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Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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Biblical Studies

The Beatitudes and Woes

Mrs. Marguerite Lane of Grand Rapids writes to ask if I have ever noticed a correlation between the eight beatitudes of Matthew 5 and the eight woes of Matthew 23. I confess that I have not. A glance at various commentators reveals that such a correspondence does not seem to…

by James B. JordanMay 15, 1989
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Proverbs

Advice From a Sojourner, Part 1

1. The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, the burden. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: 2. Surely I am more stupid than any other man, And I do not have the understanding of a man. 3. And I have not learned wisdom, But I have…

by James B. JordanMay 15, 1989
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Biblical Studies

The Problem of Psalm 137

Psalm 137 is widely regarded as one of the meanest of the imprecatory psalms. Certainly as we read it it is seems to be a song of pure vengeance. The exiles in Babylon, in grief over the judgment that Babylon has brought upon them, pray for the destruction of that…

by James B. JordanApril 15, 1989
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Biblical Studies

The Thigh of the Peace Offering

In the Levitical law, the priests received two particular portions of each peace offering: the "wave offering" of the breast and the "heave offering" (or better, "contribution") of the right thigh. The purpose of this essay is to attempt to determine the reason why the second of these, the thigh,…

by Peter LeithartApril 13, 1989
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Biblical Studies

The Son of Joseph

The story of Jesus’ visit, early in His ministry, to the synagogue in His home town of Nazareth is recorded for us in Luke 4:16-30. You may remember that Jesus read from Isaiah about how the Messiah would preach the gospel, care for the poor, work miracles, and bring in…

by James B. JordanApril 12, 1989
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Biblical Horizons

"Do This!"

(The essay that follows concerns a rather touchy subject: how the Lord’s Supper is to be done. I am not writing to insult or offend, but to challenge. To that end I have not "held back" but have "gone ahead" and said what I think needs to be said —…

by James B. JordanMarch 12, 1989
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History

Pentecostalism

Philip Jenkins’ The Next Christendom is packed with stimulating historical insights. But this is one of the most striking: Most ?listings of major trends of the past century?Ehave ?rightly devoted much space to political movements like fascism and communism, but ignored vital religious currents like Pentecostalism. Yet today, Fascists or…

May 14, 2005

Fenrir’s bonds

The Edda records: “The unbreakable fetters which bound down the Great Wolf Fenrir had been cunningly forged by Loki from these: the footfall of a cat, the roots of a rock, the beard of a woman, the breath of a fish, the spittle of a bird.” Who knows what that…

May 13, 2005

Fenrir’s bonds

The Edda records: “The unbreakable fetters which bound down the Great Wolf Fenrir had been cunningly forged by Loki from these: the footfall of a cat, the roots of a rock, the beard of a woman, the breath of a fish, the spittle of a bird.” Who knows what that…

May 13, 2005
Philosophy

Literary Wittgenstein

Terry Eagleton reviews a new book on The Literary Wittgenstein (edited by John Gibson and Wolfgang Huemer) in the April 29 issue of the TLS. There are a number of highlights: 1) Eagleton sets Wittgenstein firmly in the glitzy, kitchy world of Vienna. “The place,” he writes, “was a cockpit…

May 13, 2005

Justification and eschatology

The notion of a “future justification” has come under criticism from some Reformed writers, though the idea has a fairly established place in Reformed thought (beginning at least with Vos). The opposition to the idea suggests that some Reformed soteriology is eschatologically schizophrenic. Consider: It seems clear that adoption is…

May 12, 2005
Theology

Infra/Supra and Narrative theology

Awhile back, I suggested some reasons for leaning toward supralapsarianism. Here’s some more: Infra seems to lack an eschatology. Creation is made, the fall is decreed, and then salvation is seen as a rescue from the fall. In supra, creation is never considered apart from a consummation. Salvation is not…

May 10, 2005

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