to confirm this: “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem.… Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him” (vv. 4–5 NIV).  However, the angels’ reference to the “manner” of Jesus’ ascension refers to the heavens and to the cloud, not to the location of Jesus’ return. The context of the angels’ explanation clarifies that the task that the disciples have been given is more important than the details of Jesus’ return. Indeed, even more important than waiting for Jesus’ return in Jerusalem.  The question “why do you stand here looking into the sky?” (Acts 1:11 NIV) reminds them that they have been commissioned by ...

"Son of man" appears 25 times in Luke, a copy (c. 800) shown here. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.” ( Matthew 21:4-5 ) When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on an unbroken donkey colt on that momentous first day of the week, just a week before His resurrection, the multitudes quickly recognized that He was fulfilling an ancient prophecy and thereby specifically claiming to be their long-awaited Messiah . The prophecy was that of Zechariah 9:9, and the people in turn began to fulfill David’s even more ancient prophecy, laying palm branches in His path, and crying out: “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD ” ( Psalm 118:26 ). This is one of the few events in the life of Christ that are recorded in all four gospels, though only Matthew notes it as the fulfi...

The Lord Jesus Christ was about to depart for heaven to return to His former glory ( cf. John 17:1–6). Before doing that, He left the apostles with a final, dramatic moment which provided powerful motivation for carrying on His work. To their amazement, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (cf. vv. 2, 11, 22).  Jesus, in His glorious resurrection body, left this world for the realm of heaven to take His place on the throne at God’s right hand. Back on the Mount of Olives (Luke 24:50), the shocked apostles were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing. To their further consternation, angels, described as two men in white clothing, suddenly appeared and stood beside them.  Such angelic appearances were not unusual (Gen. 18:2; Josh. 5:13–15; Mark 16:5). Two of them confirm the promise of Christ ’s return as true (cf. John 8:17). These angels asked the bewildered apostles, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand...

To the Glory of God  (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) What is the goal of the Christian life ? It is godliness born of obedience to Christ . Obedience unlocks the riches of the Christian experience. Prayer prompts and nurtures obedience, putting the heart into the proper "frame of mind" to desire obedience. Of course, knowledge is also important because without it we cannot know what God requires. However, knowledge and truth remain abstract unless we commune with God in prayer. The Holy Spirit teaches, inspires, and illumines God's Word to us. He mediates the Word of God and assists us in responding to the Father in prayer. Simply put, prayer has a vital place in the life of the Christian . One might pray and not be a Christian, but one cannot be a Christian and not pray. Romans 8:15 tells us that the spiritual adoption that has made us sons of God causes us to cry out in verbal expressions: "Abba! Father!" Prayer is to the Christian what breath is to life, ...

Jesus casting out the money changers from the Temple by Giotto, 14th century (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The sun rises just before 6:30 A.M. in Bethany , the small village on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives , just a mile and a half east of Jerusalem. It is Monday morning, March 30, A.D. 33. Jesus of Nazareth is staying in the humble home of his friends Martha (whose anxiety-driven hospitality had received his gentle rebuke), Mary (who chose the good portion), and Lazarus (whose body would still be in the grave apart from the wonder-working of the Christ). Just the day before — the first day of the last week of his life — Jesus had made his Triumphal Entry into the Holy City , riding on a donkey over a royal “red carpet” of palm branches and cloaks, hailed by his disciples and the Galilean pilgrims as the messianic king. But Monday would be different than Sunday. Jesus knew the heart of man (John 2:24–25). He knew the acclaim of the disciples and the crowd was built o...

Jesus in Pray (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Prayer , at least private prayer, is difficult to do out of a false motive. One can preach out of a false motive, as do the false prophets. One can be involved in Christian activities out of false motives. Many of the externals of religion can be done from false motives. However, it is highly unlikely that anyone would commune with God out of some improper motive. We are invited, even commanded, to pray. Prayer is both a privilege and a duty, and any duty can become laborious. Prayer, like any means of growth for the Christian, requires work. In a sense, prayer is unnatural to us. Though we were created for fellowship and communion with God, the effects of the fall have left most of us lazy and indifferent toward something as important as prayer. Rebirth quickens a new desire for communion with God, but sin resists the Spirit. We can take comfort from the fact that God knows our hearts and hears our unspoken petitions as well as the words ...

Christonmountolive (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 24:1–2 “He answered them, ‘You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down’” (v. 2). Matthew 23:38 is in the present tense in the original Greek, which is a way biblical authors often make statements of certainty. The desolation of  Jerusalem’s house — the temple — is sure to come. Secondly, verse 39 might indicate that this event is not God’s final word on the nation that has rejected His Son. On the one hand, Jesus ’ promise that the city will not see Him again until it says, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” may mean that the Jews who have rejected Him will bow to Him as King of kings when He returns, just like every other person who has denied Him (Phil. 2:5–11). Of course, only those who have received Him before His return will be saved, Jew  and Gentile alike. On the other hand, the “...