Peter’s Mistake (2)

And it shall happen afterward: I will pour My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.  Your elders shall dream dreams, your young men see visions.  And even upon male slaves and slavegirls in those days will I pour My Spirit.  Joel 3:1-2  Robert Alter All flesh – The Hebrew…

Disgusting Ezekiel

You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your [a]lustful neighbors, and multiplied your harlotry to make Me angry.  Ezekiel 16:26  NASB Lustful – The prophets do not mince words.  Their messages arrive with explicit, often offensive language.  The reason is simple:  if you want to rivet the audience’s attention, you need provocative language.  And the prophets…

What About Paul? (1)

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. Romans 7:14 NASB Flesh – Yesterday we looked at some words from John that appear to be gnostic at first blush. We found that John’s Hebraic orientation must be considered in the exegesis of his statements. But…

Paul the Platonist? (2)

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. Romans 7:18 NASB In my flesh – It’s true, isn’t it? We know what the right thing to do is, but we do the wrong thing…

Sexual Billboards

and they shall become one flesh Genesis 2:24 Flesh – Sex is a meaningful deed.  So says Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz.  What he means is that sex is not like other deeds.  Sex is “one of those things that make a complete world.”  It is a drive that has meaning in itself, not derived from its…