In the beginning, God planted a garden. And in the very center of that garden, he planted a tree: The Tree of Life. The Book of Revelation tells us that the leaves if this life-giving tree have the power to heal the nations. The fruit of this tree grants eternal life to all who eatContinue reading “Absalom & The Cursed Tree”
Category Archives: Bible
What Does Premodern Exegesis Sound Like from the Pulpit?
Premodern exegesis is sometimes summarized as the fourfold method of interpretation. This means my preaching… …is a slave to the text (Literal) …delights in the canonical context (Allegorical) …drives at the transformation of the soul (Tropological) …speaks of the Eternal (Anagogical) It’s important to realize that the premodern exegete doesn’t siphon his sermon (although IContinue reading “What Does Premodern Exegesis Sound Like from the Pulpit?”
Biblical Narrative Is Ambiguous (and Why That’s a Good Thing)
This might make your toes curl up inside your shoes, but the narratives of the Bible are ambiguous. Just to be clear, I am not saying that the Bible is false, untrue, misleading, or culturally confined. But its stories are ambiguous. Perhaps you remember being introduced to literary tools in your high school English class–simile,Continue reading “Biblical Narrative Is Ambiguous (and Why That’s a Good Thing)”
What If I Miss the Rapture?
So, I did a bad thing this past week. I googled “what if I miss the rapture?” For those who are not familiar with what I’m talking about, “the rapture” is a central piece of a dispensational reading of Revelation. The idea goes that when Jesus returns, he will come back secretly first and takeContinue reading “What If I Miss the Rapture?”
New Posts @ TGC and Southern Equip: ‘Chiasms’ and ‘Hope’
I’ve got a couple of articles up at The Gospel Coalition and Southern Seminary’s blog Southern Equip on two totally different topics, with two totally different tones. The first explores chiasm and symmetry in Scripture. The second shares personal testimony about my own struggles in the early years of ministry and the hope I foundContinue reading “New Posts @ TGC and Southern Equip: ‘Chiasms’ and ‘Hope’”
Who Wrote the Bible?
“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God…” 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Whether we will admit it or not, we come to the BibleContinue reading “Who Wrote the Bible?”
Textual Criticism of 1 Samuel 6:19–When Translators Scratch Their Heads
There are times when translators are befuddled. 1 Samuel 6:19 is one of those times. Here is the verse in several translations: NASB–“He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men” ESV–And he struck some of theContinue reading “Textual Criticism of 1 Samuel 6:19–When Translators Scratch Their Heads”
