As such, Romans 14 could be recapitulated: Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not quarrelling over opinions which hold little eternal significance, since the age to come is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

Far from redefining the common Jewish eschatology, Paul is simply describing its future reality, hence reinforcing the sobriety and eternal perspective inherent in Jewish apocalypticism. This futurist approach squares with both the passage as a whole and with common expectations of the kingdom. Interposing realized eschatology into Romans 14 is both illogical and counterproductive to Paul’s argument that eschatology (cf. “salvation,” “the day,” “judgment seat,” “kingdom”) is the primary driver of Christian discipleship. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.281-282

Rather than critiquing the sacrificial system, the author presents an argument regarding its design and its scope. The Levitical offerings are a part of an earthly system that addresses earthly matters, though put in place by God; the offering of Jesus is a part of a heavenly system that addresses ‘heavenly’matters. Thus, while the author of Hebrews may present the offering of Jesus as ‘better’in the sense that the scope and effects are more expansive, this is not a critique in itself. After enacting the first covenant maintained by the people, God both enacts and maintains the second covenant on their behalf but in the heavens—his own dwelling place. -  Madison N. Pierce, Relapsing, Reverting, or Rejecting? The Purpose of Hebrews and Early Jewish Religion. AI Podcast Audio Format

So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 14:12–14)  

Romans 14 is simply an exposition and application of this idea of discipleship: to “walk properly as in the daytime.” The age to come will not involve drunkenness, immorality, or strife. Thus we should not engage in those things, because we are not destined for those things. Moreover, we were not designed for those things in the beginning. Sinful behaviors are counter to both our design and our destiny. They are fruitless and hold no eternal value.  - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.281

At the heart of all Christian discipleship lies this forsaking of all for the sake of following and witnessing to Jesus unto death. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.257

Several messianic themes are sounded in the Balaam oracles, but most prominent for the present is what appears to be the interpretation of Gen 3:15 in Num 24:17. There is enmity between Israel and Moab, and fearing Israel’s numbers (22:3) Balak king of Moab summons Balaam to curse Israel. As Balaam’s oracles are recounted, the text indicates that a male Israelite will arise whose coming is associated with the arrival of a star and the rising of a scepter, pointing to his royal status. The Targum on this text seems to interpret the star as “the King” (malkā’) and the scepter as “the Messiah” (měšîhā’). This individual will “crush the forehead of Moab” (Num 24:17). The words used in Numbers are not the words used in Genesis, but the image of the crushed head of an enemy is clearly invoked. - James Hamilton, The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman: Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Genesis 3:15, AI generated podcast format of article

Thus we have a pattern for understanding growth and perseverance in faith and discipleship. This pattern is exemplified by the apostle Paul, who before conversion was “a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees” (Acts 23:6)—“the strictest party of our religion” (Acts 26:5)—and “as to righteousness under the law, blameless”(Phil. 3:6). The cross, however, exposed the ambitions of his heart, and thus here counts the truth of his condition: “We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days inmalice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). So Paul can declare at the end of his life, “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:16). - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.237

The OT is a messianic document, written from a messianic perspective, to sustain a messianic hope. - James Hamilton,  The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman: Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Genesis 3:15, AI generated podcast format of article

Before receiving a revelation of the cross, all human beings assume they possess a general righteousness and a lack of need for atonement. Ask someone on the street, “Will you go to heaven when you die?” (or some question concerning eternal life and acceptability in the sight of God), and you will usually get a confident “Yes.” The assumption is a basic correspondence between the righteousness of God and the righteousness of humanity. It is conversion that brings the revelation of sin, depravity, and the need for divine mercy. God is understood as holy, while we are wicked—the cross being the solution. However, this is not a one-time revelation. It is a progressive disclosure of the holiness of God and the depraved state into which we have all been born. Knowledge of the gap between the depravity of mankind and the holiness of God ought to only grow larger, while the glory of the cross and mercy of God ought to only grow greater. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.237

In this way, New Testament discipleship is also understood to be cruciform, for our whole life is meant to be conformed to the cross. Those who embark upon the journey of faith in Christ crucified endure its complexities. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.236

