Peter J. Leithart

In a 2001 article in the New Oxford Review , Michael Naughton examines the spectacular rise of executive salaries in large publicly traded companies in the light of Catholic social teaching. He notes that the key issue is a change of ownership and an accompanying change in the dynamics of power in . . . . Continue Reading »

In his Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire , William Cavanaugh offers an Augustinian critique of the notion of “freedom” as it appears in free market advocates. He notes that Augustine defines freedom not merely negatively (absence of external coercion) but positively . . . . Continue Reading »

Hayek write that in a free market the individual is recognized as “the ultimate judge of his ends,” and this means that cooperative actions among individuals arise from “coincidence of individual ends.” Social ends are “merely identical ends of many individuals - or . . . . Continue Reading »

In an article from Biblical Interpretation , Francis Landy points out that Isaiah’s word for Yahweh’s “train” ( shul ) is the same as the word used for the edge of the high priest’s robe adorned with bells and pomegranates (Exodus 28:33-34; 39:25-26). Yahweh is thus . . . . Continue Reading »

In a 1970 article in the Tyndale Bulletin , J. A. Motyer offers this superb summary of the plot of the servant songs: “the Lord’s purposes of grace for His people raise the problem of the plight of the remaining major portion of humanity {e.g. 41:28, 29). To this, the Lord’s reply . . . . Continue Reading »

In a 2004 article in the Concordia Journal Andrew Bartelt examines the structure of Isaiah 2-12, including the interrupted series of woes in chapter 5. He points out that the six woes of chapter 5 are chastically arranged in a way that anticipates a seventh and climactic woe: A. Woe #1 (v. 8): . . . . Continue Reading »

How, asks Adam K. Webb ( Beyond the Global Culture War (Global Horizons) ), did the ethos of “atomism” spread throughout the world? Atomism “rests on the two principles of homogeneity and detachment” and has as its “two pillar principles . . . a lack of transcendence . . . . Continue Reading »

INTRODUCTION Scripture records a number of prophetic calls (Jeremiah 1; Ezekiel 1), but normally they occur at the beginning of the prophecy. Isaiah prophesies at some length before we learn about his call and the character of his ministry. THE TEXT “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw . . . . Continue Reading »

Yahweh is disappointed that His vineyard produces no good grapes. He wants wine, but doesn’t get any. The fruit he looks for is “justice and righteousness.” Hence: Justice is wine. Instead of the wine of justice, Yahweh finds blood. So comes Jesus: He sheds His blood in the city . . . . Continue Reading »

Luke records John saying that he is not worthy to loose the latch of teh shoe of the One who baptizes with the Spirit (3:15). In relation to Jesus, John is the lowliest of servants. But John may also intend something else. When Yahweh hoists the standard and hisses for the invading goy (Isaiah . . . . Continue Reading »