Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more” (Jer 31:15). The Night of the Hunter belongs on every Christian’s Christmas list. My family has even…
One important part of Jesus's birth narrative is the presence of angels. The angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, announcing that she would bear a son. And then, on the night Jesus was born, a whole host of angels appeared to the shepherds. Angels are mysterious creatures to us.…
I was settled nicely into my chair and listening to the conversation in an undergrad religion seminar, my last required course to graduate. Though a few Christians sat scattered around the room, the course itself was dedicated to poking holes in traditional understandings of the Bible: our readings deconstructed notions…
God’s symbols belong to Him and to His people. They are constantly at work in the world, including the world of film, music, painting, architecture, and other artforms. You cannot escape God’s symbols or the meaning He has woven into the created order. Artists use and borrow God’s symbols, whether…
For centuries, Christians identified Israel in the Old Testament as a single, literal ethnic group, often called “the Jews.” Even supersessionists – those who believed the Church superseded Israel – assumed the clear-cut, technical definition of “Israel” in the Bible is the ethnic group. However, a deeper dive into Genesis,…
Misreading Intent In the opening verses of Matthew 11, the reader is confronted immediately by John the baptizer who has been imprisoned since 4:12. John poses a question to Jesus, inquiring from prison as to whether or not he is Israel’s awaited Messiah or if they should anticipate another: “Are…
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Like Matthew, Luke records Jesus’ quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3 in response to the devil’s temptation. But the quotations differ: Matthew 4:4: “Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Luke 4:4: “Man shall not live on bread alone.” What’s…
A couple of interesting numerical patterns in Luke: First, in Luke 18:31-34, Jesus predicts His coming suffering and death in this way: [The Son of Man] will be 1) delivered to the Gentiles 2) mocked 3) mistreated 4) spit upon 5) scourged 6) killed But when the Gentiles have done…
Exhortation for August 24, 2003. Worship is God’s work on us. We assemble in the presence of the Triune God not only to offer our praise and worship to the Father in the Son by the Spirit. We also assemble in His presence so that the Spirit can work on…
There’s an important article on the abortion issue in the August 18/25 issue of The New Republic . Though written from a pro-choice perspective, it shows how advances in technology are likely to undermine Roe v. Wade. The main breakthrough has to do with the development of ectogenesis, an external…
Below are some notes on the structure of Romans. Thanks to my student, John Lewis, who has done some interesting structural work on Romans, and shared his overall outline of the book with me. These notes are all tentative. First, the general overview, and then some discussion of the linkages…
Alabama’s struggle over the Ten Commandment monument is important and intriguing on a number of fronts. One fascinating aspect is the behavior of Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor. Pryor has been nominated for a federal judicial seat, and when he appeared in DC in June for hearings on the nomination…
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