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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In a speech delivered on April 29 to the Fulcrum Conference at Islington, NT Wright notes that the Spirit comes to bring God’s future into the present, and that the Spirit also binds together heaven and earth. This reminds me of Jim Jordan’s claim that the Spirit is the divine…
Warren Gage presents a compelling case for the conclusion that the harlot of Revelation 17-18 becomes the bride of chapter 21, or at least that many escape from the city of the whore to inhabit the bride-city that comes from heaven. Gage rests a good bit of his case on…
The John-Revelation project being developed by Knox Seminary professors Warren Gage and Fowler White (available on the Knox Seminary web site) offers many insights on Revelation. It is just as helpful on John’s gospel. In Study Paper #3, they chart the parallels between the gospel and Revelation. Here are some…
INTRODUCTION Ascension Day doesn?t have the cultural charge that Christmas and Easter do, but it?s equally important. Jesus?Eascension is one of the chief goals of His entire ministry, the day on which the Father installed His king on Zion to rule the nations with a rod of iron and to…
In a fine article in the May 2 Weekly Standard , Joel Kotkin emphasizes the historical prominence of religion in urban life. He argues that “places like Fargo, a booming high-tech city on the Great Plains, are more in sync with ancient urban tradition than are supposed paragons of American…
And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; and I will offer in His tent sacrifices of shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh (Psalm 27:6). Chronicles gives us a guide for placing song in our liturgy. The liturgy…
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