Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Romans 13:1 NASB Governing authorities – The divine right of kings. That’s what this verse seems to support. And for centuries some parts of the Christian Church read it that way,…
Article “Pannenberg on the Past” previously published Part 2 (continued from July 28) The first thing to see is that Pannenberg asks us to abandon completely the defective Cartesian model of existence—the clock model. God is not the clock maker, putting the thing called creation together; winding up the springs, and letting it run. Every…
THIS IS LONG. Take your time. Article “Pannenberg on the Past” previously published Part 1 God of the Past More than 50 years ago, Wolfhart Pannenberg wrote the book that was translated into English as Jesus – God and Man. On page 230 of that work, Pannenberg makes a suggestion about the relationship between Jesus’…
Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. Isaiah 2:2 NASB In the last days – Oh how the “end times” people love verses like…
Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and those who turn back in her, through righteousness. Isaiah 1:27 Robert Alter Through – The NASB renders this verse differently. “Zion will be redeemed with justice And her repentant ones with righteousness.” The difference is the translation of the preposition bĕ. As you know, Hebrew prepositions play a lot of…
Therefore, says the Master, LORD of Armies, Israel’s Mighty One: Oh, I will settle scores with my foes and take vengeance on my enemies. Isaiah 1:24 Robert Alter Take vengeance – As you recall, the verb translated “settle scores” is typically a verb about consolation or regret. We noticed the shadow of this idea when…
Therefore, says the Master, LORD of Armies, Israel’s Mighty One: Oh, I will settle scores with my foes and take vengeance on my enemies. Isaiah 1:24 Robert Alter Settle scores – It’s surprising that Alter’s translation employs a modern euphemism, but examination of the actual Hebrew might justify his choice. The NASB 1995 attempts a…
Your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves a bribe and chases after gifts. They do not obtain justice for the orphan, nor does the widow’s case come before them. Isaiah 1:23 NASB Rebels – We have a saying: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” It seems that what Isaiah faced on…
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8 NASB Word – Western paradigms focus on answers. Experience is reduced to principles in order that we may predict and control. In fact, the entire enterprise of science, a principal characteristic of the Western mind, is an effort to…
How has the faithful town become a whore? Filled with justice where righteousness did lodge, and now—murderers. Isaiah 1:21 Robert Alter How – אֵיכָכָה (ʾêkākâh) how? There doesn’t appear to be anything remarkable about this, right? It’s just an interrogative. After all God’s pleading with Israel, it doesn’t seem strange to ask how all this…
