Author: wilrens
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Impurity: Type 1 and Type 2
Why does the Bible talk so much about purity – and what on earth does “unclean” actually mean? In this issue, we dive into one of the most puzzling parts of Scripture: the purity laws of Leviticus. Drawing on Geoffrey Harper’s recent book ‘You Shall Be Clean’, we explore the fascinating distinction between two kinds…
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Justice, Old and New
What is ‘righteousness’? Why Do the Bible and Modern Culture Understand Justice in Such Different Ways? In this issue, we explore how the Western legal idea of justice (laws, punishment, Lady Justice with her sword and scales) contrasts with the deeply relational idea of righteousness found in the Hebrew Scriptures. Instead of focusing on rules…
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Why Does God Give a Zoology Lecture at the End of Job?
The book of Job ends in a whirlwind – literally. After dozens of chapters of debate, God finally answers Job… with a storm, a parade of wild animals, and two mysterious creatures: Behemoth and Leviathan. What is going on here? Why does God talk about chaos monsters instead of explaining Job’s suffering? And why does…
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The Unity and Structure of Isaiah
Isaiah isn’t just a collection of random prophecies – it’s a carefully crafted masterpiece with a surprising three-part structure that mirrors the gospel itself. Ever wondered how those famous passages about the suffering servant and “comfort, comfort my people” (not to mention the rest of the book) actually fit together? Read my latest monthly essay!
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Three Things: How God Does Battle
What if Revelation wasn’t just about the end – but about right now? Let’s dig into several unexpected biblical insights: • Why the armies of heaven wear linen, not armor • How Zechariah’s war vision takes on new meaning in light of the New Testament • What the Assyrian kings reveal about the image of…
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Your Kingdom Come: The Gospel according to the Revelation of John
Your kingdom come: I make the case that Revelation isn’t an appendix to the gospel — it is the gospel. It’s not just about the distant future, but about how God’s kingdom unfolds through history… and how we are part of it right now. Revelation is the grand fulfilment of Jesus’ prayer: “Your kingdom come,…
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My Big House in Heaven: Mansions for All?
Is Jesus Really Promising Mansions in Heaven? You’ve heard it before: “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” But… are we sure Jesus was talking about heavenly real estate? By exploring the original words and the context, we’ll uncover what Jesus actually meant by “dwelling places”… and it’s about something better than luxury real estate.
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Farewell Speech (Not Mine)
Struggling with John’s Gospel? You’re not alone. John 13-16 is Jesus’ final speech before his arrest — but what is He actually saying? Is it just a jumble of spiritual thoughts, or is there a deeper purpose behind it all? In this video, I wrestle with these questions and share what I discovered after testing…
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The First (?) Empire
I have often spoken about Assyria, usually when teaching Isaiah or an introduction to the prophets. It is an important piece of the history underlying the Old Testament. However, this makes for a narrow focus. Reading Eckart Frahm’s book, Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire (2023; paid link), has brought a…
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Three Things in 2 Timothy
This is a ‘Three Things’ issue, where I share three key insights from 2 Timothy. In the final point, I also explore how Paul structures his text. Part of these insights flow from having recently taught 2 Timothy. Part of it also stems from something we did during our Bibliquip 3 gathering in February of…
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Funny How Time Flies … in Numbers!
It is easy to overlook because there are so few data points: the flow of time in Exodus through Deuteronomy. Here, I present an exercise that I like to include in teaching the book of Numbers, as it provides a clear picture of Israel’s journey and stay at Mount Sinai. It also strikingly illustrates and…
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1 Thessalonians: Motivation through Positive Feedback
I have found learning about ancient rhetoric tremendously helpful in understanding several New Testament books. Here, I will use this lens to look at 1 Thessalonians. Ben Witherington’s socio-rhetorical commentary on this letter has been sitting in my Logos library for far too long, and I finally got around to reading it. You can also…
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Sarcasm: Serious Business!
Sarcasm is serious business. I am not kidding! Wait… was that first statement sarcastic? Or at least ironic? And the second one? No, not really. The first one is a paradox for sure, an apparent contradiction, and the second one perhaps as well: I am not kidding but I am. So surely, this is a…
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Three Things: Trying Out a New Format
This is the first instance of something new I will do from time to time: share three unconnected insights or discoveries I have gleaned from my journey through Scripture. To be honest, one aim of this is to reduce the number of issues on major topics that require substantial preparation. Discoveries like the ones I…
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How Do We Live Well?
Good questions are extremely valuable. What makes a good question? One key indicator is that the answer is not immediately obvious. The answer may even continue to evade us. This must not lead to frustration. It can also open up room for repeated reflection and accumulating understanding. The present title – how do we live…
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Coming Soon: Website Relaunch!
This past May marked the 10th anniversary of Create a Learning Site. Over the course of 120 articles, I have shared what I have learned on a fascinating journey of discovery through the Bible’s history, culture, and theology. As part of this milestone, I took a sabbatical to reflect and recharge. Now, after a period…
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Breaking the Silence: Rethinking 1 Timothy 2 and Women’s Roles in the Church
Let’s delve into the intriguing complexities of 1 Timothy 2:12, a passage often cited to restrict women from church leadership. But is it truly a blanket prohibition or are we sidelining half the church based on a single verse misunderstood? Join us as we dissect historical contexts, linguistic nuances, and Paul’s underlying intentions to unveil…
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Unveiling 1 Corinthians 11: Going beyond ‘New Women’
Learn about Paul covering the uncovered: his surprising stand for women in 1 Corinthians 11.
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It’s a MARBLE!
The United Bible Societies have produced a website that is truly a marvel: https://semanticdictionary.org/. It shows either the Greek NT or the Hebrew OT next to a translation (RSV in English). It also gives access to semantic dictionary entries for each Greek and Hebrew word. Have a look and see what it can do!
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Walk: A Metaphor
Walk is a much-used metaphor in Scripture. Its meaning is clear: walking stands for how we live life; our walk is our lifestyle. Paul uses the metaphor extensively in Colossians and Ephesians. One could say it is the subject of the entire second half of Ephesians: Walk worthy of your calling (Eph. 4:1), with Paul…
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Christian Zionism: Revisiting My Doctoral Dissertation (II)
What new insights related to Christian Zionism have been produced by scholarship over the past 16 years? This is Part II of a re-evaluation of my thesis (Hornstra 2007). Part I looked at three points that I feel have been confirmed. Here, I discuss new developments. I started working on this content a year ago.…
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Christian Zionism: Revisiting My Doctoral Dissertation (I)
For this month and next, something slightly different: an update on (and review of) my 2007 dissertation (based on a lecture I presented recently at a theological forum). What is the status of scholarship on Christian Zionism 16 years later?
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In Memoriam
On 21 July of this year, my mom passed away. She was 85 years old. The funeral was a week later. I want to share with you what I said on that occasion. And here is why. You can also watch this content as a VIDEO PODCAST or listen to it as an AUDIO PODCAST…
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The Challenge of James (II)
The challenge of James is, of course, a double one. The more important one is to do what it says; that’s hard. But there is also the challenge of finding coherence in its message: What is James about? What is its point? And linked with this: What is its structure? I will start with the…