I’m working on a paper on Paul’s political vision and am thinking a bit about the identity and mission of Israel that shaped Paul’s conception of the identity and mission of the church. Israel’s call to be a “holy people” was a thoroughly political commission.  Their social and economic practices were to be radically different […]

The instances are not few of nations, tribes, and political parties claiming a divine endorsement. Those who assume the righteousness of their cause and rally their supporters using biblical military imagery ought to keep in mind at least this one reality about the divine warrior tradition from the Old Testament. It is presumptuous for anyone […]

I began this series by observing that many Christians wonder why there is so much demonic activity in other parts of the world and so little here in the U.S. and in the West. At least one answer is that there may be more than we think.  We just miss it because we’re on the […]

At the Galatians conference in July, John Barclay gave a wonderful paper on the integral connection between doctrine and social practice.  He argued that in Paul’s view, justification by faith is not merely a notion to be affirmed or confessed. It must be socially embodied by communities of Jesus-followers that do not reckon each others’ […]

Lou Martyn, commenting on 1:11-12 and elucidating Paul’s “bifocal” vision in Galatians: This certain hope, grounded in God’s invasive action in the advent of Christ, is the apocalyptic good news Paul calls “the gospel.”  But its being apocalyptic is underlined by the fact that it is not visible, demonstrable, or provable in the categories and […]

It can be crushingly painful to endure personal injustice, especially from people who make Christian claims. I passed through one of these seasons some years ago and found myself—mostly during long walks—bouncing between two Scripture-based prayers. I would pray that those who plotted evil would have it turned back on them. But then I would […]

I was reading 1 Maccabees the other day and was struck again by Mattathias’ call to arms in 2:40-42. After the report of a slaughter of fellow Jews who had refused to fight, Mattathias and his friends are despondent. And each said to his neighbor: “If we all do as our brethren have done and […]

Just because we don’t see arresting manifestations of demonic activity in the West doesn’t mean that we don’t daily encounter spiritual powers of evil.  Being culturally conditioned to look for the spectacular blinds us to Scripture’s portrayal of how anger, resentment, and jealousy make us vulnerable to demonic influence and spiritual evil. Consider Genesis 4:1-8: […]

I’m preparing for a discussion of apocalyptic in Galatians this week and came across this from Bruce Longenecker’s book, The Triumph of Abraham’s God.  So well put: [T]he driving force behind Paul’s theological presentations is the invasion of God into the world in order to subjugate forces that run contrary to God’s will and to […]

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with […]