Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.
In Jesus’ parable of the tenants, there is a man who plants a vineyard and rents it out. When it is harvest time, he sends his representative to collect some of the harvest, which is likely the terms of lease. Instead of remitting to the owner what is due him, the tenants refuse, mistreating everyone […]
Here is another thought building on the prior post about one of Jesus’ parables. To review, the parable is about a nobleman who, before going on a journey, entrusts three servants with varying amounts of money to invest for him. The first two invest their amounts and earn a good return, apparently doubling their stakes. […]
Being Industrious Versus Lazy Here is another thought building on the prior post about one of Jesus’s parables. To review, the parable is about a noble man who, before going on a journey, entrusts three servants with varying amounts of money to invest for him (Luke 19:11-27). The first two invest their amounts and earn […]
Doctor Luke records a parable of Jesus. It is about a nobleman who, before going on a journey, entrusts three servants with varying amounts of money to invest for him. He is a “hard man.” The first two invest their amounts and earn a good return, apparently doubling their stakes. The third, however, to whom […]
Not Doing What You Should Do When I think of being punished, be it by God or man, I think in terms of things I do wrong. That is, doing things that I shouldn’t have done; some people call these “acts of commission”—things I have committed. However, there can also be consequences for not doing […]
When you pray, be careful what you pray—I’m serious, be very careful. In the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples (also called “The Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father”), one part says: “Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.” Some translations use the word “sins” or “transgressions” in place of debts, […]
As I read the prophetic book of Nahum, I see a familiar sounding passage:“Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!” (Nahum 1:15). I find a similar text in Isaiah: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace…” […]
If we’re not careful, it’s all too easy to end up doing things that, at best, are secondary, and at worst, don’t matter at all. Such was the case of the people of Israel a few millennia ago. The prophet Amos states that God is critical of their religious gatherings, their offerings, and their music. […]
Some people read the Bible like a textbook—to amass knowledge. Other people read the Bible like a book of law—looking for precedent and loopholes to justify themselves, ideas, and behavior. Still, others read the Bible like a “how to” book—noting the things that they should do and the things that they shouldn’t. However, all of […]
When reading the gospels (the stories about Jesus) in the Bible, it doesn’t take long to run across the phrase “evil spirit.” (Some translations use “unclean spirit” or a “corrupting spirit.”) What is an “evil spirit” anyway? Although contemplating the meaning of an evil spirit may be intellectually inviting, the central point is to remember […]