Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
A while back a friend told me that his church had finally introduced weekly communion. He told me that they were having an 8:00 a.m. service on Sundays for anyone who wanted to have communion. At present only about five people were coming to this service, but he was hopeful…
According to James B. Jordan’s outline of Deuteronomy, the first commandment section runs from 6:1 to 11:32, and the second commandment section begins with 12:1. 1 That this division of the text is sound is confirmed by a comparison of 6:1 with 12:1. Deuteronomy 6:1 announces that "this is the…
Calling Jerusalem the "holy city" comes so naturally to Christians that it comes as something of a surprise to realize how infrequently the phrase is used in Scripture. Not only is Jerusalem rarely called holy, but in the Old Testament this classification is found only in texts that refer to…
Nicodemus’s conversation with Jesus in John 3:1-15 is often regarded as an illustration of the tremendous stupidity of the Jews of our Lord’s day. Those who take the passage this way fail to recognize the profound nature of Nicodemus’s questions and of Jesus’ answers. In verse 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus…
In his book 1994? , Harold Camping asserts that the life spans of the primeval patriarchs of Genesis 5 & 11 were actually epochs, one after another. This together with other mistakes in interpretation yields for him a creation date of 11013 B.C. From here, Camping tries to work out…
I have received a number of letters asking for my comments on this difficult passage. Here is my best shot! 2. Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. This statement opens a new section…
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Elijah is leading a counter-temple movement in 1 Kings 17-18. Israel’s worship has become so corrupt that a new temple is needed. Elijah is setting up the new temple; in fact, he is the new temple, a human, mobile, tabernacular alternative to Dan and Bethel. Consider: Ravens bring Elijah (sacrificial)…
Some notes for a Bible Study on Proverbs 1, heavily dependent on Bruce Waltke’s recent fine commentary (NICOT). INTRODUCTION This passage is part of the opening preamble and prologue of Proverbs (Waltke?s terms). It divides neatly into two sections: The first, verses 1-7, describe the purpose of the Proverbs as…
INTRODUCTION When Israel is pursuing Canaanite worship and culture with full force, Yahweh acts. Elijah, a new Moses, bursts into Israel?s history and single-handedly leads the people to renew the covenant they had made at Sinai (1 Kings 17-19). Then Elisha, a new Joshua, leads a reconquest of the land…
Notes on Titus Andronicus , drawn from various sources, mainly Robert Miola, ?Titus Andronicus: Rome and the Family,?Ein Titus Andronicus: Critical Essays . 1) Titus Andronicus is sometimes seen as an anomaly among Shakespeare?s Roman plays in that it is set in Rome but shows little interest in Rome itself.…
Now Elah was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk. We noted in the sermon this morning that the kings of Israel get worse and worse as time goes by. Jeroboam is the worst king, until Omri. Omri is the worst king ever, until Ahab his son. Jeroboam?s son Nadab is an…
The author of Kings tells us that Ahab considered it a ?trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.?ENo wonder. Israel has been worshiping golden calves at Dan and Bethel for generations. It?s become customary, traditional. No one is shocked by it anymore.…
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