Forget the Channel

Category: Biblical theology

  • Luther On Law

    This is an astonishingly profound and helpful summary of Luther’s understanding of the significance of God’s “Law”. I commend it especially to preachers. A warning though: Don’t try to read it on the run. You need some time and space to digest it properly. Luther On Law – Jono Linebaugh. PS Jono is a former…

  • Scripture and the Authority of God – again

    I notice Tom Wright has re-released his book, Scripture and the Authority of God (first published in 2005). I guess that gives me an excuse to re-post my review of the book [PDF], originally published in The Briefing 330, March 2006. HT Scot McKnight.

  • Empires in the Middle-East

    Here’s a nice 90-second video showing the various empires which have controlled the middle-east down through the ages – including during the biblical period. Good for quickly introducing people to the historical and geographical context of biblical books (especially Isaiah!) HT Stephen Cook

  • The olive tree is not about Gentiles joining Israel (Romans 11:17-24)

    A short while ago I wrote a post claiming that Paul doesn’t ever teach that the Gentiles are included in Israel. I said: Gentiles don’t need to be included in Israel. In fact, the opposite is true; we Gentiles are saved by faith in Christ without being included in Israel. That’s one of the apostle…

  • Are the Gentiles included in Israel?

    Μὴ γένοιτο! No way! Gentiles don’t need to be included in Israel. In fact, the opposite is true; we Gentiles are saved by faith in Christ without being included in Israel. That’s one of the apostle Paul’s big points in Romans and Galatians. We are, of course, included in the promises given to Abraham (Rom…

  • A new beginning for Beginning with Moses

    After some years in the wilderness, Beginning with Moses is back in action, with a new generation of contributions and a promising future. The core of the site is its “biblical theology briefings”, which aim to “state as clearly as we can that the Bible has a storyline and that this big picture must by…

  • Lead us not into temptation (Matthew 6:13)

    This was originally published on the Biblical Theology Briefings website (beginningwithmoses.org) in 2006. The Biblical Theology Briefings aim to provide worked examples of sermons that apply the insights of evangelical biblical theology. As part of a series on the Lord’s Prayer, I was charged with preaching a sermon on this line: ‘Lead us not into…

  • Cross-shaped Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1)

    This was originally published on the Biblical Theology Briefings website (beginningwithmoses.org) in 2006. The Biblical Theology Briefings aim to provide worked examples of sermons that apply the insights of evangelical biblical theology. I recently preached at the commissioning of two dear friends of mine who have now gone as missionaries to work as ministers in…

  • Quick visual overview of the Bible

    I’ve used this quick, visual overview of the Bible to help students see how some of the key elements of the Bible’s overall story are related to one another. Click on the picture to download a PowerPoint presentation – it just takes a couple of minutes to scroll through the presentation.

  • Is Anyone Righteous?

    From the Sola Panel: This is a postscript to my biblical word power series, responding to an excellent question from a bloke at my previous church: Ecclesiastes 7:20 states that there is not a righteous man on earth. Psalm 14 states that there is no one righteous. So why does the Bible say that Noah,…

  • Is the wisdom literature of the Old Testament an exercise in natural theology?

    Introduction Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes have posed a puzzle for interpreters eager to account for their place in the canon. What, if any, connection there is between the Old Testament Law and Prophets, whose topic is the Israel’s history, and this ‘wisdom literature’, which, at best, seems only to allude to Israel’s history? One popular…

  • Desire: reconnected (Song of Songs 7-8)

    A Sermon on Song of Songs 7-8 Lionel Windsor, 18 July 2004 Desire … disconnected We seem to live in a world where sexual desire is everywhere, but means almost nothing. Turn on the TV, and you’ll soon find sexual desire in the ads, in the movies, on the sitcoms. Take a drive, and there…

  • Pictorial Bible Summary

    Here’s a dynamic pictorial summary of the Bible, using concentric circles to “zero in” on Jesus. (Requires Microsoft Power Point)