Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
(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 —…
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Elijah is leading a counter-temple movement in 1 Kings 17-18. Israel’s worship has become so corrupt that a new temple is needed. Elijah is setting up the new temple; in fact, he is the new temple, a human, mobile, tabernacular alternative to Dan and Bethel. Consider: Ravens bring Elijah (sacrificial)…
Some notes for a Bible Study on Proverbs 1, heavily dependent on Bruce Waltke’s recent fine commentary (NICOT). INTRODUCTION This passage is part of the opening preamble and prologue of Proverbs (Waltke?s terms). It divides neatly into two sections: The first, verses 1-7, describe the purpose of the Proverbs as…
INTRODUCTION When Israel is pursuing Canaanite worship and culture with full force, Yahweh acts. Elijah, a new Moses, bursts into Israel?s history and single-handedly leads the people to renew the covenant they had made at Sinai (1 Kings 17-19). Then Elisha, a new Joshua, leads a reconquest of the land…
Notes on Titus Andronicus , drawn from various sources, mainly Robert Miola, ?Titus Andronicus: Rome and the Family,?Ein Titus Andronicus: Critical Essays . 1) Titus Andronicus is sometimes seen as an anomaly among Shakespeare?s Roman plays in that it is set in Rome but shows little interest in Rome itself.…
Now Elah was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk. We noted in the sermon this morning that the kings of Israel get worse and worse as time goes by. Jeroboam is the worst king, until Omri. Omri is the worst king ever, until Ahab his son. Jeroboam?s son Nadab is an…
The author of Kings tells us that Ahab considered it a ?trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.?ENo wonder. Israel has been worshiping golden calves at Dan and Bethel for generations. It?s become customary, traditional. No one is shocked by it anymore.…
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