The Bible in Context
What’s the difference between God and idols? Isaiah highlights the fact that idols are man-made: The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. … Read more
I recently started teaching a course on the book of Jeremiah to ninth and tenth graders. Last week we read Jeremiah 10, which is a back and forth contrast between the LORD (Yahweh) and idols. For example, Idols For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and … Read more
We are blessed to have many English translations of the Bible and free online resources. We can easily use biblegateway.com to see how any verse is translated in more than 60 versions. Just type in the book, chapter, and verse in the search bar then click on the link that says “in all English translations.” … Read more
One of the most important teachers in the history of Christianity is Basil of Caesarea, also known as Saint Basil the Great (330–379). Together with his brother Gregory of Nyssa and his friend Gregory of Nazianzus, he helped to defend the doctrine of the Trinity. He is also known for his care for the poor, … Read more
Martin Luther said the sinner is “the person curved in on himself.” In other words, our sinful disposition creates a curvature problem. How often have you struggled with being self-conscious, self-promoting, self-obsessed, self-pitying, self-critical, self-condemning? Our inward bent only leads to envy, guilt, and despair. The solution is to look outside ourselves to Christ. But … Read more