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The Unpopular (but Correct) Translation of Deuteronomy 4:29
I remember reading through Deuteronomy 4 in Hebrew years ago and being struck that Deuteronomy 4:25-30 is one of the starkest evidences for an early prophecy of Israel’s sin and eventual restoration. I mean, Deuteronomy is even before Israel enters the land of Canaan. And yet, Moses is telling Israel that they will sin, go into exile, but the Lord will bring them back to their land. Deuteronomy 4:29 is a key part of this argument by Moses, but as I read through it and double-checked English translations, I was not satisfied with how most English translations treated this verse. Most translations, however, approach this verse in the wrong way (as illustrated below). The Typical Translations of Deuteronomy 4:29 Deuteronomy 4:29 typically exhibits little variation in translation. The only outlier is the CSB and LSB. Observe the following translations. But from there, you will search for the Lord your God,…
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“I said, you are gods”—What is Jesus Saying in John 10?
I have made the argument in the past that Psalm 82 is better interpreted as a reference to angelic beings than a reference to human judges. However, many interpreters view Jesus’ quote of Psalm 82 in John 10 as further evidence that Psalm 82 is a reference to human judges. Is John 10 evidence that Psalm 82 should be understood as referring to human rulers? Within the context of John 10, the Jews are about to stone Jesus for making himself out to be God (John 10:33). In answer to the Jews picking up stones, in John 10:34-36, Jesus says the following: Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I…
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Is There a Divine Council in Psalm 82?
Psalm 82:1 states, “God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.” Later in Psalm 82:6-7 we read, “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.'” The identity of the “gods” in Psalm 82 has been interpreted in a variety of ways. For sake of brevity, we will cover the two most popular understandings of “gods.” 1. The Gods as Human Judges Interpreting the gods in Psalm 82 as a reference to human judges is very common. Support for this idea is drawn from Exodus 22:8, where someone accused of being an accomplice to a thief comes “near to God” to take an oath about what happened. This is often interpreted as going before the Israelite judges (cf. Exod 21:6, where a master brings his…
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A Short Explanation of Samuel’s Levitical Heritage and Hannah’s Vow
How is it that Samuel was able to work in the Tabernacle? Wasn’t the Tabernacle work reserved for Levites? Samuel was born in Ephraim, so wouldn’t that disqualify him from service? These are some significant questions that readers of 1 Samuel often think about. The book of 1 Samuel opens up by talking about “a certain man of Rammathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah” (1 Sam 1:1). Elkanah is married to two wives, one of whom is Hannah. Although barren, Hannah prays for a child, and the Lord answers her prayer. This child is Samuel! After giving birth, Hannah names her son Samuel, and dedicates him to tabernacle service with Eli (1 Sam 1:28). Samuel stays with Eli and serves the Lord (cf. 1 Sam 2:11, 18). Throughout the story, it is obvious that Samuel is ministering in the tabernacle (cf. 1 Sam 3:3). This…
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“Where Did Cain Get His Wife?”—And Why the Question Still Matters
In the summer of 1925, the Scopes “Monkey” Trial turned a Tennessee courtroom into a national stage for debating the Bible and origins. One of the most memorable barbs came when Clarence Darrow pressed William Jennings Bryan with a line that has echoed through popular culture ever since: “Where did Cain get his wife?” The insinuation—delivered to laughter and headlines—was that anyone who believes Genesis must accept an absurdity (or worse, a moral outrage). That exchange helped cement the cultural narrative that Christianity is anti-intellectual and ethically inconsistent. A century later, the same argument still circulates on social media and in classrooms. Do Christians have a good answer to the question of where Cain got his wife? This is a legitimate question. If Adam and Eve are the fountainhead of humanity (Gen 3:20; Acts 17:26), whom did their son Cain marry (Gen 4:17)? If the only available partners were siblings…
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Train up a Child in the Way He Should Go: Promise or Warning?
Many Christians view Proverbs 22:6 as a promise to parents that if they do their jobs right, their child will never abandon the faith. However, this in turn has resulted in many parents feeling as if God has broken His promise to them when their child turns from the faith. Train up a child in the way he should go:And when he is old, he will not depart from it (Prov 22:6, KJV) Although this verse has been used by many parents and church leaders as a promise, it is important to slow down and read this verse carefully. I think we can understand it a little bit better. A Proverb is a Principle, Not a Promise First, a proverb is not a promise! Proverbs are axiomatic (self-evident) sayings about how life normally works. But there are plenty of exceptions to proverbs, because life is complicated by many factors. For…
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Communication Principles from Proverbs
Communication is important. More importantly, how communication is done is important. Jesus himself said that “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matt 12:34b). It is underappreciated in our culture that what we say—whether verbally, over text, or on social media—reveals our hearts. It is a good and important exercise to evaluate our own communication and see how we line up. The ancient world prized wisdom, specifically the discussion of how to act in daily life. Unsurprisingly, Proverbs provides some of the most pithy and helpful statements on how a righteous man or woman ought to communicate. In many cases, Proverbs will contrast the righteous and their communication style with that of the non-righteous. What follows are a few evaluatory questions we can draw from Proverbs. Does my communication bring good benefit to others? The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,But the mouth of…
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Is New Covenant Prophecy Fallible?
Is there any aspect of life where the New Covenant’s existence is inferior to that under the Old Covenant? This may seem like an odd question, but it actually is significant. Most of the time, we focus on the superiority of the New Covenant in relation to the Old Covenant under Moses. And rightly so! After all, the Old Covenant never had the provision to save anyone (Heb 10:4). It was never able to perfect anyone (Heb 10:1). And whereas under the Old Covenant, God’s relationship with the people was located spatially in the temple, now believers in the New Covenant are regarded as the temple of God where He lives (cf. 1 Cor 6:19; Eph 2:19-22). The New Covenant is vastly superior in every way. The surpassing value and greatness of the New Covenant is a major theme in the New Testament. Paul describes the comparison of the Old…
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Why Was God Upset that Israel Wanted a King in 1 Samuel 8?
1 Samuel 8 is an interesting passage of Scripture because both Samuel and God seem displeased that Israel asked for a king (1 Sam 8:6-9). The reason this is initially surprising is that God had promised Abraham that kings would come from him (Gen 17:6), and that same promise is repeated to Jacob (Gen 35:11). Furthermore, God’s revelation to Israel foretold a king who would come from Judah (Gen 49:10; cf. Num 24:7, 17). Not only was there to be an expectation of a king of Israel, but in Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God had given Moses specific guidelines about installing a king once Israel was in the land of Canaan. So, Israel had prophecy creating the expectation of a king, and they also had laws given by God to help their king govern. So, why was God upset that Israel asked for a king? Why did both Samuel and God view…
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What Does the Image of God Mean?
Both men and women are made in the image of God (Gen 1:27) and are created with physical and spiritual components of their humanity. This is why human life is sacred and protected (Gen 9:5-6). Being created in the image of God is in contrast to the rest of creation. Only humanity has the privilege and honor of being created in God’s image. Hence, humanity’s value is infinitely more than animals or plants. But what does it mean to be made in the image of God? Various Views on the Image of God We can list at least five different views on what it might mean to be made in God’s image. I think it’s helpful to divide these views into two overall categories: (1) the ontological view and (2) the functional view. The ontological view teaches that being made in the image of God means we are like God…