HOBO THEOLOGY

Going Backwards

2012-02-22T08:15:00.000-05:00

I learned an important life lesson playing soccer: Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forward.

I could hardly grasp the concept when my coach first stated it. He said we didn't have to force the ball down the field, always headed straight for the goal. In fact, that was often the most unproductive tact. Instead, passing the ball backwards, starting the attack over, and working the ball around to the other side of the field was frequently the better strategy.

This revelation surprised me. Could going backwards really be the key to going forward? But I came to see my coach was right. Sometimes when an avenue is closing down, the only way forward is backwards.

I still remember my coach shouting in soccer lingo, "Drop the ball! Start over! Don't force it!" And so we would. And as we did, the field would open up with new possibilities.

If you're looking for new possibilities, hear this: you may need to go backwards. You may need to start over. You may need to let something go. You may need to quit. You may need to rest. You may need to say no. You may need to take a day off. And when you do, don't feel guilty. Don't agonize over the backpedaling. You're not falling behind. You're not failing. You're not being punished. You're not slacking. You're moving forward by going backwards.

Five Paradoxes of Preaching

2012-02-20T22:53:00.000-05:00

John Stott lists five paradoxes of preaching.

Good preaching is…

Both biblical and contemporary
(relating the ancient text to the modern context)
Both authoritative and tentative
(distinguishing between the infallible Word and its fallible interpreters)
Both prophetic and pastoral
(combining faithfulness with gentleness)
Both gifted and studied
(necessitating a divine gift and human self-discipline)
Both thoughtful and passionate
(letting the heart burn as Christ opens to us the Scriptures)

(The Living Church, pp.97-110)

The Right Age for Working in Student Ministry

2012-02-15T11:12:00.000-05:00

As a long-time student ministry guy myself and as someone whose cool-card is currently being traded in for a daddy-card, I really appreciated these thoughts from Doug Fields.

Fields, who has now served in student ministry for over two decades, concludes that despite his older age he's more ready than ever for youth ministry because, in his words...

I’ve never felt more effective in youth ministry than I do now.
I don’t believe teenagers care about relevance… they care about relationships.
Having had 3 teenagers live in my home, I know more about teens now than I ever did and can literally talk “their language” more accurate than I could when I was in my 20′s.
I’m closer to Jesus than I’ve ever been and I definitely have more wisdom to pass on (which was the thesis of the YM360 post).
I’m more patient, realistic and encouraging about spiritual growth. I better see the big-picture of sanctification than I did when I was younger and equated “program attendance” to “spiritual growth.”

For my fellow youth workers, I hope this encourages you.

(You can read the whole article HERE.)

Love Your Near

2012-02-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

In Matthew 22:39, Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (The Greek reads: "ἀγαπήσεις τoν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.") What's interesting here is the word for neighbor, πλησίον. It literally means "near." With an article it can be used as a noun, becoming "neighbor," or more literally "the one who is near (you)."

I think this nuance of meaning is helpful. We tend to think of one's neighbor status as a matter of street address, but really it's anyone near you. A neighbor is anyone God brings across your path, be it at home, work, traveling, etc. That's why the story of the Good Samaritan is an illustration of neighborly love. The assaulted man was not a next-door-neighbor, but he was someone near the Samaritan.

Conclusion? You have more neighbors than you think. You have gas station neighbors, grocery store neighbors, pew neighbors, and so many more!

Masculine Christianity: A Recent History

2012-02-13T22:53:00.000-05:00

John Piper recently delivered an address on the life of J. C. Ryle entitled “The Frank and Manly Mr. Ryle” --The Value of a Masculine Ministry. In this message, Piper argues that “God has given Christianity a masculine feel,” and he proceeds to define masculine Christianity/ministry as:

“Theology and church and mission are marked by overarching godly male leadership in the spirit of Christ, with an ethos of tender-hearted strength, and contrite courage, and risk-taking decisiveness, and readiness to sacrifice for the sake of leading, protecting, and providing for the community—all of which is possible only through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s the feel of a great, majestic God, who by his redeeming work in Jesus Christ, inclines men to take humble, Christ-exalting initiative, and inclines women to come alongside the men with joyful support, intelligent helpfulness, and fruitful partnership in the work.”

