A sermon from Canvas: 05 January 2014 The story of the magi is foundational to Matthew’s Gospel both historically and symbolically. Historically it places Jesus’s early life in the larger context of the reign of Herod the Great, and sets the stage for a confrontation between three kingdoms: Rome, Jerusalem, and the “kingdom of God”...
Category: Understanding the Bible
Understanding the Bible 15: Jesus’s Story Begins
In our modern translations of the Bible, all one has to do to move from the Hebrew scriptures to the story of Jesus is turn a page – a action so simple it suggests the connection between the two “testaments” is obvious. Of course the story of Jesus is connected to the story of Abraham,...
Understanding the Bible 14.875: Christmas (Christmas Eve 2013)
There is no understanding the Bible without recognizing love at the center – or so I have been arguing from the first installment of this series. The whole project of salvation is rooted in the love of God for his people and indeed all creation. And I imagine that this is not so hard to...