Month: May 2013

  • A Good Beginning

    Do not in any way forsake the commandments of the Lord; but keep what you have received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom.  Didache, Chapter 5, Roberts-Donaldson translation Adding/ taking away – The Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) is one of the earliest Christian documents, dating from the late 1st or early 2nd…

  • Salt in the Wound

    Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 28:19  ESV In the name of – In his book, Epidemic: Examining the Infected Roots of Judaism and Christianity, Russ Houck suggests that the phrase “baptizing them in the…

  • Truly Complicated

    Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me;’”  Hebrews 10:5  NASB World – So now we know that the word “body” is substituted for “ear” by this author.  Why?  Guthrie provides the following explanation:  “the author appropriates the psalm…

  • Rearranging the Furniture

    Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me;’”  Hebrews 10:5  NASB Body – New Testament authors often rearrange God’s word from the Tanakh in order to make some point in their own writings.  Sometimes they offer rather creative translations…

  • Calendar Questions

    “So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.”   Ezekiel 16:62-63  NIV Then – When did…

  • Paradigm Shift

    But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive adoption as sons.  Galatians 4:4-5  NASB Redeem – The Greek verb for “redeem” is exagorazo.  It literally means “to…

  • Paycheck Believers

    For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.  Hebrews 10:36  NASB What was promised – The Greek text actually doesn’t say, “what was promised.”  It says, “the promise.”  It’s not obvious to me why the translators decided to change a perfectly…

  • Sinners Classified

    May 24  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.   1 Timothy 1:15 ESV Foremost – Where are you in the rank order of sinners?  Paul says that he is at the top of the list (so that…