Author: Skip Moen, Ph.D.

  • Experimental Exegesis

    “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;”  Ezekiel 20:37  NASB Rod – One of the tenets of conservative Christianity is that the Bible must be interpreted by the Bible.  What it means is this: if I accept the claim that God is the real…

  • Summer Lectures 2022

    Rosanne and I will return to the United States in July. JULY 11 to 16  Ft. Meyer’s, FL I will be speaking for a week of lectures at Beth Yeshua Messianic Synagogue 15675 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908 239-437-3171 Here are the times: July 11 – July 16 Monday 7:00 pm Tuesday 7:00 pm…

  • The Long Haul

    Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:17  NASB We – Two thousand years after Paul wrote this letter, we are forced to read it as if he were writing to…

  • An Uncertain Faith

    So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to [a]desire and to work for His good pleasure.  Philippians 2:12-13  NASB Work out – Recently I conducted a month-long study…

  • The Vig

    His money he does not give at interest and no bribe for the innocent takes.  He who does these things will never stumble. Psalm 15:5  Robert Alter Never Stumble – When the Medici started the banking system in Florence, they invented Western economics.  They created the world of debt.  They loaned to the King of England…

  • Get Thee Behind Me

    The debased in his eyes is repugnant but to LORD-fearers he accords honor.  When he vows to his fellow man, he does not revoke it.  Psalm 15:4  Robert Alter Repugnant – The NASB translation offers some synonyms that help us understand the sense of this verse: “A despicable person is despised in his eyes, but…

  • Expanded Coverage

    Who slanders not with his tongue nor does to his fellow man evil nor bears reproach for his kin.   Psalm 15:3  Robert Alter Bears reproach – The English isn’t common.  “Reproach,” what is that?  Other translations attempt to explain: “casts slur,” “cast scorn,” “brings shame,” “discredits,” “bribes,” “spreads rumors,” “defames” are some of the synonyms…

  • Sneaking Around

    He does not slander with his tongue, nor do evil to his neighbor, nor bring shame on his friend;  Psalm 15:3  NASB Slander – The Hebrew word here is rāgal.  Once you know that, you might be shocked at this translation.  You see, only one time in twenty-four occurrences is it translated “slander.”  In the other twenty-three instances…