Recently on this blog, I’ve been explaining theological concepts through cocktails. For example, ice is helpful in understanding mortality, bitters and infusion are helpful when thinking about transformation, and so … Continue reading Christmas Thoughts
Tag: jesus
The Nonnegotiables
“What do you… um… what do you think of the Bible?” the hesitant church member asked me at a large luncheon during my interview weekend. After giving a snarky “I’m … Continue reading The Nonnegotiables
One God
So often, we fall into a pattern when reading the Bible. The God of the New Testament is just so much more loving than the God of the Old Testament. … Continue reading One God
Lincoln on Church
I’ve always respected Abraham Lincoln, the famously stoic and contemplative orator who led our country through a seemingly impossible era. After recently reading Carl Sandburg’s 1957 essay on Lincoln’s religion, … Continue reading Lincoln on Church
What Did Jesus Change?
For as in painting, so long as one only draws the outlines, it is a sort of “shadow,” but when one has added the bright paints and laid in the … Continue reading What Did Jesus Change?
On Sacrifice
Hebrews 9 retells this tale from Exodus: After Moses had received the Law, he made a sacrifice. After this, he took the blood, mixed it with water, and (using hyssop … Continue reading On Sacrifice
Everything Happens for a Reason
A “crisis” is any situation, expected or otherwise, which disrupts the normal flow of life and family. Whether a death, divorce, job loss, move, or mental health emergency, everyone eventually … Continue reading Everything Happens for a Reason
Better than We Can Imagine
I never dreamed how much Greek philosophy we’d discuss in a study of Hebrews, but it’s hard to make sense of this chapter without at least dabbling in the world … Continue reading Better than We Can Imagine
“Melchize-who-now?”– How Hebrews uses an obscure Old Testament figure to point us to Jesus
The book of Hebrews continually references one obscure figure, a man of somewhat mythic proportions who appears in only 4 verses of the Old Testament: Melchizedek, the priest/king of Salem. … Continue reading “Melchize-who-now?”– How Hebrews uses an obscure Old Testament figure to point us to Jesus
What Does the Bible Mean by “Perfect”?
Well, we’re finally into Hebrews 5, so at long last, it’s time to unpack what the author of Hebrews means when he/she talks about Jesus as the “perfect priest.” I … Continue reading What Does the Bible Mean by “Perfect”?