I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me (ESV). It seems some Evangelicals have found a verse to use as a key: John 17.23. They believe that if Christians work for unity (in all cases, I observe only external tactics to achieve … Continue reading Internal or External Unity: John 17.23

Jesus was clear as to who builds His Church: Himself. What is “radically wrong” with the church is no different than what is wrong with all believers throughout history, including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. After Abram tried his own devices, God told him to walk with Him and be perfect (implying that he was not perfect previously; see Gen.17.1). This is the process of sanctification … Continue reading You Can’t Fix the Church

Stephen Wellum continues his labors of bringing precision to the understanding of the Biblical Covenants. He doesn’t claim that his formulation is the “end of the discussion,” but rather interacts with scripture to note variances in the two competing synthetic theological systems. I think he identifies crucial problems in both inorganic systems and brings scriptural alternatives. Dispensational or Covenantal? | Desiring God Continue reading Dispensational or Covenantal?

In our present post we further consider Tirhakah, the Cushite (Ethiopian) Pharaoh mentioned in 2 Kings 19:9: “Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the Cushite king of Egypt, was marching out to fight against him. It is fascinating (and illuminating) when there are other historical records, inscriptions, and artifacts which coincide with biblical persons […] Pharaoh Tirhakah, cont’d — Leon’s Message Board Continue reading Pharaoh Tirhakah-2Kings 19.9

Have You Renounced Satan? The Lost Second Vow of Baptism — Desiring God Continue reading Historical Baptism

Since God made us in His own image, humans can register feelings like betrayal, being slighted, and hated, and more. How Could God Be Jealous? — Desiring God Continue reading How Could God Be Jealous?

Man-centeredness is idolatry. True worship is deserved only for the Creator. The God-Centeredness of God Unlocks the Gospel | Desiring God Continue reading The Creator / Creature Distinction

The Curse on The Serpent signaled his doom having his head crushed by the Promised Seed. Yet this Promised One would also suffer a deadly wound from the strike of the Serpent (the same Hebrew term I translated as “crush” by an action of the heel, I translate “strike” by a viper since injection of venom is a different action although the outcome is shared). … Continue reading The Seed of the Woman-Gen. 3.15

Is a Christian a saint or sinner? Piper does a good job of analyzing scripture to show, by nature, that Christians are holy. On the basis of who we are then, we progressively reject acting differently. Sinners or Saints — How Should We Speak of Christians? — Desiring God Continue reading The Christian’s Paradox

The statue of Erasmus at the University Rotterdam is the oldest statue in the Netherlands. Photo from FlickrThe Greek New Testament published in Basel (Switzerland) in 1516 was the greatest achievement of the magnificent Dutch philosopher, philologist, and Catholic theologian Erasmus of Rotterdam (ca. 1466–1536). At that time in Western Europe, the Latin Bible was… Erasmus and the Search for the Original Text of the New … Continue reading Erasmus and His Texts

Summary: A new digital photography method confirms written records of biblical King David on Mesha Stele. Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king… Debated King David Reference on Mesha Stele Solved — Patterns of … Continue reading Decoding the Mesha Stele

Jesus, in John 6.45, says the writings of the prophets (note the plural), teaches that the future New Covenant will be different from the Mosaic Covenant. A direct quotation could be Is. 54.13 where it says: All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace (NIV). The first verse of Isaiah 54, Paul quotes in Galatians 4.27: Be glad, barren … Continue reading “They Will All Be Taught of God” (Jn. 6.45)

Jesus is the Christian’s hope: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope (1Tim. 1.1 NIV). Paul says the same when writing Titus: while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Tit. 2.13 NIV). Our hope is living, that is, we wait for … Continue reading Remember Your Nature and Destiny

Did Elohim Create Evil? | Hoshana Rabbah BlogHoshana Rabbah Blog Continue reading Whence Darkness?

