The Scriptural God is not the God of a statue, a temple, a city, or a mountain, but the God of a story. For those who submit to this God as their heavenly Father, it is forbidden to stray outside his narrative in any thought, word, or deed that pertains to him. In life, this…
Category: The Bible as Literature
I Know Jesus and I Know Paul
Normally, people don’t say much about the role of the Holy Spirit in the birth of John the Baptist—mainly because contemporary Mariology blinds them to the actual content of Luke’s gospel. But even for those who pay close attention, few people notice the discrepancy between the first visit of the Spirit to Jerusalem, pertaining specifically…
Three Things
When we read a text in translation, we imagine we hear what the author wrote because we believe that meaning can be taken separately from the words on the page. But if you can conceive of meaning, it needs must be part and parcel with a series of words. If not the words of the…
Birth Pangs
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…
Bow to the Chair
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…
The Preacher
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…
Anti-History, Anti-Patriarchy
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…
Power and Control
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…
Nobody Else But You
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…
Nothing Good Comes From Us
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…