Piper’s verbose definition defies clarity and invites confusion, but fortunately, later in his message, he lists some specific characteristics of masculine ministry to aid in our understanding. Piper gives these eight traits to characterize masculine ministry:

A masculine ministry believes that it is more fitting that men take the lash of criticism that must come in a public ministry, than to unnecessarily expose women to this assault.
A masculine ministry seizes on full-orbed, biblical doctrine with a view to teaching it to the church and pressing it with courage into the lives of the people.
A masculine ministry brings out the more rugged aspects of the Christian life and presses them on the conscience of the church with a demeanor that accords with their proportion in Scripture.
A masculine ministry takes up heavy and painful realities in the Bible, and puts them forward to those who may not want to hear them.
A masculine ministry heralds the truth of Scripture, with urgency and forcefulness and penetrating conviction, to the world and in the regular worship services of the church.
A masculine ministry welcomes the challenges and costs of strong, courageous leadership without complaint or self-pity with a view to putting in place principles and structures and plans and people to carry a whole church into joyful fruitfulness.
A masculine ministry publicly and privately advocates for the vital and manifold ministries of women in the life and mission of the church.
A masculine ministry models for the church the protection, nourishing, and cherishing of a wife and children as part of the high calling of leadership.

Responses to Piper’s message and descriptions have been wide spread and varied. On one side of the spectrum, people have downplayed all the fuss. One such blogger, Tim Challies, writes:

“I suppose this is why I don’t find a whole lot of controversy here. His language of “masculine Christianity” is not language I would be likely to adopt for my own use, but I don’t see that what he says here is substantially different from what he and other complementarians have been saying for years.”

On the other end of the spectrum, people like Scot McKnight are raising red flags. McKnight recently commented:

“I don’t think [Piper’s] trying to get wimpy males to man up but for people to see the masculine — that’s his term — nature of Christianity through the evidence of man-centered leadership and male language for God. There is a difference between male and masculine, and Piper is arguing the latter from the former. This is a very serious issue, one that is virtually claiming there’s a masculine center to the divine being and to God’s work in this world, and it is does not take alternative themes into account, does not recognize or incorporate the denial of the typical “masculine” nature of the Greco-Roman male in how the NT’s Jesus is passive before violence, how the husband is to give himself for his wife (that’s not “masculine” in the ancient world), and I could go on… In my judgment, John Piper made a fundamental category mistake and, at the same time, wiped out other sorts of evidence. By the way, while I disagree with Piper’s complementarianism, his view of leadership is entirely reasonable — it just isn’t masculine; it’s Christ-like. Huge difference for many of us.”

For myself, at this point, I will air no opinions. I am still mulling it over. I don’t want to misspeak or over-speak or worse. I do, however, believe this is an extremely important debate to follow, regardless of whether you are egalitarian or complementarian, which is why I am posting this brief accounting of the discussion.

Return of the Evangelical

2012-02-09T17:51:00.004-05:00

Jonathan Fitzgerald has published a peculiar article (John Piper Strikes Back!), comparing John Piper and Mark Driscoll to the Emperor and Darth Vader respectively. He has elicited my response, and I am happy¹to oblige.

Much could be said about Jonathan’s article. (N.T. Wright as Obi-Wan is irresistible... and undeniable). But I will constrain myself to just a few thoughts.

Two things I like about this article:

It proceeds with relative sensitivity.
Poking fun at such prolific, out-there figures as John Piper and Mark Driscoll takes little effort. Both pastors publish vast materials online for free, making them huge targets for pretexting. With such a repertoire available, this article could have been far less charitable, but instead, it stopped short of untactful, bloggish slag. I appreciate that.
It challenges the status quo.
Perhaps to the surprise of someone like Jonathan, I have no interest in defending Piper or Driscoll. I don’t trade on a theologian’s name; I trade on their theology and thinking. So I appreciate the questioning of their thinking and positions. If something is off, I want to realize that. We should subject all authors to such scrutiny. I wish more Evangelicals would chew through the stuff they read rather than just swallow it whole. To that end, I hope Jonathan will continue to question the old guard.

