Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
This was a newspaper column that I wrote for the Minco Millennium back in January of 2000 when I had first moved to Minco, Oklahoma to pastor First Reformed Presbyterian Church. I wasn’t able to catch the recent performance of the musical, Godspell , in Oklahoma City. However, my dad…
Awhile back, there was a big debate among Evangelicals as to whether one had to trust Jesus “as Lord” as well as “as savior. Some claimed that one could be saved by Jesus through a faith that did not involve submission to him as Lord. Others claimed that one must…
I originally wrote this a few weeks ago in April 2002 as a column in the local newspaper, The Minco Millennium under the title “Faith & Follow-Through.” Several passages in the book of Hebrews are difficult for Protestants to swallow. The author affirms the once-and-for-all work of Christ and yet…
N. T. Wright’s commentary on Romans is destined to be a classic. The introduction alone is worth the hefty price of the book — but the exegesis itself is, well, priceless. I will not attempt a full review — these are just miscellaneous thoughts and random reflections — but I…
At an inn in the town of Lystra three men sat around a corner table. All three were well-known disciples of Joshua Messiah, members of what the town called a new cult, the Way. The short gray-haired man with the enormous beard was clearly restless. “This is taking too long,”…
Recently there has been some surprising debate in some circles over where Paul summarizes his Gospel. I say “surprising” because many Evangelical Bible scholars have held, for quite some time, that Paul’s Gospel is encapsulated in Romans chapter 1, verse 3 and 4. Here is the passage in context: Paul,…
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Some thoughts on Claude Berri’s beautiful and provocative 1986/1987 films Jean de Florette and Manon of the Springs . 1. The story is a reverse Oedipus tale, focusing on how Cesar Soubeyran(Yves Montand) ruins and kills his own son (Jean, played by Girard Depardieu) without knowing it is his son.…
There are a number of verbal links between 2 Kings 4:42-44 and the festivals of first fruits in Leviticus 23. First, Leviticus 23:14 prohibits Israel from eating bread or roasted grain or “new growth” (Heb. CARMEL) until the gift of the first sheaf. 2 Kings 4:42 refers to the man’s…
Now ‘Eliysha’ spoke to the woman which he had restored her son to life, saying, “Arise, and go/walk, you yourself and your house And sojourn in which you sojourn. For Yahweh called for famine, And also it will enter to the land seven years.” And she arose, the woman, and…
A friend, Toby Sumpter, points out that the tower of Babel project must have taken a considerable time. Nimrod, who founds Babel/Babylon (Gen 10:10), was a great-grandson of Noah (Noah-Ham-Cush-Nimrod). But the earth was divided in the days of Peleg (10:25), in the sixth generation from Noah (11:10-17: Noah-Shem-Arpachshad-Shelah-Eber-Peleg), at…
Yahweh promises Abraham an abundant seed, and a land to put them in. Planted in the land, Abraham’s seed becomes the new Eden.
INTRODUCTION As a nation, Israel is in trouble. In the war against Moab, Yahweh turned away against Israel and allowed Mesha to escape Israel’s lordship. Far from the palace and the army camp, however, Yahweh is still at work. Behind closed doors, He works through Elisha to save a remnant…
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