Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Although the events are, of course, not perfectly parallel, Luke in his gospel intends us to connect Jesus’ birth from the womb and His re-birth from the tomb. Luke 1:27 introduces us to Joseph and in verse 30 we learn that his betrothed wife was named Mary. An angel appeared…
The apostle Matthew is also known as Levi son of Alphaeus. While not much is said about this man, the few things that are told us are significant. Matthew in Greek is Matthaios and comes from the Hebrew name Mattithiah, or Mattith-Yah, "Gift of Yah(weh)." Matthew’s other name is Levi,…
Theologians often speak of "special" and "general" revelation, or of "natural" and "supernatural" revelation, or of "word" and "deed" revelation. While there are many worthwhile insights in these discussions, particularly in the discussions in Cornelius Van Til’s Introduction to Systematic Theology , I have not found any that satisfied my…
Ezekiel’s 430 Years In Ezekiel 4, the prophet is told to begin his ministry by setting up a model of Jerusalem and lying on his side and prophesying against it. He is to do this for 430 days, a day for a year. 390 days are against "Israel," and 40…
The Feast of Ingathering in the seventh month of the Sinaitic calendar is also called the Feast of Sukkoth, of Booths, also called Feast of Tabernacles. I have usually called it by that last phrase, and it is the most common today; but there is a problem: A tabernacle is…
The End of Jehoiakim’s Reign We have seen that Jehoiakim rejected Jeremiah’s prophetic warnings at the beginning of his reign. Let us now make a year-by-year survey of his reign down to its end. In the spring of 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish. In the summer, he…
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The violent are confined to the seventh circle of Dante’s hell, which is divided among those who commit violence against neighbors, against themselves, and against God. In the second category, those who commit violence against themselves, are not only suicides, but those who have “robbed themselves of life on earth…
Matthew’s genealogy has several gaps. One of them occurs in his list of kings of Judah (vv. 8-9). He lists these: Joram Uzziah (Greek, OZIAS) Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah 2 Kings, by contrasts, lists the following: Jehoram (Joram, married Athaliah) Ahaziah (Athaliah) Joash Amaziah Azariah (Uzziah) Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah One problem…
Davies and Allison point out that Matthew follows the genealogy of Chronicles for the first section of his own genealogy. That is unusual, they say, since Chronicles was not widely used in early Christian writings. But it is an indication that Matthew models his entire gospel on Chronicles - he…
Much of this is indebted to the ICC commentary by WD Davies and Dale Allison. INTRODUCTION For us, lists are boring. But ancient people loved lists, and biblical writers pack lists not only with facts but with theology. Matthew’s list of Jesus’ ancestors contains a summary of redemptive history, a…
Every time God comes to Israel, He is rejected. He gives the law, but Israel does not want this Moses to be king and judge over them. He conquers the land, but Israel doesn’t fills the land with shrines to other gods. He is their king, but they reject Him…
Matthew 1:1: The Book of the Genesis of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. We’ve concentrated this morning on the first two words of Matthew – the “book of the Genesis.” We’ll pick up the pace as we go, and cover more than two words next…
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