A Repentance Speech Event
A friend sent me a link to this post on Language Log which discusses public repentance as a speech event. If you tag some spiritual implications onto the linguistic analysis, it adds some interest as well!
Spectrum of Views on Historical Reading of the Gospels
I often present a standard spectrum of views on reading the gospels as history, one which extends from the conservative, or even fundamentalist side, which claims that all details of any type must be historical, to the opposite radical conclusion which claims that the gospels are entirely fiction. Most discussion goes on somewhere between that,…
Thinking about the Servant – Isaiah 50:4-9a
I made a mental connection this morning while reading the lectionary passages for Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday. I’m not certain just how valid this is, but I thought I’d write about it. There are multiple views of the servant passages in 2nd Isaiah. Some see each passage separately, with some being prophecies of the Messiah, and…
Parsimony of Miracle Assumptions: Matthew 21:1-7
Or I might title this “Was Jesus a Horse Thieving Magician?” I learned this story so long ago I don’t remember just when it was, but I got a Sunday School version that left me with the impression that because Jesus was God, either he knew everything, or his father revealed to him the location…
A Difference in Agendas – John 11:1-16
I noticed a theme in this passage that I think is important. If you look at the response of the disciples when Jesus proposes to go to Bethany (v. 7-8). They believe it’s too dangerous to go there. It appears to me that for the two days that Jesus delayed, the disciples assumed that he…
The Value of REB Eccentricity
Or perhaps I should say REB uniqueness. One of the major reasons for using multiple Bible versions when studying the Bible in English (or any other language other than the originals) is to make yourself aware of alternate translations for particular passages. This goes beyond different ways of expressing the thought in English, to places…
A Desire to Please and a Fear to Offend – Psalm 95
Matthew Henry, in commenting on Psalm 95 says that “[t]his psalm must be sung with a holy reverence of God’s majesty and a dread of his justice, with a desire to please him and a fear to offend him.” I’m wondering just how that was derived from this Psalm. I don’t doubt that there we…
Exodus 17:1-7 – In and Out of Trouble
I provide some devotional thoughts (not particularly exegetical!) that I gleaned from this passage in my post today for my wife’s devotional list.
On Being a Stepfather
I was pleased to find a report on MSNBC.com on titled It’s tough being a stepdad. In my experience stepparents are often underrated, and do not receive much consideration. The stories we hear tend to be negative–when stepparents fail, as often we do. You see, I am a stepfather. I got married late in life…
Origen and Bible Censorship Poll Results
You can see the poll results here if you haven’t done so already. I’m going to replace the poll with a new one. I posted this poll after reading Origen’s comment that immature Christians should not be permitted to read certain passages of scripture, especially the Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon). I found…