BRF Books and Commentaries

THE BREAD BASKET: Thoughts for Daily Living

In this book, Paul Brubaker has included devotionals he has written over nearly forty years. These one-page essays were all printed in the hi-monthly “Witness” sponsored by the Brethren Revival Fellowship. Many of the devotionals Paul gleaned from his own life’s experiences, or from reading and hearing about the experiences of others. A sampling of “Bread Basket” titles include:

Needed! More Talking Donkeys
I Love Me!
Hand-Me-Downs
Drowning in a Ditch
The Last Spanking
Atonement at Auschwitz
The Cow Went Dry!
Dead Men Don’t Bleed
The Witch of Wall Street
Of Kangaroos and Emus
Preaching to the Blackboard
The Funeral Cookies
Chasing Two Rabbits
Dealing with In-Laws
Of Ants and Oleic Acid
Remembering to Forget

Paul Brubaker is a husband, father, grandfather, ordained minister, retired banker, churchman, writer, pianist, singer and oil-painting artist. He and his wife Evy have lived full and enriching lives and reside in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.

As you read “The Bread Basket: Thoughts for Daily Living,” may you be inspired, informed, challenged and maybe even amused.

This book proclaims “sound doctrine” from a solid evangelical biblical point of view, with understandings in keeping with historic Brethren beliefs. Titus was told to encourage others by teaching in accord with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1), and in 2 Timothy 4:3 we are told that a time will come when many will not put up with sound doctrine. Readers here will find an explanation of the following topics:

Chapter 1: The Scriptures
Chapter 2: God Our Father
Chapter 3: Jesus Christ Our Savior
Chapter 4: The Holy Spirit Our Teacher
Chapter 5: Angels, Satan, and Demons
Chapter 6: Man and Sin
Chapter 7: Salvation
Chapter 8: The Church
Chapter 9: Anabaptists/Pietists/Brethren
Chapter 10: Ordinances of the Church
Chapter 11: Principles and Prohibitions
Chapter 12: Living the Christian Life
Chapter 13: Last Things and Eternal Destinies

Sound doctrine includes belief in the sovereignty of God, the Scriptures as the infallible guide, the corruption of human nature, the atonement by Jesus’ blood as the only way of salvation, the personal and visible return of Christ, and the church’s spiritual mission, bringing the lost to Christ and teaching holiness in the daily lives of believers.

The writer of this study of Basic Bible Teachings is Harold S. Martin, a Church of the Brethren elder, former public school teacher, and editor of the BRF Witness. Harold is a teacher and writer; he and his wife Priscilla are the parents of six children and twenty-seven grandchildren; they live at the United Zion Retirement Community near Lititz, Pennsylvania.

The Gospel of Matthew is a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. If one would go from the book of Malachi directly into the Gospel of Mark, there would be a sense of bewilderment because Mark does not give an account of the ancestry and birth of Jesus.

Matthew’s book is often called “The Gospel of the King.” It was written especially for those who were looking for the Messiah, and were expecting him to be a King who would lead a revolt against Rome, and make Israel a free nation again. Matthew’s purpose is to show his readers that the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament were indeed fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.

Matthew begins his account by giving the genealogy of Jesus, and then tells of Jesus’ birth and early years. Following His baptism by John, and His defeat of Satan in the desert, Jesus began His public ministry by calling the disciples, healing the sick, and casting out demons. Of all the four Gospel accounts, Matthew is the most systematic in presenting the teachings of Jesus.

The book of Matthew was used almost universally in the early church as a source book for instructing new converts in the faith.

The General Editor of the series is Harold S. Martin, a Church of the Brethren elder, former public school teacher, and editor of the BRF Witness. Harold and his wife Priscilla live at the United Zion Retirement Community near Lititz, Pennsylvania. Harold is also the writer of this Commentary on Matthew.

Tradition has identified John Mark as the author of the Gospel according to Mark. The text itself does not mention Mark by name. It was Mark’s mother’s home which was the place where the Christians gathered to pray for the release of Peter from prison, and it was the place to which he came when he was set free (Acts 12:12-17).

The Apostle Peter spoke of Mark as his son in 1 Peter 5:13. There is some evidence from early church leaders that Mark based much of his Gospel account on what Peter had preached. Like other books of the Bible, Mark was produced under the Holy Spirit’s supervision.

Mark’s Gospel is not a biography of the life of Jesus. Nothing is said about His birth, genealogy, and early life. Mark concentrates on the public ministry of Jesus, especially on His miracles. Mark tells his story rapidly and thus appeals to the busy Roman reader. Mark is the most brief of the four Gospel accounts. Christ’s death and His resurrection receive special emphasis in Mark, with over a third of the book devoted to the last week of Christ’s earthly life.

The writer of the commentary on the Gospel of Mark is Ray E. Hileman, serving as pastor of the Miami First Church of the Brethren in Miami, FL. The General Editor of the series is Harold S. Martin, a Church of the Brethren elder and editor of the BRF Witness.

The Gospel according to Luke was written by a medical doctor named Luke. Luke was a traveling companion of the Apostle Paul. He was a non-Jewish writer and a scholarly historian. His purpose was to present a historically accurate account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and to present it in such a way that Jesus was seen as a perfect Savior who felt compassion especially for downtrodden people.