Two things I do not like about this article:

It engages emotions more than issues.
The appeal to Star Wars is fun but unfortunate. It’s polarizing. It’s deliberating inciting. And ultimately, it does not advance the argument but conflates it with unhelpful emotion, leaving the left side high-fiving and the right side rolling up sleeves. I say it’s unfortunate because I think Jonathan has raised some very important concerns that need to be discussed in-depth, but we never really get there in this article.
It hinges on speculations and not specifics.
The initial premise of this article is itself hopelessly unprovable. I would actually argue Driscoll is not the Vader of Evangelical circles anymore, though he can still make a lot of noise. But that’s just my airy opinion about a hypothetical question framed in an imaginary universe created by George Lucas. See my point?

Also, Piper’s comments about masculinity come out of a multi-day conference. I’m not sure I would agree with Piper, but regardless, I would be hesitant to condemn him without hearing the whole matter.

Of course, as always, I appreciate Jonathan’s candor and wit and his invitation to dialogue. I hope this exchange proves fruitful for everyone reading this.

1. Jonathan is a dear friend and brother in Christ, and over the years, he has proven to be a valuable, mind-sharpening interlocutor. My response flows out of the context of that relationship and respect, and I hope it will be read in that tenor. In other words, this is not mere rhetorical dross from the blogosphere.

Prerequisites for Preachers

2012-02-07T08:22:00.000-05:00

T. David Gordon suggests three prerequisites for good preaching:

"To preach the Word of God well, one must already have cultivated, at a minimum, three sensibilities: the sensibility of the close reading of texts, the sensibility of composed communication, and the sensibility of the significant." (Why Johnny Can't Preach, p. 106)

The Magic of Story

2012-02-03T10:12:00.002-05:00

As English Lit. majors, my wife and I could not resist this animated short, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, from Moonbot Studios. Enjoy.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

By the way, what does it mean?

A Matter of Interpretation: 1 John 3:19-20

2012-02-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

Some passages of scripture are difficult to translate and understand. 1 John 3:19-20 is one of those passages. Look at the various ways translators have wrestled with these two verses. (I’ve underlined some distinctive features).

“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” ESV

“This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” NIV

“We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” NASB

“My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.” MSG

What should we make of these various options? The Expositor’s Bible Commentary describes the variations we’ve just seen above and suggests a preferred interpretation worth considering:

“The passage itself is complex in the Greek and allows several translations and interpretations. “This” (v.19) may be taken to point backward to the absolute demand of love introduced in 3:14ff. If we know that we love truly, with actions and not mere words, that knowledge will not only assure us “that we belong to the truth” but will also act to “set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.”

It is possible, however, in the Greek to make a full stop after “presence” and then read v.20 as follows: “If our hearts should condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”

Another possibility is that the “this” in v. 19 points not only backward to 3:14ff. but forward to v. 20b. the meaning would be as follows: there are two ways we know that we “belong to the truth”: First, because we love in deed; second, God himself assures us that we belong to the truth--he “is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” The latter possibility is preferable because it allows a more connected argument.” (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, p.337)

In other words, this final interpretation should be preferred because it not only makes sense of the Greek, but it also allows for a continuation of the logic and flow of thought in the immediate context.

How to Identify Your Calling

2012-01-31T22:23:00.001-05:00

A mentor once suggested to me an interesting way to identify one's calling. He said, "Identify the weed that keeps growing back in your life." Or, in other words, find those passions, desires, giftings, etc. that just won't go away no matter how many times they've been plucked, sprayed, mowed, and trampled.

Obviously, this test is not definitive, but still, I think it is a helpful diagnostic. Try it out.

