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Biblical Horizons

Was the Last Supper a Passover?

Some readers of my essay, “ Strange and Glorious New Rites ,” have written to object that I have strained a gnat and swallowed a camel. I have strained out the gnat of a possible link to the memorial bread of the minchah (Lev. 2), while overlooking the camel that…

by James B. JordanMarch 22, 2011
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Biblical Horizons

Planetary Judgments

In his lectures on Comparative Religion, Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy points to five fundamental gods that were over ancient man and still can dominate us today, and which must be respected. When we sin, we respect these gods more than we respect the Creator, disobeying the First Word: “You will have no…

by James B. JordanMarch 22, 2011
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Biblical Studies

Notes on the Book of Judges

A. Israel’s failure to hold land against the Canaanites. Progressive compromise, leading to judgment. 1:1–2:5. B. Israel’s idolatry, the cycle of judges, and war as God’s chastisement. 2:6–3:6. C. Northern Gentiles (Mesopotamia), and Othniel. 3:7-11. D. Lot: Moab, and Ehud. 3:12-13. E. Minor judge: Shamgar. 3:31. F. Canaanites opposed. Women…

by James B. JordanMarch 21, 2011
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Biblical Horizons

Principalities and Powers, (Part 2)

The great question for the emerging East, for Asia and other awakening third world areas, for an emerging nation like China is, “what fate awaits them?” They are now emerging from an analogous paganism that the West emerged from centuries ago. Here an amazing quotation from David Aikman, the Time…

by Richard BledsoeMarch 15, 2011
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Colossians

The Principalities and Powers, Part I

Paul contends that with the death of Christ on the Cross, there was an overcoming of the Principalities and the Powers (Col. 2:15). A great deal has been written on this subject over the last 60 years. What was for a long time either ignored, or regarded by liberal scholars…

by Richard BledsoeMarch 10, 2011
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Biblical Horizons

Eating and Drinking Together

One of the odd customs that has arisen in the 20th century is that many evangelical churches warp the rites of the Lord’s Supper by insisting that everyone wait so that they eat and drink together. Supposedly this is to emphasize the unity of the Church. This practice has no…

by James B. JordanMarch 3, 2011

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Philosophy

American Confucius

Rosenstock-Huessy offers this synopsis of the beliefs of Dewey’s pragmatic followers: 1. God is immanent in society. 2. “Hman speech is merely a tool, not an inspiration; a set of words, not a baptism by fire.” Dewey exhorts us to find a new set of words to formulate a new…

January 3, 2007

Chiasm in 1 John 4

The first 6 verses of 1 John 4 are organized in a roughly chiastic pattern: A. Test spirits, v 1 B. Confession, vv 2-3 C. From God/the world, vv 3b-4a D. We overcome them, v 4b C’. From God/from world, vv 5-6a B’. Hearing (AKOUO), v 6b A’. Spirits, v…

January 1, 2007

On research grants

A friend, Jim Rogers of Texas A&M, sent along a rejoinder to my post summarizing Rosenstock-Huessy’s views on grant-supported research. He points out that grant support in science and social science is not intended to provide revolutionary break-throughs, but to support the empirical research necessary to confirm or deny theory-driven…

January 1, 2007

Sermon outline, First Sunday After Epiphany

INTRODUCTION As Jesus predicted, false prophets arose in the first century, misleading many believers (Matthew 24:24; 1 John 4:1). Christians have to be on guard; not everyone who claims to speak for God does speak for God. But how can we tell? THE TEXT “Beloved, do not believe every spirit,…

January 1, 2007

Eucharistic meditation, First Sunday After Christmas

Luke 22:18: Jesus said, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He was looking forward to a future kingdom and a future feast. That is a central theme of this meal: It…

December 31, 2006
Theology

Exhortation, Sunday After Christmas

As we’ll see in our sermon this morning, time is a good creation of God, and a good gift to us. Since that’s true, we are stewards, not owners, of our time. As stewards, we will have to give an account of how we use the time that God gives.…

December 31, 2006

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