Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Optimism is “an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome.” 1 On the other hand, pessimism is “an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome.” We can see that optimism and…
If we wish to understand the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, we must begin with seeing them as a part of the creational order. Trees, along with plants and seed-bearing things, come to life by the word of God as part of…
“I chant slips and irreversible disasters, wiltings, failures, scars, the little disappointments and the large, blue streaks down a world that wishes it was only suncolors.” Paul J. Pastor from Kintsugi Song I recently lost something very valuable. Something I’d had for years and used every day. But, it wasn’t…
In his eponymous book, Jonah follows an exodus pattern. He travels through the waves and east of the city into the wilderness. On a first reading, it looks like another use of this common literary shape in the Old Testament: salvation through the waters of death and the wilderness of…
“Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” The unknowing master of ceremonies didn’t know how right he was. We see this play out in John’s apocalypse. The end is like the beginning,…
Read in isolation, The Test of Adultery (Num 5:11-31) presents the reader with a seemingly bizarre ritual, conjuring up ideas bordering on the Salem Witch Trials. Beyond this, pressing questions linger—such as, “Why is the woman in particular singled out, while no test is provided for the husband of a…
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In his NIV Application commentary on Hebrews, George Guthrie offers this chiastic outline for Hebrews 1:2b-4: A. God appointed Christ as heir B. Through him he created the world C. He is the radiance of God’s glory C’. He bears God’s stamp B’. He governs universe (having made purification for…
Twice at least Paul says about the “working” of God in us is like God’s work in raising Jesus (Ephesians 1:19-20; Colossians 2:12). The characterization of God’s energy as energy to raise the dead is underscored by a pun. In Greek, “working” is energeia and “raise” is egeiro . Colossians…
Thomas Aquinas: “Trust is the expectation of help; and trust was found in Christ in that in accordance with human nature he looked for help from the Father in his suffering.”
The writer to the Hebrews expounds on the superiority of the Son in a series of seven quotations mainly from the Psalms. Seven words certainly piques one’s interest, no? Day 1: Light, and the beginning of creation. Hebrews 1:5a: the Son is begotten “today,” likely the day of resurrection, as…
The parable of the unjust steward is one of the most difficult of Jesus’ stories. The following essay is an attempt (following Joel Green and other recent commentators) to make sense of the story. Though Jesus begins a new parable in Luke 16:1, and is speaking to the disciples, in…
For the writer to the Hebrews, Christological interpretation is an absolute necessity. Earlier revelation was fragmentary - many parts, many ways - but His new speech is unified in huio - in the (one) Son. Without Jesus, the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible lacks unity. Would the writer to the…
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