The NT often brings the OT to bear on a conceptual level (e.g., God as creator, divine warrior, covenant, exile). Quotations and allusions depend on a concrete, textual relationship between two passages through unique wording. Conceptual parallels, however, function more broadly. A conceptual parallel is tied to a large swath of texts or a synthesis... Continue Reading

The question is vital. When will the Last Days – this spiritual terrible battle – begin and end? How long must God’s people endure? Daniel 12:7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand towards heaven, and I heard him swear by... Continue Reading

Sometimes we feel like our leaders are distant from us. Over there in Ottawa or down in Washington, they are totally unaware of our daily concerns. Yet with King Jesus there’s no such distance. He understands what we need. He cares for us deeply.   What qualifies someone for a position of authority? We expect... Continue Reading

Jesus steps in and heals him, performing a mighty work indeed. But there’s one problem, as some saw it: he healed the man on the Sabbath. No good deed of the Son goes unpunished. Thus ensues a conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities over what Jesus did. “Who does this man think he is?”... Continue Reading

Jesus defends the doctrine of resurrection not with a simple proof text, but by drawing a theological conclusion based on the nature of God’s covenant relationship with the patriarchs. He took into account the whole message of the Pentateuch to argue for the resurrection. If the Lord is presently the covenant God of Abraham, Isaac,... Continue Reading

Tired saint, God is doing something in your loneliness; trust him. God is toughening you. God is teaching you. God is transforming you.   It is better to take refuge in the Lord       than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord       than to trust in princes. (Psalm 118:8–9) You... Continue Reading

Look. Not everyone who is struggling will announce it. There are signs—subtle ways that people show their need. Look closely and get to know others well enough to anticipate barriers before they are mentioned. Ask God to open your eyes to those on the margins of the body of Christ. Then allow the gospel to... Continue Reading

What puts all men on equal footing in relation to God so that they are without excuse, is the fact creation testifies to God and fits with the eternity in the heart. By this, creation’s testimony can be understood as not only a testimony to God’s existence but also as revealing something of the nature... Continue Reading

The church has been waiting patiently for the results of the last “new” approach to textual criticism for nearly a decade, and now it seems that she will have to wait even longer.    A “new” approach to textual criticism was popularly announced in 2017 with a book by Tommy Wasserman and Peter J. Gurry... Continue Reading

Instead of ‘they feared the Lord, BUT they also…’, his Spirit yearns for  ‘they feared the Lord, AND they…’ Double-minded becomes single-minded; half-hearted becomes whole-hearted.…they feared the Lord, AND they lived for him.’   Syncretism. A big word that simply means blending beliefs, mixing them into something new. It sounds very modern: choose your own... Continue Reading