If you haven’t already done so, you really should check out the Preface to Mark Dever and Michael Lawrence’s book, It Is Well. Here’s a snippet that puts worship into words and describes how the cross is central, even if there isn’t a physical cross on the wall: “This is never truer than when we …
Category Archives: Bible and Theology
Billy Newhouse on Lebron James
My friend Billy has a good summary and some wise thoughts here: If you are vaguely familiar with the NBA then you know that one of the league’s biggest superstars announced which team he’s signing with last night. For anyone not familiar with what’s going on let me catch you up. LeBron James, the league’s reigning …
Now Available: Text Driven Preaching
When Andy Cheung asked me about the extent to which biblical theology should influence preaching, I mentioned my essay, “Biblical Theology and Preaching,” which has just appeared in a new book from Broadman and Holman. Text Driven Preaching: God’s Word at the Heart of Every Sermon, edited by Daniel L. Akin, David L. Allen, and …
Hurtado Enters the Blogosphere
If you’re interested in biblical studies, here’s a site to add to your reader: Larry Hurtado’s Blog Here’s my review of one of his recent books, Earliest Christian Artifacts. HT: Mike Bird
Literary Notes from Brown’s Hope Amidst Ruin
As mentioned earlier, I think that A. Philip Brown II’s Hope Amidst Ruin: A Literary and Theological Analysis of Ezra is the best book on the theology of Ezra available. Last week I posted notes I took from the book on the way that literature works. Here are the links to those posts in one …
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Disappointing Fulfillment: Ezra 3
Yesterday at Kenwood it was my privilege to preach Ezra 3. The main point of the sermon was that safety is only to be found in obedient worship to God. This grows out of the way that the returnees respond to their fear of the inhabitants of the land by building the altar and renewing …
God Keeps His Promises: Ezra 1-2
As mentioned in a previous post, I started a sermon series on Ezra – Nehemiah this past Sunday at Kenwood. And no, it doesn’t have anything to do with a building program. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable. Preparing for this sermon was a study in the OT’s use of the OT. Ezra is interpreting …
The Best Literary and Theological Analysis of Ezra Available
A. Philip Brown II has given us a treat in his published dissertation, Hope Amidst Ruin: A Literary and Theological Analysis of Ezra. If you like biblical theology that is sensitive to the literary features of the biblical authors, you’ll love this book. One of the aspects of this book that I most appreciated was …
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Are There Errors in the Bible?
I don’t think there are errors in the Bible, and I think that valid explanations can be given for difficulties that do exist. I started a new sermon series on Ezra – Nehemiah this morning at Kenwood, and I had planned to comment on some numerical discrepancies in the text. Because of time, I decided …
And If We Refuse We’re Rebels
Erich Auerbach (Mimesis, 14-15) writes that the intent of biblical stories: “is not to bewitch the senses, and if nevertheless they produce lively sensory effects, it is only because the moral, religious, and psychological phenomena which are their sole concern are made concrete in the sensible matter of life. But their religious intent involves an …
Mohler on the Age of the Earth
Tim Challies has an excellent summary of Dr. Mohler’s address on the age of the earth at the Ligonier Conference. For related reading, see Tom Nettles’ review of William Dembski’s book here. Nettles’ review was itself reviewed, and Nettles then responded to the review of his review.
ESV Audio Bible on Sale
ChristianAudio.com has the ESV Hear the Word Audio Bible on sale right now (along with most of their other books) for $7.49. That’s right, all their audio books are $7.49. If you don’t have an audio Bible, I highly recommend this one. Regularly priced $28.98, this is a great deal. May the Word of Christ …
Douglas Wilson on Worldview and Preaching
Douglas Wilson makes an offhand comment that is worth further thought regarding: what makes up a worldview in the first place (dogma, narrative, symbol, and liturgy), Narrative–biblical theology; Dogma–systematic theology and catechesis; Symbol–art, architecture, etc; Liturgy–the expression of dogma, narrative, and symbol in worship. More to think on here. In the previous post, Wilson prescribes …
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Download a Free PDF of Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament
Mark Goodacre writes: I have added a link over on the Lexica page to Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, which is now available on archive.org in a variety of formats, including downloadable PDF. I have also taken the opportunity, as usual on occasions like this, to refresh and update all the other links …
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Baptism Now Saves You?
Have you ever wondered why Peter says (1 Pet 3:20-21) that the waters of the flood through which Noah and a few others were saved correspond to baptism? In the sermon it was my privilege to preach yesterday, I tried to pursue a biblical-theological explanation of how the flood was an expression of God’s wrath …
Not to us, O Lord, but to Thy Name give glory
Great scene in a great play with great music, but the best part is the message. The song sets the Latin text of Psalm 115:1a to music: “Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam” (“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Thy Name give glory”).
Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
We were introduced to this song by John Newton (recent tune by Laura Taylor) at a worship night at Kenwood recently and have sung it a few times in worship. We’re now enjoying it in our family devos at night. I especially love the fourth verse: 1. Let us love and sing and wonder Let …
Rob Plummer on Theological Interpretation of Scripture
I can’t improve on JT’s recommendation of Rob Plummer’s book, but I will say that it is a required text for my Hermeneutics course this fall. I very much appreciate his judicious description of Theological Interpretation of Scripture (TIS), and I found his projections about where it’s going worth noting: Initial euphoria over this new …
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The Latest Issue of JBMW
The latest issue of JBMW has appeared. Tom Schreiner has an important review of Philip Barton Payne’s new book, and a sermon that I preached a few years ago at Northwestern College (Minneapolis, MN) in their Chapel has been published. Every item in the table of the contents looks like an interesting read: Denny Burk Editorial …
Interview with Tom Nettles on His Biography of James P. Boyce
Professor Thomas J. Nettles is one of my favorite historians. It was a joy to audit a course he taught on Baptist history, and I profit much from his writings. Last summer he published a biography of James Petigru Boyce, founder of Southern Seminary, where it is our privilege to teach. If you haven’t already …
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