As 2023 comes to a close, it is time for me to review and reflect on what turned out to be the 12 best posts of the year from my General Christian column, “In Christ.” I rank these based strictly on the amount of views each of them received. If it were strictly my choice, my favorite on this list would be #11: Top 12 Monsters in the Bible. However, the choices below are not mine but yours. Here are the top twelve:
12. Should Women Keep Silent at Church? Rereading 1 Corinthian 14:34–35
Nothing like starting off this list with a good controversial issue on whether women are to speak in the churches! I present my exegetical interpretation of the issue in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. My follow-up post to this one tackles the equally controversial 1 Timothy 2:9–15.
I consider this to be one of my most unique posts, right up there with the popular post, “What Does Toilet Paper Have to Do with the Bible?” This is a fresh reading of the various monsters and scary people in the Bible. It was appropriately released the week up to Halloween. Everything from a “zombie” to a witch to a ghost to giants to a dragon are listed and interpreted. Did you know that Goliath was only 6 foot 6 inches tall, contrary to what many Bible translations claim? Find out why in this article!
Interpreters normally consider Acts 13:48 a prime example of predestination. In a sense it is, but not as normally understood individualistically. The predestination only goes back as far as a prophecy from Isaiah about the nations, as the post explains.
This is perhaps the most intense study in Greek that I have done so far on my Patheos posts. This study argues that the famous “foreknew” and “predestined” passage in Romans 8 actually should not be understood in past tense as virtually every Bible translates it.
This fascinating study identifies seven archangels implied in biblical Scripture and Tobit. Various names are given to these angels in ancient Jewish writings such as 1 Enoch and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
I was inspired to write this post after reading an article by David Eastman entitled “Death” in relation to the Apostle Paul (from the T&T Clark Handbook to the Historical Paul, edited by Heidi Wendt and Ryan Schellenberg, London: T. & T. Clark, 2022). Eastman collects a number of post-Pauline sources such as The Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Paul in Rome (late second century) and The Passion of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. After observing commonalities in each of these writings, he presents a plausible case for how the historical Paul died.
In Genesis 6:1–4, a set of people that seem to be the offspring of the sons of God (the Watchers according to 1 Enoch), are called “Nephilim” or “giants” in our Bibles. Who are they? Did they survive the Flood in Noah’s day? This study covers the two places they are mentioned in Scripture as well as other “giants” in the Bible. For giants in the Dead Sea Scrolls see #2 below, and on the Watchers, see #1.
This relatively recent post has surprisingly intrigued a lot of viewers already. I suspect many readers are interested in biblical eschatology, perhaps prompted by the recent Israel-Hamas war. Matthew 10:23 has sometimes been used to support that Christ’s return or Parousia was to take place in the first century. Find out whether or not this is the most plausible interpretation. I hope to return again to the subject of eschatology soon!
Millions of people watched the inauguration of King Charles III of England on May 6, 2023, after Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022. Appropriate for the occasion, I decided to write on the faith and practices of King Charles.
-
The Current Revival at Asbury University: Sensing the Presence of God and 4 Principles from the Past
February 8th, 2023 marked the beginning of what turned out to be the Asbury Revival in Wilmore Kentucky, which received much news and social media coverage. People who experienced this divine visitation sensed a sweet presence that continued non-stop at the university chapel for three weeks. When I first published this post, it basically went viral. Unfortunately, not too many viewers have visited this post since February. It describes the outpouring at Asbury and provides four important principles to learn from past revivals.
This unique study puts together the tale of the fragmented Book of Giants from the Dead Sea Scrolls. We learn further information on the giants that are famously mentioned in Genesis 6:1–4 and the Book of Watchers from 1 Enoch 6–11. This subject leads us to the most popular post of the year:
This feature-length study covers the pros and cons of each of the three major interpretations of Genesis 6:1–4 with a special emphasis on the sons of God as the Watchers described in 1 Enoch and elsewhere. This post includes a number of quotes from ancient Jewish literature on the issue.
Have a great New Year!
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In