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Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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Ascension

The Son of Man in the Clouds | Part 1

References to the Son of Man coming on the clouds occur five times in the Synoptic Gospels. Three times such expressions appear in the parallel accounts of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:36; Luke 21:27). Then, in parallel accounts of Jesus’ trial before the leaders of Israel, such expressions…

by Ralph Allan SmithMarch 3, 2020
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Biblical Studies

The New Torahs

Just what the difference is in the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and the New Testament is a question not so easily answered. The distinction is often said to be that in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is on the believer, but in the New…

by Richard BledsoeFebruary 25, 2020
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Movies

1917: A Visible Word

1. Introduction You should think of 1917 at church on Sunday. Why? Let me explain. There's one film every Oscar season which everyone seems to have watched—your parents, your colleagues, even your pastor. This year, it's 1917— Sam Mendes' WW1 epic following two British Tommies on a seemingly impossible quest…

by Rhys LavertyFebruary 18, 2020
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Immigration

Greater Israel

This piece was originally part of the Bowyer response to the Theopolis series surrounding Professor McDermott’s essay, “Rethinking Israel.” For the sake of brevity, it was removed from the initial response, to be published as a standalone piece. As we’ve argued previously , we are strongly supportive of the right…

by Jerry and Charles BowyerFebruary 11, 2020
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Matthew

Matthew the Tax Collector

Richard Bauckham’s groundbreaking work, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony , is profoundly insightful, but the message of the book is hampered by the presupposition of Marcan priority. Ironically the place where this assumption perhaps does its most damage is in Bauckham’s discussion of the apostle Matthew…

by Ralph Allan SmithFebruary 4, 2020
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Good Works

Faith as the Highest Work

The Protestant Reformation was defined by certain clarifying disagreements between the medieval Church and those who came to be known as Protestant Reformers. Chief among these was the nature of justification: whether one was justified by works, or by faith and works, or—as Martin Luther contended—by faith alone. Now over…

by Alexander WhitakerJanuary 28, 2020

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Some Notes on 1 Kings 20

1) Ben-Hadad comes to Ahab with a ?thus saith Ben-Hadad,?Eand Ahab responds more readily to his claim than he has to the claims of any ?thus saith Yahweh.?EAfter consulting with the elders, however, he is told not to ?hear?E(Heb. shema ) the demands of Ben-Hadad. This gives us some slight…

March 2, 2005

Translation, 1 Kings 20

Now Son-of-Hadad, king of ?Aram gathered all his strength Now thirty and two kings with him, and horse and chariotry And he ascended and tied up around Shomron and fought against her. And he send angel-messengers to ?Achav king of Yisrael at the city. And he said to him, ?Thus…

March 2, 2005

Sermon Outline, March 6

INTRODUCTION The final three chapters of 1 Kings tell a series of stories about Ahab. We see Ahab sinning in relationship to the Gentiles (1 Kings 20), in relation to a fellow Israelite (1 Kings 21), and finally in relation to the prophet of Yahweh (1 Kings 22). Ahab?s three…

March 2, 2005

Elijah in Romans

1 KINGS 19 AND ROMANS 11 I want to examine, in an exploratory fashion, a Pauline passages that has links to 1 Kings 19. 1 Kings 19 is quoted in Romans 11:2-4, where Paul writes, ?God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what…

February 27, 2005

Eucharistic Meditation, February 27

?Elisha returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate.?E The redemption of Israel is not going to take place in any ordinary fashion. It will not…

February 27, 2005

Exhortation, February 27

In our service, passing the peace has a threefold significance. From one perspective, it is a response to the sermon. The sermon announces the reconciliation of all things in Christ Jesus, and passing the peace symbolizes the reconciliation we have with one another now that the dividing wall has been…

February 27, 2005

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