Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | May 20, 2017
John 1:1-2 – Notice two things: 1) The order of the words in Greek is different than in English which lends itself to an interesting chiasm. 2) While we normally quote just 1:1 as a complete thought, the chiastic order suggests v.2 should be included. A – In (the) beginning was the Word B – […]
PHall | April 24, 2017
Russia had banned the Jehovah Witnesses making it illegal. The reason was saying it was guilty of extremism. Not stated by the Russian government is that possibly they viewed the group to be extreme because it was a pacifist group which did not celebrate Russia’s aggressive military actions. People often joke about hiding behind the […]
PHall | April 24, 2017
One of the arguments made against baptism being the “when” one receives God’s grace is that the “order” of Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, and Baptism is not set in scripture. For example, Mark 1:15 is cited where repent is listed before believe: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent […]
PHall | April 24, 2017
On the 6th day God created man. On the 7th He rested. All this after on the 1st day God said let there be light. On the 6th day God incarnate died as a man. On the 7th He rested. After this a great light appeared at the tomb as He who is the Light […]
PHall | February 14, 2017
The Servant Songs of Isaiah In studying the Servant Songs there is a definite and surprisng move from brightness to darkness. The first sings of God’s pleasure in His Servant and how the Servant will not break a bruised reed (Isa.42:1-4). The second has the Servant singing a melancholy song of depression; while questioning His […]
PHall | February 14, 2017
Everyone knows the Second Great Command as listed by Jesus and lifted from Leviticus; but do we know how to love others as ourselves? Pragmatically, a Jewish Rabbi focused on “as yourselves”: “Just as we love ourselves despite the faults we know we have, so should we love our neighbors despite the faults we see […]
PHall | February 13, 2017
Each church needs a eugenics program. Properly defined, eugenics is, “the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. Developed largely by Francis Galton as a method of improving the human race, it fell into disfavor only after the perversion of its doctrines by the Nazis.” […]
PHall | February 11, 2017
Did Jesus ever get depressed, despondent, or at least disappointed in His impact on others? Last night we had an enlightening and hopefully uplifting – because misery loves company – time with the 2nd Servant Song (Isaiah 49:1ff). We recalled the many NT passages which gave reality to the first two lines of v.4 which […]
PHall | February 11, 2017
Jewish tradition states the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 took place on the same calendar day as God came down on Sinai to deliver the Law to Israel. Historically then in order: 1) the Israelites “plundered” the Egyptians; 2) The Israelites crossed the Red Sea; 3) The Israelites received the Law. When we come […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
In Mark 1, immediately after His Father confesses Jesus, we see Him at His most human. Jesus is in the wilderness, hungry, surrounded by wild animals. When Jesus leaves the wilderness, He casts out a demon. Later in Mark 8-9, immediately after Peter confesses Jesus, we see Him at His most divine. Jesus is on […]