Luke did not personally witness most of the events that he wrote about in the Gospel. He refers to six miracles not named in the other Gospels—including the miraculous drought of fish, the raising of the widow of Nain’s son. the cleansing of ten lepers, and the healing of the wounded ear of Malchus, Also, Luke names seventeen parables not described elsewhere—including the Good Samaritan, the rich fool and his barns, the builder who did not count the cost to finish his building, and the Pharisee and the publican.

Luke traces the ancestry of Jesus back to Adam, and makes clear the truth that God is interested in all people everywhere, He supplies more information about faithful women than the other Gospel writers. He pictures Jesus as the champion of the poor and distressed.

The General Editor of the series is Harold S. Martin, a Church of tht Brethren elder, former public school teacher, and editor of The BRF Witness, Harold and his wife Priscilla live at the United Zion Retirement Community near Lititz, Pennsylvania. Harold is also the writer of this Commentary on The Gospel of Luke.

In this Gospel account, John presents Jesus as true God, and truly man. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but His life never had a beginning. Jesus existed with the Father before time began, for He Himself is eternal God. At least five times John witnesses to the deity of Christ.

John also emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. He speaks of Jesus as having been tired, hungry, troubled, loving, brave, and loyal to His friends. Jesus, who was the God-man, was functionally subordinate to the Father who sent Him into the world. He was obedient to the Father, and He always did the Father’s will, even unto death on the cross.

It is from the Gospel of John that we decide the length of Jesus’ public ministry. John mentions at least three Passover journeys, and refers most likely to a fourth Passover (although the feast named in John 5:1 is not clearly identified as the Passover). The Synoptic Gospels mention only one Passover in connection with the ministry of Jesus—the one at the time of His crucifixion.

The book of Acts provides the link that connects the four Gospels with the remaining part of the New Testament. Luke begins the account by telling about the ascension of Jesus, mentioning another command of Jesus to take the gospel message to the ends of the earth, and then gives much information about the earliest days of the church.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell what Jesus began to do and teach. The book of Acts tells what Jesus continued to do and teach through the apostles in the church. The Acts of the Apostles presents the account of the establishment and development of the early Christian church.

In Acts we learn about the giving of the Holy Spirit, the early advance of the gospel, and the formation and spread of the church. The Acts gives the historical background for many of the New Testament books which are named in the Epistles. This commentary is a tool which attempts to explain and apply the teaching of the text through an exposition and an application of the Bible message. There are helpful divisions to aid in structured teaching of God’s Word.

The writer of the commentary on the book of Acts is Mark E. Baliles, serving as pastor of the Indian Creek Church of the Brethren in Vernfield, PA. The General Editor of the series is Harold S. Martin, a Church of the Brethren elder and editor of the BRF Witness.

The letter known as the book of Romans was written by Paul to the Christians at Rome sometime about A.D. 56 or 57. Paul had completed his third missionary journey and was in Corinth, where he composed the letter which was then carried to Rome by a sister in Christ named Phoebe. The letter to the Romans was not the earliest of Paul’s epistles, but it was placed first among the New Testament epistles because of its major importance. Romans is the most systematic presentation of the gospel message to be found anywhere in the Bible. Unless readers grasp the meaning of Romans, they will not be well grounded in the Christian faith.

The book of Romans has two large sections—a doctrinal section in chapters 1-8, and a practical section in chapters 12-16. Between the two main sections there is a parenthesis relating to the nation Israel. The primary theme of the book of Romans centers on salvation—a free gift, offered by God’s grace, grounded upon Christ’s death, and received by our personal response.

The epistle known as 1 Corinthians was written to the Christians at Corinth–a bustling maritime city in Greece. Corinth had a reputation for rampant immorality. Most of the converts came from a pagan background, and thus needed instruction and help as they moved from the ethical standards of the pagan society to those of the Christian life.

Numerous problems beset the young believers at Corinth. The church was divided into competing factions; some were suing each other at the law; there was a case of flagrant immorality; problems related to marriage and divorce troubled the church. Questions about the role of women, the Lord’s Supper, and spiritual gifts had plagued the congregation.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul addressed these issues and set down instructions for God’s people down through the ages.

Second Corinthians is not an ordered theological treatise like some of Paul’s other letters. In 2 Corinthians, Paul expresses his human emotions, and we also get a look into his mind and heart.

In the early part of the epistle, Paul explains that God comforts us in our afflictions so that we can encourage others with the comfort which we have received from the Lord. The object of Paul’s preaching was to win people to faith in Jesus Christ. There is also a plea for God’s people to separate from sin and from alliances with unbelievers.

In the mid-section of the letter, Paul speaks about the collection for the poor Christians in Jerusalem. In the final section Paul vindicates his apostleship, and closes with the only Trinitarian benediction found anywhere in the Bible. In 2 Corinthians we learn about some of Paul’s experiences which are not mentioned at any other place in the Bible. We read about his escape from Damascus in a basket, his being caught up into “the third heaven,” his “thorn in the flesh,” and his unusual trials and sufferings.