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I know I have written about John 3 before, but there is always more to mine here – even without getting into the whole “should verses 13-21 be in red or black” question (i.e. is it Jesus speaking or John editorialising, and if so, where does the changeover happen?) I understand why translators have translatedContinue reading “What did Nicodemus hear?”

In Luke 12.20, God says Ἄφρων – “senseless!” – to a rich man. And yet a careful reading of scripture, Old Testament and New, cannot escape the conclusion that God has always wanted His people to be notoriously wealthy. So here is a notoriously wealthy man, and God calls him witless. What is going on?Continue reading “Senseless!”

As I have been re-reading Galatians again, I got to Gal 6.6 again. I was sure I had written on this before, but after going through the archive twice, still couldn’t find it. In the end I had to resort to asking ChatGPT (AI makes a bad master, but it is a great research assistantContinue reading “Who has good stuff to share?”

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. Galatians 1.11-12, NIV In Galatians, Paul can barely get his greetings finished before his frustrationContinue reading “Context”

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.” John 1.40, NIV Reading the first few chapters of John’s Gospel has reminded me that Scripture is not like The Lord of the Rings or Discworld. Tolkien and Pratchett each crafted a complete world, withContinue reading “All the Light We Cannot See”

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8.5-6,Continue reading “Keeping it Real”

θεοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν συνεργοί· θεοῦ γεώργιον, θεοῦ οἰκοδομή ἐστε. 1 Cor 3.9 SBL Greek NT This is really just a footnote to the previous post, but I just want to underline what happens when you are failing to follow the argument. Nearly every translation renders the verse above as something like “we are God’s coworkers,Continue reading “God’s Husbandry”

Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ λέγητε πάντες, καὶ μὴ ᾖ ἐν ὑμῖν σχίσματα, ἦτε δὲ κατηρτισμένοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ. 1 Cor 1.10 SBL Greek NT One of my pet peeves is the habit of preachers to work through aContinue reading “Follow the argument”

At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.Continue reading “Fake Anointing”

And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” Mark 11.17, NIV I want to overview most of Mark 11 this time, from v 11 onwards. The preceding 10Continue reading “A living parable”