Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
1 Kings 17, which abruptly introduces Elijah into the history of the northern kingdom, is a carefully constructed literary unit. In its basic structure, it follows a clear exodus-return pattern. Like Jacob and his sons, Elijah was driven out of the land by a famine (vv. 1-4). In exile, Elijah…
Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and they were scoffing at Him. And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is…
In the year 3119, Ahaziah of Judah and Jehoram of Israel were both slain by Jehu as he carried out his God-appointed task of eliminating the seed and house of Ahab (2 Kings 9:13-33). Since the kings of Israel are usually counted as beginning their reign in the same year…
One of the most important developments in Biblical studies in recent years has been a movement of scholars devoted to studying the literary techniques of the Biblical writers. Tremper Longman, III of Westminster Theological Seminary has treated this movement from a Reformed perspective in his Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation…
And because [Paul] was of the same trade, he stayed with [Aquila and Priscilla] and they were working; for by trade they were tentmakers (Acts 18:3). The fact that Paul was by trade a tentmaker has usually been taken as the springboard for a discussion of whether pastors should have…
I pointed out in Chronologies and Kings Part 9 that the years of Judah’s kings are given in chronological fashion. "When we read of a Judahite king’s reign as lasting 4 years, it means that 4 years of the chronology have been given to him, and there is no chronological…
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Keith Bodner examines the story of Elisha and the bears in his Elisha's Profile in the Book of Kings (58-9). He observes that the boys' insult "go up, you bald head" is ironic: "Elisha is mocked for his head, having just lost his head, Elijah (2:3). It is unclear whether…
In a 2008 essay in Policy Review , PayPal founder Peter Thiel analyzes an "optimistic thought experiment" about globalization. The root idea is "apocalypse," mostly of the secular variety. Thiel thinks that political actors and investors ignore the possibility of apocalypse, dangerously so. Along the way, Thiel traces the links…
Rene Girard ( I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning ) quotes Colossians 2:14-15, and makes this observation: "The principal metaphor is triumph in the Roman sense, which is the reward that Rome bestowed on its victorious generals. Standing on his chariot, the victorious general made a solemn entrance into the…
George Monbiot ( Out of the Wreckage ) points out that both our travel to work and our work itself undermines community: "The activities that once brought us together now drive us apart" (60). People used to travel to work on buses and trains, but as public transport has declined…
After defeating the Cushite invader Zerah, Asa leads Judah in covenant renewal (2 Chronicles 15:8-15). The people assemble in Jerusalem, offer sacrifice, and enter a covenant to seek Yahweh with all their heart and soul, on pain of death. Verse 14 says that they made the oath "with a loud…
Trust in the major institutions of modern society has declined dramatically over the past several decades. George Monbiot cites an Edelman Corporation survey of 28 countries that found that "fewer than 50 per cent of respondent now trust mainstream business, government, media and non-governmental organizations to 'do what is right'"…
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