“We’ve got to get away from this terrible, haunting preoccupation with ourselves, where we love our love of God rather than God Himself.” - Art Katz

Moreover, inaugurationalism inevitably supplants the cross as the ultimate standard of this age. Instead of God confirming by the Spirit the extension of the mercy of the cross in light of the apocalyptic judgment to come, we are simply left with an ever-increasing extension of divine sovereignty by means of the Spirit. Instead of the cross being the normative pattern for discipleship within the church, it becomes little more than a perfunctory mechanism for ushering in the new age of Spirit actualization.  - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.118

Eschatology determines missiology. One’s understanding of the end logically determines the means to that end. Biblical eschatology is based on perfect cosmogeny, which sets the foundation and context for salvation at the end of the age. - John P. Harrigan

A short lesson on praying the apostolic prayers. Audio 1. Audio 2. The Apostolic Prayers. 

“If the praise of man elates me and his blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.” - Amy Carmichael 

Theology 101:

Them: “The Early Church Fathers taught X.”

Me: “The who?”

Them: “The Early Church Fathers.”

Me: “All the church fathers?”

Them: “Well, not all.”

Me: “How many?”

Them: “Well, some.”

Me: “Which ones?”

Them: “Well, Saint So-and So.”

Me: “So one. And when did he live?”

Them: “Like, around 400..”

Me: “So not particularly early.”

Them: “But a church father.”

Me: “Okay. One late church father taught X. Fine. Did you know some earlier church fathers taught Y, and some others taught Z?”

-Dr. Michael Svigel

Theology 101: Resurrection does not occur at the moment of your death. If you have an eschatology in which your death is resurrection, get rid of it immediately. That’s literally Gnostic eschatology. Death is not resurrection! Resurrection is the complete opposite of death! - Dr. Micheal Svigel

A commonsense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with the physics, as well as chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature. -Sir Fred Hoyle

We're all Jacobs dressed in the clothing of our older brother, Jesus, to obtain the inheritance of the Father. - Chad Bird

“You will be an incomplete Christian if you do not look forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ.” -McCheyne

"All exegesis is, is reading the text to find out what's there." -D.A. Carson

Theology 101: I don’t long for the end of this age but for the beginning of the next. I don’t hope for escape from this world but for this world’s release from its bondage to corruption. I’m not eagerly anticipating dying and going to heaven but bodily resurrection. - Dr. Michael Svigel

"We have what may be called a standing miracle continually before our eyes; I mean the state of the Jews, who, though dispersed far and wide among many nations, are every where preserved a distinct and separate people. The history of the world affords no other instance of the like kind. The great monarchies, by which they were successively conquered and scattered, have successively perished. Only the names of them remain. But the people whom they despised, and endeavored to exterminate, subsist to this day; and, though sifted like corn over the earth, and apparently forsaken of God, are still preserved by his wonderful providence, unaffected by the changes and customs around them; still tenacious of the law of Moses, though the observance of it is rendered impracticable. Many days, many ages they have lived as the prophets foretold they should, without a temple, without sacrifice or priest. (Hos. 3:4-5) As yet, many Heathen nations are permitted to walk in their own ways. But at length "the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11:25-26) The revolutions and commotions in kingdoms and nations, which astonish and perplex politicians, are all bringing forward this great event."

(Works of John Newton, Volume IV, Sermon XXXII.)

-Via BA Purtle

The age of scientific materialism is over. There's a new interest in the supernatural. Without guardrails and good theology, this will lead to some really dark places. - Jeremy Boreing 

Can blasphemy be committed against a mere man?

"Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him...and they said many other things against him, blaspheming him." - Luke 22:63–65

-Matt Damico 

Pauline cessationism:

The charismata described in 1 Cor. 12-14 (and other relative passages) will cease “when the perfect comes,” when we see “face to face,” when we “know fully” — that is, in the future resurrection. - BA Purtle

The Spirit's work, in all of its forms, is to keep disciples on the path of life in anticipation of the judgment and coming Kingdom. We need the Spirit’s work—all of it. Despite how they may have been presented to you previously, miracles are intended to serve the same purpose. The conviction of sin, the encouragement, the revelation of the Spirit; these all serve the exact same purpose as signs and wonders. The Spirit is simply trying to turn our attention to what matters—the fact that God will judge the world, the dead will be raised, and some will be raised to life and others to destruction. - Bill Scofield, The Spirit and the Enduring Need for Divine Empowerment.

