Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | July 15, 2019
Bookends of Matthew:The beginning is the end, Immanuel means “God with us” and Jesus concludes with, “I am with you.” So are there other connections between Matthew 1 and 28?1. Beginning: Jesus as the Son of Abraham/David vs End: Jesus as the Son of God.2. Beginning: Jesus the descendant of those “Fathered”, although not fathered […]
PHall | June 25, 2019
“A revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:1a). Is this about Christ revealing, or about revealing Christ? Grammatically it can be either way, that Jesus is the object or the subject. The more I read, the more I am seeing that one of the interpretive methods for understanding Revelation is seeing Jesus as the explanation for almost […]
PHall | June 25, 2019
1. “Remember how far you have fallen” (Revelation 2:5)2. “Repent” (2:5)3. “Re-do the works you did at first” (2:5)4. “Remove, I will, the lamp-stand if you do not” (2:6)5. “Right to eat of the tree of life, I will give you, if you do” (2:7)“Whoever has an ear to hear, listen to what the Spirit […]
PHall | June 25, 2019
I get surprised when the Bible does not say what I am expecting. Jesus warns a church they must repent against the false teaching of the Nicolaitans, or else he will come war against them. Except that is not what it said. “So repent! Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with […]
PHall | June 12, 2019
“Left your first love.” That is more common way of translating this phrase. Others use a less enigmatic phrasing, “left the love you had at first.” “First love” can be a very specific type of love; while “the love you had at first” can be describing that the Ephesians had no love at all any […]
PHall | June 5, 2019
Reading Revelation 22 through Genesis 3, and by “through” I mean “through the lens of ” is…revealing. Genesis 3:• HEAR – God had spoken to Adam (Gen.2), and Eve had heard His words probably through Adam (Genesis 3).• ADD – Eve added to God’s word, “Do not touch” (Genesis 3:3). The serpent added all the trees […]
PHall | June 4, 2019
Our transcendent God is also immanent. His closeness is found in His interactions – interferences – with history. God calls Himself, “Who was, who is, and who is to come (Revelation 1:4,8)” These themselves are historical references of an eternal God. God never had a “was” in Himself because that is a description of time. […]
PHall | June 3, 2019
Genesis 3:15: “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)Notice 3 Gospel Predictions:1. Hatred – “hostility, animosity, or ill will. It is used to signify acrimony, as between the woman and the serpent (Gen […]
PHall | May 31, 2019
The woman is a believer, but her husband is not – or else is not a faithful believer (1 Peter 3:1ff). And what example does Peter give for the woman to pattern her behavior after? Sarah and Abraham – A power couple of the covenant of faith!Sarah and Abraham? Wasn’t he a believer? Isn’t his […]
PHall | May 31, 2019
A congregation can get a lot done organizationally without elders. Ironically that encourages groups to think, “We’re doing fine without elders.” Sadly too many – including elders – see their job as simply organizing. Having been an elder, organizing is often best handled by delegating most of that to deacons and other servants. As one […]