Wisdom, Folly & “Blaming the Victim”
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)…
Strike a Level 5 Pose for Me, Will Ya?
In his book, Talking to Strangers, Malcolm Gladwell discusses how difficult it can be to properly assess a stranger based on demeanor and facial expression. People always assume they are…
Should Anyone Be Shunned?
Why do so many assume that a society with more tolerance for previously less tolerated members of society is automatically an improvement and a cause for celebration and joy? Wouldn’t…
CHESTERTON’S FENCE, FAMILY, & HUMAN SEXUALITY
In The Thing, G. K. Chesterton declares, “…the truth is that nobody has any business to destroy a social institution until he has really seen it as an historical institution.…
What were they walling in or walling out?
In Robert Frost’s poem, “Mending Wall,” one line has outlived all the others in the common tongue of the English speaking world, “Good fences make good neighbors.” Each year, as…
I Pity Stunningly Beautiful People
There is an Episode of 30 Rock, called “The Bubble” in which Liz (Tina Fey) begins to date a character played by John Ham, whose good looks have allowed him…
Child 44 and a Life of Lies
The movie, Child 44, and the novel of the same name, explore the life of a red-pilled Russian war hero, now, military policeman, Leo Demidov, in the days of Stalinist…
Know Your Boundaries: A Morality Metaphor
One of my teachers in grade school grew up in Europe in the preceding and early years of World War II in one of the many nations bordering Germany. If…
For the Nothingness Set Before Them They Endure Nothing: Temptation as Pain
The Book of Hebrews is written to help Christians who, in the face of growing persecution and pressure from Jewish religious leaders, have begun to waver in their determination to…
Psalm 119 & David’s Spinning Moral Compass
Psalm 119 is a poem that dedicates eight paired lines of poetry to each succeeding letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, all celebrating the power of divine Torah for promoting human…
When God Commanded Israel to Break His Law
There is an interesting twist, if you’ll pardon the pun, in the tassel command from Numbers 15:38-41 when it is woven (sorry I just can’t stop myself) into the new…
Thoughts Spurred by The Jesus Revolution Movie
I just watched THE JESUS REVOLUTION. Highly recommend it. It gave me a lot to mull over. I grew up in those hippie movement/Jesus movement days, so it all seemed…
101 Most Misunderstood Verses
Biblical Studies
HAGALAH
Inductive Study Methods
Old Testament Studies
Good Tassels Gone Bad
The giving of the tassel to the Israelites in Numbers 15:38-41 is a powerful symbol of God’s love and acceptance, a divine gift to aid them in their struggles against…
A Colored Past to Dye For
I’ll never forget a visit I made many years ago to a full scale temple model with my wife. The woman running the guided tour was just chuck full of……
Why Hassle with a Tassel?
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…
Matthew’s Contest of Kings: Ringside Version
This is Matthew ‘the Taxman’ Apostle, coming to you live and ringside, bringing you blow by blow coverage for this evening’s main event. We’ve got quite a bout for you…
From Corrupt Society to Sacred Community: Isaiah 59 in Acts 2
I love discovering deeper layers of meaning in books and movies than stand out on the surface. I thrill when, having read or watched something on one level, I discover…
The Deity of Jesus in Mark 4 & Acts 1
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. It is not uncommon when teens grow into young adults to mistake their college level introduction to philosophy, theology, science, or even…
A Baptism in Baptism: Version 2
John the Baptist is an important figure in all four gospels. Mark begins with John’s baptisms, Luke with the events of his birth, and John weaves him into the prologue…
Jesus and The Failed Gentile Mission: The Prodigal Son in Reflection, Part 2
When Jesus called Peter to become a fisher of men, I seriously doubt he had any thought of the role he would someday play in fulfilling Israel’s sacred mission to…