Kenny Boles

Let’s consider the what, why, and how of Jesus’ parables in the Bible. What are parables? Why does Jesus speak in parables? How should they be interpreted? These are important questions, and the answers can be both simple and challenging. What Is a Parable? Imagine how hard it would be to teach the concept of […]

*Editor’s Note: Around Christmastime, “shepherd” bring to mind images of tranquility and warmth. Yet it was not always so. What did ancient people generally think of shepherds? And how does the Bible use the word? As a longtime expert in New Testament Greek, Kenny Boles explains the historical background of this profession, as well as […]

“It is finished!” The cry from the cross rings out across the years. In the Greek New Testament, it is only one word (tetelestai—teh TEL es tie), but that word is packed with meaning. A brief look at the many ways the word was used in those days will greatly enlarge our appreciation for what […]

What is a covenant? In English the word usually means an “agreement” or “a written contract.” But what did the word mean in Greek—specifically in the original Greek New Testament? When Paul and others wrote about God’s covenant with humans, there were two Greek words from which to choose: syntheke (soon THAY kay) and diatheke (dee […]

The wine merchant of ancient times had a reputation somewhere between that of a used-car salesman and a dope peddler. He eagerly hawked his merchandise in the marketplace, promising an ample measure of the finest quality wine. In truth, his product was usually watered down and adulterated, measured out in false measure to make a […]

“In my Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). A mansion! Now you’re talking! Someday yonder—just over the hilltop—I’m going to have a mansion! I want a gold one, that’s silver lined. The Greek word for ‘”mansion” in this verse is mone (mo NAY). It is used only […]

What’s in a name? Sometimes a great deal! Take, for instance, the name Immanuel. Joseph had taken Mary as his betrothed fiancée. Upon learning that she was pregnant with a child not his own, Joseph determined to divorce her. At this point the angel of the Lord stepped in to explain that the child was […]

Did you ever lie back and watch the stars on a summer evening? As the earth rotates, the starry hosts of heaven march grandly across the sky in perfect formation. But wait—there’s a star out of formation! It’s not in the same place as before! What is this wandering star? The Greeks had a name […]