Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
The Book of Genesis contains eleven distinct markers readily acknowledged as the toledot formula. 1 Commentator Nahum Sarna counts the ’elleh toledot to be “…one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Book of Genesis”. 2 Among translations, the noun is variously translated as “generations” (ESV, KJV), “records of the generations”…
The answer that immediately comes to mind to the question in the title is Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah. He was conceived during the extension of life that God granted Hezekiah in response to his ardent prayer on his sick bed (2 Kings 20:1-11, 21:1). His reign is summarized in…
Back in 2019, on a whim, I sketched out a setting for a modern fantasy story: a single coffee shop that is simultaneously present in multiple cities throughout the world: “...you know the one. Books by local authors, brochures for a walking tour of the city’s outdoor sculpture, a poetry…
Peter O’Brien’s translation of Colossians 4:2 surprised me: “Persevere in prayer as you watch for the Lord’s return, and be thankful.” 1 What is surprising about that? Well, none of my English translations mentioned “the Lord’s return” — nor does the Greek text! Translated literally, the verse just says: “In…
I Natural Law This is a brief (well, briefer than it could be) first attempt at responding to a very small section of Stephen Wolfe’s recent book The Case for Christian Nationalism . It’s partial, deeply incomplete, and does not at all address the book as a whole; it is…
The scuttlebutt of the last hundred years would tell us that Albert Einstein was a horrible husband, Winston Churchill was a racist, Mother Theresa was a hypocrite, and Caravaggio a murderer. From Benjamin Britten’s boys to Gandhi’s girls, it can be depressing and confusing to hear about people of great…
Showing page 37 of 309
Showing page 7 of 43
Covenant by Sacrifice, Leviticus 1:1-17 INTRODUCTION According to Psalm 50:5, Yahweh?s ?godly ones,?EIsrael, ?make a covenant with My by sacrifice.?E Through sacrificial rites, Yahweh both entered into covenant and renewed covenant with Israel. The New Testament also uses sacrificial language to describe the making and renewal of covenant: Jesus made…
Israel’s exodus involved a move from Goshen to the promised land. But the move into Goshen is curiously similar to the later exodus. Here are some of the similarities: 1) Israel sought to escape Egypt because of the oppression of Pharaoh; they left because of threats to their well-being. Israel…
Here are a few observations on Jacob’s blessings in Gen 49. I don’t know what the implications are; these are simply observations on the imagery and rhetoric of the different blessings. 1) The contrast between the rhetoric of curse and the rhetoric of blessing is striking. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi…
Here are a few observations on Jacob’s blessings in Gen 49. I don’t know what the implications are; these are simply observations on the imagery and rhetoric of the different blessings. 1) The contrast between the rhetoric of curse and the rhetoric of blessing is striking. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi…
One of James Q. Wilson’s well-known contributions to public policy discussions is his “broken windows” policing policy (outlined in the March 1982 issue of The Atlantic ). He argued that allowing minor infractions ?Epublic pissing, jay-walking ?Eand minor public defacements of a neighborhood ?Egraffiti, broken windows ?Ecreated an atmosphere of…
Paul’s argument in Romans 5:12-14 seems to be this: 1. Through one man, death entered the world, and death spread. 2. Yet, sin is not imputed where there is no law. That is, sin is not liable to punishment when there is no law. This is a basic principle of…
Showing page 2076 of 2212
Your weekly digest for all things Theopolis.
