“In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” –Hebrews 8:13 As Americans living in a consumer-driven society, we understand the author of Hebrews intuitively. Our culture thrives on making the old obsolete by speaking of the new. ItContinue reading “The Tabernacle Is a Parable”
Category Archives: Typology & Allegory
Absalom & The Cursed Tree
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”
“We Three Kings”: How Many Wise Men Were There Really?
It’s another Advent season, and another round of articles poised to rob us of our Christmas joy. This is not one of those articles. Sufjan Stevens encourages us to embrace the inner Christmas unicorn each December. It’s a time of imagination, celebration, and mirth. So, as we come to the traditional Christmas carol “We ThreeContinue reading ““We Three Kings”: How Many Wise Men Were There Really?”
Who Needs ‘The Shack’? We’ve Got Abraham, Isaac, and the Servant!
There is a reason we are enamored with The Shack. We have a longing to see God’s purposes played out in metaphor, in terms we can touch and taste and feel. We are feeble creatures, and we need spiritual realities to be depicted in physical terms. The Shack scratches an itch–albeit poorly, like when you reach your handContinue reading “Who Needs ‘The Shack’? We’ve Got Abraham, Isaac, and the Servant!”
The Curious Case of Benjamin
I have this annoying quirk where I can’t let the particulars of Scripture go. When the Bible gets descriptive, there must be some significance beyond satisfying mere curiosity. There are no throw away parts of Scripture, no parts that are just for your information. Unexpected details get my wheels churning. When it comes to myContinue reading “The Curious Case of Benjamin”
“On Canonical Reading, Context, and Collective Biblical Consciousness”
Words have no meaning without context. You can read the words “once” and “upon” and “a” and “time” separately, and they could mean an infinite number of things. However, string them together and all of the sudden by appearing side by side they communicate a specific meaning: “Once upon a time…” Perhaps the first timeContinue reading ““On Canonical Reading, Context, and Collective Biblical Consciousness””
Hebrews 4:12–Ehud and the Double-Edged Allegory
“For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes ofContinue reading “Hebrews 4:12–Ehud and the Double-Edged Allegory”
