The Bible in Context
C. H. Dodd (1884-1973) was an influential New Testament scholar. In his book The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, he makes a simple observation: The Gospel of John introduces its characters whereas Mark expects his readers to know who he is talking about. For example, “And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness” (Mark … Read more
Why did Jesus wrap a towel around his waist and wash his disciples’ feet? Why did he make “himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Phil. 2:7)? Here’s what he says in John 5: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he … Read more
Jesus was frequently misunderstood. On many occasions, his listeners failed to comprehend what he was saying or misinterpreted his words. After his resurrection, they also failed to recognize him. Here’s a list of examples in the Gospels. When Jesus was twelve years old he said to his parents, “‘Why were you searching for me? . … Read more
Have you ever been unsure of who to sit beside in a cafeteria? Maybe you grabbed your tray of food and started walking toward a table then realized that you didn’t know anyone. Or maybe the people you knew didn’t have an open seat beside them. We like to eat with people we know—people we want … Read more
What is the most unique and mysterious doctrine of the Christian faith? For many the answer is the Trinity—one God who eternally exists in three Persons. (Of course, the word “Person” does not mean exactly the same thing as human persons.) How can you understand that concept? And if you can’t understand it, how can … Read more