Bible

Ed Clowney (paid link) again:

Ed Clowney (paid link) makes a brilliant comment on 1 Peter 2:18-20. Peter is teaching slaves how to react when they are punished, or suffer, for no fault of their own. Indeed, they may be suffering because they have done something good. Clowney says this:

I think I've finally worked out what is going on in Ruth 4. I'll make a note here as a place where I can come and find this again when I need it. Do comment below if I've missed something.

There are 3 Old Testament laws in play here.

Leviticus 25:23-28 says that, because all the land is really God's, should someone sell part of their land to alleviate their poverty, the buyer cannot regard it as theirs absolutely. A relative of the person they bought it from must be allowed to redeem, or buy back, that land, and the price for that is to be calculated fairly.

Psalm 95:1-7c inverts the categories of creation and salvation. Roughly, the pattern of the Psalm goes like this:

• Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord, the rock of our salvation (1-2)
• For, he is a great God who holds, owns and formed everything (3-5)
• Come, let us bow and kneel before our maker (6)
• For he is our God, and we are his people, under his care (7a-c)

Paul Barnett (paid link) has a very helpful paragraph in his commentary in the NICNT series (paid link) in which he charts the main line through the 8th and 9th chapters of 2 Corithians:

“In our view, chapters 8-9 can be consistently viewed as having a coherent and consecutive argument. Based on the voluntariness of the Macedonians’ involvement in the collection and their sacrificial generosity, Paul calls on the Corinthians to complete their participation in it (8:1-7). These words, however, may lead to misunderstandings: (1) This is ‘advice,’ not ‘command’; ‘grace’ and ‘readiness’ are their appropriate responses (8:8-11); (2) it is not a call to give more than they have, but for the completion of what was both desired and begun (8:11-12); and (3) the Jerusalemites’ relief is not at Corinthian impoverishment; it is for ‘equality’ between the Jerusalemites and the Corinthians (8:13-15). In the light of the coming of Titus and two highly regarded Macedonians, let the Corinthians give proof of their love and of Paul’s pride in them (8:16-24). In particular, when Paul himself comes, with other Macedonians, let the Corinthians spare him and themselves the humiliation of being ‘unprepared’ (9:1-5). Finally, as a theological consideration, let them note that God further blesses the generous giver and unites givers and receivers in spiritual fellowship (9:6-15).” (page 388)

John 8:12 is a familiar verse. It's one of Jesus' famous "I am" sayings. “I am the light of the world”, or   ̓Εγω εἱμι το φως του κοσμου.

Given which, Matthew 5:14 is a massive shock, is it not? I've read both passages many times, but never realised what a significant statement that makes Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world”, or   ̔Υμεις εστε το φως του κοσμου.

One of the statements in John, that we take to be one of Jesus' unique and momentous claims concerning himself, is applied to all his disciples. He is the light of the world, "I am", … and so are we!

John Stott (paid link) articulates, with characteristic clarity, how counter-cultural the beatitudes are in Matthew 5:3-12:

“Yet in all this the values and standards of Jesus are in direct conflict with the commonly accepted values and standards of the world. The world judges the rich to be blessed, not the poor, whether in the material or in the spiritual sphere; the happy-go-lucky and carefree, not those who take evil so seriously that they mourn over it; the strong and brash, not the meek and gentle; the full not the hungry; those who mind their own business, not those who meddle in other men’s matters and occupy their time in do-goodery like ‘showing mercy’ and ‘making peace’; those who attain their ends even if necessary by devious means, not the pure in heart who refuse to compromise their integrity; those who are secure and popular, and live at ease, not those who have to suffer persecution.” (Page 54)

I thought it might help if I wrote down my thoughts so far on the Psalms: What kind of literature are they? How are they to be read and interpreted today?

I think this post from Steve Jeffery is very helpful

2 Samuel 6 describes what King David did when the Ark of the LORD was brought into the city of Jerusalem.

The Bible repeatedly says that idols, being false gods, are little use. There is plenty of mockery of them to make the point. I love this detail...

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. And they stripped him and took his head and his armour, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to their people. (1 Chronicles 10:8-9)