Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
The Blessing of the Father The narrative of the Exodus makes it clear that Yahweh is Israel’s Father. Moses is told to declare to Pharaoh that “Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, ‘Let my son go that he may serve me’” (Exodus 4:22-23). In contrast to…
When reading the Old Testament, the believer faces two dilemmas. First, there is a seemingly sharp discontinuity between the universal proclamation of the gospel to the whole earth and God’s singling out of the nation of Israel. Second, the New Testament says of Jesus that “there is no other name…
John 17 contains the longest prayer that we have from Jesus, and it shows us the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son in a way that few passages do. The prayer lays out the chiastic pattern noted by Athanasius (God became man so that man could become God),…
The following meditation on the incarnation is paraphrased and quoted from Karl Barth, The Doctrine of Reconciliation (Church Dogmatics, Vol. 4, Part 1) , pp. 185ff. In the incarnation, the eternal Son of God makes His way into a far country, and takes on the form of a servant. “But…
Peter says "baptism saves you" (1 Peter 3:21). Does the New Testament teach that "baptism justifies you"? I think the answer is Yes. That's a controversial answer, and demands some defense and explanation, but first some critical qualifications. No New Testament text states "baptism justifies you," so my argument will…
In his THI article “ Son of David, Son of Abraham ,” Peter Leithart notes that Matthew's genealogy “contains a summary of redemptive history.” This statement is only too true and one that deserves further elucidation. Biblos genese ō s. The first two words of Matthew's Gospel are usually translated…
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Uncritical advocates of gift societies should ponder Stefan Joubert’s summary of the benefactions of Augustus ( Paul As Benefactor: Reciprocity Strategy and Theological Reflection in Paul’s Collection (Wissunt Zum Neuen Testament, 2) , p. 26): “After inheriting the military Heeresclientel from his (step)father, Julius Caesar, he moved swiftly to enlarge…
It has been common, especially among some varieties of Protestantism, to take Paul’s statements about circumcision as pieces of a theology of ritual. Paul’s statement about inward and heart circumcision in Romans 2 is transferred to rites of entry in general, especially to baptism: ” Baptism is that which is…
INTRODUCTION Yahweh declares that He is the only God, Israel’s only Rock (Isaiah 44:8; cf. Exodus 17; Deuteronomy 32). He proves Himself by exposing the folly of idolatry. THE TEXT “Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you…
In his introduction to his English translation of Ernst Cassirer’s The Question of Jean-Jacques Rousseau , Peter Gay comments (p. 27): “Rousseau’s ‘one great principle’ - that man is good, that society makes him bad, but that only society, the agent of perdition, can be the agent of salvation is…
Rousseau ( Emile: Or, On Education , 322-3 ) exults in “what the ancients accomplished with eloquence,” but notes that for them eloquence “did not consist solely in fine, well-ordered speeches.” Rather, “what was said most vividly was expressed not by words but by signs.” Romans were masters of the…
It is a joy to hear about the Trinity Institute and the involvement of Peter Leithart and Jim Jordan. Peter brings a powerful mind and a pastor’s heart to his calling to educate and train a new generation for pastoral ministry. Jim adds a remarkably creative mind and his penetrating…
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