This alternative reading of the Book of Hebrews comes about largely through a determined attempt (easier said than done) to read the work independently of the voice of Paul. Just as say Romans or Ephesians requires us to read it for what it is without drawing in assumptions from the Gospels, so Hebrews demands that we temporarily set the great apostle to one side as we take it up. Hebrews deserves to be read apart from Paul just as much …
Category: Theology
Part Three A Premillennial Reading of Hebrews (3) Christ’s Body a Covenant Sacrifice The author of Hebrews chose as his go-to text the “Old Greek” of the OT, but not exactly what scholars mean when they say “LXX.”[1] His singular use of Psalm 40:6-8, especially its translation of Psalm 40:6 as “a body you have prepared for me.” As Thomas Constable notes, Psalm 40:6 reads: “You have opened [i.e., cleaned out] my ears,” whereas Hebrews 10:5 says: “You have …
Part Two A Premillennial Reading of Hebrews (2) A New Covenant After quoting Jeremiah 31 the author is careful to refer to “a new covenant” (Heb. 8:13), but nobody doubts that the definite article is required in its other mentions in the book (Heb. 9:15; 12:23). Those interpreters who insist that the New covenant is not made with the Church, or that the Church is only tangentially related to the New covenant are, to my mind, once more in …
Part One A Premillennial Reading of Hebrews (1) The present writer has already stated his general agreement with what is now called Revised Dispensationalism – the Dispensationalism of Charles Ryrie and J. Dwight Pentecost. I go further and say that I find the work of Larry Pettegrew and Michael Vlach always to be excellent, even where we disagree. That we disagree is mainly down to me.[1] I prioritize the divine biblical covenants above the “dispensations.” I have grave doubts …
This piece and its follow ups are taken from my upcoming book (DV) ‘The Words of the Covenant, Volume 2: New Testament Continuation.’ Although it contains many precious and ascertainable truths, the epistle to the Hebrews is the most elusive book in the NT. For such a weighty NT book to be anonymous is surprising. However, that aside, what I want to do in my treatment of this letter (or perhaps it is better to call it a sermon) is …
Part Ten The Olive Tree Metaphor in Romans 11 Some passages of Scripture have suffered under the myosis of its interpreters more than most. At the forefront of these abused passages is surely Romans 11:16-29. For sure, there is a bit of deciphering of Paul’s language to do, but all in all I think the apostle’s thrust is easy to grasp. The problem with so many interpretations of the verses, especially by those who like to employ the NT …
Part Nine Is the Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:3? On a related note, some Dispensational writers have believed that the catching up of the saints is what is in view in 2 Thessalonians 2:3: Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sinis revealed, the son of perdition. I shall revisit this text further on in my remarks about the future antichrist …
I’m busy and lacking inspiration right now. Here is a piece I wrote some time ago about my training. Hope you enjoy it. I thought I’d do something different for a change. I seldom write anything about myself on this blog, but I had the idea of putting down a few words about the men who trained me and to whom, to one degree or another, I owe a debt. None of them is responsible for how I turned out. …
Part Eight The Transformation of Our Bodies The mention of the transformation of our bodies calls to mind the mystery of 1 Corinthians 15:50-52: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the …
A Review of 40 Questions About Arminianism by J. Matthew Pinson, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2022, 395 pages, paperback. Kregel’s “40 Questions About…” series has produced a number of notable books. I myself have reviewed 40 Questions About Biblical Theology and 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell. This book on Arminianism, or more accurately, Classical Arminianism, is written by the President of Welch College, a Freewill Baptist college in Tennessee. J. Matthew Pinson has degrees from Yale and Vanderbilt and is thoroughly …
