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Responding to Steve Tassi on Romans 9
In his recent live interaction with Dr. James White, Steve Tassi argued that while Romans 9 is referring to election, it is not discussing salvation when it refers to mercy. AudienceFirst, he argues that we must consider the audiences spoken to. He does not clearly elaborate on this point, but his implication seems to be…
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Further Evidence of Jesus’ Divinity from the Modern Versions
Jude 5 provides another evidence of Jesus’ divinity in the modern versions. In the KJV, Jude includes the following pair of pericopes: Jude 3-7Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for…
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Another Evidence of Jesus’ Divinity from the Modern Versions
John 14:14 provides another evidence of Jesus’ divinity that is not found in the King James Version. Now, even the KJV at John 14:14 includes an evidence to Jesus’ divinity, as can be seen in the following, Jesus’ teaches us to pray in Jesus’ name, something that would be inappropriate if Jesus were not divine:…
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Critical Text: Extra Evidence of Jesus’ Divinity
Listening to someone preaching from the gospels, I noticed an interesting evidence of Jesus’ divinity I had previously overlooked. I generally use the King James Version, but this pastor was using the ESV or some other modern translation based on the critical text. In this particular passage, the critical text underlying the ESV is different…
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James 2:24 Debate with William Albrecht
Roman Catholics shouldn’t cite James 2:24, because it doesn’t mean what they think it means. Last Saturday I conducted a debate with William Albrecht (Roman Catholic) on the topic of the meaning of James 2:24. (link to mp3) I hope you enjoy it, particularly the cross-examination section. With all due respect to Mr. Albrecht, I…
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Immediate Context of James’ Faith/Works Pericope
James discusses the relationship of faith and works in a pericope with well-defined boundaries: the passage starts at James 2:14 and ends at James 2:26. We can see this from the signal, “my brethren,” which James uses repeatedly throughout the book in various forms to set off various pericopes. James uses it once in verse…
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James as Wisdom Literature
It’s important to recognize that James is unlike most of Paul’s epistles. James, while a letter (James 1:1), is a book of wisdom in the category of the books of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes. The prologue (James 1:2-8) introduces wisdom in exactly the way wisdom literature would: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask…
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Faith Demonstrated – a Central Jacobian Theme
After a brief greeting, James immediately begins his first of several brotherly admonitions. James 1:2-3 calls believers to be thankful for trials because the testing of faith works patience. James 1:12 promises the crown of life to those who endures temptations. James then approaches the same point another way. He points out that the…
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On Founders and Fathers
People like me appeal to the Founders of the American republic as authorities on what the Constitution meant when it was written. We do that because we believe in a grammatical-historical method of interpretation of any written document. In a similar way, many people like to appeal to the Church Fathers to understand the Scriptures.…
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Evangelii Gaudium – the BBC Has Overstated the Pope’s Liberal Leanings
BBC News has the headline: “Pope Francis calls for power to move away from Vatican” and the opening line: “Pope Francis has called for power in the Catholic Church to be devolved away from the Vatican, in the first major work he has written in the role.” The document in question, Evangelii Gaudium (“Gospel’s Joy”)…