A couple years back I participated in a number of seminars focused on interpreting the New Testament in light of the literature of Second Temple Judaism. One presenter discussed positive and negative forms of “the golden rule”: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It was noted that most often in the literature the rule appears in a negative form: don’t do to others what you would not like them to do to you.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Satan Drives that Truck
Okay, I was frustrated. I admit it. But just how do you explain this to two young daughters, ages four and six? And just what was the this I had to explain? I shall tell you presently.
It was the i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m truck!
Yep, that's right, the damnable ice cream truck. That brightly colored automobile that prowls the neighborhood, projecting those sickly-sounding jingles that hypnotize all children, transforming them into divided egos alternating between wimpy whiners and demanding dementors, causing them to beg and cajole for cash to exchange for tooth-decaying, body-rotting, life-destroying pseudo-food!
It was the i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m truck!
Yep, that's right, the damnable ice cream truck. That brightly colored automobile that prowls the neighborhood, projecting those sickly-sounding jingles that hypnotize all children, transforming them into divided egos alternating between wimpy whiners and demanding dementors, causing them to beg and cajole for cash to exchange for tooth-decaying, body-rotting, life-destroying pseudo-food!
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Enough Love for Both of Us
The Whirley-Pop was heating up pretty quickly. We were looking forward to an evening of feasting on mouth-watering popcorn. A friend was over for the evening.
There is little else more satisfying than fellowship with good friends, and handfuls of good food.
That's when I heard the wailing and awaited the tears.
Our daughter, Elizabeth, had awoken from her nap in the usual way: unhappy. But I was stuck at the stove, steadily cranking away, the tension building in the simmering, swirling kernels . . . and in my sobbing daughter.
There is little else more satisfying than fellowship with good friends, and handfuls of good food.
That's when I heard the wailing and awaited the tears.
Our daughter, Elizabeth, had awoken from her nap in the usual way: unhappy. But I was stuck at the stove, steadily cranking away, the tension building in the simmering, swirling kernels . . . and in my sobbing daughter.
Context Is King
Context is king — it rules the meaning of everything.
This is a maxim I often use. Those who have been in Bible studies with me, or heard me lecture, probably have heard me state the maxim...and probably more than once.
Words have meaning within their contexts — verbal and other contexts. When interpreting a text, the primary context is textual. Here words have meaning in constellation with other words.
This is a maxim I often use. Those who have been in Bible studies with me, or heard me lecture, probably have heard me state the maxim...and probably more than once.
Words have meaning within their contexts — verbal and other contexts. When interpreting a text, the primary context is textual. Here words have meaning in constellation with other words.
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