Reviews, Reflections, & Research on Exegesis, Theology, and Church Life
Good stories have a moment of crisis when the anticipated hero appears on the scene to bring victory and resolution. In C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, Narnia has been experiencing a hundred years of winter with the reign of the White Witch. Through the prophecies that have been orally passed down, the Narnians are… Continue reading Jesus the Messiah and Hanukkah: The Historical Background of John 10:22-42
James Barr. The Semantics of Biblical Language. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1961. iv + 313 pp. James Barr, an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, taught at Edinburgh (his alma mater), Manchester, Oxford, Princeton, and at Vanderbilt. Some of his mentors include F.F. Bruce and Donald Guthrie. His most well-known student who continued… Continue reading “The Semantics of Biblical Language” by James Barr – A Book Review
The SOGIE Bill is a hot topic dividing Filipinos. SOGIE, or "Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity or Expression Equality Act," is also known as an anti-sexual orientation and gender discrimination act. According to this bill, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression will be punishable by law. The whole bill… Continue reading The SOGIE Bill and the Discrimination Fallacy
Here is a very rare personal update in this blog. A few have asked me where they can access the Tagalog-English sermons I have preached while I was at Pines City Baptist Church in 2014-2016. These sermons were originally on a One Drive folder posted online. Due to some changes made by OneDrive, not all… Continue reading Tagalog-English Sermons Available Online
Dever, Mark. Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016. 122 pp. In Discipling, Dever describes biblical discipling and shows how it is practiced in and through the local church. To be a Christian means being a disciple of Jesus and discipling others, which means doing deliberate spiritual good to help others… Continue reading “Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus” by Mark Dever – A Book Review
In The Hermeneutical Spiral, Osborne argues that biblical interpretation entails a “spiral” from text to context, from original meaning to significance for today’s church (p. 22). As one wrestles with biblical interpretation, he is spiraling nearer and nearer to the text’s intended meaning for contemporary significance. For Osborne, the hermeneutical enterprise has three levels: 1)… Continue reading “The Hermeneutical Spiral” by Grant Osborne: A Book Review
This post is also available at Exegetical Tools. When reading through 2 Peter and Jude, striking similarities between these two letters may alert even the casual reader. An obvious resemblance becomes evident when one compares Jude 4-18, 24-25 with 2 Peter 2:1—3:3, 14, 18. The following chart shows some examples of the similarities found in… Continue reading Five Views on the Literary Relationship between 2 Peter and Jude
In The Church, Dever’s premise is that “wrong ecclesial teaching and practices obscure the gospel while right ecclesial teaching and practices clarify it” (Loc 103). Furthermore, Dever argues that the Bible is sufficient for life and doctrine, including practical ecclesiology through clear commands or reasoning from biblical principles (Loc 191). For example, the practices of… Continue reading “The Church: The Gospel Made Visible” by Mark Dever
Gone are the days when asking who someone voted for was taboo. Currently, the Filipino people are divided between anti-Duterte and pro-Duterte. These two camps, strongly convinced by their position, are so far away from each other that seemingly nothing can bridge the two. In this polarized political climate, there is a great opportunity for… Continue reading Jesus Is King: A Call for Moderation and Church Unity amidst a Polarized Political Climate
Last week, I had the privilege of participating in a Charles Simeon Trust workshop in Charleston, SC. The focus was preaching historical narrative in 1 Samuel. The organization is named after Charles Simeon, a faithful Bible preacher in England during the 1700s. Charles Simeon pastored for fifty-four years, faithfully preaching God's Word Lord's day after… Continue reading Charles Simeon Trust
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