Via the blogroll on Gavin’s Various Musings I found Evolving in Monkey Town, and right there at the top was this post on making the Bible an idol. How could I resist continuing to read? After I had read far enough I came across the following quote: I believe that the primary purpose of the…
In working on YouTube recently, and particularly on this response to a KJV Only presentation, I’ve noticed that many people think that there is great virtue in independence when it comes to Bible study. Statements like “I didn’t depend on any scholars in coming to this view” or “I didn’t read any commentaries, just the…
2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (CEV) (from BibleGateway.com). This post is less about the exegesis, which I’m only covering briefly, and more about application. I have frequently heard this passage (verses 17 and 18) cited in support of a free and unscripted style of worship. In particular, the phrase “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there…
I took a detour from working through 2 Corinthians with the Anchor Bible commentary and read Frederick W. Danker’s volume II Corinthians in the Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament series. This is a 214 page commentary, but has more content than you might expect because it doesn’t include the Biblical text along with the…
Those who believe in the doctrine of Christian perfection (on which I’m a bit wobbly myself) might consider this: “He learned,” he saith, to obey God. Here again he shows how great is the gain of sufferings. “And having been made perfect,” he says, “He became the Author of salvation to them that obey Him.”…
I think a few modern evangelicals might regard this as heretical, being contrary to the pure penal substitutionary atonement or forensic justification. But he sure does seem to have a finger on precisely what Hebrews has to say. [1.] Faith is indeed great and bringeth salvation, and without it, it is not possible ever to…
One of my more esoteric goals in life is to complete a study of every book of the Bible form the original languages working with a commentary that takes critical issues into account. I have read the Bible through in its original languages. This is a different type of study. I will generally read other…
Introduction This chapter contrasts to chapter 10 in many ways. First, the genealogies are in a completely different style. Genesis 10 lists a variety of children for each person. The emphasis is on all the nations coming into being and spreading out. In chapter 11, instead, we have a singular focus–the patriarchal line. The genealogy…