Grace & Knowledge Blog

I have tended in the past to think about the book of Proverbs as a random collection of practical advice.  But as a book in the biblical canon, Proverbs also contributes to the overall story communicated in that canon.  I have posted an article on this topic at the Grace & Knowledge website.

Tags: grace and knowledge articles, proverbs

I have recently posted an article looking at two biblical motifs:  (1) People marveling at precocious children sent by God; (2) Servants of God treasuring and pondering over divine revelation.  The two motifs come together in the biblical account of Joseph in Gen 37, and in the birth and childhood of Jesus in Luke 2.

Tags: grace and knowledge articles

Moses' cousin Korah is infamous for rebelling against Moses and Aaron along with Dathan, Abiram, and a group of 250 Levites.  God dealt with the rebellion decisively.  The Levites were incinerated, while the group swallowed up Dathan and Abiram.  A midrash says that both happened to Korah, and he was in flames when he fell into the pit.  

However, Korah's sons were spared, and his descendants went on to serve God as musicians at the tabernacle and temple.  The psalms written by the Korahites reflect their family history, as I explain in an article posted recently in Issue 35.

Tags: grace and knowledge articles

Christian Old Testament scholar John Sailhamer has noted that in the Pentateuch, a lengthy narrative will be followed by a poetic passage that gives some presentation of the Gospel.  The poetic passage will be followed by a brief narrative epilogue.

The poetic passages are Gen 49, Exod 15, Num 23-24, and Deut 32-33.  The messianic implications of these passages are laid out in depth in a book by a student of Sailhamer, Kevin S. Chen.  I have posted an article today summarizing Chen's treatment of Gen 49 in this book, The Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch. 

Tags: grace and knowledge articles

In Genesis 37-50, Judah and Joseph emerge as leaders among the sons of Jacob.  Reuben, the oldest son, plays a minor role and seems to be portrayed as somone who is well-intenioned but ultmately ineffective.  Since we have all experienced failure in our lives, we can identify with Reuben.  I have posted an article on Reuben at the Grace & Knowledge website. 

Tags: grace and knowledge articles

True prophets can be hard to listen to but tell us things that we need to hear.  Take for example the words of two biblical prophets that compare certain groups of people unfavorably to Sodom.

On the other hand, false prophets often tell people what they would like to hear.  There seem to be plenty of these prophets around today.

Tags: current events, grace and knowledge articles

Here is today's vocabulary word:  hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, which means fear of the number 666.  

Tags: words

I noticed that a local church is advertising a youth activity for tonight that features "exiting Bible stories." 

The announcement reminded me of the most famous of the "exiting" stories, the Exodus.  Of course, the Bible is full of Exodus stories---Abraham and Sarah being expelled from Egypt, Lot escaping Sodom, Jacob and his family leaving Laban.... The Exodus is a pretty big theme in the Bible.  So the storytellers will have a lot of exiting material to choose from.

Tags: grace and knowledge articles, humor

On a quiet afternoon in Oxford, I went roman around town.  While walking one can notice a lot more details than are visible from an arial view.  On South College Avenue I noticed a sign I hadn't seen before.  It read:  Raising Helvetica

Oxford is almost deserted right now, so very little "Helvetica" is being raised.  But the sign gave a reminder that the students will return eventually and Oxford will come back to life as a font of knowledge.

Tags: humor, oxford oh signs

During the CoVID lockdown, I have launched an additional blog.   It keeps track of the weekly teachings at Church of the Messiah, where we have been experimenting with a lectionary that goes through the Pentateuch, with related readings from the prophets, psalms, and New Testament, twice every seven years.    

Tags: church of the messiah