Psalm 2 These poems do something amazing. Some scholars attempt to discredit this poem as borrowed from Egyptian coronation rituals – where the king becomes the “god.” The poets of the Bible would have nothing to do with that, but something else is scratched at here. What ancient Mesopotamians yearned for, we seek today – hope […]
Deuteronomy 18:15-22 I remember seeing in old movies how folks would bite a coin to check if it was the real thing. Gold is soft enough that you can feel it when you bite down, and if someone had drilled out the center of the coin to fill it with something else – the bite […]
Luke 1:13-17 “In the Spirit and power of Elijah.” That’s how Gabe predicts John’s ministry. It’s quite a comparison, but what does it mean? First, we should take it historically. This Spirit and power are how all the prophets predicted and anticipated the coming of God – His advent to us in Jesus Christ. It […]
Genesis 49:8-12 This is anthropology 101 stuff — a very different culture than ours, with dramatically different customs. One of those customs was to give a “blessing” at the end of your life on your children. Sounds quaint, but it isn’t. It isn’t a “hallmark” moment; it’s family business. The “blessing” is a part of the […]
John 1:1-18 This is such a strange part of the Bible. Don’t be frustrated by how odd it is, or how it’s difficult to grasp fully. The ideas themselves are so high above us, and they should be. God told us we aren’t going to understand Him, but the one thing that’s clear is this: […]
Genesis 3:22 I know we are uncomfortable with the metaphysics implied here – that there was some weird mystical tree, and that if you ate it, you would live forever. But, there you have it. It’s the truth. It sits in the craw of modern sensibility, and so, it should. Let everyone know: such a tree really […]
Pastor Christopher Robins – Matthew 1:1-18