I’ve shared a few articles about the Song of Songs recently. This week I’m going to be sharing some teaching Podcasts stepping into the book in a bit more detail. If you want to read some of the articles introducing Song of Songs please check out this tag. Here’s the first audio talk And here… Continue reading Christ loves you … so let him
Category: Bible Study
How not to apply Song of Songs (or any part of the Bible) to Jesus
Last week, I shared some blog articles on the Song of Songs talking about whether and how we could/should apply it to Christ and the church. You’ll notice that whilst I’ve been writing that the Song is meant to be about Christ, that I’ve been careful to distinguish things like prophecy, metaphor and typology from… Continue reading How not to apply Song of Songs (or any part of the Bible) to Jesus
Song of Songs: Appropriate language for describing our relationship with Christ?
As I mentioned in my last post, some people balk at the language in Song of Songs as too sensual or sexual even to be appropriate to describing Christ’s love for us. Here’s one response: Perhaps they have in mind such lines as: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!For your love is… Continue reading Song of Songs: Appropriate language for describing our relationship with Christ?
Who am I? I’m raised up with Christ (Psalm 8)
The musical Les Miserable starts with a big number focusing on the lead character’s status as a prisoner. He is simply known as a number 24601. This builds into the question “Who am I?” which will be later answered not just with his prison number but with his name “Who am I? I’m Jean Valjean.” … Continue reading Who am I? I’m raised up with Christ (Psalm 8)
Make God your dwelling place
Audio
Why did Jesus heal? (Mark 7:31-37)
Mark 7 closes with another healing. Returning from Tyre and Sidon to Galilee, he is met by a man who is deaf and also unable to speak. It may well be that his muteness is a consequence of his deafness and not hearing speech. The context of the two healing miracles at the end of… Continue reading Why did Jesus heal? (Mark 7:31-37)
Scraps (Mark 7:25-30)
Jesus and the team head out from Galilee to Phoenicia, close to Tyre and Sidon. There a Gentile woman comes and asks him to heal her daughter but Jesus at first appears reluctant, he says that in the family, the children should eat first. She responds by pointing out that even dogs get to wat… Continue reading Scraps (Mark 7:25-30)
Inside out – lessons from the digestive system (Mark 7:14-23)
Perhaps one of the most helpful illustrations I’ve both seen used and used myself in pastoral conversations is this. You take a glass and you fill it with water up to the brim and then set it on a table. Then you hit it so that water spills out. You ask those observing why the… Continue reading Inside out – lessons from the digestive system (Mark 7:14-23)
Misplaced Honour (Mark 7:8-13)
The Pharisees have criticised Jesus’ disciples – and therefore by implication him – for failing to properly honour their traditions. Failure to honour those traditions, the rules and regulations of the elders or forefathers might be seen as breaking the fifth commandment -a failure to honour parents. And if they dishonoured their elders and fathers,… Continue reading Misplaced Honour (Mark 7:8-13)
When worship becomes farce (Mark 7:1-8)
Jesus receives a delegation from Jerusalem. It’s kind of like the rabbinic version of an OFSTED visit. The scribes and pharisees have come to see him, to check out what he is saying and doing, to test him and no doubt hoping to trap him. It looks like they are welcomed in and offered hospitality.… Continue reading When worship becomes farce (Mark 7:1-8)
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