by admin | Nov 18, 2016 | Section Three, Sexual Immorality
The exercise of revisiting Paul’s Religious Mind and the meaning of Sexual Immorality has clarified a few things that were right in front of me all along. I considered again the list of sins that described the former lives of some who were called to faith in Corinth:...
by admin | Oct 11, 2016 | Section Three
What follows are pro and con comments from two websites. I set the texts side by side in Greek and English translation for comparison/contrast and offer them here without comment. “There are a number of references to the book of Sirach in the New Testament. James...
by admin | Oct 10, 2016 | Section Three, Sexual Immorality
I want to look more closely at Kyle Harper’s article published in the Journal of Biblical Literature, “Porneia—The Making of a Christian Sexual Norm.” He cited two sources to support the expansion of the meaning of πορνεία during the intertestamental period: Sirach...
by admin | Oct 7, 2016 | Paul's Religious Mind, Section Three
The movie Spotlight is named after a team of investigative journalists at the Boston Globe. They pierce a smokescreen of secrecy—fueled by police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, businessmen, civil servants, their own bosses and colleagues, even their own...
by admin | Sep 16, 2016 | Paul's Religious Mind, Section Three
I’ll continue to contrast “Paul’s Regime” to “Jesus’ Regime.” Paul finally turned his attention to the man who had his father’s wife as follows. Paul’s Regime Jesus’ Regime For even though I am absent physically, I am present in spirit. And I have already judged...
by admin | Aug 23, 2016 | Paul's Religious Mind, Section Three
I want to compare and contrast Paul’s teaching in his letter to the Corinthians to Jesus’ letter To the angel of the church in Thyatira[1] under the rubrics: “Paul’s Regime” and “Jesus’ Regime.” Paul’s Regime Jesus’ Regime It is actually reported that sexual...
by admin | Aug 15, 2016 | Section Three
But I have a few things against you,[1] Jesus told John to write to the angel of the church in Pergamum.[2] The word translated angel is ἀγγέλῳ (a form of ἄγγελος). Below is a table of its forms and occurrences. Form of ἄγγελος Total Occurrences Revelation...
by admin | Jul 30, 2016 | Chapter 14, Love, Romans, Section Three
I took a tangent from Paul’s teaching in the previous essay—I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself[1]—to convince myself it was in line with Jesus’ teaching in Mark 7 since his criticism rang in my ears. In Revelation Jesus...
by admin | Jul 22, 2016 | Chapter 14, Love, Romans, Section Three
As I worked on this essay I read an article by Jeffrey Fleishman, How an angry national mood is reflected in pop culture. Two sentences really resonated: 1) “Our screens and phones fume with righteousness;” and 2) “Our shared humanity has been...
by admin | Jul 14, 2016 | Chapter 14, Love, Romans, Section Three
Perhaps every old human (παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, translated old man) should come with this warning label, but love says: Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions.[1] Paul continued his discussion of love with a then...