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The present discussion advances the following thesis: exegetes through the centuries have recognized that Genesis functions as the narrative prologue to the Mosaic covenant, yet commentators and translators often look only to usage within the covenant materials of Exodus through Deuteronomy in order to define the technical use of key terms such as כפר. This … Read more
This paper will address the lacuna in Pauline scholarship regarding precisely what sort of “deadness” Paul (or whomever) envisioned in Ephesians 2:1, 5 (cf. Col 2:13). I will argue that Paul is best understood as participating in contemporary Platonic discourse regarding moral psychological weakness, and thus that ὄντας νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν … Read more
Early Christians followed their pagan counterparts in marking the graves of their people. Yet, there were distinct elements that Christians sought to include in their burial inscriptions. Much has been written about these distinctions in the literature, and yet there are more avenues to consider. For instance, while extant epigraphic and funerary epitaphs of members … Read more
In Luke 24:44-47, Jesus references all that is written about Him in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms, the three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures. While much scholarship has explored the connections between Luke’s Gospel and the Law, Prophets, and Psalms, Jesus’ mention of this three-fold division invites us to consider the entire Writings (Ketuvim) as … Read more
Preaching is not merely the proclamation of biblical truth; it is also a pastoral act that shapes the emotional and spiritual life of a congregation. Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST) has been widely applied to leadership and church dynamics emphasizing the importance of a well-differentiated leader—one who remains steadfast in conviction while resisting the pull … Read more
The 20th and 21st centuries’ revival of interest in the Holy Spirit has extended to many areas of Christian life and practice, including missions and the relationship of Christianity to other religions. The person and work of the Holy Spirit stands at the center of many modern theology of religions proposals. One of the most … Read more
Traditionally, the phrase “hiddenness of God” has been understood as a philosophical concept meaning “a God who intentionally hides himself” in the historical context in which a person or event takes place. In particular, the biblical basis for this phrase is the way in which people who are in hardship and adversity protested to God … Read more
Mark A. Noll in his book, America’s God, explains that most of theological developments in early 18th and late 19th century are based on three specific contextual historical forces; (1) evangelical protestant religion (evangelicalism), (2) republican political ideology (republicanism), and (3) common sense moral reasoning (common sense realism). These forces are dynamically shaping Western intellectual … Read more
Every death in Scripture conveys a message with purpose, and this study seeks to consider the function of the portrayal of Moses’s death in Deuteronomy 34. Lloyd Bailey has defined “bad” deaths as those that are premature or violent, but T. Desmond Alexander has countered that what distinguishes “good” from “bad” deaths is whether the … Read more
Most scholars agree that Haggai 1:15 contains a date formula that is unusual in its placement and form. Many have solved the issue by dividing the verse and attaching the second half (the year) to the following date (2:1, so also BHS). This division, however, may obscure an intentional literary structure. A close look at … Read more