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4/5/23
THE SUBTLETY OF NARRATIVE: ISRAEL THE NEW SODOM AND GOMORRAH
In the closing lines of “The Maniac,” the second chapter of his famous book Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton shows his mastery of subtly: “The one created thing which we cannot look at is the one thing in light of which we look at everything...read more.
2/8/23
THE UNFINISHED STORY
In the famous funeral oration of Pericles, Thucydides captures the stirring prose of the eulogy and uses it to highlight the greatness of Athens. Thucydides portrays Athens as the “teacher of all Hellas.” All the Greeks should acknowledge...read more.
12/21/22
A NOMINATIVE OR GENITIVE PRINCE OF PEACE?
Christmastide is almost here. And whether through familiar Christmas carols, Christmas cards, or Charlie Brown, many of us will once again hear the familiar story of shepherds “abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” And thanks to...read more.
10/5/22
PASTOR, ENCOURAGE EACH MEMBER TO CONTRIBUTE
When one thinks of Eph. 4:7-16 attention is usually drawn to discerning Paul’s use of Ps. 68:18. But there is a particular theme beyond this issue that has its grounding in the subtly of Paul’s vocabulary and literary structure. Ephesians 4:7-16 teaches that...read more.
8/31/22
ENTICER ON MY SIDE
The prophet’s explosion of passion in Jeremiah 20:7–18 is difficult to summarize. The impulse to domesticate and summarize this text is a temptation which preachers should avoid. The conflicted feelings which careen in these twelve verses like an...read more.
8/17/22
CONTENTMENT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
Paul deeply rejoices in the Lord (echarēn) that the Philippian churches show care and concern for him and do not shy away from expressing this in practical ways. However, lest the believers at Philippi misunderstand his expression, implying that...read more.
7/20/22
KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW
“Just as you do not know the path of the wind, and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not the activity of God who makes everything.” How do you know what you know? This is a common question in the philosophical...read more.
6/22/22
THE SANCTIFYING REGENERATION OF SINNERS
1 Corinthians 6 is one of the most punitive chapters Paul penned. After rebuking the Corinthian Christians for daring (tolmaō) to take their legal disputes before unbelievers (6:1–8), the Apostle addresses the gravity of their sinful conduct. His reminder that...read more.
6/6/22
SPECIES OF DESIRE
While a brown/grizzly bear and black bear are from the same family (Ursidae), even amateur hikers often know an important difference between these two species. In an encounter with a brown/grizzly bear, it is a good strategy for a hiker to...read more.
5/25/22
A LIGHT FOR THE NATIONS
In Acts 13, Paul preaches at a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. While the reception was encouraging, when Paul and Barnabas returned the next week, the Jews began to oppose them publicly (Acts 13:42-45)...read more.
5/11/22
WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH REVELATION?
Revelation overflows with exhortations, heavenly visions, apocalyptic imagery, and eschatological predictions. It's hard to know what to do with such a complex book. Thankfully, John tells us what we should do: "Blessed (makarios) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy (tēs prophēteias)...read more.
4/27/22
WISDOM VERSUS ROMANS 1
Placing biblical texts into their historical contexts is often essential for understanding them. Doing so becomes especially imperative when considering epistolary literature. Peter, Paul, and the other New Testament authors clearly penned much of their writings to address specific situations...read more.
4/13/22
REMEMBER THE TOMBS OF DESIRE
While coded language is at home in the military and treasure hunting stories, most Christians are not looking for it in the Bible. Although much of the Bible is written in clear and direct language, there are portions which initially seem cryptic...read more.
3/30/22
A WISDOM PARADOX
Wisdom is a gift from God, and yet we are called to seek wisdom and be wise. Both of these realities are true: we must strive for wisdom (Proverbs 2:3-5), yet God alone gives it (Proverbs 2:6). Who then is responsible for us getting wisdom? Is it God or us? The answer to this question is both...read more.
3/16/22
NOW AS THEN
Second Peter 2 opens with a fascinating parallel: “But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you.” With these words, Peter extends the parallels between past and present that he began in 1:16–21...read more.
3/2/22
THE LOGIC OF SACRIFICE
Those who follow The Daily Office Lectionary found in the Book of Common Prayer rejoice when they discover that the lectionary only assigns parts of Leviticus to read during the year. And many other Christians today would sympathize with these Anglican brothers and sisters....read more.
2/16/22
FOREIGNERS WELCOMED BY GOD
When the rule of YHWH breaks into the world, things look different. These differences are material and dramatically affect the way that people relate to one another and also to YHWH himself. The inbreaking rule of YHWH provides the non-Israelite who is reading Isaiah 56 with a radically different mode of relating to his God...read more.
