Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
10. Do not slander [tattle on] a slave to his master, Lest he curse [denounce] you and you be found guilty. The Sojourner of Proverbs 30 is a humble man. He makes this clear in verses 2-4, where he says that he is stupider than anyone else on earth, but…
In retrospect and at first glance, many of the issues that have plagued and divided the Church seem incredibly trivial. The Quartodecimians were branded as heretics for celebrating Easter on 14 Nisan. One of the issues that divided the Eastern and Western Churches in 1054 was the kind of bread…
The gifts of the wise men have been commonly interpreted as royal gifts to the infant King of the Jews. Each of the three gifts is, indeed, connected with kings and kingship in Scripture. The Lord’s anointed is pictured wearing a crown of gold in Psalm 21:3, and the gold…
The Church is not in good shape. Nearly every week we hear about another prominent Christian leader who has fallen into scandalous sin. Many shepherds feed their flocks a diet of baby food, if not outright poison. Few Churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper regularly, and few Christians appreciate its importance.…
Two things I asked of Thee, Do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and words of falsehood far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches, Feed me with the food that it my portion, Lest I be full and deny Thee, And say, "Who is the LORD?"…
During the Middle Ages, Joseph, the husband of Mary, was the butt of many jokes. Medieval theater and art often depicted him as something of a buffoon, decidedly marginal to the gospel story. In part, this was the unfortunate obverse of the exaltation of Mary; any man would suffer by…
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The first of seven speeches of instruction for the tabernacle covers over five chapters (Exodus 25:1-30:10). The second speech is a mere six verses (Exodus 30:11-16). It’s a simple chiasm: A. At census, atonement ( kopher ) required, v. 12 B. Half shekel as contribution, v. 13 C. Everyone twenty…
It’s easy to become maudlin and sentimental around Advent and Christmas because we’re surrounded by maudlin and sentimental celebrations of Christmas. When we sing Psalms of Advent, we’ll be reminded again and again that Advent is inherently political. Our desire for the Bridegroom’s arrival is a hunger and thirst for…
Our creeds, taking cues from Matthew 28:18-20 and other biblical texts, speak of the order of the Trinity as “Father, Son, Spirit.” This order is evident in the order of redemption as well: the Father sends the Son, who ascends to heaven to receive and send the Spirit. Luke 1,…
No one knows yet how the disputed 2020 election will play out. But we can pencil in some parameters for sorting through the mess. First, voter fraud happens. My brother-in-law uncovered election fraud in Alabama and spent more than a decade fighting off the vermin that came out from under…
Exodus 25:1-30:10 is one long speech from Yahweh. It begins “Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying. . . .”; Exodus 30:11 repeats that line, beginning the second of seven speeches about the tabernacle design. As I’ve noted before, the placement of the instructions for the altar of incense is odd. The…
Caveat: I am no scientist. If details of the following are in error, please let me know. Brain death is one of the conceptual foundations of organ transplantation. If the person from whom the surgeon takes a beating heart is not dead before surgery, he will be dead after and…
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