The Reformed Olive Press

                           Matthew 16:17-19: Peter's link to Jeremiah 1 Matthew 16:17-19 English Standard Version 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on (this-houtos) rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Jeremiah 1:18-19 English Standard Version 18  And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land . 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lor...

                                            Angels of Children and Peter Matthew 18:10 English Standard Version 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven  their angels  always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.   Hebrews 1:14 English Standard Version 14 Are they not  all ministering spirits  sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?   1 Kings 19:5-6 English Standard Version 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold,  there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again .   Luke 22:43 English Standard Version 43 And there appeared to him  an angel from heaven, strengthening him   NOTE: What Jesu...

                                                                               A Case for the Local Flood The biblical story of Noah’s flood has been a source of fascination and debate for centuries. While many adhere to the interpretation of a worldwide flood, others propose a local-regional flood view, arguing that the deluge described in Genesis was local rather than worldwide. The Hebrew text of Genesis 6–9 uses terms like "eretz," often translated as "earth," but this word can also mean "land" or a specific region. For example, in Genesis 12:1, God tells Abram to leave his "eretz" (land), which clearly refers to a specific territory, not the entire planet. See other examples below. Kol and Eretz Genesis 2:11 English Standard Version 11 The name of the firs...

                                          Isaiah 3:12 is Not a Prohibition on Female Leadership Isaiah 3:12 English Standard Version 12 My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.   NOTE: Isaiah 3:12 is not a proof text to be used against Deborah the judge. If Deborah was a judgment to the people, so would the male judges. However, the text never says that at all. First, this is a descriptive text (not a prescriptive text), second, it is a variant (see below). You never make doctrines out of variants. Third, it can be interpreted in another way: Isaiah is using insulting, figurative language to describe the wicked rulers of Israel as childish/immature and feminine/weak. Compare to Isaiah 3:4 for figurative language.   Variants Isaiah 3:12 Good News Translation 12 ...

                                                         The Role of Women in the Church There are many misconceptions on male headship. Headship is not about leadership, authority, decision making, and ruling over others. The head is positionally higher than the body, yet it doesn't mean that the body is under authority of the head. For example, Bill Gates is a high authority in the technology world, but it doesn't mean he has authority over all the people in the state of Pennsylvania. Yes, it's true that men were considered higher than women in society. However, this cultural position did NOT give them some sort of divine authority over their wives. In fact, Jesus' taught an elevated humility, which focused on elevating others over one's self. The head was considered the sourc...