2/2/22
DID DAVID PREDICT THE FATE OF JUDAS?
Soon after Jesus's ascension, his disciples assembled to choose a successor to Judas (Acts 1:12-26). Addressing the group, Peter stood and explained that Judas was a necessary fulfillment of Scripture and that the Holy Spirit had spoken...read more.
1/19/22
WHAT EXACTLY IS IDOLATRY?
Pronouns streamline language, but they can also create confusion when their antecedent is unclear. If I told my wife, “I need my phone, wallet, and keys, which I can’t find,” as I was trying to leave the house, she would be left in the dark on what I had lost. Had I lost just my keys...read more.
1/5/22
SPEECH ACTS AND STOICHEIA TOU KOSMOU
Recognizing that words do not merely refer to something else can be a powerful exegetical ally. Take, for example, the sentence “That is my chair.” If someone were to ask you to explain its meaning, what would you say? You might attempt to explain it bit by bit...read more.
12/22/21
THE "PERFECT" LAW
“But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will law of freedom, and has be blessed in what he does.” All humans, including Christians, desire freedom, happiness, and a better future. However, we often assume these good things are obtained by fulfilling...read more.
12/8/21
NONE HOLY LIKE YAHWEH
The book of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible (spanning 1 and 2 Samuel in our Bibles) displays exquisite literary crafting. It is framed by two prayers: Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving in 1 Samuel 2 and David’s song of deliverance in 2 Samuel 22...read more.
11/24/21
BROKEN TABLE-FELLOWSHIP
The act of eating together or sharing a table of food with others does not merely function as consuming vital nutrients for physical strength and growth. More importantly, it plays a central role in human life to serve as an expression of individual and communal bonding and identity...read more.
11/10/21
MOCKING JESUS—OR DAVID? NARRATIVE SUBTEXT AT THE CROSS
Matthew narrates Jesus's road to the cross with heart-breaking detail: his head is beaten, his dignity is assaulted, and his reputation is maligned. Jesus dies with a cry of forsakenness (Matt 27:46). While Christians are familiar with Jesus's crucifixion...read more.
10/27/21
JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
Isaiah 56 does not exist in a vacuum but follows the wonderful invitation from God to come and freely eat and drink at his table (Isa 55:1-3). YHWH promises that his word will go before Israel and lead them in cosmic, earth-shaking joy. The blight of the Fall...read more.
10/13/21
THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD
The older I get, the more I realize the many ways in which I am, for better or for worse, like my father and mother. I take on their little mannerisms and quirks, their peculiar ways of thinking and preferences, and I’m blissfully unaware of these things until someone else points them out...read more.
9/29/21
THE WORD OF GOD AND THE MESSAGE OF JESUS
Three Evangelists preserve the story about Jesus’ mother and brothers seeking him from outside where he was teaching (Matt 12:46–50; Mark 3:31–35; Luke 8:19–21). Both Matthew and Mark report that Jesus responds by equating those who do...read more.
9/15/21
EPISTOLARY ANALYSIS AND EXPOSITORY PREACHING
The thanksgiving section of Paul’s letters (marked by eucharistō) can be frustrating for those searching for a single theme or one main point to give coherence to a sermon. This is because the thanksgiving section is often introductory, presenting several key issues...read more.
9/1/21
ROCK OF ROCKS
In addition to traditional Christian epithets like “King of kings” and “Lord of lords,” Moses offers a more robust and geological suggestion: The Rock of rocks. To the modern ear, this sedimentary title might call to mind the King of Rock Elvis Presley, the excitement of Woodstock, or even Pink Floyd’s 26-minute tribute song...read more.
7/7/21
MEALS WITH THE SICK
A Roman banquet symbolized both power and social status. While the richest citizens developed their own ostentatious haute cuisine, others rejected the opulent displays of affluence inherent in these banquets and they developed their own rhetoric of self-control and moderation....read more.
6/23/21
KINGDOM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” How should Christians live in relation to money, materials, and meals? In Matthew 6:33, Jesus instructs his followers on where...read more.
6/9/21
WHO WILL GO AND GET JESUS?
Near the end of Deuteronomy, having set the law covenant a second time before Israel, Moses stressed to Israel that they had what they need to obey the covenant: "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you...read more.
5/26/21
GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD
Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” This might very well be one of the most profound statements in all of Scripture...read more.
