Biblical writers infrequently consciously used numerical patterns or codes in their compositions.
A Non Sequitur in the Argument for the Canonical Approach to Scripture
What is the “canonical approach,” and in what respect is its main supporting argument a “shell game”?
Treasures in Heaven
What is the relationship between the preaching of Jonah and putting a lamp on a lampstand? The prophet Jonah in classical Jewish thought calls to mind repentance. In Rabbinic literature we read that many prophets were sent to Jerusalem and the people did not listen, but to Nineveh one prophet was sent, and the people repented.
Repentance: God Inhales
Blessing God as one who delights in repentance has rich theological implications. Nevertheless, this blessing runs the risk of inaccuracy by understating God’s reaction to repentance. He not only delights in it but displays peculiar patterns of behavior when under its influence.
Does God Play Scrabble?
Einstein famously claimed that “God does not play dice.” In what follows, I argue that God does not play Scrabble, either. That is, the idea of a so-called Bible Code, in which confirmatory words or messages can be extracted from the Bible by reading the letters as they fall at a certain frequency, is completely false.
Romans 11: The Olive Tree’s Root
The apostle Paul asserted in Romans 11:1 that God had not rejected his people. Speaking metaphorically, he went on to compare the people of Israel to a cultivated olive tree. Because of unbelief, some, but not all, of the tree’s branches had been broken off, and a wild olive branch had been grafted to the stock. Paul emphasized, however, that grafting the original branches back to the stock of the cultivated tree would be a much simpler task than grafting a wild olive to it.
Medieval Jargon on First-century Lips
Remez is bandied about today by some Christian teachers, suggesting it was an interpretation system of Jesus day and, thus, creating a rather glaring anachronism.
Inspiration, History and Bible Translation
What kind of book is the Bible? It claims to be inspired by God, but what does that mean for believers in general, for researchers and for Bible translators? Such questions are raised whenever the Bible is examined against the available background of its culture, language and history. I will address the question of inspiration from the perspective of a translator, because it puts me in a middle ground between researchers and general readers.