Online Bible Institute | Noel Card | Activity

Noel Card posted an update: This session emphasized how Jesus and the apostles […]

Wed, 20 May 2026 17:33:47 -0400

This session emphasized how Jesus and the apostles thought about the Hebrew Bible, viewing this scripture as pointing to a savior. Jesus specifically said this was pointing to Him (Luke 24), but this was difficult for his followers to understand after he was crucified. I particularly liked the discussion around Luke 24:15, “But their eyes were…

Noel Card posted an update: The reflection question asks about common experiences […]

Tue, 19 May 2026 16:38:00 -0400

The
reflection question asks about common experiences with the Hebrew Bible (what
we now call Old Testament). While much
of the Old Testament is wonderful, allowing us to begin to understand “the
heart of Yahweh” (as one of the students in the video expressed it), I have had
two challenges. First, I have struggled to
understand what parts of…

Noel Card posted an update: The in-depth study of Hebrew and Greek words translated […]

Tue, 12 May 2026 17:52:11 -0400

The
in-depth study of Hebrew and Greek words translated as “righteousness” was
fascinating. The discussion went through
three meanings: (1) actions of a person doing right by another person in their
relationship; (2) ethical behavior that aligns with God’s will; and (3) being
in right relationship with God. He then
describes the…

Noel Card posted a new activity comment

Tue, 12 May 2026 15:09:27 -0400

This last piece – “wrestle with language… wrestle with scripture” – is a great summary. Word study seems both challenging and rewarding, just as understanding God’s message is. Great note about how our insight can be applied when counseling others.

In reply to - Leah posted an update

I am thoroughly enjoying this and love the example of “raysheet” and how it has multiple meanings depending on the context and I love diving into the various verses where it’s used to see […]

Noel Card posted an update: This session used word studies to illustrate the […]

Tue, 12 May 2026 15:05:19 -0400

This session used word studies to illustrate the semantic range (range of meanings) of words, considering the English word “run” and then using the Hebrew word ‘raysheet’. Like several of the questions asked by the students in the video, I worry about how different translations can convey different meanings. However, Dr. Mackie said two…

Noel Card posted an update: Thinking about the languages and historic settings in […]

Fri, 08 May 2026 14:12:13 -0400

Thinking about the languages and historic settings in which the Bible was written prompts a sense of awe at God’s ability and willingness to communicate to us. He, being timeless and omniscient, communicates to humans, who are bound in time and limited understanding. God’s communication to one human author of a book in the Bible is therefore…

Noel Card posted an update: This second session continued with great ideas and […]

Wed, 06 May 2026 19:33:44 -0400

This second session continued with great ideas and insights. I appreciate the ‘encyclopedia versus dictionary’ model to emphasize the need to understand the language and culture of the authors. I anticipate the rest of the course will describe the tools for understanding the contexts of the (human) writers, but I want to suggest two…

Noel Card posted a new activity comment

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:49:37 -0400

Great insight to look at some different translations, Leah! I see what you mean about the very different wordings of “heaven” (NASB) and “sky” (NIV). I also see that the ESV translates this into “Heaven” (capitalized). These translations also use different terms for “expanse” (NASB and ESV) that Dr. Mackie talked about: “vault” in NIV,…

In reply to - Leah posted an update

The creation story is one I have always read and never really struggled with – if it’s poetry, cool – if it’s literal, cool – it has never bothered me when other viewpoints are presented, […]

Noel Card posted a new activity comment

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:48:06 -0400

In reply to - Leah posted an update

Noel Card posted an update: This first session of The Wonderful World of Words […]

Mon, 04 May 2026 12:51:59 -0400

This first session of The Wonderful World of Words really pulled me into the topic. Dr. Mackie used a small piece of scripture (Genesis 1: 1-8) that I have read dozens – maybe hundreds – of times before, to illustrate how we can lose meaning when words become overfamiliar. If we read passages of the bible too quickly – and I admit that I am…