Category Archives: Scripture

Reading the Bible with your ears open

Up front

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You read what you hear. Even with the Bible, you read what you hear.

Let me explain. Study leave got me to England in 10 inches of snow. Beautiful. Because it closed the airports, it almost got me to France. How would I have explained that to the college board? Then driving around a country not my own just confused me; there were so many signs supposedly telling me what to do, but I didn’t have the right framework to assimilate them so that they actually made sense. On the freeway: “Spray may be possible”. What, was I going to be ambushed by a tomcat? Coming into Colchester: “The oldest town in Britain. Please drive carefully.” If I don’t, will it break? In an alley way in London next to a huge dumpster: “Fly tipping will be prosecuted”. It’s going to take a lot of flies to fill that bin, for sure.

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Review: “Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament”

Review

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It always bothers me when the author or editor of a book starts by telling me what their book is not. So it was with some concern that I began my reading of Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament—a book that, the editors say, neither surveys, summarizes nor takes a position on the debates over the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament. However, it was not long before I became pleased with it. (more…)

Women and the Bible (Reflections on reading the Bible with my kids part II)

Thought

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We read the Bible as a family each night after dinner. On this particular night, the story is the feeding of the 5000. Well, more specifically, the feeding of the five thousand men.

My daughter’s face told a story that her question confirmed: “Dad, why did they only count the men? Didn’t they care about women back then? Were women less important?”

What’s a dad to say to that?

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What’s your story?

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

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Isn’t it delicious to share stories with a friend, a spouse, a brother or a sister: “Remember the time when …”? Whether it’s funny stories, tragic stories, joyful moments or painful recollections, it’s the stories that bring us close—that breed familiarity, friendship and love. Shared stories are the glue of relationship.

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All we like sheep have gone astray … from basic Bible literacy?

Life

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All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.

So wrote GF Handel in the second chorus of Part II of his great oratorio Messiah. Keen readers may have spotted that this is not an original thought; Handel drew on Isaiah 53:4-6. In fact, Messiah is fundamentally a musical Bible study on the saving work of Jesus, and it is often performed at Easter, so get along if you can. (Here’s a performance for Sydney readers.) (more…)

The power of God’s word – Interview with Robert Cole

Everyday Ministry

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Imagine not having access to a Bible. Imagine being unable to read it in your own language. Unfortunately these are realities for many Christians around the world. Tony Payne speaks to Robert W Cole, President of Bible League, about the extent of the need and what we can do about it. (more…)

Bringing the Bible alive?

Up front, Sola Panel

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Many errors in Christianity arise because people identify a legitimate problem, but provide the wrong solution. This is often a recipe for disaster. As any doctor will tell you, the wrong solution to a legitimate problem often makes things worse. (more…)

Finding Jesus at GAFCON

Up front, Sola Panel

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The buses left early for our trip (or pilgrimage, as it was styled) to the Mount of Olives. It offered a strange mix of experiences: joy at the extraordinary singing of the African choir, who led us in a brief prayer service on the mountain; fascination at seeing the places where Jesus walked and talked and prayed and was betrayed; eye-rolling distaste for how it all has been turned into a site for religious tourism and idolatry (the Franciscan church at Gethsemane being an extraordinary example of both); and above all, a strange blankness at not feeling even one little bit closer to Jesus through the whole experience. (more…)

Sola scriptura

Up front, Sola Panel

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Life is full of decisions. Where do I go on holidays? What job should I choose? What should I have for dinner? Which side of the bed should I get out of? Should I get out of bed at all? Making decisions is a fundamental part of being human; we can’t avoid it, and we do it all the time. (more…)