Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Matthew 8-9 records three clusters of miracles, interspersed with snatches of Jesus’ teaching about various aspects of discipleship. Just as the Sermon on the Mount displays the authority of Jesus’ Word in teaching, these chapters display the authority of Jesus’ Word over sickness, uncleanness, the creation, demons, and death. In…
Since the early 1980s, several of the conservative Reformed Churches have debated and wrestled with the issue of paedocommunion (infant communion). The PCA and the OPC assigned study committees to examine the question, both of which produced useful reports both in support of and against the position. Though the debate…
(This issue of Biblical Chronology concludes a discussion of the Biblical and Assyrian chronologies, begun in previous posts. Click on the category link of "Biblical Chronology" above to see previous issues. Did Shalmaneser Know Jehu? Allis writes: "The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser contains, in addition to brief accounts of the…
Movies Movies as an art form have a powerful impact because they take place in a dark room, on a large screen, with no distractions, and because they entail many of the arts: music, acting, choreography, design and color, etc. A movie can be an overwhelming experience for a young…
The Hebrew word translated as "grain offering" or "cereal offering" is minchah . Like the translation of `olah as "burnt offering," the translation of minchah as "grain offering" is somewhat deceiving, since minchah does not refer to grain or cereal. In liturgical contexts outside of Leviticus, in fact, the word…
"He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces" (Leviticus 1:6). The normal word ( `olah ) that is translated as "burnt offering" and "whole burnt offering" has nothing to do with either burning or wholeness. It is the noun form of a verb meaning "to…
Showing page 291 of 309
Showing page 42 of 43
?May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.?ESo says the Bride at the beginning of the Song of Songs. And the chorus agrees: ?We will rejoice in you and be glad; we will extol your love more than wine.?E Later the…
Deut 16:13-17 This morning we considered some issues in child-rearing, showing that we are to raise children to serve, to rule, to have wisdom they can communicate with others. Many aspects of raising children are fairly intangible. We not only teach and exercise discipline, but we work to create a…
Today?s sermon is about raising priests and kings, and a few of the things I say in the sermon today refer to touch. I?m going to encourage you all to hold and caress and cuddle with your infants, and I?m going to encourage you to hug and kiss your older…
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Kaspar Olevianus Schwandt is named for one of the founders of the Reformed Church of Germany, and one of the principal architects of the Heidelberg Catechism. One of the highlights of that beautiful catechism is the answer to the first question, ?What is thy only comfort in…
Thomas Schreiner offers an intriguing reading of the end of Rom 5:12, “death spread to all men EPH HO all sinned.” The Greek phrase has long been a crux: Most recent commentators take the phrase as causal - death spread because all sinned; Augustine interpreted it as equivalent to “in…
A student of mine suggests that frequent communion creates pressures toward paedocommunion. So long as Eucharist is celebrated quarterly or less, it seems to be a special occasion for adults, like fancy dinner parties. Kids know that they are not included, and don’t care to be. As soon as the…
Showing page 2090 of 2212
Your weekly digest for all things Theopolis.