What is that thing (or things) in your life that keeps popping back up like a weed? No matter how many times you burn it out, no matter how many times you fail in it, no matter how many people shoot you down...what is that one thing, that desire, that passion, that gifting that just keeps coming back, that keeps blossoming out of the ashes?

When you see it, you may be on to something.

Falling In Line: Why I'm Sad Bloggers Unite

2012-01-30T17:23:00.000-05:00

I'm sad to see Jared Wilson and Trevin Wax move their blogs to the Gospel Coalition site.

I truly appreciate the Gospel Coalition and their website. I follow most of their blogs. I went to one of their conferences in Chicago. I'm a Kellerite and a Carson-Parson, etc. But nonetheless, I'm sad to see Wilson and Wax make the move.

Two reasons...

Codification Happens.
People tend to mimic their surroundings. When I became a Literature major in college, I started carrying a satchel and drinking coffee. When I attended Gordon-Conwell, I started quoting Calvin and wearing sweaters. Synchronization just happens. People tend to value what the surrounding group values.

I'm glad Wax has considered these concerns, but regardless, I still believe some originality and freshness will be lost as he and Wilson fall in line with the Gospel Coalition "neighborhood."
The Walmartification of the Blogosphere.
I lament seeing the mom-and-pop bloggers closing shop in favor of the Walmart Superblogs of Patheos, the Gospel Coalition, and the like. Wilson had been one such mom-and-pop blogger. I was excited when I first discovered him, the rogue Vermont pastor-blogger, huddled in snow and mountains, with a hideous Blogger default theme and the ever humble ".blogspot.com" address. That he could have such an impact without all the fuss and from such a remote ministry area inspired me. But it seems those frontier days are disappearing.

Of course, I'm sure these moves have exponentially increased their readership, and to be fair, if given the same opportunity, I'd probably do the same. Regardless, I hope Wilson and Wax will strive to keep their unique voices in the Evangelical blogosphere.

Does Senseless Evil Disprove A Good God?

2012-01-26T08:39:00.000-05:00

The pain and suffering we experience in this world is at times overwhelming. It has caused many people to question the existence of God.

T. Keller summarizes one such argument made by philosopher J. L. Mackie in this way:

“If a good and powerful God exists, he would not allow pointless evil, but because there is much unjustifiable, pointless evil in the world, the traditional good and powerful God could not exist. Some other god or no god may exist, but not the traditional God.” (Keller, p. 23)

This logic seems airtight, but only at first blush. Look a little closer and the imperfections of this reasoning come into focus. As Keller points out:

“Many other philosophers have identified a major flaw in this reasoning. Tucked away within the assertion that the world is filled with pointless evil is a hidden premise, namely, that if evil appears pointless to me, then it must be pointless.

This reasoning is, of course, fallacious. Just because you can’t see or imagine a good reason why God might allow something to happen doesn’t mean there can’t be one.” (Keller, p. 23)

In other words, God may be using pain and suffering in a redemptive way, even though we feel hurt and confused and can make no sense of it. Our lack of understanding does not preclude his existence or limit his goodness.

A Great Reminder from a Great Writer

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hawthorne via Wikipedia

As I have worked diligently for approval from various circles of people, I have often caught myself with this quote from Nathaniel Hawthorne:

"It is a good lesson--though it may often be a hard one--for a man who has dreamed of literary fame, and of making for himself a rank among the world's dignitaries by such means, to step aside out of the narrow circle in which his claims are recognized and to find how utterly devoid of significance, beyond that circle, is all that he achieves, and all he aims at." (The Custom-House Introductory to "The Scarlet Letter")

Acclaim is a moving target. The pursuit of it is vanity, a chasing after the wind.

The Patriots, Tebow, and the Sovereignty of God

2012-01-14T18:25:00.000-05:00

Theology professor Owen Strachan puts tonight's game in perspective:

"It may be that Tebow will succeed in spectacular fashion; it may be that he will have the worst game of his life. Either way, the Bible assures us that God loves his chosen, God is orchestrating every detail of their lives, and God will lead them through success or failure to the end of all things. Sometimes God grants believers great victories, and sometimes he asks them to walk through the fire. This is true whether it is experienced on the football field, in the office, or in a country that rewards outspoken Christianity with a sword to the throat."