Here is an article discussing Rachel’s burial place while also mentioning an area of Perat where Jeremiah was instructed to bury the linen belt. The Perat area (around Ramah), is more accessible to Jeremiah than the Euphrates area which would have taken several months to reach. Rachel was most likely buried in her son’s tribal area of Benjamin which was not established until hundreds of … Continue reading Rachel’s Tomb and “Perat” of Jer. 13.4-7

Summary: Silver pieces discovered demonstrate robust trade routes and use of currency in Israel and the surrounding areas, 500 years earlier than previously thought. Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights… Silver Hoard Discovery Reveals Israel’s Oldest Currency — Patterns of Evidence Continue reading Hacksilber and Coinage Commerce in Antiquity

Should We Call God Mother? — CBMW Continue reading Burk Contra Peeler

A Westminster Divine and an Alexandrian Codex Continue reading Regard of the Textus Receptus by Its Early Scholars

Summary: The famous, biblical Pool of Siloam will finally be revealed for the first time in a full excavation and visitors are welcome to watch the process. “Go,” he [Jesus] told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam.” So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. – John 9:7 (NIV) Famous Pool of… Complete Excavation of Biblical Pool of Siloam Announced — Patterns of … Continue reading Complete Excavation of Biblical Pool of Siloam Announced

Here is an good article by Peter Leithart about how woman “perfects” man. In an aside, Leithart speaks of how original creation was “imperfect” and “inglorious:” Creation is a series of speeches and actions to perfect the original imperfection and to glorify the relatively inglorious. In Genesis 1, ‘elohim lights, forms, and fills to transform the original tohu-w’bohu into a brightly-lit, ordered, teeming cosmos. I must disagree with Leithart … Continue reading Does God Create Imperfection or Does He Merely Allow It?

9 Proofs You’re More Than Matter — The Gospel Coalition Continue reading Darwin’s and Dawkin’s Doubt

Here is an article by Michael J. Kruger showing that the initial impulse of Christians was to spread the Gospel. Indeed, one of the greatest truths I ever learned was that it was ordinary Christians who first spread the Good News, not the elites. This case is found in Acts 8. 1-4. After Stephen’s martyrdom, a fierce opposition developed against the Christians: And there arose … Continue reading The Nascent Christian Community were Actors not Spectators

Here is collection of posts by Jason Engwer along with links to issues in Isaiah 9: The first seven verses of Isaiah 9 are highly significant, but usually underestimated, in a lot of important contexts. They have implications for Jesus’ identity, how he viewed himself, who he claimed to be, how he was perceived early on, the continuity between the gospels’ accounts of his childhood … Continue reading Isaiah 9 Resources

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Mt. 10.28 NIV). Jesus, in Mt. 10.28, gives the function of hell (Gehenna) as the destruction of the human wicked. This, obviously, is eternal punishment, annihilation. Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT) it seems is predicated upon … Continue reading Destroying Soul and Body in Hell

Leen (pronounced Lane) Ritmeyer has a fascinating history of how he got into architectural reconstruction at various digs in Israel. 50 years visualising the Bible — Ritmeyer Archaeological Design Continue reading Leen Ritmeyer’s 50 Year History of Archaeological Reconstruction

Here is an article by Craig Carter that I agree with according to his main point. Carter cites the “specific” reason for the incarnation as human redemption: “God decreed that he would take on flesh for a specific reason. The reason was that without taking on human flesh the eternal, impassible God could not suffer and die for our sins.” According to Eph. 1.7-10, the … Continue reading Redemption as a Sideshow

For many years now, I never resolve at a periodic point in time, such as New Year, to change for the better. Repentance should happen when we become aware of the problem. Under the New Covenant, His people know Him intimately, and therefore, they can adjust their heart in response to His promptings. Christians still face many challenges despite the New Covenant’s advantages. Sometimes our … Continue reading Finishing Last Year’s Resolutions Well

You Shall Call His Name Joshua – Theopolis Institute Continue reading You Shall Call His Name Joshua

Christmas Under the Sun — The Gospel Coalition Continue reading Christmas Under the Sun

The Hanukkah story is no fairytale. The evils Antiochus IV and his rule of terror are a matter of historical fact, as archaeology is now able to verify. The news has just broken that a treasure trove of coins has been discovered earlier this year in the Judean desert, near the Dead Sea. Coins are… Hanukkah Treasures Found By the Dead Sea — ONE FOR ISRAEL … Continue reading Hanukkah Treasures Found By the Dead Sea