Mark Noll writes in the New Dictionary of Theology the following praise of Charles Hodge (whose Systematic Theology I’ve recently been dipping into with some heart-warming profit): He occasionally misread his opponents to their disadvantage; but by and large, he...
Dissertation
Paper-Writing Tech Tip
I’m writing a dissertation in Turabian format, which means double-spaced lines (except in footnotes). That, in turn, means I can’t see very much of my work at once: By Word’s count, I can see 299 words on that screen. But my writing style involves a lot of re-reading,...
Edwards Quote Success!
John Piper’s foundational sermon for his philosophy of Christian Hedonism is entitled “Let Your Passion Be Single.” In it he quotes Jonathan Edwards as saying this (I’ll include Piper’s two interpolations): I should think myself in the way of my duty, to raise the...
Dissertation Progress
I have added two tickers to my widgets. Don’t we all? Check them out beneath my Feedburner count widget on the right side of the home page, and pray for me if you would. I want my dissertation to be a benefit, however small, to the church. At least my own.
Ἀγαπάω (Agapao) Is Commanded While Φιλέω (Phileo) Is Not, So the Former Is More Volitional Than the Latter
Have you ever heard someone argue that ἀγαπάω is commanded in the New Testament while φιλέω is not, so the former is more volitional than the latter? Immediately, anyone familiar with the work of linguist and biblical scholar James Barr should be suspicious. He warned...
What Is the Chief End of Man?
What did the authors of the Westminster Catechism mean by "enjoy" in their first question? Did they mean what we mean by the word—"to take delight in"? Or did they in fact mean something different, "to give joy to"? Is man's chief end "to glorify God and give joy to...
Lovest Thou Me More than These?
Are agapao and phileo really different in the New Testament? How about in John 21:15-17, Jesus' famous conversation with Peter? What does the evidence say? I just read a great little book which genuinely helped me understand my Bible better, Roy F. Butler's little...
Notes for Ph.D. Students at Bob Jones Seminary
On 8/31/04 at 7:30 pm, the dean of BJ Seminary met with all the doctoral candidates and gave some instruction, encouragement, and advice. Obviously, this won’t be of interest to everyone, but I’ve tried to let all this counsel guide me and it may help anyone who’s in...
Ripping Off Moisés Silva
I’m stealing brazenly from Moisés Silva (see my previous post quoting him at length), but perhaps this post may still amuse and inform you. Silva provides the set-up, I the made-up text and exegesis. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Silva: "It is...
A Good Warning for Bloggers and Dissertation Writers
John Frame in “Machen’s Warrior Children,” regarding theological polemics in his community (and, let’s face it, ours): Overall, the quality of thought displayed in these polemics has not been a credit to the Reformed tradition. Writers have gone to great lengths to...
Humpty Dumpty on Ἀγάπη
Humpty Dumpty took the book and looked at it carefully. “That seems to be done right—” he began. “You're holding it upside down!” Alice interrupted. “To be sure I was!” Humpty Dumpty said gaily as she turned it round for him. “I thought it looked a little queer. As I...
The Love Chapter
You could be the world’s foremost orator, but if you aren’t motivated by love, you’re like a car alarm going off in a parking lot. You could give out God’s Word powerfully, know truth no one else does, and move mountains with your faith—but if you aren’t driven by...