Nature, Justification, Law

What is the logic of Paul’s argument in Galatians 2:15-16? This breaks down into several questions: Where does “justification” come from? How does Paul move from Jews-by-nature as opposed to Gentile-sinners to justification by the faith of Christ rather than the works of the law? . . . . Continue Reading »

Nature in Paul

We instinctively distinguish nature and nurture, genes and training, and the Greeks did too with their distinction of physis and nomos . Paul’s use, though, doesn’t fit easily into this binary. Paul at times uses physis in a sense close to our own, describing what is given to a thing by . . . . Continue Reading »

Sermon notes

INTRODUCTION Jesus enters the temple twice. The first time, He symbolically destroys the temple, pronounces it a robbers’ den, and sets up a ministry of healing ( 21:12 -14). When He comes back the following day, the priests and elders go on the attack ( 21:23 ). Jesus gave them an . . . . Continue Reading »

The ark’s return

Jesus’ triumphal entry fulfills the typology of 2 Samuel 6 and 1 Kings 8, the ark’s entry into Jerusalem. Jesus is in the center of a procession, as the ark was in Israel’s wanderings, preceded and followed by cheering crowds (Matthew 21:9). Jesus sits, strangely, on the back of . . . . Continue Reading »