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Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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American Culture

The Affections of Asbury

Over the past few days, quite the event has developed at Asbury University down in Wilmore, Kentucky. University students have appeared at the Hughes Auditorium to worship and sing praises to God, which has continued for over 90 hours at the time of this writing. There is recent reporting that…

by Charles JacobiFebruary 16, 2023
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Apostle Paul

Paul and Nero

It is well-enough known that Nero was emperor from AD 54 when he was just 16 until his death as a young man of 30 in AD 68, just 14 years later. Paul ministered during most of those 14 years (we are not sure which year he died), accomplishing 3…

by Ralph Allan SmithFebruary 14, 2023
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Apostle Paul

For Me to Live is Christ!

When the apostle Paul says, “For me to live is Christ!” (Philippians 1:21), we do not find it difficult to understand. Paul had been a faithful servant of Christ from the time that Christ confronted him on the road to Damascus (AD 30) and through Ananias told Paul that he…

by Ralph Allan SmithFebruary 9, 2023
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Song of Songs

Bridal Song

I think there’s a layer to the Song of Songs which has been largely unexamined. The Song is about Christ and his church, Yahweh and Israel, the nature of the marriage covenant, and the marriage of the couple in the Song. But while the Song is “of Solomon” (or to…

by Daniel StanleyFebruary 8, 2023
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Biblical Studies

Paul and the Praetorian Guard

In Philippians 1:12-13, Paul informs his beloved brothers in Philippi that his Roman imprisonment — which one would naturally think hindered his ministry and the preaching of the Gospel — actually resulted in the surprising and wonderful progress of the Gospel. Of course, from our perspective 2000 years later and…

by Ralph Allan SmithFebruary 2, 2023
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Biblical Theology

Abraham’s Seed: Heavens, Earth, and Sea Made New

In a recent post , I explored the threefold order of creation—heavens, earth, and sea—and suggested that in Genesis 1 God stamps heaven’s order, his own threefold nature, on the creation, giving earth a trinitarian shape. So what happens to the three-level architecture of creation after Genesis 1? We don’t…

by Josh JensenFebruary 1, 2023

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Music

Zuckerkandl on Music

I believe I first ran across Victor Zuckerkandl’s name in some of Colin Gunton’s work, and Jeremy Begbie makes significant use of Zuckerkandl in his book on theology and music. I’ve posted on Zuckerkandl before, but having now had a chance to read more of his book, Sound and Symbol…

November 18, 2003

Exhortation, November 16

Exhortation for November 16: We often read Scripture with far too little attention. At times, the stories are so familiar that they just glide past us without our really hearing what is said or read. At other times, the stories are so bizarre that we have a hard time beginning…

November 16, 2003

Eucharistic Meditation, November 16

Communion meditation for November 16: At one point in our sermon text, Jesus is asked about how many people are being saved, and Jesus immediately begins to speak about doors being closed. It’s clear from what follows that the doors are the doors of a banquet hall, and that Jesus…

November 16, 2003

“Justified” (Rom. 2:13) Again

I’m not sure that I made my point clear in an earlier post about “justified” in Rom 2:13: I was hinting and gesturing toward the conclusion that “justified” here must include the notion of “rescue,” and not merely a judicial sentence. Because “justified” is structurally opposed to “perish,” it must…

November 15, 2003

“Justified” (Rom. 2:13) Again

I’m not sure that I made my point clear in an earlier post about “justified” in Rom 2:13: I was hinting and gesturing toward the conclusion that “justified” here must include the notion of “rescue,” and not merely a judicial sentence. Because “justified” is structurally opposed to “perish,” it must…

November 15, 2003

“Day of Wrath” in Romans 2:5

“Day of wrath” in Romans 2:5: This is universally (so far as I know) taken as a reference to the final day of judgment. But a) is there any other passage in Scripture that uses this phrase to refer to the final judgment? and b) is the final day of…

November 15, 2003

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