“And They Are Crucifying Him” (Mark 15:24)

I opened my Greek Bible this morning (that is, the day I originally wrote this) simply to read God’s Word. I looked down at the first three words on the page: Καὶ σταυροῦσιν αὐτον (literal translation: “And they are crucifying him,” Mark 15:24). These words arrested me—and if I’m fully transparent, instantly reduced me to … Continue reading “And They Are Crucifying Him” (Mark 15:24)

The Peace of Christ

“How are you today?” Like many of you, I hear this question many times a day. The expected response to this question when I was growing up was, “I’m fine, thank you.” Now, most of my students in California simply say, “I’m good.” (Let the record show that I have never really appreciated this bit … Continue reading The Peace of Christ

Prayer or Sleep? Which is More Important?

Last night before going to bed I asked my wife an unusual question, “Should I get up at my normal 6am time and take my regular prayer walk followed by some time reading the Bible, or should I set my alarm a half hour later, forgo my prayer walk and only spend time reading my … Continue reading Prayer or Sleep? Which is More Important?

Biblical Necessities? or Theological Explanations?

In recent years, I have been helped in my study of the Bible by employing an informal distinction between “biblical necessities” and “theological explanations.”[1] Of all the classes I teach at Talbot/Biola, this distinction has been most helpful to students taking a class I teach on the book of Romans. Since some of my students … Continue reading Biblical Necessities? or Theological Explanations?

Luke was a Doctor, Barnabas had a Cousin: Nine Things We Wouldn’t Know without Colossians 4

Here are nine things we wouldn’t know about Paul and his missionary team if Colossians 4 wasn’t in our Bibles. I’ll list them in the order they appear in Colossians 4. Colossians and Philemon were sent by Paul at the same time (4:9) The key link between the two is Onesimus, a runaway slave who … Continue reading Luke was a Doctor, Barnabas had a Cousin: Nine Things We Wouldn’t Know without Colossians 4

Sharing Christ’s Sufferings

There is a line in a well-known story of Jesus (Matt 20:20-28) that often gets overlooked. James and John have just allowed their mommy to ask Jesus for permission for them to sit at his right and left hand in his coming kingdom. Jesus ignores the mother and speaks to the two men: “You do … Continue reading Sharing Christ’s Sufferings

Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2024

Happy New Year to each of you! I hope that 2025 is a wonderful year for you, full of many moments when you experience God’s multifaceted grace. I also hope that 2025 is a year when you can read some good books. Here are seven of my favorites from 2024 (presented in the order I … Continue reading Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2024

Misunderstanding Genre in Biblical Studies: A Summary of Recent Developments

I just finished reading Andrew Judd’s new book, Modern Genre Theory: An Introduction for Biblical Studies. Judd’s goal was to introduce advanced graduate students and biblical scholars (who are not genre specialists) to recent discussions about genre. Everyone who knows anything about studying the Bible knows that properly identifying what kind of literature you’re reading … Continue reading Misunderstanding Genre in Biblical Studies: A Summary of Recent Developments

Eleven Hindrances to Answered Prayer

What are some of the most common hindrances to answered prayer? Not Asking for Anything: James 4:2b says, “You do not have, because you do not ask.” Many of us don’t receive answers to our prayers simply because we don’t ask for anything. I remember someone once claiming that we shouldn’t ever make requests to … Continue reading Eleven Hindrances to Answered Prayer

Longings

Yesterday (that is, on the day I’m writing this), I was walking alone in a lush forest, breathing in pristine air, listening only to the crunch of my own footsteps on autumn leaves and the distant waves crashing on a beach. As I veered toward the sound of the waves, the forest opened to a … Continue reading Longings