Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
The 666 talents of gold are worth an awful lot, not just in terms of money but in terms of theological meaning–at least worth a lot more than most modern Evangelical commentators would think. In Revelation 13:18 we are told that the number of the beast is a number “of…
There is a debate going on between professing Bible-believers about the meaning of Genesis One and the six "days" recorded therein. Is the cosmos about six thousand years old or is it many billions of years old? Was the universe six days old when human life came into existence or…
Understanding John the Baptist in Light of Biblical Theology Anyone who has read Geerhardus Vos’ Biblical Theology cannot help but recognize its immense value to those wanting to better understand Scripture. Nevertheless, we would dishonor Vos if we did not seek to go beyond him once he has placed us…
John Chrysostom’s Commitment, Communication, & Conception of the Pastoral Office (Completed in December 5, 1996, in fulfillment of the requirements for the J. R. Wilson Preaching lectures delivered by Dr. Robert S. Rayburn) In Antioch and then in Constantinople, John Chrysostom grew in wisdom and stature with men and God…
This kind of language is revelatory in a particular way, different from ordinary language. It reveals man as the image of God, as the ruler of creation, as having authority over other persons in various ways, etc. It is the particular kind of language used by rulers as they rule,…
We continue our analysis of John Sailhamer’s book *Genesis Unbound: A Provocative New Look at the Creation Account* (Multnomah Books, 1996), which argues that Genesis 1:2ff. is not about the creation of the whole world, but about the preparation of the Land of Eden, which is also the Promised Land.…
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What has Pentecost to do with public life? As Paul would say, much in every way. The Bible does not permit us to confine the work of the Spirit to the inner man or to private experience. Through Isaiah (44:3), the Lord promised to pour out water on the land…
It’s the season of the Spirit, a time to muse on the politics of Pentecost. When Israel’s prophets predict the future coming of the Spirit, their next thought is almost always about the renewal of creation. According to Joel, the Spirit’s coming will turn Israel into Big Rock Candy Mountain”wine…
In Discourses on Livy , Machiavelli exposes the ruse of Roman law. Numa, the true founder of Rome, "mistrusted his own authority, lest it should prove insufficient to enable him to introduce new and unaccustomed ordinances in Rome." And so he claimed that the law came from the gods. All…
Pamela Tamarkin Reis ("Seeing Moses Plain," VT 55 [2005] 207-31) thinks that Moses' response to Yahweh in Numbers 11 is a model prayer. First, Moses refers to Israel as "this people," which is "a disdainful, arms-length usage employed frequently in the Bible to distance oneself from and to denigrate the…
Benjamin Sommer ("Reflecting on Moses," JBL 18 [1999] 601-624) thinks that Numbers 11 weaves together two sources, with very different descriptions of Moses. In narrative A, Moses is petulant, angry, despises his role as leader of Israel, wishes for death. According to B, he is an exemplary prophet, concerned for…
Israel’s sanctuaries were dramatically different from those of other nations. There was no image of Yahweh. The priests maintained Yahweh’s house, but His presence was either invisible or so intense that it was unapproachable. The aniconic worship of Israel was a standing reminder that their God is a different sort…
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