Pastor Caroline Barclay Nov. 30, 2025

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - FAITHFUL

 FAITHFUL

The dictionary defines faithful as: true to one’s word, promises, vows; reliable, trusted,  believed; adhering or true to fact.*

Are we always faithful to what we say or pledge or are we often more indifferent to what we say and pledge? It is often easy to take short-cuts in life rather than aways do or follow the correct path. Most people tend to veer off course at least once and awhile, if not frequently. 

At times, it may be that one is not faithful to a pledge because of uncertainty or poor memory, but it often happens as well that one may be trying to alter facts to accommodate present circumstances. In such circumstances, one could be referred to as an unreliable or inconsistent witness.

Throughout the Bible, situations are often referred to as being a witness. For example, in Genesis 31:44 we are told that Laban said to Jacob:

“…let us make a covenant, you and I, 

and let it be a witness between you and me.”

In Exodus 20:16 Moses received the commandment:

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

 

Which obviously indicates that not all witness will be true.

In Leviticus 5:1 we are told:

 

If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, 

and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter—

if he does not tell it, he bears guilt.

Perhaps it is for that reason that James 5:12 states:

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, 

either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. 

But let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No,” “No,” 

lest you fall into judgement.

Without care, a witness may not be everything that is expected of him, But isn’t it good to know that a witness can be true and accurate all the time and so can be faithful to the purpose for which they are a witness? Such is mentioned in the Bible only twice and only toward two people.

So they said to Jeremiah, 

“Let the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, 

if we do not do according to everything which the Lord your God 

sends us by you. 

(Jeremiah 42:5)

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead… 

(Revelation 1:5) 

…And you hold fast to My name, 

and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas 

was My faithful martyr [witness]… 

(Revelation 2:13)

Isn’t it good to know that when we may need a witness,        and be certain that what we are told is true, we can depend on Christ as being a faithful purveyor of the truth and for us a faithful witness?

Just something more to think about.

*Dictionary. com

Pastor Matthew Trott Nov. 23, 2025

Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Gospel of Mark Part 21

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - PURPLE

 PURPLE*

It is said that in the Bible there are few, if any, details which are not of some significance. In that case, one has to wonder why the colour purple is used so frequently; is it just because we consider it to be the colour of royalty?

Purple is really the combination of two primary colours - blue and red. It is mentioned 26 times in the book of Exodus alone and always in association with both blue and red or scarlet. In the New Testament, the colour purple is used either by itself or in association with scarlet but never with the colour blue.

So does this little detail have any real significance or not? In Exodus, the instructions for the curtains in the tabernacle were given.

Moreover you shall make the tabernacle 

with ten curtains of fine woven linen, 

and blue, purple, and scarlet thread; 

with artistic designs of cherubim you shall weave them. 

(Exodus 26:1)

The purple colour would come about because the blue and scarlet threads would be so tightly woven together that it would appear as purple thread. Thus, the two other colours meeting together would produce the third colour.

In the times of the Exodus, the tabernacle was the tent of meeting; the place where the two main entities of life at that time, God and man, could come together. In such a place and time, blue represented the heavens, i.e.: God, and so was always stated as coming first. And of course, red represents the colour of the earth of the Middle East and it was from earth man came and it was to earth he would return. In addition it should be noted that the Hebrew word for man is Adam which derives from another Hebrew word meaning red.

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground… 

(Genesis 2:7)

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread 

Till you return to the ground, 

For out of it you were taken; 

For dust you are, 

And to dust you shall return. 

(Genesis 3:19)

As a result, scarlet not only represented the earth but also the sin and guilt of the earthy life. Thus, from the very beginning, existed this symbol of the desire for there to be a reconciliation between God and mankind. So, as it is only by a tight union of the blue and scarlet threads that one can obtain a purple colour, likewise it is only by a tight relationship that a true reconciliation can be achieved between God and man.

The possibility of this was realized at the time of the crucifixion and was in turn symbolized when a purple robe was placed on Christ.

…and they put on Him a purple robe. 

(John 19:2)

Then Jesus came out, 

wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.

And Pilate said to them “Behold the Man!” 

(John 19:5)

Not only behold the Man but also behold God, for man and God had again become one; reconciled at last. The blue of heaven and the crimson of earth had become joined in the purple of eternity - man and God reconciled.

Surely something to think about.    

 

*The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn, p.g. 289.

Blake Storey Nov 16, 2025

Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Gospel of Mark Part 20