Bible Study Lessons
My book Seeing the Invisible God contains 52 reflections on the biblical references to God’s anatomy—e.g., the face of God, the eyes of God, the ears of the Lord, etc. Tracing these references through Scripture offers a unique perspective of the whole Bible. The biblical authors even mention God’s bosom, but many translations do not … Read more
What is God like? In Psalm 5 David gives a direct statement about God’s character: For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. 5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; 6 you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, … Read more
Some people are frequently overlooked. I think that’s the case with the women in the Gospels. Of course, Mary the mother of Jesus gets a lot of attention, especially during this time of year, but what about the others? In total the Gospel writers name eight women as followers of Christ: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, … Read more
God’s name is a highly contentious topic among some religious adherents. It’s understandable, I guess, since some have built their faith on one specific view, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Similarly, Hebrew scholars like Nehemia Gordon claim they have discovered the divine name in ancient manuscripts and travel the world promoting their discovery. I realized … Read more
I have recently read what I consider to be one of the best books ever written on the topic of spiritual experiences. Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age by Dale Allison, a New Testament professor, at Princeton Theological Seminary, does not push one particular religious doctrine. Rather, his goal is more modest—to show … Read more