Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
This is Part II of a 2-part essay. For Part 1, click HERE . Covenant context Most Bible teachers apply the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles directly to Christians today without any thought of the historical – and more importantly, legal – context. The ministry of Christ and the…
Introduction The book of Revelation polarises Christians. Some become obsessed with ‘cracking its code’ while others throw it into the too hard basket. Thankfully, recent advances in biblical theology enable us to liberate this enigmatic book from both mistreatment and obscurity. The prophecy is attractive to some because of its…
I'm considering the possibility that the life of Abraham as recounted in Genesis contains a typological prophecy of the history of Israel; that is, that the events in Abraham’s life broadly anticipate events in Israel’s history. This kind of pattern is seen in the case of Moses, for instance, because…
According to this recent article in The Atlantic , teenage promiscuity is decreasing. Apparently there is a general "decline in dating" which also "tracks with a decline in sexual activity." The figures are startling: The drop is the sharpest for ninth-graders, among whom the number of sexually active teens has…
"Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'" - Matthew 22:37 Jesus says that this is the most important commandment: to love God with our heart, soul, and mind. If we obey this command,…
At the last supper, Jesus took bread and, having given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples while saying, "Take, eat, this is My body given for you. Do this for My memorial." What Jesus did was recognized by the disciples, because it took place every morning…
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A wonderful quotation from Luther’s late commentary on Genesis. He notes that law exists already in Eden, but he also makes it clear that this does not make the Edenic situation a “covenant of works”: “And so when Adam had been created in such a way that he was, so…
Hegel’s Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion includes the following: “Love is a distinguishing of the two, who nevertheless are absolutely not distinguished for each other. The consciousness or feeling of the identity of the two - to be outside of myself and in the other ?Ethis is love. I…
Some thoughts inspired by Dollimore’s book: It would seem that desire is inherently tragic. First, because desire arises from lack. We only desire what we do not yet have. But when our desires our satisfied, our lack is filled. When ALL our desires are satisfied, then all lack is filled,…
As I suspected, Dollimore gives Christianity’s cultural influence short shrift. He has a lot of insightful things to say about the ancients, but then he sees almost total continuity through early Christianity ?Ethe same links of desire and death, the same kind of anguish in the face of mutability. Maybe…
J. Neyrey points out the links between the temptation of Jesus early in Luke and the passion narratives later in Luke. Luke’s account of the temptation ends with Satan leaving until a more opportune moment, and it is commonly noted that Satan reappears in the passion narrative, entering Judas (Lk…
There appears to be a chiastic structure at work in Luke 3:1-7:35. Not everything fits, but there is enough to be suggestive: A. Ministry of John, 3:1-17 B. Jesus preaching and teaching in Nazareth, 4:16-30 (1. Quotes Is 61 2. Refers to Elijah’s aid to a widow and her son…
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