Let’s consider three different translations for 1 Thessalonians 4:4 in context. Paul uses a figure of speech that has many people scratching their heads. The King James takes a rather literal approach. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 reads: For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye...
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June 20, 2016 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, New Testament Studies
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I just saw one of those Facebook posters that read, “Repost this if you know someone who is still alive because you can’t afford a hitman.” It reminded me of one of the most annoying people I’ve ever met. He attended Bible college with me back in 1987....
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June 17, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Society
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The number of ethical issues raised by a reading of The Hiding Place highlights the struggle encountered by those, who, taking sin seriously, seek to please the Lord in this world. Corrie Ten Boom’s tale of delivering the innocent from Nazi villainy poses an ethical challenge to me,...
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June 15, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Ethics
Covenant is a Genre based on the concept that the Holy is actively involved in the affairs of Man, Holding Men to their oaths. Men call upon the gods to bless or curse them in keeping with promises made concerning general or specific expressions of loyalty to another....
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June 13, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT, Old Testament Studies
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A recent article being passed around Facebook, headlines, “1500 Year Old Bible Claims Jesus Christ Was Not Crucified – Vatican In Awe,” The subtext reads, “Much to the dismay of the Vatican, an approx. 1500-2000 year old Bible was found in Turkey, in the Ethnography Museum of Ankara.”[1]...
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June 10, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Society
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Here I go again, sticking my big nose into someone else’s blog post. I feel a little like a techno-savvy Gladys Kravitz. (For any Millennials who might be reading this, she was the nosy neighbor from Bewitched… the TV show from the 60s… not the recent movie. Explaining...
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June 8, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Society
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I had a discussion with a 19 year old the other day about the LGBT agenda, which, while not shared by all LGBT people, is being championed by progressive politicians. Nothing enables a power grab more than the American public’s conviction that someone is being treated unfairly in...
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June 6, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Society
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In our last few posts on 1 Samuel 15:27-31, we attempted to unpack the text in context in order to draw out of it, the narrator’s intended theological message… i.e. the reason he included the story in the larger Samuel narrative. Individual stories function in larger biblical narrations...
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June 3, 2016 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
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So far, we have considered 1 Samuel 15 from a different angles. We have discovered how serious Saul’s sin is. A sin akin to defiling the Ark of the Covenant and stealing the golden lampstand for good measure. We have examined the meaning of Saul’s grasp of Samuel’s...
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May 30, 2016 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
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We are looking at the divine condemnation of Saul’s dynasty in 1 Samuel 15, having already considered the seriousness of the sin which lead directly to it. In the midst of the exchange between discredited king and holy prophet, 1 Samuel 15:27-31, a strange social ballet of sorts...
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May 27, 2016 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
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Okay, Saul goofed. He failed to perfectly enacts a rather brutal command to exterminate another people group. It’s hard to get our modern hearts around this too much. We aren’t so keen on genocide these days, and we have more than a little resentment for the kind of...
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May 25, 2016 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
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With the development of medical technology, society is placed in unique ethical dilemmas, which are not easily answered by scriptural commands concerning the preserving and taking of human life. Of these, the most complex is the capacity to preserve life long after the capacity for cognitive life is...
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May 20, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Ethics
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I am continuing today with my week long summary and reflection on Martin Buber’s monumental work, I and Thou. If this confuses you, I recommend reading or re-reading my previous four posts on Buber’s work. I-thou represents the attitude of man in communion with God and his creation....
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May 16, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Theology
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I am continuing today with my week long summary and reflection on Martin Buber’s monumental work, I and Thou. If this confuses you, I recommend reading or re-reading my previous three posts on Buber’s work. I-thou represents the attitude of man in communion with God and his creation....
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May 13, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Theology
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I am continuing today with my week long summary and reflection on Martin Buber’s monumental work, I and Thou. If this confuses you, I recommend reading or re-reading my previous two posts on Buber’s work. I-thou represents the attitude of man in communion with God and his creation....
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May 11, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Theology
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I am continuing today with my week long summary and reflection on Martin Buber’s monumental work, I and Thou. The best way to introduce Buber’s idea in his book I and Thou is with his own words. “To man,” he says, “the world is two-fold in keeping with...
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May 9, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Theology
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I read a lot. I read a lot of lots of different stuff. For my academic work I read large amounts of material on linguistics, history, theology, interpretive methodology, and biblical studies, (not to mention reading articles about politics and religion and psychology and the like all day...
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May 8, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Theology
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If you are determined not to subject yourself to all those insensitive jerks at church this Mother’s day, who show no regard for your loss, infertility, pre-mother status, or some special case relationship that you have that you think qualifies you to stand for Motherly recognition, but fear...
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May 6, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Society
It is often the case that in a misguided attempt to combat one thing, human beings inadvertently destroy something else… or cause the very thing they seek to avert. It’s the natural result of being short-sighted, selfish, and prone to seek the path of least resistance. Nobody is...
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May 5, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Society, Theology
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I wanted to share a letter I received from a woman named, Jessica. She wrote to honor her kind and forgiving husband, who has been so instrumental in her own journey of restoration. It warmed my heart. I particularly love Joseph’s story at the end. Read all the...
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May 4, 2016 Andrew Sargent
Society
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