In Matthew 22:39, Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." The Greek reads: "ἀγαπήσεις τoν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν." What's interesting here is the word for neighbor, πλησίον. It literally means "near." With an article it can be used as a noun, becoming "neighbor," or more literally "the one who is near (you)." I think this nuance of meaning is helpful. We tend … [Read more...] about Love Your Near
Archives for February 2012
Prerequisites for Preachers
T. David Gordon (2009) suggests three prerequisites for good preaching: "To preach the Word of God well, one must already have cultivated, at a minimum, three sensibilities: the sensibility of the close reading of texts, the sensibility of composed communication, and the sensibility of the significant." (p. 106) Gordon, T. D. (2009). Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media … [Read more...] about Prerequisites for Preachers
A Matter of Interpretation: 1 John 3:19-20
Some passages of scripture are difficult to translate and understand. 1 John 3:19-20 is one of those passages. Look at the various ways translators have wrestled with these two verses: “By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” ESV“This is how … [Read more...] about A Matter of Interpretation: 1 John 3:19-20