Olive Tree Blog
Category

Historical

Category

Articles on Studying Christian History

Whether we’re talking about ancient Christians, cultures, or events, you can find it here under the historical category. We at Olive Tree think that ancient Christian history is important. It is our hope that the articles on studying Christian history will inspire you in your learning.

So, what are you waiting for? Start reading Augustine’s thoughts on the beatitudes, or learn how the Protestant reformation began. Get an overview with 14 Facts About Biblical Life or a short bio on John Wesley. Or, better yet, learn why you should care about ancient Christian history at all.

Historical

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Have you heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls? If you haven’t you may be suspiciously wondering about some long-lost ancient scrolls that were accidentally discovered in some caves somewhere. And, if that’s what you’re thinking, you’d be exactly right! Let’s learn more about the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls…

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Historical

How to Use the Zondervan Illustrated Collection

The Zondervan Illustrated Collection combines three of the best individual Bible study titles together in one collection. This blog post will walk you through how to use these three resources to get more out of your Bible study. Here’s what’s included in the package: The Zondervan Atlas of the BibleThe…

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Historical

Running the Race: Hebrews 12

The Bible is filled with pictures and metaphors from its extensive cultural context. Often, these metaphors are used in such a way as to encourage us to walk in obedience. Once such metaphor comes from the world of sports. In this case, the world of the arena and the games.…

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Historical

David and Goliath

We all know there is typically far more going on beneath the surface of the biblical text than what we pick up on with a cursory reading or two. This is where resources like the IVP Bible Background Commentary can help fill in the gaps and bring the ancient world…

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Saul King of Israel
Historical

5 Reasons Israel Wanted Saul as King

In First Samuel, we see Israel transition from a system of Judges to a monarchy. Although the narrative does give us a close-up view of what got the nation to this point, it’s helpful to zoom out and examine the factors at play. Why would Israel prefer a system like…

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Historical

Jewish Customs in the Bible

Jewish Customs

The Bible reminds me of a museum full of masterful oil paintings. Each painting (book) has things in the background, the foreground, different textures and details; some elements might be hard to interpret on first glance. Because we are not the original audience, it can be extremely enlightening to ask…

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Timothy Prophecy
Historical

Excerpt: Prophecies About Timothy (WBC)

In his pastoral epistles, Paul makes a number of references to the prophetic experience(s) that Timothy underwent. While it may seem like a fleeting and peripheral issue to some readers, proper exegetical care may inform our interpretation. Below, we will examine the prophecies about Timothy and encourage you to draw…

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ZIBBC clearing the temple
Historical

Why did Jesus Clear the Temple?

The image of Jesus as a gentle teacher surrounded by children is only partially correct. There is another side to Jesus – a warrior. He was the very definition of counter-culture, often speaking up for the voiceless or defending the Word of God from becoming warped by the religious elite.…

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Historical

The Relationship Between Jude and 2 Peter

Jude and 2 Peter

Jude and 2 Peter are two small-but-mighty NT books that often get overshadowed by the surrounding Hebrews, James, and Revelation. Upon first (and second, and third) reading, it’s apparent that there is some sort of link between the epistles. How are Jude and 2 Peter related? Let’s find out. The…

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