Smooth talkers come in both genders. They are clever and deceitful and their advice can be fatal. Following their counsel could lead to your peril.

John bursts onto the scene at a precise moment of history, in an exact locale: during the reign of Tiberius Caesar, along the banks of the Jordan River. Luke does everything short of giving us a fixed date and geographic coordinates.

The heading on Psalm 56 in the Contemporary English Version is “A Prayer of Trust in God.” The superscription indicates it was written by David when he was held captive in Gath, a story we can read in 1 Samuel 21:10—22:2.