And a command has gone out from the Lord against those who dwell upon the dry ground that this must be their end. For they have learnt all the secrets of the Angels, and all the wrongdoings of the satans, and all their secret power, and all the power of those who practice magic arts,…
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11 NIV Examined the Scriptures – There’s a funny contradiction buried in this verse. The Bereans were orthodox. Jewish orthodox. They…
But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. Romans 7:20 NASB Dwells in me – Since Augustine theologians have gotten a lot of mileage out of this verse. It just seems so patently Platonic. I am really two people; the one…
So today the pain in my left knee was as intense as I have ever had. During the therapy it was all I could do to not writhe on the table. Afterward as I was making my way home, I saw these. A cheerful sign. What God made is a beautiful creation, even if my…
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 1 John 1:1 NASB Heard/ seen/ touched – Don’t you just love John? He’s so down to earth. None of that mystical gibberish that we find in Paul (so confusing). …
And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 NASB Seek/search – “The modern scholar thinks that he must find religious answers to his critical questions by means of peshat exegesis. In contrast, the sages believed that answers to critical questions should be proposed by means of derash. Like…
For He has satisfied the [a]thirsty soul, and He has filled the hungry soul with what is good. Psalm 107:9 NASB Soul – Did you see that tiny footnote before the word “thirsty”? I hoped that the footnote would explain that the Hebrew word nepeš does not mean “soul,” ah, but not a chance. The footnote merely says…
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law instinctively perform the requirements of the Law, these, though not having the Law, are a law to themselves, Romans 2:14 NASB A law to themselves – We’ve spent a lot of time looking at Paul’s idea of nómos, or perhaps more accurately, his ideas about all the variations encompassed…
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23 NASB Fall short – Maybe we’re just not prepared to deal with the implications of homelessness. Maybe we just haven’t seen enough. But I’ve seen a lot. And I’m tired. The more I travel, the more I see men and women…
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23 NASB Fall short – Just how far do you think you’ll get with modern men and women by telling them that they are sinners? Can I suggest that unless you are speaking to people who have some sort of connection with…
