Non-Jewish Christians are so accustomed to reading Hebrews 7-10 as something close to anti-Jewish.  “At least since the time of John Chrysostom, Hebrews has been read as a stern warning to Jewish converts to the Christian faith not to fall back into Jewish practices” (R. Hays). It’s important to keep in mind, however, that if […]

Welcome to Midtown Christian Community. Welcome in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into this enslaved world of oppression, exploitation, and sin, and who took upon himself all the brokenness, alienation, fear, hopelessness, estrangement, frustration, rebellion and sorrow that plagued God’s good creation, and he put it to death when […]

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear our prayer and deliver us.   From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being […]

I love this line from the Hays quote I posted earlier.  It sort of sticks a finger in the eye of a Platonic worldview: Jesus “has cleansed their consciences through the embarrassingly palpable act of sprinkling his own human blood around in the heavenly sanctuary, in the very presence of God.” As I read back […]

Hebrews appears to have something of a Platonic conception of the cosmos, regarding, among other things, the heavenly tabernacle and the exalted Jesus as greater than the earthly realities that bear on the audience. It may indeed be the case that Hebrews borrows terms and metaphors from Middle Platonism, but ultimately Hebrews’ cosmology is thoroughly faithful […]

Have you seen the film?   There’s so much I’d love to say about it.   But frankly, I have found it the most overpowering . . .   . . . the truest . . .   . . . most hopeful . . .   . . . theologically richest . . . […]

Hebrews provides a wonderfully rich depiction of Jesus.  He is highly exalted, already enthroned as ruler over the coming new world. And Jesus is thoroughly human.  Hebrews’ pretty “earthy” description of Jesus may leave readers incredulous. In the days of his flesh, he offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the one able […]

The warning passages in Hebrews are often misused and abused because of interpreters’ prior theological commitments.  In his commentary on 6:4-8, James Thompson says this: If the author meant for this passage to disturb his readers, he managed to disturb interpreters throughout the centuries even more, for this passage has been the center of controversy more […]

I’m reading student papers on N. T. Wright’s Simply Jesus, which isn’t easy when it’s absolutely lovely outside.  Coming across passages like the following (used with permission) moves the task in the direction of something like worship: Jesus launched God’s kingdom project, fought and won the victory that humans were unable to win, and now […]

I arise today Through the strength of heaven; Light of the sun, Splendor of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of the wind, Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth, Firmness of the rock. I arise today Through God’s strength to pilot me; God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye […]