Collin Hansen interviewed New Testament scholar and author of an excellent commentary on Hebrews, Peter O’Brien, on the warning passages in Hebrews–you know, those passages that warn about apostasy and that those who commit it are not able to be restored to repentance.
O’Brien provides some excellent explanation in this piece. I recommend it.
In a recent post at The Gospel Coalition (also see this older post), Justin Taylor discusses “Biblical Reasons to Doubt the Creation Days Were 24-Hour Periods.”
I’ve written about the creation debates before. And if you’ve talked to me in person about these matters, you’ve probably heard make something like the following comment:
One of the reasons (it would seem to be the main reason) interpretation of Genesis 1 and 2 and the nature of God’s creative work have become so stinking controversial is the arrival of evolutionary theories. Since Darwin, proposing anything besides a 24-hour-day-view of the “days” in Genesis 1 immediately became way more controversial than it was prior to Darwin. This is due to the fact that anti-macroevolution Christians view Genesis 1-2 as a battle ground. If you walk there now, you’re going to step on a land mine even if you were not the originally intended target.
The “non-conclusive conclusion” of the book of Job–no direct answer to Job’s complaint is provided; but rather, the conclusion is just to trust God–is not a cop-out after all, but an incredibly satisfying response if you understand the profundity and appropriateness of that conclusion. It’s appropriate because it’s consistent with the finiteness and humanness of humanity and recognizes the Godness of God. It may not be the most philosophically satisfying conclusion in that it does not explain suffering; but that is not the purpose of Job. Although it does not provide a philosophical answer to suffering, it does provide a legitimate answer nonetheless, and an answer I might say is even more satisfying than any philosophical answer–there is a purpose to suffering; and it is rooted in the wisdom of God even if access to or comprehension of that wisdom and purpose is beyond our reach. That it is beyond our reach, and that we are instead to reach to God for whom it is in reach, is the opposite of problematic. We don’t need to know the exact reason for suffering in order to know that there is a reason for suffering that is known, directed, and controlled by God.
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Acts 15:16-18 (my translation)
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Amos 9:11-12 (LXX; Brenton translation)
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Amos 9:11-12 (MT; ASV translation)
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16 μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψω
‘After these things, I will return;
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11 ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ
In that day …
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11 בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא
In that day
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καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυὶδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν
and I will rebuild the tent of David which has fallen;
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ἀναστήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυιδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν
… I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen,
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אָקִ֛ים אֶת־סֻכַּ֥ת דָּוִ֖יד הַנֹּפֶ֑לֶת
will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen,
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—
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καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὰ πεπτωκότα αὐτῆς
and will rebuild the ruins of it,
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וְגָדַרְתִּ֣י אֶת־פִּרְצֵיהֶ֗ן
and close up the breaches thereof;
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καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀνοικοδομήσω
and its ruins I will rebuild;
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καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀναστήσω
and will set up the parts thereof that have been broken down,
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וַהֲרִֽסֹתָיו אָקִ֔ים
and I will raise up its ruins,
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καὶ ἀνορθώσω αὐτήν,
and I will restore it,
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καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω αὐτὴν καθὼς αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ αἰῶνος,
and will build it up as in the ancient days:
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וּבְנִיתִ֖יהָ כִּימֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃
and I will build it as in the days of old;
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17 ὅπως ἂν ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν κύριον
so that the rest of mankind may seek out the Lord,
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12 ὅπως ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων
that the remnant of men … may earnestly seek me,
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12 לְמַ֨עַן יִֽירְשׁ֜וּ אֶת־שְׁאֵרִ֤ית אֱדוֹם֙
that they may possess the remnant of Edom,
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καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐφʼ οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπʼ αὐτούς,
and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called upon them,’
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καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐφʼ οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπʼ αὐτούς,
and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called
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וְכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָ֥א שְׁמִ֖י עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם
and all the nations that are called by my name,
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[Eng: 18] λέγει κύριος ποιῶν ταῦτα 18 γνωστὰ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος.
Says the Lord who does these things known from ages ago.
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λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα.
saith the Lord who does all these things.
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נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה עֹ֥שֶׂה זֹּֽאת׃ פ
saith Jehovah that doeth this.
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The following is a paper submitted to Dr. Joshua W. Jipp in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the course NT 6211, Synoptic Gospels and Johannine Literature, at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, October, 2014.
Conflict between Jesus and the disciples is a prevalent theme in Mark’s gospel. But why does Mark repeatedly highlight this conflict? What is its significance? What purpose does it serve in Mark’s message and presentation of Jesus? This paper will seek to answer these questions by tracing the theme of conflict through three narrative sections, noting its development and rhetorical significance at each stage.
A lack of understanding among the disciples characterizes the conflict between Jesus and the disciples during Jesus’ Galilean ministry. At their first appearance, the disciples are committed and eager to follow Jesus. Upon being called by Jesus, they abruptly leave their current situation and follow him (1:17-20; 2:14).[1] Accompanying Jesus on his ministry tour, they are exposed to Jesus as a miracle worker and teacher. They even serve as an extension of his ministry (6:12-13; cf. 3:15).
Kirk E. Miller 