This is a reprint of Geerhardus Vos‘ article, “‘True’ and ‘Truth’ in the Johannine Writings”, The Biblical Review 12 (1927):507-520. We are accustomed to say that there is but one truth, and that what is not true is ipso facto false. And yet the New Testament knows of two kinds of “truth.” It may be …
Category Archives: New Testament
Part 2: Church Discipline vs. Responsibility in Relationships
In Part 1, Church Discipline vs. Responsibility in Relationships, I suggested that churches would do well to trade the language of church discipline for the more accurate and helpful responsibility in relationships. A good friend then responded with an interesting issue, basically saying, “Church Discipline is what it should be called. Remember 1 Corinthians 5 …
Fives Stages of the Kingdom of God
Meredith G. Kline, the late professor of Old Testament at Gordon Conwell and Westminster Seminary, is well known for his work on big-picture biblical theology. Lee Irons, one of his students, has handily summarized one of Kline’s key teachings about the Kingdom of God (click on the image to the left). To understand this chart, …
What do dying people ask for?
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples (John 13:5), and then he explained to them the union of self denial with the Kingdom of God. In that explanation, he said some strange, wonderful and necessary things about prayer and how he would grant what we ask: Whatever you ask in my name, this I will …
Truly this was the Son of God — Mark 15:39
And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” — Mark 15:37-39 …
The Temptation of Christ
Jesus was tempted, as it is written, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” — Matthew 4:1 What exactly does it means to say that Jesus was tempted? Did he want the thing that was offered while he denied himself of his desire? What (if …
God is like this: Jesus washed feet
The Incarnation (Jesus is God in Flesh) is God being what God is like. He was always like what he is like, and in the incarnation he was being the same way as he has always been – now in human flesh. Jesus washing the feet of his disciples is not God saying, “See, I …
Why do we make mistakes in interpreting the Bible?
Do you remember that part of the Gospel of John where the Jews took palm branches and went out to meet Jesus and called him King? That episode is recorded in John 12. It made me wonder: Why palm branches? What do palm branches signify?
The New Exodus
Article for the Louisburg Herald, March 25th edition. The exodus was a foundational event in the Old Testament. God took a landless people, the Hebrews, and extracted them from Egypt. They were in bondage and he redeemed them. They left Egypt and went into the wilderness for a forty-year sojourn. He fed them there by …
Ancient Manuscripts of the New Testament
The New Testament is a compiled collection of ancient books and letters. The original copies of those books and letters are lost. However, we have copies that date close to the time of the originals. In fact, we have so many ancient manuscripts, that a numbering system was invented to inventory all the various scraps …
Was Jesus in Hell between the Cross and Resurrection?
Was Jesus in Hell? This is not my question. It is a question we get from Church history. Taking a question and going and looking for an answer is not the best way to approach the Bible. The best questions seem to emerge as we read. No matter, the question has been put to us. …
God on Trial. Is He Guilty? Genesis and Romans.
A major theme of Romans is the trial and vindication of God. The resurrection of Jesus is God’s trial defense and verdict. When Jesus emerged from the tomb it was the revelation of God proved right and trustworthy. For the ramifications of a trial of this sort to be grasped, the case against God must …