BEN: Your qualifications in the demon possession discussion are helpful, especially the evidence that ancients could distinguish between diseases or conditions caused by natural forces, and the effects of demon possession, which rules out the prevalent assumption of many that ‘bless their hearts, they just didn’t know about modern medicine and so they attributed all those problems to evil supernatural causes’. And I certainly agree with you that the NT does not suggest Christians can be possessed by demons— pestered,... Read more

BEN: One of your most helpful qualifications comes on p. 190—“Though many Bible readers (even scholars) presume otherwise, spirit beings in rebellion against God are not portrayed as remaining in God’s service. The presumption confuses God’s sovereign status over evildoers with the notion that they are, so to speak, yet in God’s employ.” This is followed by a useful analogy. What I take away from this is that God’s sovereignty, including over evil, is one thing, the notion that whatever... Read more

BEN: I am not much convinced by the new exodus readings of especially the beginnings of Jesus ministry by Watts and Wright etc. It seems rather clear to me, especially for example in the genealogy in Luke 3, that Jesus is portrayed not as Israel gone right, but rather as humanity rebooted, the Son of Man is his preferred term. He even disputes whether Son of David is an adequate title for him. This is also why Paul calls Jesus... Read more

Even when the ill winds of Corona keep blowing in America, John Grisham keeps cranking out thrillers that make for good summer beach reading, and uniquely this one also deals with Camino Island, in a sense a sequel to the novel of that name. Here’s the official summary of this novel… “Welcome back to Camino Island, where anything can happen—even a murder in the midst of a hurricane, which might prove to be the perfect crime . . . Just... Read more

Michael Gerson, a columnist for the Washington Post wrote the following a month ago: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-one-of-the-founders-of-evangelicalism-can-teach-us-about-racism/2020/06/15/efbfea02-af40-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html “By instinct and conviction, Wesley was a Tory — the God-and-country, law-and-order party of his day. He was a firm believer in benevolent monarchy and would entertain no nonsense about power originating in the people. After some initial sympathy with the complaints of the American colonists, Wesley became a vigorous, public opponent of the revolution. According to modern political categories, Wesley would be an unlikely... Read more

If you, like me, are sick and tired of politicians disrespecting and maligning their opponents in tweets, in ads, in person and then claiming they are Christians, then it would be wise to point them to Mt. 5.22 if they care about their eternal destiny. Jesus said the following: “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca’ is answerable... Read more

The ever prolific Lindsey Davis has done it again. It’s hard to believe but we now have an eighth volume in the Flavia Albia series, and Flavia is gaining in Flava as the series rolls along. Here’s the official summary about the book, which only emerges in the U.S. on July 28th…. “Julius Caesar left his gardens to the citizens of Rome, a peaceful sanctuary across the Tiber. Now the gardens and their sacred grove are dangerous haunts, especially for... Read more

BEN: In regard to the cosmic geography, it seems to me there is plenty of evidence in the NT to associate Satan with the heavens, or at least the ‘air’ above the earth, and really none to associate him with the land of the dead, at least as a dwelling place. Even in Revelation there is a threefold fall of Satan, and only the last two in Rev. 20ff. involves him being thrown into a sealed off pit, and then... Read more

BEN: O.K. so on p. 164 it seems to me that there must be a mistake— it reads “The notion that the OT does not include that God wanted the nations led astray is an inventive thought that makes God’s denunciation of the gods of the nations in Psalm 82.2-5 duplicitous.” Surely, it is his ultimately NOT wanting the nations led astray that would make his denunciation of the naughty angels in Ps. 82 who misled them understandable. It seems... Read more

BEN: So let’s reflect for a moment on the 3 rebellions you are analyzing in this book. If I am understanding you rightly, in each case the rebellions are acts of angelic beings who, before the act of rebellion, are simply good angels or supernatural beings, a part of the heavenly council. But then, one after another, they seize the opportunity or self-aggrandizement and rebel, first in the garden of Eden, then before the flood, then in association with the... Read more