For a fuller treatment of football and God's sovereignty, please see the quote in context. You can read the whole article here.

Disagreement Done Well

2012-01-14T15:05:00.003-05:00

Jeffuhson Bethke's recent video has provoked quite a rumble on the internet, at least in Evangelical circles. Some critics have written scathingly and others more fatherly. Regardless of what you think about Bethke's poetry and/or theological positions, I truly appreciate the gentlemanly exchange I saw between him and Kevin DeYoung. Check it out here.

It's a good example of disagreement done well and a good reminder that real people are involved.

Made to Move

2012-01-13T14:21:00.000-05:00

In a world of sitting and watching, the video below reminds me that we were really made to move. If you have a few minutes, take a look. You'll be glad you did. Then, if you have a few more minutes, let's talk.

23 and 1/2 Hours from Dr Mike on Vimeo.

What interests me about this video is the effect exercise has on one's spirit. According to Dr. Mike, physical exercise can, in some cases, alleviate depression and anxiety. This data corroborates what the Bible already teaches, namely, that the body and soul are linked.

In Proverbs 17:22, we read "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." The principle is clear: Our spirit can effect our body. So anxiety can lead to ulcers. Anger can lead to high blood pressure. Stress can lead to tension headaches, and so forth.

But this video also reminds us that the inverse of the biblical principle is true. How we treat our bodies may affect our spirits. Too little sleep may contribute to our grumpiness. Too little food may incline us to anger. And no exercise may depress our mood.

Pastor and scholar John Piper admits as much. In an article about why he exercises, Piper very honestly writes:

"Underneath most of my besetting sins is despondency. I am less prone to such melancholy when I hammer my body [with exercise] three times a week. The reason could be endorphins. Could be ego. Whichever, it’s cheaper than Prozac or psychotherapy. I’m simply happier. And I sleep better. I have more energy."

It seems no one is above this body-soul connection.

So, in light of this discussion, let me make a really practical application. This winter, when the days are short and the weather is cold, when we're so prone to mope around the house, if you're feeling down or anxious or stressed, consider this principle and take a holistic approach to your mood. Yes, read your Bible and pray. Trust God with your mood. But consider also that God made you a spiritual and physical being, and therefore, avail yourself of the resources He's already given you: sleep, food, exercise, etc. Go to bed on time. Eat a good breakfast. Go for a walk.

Will it fix everything? No. But you really will feel better.

(For more on this body-spirit connection, check out this excellent sermon by Timothy Keller entitled "The Wounded Spirit")

Argument Weary

2012-01-06T23:12:00.003-05:00

Ted Kluck offers a very honest and surprising reflection at the close of a book filled with research, analysis, and argumentation:

"It occurs to me, coming to the end of this text, that we’ve no doubt left out a great deal. There were books that went unread, blogs that we couldn’t get to, and conferences we didn’t attend. Those who aren’t inclined to the emergent/emerging thing will probably support most of what we’ve written, and those who call themselves emergent will find a million reasons to find fault with it. The idea that people read much of anything and have their minds changed by it is less and less realistic to me. People, usually, just dig in.

"And then soon, these books become nothing more than a sort of cold, intellectual pawn-pushing, in an effort to craft the most perfect argument that can then be vehemently defended for the sake of the argument itself. Responses and rebuttals will be written. Rinse. Repeat. And like D. A. Carson in an earlier chapter, I’m realizing I’m tired of it." (Why We’re Not Emergent, pp. 234-235)

A funny thing to say at the end of a book. But he is all too right I guess.

"Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh." Ecclesiastes 12:12b

Preach the Gospel to Yourself

2012-01-03T15:03:00.000-05:00

Pastor and writer Tullian Tchividjian reminds us we must preach the gospel to ourselves as an ongoing part of our Christian life.

