This first image considers the seed that fell ‘along the path (Matt.13:4,19). First, Jesus tells us that the seed that is sown is the word. Now, the ‘word’ (of God, of the Kingdom, of the Gospel) is ultimately Jesus Christ Himself, as He is known in His Crucifixion and Resurrection (1 Cor.1:17-18ff). Thus the ‘seed’ […]
The Parable of the Soils 1/4 (Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23) Read More »
Luke 9:31, [Moses and Elijah] ‘were speaking about His exodus (ἔξοδος) which He was about to achieve in Jerusalem.’ Notice that it is AS Jesus speaks with Moses and Elijah that His death (which in 9:22 is presented as something that happens TO Him) is spoken of as the Exodus that He will ACHIEVE. There
Ezekiel 3:12, ‘Blessed be the glory of YHWH from His place!’ These are the words declared by the four Cherubim who stand by the glittering wheels of the divine throne. Now, what does it mean to declare the glory of YHWH blessed from its place? The ‘from’ is expressed by the Greek εκ, and
Is 12:5-6, “Sing praises to YHWH, for He has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah envisions a day when the joyful praises of YHWH’s redeemed people will fill
Jeremiah 17:12, “A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” In the context, the glorious throne of YHWH set on high from the beginning is set over against the fitful and uncertain securities of the flesh (17:5-6, 11). The Divine King Himself, enthroned in glory from
Genesis 6:18-19, “But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark…and of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you.” The connection between the Ark and Christ is a longstanding one. Peter has already
Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of YHWH has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but YHWH will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” First and foremost, these words are about Jesus Christ, who—as
Revelation 22:1, “…the throne of God and of the Lamb…” Though specifics vary, many scholars acknowledge the tabernacle complex was designed as a model of the cosmos. The tabernacle (and later the temple) was divided broadly into two sections, what we might call the “lower”—with the Altar of Burnt Offering at its center—and the
Peter — “…and going out, he wept bitterly.” Matt.26:75 Judas — “…and going out, he hung himself.” Matt 27:5 Consider the paralleled responses of these two men who both betrayed Jesus. What’s the difference? We aren’t given an in-depth look into either man’s mind or heart and so it is difficult to answer “why”
Matthew 26:75, 27:5 Read More »
Psalm 15:2, “He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and *speaks truth in his heart*.” The content and quality of our internal dialogue matters. What we say within ourselves about ourselves and others and life etc. has genuine impact on the sort of person we are in the sight of God, and
Jeremiah 4:30, “O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain do you beautify yourself.” Isaiah 60:9, “…the Holy One of Israel…He has made you beautiful.” Like painting makeup on a corpse, any and
Jeremiah 4:30 + Isaiah 60:9 Read More »
Is 55:10-11, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty…” Rain that falls on the fields is never wasted…it
Philippians 2:15-16, “…you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold fast to the word of life.” (NIV) The “word of life,” refers most immediately to the Gospel, which is to say, the message that the one crucified in love under the sin and punishment of His enemies is,
Philippians 2:15-16 Read More »
Matthew 16:23, “Get behind me, Satan; you are a stumbling block for me, because you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.” What are the things of men, that Jesus refers to (which, notice, are simultaneously the things of Satan?) Well, what does Peter do
Revelation 4:5, “And from the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven Spirits of God.” Much to say here…perhaps I’ll eventually have a whole dissertation in which to say it. Let me just touch on some
3 John 11, “Beloved, do not imitate the evil but the good. The one doing good is from God; the one doing evil has not seen God.” In the context of 3 John, John is contrasting Gaius and Diotrephes. “Doing good” means—like Gaius—to generously receive and to love other believers for the sake of
Isaiah 24:23, “Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for YHWH of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and His glory will be before His elders.” What does it mean for the moon to be confounded and the sun ashamed? I think we can take this in two ways.
Isaiah 6:3, “And one called to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is YHWH of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’” In Scripture, holiness is often associated with otherness and separateness (a holy vessel is separate from common vessels etc.), so we might assume that the perfect (threefold) holiness of YHWH
Revelation 4:6, “And around the throne…are four living creatures…” In the central vision of Revelation (ch. 4-5), John stands before the throne of God. Four “living creatures” surround the throne and ceaselessly sing the praises of the one seated thereon. To this point, John’s vision of the divine throne room largely agrees with other
Ezekiel 37:27, “My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” In Ezekiel 1, we find an overwhelming vision of the cosmic Chariot-Throne of God. YHWH Himself rides on a throne of light above a firmament of crystal, supported on the wings of four
