Category Archives: Bible

walter brueggemann on Scripture as advocacy

Posted on April 1, 2014 by christopher fisher

From Walter Brueggemann’s Theology of the Old Testament: …it is clear that Israel’s testimony is intended to generate an accepted, normative narrative construal of reality in which the members of Israel can live… It is readily imaginable that other testimonies … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Calvinism, Open Theism, Textual Criticism, Theology | Leave a comment

God creates a cascading contingency plan

Posted on March 30, 2014 by christopher fisher

Throughout the Bible, God prides Himself on leading Israel out of Egypt. God’s prophets point to the event incessantly, God highlights His own power by pointing to the event, and the Bible repeatedly links this event with God. Israel seems … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Calvinism, God, History, Jewish History, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Open Theism, Theology | 4 Comments

the jews believed in inherited salvation

Posted on March 30, 2014 by christopher fisher

In the time of Jesus, there was a prominent belief among the Jews that they would be “saved” expressly because they were Jewish. The Jews “inherited” salvation through Abraham. The New Testament has a running theme of countering this belief. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Dispensationalism, God, Jesus, Morality, Theology | 4 Comments

the worst failed Biblical prophecy

Posted on March 25, 2014 by christopher fisher

The scene is the turn of the first century AD. Israel is under the rule of the Roman Empire. Certain Jews are confident that God will soon save them and restore a righteous kingdom (Luk 1:71). Angels are seen prophesying … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church History, Dispensationalism, History, Jesus, Jewish History, Open Theism, Prophecy, Theology | 4 Comments

doing evil that good may come

Posted on March 23, 2014 by christopher fisher

Rom 3:5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Rom 3:6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? Rom 3:7 … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Morality, Theology | 4 Comments

the rape of dinah

Posted on March 21, 2014 by christopher fisher

In Genesis 34, a story is told of the “rape of Dinah”. The story can be briefly told as such. A local prince has sex with a daughter of Jacob. The prince wants to marry that daughter and comes to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Jewish History, Morality | 3 Comments

Jesus – lower than the angels

Posted on March 19, 2014 by christopher fisher

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. In Hebrews, Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Calvinism, God, Jesus, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Open Theism, Theology | 1 Comment

eyes to see

Posted on March 16, 2014 by christopher fisher

There seems to be a reoccurring figure of speech in antiquity: Having not eyes to see or ears to hear. Plutarch (46–120 AD) in his Moralia uses this phrase: While we minded our meat and our bellies, we had neither … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Figures of Speech | 1 Comment

the crucifixion was not a fixed event

Posted on March 15, 2014 by christopher fisher

There is an excellent exchange between Bob Enyart and Gene Cook. Enyart asks Cook about sin being for the glory of God. Calvinism asserts that whatever comes to past does so to maximize the glory of God. This leads to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Calvinism, God, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Open Theism, Theology | 9 Comments

understanding psalms 23

Posted on March 8, 2014 by christopher fisher

In Psalms 23, David is praising God. David compares God to a shepherd. In the Israelite culture, a shepherd was more like a marine. Shepherds were brawlers who honorably watched their flock against wild animals. That is the image David … Continue reading →

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