5/12/21
THE BORNE VOICE
The letter of 2 Peter is an often-overlooked portion of the New Testament, including for preachers. At first glance it doesn’t seem like a very preachable book. However, there’s actually more going on than merely a list of virtues followed by a list of invectives against false teachers...read more.
4/27/21
THE TEST OF FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL LEADERSHIP
What is the test of faithful Christian leadership? Is it fidelity to the word of God? Is it suffering joyfully for the sake of the gospel? Or, is it personal holiness and devotion to a knowing God? Of course, all of those answers, and others, are correct. But, Paul emphasizes...read more.
4/13/21
PRIORITIES IN THE GREAT COMMISSION
Good exegesis attempts to do more than merely describe the content of a text’s individual sentences. It organizes that content and puts it into a hierarchy of sorts. Even when a text does not seem to yield to a singular main point, usually an interpreter can still discern certain peaks and valleys...read more.
3/9/21
DON'T BE WORTHLESS GRAPES
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” This opening line from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 is widely known. But what is it that makes Shakespeare’s sonnets so popular and so stirring? A main reason would be Shakespeare’s mastery of the English language and his ability to paint a beautiful literary picture in the mind of the audience...read more.
2/23/21
DOERS OF THE LAW
Paul, the apostle of sola fide, the man who wrote “by works of the Law no flesh will be justified,” (Rom 3:20a [NASB]), also wrote this: “for it is not the hearers [akroatai] of the Law who are just before God, but the doers [poiētai] of the Law will be justified” (Rom 2:13 [NASB]; emphasis added)...read more.
2/9/21
IMITATION GAME
Emperor Augustus, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, described himself as the “Restorer of the Republic.” He instituted moral reforms across the empire and tried to restore traditional Roman virtues. Stories of Augustus were told as moral examples for the next generations to imitate, and in an illiterate society, virtuous role models became the primary mode of moral education...read more.
1/26/21
GRABBING SMOKE
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” The Preacher’s dictum delivers the theme of Ecclesiastes. But what does vanity (Hebrew, hebel) mean? The need to define what the Preacher of Ecclesiastes means is heightened by the syntax of the original language, which is constructed as a superlative. “Vanity of vanities” means that all things are not merely vain, but are the vainest they could possibly be...read more.
1/12/21
JOHN AND ELIJAH
John the Baptist’s role as forerunner of Jesus seems straightforward at first glance, but John’s relationship to Elijah proves more difficult to understand. How is John like Elijah? In Matthew 14:1–12, Matthew shows that John’s relationship to Elijah is intricately tied to his preparing the way for Jesus...read more.
12/29/20
TWO DIFFERENT MEANS OF SALVATION
Paul did not shy away from using strong language when necessary. In Galatians 3:1 he writes, “You foolish Galatians.” Echoing the same charge, Paul asks in Galatians 3:3, “Are you so foolish?” Paul’s characterization of the Galatian Christians as anoētoi raises a question: what were the Galatian Christians doing to earn the label “foolish?”...read more.
12/15/20
OUR GOVERNING AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN
The United States Constitution outlines the rules by which American citizens will govern themselves, and with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, it enumerates the foundational human rights that belong to all American citizens. These foundational documents constitute the United States of America, and they assert both who is a citizen and how the polity will live...read more.
12/1/20
THE SHAPE OF PERFECTION
Words have shape, but they also have texture. They have definition, but also feel. They denote, but they also connote...read more.
11/17/20
MATTHEW'S BOOK OF GENESIS
Preaching genealogies can be difficult. In daily Bible reading, readers tend to gloss over them, seeing them as an opportunity to catch up and make extra progress. Because of this, people come to expect the same in sermons. The preacher gives a quick drive-by of a genealogy before getting to the main stuff....read more.
11/3/20
FAMILY ETHICS
Society expects certain behaviors from specific people, depending on the role that he or she plays within the culture. For example, in many societies, the role of a mother involves nurturing and caring for children, while the role of a teacher would include educating and guiding students....read more.
10/20/20
WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SIN?
“What can wash away my sin?” According to the song, the answer is, “Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” But, according to at least one verse in the New Testament, Acts 22:16, the answer looks like, “Baptism.”...read more.
10/6/20
IS HE SAYING WHAT I THINK HE'S SAYING?
The prophet Jeremiah was called to a difficult ministry of confronting sin and preaching impending destruction. At one point, he was in the midst of accusing his audience when he asked, “Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known...read more.
9/22/20
DEFEATING DEATH
A leitmotif is a small recurring theme in music or literature. The German composer Richard Wagner wrote a cycle of operas called The Ring of the Nibelung in which he uses hundreds of recurring leitmotifs to remind the audience about important places and characters...read more.
