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Writing

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

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Esther

Genesis 1 and Genesis 8

I mentioned last month ( BH 82) in my essay "Like a Dove" that Genesis 8 is a recapitulation of Genesis 1. Let me explicate that assertion here. Of course, the world after the Flood is a new creation, so we may expect a recapitulation of the first creation. It…

by James B. JordanMarch 28, 1996
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Daniel

Esther: Historical & Chronological Comments (I)

The book of Esther is one of the most neglected of the books of the Bible. To be sure, sermons are preached on it, and commentaries have occasionally been written on it, but almost without exception Esther has been interpreted in isolation from the rest of Biblical history, chronology, and…

by James B. JordanMarch 28, 1996
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Biblical Horizons

A Letter on Geocentricity

Dear Mr. ______, . . . Here is how I look at the geocentricity question. Since I don’t recall what I wrote you before, I may be repeating some things. 1. The Bible does not teach it. Biblical passages used to support the idea are being misinterpreted. My original paper…

by James B. JordanMarch 28, 1996
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Biblical Horizons

What is God?

Answer 4 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is often taken as a magnificent answer to the question, "What is God?" It reads: "God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." Presbyterians are fond of praising this statement, preaching on it,…

by James B. JordanFebruary 28, 1996
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Baptism

Like a Dove

The gospels tell us that at Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him "in bodily form like a dove" (Luke 3:22 & parallels). Biblically sensitive commentators have associated this event with three Old Testament parallels: (1) the hovering of the Spirit over the creation in Genesis 1:2; (2) the…

by James B. JordanFebruary 28, 1996
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John

Jesus at Belshazzar’s Feast: Being an Explanatory Disquisition on an Aspect of the Story of the Woman Taken in Adultery

This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. (John 8:6) The story of the woman taken in adultery (John 7:53-8:11) has been part of the canonical Christian Bible from its earliest…

by James B. JordanFebruary 28, 1996

Showing page 267 of 309

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Easter baptism

Tertullian wrote “The Passover provides the day of most solemnity for baptism, for then was accomplished our Lord’s baptism, and into it we are baptized . . . After that, Pentecost is a most auspicious period for arranging baptisms, for during it our Lord’s resurrection was several times made known…

April 15, 2006

Washing, Spirit, Justification, Life

The sequence of assertions in Titus 3:5-7 is intriguing: God saved us according to His mercy By the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Spirit poured out on us through Jesus So that being justified by grace We might be heirs of eternal life. Let’s stipulate that the…

April 15, 2006

Ark and Church

DG Hart gives this summary of Nevin’s views on the church as ark: “In Nevin’s scheme Christian salvation played out really and concretely in history, in the form of the church, and ways not simply an abstract covenant transacted in the Godhead before all time. With Christ and his presence…

April 15, 2006

Who crucified Jesus?

It has become common among NT scholars to insist that Jesus was crucified by the Romans. This is certainly true in the sense that crucifixion was a Roman form of execution, and also highlights the important political dimension of Jesus’ death. It is also true, as the hymn expresses it,…

April 14, 2006

Proverbs 14

INTRODUCTION As Waltke points out, the opening verses of chapter 14 are chiastically arranged: A. Wise, Fool, walk, vv. 1-2 B. Speech, v. 3 C. Industry, v. 4 B’. Speech, v. 5 A’. Wise, fool, go/walk, vv. 6-7. Waltke notes that the first part of the arrangement highlights connections between…

April 14, 2006

Orientation of worship

Throughout the OT, worshipers drew near to God moving from east to west, returning to Eden. The Christian church reversed this, so that Christian worshipers enter by the west door and face east during worship. Is this change justified? What does it signify? No doubt many things, but this at…

April 14, 2006

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