Category Archives: Bible

known to God from eternity are all His works

Posted on August 15, 2015 by christopher fisher

Act 15:18 “Known to God from eternity are all His works. In Act 15:18 there is a curious phrase. The scene is the Paul’s trial in Jerusalem in front of the elders of the church (known as the Council of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Calvinism, Open Theism, Theology | 2 Comments

the moabites thwart God

Posted on August 13, 2015 by christopher fisher

In 2 Kings 3, Jehoram (king of Israel) and Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) set out to defeat the rebellious Moabites. Jehoshaphat inquires of the prophet of Yahweh as to the outcome of the battle. This prophet is Elisha and Elisha … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Omniscience, Open Theism, Prophecy, Theology | 3 Comments

the divine council of God

Posted on August 2, 2015 by christopher fisher

The divine council is the Jewish theological idea that Yahweh holds court in heaven and consults other divine beings (best understood as spirits and angels). In several Biblical descriptions is the setting of a royal court. God has a throne … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Theology | 2 Comments

Jesus was not a pacifist

Posted on July 29, 2015 by christopher fisher

Whenever the teachings of Jesus are examined it is important not to divorce Jesus from his historical setting. As Bart Ehrman points out in his lectures, Jesus does not spend much time teaching monotheism. Jesus is preaching to a Jewish … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Jesus, Kingdom Theology, Morality, Theology | 1 Comment

what book was discovered during the temple repairs

Posted on July 7, 2015 by christopher fisher

In 2 Kings 22, King Josiah discovers the “Book of the Law” while repairing the temple: 2Ki 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of … Continue reading →

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what was the sin of sodom

Posted on July 3, 2015 by christopher fisher

Disclaimer: This is not an article defending or condemning homosexuality or an article defending Sodom as an historical event. Instead, this is a scholarly attempt to understand what the author of Genesis 17-18 believed were the major categories of sin … Continue reading →

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hebrew versus greek thought

Posted on June 14, 2015 by christopher fisher

Hebrew theology started with the premise that Yahweh is God. Yahweh’s characteristics are determined through the examination of Yahweh’s thoughts and deeds. Only after a wide array of Yahweh’s thoughts and actions are examined does Hebrew thought assign predicates to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Theology | 2 Comments

Jesus did not overturn the law

Posted on June 11, 2015 by christopher fisher

It is widely believed that Jesus overturned aspects of the Law. In Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lists a series of antitheses. These are statements that follow a particular formula: “You have heard it said… but I say … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Dispensationalism, Ehrman, Jesus, Morality, Theology | 2 Comments

God in the book of job – who darkened what counsel

Posted on May 31, 2015 by christopher fisher

In the book of Job, Job suffers due to a divine wager between God and Satan (“the adversary”). Job’s friends attempt to persuade Job that God does not punish unjustly; they claim Job has a hidden sin. Job, though, is … Continue reading →

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clines on the conclusion of job

Posted on May 19, 2015 by christopher fisher

David Clines argues that the conclusion of Job is that retributive justice is not a necessary part of God’s creation: From Deconstructing the Book of Job: Where then stands the philosophy asserted by the poem of 3.1–42.6, the core of … Continue reading →

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