Justice and Mercy

When I focused on God’s law as the primary revelation of his will, justice and mercy seemed like oppositional concepts.  Justice meant the uniform application of law (punishment mainly) and mercy was an exception to that uniform application.  As justice increased...

Romans, Part 37

Brothers and sisters, Paul continued, my heart’s desire (εὐδοκία) and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites is for their salvation.1  This sounds to me like the justice Paul nagged the Lord about, something he would always pray and not lose heart2 over.  But...

Fear – Genesis, Part 5

I think I am safe using the word fear to describe Jacob’s prognostication that Simeon and Levi…had brought ruin on him by making him a foul odor among the inhabitants of the land, that the Canaanites and the Perizzites…would join forces against him and attack...

Justice, Vengeance and Punishment

Then1 Jesus told them a parable to show them they2 should always pray and not lose heart.3  It is a story about a persistent widow nagging an unrighteous judge for justice.  Finally the unrighteous judge thought to himself, Though I neither fear God nor4 have regard...

Romans, Part 36

What shall we say then? Paul continued, that the Gentiles who did not pursue (διώκοντα, a form of διώκω) righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη) obtained it (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη), that is, a righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη)...