It’s common to compare baptism to marriage. But it’s not often recognized that the image is a biblical one. In expounding on the marriage analogy at the beginning of Romans 7, N.T. Wright (Paul and the Faithfulness of God, 892-3) notes the link back to the baptism exhortation in Romans 6. In Romans 7, Paul envisions “a married couple, with the husband dying and the wife being free to marry again.” The image is complicated by the fact that “the... Read more
There’s an enormous amount of chronological information in the Bible, but it is rare for Scripture to date an event by day, month, and year together. It happens at the completion of major construction projects, when worlds are completed – the world of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:17), the temple (2 Chronicles 3:2), and the second temple (Ezra 6:15). In keeping with this, prophetic oracles concerning construction projects are dated similarly (cf. Ezekiel 1:1; 40:1; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:7). On the... Read more
The locust plague that John sees coming from the abyss sounds like an army, chariots and horses rushing into battle (Revelation 9:9). Locusts that sound like chariots have appeared already in Joel (2:5), and the voice of horses is the voice of cherubim (Ezekiel 1:24; 3:13; 10:5). The locust horde is a a demonic army of cherubim. But there’s a more subtle echo, almost unheard, in John’s description. The description of horses “rushing” is used only a handful of times... Read more
Starting today, November 4, 2014, Trinity House Institute of Birmingham, Alabama, takes a new name, the Theopolis Institute. The Theopolis Institute trains pastors and Christian leaders through intensive courses in biblical theology and liturgics, encourages unity in the church with its ecumenical Nevin Lecture series, and advances theological scholarship with essays on its web site and in its e-newsletter, In Medias Res. The new name better communicates the Institute’s unique vision and mission, and captures the unified purpose behind its various... Read more
Somewhat surprisingly, the first references to golden crowns in the Bible do not refer to kings but to priests. The high priest has a “crown of pure gold,” a “holy crown” on his turban (Exodus 39:30; Leviticus 8:9). Even as late as Zechariah 6:11, the silver and gold crown is made for “Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.” It is reserved for the “Branch,” a Davidic figure, but the one who receives the crown initially is the priest.... Read more
Somewhat surprisingly, the first references to golden crowns in the Bible do not refer to kings but to priests. The high priest has a “crown of pure gold,” a “holy crown” on his turban (Exodus 39:30; Leviticus 8:9). Even as late as Zechariah 6:11, the silver and gold crown is made for “Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.” It is reserved for the “Branch,” a Davidic figure, but the one who receives the crown initially is the priest.... Read more
Wonder Woman is the subject of a lot of solemn discussion recently, pushed into highbrow prominence by Jill Lepore’s Secret History of Wonder Woman. According to Katha Pollitt’s NYTBR review, Lepore’s book highlights the setting for the creators of the comic, William Moulton Marston, his wife Elizabeth Holloway, and a former student, Olive Byrne, who “lived in a permanent ménage à trois that produced four children—two from each woman.” One of the unexpected contributors to the comic is Margaret Sanger, Byrne’s... Read more
An Alex Ross New Yorker review of several recent books on Beethoven stresses the mark he left not only “on all subsequent composers” but on “entire institutions. The professional orchestra arose, in large measure, as a vehicle for the incessant performance of Beethoven’s symphonies. The art of conducting emerged in his wake. The modern piano bears the imprint of his demand for a more resonant and flexible instrument.” He was largely responsible, Ross claims, for the creation of a musical canon: “In... Read more
An Alex Ross New Yorker review of several recent books on Beethoven stresses the mark he left not only “on all subsequent composers” but on “entire institutions. The professional orchestra arose, in large measure, as a vehicle for the incessant performance of Beethoven’s symphonies. The art of conducting emerged in his wake. The modern piano bears the imprint of his demand for a more resonant and flexible instrument.” He was largely responsible, Ross claims, for the creation of a musical canon: “In... Read more
John sees demonic scorpions released from the abyss (Revelation 9). The description is intricately structured. Verse 5 gives an initial description of the scorpions: 1) Torment for five months 2) Torment of scorpions 3) Sting Verse 10 recapitulates this description in nearly exact reverse order: 1) Tails like scorpions 2) Stings 3) Hurt men for five months Within this framework, the description is neatly chiastic (vv. 6-9): a. horses prepared for battle b. crowns of gold on head c. faces... Read more
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