Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
For many people the date October 31 is significant not only for being the Eve of All Saints (All Hallows Eve, Halloween) but as the day in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg. These theses were a list of…
It has become routine in October for some Christian schools to send out letters warning parents about the evils of Halloween, and it has become equally routine for me to be asked questions about this matter. "Halloween" is simply a contraction for All Hallows’ Eve. The word "hallow" means "saint,"…
The following is an excerpt from Peter Leithart's forthcoming two-volume commentary on Revelation (T&T Clark). Y ou must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings,” a voice tells John (Rev. 10:11). Then someone gives him a “reed like a rod” and instructs him to measure (11:1).…
Josiah is an ideal Davidic king in many ways. He not only “did right,” but he “walked in the ways of his father David” and “did not turn aside to the right or to the left” (2 Chronicles 34:2). At the age of 16, he began to seek Yahweh, and…
One of the best discussions of Augustine’s views on time comes from Jeremy Begbie’s Theology, Music, and Time (ch. 3). Following Paul Ricoeur, Begbie claims that Augustine’s distentio “is conceived as the three-fold present, and the threefold present as distentio . The distentio consists in the non-coincidence of the mind’s…
This has always been the position of the Christian Church, and from an historical perspective the present situation in evangelicalism is appalling. The early liturgies of the Church, which are still used in Episcopal and Lutheran worship, are laced with psalm phrases. The early hymns, such as the Te Deum…
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Jim Jordan suggests that Daniel 2-7, written in Aramaic, is a fulfillment of the promise/threat of tongues (from Isaiah), and that this passage authorizes translation of Scripture into various languages. Which leads to several thoughts: 1) As Jordan points out, translation was not done until the intertestamental period, and is…
Obedience, Scripture says, is better than sacrifice. By analogy, moral purity is better than ritual purity. This analogy plays a big role in the gospels.
Jesus offers to bring the children of Jerusalem under His “wings” (Luke 13:34). The “wing” image is used commonly in the Psalms with reference to Yahweh’s protective covering, and it is connected also to Yahweh’s role as husband of Israel, the one who has spread the “wing of His garment”…
On Romans 2:1: In an earlier post, I pointed to the “exchange” that Paul describes in Rom 2:1, namely, that the one who judges another seeks to place the other under the judgment of God and thereby to escape God’s judgment on himself. Paul says that this in fact has…
Communion meditation for November 9: Luke 12:24 Our first acts as a constituted membership are an offertory and celebration of the Eucharist. Having taken our membership oaths, we offer a portion of our goods and our income to the Lord, and then we sit down at His table. These are…
Exhortation for November 9: Later this morning, many of you will be taking membership vows to constitute the membership of Trinity Reformed Church. You will acknowledge your sins and confess Your trust in Jesus for salvation, and you will be asked whether you have been baptized. And you will take…
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