“Who do you say that I am?” This questions forms a turning point in the Gospel narratives and remains a central question for students of the Bible in every generation. Precisely who is this Jesus of Nazareth? As we’ve discussed before, those who encountered Jesus would have understood him as a prophet (one sent...
Tag: understanding Christianity
Understanding the Bible 23: Demons, Exorcisms and the Reality of Evil
Is there such at thing as Evil? Not just as an adjective – describing the character of an act or even a person – but as a thing in and of itself; evil with a capital “E”? From the biblical perspective, the answer is: yes. There is a force, a drive within creation that...
Understanding the Bible 21: Jesus and the Forgiveness of Sins
An elemental consequence of sin is alienation – alienation between people, between humanity and creation, and, most profoundly, alienation between humanity and God (see part 2 of this series for more detail). And thus central to the project of salvation is reconciliation – bringing creation back to healthy, loving relationship, beginning with the relationship between God...