Psalm 2 Overview

The writer of Hebrews compares the different glories of God’s workings in history showing the Son is the clearest revelation and superior to angels: For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father” Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” And again, when God brings his firstborn into the … Continue reading Psalm 2 Overview

You Should be a Teacher by Now

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles… Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word (Acts 7.1,4 ESV). It’s abundantly clear, from the practice of the early church, that ordinary Christians spread the message and not their leaders. While Jesus set … Continue reading You Should be a Teacher by Now

Christians on the Wrong side of History

On most issues, if they are honest, Christians do a good job at addressing the matter and take an appropriate stance. But not on Cannabis. I am speaking of those who will not study the facts and be honest. On an individual, congregant level most Christians are not too fussed with Cannabis unless they hear different from their leaders. The Christian leader who refuses to … Continue reading Christians on the Wrong side of History

The Forbidden Hero

The remarkable chronicle of the polymath, Sir William O’Shaughnessy Brooke. Read the chronicle and you will find out why he is forbidden. Why haven’t we heard more about him? Is it because in the 1830’s he demonstrated and affirmed both the medical efficacy and recreational use of Cannabis. Cannabis was a plant whose use sustained physical labor and kept the mind focused. The medical uses … Continue reading The Forbidden Hero

John Piper, Social Justice Dilittante

To be a public Christian without really knowing about social issues is a display of willful ignorance. Piper sticks his head in the sand by claiming “he knows nothing” about these issues relying on Wikipedia for answers. Does the call of God not require analyzing social issues affecting society? He frames the issue as one of danger because “upsurge of cannabis-infused drinks on sale for … Continue reading John Piper, Social Justice Dilittante

Textual Markers Influencing Meaning

Don’t let the notion of “editorializing” throw you. What he is speaking about is Mark constructing his account to show context and connections. This analysis is part of a method which is subjected to literature and the author is including the section as part of this investigative method. Tradition has it that Mark used Peter’s preaching Jesus in composing the account for the Romans who … Continue reading Textual Markers Influencing Meaning

Lag B’Omer: Idolatry in High Places

The Jerusalem Post described Lag B’Omer as, “The springtime holiday became a celebration upon a grave”. Damning words from a Jewish publication, but that is what it is. Every year, bonfires are lit up and down the country and thousands gather to celebrate by the grave of a Kabbalistic rabbi on the eve of Lag… Lag B’Omer: Idolatry in High Places — ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry Continue reading Lag B’Omer: Idolatry in High Places

Opening Eyes is Revelatory Not Hermeneutical

The last footnote in Caneday’s critique is surely wrong. Nevertheless, he exposes fallacies in Richard Hay’s two works: Reading Backwards, and Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Since, in a post, I have featured Hay’s publication (Echoes) and have affirmed its contents, I also need to offer a second word of critique. Revealed Forward: Figural Revelation of the Messiah’s Suffering and Glory in Israel’s Scripture … Continue reading Opening Eyes is Revelatory Not Hermeneutical

Christian Hope: Anticipating The New Song

Pascal Quignard’s The Hatred of Music is impossible to summarize. It’s divided into ten “treatises” with titles like “It So Happens That Ears Have No Eyelids,” “The Song of the Sirens,” and “To Disenchant.” He examines music from historical, mythical, phenomenological, and every other conceivable angle. But the treatises aren’t really treatises; they’re more like… Music in the Death Camps — First Things RSS Feed – … Continue reading Christian Hope: Anticipating The New Song

O.T. Allusions in the Parable of the Prodigal Son

Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Mt. 13.52 ESV) Peter Williams demonstrates some of the ways Christians are to harmonize the Testaments. He discusses implicit and inherent allusions in the parable of The Prodigal Son[s]. Of course, the N.T. … Continue reading O.T. Allusions in the Parable of the Prodigal Son

Finding One’s Self-Brian Rosner

When it comes to knowing yourself, social psychologists speak of the “looking-glass self,” a term coined in 1902. It refers to our tendency to understand ourselves by perceiving what others make of us. In other words, the self is the result of learning to see ourselves as others see us.1 The great Scottish poet Robert Burns is credited with saying: “Oh would some power the gift … Continue reading Finding One’s Self-Brian Rosner