The Mr. Campbell Bible Study

 I started doing an in-depth study of Romans this week. Here's been my process so far: I made sure I am solid on my understanding of what the Epistle to the Romans is. It's a letter from Paul to Christian believers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, in Rome, the capitol of the world (at that time). It was written around the time described in Acts 20 (most likely), when Paul was heading to Jerusalem. It was also most likely written after Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome because of "Chrestus," which many scholars believe is a reference to Jesus. By expelling the Jews from Rome but leaving any non-Jewish believers, Claudius effectively caused a division among the Christians between Jewish and non-Jewish cultures. As the church grew without the influence of Jewish customs and traditions, it became a very non-Jewish environment. So, once the Jews were permitted to return to Rome, they encountered a church that felt foreign and possibly even pagan. It is most likely to th...

Why do another Bible Study blog? Aren't there enough on this here intenet-sphere? Probably. But the point here isn't to do something new, different, or original. It's not even (horror) to gain followers or have a wide following. The point here is, simply, to record the discoveries, realizations, and revelations encountered as I work my way through the Bible in-depth, utilizing the tools and research currently available, but approaching the subject with the level of respect and trust that comes from believing in the divine inspiration of scripture. But what do I mean by the "inspiration of scripture"? Or "scripture" for that matter? By "inspired," I'm referring to the claims made by Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16, as translated by the NASB and the NLT, among others: "All scripture is inspired by God." This same claim is translated by the NIV as "God-breathed" and by the ESV as "breathed out by God." The KJV puts...