Galatians 3.19-29: Participation In Christ
The debate between the relationship between the Old Testament and the gospel message began with the arrival of Christ and continued into the New Testament writings and beyond. However, the Apostle Paul emphatically asserts that the law and promise are not...Exodus: Ancient Near East Context
Within any study of biblical interpretation, meaning is found within context. Without context, words, phrases, chapters, books, and canons are impossible to understand. In the modern world, any attempt to understand Christianity in America apart from the broader...Living Life In Christ
PropositionsExegetical Proposition: In Galatians 3:19-29, Paul asserts that the law points to a Messianic age where believers are transferred into a new realm through their participation in Christ. Theological Proposition: Christians no longer live under the law...Head Coverings in 1 Corinthians 11
The Apostle Paul’s language in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 regarding head coverings has vexed scholars for centuries. Several questions still remain with regard to the interpretation of Paul’s passage, especially in light of the ancient situational...Exegesis of Romans 8.18-28
Romans 8 may arguably be the most profound chapter from the entire Pauline corpus. The broad thematic initiatives and deep theological messaging require careful examination. To misinterpret such an essential chapter risks missing the message of the gospel of Jesus...Exegesis of 1 Peter 2.4-10
An ongoing debate continues regarding how the Old Testament and, more specifically, Jewish tradition informs a believer’s understanding of salvation and their relationship to Christ. Without a proper understanding of how Jewish tradition informs New Testament...Literary Correspondence of 2nd Peter and Jude
The literary correspondence between the books of 2 Peter and Jude is unmistakable. Determining the type of literary correspondence between the two books and in which direction the dependency flows offer an important issue for analysis. A proper understanding of...1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Historical Context
In his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul asserts that the crucifixion of Christ is a stumbling block to the Jews and folly or foolishness to the Gentiles. Three questions arise from this assertion: What did Paul mean by stumbling block? What was...Modern Pauline Bible Scholarship
An explosion of interest in Pauline studies has arrived on the shores of New Testament scholarship within the past fifty years. N. T. Wright provides an academic survey and assessment of the primary contributions to recent Pauline studies in his book Paul and His...Righteousness Theme in the Book of Matthew
Scholars have long recognized the importance of the theme of righteousness within the Gospel of Matthew. However, no scholarly consensus exists around the meaning of righteousness in the First Gospel. Some interpreters assume that the thematic initiative points to...The Samaritan Woman in John 4
John’s narrative regarding the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman has provided the content for numerous scholarly debates. Several questions still remain with regard to the interpretation of John’s narrative, especially in light of the...New Testament Vision of the Messiah
The New Testament provides a powerful eschatological vision of Christ the Messiah. Without establishing a proper messianic perspective, the interpreter risks getting bogged down in various eschatological systems and missing the thematic threads that illuminate the...Exegesis of Romans 8:1-11: Understanding the New Cosmic Reality in Christ
Introduction of Romans 8:1-11 Since the time of the Apostles, obedience has been a focus of the Christian faith. However, from the Pelagian heresy to secular behaviorism, and from the early antinomian controversies to the relativism of modern liberal theology, the...Cows of Bashan and the Study of Amos 4:1-3
IntroductionPerhaps the greatest indicator of success when writing a research paper is proper planning. An effective and efficient method of planning allows the researcher to increase the chance for success. Accordingly, the following analysis develops a research...Biblical Interpretation
Introduction Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology (Invitation to Theological Studies) From the Antiochene and Alexandrian schools of biblical interpretation to the modern historical-critical and...Why Bible Translations are Different
Arguments regarding which version of the Bible is considered the best translation have been occurring for centuries. However, students may not understand that legitimate reasons exist, which explain the differences between Bible translations. By understanding and...The Pastor Theologian
The vision of the pastor theologian is to bridge the divide between the practice of ministry and the theory of academia by encouraging pastors to become adept theologians. Because systematic theology revolves around the concerns of the church, it is not unreasonable...Theological Research
From Topic to ThesisThe treatment of sources is the concept from the book From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research by Michael Kibbe that is of most interest to me. The concept has significant implications for my research as I move forward through the PhD...Disciple Making Plan
Disciple Making PlanIntroductionDue to the modern institutional church focus on the Sunday morning service, many churches face a significant challenge in carrying out the primary directive of the Great Commission–to make disciples. The question at hand is how to...
Freedom: How Grace Transforms Your Life Now
Minds on Fire: What Is Wrong With Our Thoughts..And How To Fix It