Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
When someone expounds the way of salvation found in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms and in the easily-accessible writings of the Reformed heritage, he often finds him embroiled in a debates about the covenant of works and the Mosaic Covenant. One is “proven” to be aberrant by allegations that one…
The ultimate condemnation of a position in Reformed circles is to show that it “leads back to Rome.” Indeed, one gets the feeling that Rome is a worse destination for a Presbyterian than even hell itself. The accusation of Rome stings deeply, of course, because it means that all the…
One of the odd features of Michael Horton’s version of Covenant theology is his interpretation of the covenant God made with Abraham 1 in Genesis 15. According to Horton, The very way in which God made the covenant with Abraham (putting him to sleep; walking through the torn animals by…
What was I trying to do, when I wrote my book on Mark’s Gospel ? Fundamentally, I wanted a book that would change readers by making them better readers of the Gospel of Mark. My ideal reader is not someone who goes to the book to use as a resource…
Why do we need sacraments? According to the Westminster Confession, sacraments were instituted by Christ “to confirm our interest in him” (27.1), “to strengthen and increase” the “faith” of those within the Covenant of Grace and “to distinguish them from those that are without” that covenant (Westminster Larger Catechism, #162).…
In Isaiah 5:1-7, we have a typical covenant lawsuit, in which the Lord accuses his people of rejecting his grace and mercy. It is not my intention here to exegete the entire passage, or to look at the way the vineyard image used here serves as a metaphor in other…
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Social history in various forms, history that focuses not on kings and battles but on the common life of people, has been popular for a century and a half. But it’s not a modern development. It has ancient roots. Van Seters ( In Search of History ) writes, “for the…
Isaiah 62:3 has numerous parallels with Isaiah 28:1-5. 1) Both passages use the word crown ( ‘atarah ). It appears three times in chapter 28 and again in 62:3. The word is never used elsewhere in Isaiah. 2) Both passages speak of beauty ( tif’arah ). In 28:1, 3, the…
A Pyramid Text (see Faulkner, Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts , 64) includes a curse from a Pharaoh against enemies: “I am stronger than they . . . their hearts fall to my fingers, their entrails are for the denizens of the sky, their blood is for the denizens of the…
The project: Trace the use of “perichoretic” modes of thought in modern philosophy, particularly French philosophy. Follow these easy steps: 1) Start with Gabriel Marcel, Henri Bergson, Merleau-Ponty. Throw in Polanyi like paprika. 2) Investigate links with Trinitarian theologians and the nouvelle theologie . 3) Follow through the after-story by…
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,” David writes (Psalm 8:3). Why would God create with His fingers? Why not His hand? Fingers are needed for subtle work. Hands are instruments of power; fingers are organs of skill. Hands are political. Fingers are artistic. Hands can push,…
Through Isaiah, the Lord promises, “as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and the rejoicing of the bridegroom over the bride, your God will rejoice over you” (62:5). There are multiple difficulties here. First, sons (plural!) marry their (virgin!) mother. Second, God is the…
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