Signs are intended to stir our faith, but they are temporary. You don’t need a sign indicating that you are on the right path to the Grand Canyon, once you are standing in the Grand Canyon. A sign, by nature, is not the anticipated object of our hope. It is a powerful reminder that we should continue in the path. In this age signs serve as a reminder of the world to come. - Bill Scofield, The Spirit and the Enduring Need for Divine Empowerment.

Jewish faith, just like early Christian faith, is constantly forward looking. The resurrection and the Kingdom of God have always had center stage in discussions of Jewish eschatology. The hope of eternal life is the primary motivator for devotion to God, for denying the flesh, and for living lives of integrity before Him. The more material the hope, the greater the ability to walk in these virtues. Within this context, miraculous phenomena not only take on new meaning, but are also transformed into a vital part of discipleship rather than a tangential one. “Signs” are not miraculous events arbitrarily ‘pointing to God’. Signs are proof that God is able to do the exact things he said he would in the Torah and the Prophets. - Bill Scofield, The Spirit and the Enduring Need for Divine Empowerment.

The slick environment of many Pentecostal/Charismatic churches has a not-so-subtle way of endearing congregants to the stage and to those who occupy it. God certainly seemed to be doing and saying something. Yet, to my young self, it felt like God was doing miracles as an endorsement of the minister or of the church. As a young man, mostly a spectator to ministry, I found that some of these dynamics obscured what God was saying through the miraculous phenomena, and, ultimately, they left me indifferent to what God was saying. They were cool to experience but ultimately felt trivial. - Bill Scofield, The Spirit and the Enduring Need for Divine Empowerment.

My teaching from Luke 9 on the introduction to his late Perean and Judean ministry, the "travel narrative", and Samaritan resitance. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

Joshua 2: "Rahab the prostitute"

Matthew 1: "Rahab, the grandmother of the Messiah."

God has the redemptive capability to change labels and rewrite stories for his purposes and our better. - Wes Huff

The kingdom of heaven is not the church, and it’s not the heavenly afterlife. It’s not about going to heaven when you die.

Instead, the kingdom of heaven is the coming Messianic Era predicted by Moses and all the prophets. It’s a term from Jewish eschatology that describes the future utopian reign of the Messiah on earth. It’s not a heavenly realm or an unseen spiritual kingdom; it’s a literal king (the Messiah) who sits on a literal throne (the throne of David) in a literal city (Jerusalem), administering a literal kingdom (the kingdom of Israel). His kingdom is called “the kingdom of heaven” and “the kingdom of God.” The prophets say that the kingdom will not be confined only to the land of Israel. The reign of the Messiah will expand to encompass the entire world and usher everyone into a global utopia of peace and spiritual revelation.  - DT Lancaster, Why Do You Not Do What I Say?

Without the Jewish framework to supply context, the teachings of Jesus often sound like strange, cryptic riddles. That creates a lot of ambiguity, which gets exploited to subvert the meaning of His teachings. When placed back into their natural habitat, however, the words of Jesus become clear, simple, and easy to understand. They aren’t riddles. It’s simple Jewish teaching about the coming kingdom, the urgency of repentance, the Day of the LORD, and the final redemption. - DT Lancaster, Why Do You Not Do What I Say?

The second reason that we don’t do what He says is that we don’t understand what He says. What Jesus said was said as a Jewish teacher to Jewish students living in the first-century Jewish world of Judea and Galilee. He taught in the language of the Jewish rabbis and teachers of His day and age. He used the same Scriptures, the same figures of speech, the same type of parables, and the same hermeneutical maneuvers as other Jewish teachers. When His words are read within the context of that type of Jewish literature, the teachings of Jesus are simple. They make solid sense. Outside of a Jewish context, not so much. - DT Lancaster, Why Do You Not Do What I Say?