Tchividijian summarizes the gospel this way:

"If God has saved you--if he's given you the faith to believe, and you're now a Christian, if you've transferred trust from your own accomplishments and abilities to Christ's accomplishment on behalf of sinners--then here's the good news. In the phraseology of Colossians 1, it's simply this: you've already been qualified, you've already been delivered, you've already been transferred, you've already been redeemed, and you've already been forgiven." (Jesus+Nothing=Everthing, p. 94)

Now there's a message worth preaching!

My 2012 Resolutions

2011-12-30T22:12:00.002-05:00

I’m all for resolutions. Resolutions represent possibilities. Resolutions sharpen my focus and provide me with a sense of progress. Resolutions can bud like new leaves, and I make them gladly.

Here’s what I’m thinking for this new year...

I resolve to read more. My faith and thinking are more robust when I read. I am less cliche. I am more articulate. I am more nuanced. I am sharper. So my plan is to sneak in more reading with perhaps an audio book or two. I may take the Kindle plunge as well. And of course, I have piles of books around the house half-read and begging for attention that I will avail myself of. Measurable Goal: Two books-a-month and read Calvin’s Institutes.

I resolve to exercise consistently. I rediscovered exercising this year when I started running again. I have had more energy, and I like the feeling. I’ve always enjoyed exercising (formerly known as “playing”), but somehow got out of the habit over the last few years. I don’t want to do that again. Measurable Goal: Run three times-a-week and do some type of strength training three times-a-week.

I resolve to read the Bible more carefully. I’ve done the whole “one-year-bible” thing. I’ve enjoyed it. But I’m busy, and when I read the Bible, I struggle to slow down and really hear the Bible again for the first time. This year I don’t want to simply read the Bible more; I want to read the Bible more carefully. Measurable Goal: Read through the Greek NT.

Of course, my heart holds innumerable hopes for this year, and no list could capture them. The resolutions listed here simply represent the measurable, resolvable goals I will, Lord willing, pursue this year.

That being said, I do hope these resolutions will help me more fully reach my potential and thereby more fully glorify God.

One Resolution Worth Making Again

2011-12-27T14:38:00.002-05:00

Resolutions come and go. But there's one resolution worth making again and again--Bible reading.

What's your plan for reading the Bible this year?

Sure, you'll forget. You'll get busy. You'll get behind. But it's still helpful to have a plan for reading the Bible. So what's your plan?

Blogger, Justin Taylor, provides a fairly exhaustive list of options in his post, Bible Reading Plans for 2012. Take a look.

As you look, here are two suggestions for deciding...

Be honest. Pick the one you want to do, not the one you think you should do. Be realistic about how much time you have and what you think you'll be able to read.
Be techy. Let's be honest. We're all busy. So if you hope to keep up, pick a plan that comes with lots of tech accessibility (e.g. online reading, smart phone app, podcast, etc.)

Happy reading!

Share the Bible Day

2011-12-25T12:33:00.001-05:00

Today is "Global Share the Bible Day" (at least according to Youversion).

I'm not sure about the event, but I am sure about the Bible.

So why do I read the Bible? Here are a few reasons...

I want the truth. The Bible contains truth.
I want to see God but can't. The Bible reveals God.
I want a better life. The Bible acts as life's instruction manual.
I want to go Home. The Bible points the way Home.
I want personal insight. The Bible reads me.

The Hallway of Evangelicalism

2011-12-20T22:32:00.001-05:00

Kevin DeYoung reflected recently on the future of the "Young, Restless, and Reformed" movement. In his article, one line stuck in my mind. DeYoung writes, "it’s better to live in a specific ecclesiastical room instead of in the hallway of evangelicalism."

It seems Evangelicalism is no place to be after the bell rings. When it's time to go to class and get to work, we must enter an "ecclesiastical room" (a.k.a "denomination").

DeYoung's admonition moves but creaks. The kinks are not yet worked out.

