I just noticed that last month this blog entered its thirteenth year. Just to place things in perspective, in 2008 George W. Bush was president of the United States and Barack Obama was still a senator. I am thankful to the Lord for allowing me to continue and blessed by all of you have taken time to visit, read, or comment.
May 29, 2021
Belated Blogaversary
May 28, 2021
The Cross and Human Wisdom
I have long appreciated Gordon Fee’s 1 Corinthians commentary. It is highly regarded by many and in preparation for an upcoming talk I revisited his comments on 1:18-25. In two succinct paragraphs he is able to capture the logic. Other commentaries may get there, but the economy and clarity of Fee here is admirable and helpful.
Having set up the contrast in the preceding sentence (v. 17) between the “wisdom of logos” and the preaching of the cross, Paul now moves to a series of arguments that will have this contrast as its point of reference. The Corinthians’ “boasting” in mere humans in the name of wisdom ultimately impacts the nature of the gospel itself. In a series of three paragraphs, therefore, Paul tries to get these believers to see that their own existence as Christians, especially with regard to their Christian beginnings, stands in total contradiction to their present “boasting.”
Each of the paragraphs is predicated on the same reality, namely that the message of the cross is not something to which one may add human wisdom, in any form, and thereby make it superior; rather, the cross stands in absolute, uncompromising contradiction to merely human wisdom. The cross in fact is folly to wisdom humanly conceived; but it is God’s folly, folly that is at the same time God’s wisdom and power.
Thus he says in effect, “So you think the gospel is a form of sophia? How foolish can you get? Look at the message; it is based on the story of a crucified Messiah. Who in the name of wisdom would have dreamed that up? Only God is so wise as to be so “foolish” (1:18–25); “Furthermore, look at its recipients. Yourselves! Who in the name of wisdom would have chosen you to be the new people of God?” (1:26–31); “Finally, remember my own preaching. Who in the name of wisdom would have come in such weakness? Yet look at its results” (2:1–5).Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, rev. ed., NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans ), 68-70.
May 27, 2021
Psalm 43 Links
I have been working on a commentary on the Psalms. I have decided to compile some helpful links that I discovered during my research. It includes a mix of exegetical and sermonic links. Here is what I have for Psalm 43 (in no particular order). Feel free to mention any that you find helpful in the comments section.
Literary analysis of Psalm 43: http://psalmsstudy.com/psalms-literary-analysis-by-chapter/literary-analysis-psalm-43-god-keenest-joy
Into the Word with Paul Carter: https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/into-the-word/psalms-42-43
Analysis by C. J. Labuschagne: https://www.labuschagne.nl/ps042-43.pdf
William Barrick’s notes: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_043.pdf
Psalm 43 devotional: https://www.generations.org/devotionals/54
John Piper, I Will Go to God, My Exceeding Joy: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/i-will-go-to-god-my-exceeding-joy
W. H. Bellinger’s comments: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-31/commentary-on-psalm-43-4
May 26, 2021
Top Leviticus Commentaries
John Noble lists and annotates his top six commentaries on Nijay Gupta's blog here.
May 25, 2021
Eilat Mazar (1956–2021)
Archaeologist Eilat Mazar has passed away (read here). I had the opportunity to meet her a couple of year ago when she took the time to meet a group of us who were digging at Shiloh when we visited the Hebrew University of Jerusalem a few years ago.
Sardis: Historically, Archaeologically, and Biblically
Ferrell Jenkins who has a great blog, posts here on Sardis, one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2–3.