However, the main reason we don’t do what He says is that we think we do know what He means, but we don’t. At almost every turn, we have been taught to explain His words to mean Christian things and not Jewish things. For example, we know that Jesus preaches the gospel, but we don’t know what that means. We assume that the gospel is the message about the cross, justification, and the afterlife. It’s not. The gospel is about the kingdom. We assume Jesus teaches an end to Judaism and the Old Testament Law. He doesn’t. He is a Jew practicing Judaism, talking about Jewish stuff. We redefine the kingdom of heaven as the church or, simply, as “going to heaven when you die.” The kingdom is neither of those things. - DT Lancaster, Why Do You Not Do What I Say?

Over forty times the Bible describes the Holy Spirit as creating, speaking, testifying, teaching, or forbidding, etc.

To deny His Personhood and deity is to deny the Bible and the Triune God who inspired it. - BA Purtle

‘Effective ministry corresponds so much with the character of a minister that theologian John Sanderson advised people to play softball with pastoral candidates interviewing for a position. "Then on a close play at second base," Sanderson said (with his tongue mostly in cheek), "call him out when he is really safe. Then see what happens!"’ -Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching

"None participate in the benefits of Christ save those who raise their minds to the resurrection." - John Calvin

One of the aims of the “must manage his household well” requirement for an overseer is that his wife and children wouldn’t say at his funeral, “He loved theology, preaching, counseling, evangelism, missions… in a real way we think he loved Christ. But he didn’t love us much.” - BA Purtle

Though an emphasis on typology may initially seem strange, it was by God’s set foreknowledge that the first coming of the Messiah would be somewhat “mysterious” (cf. Luke 8:10 and par.; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:16), so as to confuse the wise and make the haughty stumble (cf. Rom. 9:30–33; 1 Cor. 1:18–25). Those who recognize their own depravity, casting themselves upon the mercy of God, readily receive the veiled prophetic unfolding of divine kindness before the plainly revealed apocalyptic culmination of divine severity. Thus, “slow of heart to believe” (Luke 24:25) is an issue of pride and repentance rather than unenlightenment and gnostic revelation. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.388

Paul also makes frequent references to Genesis 3. For example, he exhorts the Roman church to resist wicked deceivers, whose “smooth talk and flattery” (Rom. 16:18) is akin to that of Satan in the garden. Then he admonishes them “to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil” (v. 19), an obvious reference to the forbidden tree, for “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (v. 20). By “soon” he has in mind the coming of Christ and the day of the Lord (cf. Rom. 2:5; 3:6; 4:17; 5:9; 6:5; 8:18–23; 10:9; 11:25–27; 13:12; 14:10–12), and the “God of peace” (16:20) is understood in light of the messianic passages wherein peace is proclaimed and established upon the earth under the Messiah’s rule (cf. Isa. 9:7; 66:12; Hag. 2:9; Zech. 9:10). - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.126

If the Scriptures reveal the players and playing field of existence, how does it describe the game of existence? What are the rules? What are the goals? What are the strategies involved? Though some may reject the Scriptures as primitive and mythological, I believe they give us clear answers. Unlike most other sacred texts, which are generally uniform and homogenous in nature, the Bible is a complicated assortment of writings of various genres written over a millennia and a half by various authors in various contexts. From a human perspective it may seem like a hodgepodge of dissimilar and discordant books with little overarching meaning (except, as assumed by critical scholars, the record of the historical evolution of human beliefs). Assuming, however, that the Scriptures are of divine origin, I believe we must approach them as a progressive revelation from God concerning his relations with humanity (cf. Rom. 16:25–26; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:3–5). 