On the one hand, I find his comment quite insightful. As a pastor, I whole-heartedly agree ministry happens best at the local church level. I welcome his call back to the local church. Too many people float around Evangelicalism, passing from church to church in search of the next best thing, indifferent or perhaps ignorant to the shifts of theology as they go.

But on the other hand, Deyoung's remark troubles me. The Hallway of Evangelicalism has been so helpful. It has been a stream of information and comradory. It has channeled movements too broad and too swift for denominations to harness. Of course, the term "Evangelical" is weighed down with misunderstanding and controversy. But, while it's scope has swollen and receded, it's deepest currents have remained consistent and beneficial.

My conclusion? I honestly don't know. I suppose, as is so often the case, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

Mark's Extra Ending

2011-12-18T16:17:00.001-05:00

Most Bible translations include a perplexing parenthetical comment in Mark 16. For example, after Mark 16:8, my ESV translation interjects in brackets, “Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9-20.”

If you’ve ever wondered about this manuscript question, consider this helpful note from the ESV Study Bible:

"Some ancient manuscripts of Mark’s Gospel contain these verses and others do not, which presents a puzzle for scholars who specialize in the history of such manuscripts. This longer ending is missing from various old and reliable Greek manuscripts (esp. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus), as well as numerous early Latin, Syriac, Armenian, and Georgian manuscripts. Early church fathers (e.g., Origen and Clement of Alexandria) did not appear to know of these verses. Eusebius and Jerome state that this section is missing in most manuscripts available at their time. And some manuscripts that contain vv. 9–20 indicate that older manuscripts lack the section. On the other hand, some early and many later manuscripts (such as the manuscripts known as A, C, and D) contain vv. 9–20, and many church fathers (such as Irenaeus) evidently knew of these verses. As for the verses themselves, they contain various Greek words and expressions uncommon to Mark, and there are stylistic differences as well. Many think this shows vv. 9–20 to be a later addition. In summary, vv. 9–20 should be read with caution. As in many translations, the editors of the ESV have placed the section within brackets, showing their doubts as to whether it was originally part of what Mark wrote, but also recognizing its long history of acceptance by many in the church. The content of vv. 9–20 is best explained by reference to other passages in the Gospels and the rest of the NT. (Most of its content is found elsewhere, and no point of doctrine is affected by the absence or presence of vv. 9–20.) With particular reference to v. 18, there is no command to pick up serpents or to drink deadly poison; there is merely a promise of protection as found in other parts of the NT (see Acts 28:3–4; James 5:13–16)."

The observations listed here are hardly conclusive, but they provide some insight into the caution issued by many translations.

Forgiveness

2011-12-12T17:25:00.001-05:00

In an earlier post, I said the term "Gospel" refers to good news. So what exactly is that good news?

In the smallest, tweetable nutshell, the good news of Christianity is we can be forgiven because of Jesus.

More could be said about this statement. We could talk about why we need forgiveness in the first place (sin and the holiness of God). We could discuss how Jesus won that forgiveness for us (on the cross). We could talk about how we access that forgiveness (repent and believe). We could consider how we display our new status (baptism). We could examine the aftereffects of such forgiveness (reconciliation with God and eternity in heaven with Him). But the core message, the good news we proclaim, is we can be forgiven because of Jesus.

This message is altogether wonderful and insulting, and that's why some people love it and some people hate it. But more on that another day...

Some Good News

2011-12-09T23:19:00.001-05:00

You've probably heard the term "Gospel" before. Churchy folk use it all the time. But what does it actually mean?

The short answer is "Good News."

"Gospel" literally means "Good News," and that's quite telling. Jesus did not proclaim a philosophy, a program, a body of rituals and rules, or even a religion. He proclaimed good news. That's why the poor and the sick and the outcasts and the broken-hearted flocked to him, because he had some good news.

So, if you've been to a church and what you heard didn't sound like good news, then maybe they weren't giving you the Gospel, because the Gospel is good news.

More on what the actual good news is later...