While it might seem counter-intuitive to many ministers today, Paul gives thanks in numerous of his letters for the very persons and things that often caused him apoplexy. A good example of this can be seen in 1 Corinthians 1 where Paul not only thanks God the for Corinthians, but thanks God for their various spiritual gifts, the exercising of which was causing all sorts of chaos in Corinth (see e.g. 1 Cor. 11-14). Was Paul being disingenuous? No, not... Read more

In the next chapter of Trebilco’s monograph the focus is on a phrase only found in Acts, and then only eight times— ‘the Way’ (not to be confused with the modern sectarian movement which used the same identifier). The term in fact is only used after the first eight chapters of Acts– 9.2;18.25-26;19.9,23; 24.22 are general uses, and Paul uses the term in 22.4 and 24.14. In Acts 9 and 22 it is clear that Luke uses it of Christians... Read more

Perhaps the most surprising chapter in Paul Trebilco’s new monograph is the one on disciples. The term ‘mathetai’ is used some 261 times in the NT, being by far the most common designation in the Gospels for Jesus’ followers, but it is used nowhere outside the Gospels and Acts in the NT for the followers of Jesus. For example, there is no use of this term anywhere in Paul’s letters or indeed any book that comes after Acts in the... Read more

There is probably no more used, or abused term for the early Christians than the term ‘ekklesia’. Trebilco seeks to set the discussion on a sounder footing, He rightly warns from the outset that the translation ‘church’ is just too anachronistic is almost any text where we find the term ‘ekklesia’ The background of the term is well known. From at least the fifth century B.C. the term referred to the democratic political assemblies in Greece. Acts 19.39 shows the... Read more

In some ways the most interesting and enlightening chapter in Paul Trebilco’s recent monograph is the discussion about the hagioi— the holy ones or saints. The plural term hagioi is used some 60 times in the NT, predominantly in Paul where we have 30 examples, not counting the seven more in Ephesians and one in the Pastorals. What is most interesting about the use of this term of early Christians is that in the OT, whether the Hebrew or the... Read more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6crYco5K4gI&feature=relmfu Read more

This one was personal, deeply personal for me as a son of the South. As a child I used to read all about the Confederacy. I still have my Pictorial History of the Confederacy. I grew up in the old South before integration in the public schools, before integration at public restaurants, when there were still separate bathrooms at all sorts of public places, and one of them said ‘colored’. Not black men and then black women, but one bathroom... Read more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k38yzc81IOg&feature=relmfu Read more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEljJZ1GzZc&feature=relmfu Read more

[The following courtesy of intrepid internet searcher Jim Horn] Check List Complete: I scouted the area all summer. . . I searched out the best location for my tree-stand . . I set it all up a month ahead of time . . . I trailed the herd . . . I picked out a trophy buck .. Two days before opening day I rechecked every aspect of the hunt . .. Everything was in place . . .. Sunday... Read more