To understand the tax collectors of Jesus’ day and how they were viewed by their fellow Jews, we must first gain some insight into tax system in Israel. At the time of Jesus, Israel was under Roman occupation, and Rome exercised its authority over Israel by placing governors over some of its provinces (e.g., the … Continue reading Jesus, Friend of Sinners
Death the Intruder, Christ the Victor
Death is an intruder. And everything that leads to death—sickness, pain, old-age, heart-attacks, high-blood pressure, brain aneurisms, and cancer—are also all intruders. We live in world that is not the way it’s supposed to be. But even before any of these intruders entered our existence there was a more primal intruder: sin. It was sin … Continue reading Death the Intruder, Christ the Victor
