Notes on Isaiah 61

A number of these thoughts were suggested by students during exams during the last week. I can’t remember now who said what, but thanks to them all. 1) Isaiah 61 begins with a declaration of the Spirit, and ends with a reference to a garden. That suggests the possibility that Gen 1-2 is . . . . Continue Reading »

Baptism in the CRC, again

John Barach writes concerning the prayer for infant baptism I posted earlier today: “that is the standard Reformed baptismal form which was probably written by Petrus Dathenus in the 16th century and adopted by the Synod of Dort. That’s also the same form that’s used for baptism . . . . Continue Reading »

Baptism in the CRC

CRC Pastor Raymond Coffey responded to my post on the 1959 baptismal rite with this comment: “Your notes were right on from the 1959 hymnal. Apart from updating and compressing some language, there are several significant differences between the 1959 Edition and the current one. The most . . . . Continue Reading »

The Cosmological Principle

Joseph Silk is Professor of Astronomy at Oxford, and in The Infinite Cosmos , he offers a layman’s summary of what’s happening in cosmology. One of the central principles of modern cosmology is the “cosmological principle,” the theory that the “universe is . . . . Continue Reading »

Baptism in the CRC

The 1959 CRC Psalter Hymnal’s rite for infant baptism includes an abbreviated version of Luther’s great flood prayer, and ends with this thanksgiving: “Almighty God and merciful Father, we thank and praise Thee that Thou hast forgiven us and our children all our sins, through the . . . . Continue Reading »

David’s wives

My oldest son Woelke pointed out to me that 1-2 Samuel refer several times to David’s two wives - Ahinoam and Abigail (cf. 1 Sam 25:43). They are named - complete with their places of origin - when David goes to live with Achish (1 Sam 27:3), when the Amalekites attack Ziklag (1 Sam 30:5), . . . . Continue Reading »

Sermon notes

INTRODUCTION Verse 19 opens a new section of the sermon, which focuses on our attitude toward wealth, but the verse also closes the earlier section on acts of piety. We lay up treasures on earth when we do righteousness to be seen by men; we lay up treasures in heaven by doing righteousness in . . . . Continue Reading »