This is the Woman Caught in Adultery, though you may see the fancy Latin term Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53-8:11). It is hotly debated whether it belongs in the Bible, because it’s pretty clear it doesn’t belong to John. Still, the lesson should be obvious either way: Jesus calls into question the standing the Jewish leadership…
Tag: covenant boundaries
JTMEE: Chapter 16
Our text is Matthew 15:21-28, the Syro-Phoenician Woman. Bailey notes that most western Christians are embarrassed by how Jesus puts this woman through the wringer before He grants her request. The rhetorical flow of the passage is ABCBA. A. The woman’s request B. Jesus is for Israel C. The Parable of Children, Dogs and Bread…
Extra: Divine Justice
My disdain for so-called “social justice” is not because of some American conservative instinct. It is because “social justice” is confused with God’s actual intention for how humans should live. Divine justice is restoring God’s preferred order of things. It has nothing to do with the material/physical justice western minds instinctively expect. To be more…
Misreading Scripture: Rules and Relationships 02
The book says it best: Our confidence in a stable and orderly universe leads us to prioritize rules over relationships, but it does more than that. The Western commitment to rules and laws make it difficult for us to imagine a valid rule to which there may be valid exceptions. When we begin to think…
Nature of Evil
In the Bible, good and evil are inherently contextual. The context is us; it applies to us alone, not the whole universe. In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that the Bible doesn’t use the word “evil” the way we do in English. It is not an absolute quality, but limited to the context. When God says…
The Whole Command 02
We left off in yesterday’s post with this… To summarize the distinctions: (1) eternal spiritual birth (grace) was always available to the Elect since before Creation; (2) the higher moral obligation of personal feudal submission was inherent in the Flaming Sword (mercy) and all the rest of God’s revelation. Feudal submission did not in itself…
No Common Cause
Following Christ is all-inclusive. It is not simply a side-line, something you do separate from all the other stuff in your life. Either He is Lord of all, or not Lord at all. I’m getting some feedback indicating that some of my readers cling too tightly to what is proposed by various sources as the…
Mind Control Defense
Would it surprise you that most of what I teach lays the ground for a solid defense against mind control? Mind control is a weapon revealed to humans by the fallen angels. In that sense, we can call it “satanic” as long as you don’t take that literally. It’s consistent with the Devil’s plans, but…
Institution versus People
If you are looking for political entertainment, keep an eye on the Catholic Church. The current Pope is provoking a lot of resistance. When he finally ruled it was okay to bless same-sex marriages, a large number of conservative priests of all ranks began making noise about it. This will not end quietly. It could…
Be the Message
I’m just a little concerned that old habits are holding things back. People have told me they are praying for this ministry, and I am grateful beyond words. I received an outpouring of support after the fracas with Substack. I’m truly blessed. How do we get this message to the rest of the world, so…