Reflections on 1 Samuel 18. “I’m not against Christianity. It’s just not for me.” Have you ever heard someone say something like that? Many people see Jesus as just another religious option. They assume they can remain neutral. Christianity works for some people, they say, but they’ll choose a different path. The problem is that… Continue reading There Is No Neutral Ground with Jesus
Category: Bible
Narcegesis 3: Context Changes Everything
In reading and studying the Bible, it is tempting to treat it as a magic book of detached verses that mystically guides me along life’s path. Many people open the Bible at random places and pluck out individual verses in an attempt to hear God speaking to them.
The King Who Never Fails
Reflections on 1 Samuel 10. In 1 Samuel 8, Israel demanded a king “like the nations.” In doing so, they rejected God Himself as their King. Yet, we see in 1 Samuel 10, God did not abandon His people – even in their rebellion. God gave them Saul—tall, handsome, and chosen—but ultimately flawed. Saul would… Continue reading The King Who Never Fails
Narcegesis Strikes Again: Why You Shouldn’t Try to Part the Red Sea
My first Narcegesis blog post was about how the Bible is not about me, but rather for me. Another vitally important aspect of biblical exegesis in properly understanding the Bible is distinguishing between the descriptive and prescriptive parts of Scripture. Descriptive passages of the Bible describe or recount, in narrative form, what happened in the… Continue reading Narcegesis Strikes Again: Why You Shouldn’t Try to Part the Red Sea
Narcegesis: Exegesis Gone Wrong
A friend of mine invented a new word to describe what is happening in many churches today—and I absolutely love it. “Narcegesis.” Narcegesis is exegesis gone wrong. Exegesis means “exposition or explanation.” Biblical exegesis involves the careful examination of a particular text of Scripture in order to properly understand it. Exegesis aims to arrive at… Continue reading Narcegesis: Exegesis Gone Wrong