Here’s the first of a new series of podcasts on words that pose particular difficulty because English either lacks clearly similar concepts, or the word carries quite different connotations (emotional overtones and other baggage) from the word that denotes (points to) a similar thing. The first word is hesed a key virtue in the Bible [&hellip...
This chapter is a big sack of parables, and we’ve already seen that a parable is in essence a comparison, where light is thrown on something by talking about something else, better known or more clear or vivid. The parable of the the sower is particularly complicated and developed, with lots of details but still [&hellip...
Don’t look for happy families in the tales of the ancestors, matriarchs and patriarchs, of God’s chosen people. Genesis 27-28 carry the story into the next two generations but present a thoroughly dysfunctional family. Yet Genesis 28 tells also of one of the most dramatic revelations of God and renewal of God’s promises to this [&hellip...
If this was a merely human story you’d expect God’s bold attempt at drastic punishment to have an equally bold result. Either humanity reformed, or the rebellion gets deeper 😉 But of course neither is possible. humanity is unreformable, just try making a few worthwhile New Year’s resolutions to prove that 😉 nor is rebellion [&hellip...
All, speech requires prior knowledge to be understood. Usually this is largely shared within a culture. So if I say “the cat” I do not usually have to tell you first what a cat is. (Even if in the context of a novel about old-time sailors it might be a whip.) Some courses of study [&hellip...
