Demonic Forgetfulness
“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.” (Matthew 13:19) When was the…
David’s Dread of Yahweh
“And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and he said, ‘How can the ark of the LORD come to me?’ So David was not willing to take the ark of the LORD into the city of David.” (2…
Our Great Patron
Patronage is a social system in which people do favors for each other, and it’s important for understanding the setting of the New Testament. It wasn’t until I read Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture that I…
Jesus Changes Everything
“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11) The first miracle that John records about Jesus is the turning of water into wine at…
The Gospel from a Covenant Perspective
The Bible is covenantal – that is to say, the structure of the biblical narrative is based on covenants. These covenants function as the ‘spine’ on which the story hinges. We often speak of the Gospel as if it was…
Advantageous: A Survey of Romans 3:1-8
Having finally wrestled both Jews and Gentiles into orange jumpsuits, Paul is about to haul them all before God’s tribunal. He will soon deliver the summary of his most crushing verdict. But before he can do that, he has to…
Essential Ecclesiology of the New Testament
Introduction First-century Christians lived in an age of massive leadership structures and hierarchies. They were surrounded by imperial administration and religious hierarchies, both pagan and Jewish. Yet Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, called them to a unique style…
The Throne of David: Tracing the Gospel in the Book of the Kings
The history of Israel, recorded in First and Second Kings, is like a huge painting, filled with details. Like any good painting, it has a subject, something that our eyes are meant to be drawn to. That subject is the…
Inexcusable: A Survey of Romans 2:1-29
After blasting the gentile world for it’s crimes (in Romans 1:18-32), Paul now swivels the guns around and begins to lob shells at a new – and most unexpected – target. He begins his assault with a shocking charge: “Therefore…
Given Up: A Survey of Romans 1:18-32
God is angry. In fact, he is furious, and it’s obvious to everyone. That’s the depressing news that Paul offers in Romans 1:18-32. Paul has already marveled, in glowing terms, about the wonderful gospel that is ‘the power of God…
