The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Messenger, Justice, and the Father’s Special Possession
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Messenger, Justice, and the Father’s Special Possession
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Messenger, Justice, and the Father’s Special Possession The three dialogues of 2:17–4:3 begin with an accusation: “You have wearied YHWH with your words.” The image of a weary Deity captures the emotional escalation that occurs in these passages…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Hope
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Hope
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Hope Only shreds of hope appear in this book to counterpoise the deep river of devastation, grief, and despair that pervades most of it (3:14–18; 12:14–17; 16:14–15; 17:24–26; 22:2–4; 23:5–8; 24:4–7; 29:10–14; 42:7–12). In a collection of prose and poetry called “the little book …
The Womens' Bible Commentary - God as "Father"
The Womens' Bible Commentary - God as "Father"
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
God as “Father” In addition to bringing about people’s transformation from the status of minor children under guardianship of the law to that of mature heirs able to enjoy their inheritance (see above on 3:23–26), the coming of Christ has other consequences as well…
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The BEGINNING of the BIRTHPANGS
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The BEGINNING of the BIRTHPANGS
by BRF - Dick France
The BEGINNING of the BIRTHPANGS The theme which runs through these verses is ‘not yet’. They have asked for a ‘sign’ of the coming events, and Jesus replies by talking about things which are not as yet signs of the destruction of the temple. These are all necessary preliminaries,…
John THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE COMMENTARY - LAZARUS, COME OUT!
John THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE COMMENTARY - LAZARUS, COME OUT!
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
LAZARUS, COME OUT! When Jesus saw them weeping, his only response was to weep, as anyone who cared about Lazarus and his family might (11:33). Yet the words used to describe his emotions are much more than that. The first, en-brimo, is used in Greek of horses, ‘snorting in the no…
John THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE COMMENTARY - TELL US PLAINLY
John THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE COMMENTARY - TELL US PLAINLY
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
TELL US PLAINLY The words of the good shepherd once more cause a ‘division’ among “the Jews” (10:19). Again we have the word for schism, which happened first to the people and then the leaders (7:43; 9:16). And so this division sums up so many attitudes throughout the first half …
John THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE COMMENTARY - I AM THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE
John THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE COMMENTARY - I AM THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
I AM THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE Martha expresses her belief in the conventional view, that her brother ‘will rise again in the resurrection on the last day’ (11:24). According to this, everything to do with eschatology—judgment, death, life—all are in the future at the End of ti…
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The Temple to be Destroyed
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The Temple to be Destroyed
by BRF - Dick France
The Temple to be Destroyed The temple has been the scene of most of Jesus’ activity and teaching since he arrived in Jerusalem. Now he leaves it, never to return, and as he leaves he utters words which must have shocked his disciples profoundly. No wonder that yet again some of t…
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The Disciples' Question
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The Disciples' Question
by BRF - Dick France
The Disciples’ Question It may seem out of proportion to devote a whole study to one question. But the interpretation of the chapter which follows is controversial, and the question to which the following discourse (vv. 5–37) provides the answer is an important key to understandi…
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The Mission Begins in Galilee
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - The Mission Begins in Galilee
by BRF - Dick France
The Mission Begins in Galilee The prologue is over. We are no longer ‘in the wilderness’, but in the real world of ordinary men and women in the villages of Galilee. This is Jesus’ home province, though the focus of his mission will prove to be not in the hills around Nazareth bu…
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - Partners in Mission
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - Partners in Mission
by BRF - Dick France
Partners in Mission Mark has barely begun his account of Jesus’ mission when he tells us that Jesus called others to share it with him. All through the Gospel from this point he will tell not merely the story of Jesus, but the story of Jesus and his disciples, as a team. Jesus, w…
Isaiah for everyone - (Un)spiritual Practices
Isaiah for everyone - (Un)spiritual Practices
by SPCK - John Goldingay
(Un)spiritual Practices I was talking with a friend about the way Christians in our culture have got interested in “spiritual practices” such as meditation, silence, and fasting. This development is taking place in a context where Christians don’t have as much sense of God as the…
Jeremiah for everyone - A Complicated Neighbourly and Family Relationship
Jeremiah for everyone - A Complicated Neighbourly and Family Relationship
by SPCK - John Goldingay
A Complicated Neighbourly and Family Relationship The London Olympics have just finished. I didn’t watch, but I did check the news each day because I was concerned not with the number of medals that Britain had won (I didn’t expect it to be many, though I was wrong) but with what…
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs for Everyone - A Gentle Response Turns Back Wrath
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs for Everyone - A Gentle Response Turns Back Wrath
by SPCK - John Goldingay
A Gentle Response Turns Back Wrath Shortly I must attempt a third draft of a reply to a message concerning our congregation’s terminating the employment of our long-time gardener, who is getting elderly and was finding it harder to do the work that needed doing…
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs for Everyone - Acquire Truth Don't Sell It