Category: The Bible as Literature

In the Old Testament, human patriarchy is portrayed cynically and satirically as bumbling and insecure in its competition with motherhood. Men cannot give birth. In Scripture and life, they compensate by building cities, erecting monuments, and making war. Mothers, on the other hand–not necessarily women–but the function mother can give birth. As Luke continues down…

The problem with all contemporary churches is that we treat the term Scripture as though it were a noun. We gossip about the Bible like a difficult relative nobody wants to visit, but everyone loves to discuss. We comfort ourselves with lullabies about its importance. We mostly ignore it unless we need a good quote…

Everyone has something to say. If you operate on a human premise, this is perfectly acceptable, admirable–even a thing to be encouraged. It is the empty fuel that makes dead things look alive, an entertaining distraction that makes emptiness feel meaningful. Not so in Scripture. In the wilderness of God’s scroll, there is only one…

How can Luke ensure that his addressees get the point? Wisdom does not come from you. Life does not come from you. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb does not come from you. It’s not your story, Zacharias. You still don’t believe me? You still beleive the child is yours? Do you still have something to…

The Holy Spirit is not about inspiration but power and control in the Bible. The power of the story is that it exerts control expressly to silence our voice. This facet of the biblical teaching has been the most challenging of my priestly ministry. In human terms, Scripture is a recipe for failure. It’s terrible…

When Scripture deconstructs a human proposition by forcing an opposing position (which we have repeatedly described as functional judgment, meaning Scripture has no stake in the argument itself, only in opposing the human being), it is only natural to argue for or against the point in question. Do you agree or disagree? Be careful. It’s…

What does the destruction of the Temple mean? What does it mean not to be anything? Not to have an identity? Not to be a part of anything? Not to believe in anything? No bumper stickers.No slogans.No rousing speeches.There is no applause–no trust in anything or anyone other than what Luke has written out in…

Time and again, we have explained the tension in Scripture between the things human beings construct, which cannot create life, and a mother’s natural womb–the grammatical and factual expression of God’s life-giving mercy in the Bible. Now, in the opening verses of Luke, we find Herod’s building project in Jerusalem totally defunct and sterilizing, even…

The novelty of Scripture lies in its multi-faceted handling of anthropocentrism. It deconstructs and breaks apart our institutions and smashes our egos, re-positing us as individuals set free to hear and do the commandments of God. In no uncertain terms, the Apostle Paul proclaims: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep…