Around the Horn April 11th, 2008
Apparently American Idol decided to do a rendition of “Shout to the Lord”, only the word “Jesus” was changed to “Shepard”. It’s interesting to see the controversy rising from this. From this article, you can see how the gospel offends the world-view. Funny God is coming from a show rightly named American “Idol”, something God is oh so very displeased with.
The ESV Study Bible includes the 757,000 words of the Bible along with an additional 1.1 million words of theological resources, which is the equivalent of a 20-volume resource library. Those resources include 25,000 notes, over 50 articles, 200 full-color maps, 200 charts, 80,000 cross-references, and some 40 color illustrations that are far cooler than the typical Bible pictures that look like a kindergartner tried to draw the Temple with their left hand.
As a geek who always reads the footnotes, I am particularly excited about Clinton Arnold’s work in Colossians and Philemon, Andreas J. Kostenberger’s work in John, Raymond Ortlund’s work in Isaiah, Grant Osborne’s work in James, Simon Gathercole’s work in Galatians, Thomas Schreiner’s work in Romans, 1 and 2 Peter, and Jude, and Frank Thielman’s work in 1 Corinthians.
Crossway looks to be cranking up (by God’s good grace) a crazily cool study bible for the ESV version. Using men of God like Piper, Grudem, and Dever. I’m excited for this bible, looks like it will be a great resource for studying the word of our great God.
Even with all those criticisms, the Bible is explicit. Without equivocation it tells us to pay our taxes. It doesn’t even qualify that statement. It doesn’t say to pay them if you agree with what they’re used for; it just says to pay your taxes. If we can come up with criticisms of our present tax structure, the people in the time of Paul could as well. Actually, their government was worse than ours in many ways. But that is never the issue. It wasn’t the issue in the time of the Lord, and it isn’t the issue today. The simple statement of Scripture is to pay your taxes.
How do you view taxes? Do you grumble and despise taxes or do you pay them obediently as Jesus has called us to do?
Biblical authority from the pulpit
I am certainly supposed to be a mouthpiece for Scripture, a human instrument through which the Scripture is heard and received by God’s people. But the human preacher’s authority only reaches the human ear. It is only God himself who can take his word from the human ear to the human heart.
How do preachers today view the biblical authority from the pulpit? It is interesting to see the range of responses to questions on scripture and how God ordains preachers. Also, read Al Mohlers reflections on the interview.
