In Luke 11, Jesus gives us a truly odd juxtaposition — until we learn to think of generational bloodguilt more biblically than we usually do. Jesus says that one generation killed the prophets, and a subsequent generation builds a tomb for that same prophet (Luke 11:47). According to carnal calculus, building a tomb of honor …
Spray Early
We often don’t pay enough attention to how familiar passages are juxtaposed. Take, for example, a short chain of passages in Luke 6. A disciple when fully trained will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40). Don’t try to take a speck out of your brother’s eye when you have a railroad tie in your own …
A Good Ending
We find the story of the rich young ruler in all three synoptics, but the gospel of Mark has some unique details (Mark 10:17). In Matthew and Luke, he just shows up somehow, and asks his question (Matt. 19:16; Luke 18:18). But in Mark, he runs up and he kneels. In all three, when Jesus …
The Devil You Say
It is initially curious to some that fundamentalists will say, in their statements of faith, that they believe in a personal devil. At first glance it might appear to be a statement about the inspiration of the Bible — since the devil is such an obvious reality in Scripture, and since the liberals were engaged …
Better Listen to Pilate
Pilate knew that it was out of envy that the leaders of the Jews delivered Jesus up (Mat 27:18). We know that Pilate was not a godly or a courageous man — he failed to deliver Jesus even though he knew He was being railroaded, and even though his wife had sent him a message …
Before the Crystal Sea
There is a little something that I have assumed for years, but never bothered to check. This morning I was reading in Revelation, the thought popped up again, and so I thought I would check on it. And, sure enough, there it was, right in the Bible. “And before the throne there was a sea …
A Dirty Fire
In James 3:6, we are told how destructive the tongue is. It is called a fire, and then a whole cosmos of unrighteousness. Listed among our body’s members, the tongue has the effect of staining the whole body, and setting time on fire. The body (soma) is stained, and the whole “course of life” is …
Spiraling Toward Silence
In 1 Cor. 12, Paul mentiones that back in the day when they were pagans, they served mute or dumb idols (v. 2). Their bondage was that they served gods that could not speak. But Paul’s immediate application is quite interesting. Because of this, Paul wants them to understand that it is not possible to …
Ensconced in the Establishment
Assuming an anabaptist start, the project started to go off the rails early. Not only did Gentiles start to come into the kingdom in the first few decades of gospel preaching, but so also did some of their rulers (Acts 13:12). And there is no sign or hint of Sergius Paulus having to step away …
Boosters With Stones
The Lord Jesus expresses disbelief that any prophet could die outside Jerusalem (Luke 13:33). In saying this, He speaks from the vantage point of the prophets, and not from the vantage of the Sanhedrin Boosters. It is not Nineveh that stones the prophets, but Jerusalem. It is not Babylon that rejects them, but Jerusalem. It …