Over the years, I have written quite a bit about the various things that pertain to Christmas. Sometimes, it is about smashing myths. But mostly, they are about a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures. The Virgin Birth 1. Introduction 2. Miraculous Conception 3. Virginity 4. Silence of the Apostles 5. Some Questions Other Christmas Questions… Read More »
Yesterday at Bedford Road, I spoke on David’s song from 1 Chronicles 16. The song is a composite of Psalm 105:1-15, 96:1-13, and 106:1 and 47-48. It is a great example of the way the Scriptures were viewed in the Judaism that formed in the early Achaemenid Period. There are only a few subtle changes… Read More »
O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? (Daniel 6:12) It is one of the most familiar stories of the Old Testament. Daniel the Jew refuses to stop worshiping… Read More »
A couple of weeks ago, we started a series called “Is That Really What It Says?” at Bedford Road. The series is basically a romp through the Old Testament (and possibly the new) dealing with some of biblical narratives that have been popularized through retelling over the years. These pop versions of the stories generally… Read More »
On Sunday, I mentioned that one of the ways I read the first portion of Genesis is through something I called The Creation Cycles. Here is a basic summary of the structure: The Earth Cycle (1-4) Opening Summary (1:1) Earth as Creation: The Annals (toledeth) of the Earth (1:2-2:4) Earth as Creature: The Annals of Adam (2:5-5:2) The… Read More »
Herod the Great It is important to understand that Herod was not just “a king.” He had been declared the “King of the Jews” by the Roman Senate, a title which had been confirmed by Octavius Caesar when he became the First Man of Rome. Herod was an Idumean convert to Judaism who had ruled over… Read More »
Three weeks ago, I began a teaching series at Bedford Road on Solomon: The Tarnished Crown. Yesterday, I taught on Adonijah, the son of David who attempted to usurp the throne from Solomon. There is never enough time to talk about all the people who pass through the biblical narrative. I would never finish a… Read More »
Herod negotiated the complex relationship of the various Jewish groups, his Roman masters and the nations surrounding him with cunning, if not with ease. Herod’s cities and Temple complex attempted to bridge the gaps among these various groups, but there were simply too many moving parts and fissures appeared, especially among the rural Jews of… Read More »
Herod had seen the greatness of Rome. His sons were educated in Caesar’s household. His kingdom had a substantial, urban Gentile population which formed a substantial power block. Early in his reign, Herod even minted coins with Roman helmets on them, showing his reliance on (or at the very least, admiration of) the Roman system.… Read More »
Thanks to his partnership with Augustus Caesar, Herod became enormously wealthy. If Josephus is to believed, Herod’s wealth was truly staggering, and he put it to good use. In the broader world, he sponsored numerous buildings and improvements, and in one year even sponsored (and hosted) the Olympic Games at one of his new cities.… Read More »
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