When questioned by the Pharisees about his unsavory table fellows in Matthew 9:9-13, Jesus responds with a medical proverb, a remedial directive from Hosea 6:6, and a mission. This confrontational exchange raises two important questions about the Hebrew concept of ḥesed supplied by Jesus’ Hosea 6:6 quotation and the practice of mercy as it was … Read more
This is a study of the use of the Greek noun usually rendered “salvation” (σωτηρία) and the verbs usually translated “save” (σῴζω and διασῴζω) in 1 Peter in order to better understand their meaning in the context of this letter. The study will develop with a summary of the beginning, the process, and the completion, … Read more
This paper presents an innovative “unhiding” reading of Luke’s parables that reconceptualizes ancient narratives by engaging the imaginative processes of first‐century audiences. Unhiding is unique in its approach as it focuses on parables—narratives rooted in the realia and emic environment of the first-century Mediterranean—and invites audiences to employ their hermeneutical skills to reconstruct the unseen. … Read more
The Sea of Galilee – most scholars gloss over this term, accepting that the Sea of Galilee simply refers to the lake by which Capernaum was situated. While this is somewhat true, the fact that this toponym often goes unmentioned is a mystery. Apart from Matthew and Mark’s gospels and one reference from John (Matt … Read more
Scholars have long studied Matthew’s Gospel for its extensive use of the Old Testament regarding the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. However, scholarship has not completed much work in the area of prophetic realization within the context of Matthew’s church audience, that is his readership. This topic is especially relevant for Pentecostal readings of Matthew. The … Read more
The conclusion of Jesus’ parables in Matt 13:51-52, in which a discipled scribe is likened to a householder (οἰκοδεσπότης), continues to attract scholarly attention. For example, in the same 2023 LNTS volume, Jesus as Teacher in the Gospel of Matthew, Nolland (“Discipled to Be a Scribe for the Kingdom of Heaven”) argues the image depicts … Read more
The purpose of this paper is to re-examine Paul’s list of building materials in 1 Corinthians 3:12 in order to propose that all of the materials should be understood as good and necessary for adequately building in Paul’s construction metaphor (1 Cor. 3:9-17). Contra the traditional interpretation, which argues that the materials should be broken … Read more
In many ways, Hebrews 7–10 is a crucial passage for New Testament theology. It uniquely defines the priesthood of the Messiah and elaborates upon the New Covenant. Along with Paul’s letter to the Galatians, the Epistle to Hebrews, and especially chapters 7–10, is the basis for most Christians’ understanding of their relationship to the Mosaic … Read more
The Gospels present Jesus as one whose authority over demons was unique in its historical context. Unlike Jewish exorcists of the Second Temple period—who often relied on incantations, intermediaries, and ritual objects—Jesus expelled demons solely by His own authority. This paper examines how Jesus’ exorcisms contrast with Jewish and Greco-Roman exorcistic traditions, as reflected in … Read more
Complementarians and Egalitarians both agree that Jesus humanized women, especially in light of his Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts. But humanizing women is one thing; ascribing leadership roles is another. In this paper, I will scrutinize the assertion that the gospel writers considered women to be leaders through three lenses. First, I will survey several passages … Read more