Furthermore, this progression of revelation (in both the Tanakh and the New Testament) generally seems to be increasingly apocalyptic—meaning God is progressively revealing himself in relation to the ultimate end of history, and this end is both climactic and cataclysmic. For this reason the intertestamental Jewish apocalyptic tradition is based on both the Prophets and the Writings, as they exposited the Torah. Moreover, the New Testament is an extension of this tradition, culminating in the book of Revelation. In this way all of the apocalyptic themes develop organically from the Torah through the Prophets and the Writings. From beginning to end, the Bible is thus a progressively apocalyptic revelation, depicting the narrative of God (in his holiness) and humanity (in its depravity) playing out to their ultimate end. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.45-46

“Revelation was, indeed, at the outset generally accepted. In the second century it was among the earliest books to be included in the growing New Testament. Hardly anyone doubted its right to be counted there. Yet in the third century the Greek theologians of Alexandria - Origen and those whom he influenced—were repelled by it.” - Dr. Michael Svigel

"Keep clear of introspection, of brooding, of spiritualism, of everything eccentric. Keep to work and sanity and open air – to the cheerful and the matter of fact side of things. We hold our mental health by a thread: and nothing is worth risking for it. Above all beware of excessive day dreaming, of seeing yourself in the centre of a drama, of self pity, and, as far as possible, of fears.” - C.S. Lewis

Theology 201: I'm a little surprised how many people read the occurrences of "then" (τότε) in Matthew 24 to mean "next in chronological order following the preceding event," as if the Olivet Discourse is providing a step-by-step series of events. The Greek τότε usually means "at that time" in the sense of "during the same period being discussed," not necessarily "after the event just mentioned." And while I'm at it, a lot of English translations of Revelation render καί (and) as "then" just to avoid the tedious repetition of "and...and...and..." This also has led people to take things in chronological order that may not necessarily be intended as such. I can't emphasize enough the need for training and experience in the original languages. But then, it would send to the trash heaps a hundred years of popular-level end-times books by hacks who made chronological charts based strictly on τότε and καί translated into English as "then." Yes, the New Testament does contain clear texts with clear chronology using clear chronological terms. And yes, sometimes in context τότε and καί can indicate series of events following each other. But the naive assumption by many that they always do has led to dubious and downright deceptive conclusions. - Dr. Michael Svigel

Theology 101: The process of sanctification involves continually sacrificing who we are to become who we ought to be. - Dr. Michael Svigel

The third century saw the first attempt to discredit millenarianism, when Origen, perhaps the most influential of all the theologians of the ancient Church, began to present the Kingdom as an event which would take place not in space or time but only in the souls of believers. For a collective, millenarian eschatology Origen substituted an eschatology of the individual soul. What stirred his profoundly Hellenic imagination was the prospect of spiritual progress begun in this world and continued in the next; and to this theme theologians were henceforth to give increasing attention. . . .  When in the fourth century Christianity attained a position of supremacy in the Mediterranean world and became the official religion of the Empire, ecclesiastical disapproval of millenarianism became emphatic. The Catholic Church was now a powerful and prosperous institution, functioning according to a well-established routine; and the men responsible for governing it had no wish to see Christians clinging to out-dated and inappropriate dreams of a new earthly Paradise. Early in the fifth century St Augustine propounded the doctrine which the new conditions demanded. According to The City of God the Book of Revelation was to be understood as a spiritual allegory; as for the Millennium, that had begun with the birth of Christianity and was fully realized in the Church. This at once became orthodox doctrine. - Norman Cohn, The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages

The fact that the apostolic witness was readily received by so many orthodox Jews (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7; 11:19; 13:43; 14:1; 17:4; 18:8; 19:10; 21:20; 24:24f; 28:24) argues strongly for an unaltered Jewish apocalyptic background to the cruciform message. - John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, footnotes, p.341

Some say understanding Jewish apocalypticism and the historical context of the NT is a form of gnosticism-- some special knowledge that only the intellectually elite can attain.

It's exactly the opposite.

Knowing what Jews actually believed about things like the day of judgment, the resurrection of the dead, the kingdom of God, and Gehenna delivers us from the theological plague of "spiritualizing" everything (which is the real and original gnosticism).

It actually allows us to read the NT in a plain, common sense manner. - John P. Harrigan

Theology 101: Eternal life is not disembodied life in heaven…or even reembodied life in heaven. Eternal life is reembodied life on a renewed earth.- Dr. Michael Svigel