Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
The Building of the Temple Solomon began work on the Temple in the second month of his fourth year. This was the year 2993, a sabbath year. He finished in the eighth month of his eleventh year, the year 3000, also a sabbath. (1 Ki. 6:1, 38). This is said…
The Bible expresses its chronology not only in sequences of years, but also in sequences of sabbath years and jubilees. This enables us to make a cross-check of our chronology, and when we find apparent problems, to refine it. If our chronology is right, we should find some significant correlations…
Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative Sheffield, England: Almond Press, 1983. This volume is the ninth in the "Bible and Literature Series" under the general editorship of David M. Gunn. According to its author, who teaches Hebrew at the University of Maryland, the book is an effort to…
V. Propp’s classic work Morphology of the Folktale (University of Texas, 1968) argues that one of the basic structures of folk literature is "lack, lack liquidated." A king sets out to look for a wife, and the tale ends with a wedding. Often, the hero sets out on some business…
Luke’s gospel begins and ends in the temple. It opens with Gabriel’s annunciation to the priest Zacharias (whose name, appropriately, means "Yahweh remembers") of the coming of a forerunner. Zacharias is performing priestly service at the time. The book ends with the joyful worship of a new priesthood in the…
Last time we arrived at the year A.M. 3960 as the date for the inauguration of the New Creation through the death, resurrection, ascension, and session of Christ, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. We also saw that this is most likely the year of Paul’s conversion. Fourteen years…
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The NASB translates 1 Kings 8:9 as follows: “There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.” The Hebrew, however, does…
In his new book Violence, Hospitality, and the Cross , Hans Boersma offers this insightful and devastating criticism of Girard’s construct of a non-violent atonement: “One of the main reasons that [Girard’s] theory continues to increase in popularity is that he helps Christians avoid the embarrassment of having to acknowledge…
House of Prayer, 1 Kings 8:1-66 INTRODUCTION As Chronicles makes clear, one of the big changes in worship at the time of Solomon was in the area of music. David organized a Levitical choir and orchestra, and these accompanied the sacrificial music with song. As 1 Kings 8 makes clear,…
1 Kings 7:48-50 In the sermon this morning, I noted that the two rows of water ?chariots?Eoutside the temple formed a gauntlet of water that the worshiper or priest passed through as he approached the temple. Every time anyone walked toward the temple, he symbolically relived the exodus, passing through…
Paul tells Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Though we are reluctant to contradict an apostle, it may seem that Paul has overstated his case. All…
Today, you are entering into the covenant of Christian marriage. David, you?re swearing in God?s name that you will love Alisha as Jesus loves the church and gave Himself for her. You are promising with an oath to give your life for her sake. Alisha, you are swearing in the…
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