Transference

Bonaventure said that we must transfer “to the divine that which pertains to the creature.” This is no unfortunate necessity. Rather, “God’s glory requires this transference. For, since God is greatly to be praised, lest he should ever lack praise because of the scarcity of . . . . Continue Reading »

Tragic Trinity?

The Cappadocians described the personal distinctions within God by reference to “relations of origin.” Father, Son, and Spirit are what they are from eternity past. Pannenberg, Moltmann, Jenson all want to reverse this: Father, Son, and Spirit are what they are in eternity future. . . . . Continue Reading »

Cherubic Furniture

Further reflections drawn from/inspired by Jordan’s essay on orientation in Revelation. Jordan matches the faces of the cherubim with the furnishings of the sanctuary, and particularly of the heavenly sanctuary. John enters heaven through an eastern door, looking west (we infer this from the . . . . Continue Reading »

Becoming Man

Jesus appears as glorified Man in the opening chapter of Revelation, and as glorified Man He sends messages to the seven churches. But when the next vision opens in Revelation 4-5, Jesus the man is absent. He is not present in heaven at all at the beginning of chapter 5, since no one is found to . . . . Continue Reading »

Baptismal meditation

Isaiah 22:22: The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open. One steward of the Davidic house falls, and another takes his place. Yahweh elevates Eliakim – whose name means “God raises up” . . . . Continue Reading »

Jenson on Apocalytic

Wow. Robert Jenson knows how to write a review. In the latest Pro Ecclesia , he presents his “three complaints” against Nathan Kerr’s Christ, History and Apocalyptic: The Politics of Christian Mission (Theopolitical Visions) , which he describes as “important,” . . . . Continue Reading »

Doves and Eagles

The Spirit is a dove. So is the Bride in the Song, since she is her Lover’s inspiration and since she is formed by the Dove into the image of the Dove, so that the Bride and the Dove can moan with one voice of longing for the Lover’s return. Jonah’s name means “dove,” . . . . Continue Reading »

Peg

My colleague Toby Sumpter suggests that Isaiah 22 ends with an image of the cross. Eliakim is compared to a peg on which hangs the glory of his father’s house, but the peg “gives way” and “breaks off” and is cut off. This is perhaps an image of the cross. The . . . . Continue Reading »

Ruling Lights

In Genesis 1:16, the sun and moon are set in the firmament as rulers of the day and night. The word “ruler” or “dominion” is taken from the verb mashal , memshalah . Stars are called “rulers” of night in Psalm 136:9. The LXX of Genesis 1:16 translates memshalah . . . . Continue Reading »