Monthly Archives: February 2012

The crushing plagues have followed their ordained sequence. Repeatedly, Pharaoh hardened his heart; yet, however culpable this man was, God sovereignly moved behind the scenes, actually warning Pharaoh, implicitly inviting repentance. For instance, through Moses God had already said to … Continue reading →

Pilate was a weak, wicked man. Thus the account in Luke 13:1–5 is entirely credible. The details may be obscure, but the general picture is clear enough. Some Galileans had offered sacrifices: if they were Jews, they must have done … Continue reading →

You’ve seen the bumper sticker: “The person with the most toys wins.” Wins what? The person with the most toys takes out of this life exactly what everyone else does. A billion years or so into eternity, how many toys … Continue reading →

One of the most striking pictures of what might be called a “partial conversion” is found in Luke 11:24–26. Jesus teaches that when an evil spirit comes out of someone, it “goes through arid places seeking rest and does not … Continue reading →

The story is told of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one of the most influential preachers of the twentieth century. When he was dying of cancer, one of his friends and former associates asked him, in effect, “How are you managing to … Continue reading →

One of the tasks imposed on those who wish to read the canonical Gospels sensitively is to see how the various units are linked. Casual readers remember individual stories about Jesus from their Sunday school days, but do not always … Continue reading →

According to Luke 8:19–21, “Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him” but were unable to achieve their objective owing to the press of the crowd. Word was passed up to Jesus: “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting … Continue reading →

In exodus 4 two elements introduce complex developments that stretch forward to the rest of the Bible. The first is the reason God gives as to why Pharaoh will not be impressed by the miracles that Moses performs. God declares, … Continue reading →

Two elements in Exodus 3 demand attention. The first is the dramatic introduction of “the angel of the Lord” (3:2). Initially, at least, Moses does not perceive an “angel.” The text reads, “There the angel of the Lord appeared to … Continue reading →

In the most crucial events in redemptive history, God takes considerable pains to ensure that no one can properly conclude that these events have been brought about by human resolve or wit. They have been brought about by God himself—on … Continue reading →