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PHall | March 6, 2025
I will not say that Paul consciously alluded to Zechariah 3, but notice how Colossians 2-4 has many parallel thoughts to Zechariah 3. SATAN ACCUSES JOSHUA – Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. • Colossians 2:14 – […]
PHall | March 6, 2025
Topical or Expository Preaching? Topical preaching is often contrasted to expository preaching. While I prefer the latter, I find myself often doing the former. Let’s talk about this. Expository preaching has its advantages because it should focus on context as the primary method. However, preachers can chase rabbits down many proverbial hobby-horse holes! (How’s that […]
PHall | March 6, 2025
Jesus is Israel Among the many roles of Jesus, one includes Jesus as New Israel succeeding where the Old Israel failed. The prophet Isaiah refers the special title “servant” as addressing both the nation of Israel and God’s special servant Jesus. Both were to be lights to the world, one failed and one succeeded. Notice […]
PHall | March 6, 2025
Did the Israelites Plunder the Egyptians? Did the Israelites Plunder the Egyptians? I am going to argue that, no, they didn’t. The evidence for the Israelites plundering the Egyptians is Exodus 3:22 and 12:36. Very plainly, every translation I checked states that the Israelites plundered the Egyptians. What if these translations are wrong? The main […]
PHall | March 5, 2025
I got asked this question: “Why is Catholicism wrong?” Here is my short reply: “One reason is it equates church tradition and inspiration. They are not equal in authority”. In theory, most of us in “churches of Christ” would agree. In theory. In practice, are we unofficially guilty? When someone objects, “We’ve never done it […]
PHall | December 19, 2024
In dealing with addiction, the following point was made in our meeting: There is a difference between regret and shame. We should always regret our sinful actions, but we shouldn’t forever live in shame. Here’s why: If shame comes from guilt. If guilt comes from sin. If sin is forgiven. Then guilt is removed. If […]
PHall | December 19, 2024
10 Ways to Be a Modern-Day Barnabas 1. Be willing to change our ways and minds (Acts 4:36-37) 2. Be part of a culture of volunteerism (Acts 4:32-37). 3. Do the hard work of forgiveness (Acts 9:26-27). 4. Believe in people and stand beside them when others doubt (Acts 9:26-27) 5. Consider people more important […]
PHall | December 19, 2024
Hands in the Deborah Pericope (I’m writing a chapter on Deborah in my book on The Genesis of Gender Roles, and this is just extra thoughts not in the book) The word “hand” is one of the key words in the Deborah narrative, both metaphorically and physically. Hand means “power”. God’s hand is the ultimate […]
PHall | December 19, 2024
Going to the World instead of Going Into All the World Are churches experiencing their own “Rumspringa”? Amish and Mennonite societies have their children, roughly from ages 16-21, leave their communities to experience the outside world. This is partly to solidify their decision to either leave or stay within their religious culture. This explanation of […]
PHall | December 19, 2024
Four Ways of Looking at Faith and Works 1. Faith Alone (no works which is contrary to Romans’s emphasis on “the obedience of faith” – 1:6; 16:26). 2. Faith and Works (which seems contrary to being saved by faith). 3. Faith that works (which is our faith and is using “works” as a verb instead […]