Christianity is very Jewish. Jesus was a Jew. Jesus’s first followers were Jews. Most of the members of the first churches were Jews. Most, if not all, of the Bible is written by Jews. The New Testament is littered with quotations and allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures. And many Christian practices are rooted in Jewish traditions (eg. the Lord’s Supper reflects the Passover meal, and baptism the ritual washings). The “Jewishness” of Christianity is undeniable. God decided to save the world through Jews. His plan began with one nation [...]

In a few weeks, we will resume our study of Luke’s Gospel, going up the mountain with the disciples to see the transfiguration of Jesus (9:28-36). This short story has been long neglected in the church. In the transfiguration, we find an intertextual tapestry that draws together the doctrines of our trinitarian God, Jesus’ two natures, and the Bible’s storyline (e.g. the exodus, Moses on Mount Sinai, and Elijah’s ministry). Many of us have not seen all the glory there is to see in the transfiguration. And yet the [...]

            One of my seminary professors liked to say, “Persevere brothers, it’s the only good option!” Dr. Morrison would say this when we were overwhelmed with papers and readings and wondering how we would get it all done before the end of the semester. His statement was surprisingly effective for me. When faced with a mountain of work, the options were either to tackle it or give up. We had to pick one. We could choose to persevere or choose to give up. These were the only options, which [...]