Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | September 23, 2015
Parents, when one parent allows the other parent to disrespect and disobey the other, they are not helping their children to honor both the father and the mother. If they dishonor one parent they dishonor the entire command. Dishonoring the command is dishonoring the One who gave the command. Parents, be honorable if you want […]
PHall | September 23, 2015
As an example that we don’t always want a literal translation consider that the Hebrew word for honor means, “to regard as heavy.” Literally then, “Regard your mother and father as heavy.” Such a translation is weighted with problems.
PHall | September 23, 2015
All of our lives are videos replayed to us through the observations of others. Sometimes we are embarrassed by what we see. Sometimes we are embarrassed by what we are. We can close our eyes to the world; but we can’t close the eyes of the world. Neither can we close our eyes of ourselves […]
PHall | September 23, 2015
The meaning of the Sabbath rest in the first giving of the 10 Commandments is different than in Moses’ second reiteration. In Exodus 20 it is based upon God resting after creation. In Deuteronomy 5 it is based upon God freeing Israel from slavery. These are not two distinct ideas although they are two distinct […]
PHall | September 20, 2015
Ever notice how easy it is to overreact to someone overreacting? They shout so we shout them down. They call names so we call names to show them name calling is hurtful. We might even couch our insult with super-righteous: “If I were like you I could call you a (blank); but I’m not like […]
PHall | September 13, 2015
One of the most well-known Bible stories is the temptation and fall of man (Genesis 3:1-24). But how familiar are we with the how the story is told? To method there is meaning. Seeing how a text is organized is more than just a time consuming exercise. It helps to explain why something is included, […]
PHall | September 9, 2015
Genesis 3:1 suggests why Satan chose to take the form of a serpent, but why did he choose to take an animal form to begin with? I wonder if it is all part of the upside-down world he helped create. The temptation is about usurpation: Satan’ s word over God’s; man over God; and female […]
PHall | September 9, 2015
I know not every one believes the Bible has chiasms in it; but for those who do (and maybe for those who don’t), here is a simple one I noticed today: Genesis 3:9-19 A – God to Adam B – God to Eve C – God to Serpent B’ – God to Eve A’ – […]
PHall | September 4, 2015
I am reading Proverbs. It is commonly thought Solomon wrote his Song in his youth, Ecclesiastes in his old age, and Proverbs as a middle aged man. If so, knowing Solomon had around 700 wives and 300 concubines when writing Proverbs, it makes the reading at time very sorrowful. For example, “Better a dry crust […]
PHall | September 4, 2015
In Luke 4 Jesus mentions how miracles were done for a widow in Sidon and a general in Syria – both Gentiles – and not for Jews. This infuriates His Jews contemporaries. No doubt Jesus’ use showed these incidents had purpose. Such an incident having surprising meaning made we wonder if another seemingly inconsequential incident […]