Kirk E. MillerWhat does it really mean to take God’s name in vain? Is it just about using God’s name irreverently, or is there more to it? In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller is joined by Carmen Joy Imes, an expert in Old Testament studies, to...
Paul tells Christians to submit to governing authorities, even calling these authorities ministers of God. But does this mean we must always submit? Or, if there are exceptions, what are they and how do we know? Kaitlyn Schiess joins Kirk E. Miller...
In this episode of What in the Word?, we dive into one of the most puzzling verses in the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 15:29 and its reference to baptism for the dead. Host, Kirk E. Miller, is joined by biblical scholar, B. J. Oropeza, to explore...
In this inaugural episode of What in the Word?, James M. Hamilton Jr., a professor of biblical theology and a pastor, joins Kirk to talk about one of Scripture’s most notorious passages: Genesis 6:1–4. Tune in to uncover how this passage highlights...
Michael F. BirdOne of the distinguishing features of Jesus’s teaching was the role he assigned to love. For Jesus, love was the summation of all that the Torah taught, as well as that which marked out his disciples as belonging to the kingdom of God. One...
Joseph DodsonI recently heard about a hiker who came across another hiker with her two dogs. As they chatted, the dog owner unleashed her pets so that they could frolic among the flowers and the trees. The dogs could not contain their excitement as they felt...
Ingrid FaroEvil is the corruption of creational and relational goodness. Evil consists of thoughts, actions, or forces that diminish life. Evil takes what God planned for the good of all his creation and distorts or defiles it. This essay addresses many of the...
Mark BriansMany are familiar with the stories of multiplication in Scripture. For instance, God takes the very small stores of the widow of Zarephath and multiplies them, making them last miraculously until the end of the drought.
Trevor LaurenceIf we are to learn to read the Bible well, we must learn the language in which it speaks. I don’t specifically mean Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—though those may be helpful, to be sure. I mean that we must familiarize ourselves with the...
The Olivet Discourse is found in Matthew 24–25, Mark 13, and Luke 21. This famously difficult speech by Jesus is, at minimum, a prophecy against the Jerusalem temple. But others also see here a prophecy of Jesus’s second coming as judge of the world...
Jason S. DeRouchieThe Bible is explicit that God revealed ten Words to his people at Sinai and it stands to reason that we should know how to number them, especially given the unique status these Words bear in Scripture.
Cory M. MarshI’m a full-time New Testament professor. This means I design class lectures, create syllabi, and craft assignments for all our New Testament courses. But, like many working profs, my teaching duties extend past covering the New Testament. I also...
Lexham PressThe following post is adapted from Finding Our Voice: A Vision for Asian North American Preaching by Matthew D. Kim and Daniel L. Wong (Lexham Press, 2020). *** Asian North American (ANA) preachers read and interpret Scripture with a unique lens. We...
Logos StaffDr. Lynn Cohick talks about understanding the apostle Paul in his historical context (:10), and Dr. Michael Heiser gives some insights on interpreting Scripture (4:55). Study the New Testament with Dr. Lynn Cohick Gain a better understanding of...
Michael S. HeiserI mentioned in an earlier post that I’m exposed to more than my fair share of interpretive incoherence because I’m known on the Internet for my paranormal fiction and for blogging on strange things people believe about the Bible and the ancient...
Prooftexting. Eisegesis. Missing the cultural setting. Taking passages out of context. Common hermeneutical missteps can have big effects on your faith and your church. Just ask Hymenaeus or Philetus, whose teaching Paul rails against in 2 Timothy...
Dale BrueggemannDo we know for certain that Jesus can be found in the OT? In our efforts to “read backwards,” are we finding Christ where perhaps he should not be found? Or do we have license as Spirit-led interpreters of Scripture to allegorize as we see fit, and...
Ryan RotzThe use of language, whether it’s Greek or English, spoken or written, is a true art form—perhaps the only one we practice every day. Instead of choosing colors from a palette or notes from a scale, we choose from a list of vocabulary, grammar, and...
We all know that reading the Bible is very important, but how much time do we invest in really digging deep to understand and interpret it? It’s challenging to make sure we’re interpreting the text in light of the historical, social, and...
Ray Deck IIIAll Scripture is important. All Scripture is true, but not all Scripture is meant to be read in the same way. Different kinds of literature have different expectations. You wouldn’t read The Raven and angrily reply, “No, the Raven did NOT say that!”...