Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
My good friend, Jason Ewert, recently posted a review of Pastor Douglas Wilson’s book, Against the Church . Jason correctly notes that Pastor Wilson’s main pastoral motivation in writing this book is to combat dead orthodoxy. Dead orthodoxy is a real problem in Reformed churches that celebrate the primacy of…
At the church I pastor, we have four servers who distribute the communion elements to the congregation, and I distribute the elements to those in the foyer and nursery. The servers and I do not partake of the bread and wine until the congregation is served first. As this has…
We at Trinity House believe that the church ought to raise and train her future pastors. Part of that training may be carried out by specialized institutions like Trinity House, but the church and her leaders are ultimately responsible for that training. To encourage churches to assume that responsibility, Trinity…
Sandra Jacobs's The Body as Property examines the role of physical disfigurement in the Hebrew Bible, with focus on the Torah, and more specifically on the (fictitious) Priestly document, P. After an introduction laying out a rationale for the comparative method that guides her research, she explores circumcision, the use…
Yahweh saves. That’s what Isaiah’s name means, and that’s what Isaiah’s prophecy is about. Yah saves Judah when Aram and Israel pressure her. He saves Jerusalem from the Assyrian siege. He brings Judah back from the grave of Babylonian exile. But this triumphant message of Isaiah fizzles. The last few…
Are apostasy and assurance mutually exclusive? Some seem to think so. But let’s consider this a bit: No Reformed man would ever say that a man who is “saved” today will be safe forever no matter what . Rather we say, “your sins are forgiven, now, walk faithfully, glorify the…
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The violent are confined to the seventh circle of Dante’s hell, which is divided among those who commit violence against neighbors, against themselves, and against God. In the second category, those who commit violence against themselves, are not only suicides, but those who have “robbed themselves of life on earth…
Matthew’s genealogy has several gaps. One of them occurs in his list of kings of Judah (vv. 8-9). He lists these: Joram Uzziah (Greek, OZIAS) Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah 2 Kings, by contrasts, lists the following: Jehoram (Joram, married Athaliah) Ahaziah (Athaliah) Joash Amaziah Azariah (Uzziah) Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah One problem…
Davies and Allison point out that Matthew follows the genealogy of Chronicles for the first section of his own genealogy. That is unusual, they say, since Chronicles was not widely used in early Christian writings. But it is an indication that Matthew models his entire gospel on Chronicles - he…
Much of this is indebted to the ICC commentary by WD Davies and Dale Allison. INTRODUCTION For us, lists are boring. But ancient people loved lists, and biblical writers pack lists not only with facts but with theology. Matthew’s list of Jesus’ ancestors contains a summary of redemptive history, a…
Every time God comes to Israel, He is rejected. He gives the law, but Israel does not want this Moses to be king and judge over them. He conquers the land, but Israel doesn’t fills the land with shrines to other gods. He is their king, but they reject Him…
Matthew 1:1: The Book of the Genesis of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. We’ve concentrated this morning on the first two words of Matthew – the “book of the Genesis.” We’ll pick up the pace as we go, and cover more than two words next…
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