9/9/20
NO SHAME
The way New Testament authors quote the Old Testament often feels enigmatic, even confusing. But often these quotations serve not so much to prove the Old Testament author’s point, but to weave together themes in a given passage. In 1 Peter 2:6, for example, Peter uses Isaiah 28:16 to tie several threads of his argument in 2:1–10 together. He writes, “Behold, I lay in Zion...read more.
8/25/20
GOD SPEAKING IN CHRIST
What strikes your mind when you think of the book of Hebrews? What is the book’s main point, its primary objective? Many would well answer something like “The divinity of Jesus” or “Jesus is greater than angels or Judaism or even Moses.” The author of Hebrews opens the letter with such a message when he strings together a beautiful set of pearls of praise that affirm the divinity of the Son...read more.
8/11/20
MARY, YOU DID KNOW!
Mark Lowery’s catchy modern Christmas carol “Mary, Did you Know?” has influenced a generation of readers of Christian scripture that Mary may have been naive about the angelic pronouncement she receives and its theological implications for Israel. This is unfortunate. Quite the contrary...read more.
7/28/20
NOT ALL FAITH IS CREATED EQUAL
Christians believe that the New Testament speaks with a unified voice, but some passages seem to create discord. For example, Paul and James appear to have two very different understandings of the role of faith in salvation (e.g., Romans 4:1-25; James 2:14-26). However, with the help of Greek grammar...read more.
7/14/20
LIVE AS WORTHY CITIZENS
Metaphors cast new light on familiar topics. For example, John’s Gospel describes Jesus as “the bread of life” (6:35), “the light of the world” (8:12), and “the good shepherd” (10:11). Each of these metaphors—and many others—allow Christians to see and understand the Son of God in new and astonishing ways...read more.
6/16/20
THE LIVING STONE
What does it mean when Peter describes Jesus as “a living stone”? Peter could simply be alluding to Jesus’s resurrection while also setting up his “spiritual house” metaphor of 2:5. Perhaps less obvious is that Peter’s use of Psalm 33 and the term “stone” point toward Jesus being not only the believer’s example for suffering but actually God himself...read more.
6/2/20
THE COMING NEW EXODUS
It has become commonplace to talk about a “New Exodus” in Isaiah. The idea is that God’s future act of post-exilic redemption that Isaiah foresaw can be understood in light of the foremost act of redemption in Israel’s past, the exodus from Egypt. Often times though, a reader blazes through the meandering poetry of Isaiah without recognizing the warrant for such a view...read more.
5/19/20
POLARIZED REACTIONS TO THE GOSPEL
While in Athens, Paul preached about Jesus Christ to a curious audience (Acts 17:22-31). At the climactic point of his sermon, Paul asserted that God raised Jesus from the dead (17:31). This claim got a polarized reaction. As the NASB translates Acts 17:32, “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead...read more.
4/28/20
THE CHRISTIAN'S CONNECTION WITH ABRAHAM
Galatians 3:10-14 serves a central role in Paul's discussion of works of the Law and faith in Christ. In this passage, Paul provides an explanation for why "those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer" (3:9). Having described Christ's redemption on the cross for those under the curse of the Law... read more
4/21/20
THE IRONIC GOY
Deuteronomy has often been considered the crown of the Hebrew Bible. If this is true, then the Song of Moses can be considered its glittering jewel. Standing at the door of the promised land, Moses recounts to Israel their past dealings with Yahweh and predicts the future awaiting them. In the first half of the song...read more.
4/14/20
ALIENS AND STRANGERS IN THE WORLD TODAY
The Apostle Peter wrote letters to Christians in need. His Christian audience in the churches of Asia Minor needed guidance on how to relate to the world in light of their faith in Jesus. In his letter Peter opts for what at first place can be a puzzling description. He calls his audience "aliens" (paroikous) and "strangers" (parepidēmous)...read more.
4/7/20
REJOICE, O BARREN ONE
The greatest stories are told and retold, and each retelling stimulates new and creative insights. for example, John Steinbeck's famous book, East of Eden, retells the story of Cain and Abel. While his story recalls some of the themes from the original telling like guilt and self deception, Steinbeck also incorporates other themes like acceptance...read more.
3/31/20
HOW BEATITUDES WORK
Jesus’ Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12) are arguably the most famous of his teachings, the opening to his most famous sermon, what we call now The Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:1-7:28). Despite this deserved fame, there are many technical questions about the Beatitudes that are not always clear. We can explore three of these important questions here...read more.