I recently saw a picture of young woman from India holding up a sign that read “Don’t ask your daughters not to go out, Ask your SONS to BEHAVE.” (sic) I am well aware of the plight of women in the cultures of India. I have been traveling...
Continue reading
April 4, 2023 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, Society
The tassel attached to the Hebrew male’s outer garment is a wonderful example of artifact communication in the Bible. That is, the tassel is an item used in Israel to communicate a particular meaning within that culture… one which is foreign and, thus, unintelligible to most of the...
Continue reading
March 1, 2023 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, Communication, Old Testament Studies, Theology
No Comment
John 8:7 is especially popular with non-Christians who resent any suggestion within Christianity that they are sinners in need of salvation. It is usually paraphrased, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone.”[1] Sounds good doesn’t it?— Don’t judge me! John 8:7 is a “Get-out-of-Jail-free card” for...
Continue reading
October 8, 2019 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT, Old Testament Studies
There was once a man with a great prayer life and a bothersome cat. Wishing to be left alone while he prayed, he leashed the cat to the post of his bed where it couldn’t reach him. That man had a daughter who wanted a great prayer...
Continue reading
October 6, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, Old Testament Studies
If one reads the prophets, he or she will notice rather quickly that one of the great themes of the prophets is a call for justice in society. The wealthy and powerful have a way of getting what they want in life and protecting what they get. Those...
Continue reading
October 4, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, Old Testament Studies
This is another one of my audience-less lectures. Tame, steady, devoid of my shrieking “pay attention! This is important” moments. I discuss the vital role that all three major methods of theological thought have in establishing a healthy church. While I love systematic theology and consider it a...
Continue reading
September 28, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, Contexualization, Systematic & Historical Theology, Theology
As a constant advocate for Biblical Theology, some imagine that I want Biblical Theology instead of Systematic Theology. I don’t. Systematic Theology does not hold as much interest for me as for others who are more naturally inclined to that type of theological conversation, but Systematic Theology is...
Continue reading
September 26, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, Theology
Some have suggested that the “OF” case in Mark 1:1 in the phrase “Gospel of Jesus” is objective… meaning that Jesus is the gospel and not merely the preacher of a Gospel, though Mark 1:14-15 will show that he does preach a gospel as well. Here, in Mark...
Continue reading
April 25, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Meeting the Jesus of Mark, New Testament Studies
Even a brief scan of 1 Samuel 15 should be enough to perplex the average reader. Here YHWH commands Samuel to command Saul to utterly destroy a people called the Amalekites. (Sounds like a somewhat bloodier version of most homes… “Sally, tell Tommy to tell Alice to clean...
Continue reading
April 23, 2019 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies, Text Criticism Issues
In our last episode, we introduced the bare bones essence of water baptism as an ancient covenant ratification act saturated with typical death imagery and corresponding OT interests in ordeal (the divinely ordained safe passage through the maws of death, representing divine election and/or divine decrees of innocence). ...
Continue reading
April 18, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Intertestamental History & Literature, Meeting the Jesus of Mark, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT
No Comment
So you read the whole Old Testament. You read it several times. Having immersed yourself in the literature that your Bible, by its basic structure, seems to promise as the precursor to the rest, you finally turn to the New Testament. This is how it always goes isn’t...
Continue reading
April 16, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Meeting the Jesus of Mark, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT, Old Testament Studies
No Comment
One of the benefits of a being raised in a blue collar environment and receiving academic training is that I tend to experience the full force of learning. This means that no matter how much I succeeded in my education, writing and research, I labored hard for it…...
Continue reading
April 12, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, Inductive Study Methods
No Comment
The resurrection of Jesus is not just one grand miracle amid a ministry filled with grand miracles. It stands alone among all the works of Jesus for the magnitude of its significance in the lives of the followers of Jesus, the Christ. It is a unique event not...
Continue reading
April 10, 2019 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, New Testament Studies, Theology
No Comment
I had a professor once, gifted in languages, but not in relationships. He could not only read more than his fair share of languages even for a scholar, but he was also a fluent conversationalist in several. He decided that he wanted his wife to learn to speak...
Continue reading
May 21, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, Inductive Study Methods, Meeting the Jesus of Mark, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT
No Comment
Though appearing over 1000x in Scripture, HOLY is a tricky notion to express in modern secular communities. Few raised in the modern western tradition today have the proper mental and emotional categories to contain its full weight and meaning, even when accurately defined through extended description; and we...
Continue reading
May 2, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, NT's Use of the OT, Old Testament Studies
No Comment
When I speak of “Doing Biblical Theology” I intend the use of an arsenal of tools for ascertaining the intended theological message of a biblical unit of literature. I just wanted to make that clear in case you thought I was attempting to market an improved version of...
Continue reading
April 13, 2018 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Meeting the Jesus of Mark
No Comment
Okay, as promised, this is the last post on the popular type-scene “Foreigner at the Well.” I hope it will be rewarding enough to warrant a gander. No, you don’t have to pay a goose to read it, just take a curious poke into it to check it...
Continue reading
April 11, 2018 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT
No Comment
In recent posts, I’ve been considering biblical variations on the type-scene, “Foreigner at the Well.”[1] Perhaps you are tired of reading about it… you have been reading about it haven’t you? I’m sorry; is my insecurity showing? Let’s try this again with a little more confidence. Thou shalt...
Continue reading
April 6, 2018 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
No Comment
In recent blogs[1], I’ve been considering the alluring and powerfully theological type-scene “Foreigner at the Well.” It is common for people to develop in their entertainment of any form typical scenarios drawn from their own “way of life” which the community recognizes, anticipating their outcomes, and finding great...
Continue reading
April 4, 2018 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Old Testament Studies
In my recent post, “Wells: The Singles’ Bars of the Ancient Near East,”—I just call ‘em like I see ‘em Folks! Don’t judge me—I discussed the beauty of the ancient type-scene, “Foreigner at the Well.” We discussed how every culture has popular literary scenarios drawn from elements of...
Continue reading
March 30, 2018 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Old Testament Studies
No Comment
