John 19:40-41, “They took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the *spices*…in the place where He was crucified, there was a *garden,* and in the *garden* a new tomb…they laid Jesus there.” John knows Scripture well, such that, when he combines the words *spices* and *garden* here in his account […]
This image has nothing to do with politics, ethnicity, or “culture wars,” it has to do with a staggeringly piteous image that has truly rent my heart over the last 24 hours and the genuine agony of soul it depicts…Last month, Iryna Zaruska was stabbed during a transit ride. That is horrific. But, after the
A Prayer for Iryna Read More »
Job 42:5-6, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I retract my words and am comforted in dust and ashes.” The translation above interprets מָאַס as a retraction of Job’s previous arguments against God’s justice and נָחַם as the comfort that flows from repentance.
Job 34:14-15, “If He should set His heart to it and gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.” Elihu here anchors the continued existence of all created life in the heart of YHWH—that is to say, in His will. Any “flesh”—which I think
Exodus 15:13, “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.” That old abyss, that ancient foe, That dread Leviathan below Does now appear in other guise Before the terror-stricken eyes Of Is’ral on the shores of that Red
2 Chronicles 3:1, “Then Solomon began to build the house of YHWH in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” The Patriarch, upon this Mount, Had offered up his son, But at the
Daniel 3:8-25 In exile from the Sacred Heart that raised them from the dust, Within the curse’ed grave they lie, their epitaph in rust Inscribed by flame into the form of that great House of God Which lies now, ruined for their sin, beneath the ashen sod. O, People of the Living God, how came
Hebrews 4:12-13, “The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow…no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed before the eyes of Him to whim we must give an account.” The word
Matthew 17:22, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” The Son of *Man*, in whom all of humanity is represented, is delivered into the hands of *men* (ie., humanity), such that, what is done by men to the Son of Man becomes almost a parable of what the
Ezekiel 37:7-10, “…and the bones came together…and flesh came upon them…But there was no Breath in them….And the Breath came into them, and they lived…” In these verses, a wilderness of dry bones is gathered together, clothed in flesh, and finally ‘breathed upon’ (ἐμφυσάω, crucially, the same word as Genes is 2:7 and John 20:22)
Hebrews 2:8-9, ‘At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death…’ Two “sights” are juxtaposed in these verses. The first is what we might
Song of Songs, 2:10, “Arise my Love, my Beautiful One, and come away…” Arise, my Love, for Night is passed, And Death’s cold reign is done. Your tears to joy have turned, at last, Rise in the Risen Son. Arise, my Flesh, my Bone, my Bride, Blood-washed and Beautiful, Born from and gathered through my
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Song of Songs 6:3, “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine…” Where is the Lover of your soul? Where is the crown’ed King? We saw Him sealed ‘neath silent stone We heard Him cease to sing. Yea, truly have your eyes beheld For truly He has come Down to the depths of deepest
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John 1:14, “The Word became Flesh…” O, Word high-throned eternally, O, Word beneath the world, O, Word, Great Cosmic liturgy, O, Name of God unfurled. O, Name of God! O, Name of God! Now sounding in our Flesh! Now running red through mortal sod, Down from your pierce’ed Breast. Down from that riven veil, your
Good Friday 2025 – John 1:14 Read More »
Isaiah 42:13, “YHWH goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war He stirs up His zeal; He cries out, He should aloud, He shows Himself mighty against His foes.” With the zealous fury of a warrior in the heat of battle, YHWH will descend upon His foes, shatter the earth (42:15), and
Song of Songs 2:10, “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away…” The word for “arise” here in the Greek OT is “ἀνίστημι”—the same word translated “resurrection.” We may, thus, read this call to “Arise” as the call of the Risen Christ to His Bride, gathering her up from the dust of death and
Song of Songs 2:10 Read More »
I recently began preaching through 1 John at Kingstree Church. Today’s picture serves as both a ‘logo’ for that series as well as a visual summary of the message of the book itself. The heart of 1 John appears as we consider the relationship between the book’s three central concepts, namely, Life, Light, and Love.
1 Kings 10:8-9, ‘Happy are your servants who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom…Because YHWH loved Israel forever, He has made you king.’ These words, spoken by the Queen of Sheba in praise of Solomon’s reign, establish an illuminating principle for us, namely, that a wise and righteous ruler is an expression of
Today’s picture is a bit different than normal in that it visually expounds a *concept* rather than a specific biblical text. The reason for this is that it was created as a gift to a friend upon the completion of his doctoral thesis and the theme of the image is based on the theme of
St. Augustine and the Imagination Read More »
