Why did Jesus die? What purpose did his death serve? And who gets to decide what that purpose is? These are all important, let’s say essential questions, to discovering the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross. A fascinating passage in John’s gospel provides answers to these questions as John…

Through the prophet Isaiah, God promised that one day his people would be fruitful beyond all measure. Their shame, disgrace, and vulnerability would be taken away and their joy restored. Let’s see how God uses the picture of the barren, widowed, and divorced woman to show his people that their…

Most scholars recognize that Matthew’s gospel places a strong emphasis on showing that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament Scriptures. R. T. France, in his commentary on Matthew in the New International Commentary series, actual says that fulfillment is “the central theme of Matthew’s gospel.” Let’s look at how Matthew draws…

While most of the church’s growth over the centuries has been marked by slow and steady progress, there have been remarkable works of God when the church grew rapidly in a rather short amount of time. Historians have typically referred to these supernatural works of God as revivals or awakenings.…

How are you doing in the area of contentment? How full is your level of satisfaction with your spouse, family, career, or church? How content are you in your walk with the Lord? As much as you may be pressing on toward goals and aspiring to grow, how much is…

We’re willing to bet that you haven’t heard of Charles Henry Mackintosh or his Notes on the Pentateuch. That’s okay! In full transparency, we didn’t know much about him either before we started working on making his best-known writings available in the Olive Tree Bible App. Before we look at…

Since its release on the Olive Tree Bible App in August of 2022, the Legacy Standard Bible has been one of our best-selling Bibles. Building on the legacy of the New American Standard Bible, the Legacy Standard Bible aims to clearly and consistently translate the Word of God into the…