From the February Archives
(avg. read time: 3–7 mins.)
This is simply an overview of the story of Samson in the context of Judges, as well as the reference to the same in Hebrews. This is developed out of notes I made for a Bible study I led at FBC Lorena.
This is based on one of my last sermons (so far). It is also an updated version of my second sermon I ever preached. I chose this text as a challenge because long ago I thought that if I did not preach on this text, I would never hear a sermon on it (that is, in the normal course of attending church, chapel, homiletics/preaching classes, and so on). So far, that has still proven true.
Helping Without Hurting: Reflections on Job 13
This is adapted from another sermon engaging with how the book of Job illustrates hurtful counsel to those who are hurting and what we can learn from the negative examples.
J. R. R. Tolkien’s Theology of Sub-creation, Part 2: On Fairy-Stories
This continues the series initiated with the post mentioned in last month’s archives in interaction with Tolkien’s most extensive reflection on his art form. It is the one that is also most extensively explicit about the Christian formation of his thinking about his project of sub-creation.
John’s Letter to Ephesus on Love: A Sermon on Rev 2:1–7
Yes, it is another of my sermons. Unfortunately, it is thus far the only one I have done for Revelation.
Sheol Belief in the OT, Part 1: A Review of Sheol Texts in the OT
Sheol in the OT is often claimed to be the universal realm of the dead. Through this review of the uses of the term, I argue that this is not the case, except in two texts that have particular reasons for presenting the belief in this way. From early on, there was a differentiation in fates of the righteous and the wicked.
Sheol Belief in the OT, Part 2: Lingering Questions
This follow-up addresses some issues I expect people will have with my position. I pay particular attention to 1 Sam 28, which is sometimes brought up in these discussions, despite the fact that it does not reference Sheol.
Resurrection in the OT, Part 1: Foundations and Framework
This begins an eleven-part series on possible references for resurrection in the OT. As the subtitle indicates, this is where I discuss foundations of resurrection belief, where they are in evidence in the OT, and other elements of theoretical framework that make resurrection belief plausible in the context of the OT.
J. R. R. Tolkien’s Theology of Sub-creation, Part 3: Tolkien’s Letters
While none of Tolkien’s letters provide as extensive of theological reflection on his sub-creative project, there are numerous letters that are pertinent to our analysis.
The Virgin Birth and God’s Inexorable, Faithful Love
This is an examination of the theological function of the virgin birth in Matthew and Luke. Among other points I make, it is important to note that it corresponds with resurrection in that both events exemplify God’s inexorable, faithful love.
The Use of Scripture in Matthew 2
This is a review of each of the quotations of Scripture in Matt 2, including what texts are referenced, how they function, and their connections to the original context. Of course, consideration is also given to the quote about Jesus being called a Nazorean, since that is not a specific OT quote.
Why Did Matthew Use “Kingdom of Heaven”?
While the phrase “kingdom of God” is used throughout the Synoptic reports of Jesus’s teachings, only Matthew uses “kingdom of heaven.” Moreover, he uses it much more often than “kingdom of God.” This is a curious phenomenon, and here I interact with Jonathan Pennington’s explanation for the peculiarities of Matthew’s phrase, including why “heaven” is most often plural in the Greek. Although I agree with Pennington’s rejection of the popular explanation that it is a kind of reverential circumlocution, and I think his analysis is helpful in many ways, I am not satisfied with all the details of his hypothesis.
The Sermon on the Mount, the Kingdom, and the Gospel
This is by no means a comprehensive exposition of the Sermon on the Mount. What I am focused on are eschatological elements and correlative links with the gospel story. These are important contributions to the theological-ethical message of the Sermon that should not be overlooked.
Early Christian Responses to Purported Parallels of Resurrection Myths
Much has been written about alleged continuities and discontinuities between the gospel story of Jesus’s resurrection in its context and the resurrection myths of the Greco-Roman world. But as yet, I have not seen an analysis of what the early Christians who grew up in a world saturated with these stories had to say on the matter. Of those authors who addressed the figures with stories of resurrection attached to them, I identify three broad kinds of responses to the purported parallels of resurrection myths. One response assumed belief in these stories for the sake of argument (but even here, the parallel is drawn with the general resurrection rather than Jesus’s resurrection). Another response explicitly denies that these stories are equivalent in terms of being relevantly and sufficiently similar. But the most common response is one of implicit denial in which authors only mention the death of a figure with a resurrection story attached to them, thereby contrasting that figure with Jesus who rose from the dead.
Killing Him Just Made Him Stronger: On the Speculation that Jesus Was John the Baptist Resurrected (paid subscriber exclusive)
This is the initial draft of what would become my most recent published article with Neotestamentica. The published version focuses on Matthew, but this draft includes the function of this resurrection speculation in Mark and Luke as well.
What Would Tolkien Have Thought of the Jackson Films? Part 2: Speculation
The titles are pretty self-explanatory here.
Kingdom of Forgiveness: Matthew 18:21–35
Psalm 118 and the Parable of the Wicked Tenants
This post focuses on how Ps 118 resonates with the parable where it is used in the Synoptic Gospels. In particular, I focus on how Ps 118:22 (and 23) is suitable not only as a summary of the narrative dynamics of the original psalm, but also for the gospel story.
The Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24–25
This is the first part of a series in which I examine the Olivet Discourse in the three forms in which it appears in the format of addressing key questions with each version.
Who Are the “Brothers and Sisters” in Matthew 25:31–46
This is a frequently misunderstood and misused text. I used to defend the common misreading, but I can no longer find the exegetical basis for doing so.
Principles of Creation in Gen 1, Ps 8, and 1 Cor 15
This is an adaptation of an extract of my dissertation, particularly of the portion that concerns 1 Cor 15:35–41.
Biblical and Theological Commentary on The Lord of the Rings, Part 1: Introduction and Book I
This is a rough draft preview of one of the chapters of my forthcoming book on The Lord of the Rings. It is the only part that is fully available for free.
Second Temple Judaism Context, Part 1: The Persian Period
Second Temple Judaism Context, Part 2: The Hellenistic Period
These two parts compose half of a series built from a document I wrote for my Second Temple Judaism class.
I include this here just to mark how we are coming up on one year since this book was released.
Biblical and Theological Commentary on The Lord of the Rings, Part 2: Book II (paid subscriber exclusive)