The Golden Gate of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem https://www.ritmeyer.com/2019/03/11/the-golden-gate-of-the-temple-mount-in-jerusalem/ — Read on http://www.ritmeyer.com/2019/03/11/the-golden-gate-of-the-temple-mount-in-jerusalem/ Continue reading The Golden Gate of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we ourselves have forgiven our trespassers. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Mt. 6.9-13 literal translation). Perhaps a quibble about the label “The Lord’s Prayer.” The text doesn’t … Continue reading The Lord’s Prayer

Many sections of the bible (pericopes) lend themselves to memorization. For myself, hortatory, practical extracts are chosen. This does not mean these sections are without catechesis. Often, greater biblical insight and clarity of thought can be achieved by memorizing and meditating on a section of text (see Ps. 1 on the blessed person). I am not a Greek or Hebrew scholar or seek to be … Continue reading Free-Flowing English: Romans 5.1-11

Acts 2.33: Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. The “Filioque Clause,” an addition to the Nicean Creed, states that the Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as the Father. The Eastern Church was correct to reject this clause as the Acts passage clearly … Continue reading Prooftext Contra The Filioque

This verse is interpreted by Paul in 1Cor. 9.8-10 and yet few Christians understand it (or, possibly, I understand it wrong). I am fairly sure I grasp what Paul meant. Here is Paul’s take on this command only given once in Dt. 25.4: Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?  For it is written in the Law … Continue reading Do Not Muzzle an Ox While it is Treading Out the Grain (Dt. 25.4)

Six times in the Gospel of John (and found in no other account), the terminology of “the beloved disciple” is presented: 13.23, 25, 19.26, 20.2, 21.7, 21.20. The Apostle John, writing toward the end of his life, identified himself as author of this gospel which we know by account comparison: This is the disciple who testifies about these things and has written these things, and we … Continue reading The Beloved Disciple

Please don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against gaiety and fireworks, in having a good time and letting loose (all with holding on to God). I believe in enjoying alcohol without going overboard. But to focus on celebrating a purely calendar event and infusing it with mystical notions is crazy. New Years Day makes nothing new. The same problems are still here for most … Continue reading The Failed Holiday

Julius Wellhausen was a sensitive Protestant professor who developed The documentary hypothesis by use of source criticism. This is an Enlightenment effort, the scientific examination based upon human reasoning and standards. Joshua Berman is a Jew who seems to believe the Torah is from God as written. I hold with Joshua Berman the belief in the Old Testament pretty much as written. Here is an … Continue reading Julius Wellhausen Vs. Joshua Berman

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2008/05/tsunami-and-theodicy Continue reading Unnecessary: Theodicy

Pete Williams notes the reality of formal contradictions in literature (and, if we think about it, formal contradiction features in everyday speech), yet some are put off studying the bible when they encounter such devices. Its almost if some folks want a tidier communication from God. However, God’s word is perfectly designed to communicate the things His people should know. https://www.crossway.org/articles/do-the-gospels-contradict-themselves/ Continue reading Deliberate Gospel Contradictions

Here is an interesting essay by Kyle Harper, the senior vice president and provost of the University of Oklahoma: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-emperor-and-the-empty-tomb-an-ancient-inscription-an-eccentric-scholar-and-the-human-need-to-touch-the-past/#! Continue reading The Nazareth Inscription

Here is a ‘bone box’ (ossuary) displayed at The Allard Pierson Museum (Amsterdam). The burial practices during the time of Jesus seemed generally to place the deceased body on a ledge in a cave for a year until only the bones remained. These bones were then deposited in a box like the one pictured as the final resting place of the physical remains of the … Continue reading Ossuary from Second Temple Israel

[Lately, renovation and repairs are taking much of my time, so, I cannot read and post as much as I want.] Christians, I notice, are still divided on the meaning of monogenas (only begotten). Jesus was unique, absolutely, but, that does not mean monogenas means “one of a kind,” or “unique.” Just because it fits, doesn’t mean, “it fits together.” The kicker, for me, remains: that … Continue reading “Begotten, Not Made” Nicene Creed

By Lee Irons http://upper-register.typepad.com/blog/2014/03/jesus-is-the-son-of-god.html Continue reading Jesus as Son

N.T. scholar Craig Evans, in a video making the rounds on some blogs, asserts that John’s Gospel is a summation of Jesus’s Synoptic Gospels sayings put into a paraphrase-like text. While I agree with him about the need for modern readers to be open to questions of genre and be sensitive against bringing preconceived expectations while studying the text, to try to fit G-John into … Continue reading John’s Gospel-A Paraphrase?

Here are some ancient keys, a door knob (center), and the remains of the mechanism (upper right) which would have probably be nailed to a large wooden door. Courtesy of Allard Pierson Museum These keys are typical of ones found during the period of the Roman Empire which is the Early Christian Era. However, keys were known even earlier in the Kingdom of Judah, as … Continue reading Keys in the New Testament

This oil lamp is displayed in The Allard Pierson Museum of The University of Amsterdam. The Staurogram is similar to the Egyptian Ankh which is thought to signify life or eternity. The Staurogram offers a physical likeness of crucifixion and was used by the early church as a monogram on items, such as this oil lamp, indicating their faith. Also, the Staurogram was used in … Continue reading Staurogram Oil Lamp and Description

Introduction and Elaboration of New Covenant Principles For the growing and mature Christian, the Filioque Controversy is of tremendous importance. This theological question is the most important issue in the 2000-year history of the Christian community. Here are areas which the question affects: First, the understanding about God. This is important because the point of redemption is to reconcile us with our Creator, Redeemer, and … Continue reading The Filioque Controversy

The New Covenant is poorly understood today. Part of the problem is terminology. A covenant in today’s parlance involves obligations from both parties of an agreement. The covenants spoken of in the bible are not a covenant like we think of today. It is a testament of benefits to those in Christ. Christ has died and left a will to the beneficiaries. A testament records … Continue reading The New Covenant: A Definition