Isaiah charges that the people of Judah are “filled from the east” (2:6). What does that mean? As the passage goes on, Isaiah condemns Judah’s “filling” with silver and gold, horses and chariots; these are the things that Judah is bringing from the east. There . . . . Continue Reading »
Isaiah uses the phrase “days of east” ( yemey-qedem ) several times in his prophecy (23:7; 37:26; 51:9). At times, the word “east” by itself is used in context where it seems to have a temporal significance ( 45:21; 46:10). East is the direction of the sunrise, . . . . Continue Reading »
Does Isaiah follow a creation week sequence in 2:5-22? The details don’t match, it seems, but in general and roughly there is a movement from the “light of Yahweh” in verse 5 to the exaltation of Yahweh in the splendor of His majesty in verse 21 - perhaps a sabbatical image. In . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus’ conversation with the disciples at Caesarea Philippi in Matthew 16:13-28 includes eight statements, alternating between Jesus and the disciples: 1. Jesus asks who people think he is 2. Disciples: various answers 3. Jesus: Who do you think I am? 4. Peter’s confession 5. . . . . Continue Reading »
The episode where the disciples fail to bring bread along with them (Matthew 16:5-12) is organized in parallel: A.Disciples forget bread (“take”) B. Jesus: warnings of Pharisees and Sadducees C. Disciples think it’s because they lack bread A’. Jesus asks them about the two . . . . Continue Reading »
The word “evening” ( opsios ) is used seven times in Matthew’s gospel. Before we look at the details, we suspect that seven evenings prepare for the dawning of a new day, an eighth day that is the beginning of a new week. What are the seven evenings? 1. At evening, they . . . . Continue Reading »
Charles Taylor neatly contrasts Augustine’s conception of time and eternity to that of Plato, Aristotle, and Plotinus. Eternity is not for him timelessness but “gathered time.” He expounds: Augustine’s “instant is not the ‘nun’ of Aristotle, . . . . Continue Reading »
The color “scarlet” is named most often in the Bible in connection with the tabernacle curtains and the garments of the High Priest. It’s also, of course, the color of the whore of Revelation. That means: Only a people already clothed in scarlet can become a prostitute clothed in . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION The House of Jacob has wandered into darkness. If they want to avoid destruction, they must turn to the light (v. 5), because a day of reckoning is coming (v. 12). THE TEXT “O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD. For You have forsaken Your . . . . Continue Reading »
For two reasons, Isaiah 2:5 should be taken as the introduction to what follows, rather than as the conclusion to 2:1-4. First, the exhortation of v. 5 is to walk in the “light” of Yahweh, and the following passage refers to the “splendor” of Yahweh (vv. 10, 19, 21), as well . . . . Continue Reading »
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