Doing some work on the birth narrative in Matthew at the moment, and enjoying the recently published commentary on Matthew
He has a brilliant (if long) paragraph arguing that Matthew was not a poor Old Testament handler at all, but knew exactly what he was doing. So brilliant, it’s worth quoting in full (from page 45)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)
If, like me, you’ve ever read that verse and puzzled slightly over what those “greater works” are, then it’s time to visit Doug Wilson’s blog over at Blog and Mablog.
Yesterday he posted an entry entitled Greater Works which sheds a lot of light on that verse.
“I tell you the truth, today you wll be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
So said Jesus, on the cross, to “the other criminal”. A saying that has been precious to me for some time, not least because of the implications for the way in which God saves by grace not works. The model sinner, whose saving faith could not be accompanied by any good works. Such a verse makes very clear that God does not save us because of our works (as instrumental cause), but by faith. James 2 makes clear that genuine faith will be accompanied by good works, but Luke 23 makes clear that such good works are the outworking of faith in space and time not an essential component of it.
But I want to reflect on this verse from another angle today. What we can learn from this verse about what awaits the believer after they die.
Think Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
Think Isaiah 40-46.
Then read the story that appeared on the BBC News website today, entitled Hindu gods [sic.] get summons from court.
Baffled by Leviticus? Struggle to see how it is a part of the Christian Scriptures?
David Field has posted a blogpost entitled Leviticus – an eight para intro which introduces, summarises and gives to us the book of Leviticus in just 8 paragraphs.
The last paragraph of David’s 8 shows us how the book points us to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and ends in praise to that God.
Enjoy David’s summary. So enjoy the book of Leviticus. So enjoy the God of whom it speaks.
This is really a post for any folk from St James who happen to be here.
The sermon from yesterday on Luke 21:5-38 is now available online. The text is available on this site and the audio is available on sermons page of the St James Audley website.
“Avoid divisions!”, say the closing three chapters of Romans. And I don’t know one Christian who doesn’t agree with that. We all hate division in church life. It is ugly. It distracts from evangelism. It causes personal pain and grief.
The important thing to notice is that Romans 14-16 offers us two very different ways in which division might arise, and therefore two very different ways of avoiding it.
That depends on which God you are talking about.
People who embrace a set of views known as “open theism” like to say that God does not know the future (either his own, or that of his world, or both – there are different versions).
I’m reading Isaiah 41-44 again, and am freshly struck by what is here. God sets out one test or characteristic that will distinguish him, the true God, from an idol or false God.
God can tell you what is going to happen; an idol cannot
Here is the test, for example, in 44:7
“Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.
In Luke 20:1-21:4 we have a section characterised by
The section is framed by:
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