Monday: Read Philippians 2:19-30 Today’s reading contains Paul’s ministry report to the Philippians. It may be that there was some misunderstanding that Paul was trying to clear up. The church in Philippi had sent Epaphroditus, one of their members, to assist Paul’s work in Rome. (This is one of the few times in which Paul received a gift from a church. See our notes on 1 Corinthians). It may have been that they were hoping that Paul would reciprocate by... Read more
This is the 7th post in a series on the Beast and the book of Revelation (see part 1; part 2; part 3; part 4; part 5; part 6). In case you didn’t know, and if you didn’t then you are among a small minority on the entire planet who didn’t know, the World Cup begins next week in Qatar. NB: the World Cup is the premier soccer (futbol) event in the world. It is held every 4 years. NB:... Read more
Monday: Read Philippians 1:1-11 The book of Philippians is widely acknowledged to be one of Paul’s 4 Prison Epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon) which was written in Rome. Philippians opens with a salutation (“Paul and Timothy”: 1-2). This is followed by Paul’s customary thanksgiving (3-8). This opening section closes with Paul’s prayer (9-11). In his thanksgiving, Paul rejoices in the fact that they have been partners with him in the gospel (5). Paul affirms that God who began a... Read more
This is the 6th post in a series on the Beast and the book of Revelation (see part 1; part 2; part 3; part 4; part 5). “Welcome sports fans.” For years, this is how I used to welcome students into my classroom. And if they voiced disapproval and disavowed sports, I simply explained that when you enter my classroom you have become a sports fan! Being a sports fan is something my mom gave me! You see, my dad... Read more
Monday: Read Ephesians 4:1-16 In 4:1-6:20, Paul turns his attention to the ethical life of the people of God and what it looks like to be a new community. Paul begins in 4:1-16 by exhorting the community to maintain their unity in Christ. He opens with a strong exhortation, “Therefore, I implore/urge,beg you” (4:1). This certainly is meant to get the readers’ attention! The use of “therefore ‘’ (1) looks back to Paul’s argument thus far in Ephesians. As such,... Read more
I noted in my post on Oct 18 “Before I proceed, I suppose that it might be of help if I make my landing spot clear. When it comes to political systems and the nations of the world . . . it is my conviction, which I believe derives from a careful study of the biblical text, that every nation/empire is corrupt—sure, I will concede that some are more corrupt than others.” Then, in part #3 I noted that based... Read more
Monday: Read Eph 1:1-23 Lest you think Romans stands alone as the pinnacle of Paul’s writings, we now turn to Ephesians. One of my favorite NT scholars of the last century, F. F. Bruce, said that Ephesians is, “the quintessence of Paulinism” because it “in large measure sums up the leading themes of the Pauline letters, and sets forth the cosmic implications of Paul’s ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.”2 Another notable scholar, Raymond Brown claimed that only Romans... Read more
The geopolitical order is not just a matter of world politics, of empires and kingdoms; it is also a matter of people going hungry, of families not being able to sustain themselves, and of the rich and the powerful making sure that the system continues working for the benefit of those in power, even if it means hunger and starvation for others.[1] The New Testament opens with an enormous proclamation: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is... Read more
Monday: Read Galatians 3:15-29 The question that Paul is addressing in the chapter is: “who constitutes the children of Abraham?” Are we children of Abraham because we follow the Law? Remember, “following the Law” means that we do the things that distinguish Jews from Gentiles: namely, circumcision, food laws, and Sabbath keeping. Or, are we children of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ? One of the keys to understanding Paul’s argument is that he concludes by arguing that what is... Read more
NB: I would like to begin by stating that it is my conviction that this series of posts may be the most important series I have written—though I do not deny that I am biased in this assessment. And I reserve the right to make this declaration about a future series. I say this because I believe it is critical for the church today, especially as we endeavor to move forward amidst the political quagmire that has engulfed our country,... Read more
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