Any good thing that becomes an ultimate thing will always turn into an idolatrous thing.

There is a pattern we find early in Scripture that becomes a significant strategy of the enemy. The enemy loves to take the good that God creates and turn it into vices that lure, entice, and ultimately ensnare us.

Notice that in the very beginning of creation, God establishes a pattern. He creates things and calls them good. In other words, whatever God creates at its point of creation is good. The sun, the moon, the stars, the animals - all of this is good. And when He creates humankind, He creates them “very good.”

It’s almost like God wants us to follow a pattern. God wants us to:

1. See the good of creation

2. Enjoy the good of creation

3. Multiply the good of creation

See, enjoy, and multiply.

But the enemy loves to start with what God has created and twist it. The pattern that the enemy wants to establish is “see, desire, and take.”

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Consider that Eve in the Garden of Eden

1. Sees that the fruit is good

2. Desires the fruit for its knowledge

3. Takes the fruit in disobedience of Yahweh

The significant and subtle deception that the serpent uses, is to start with something that was good and lure us into making that good thing an ultimate thing. This is the first of three rebellions I trace in The Unseen Battle, and the same pattern runs through all of them.

This pattern is deeply embedded in the storyline of Scripture. It helps us make sense of human rebellion, angelic rebellion - and the necessity for Christ and his victory over sin and death through the cross.

This same pattern is present in our own lives. Think about the many “good” things we desire. A spouse, children, food, physical fitness, entertainment. Any of these things can become the very context for the enemies temptation.

If you’re tired of being caught off guard by the enemy’s tactics.

If you’re ready to become equipped in the spiritual war that we are all part of.

If you desire to stand confident in the already victory of Christ as means of preparing for the spiritual battle that is taking place all around us in unseen places.

I wrote, “The Unseen Battle: Spiritual Warfare, The Three Rebellions, And the Victory of Christ Over Dark Powers” for you.

Right now, The Unseen Battle is available for over 58% off on Amazon as part of their Amazon Big Deals Days October 6th and 7th! Now is the perfect time to get your copy.

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If you’ve already gotten a copy this is a great time to pick one up for a friend, a family member, or even a coworker!

P.S - The 58% off is only available for the next 48hrs! If you already have a copy I’d love it if you went onto Amazon and wrote an honest review. Reviews help people discover the book and I’m praying this will reach people who are interested in the spiritual realm who really need to meet King Jesus. Thank you!

~ Joel Muddamalle; PhD

I don’t really known anyone who doesn’t have trust issues. We’ve all either broken trust, or have been on the receiving end of having our trust broken. So where do we put our trust? Proverbs 3:5-8 reminds us that there really is only one person who is trustworthy. Whenever we opt to put our total trust in anyone other than Him, the outcome is disaster.

All of this and more in this week’s devotion, brought to you by the NIV Application Bible from Zondervan.

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We all need someone to turn to when things go sideways. When we feel lost. When the world feels unsafe and scary. Psalm 23 gives us just that. It reminds us that we are maybe lost at times, but there is a good shepherd who won’t abandon or leave us.

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To be in misery is to be in pain. And pain has a way of blinding us. We wonder if anyone is watching. Does anyone hear? Is anyone going to risk stepping into our pain to bring rescue? The answer is, yes.

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This was a question the first-century church cared deeply about. It is also a question that has come up again in theological and scholarly circles in recent years, often under the name “the eternal subordination of the Son”, the idea that Jesus is eternally subordinate to the Father in all things.

There is some nuance here that distinguishes it from the first question. Many scholars who hold to the eternal subordination of the Son would also wholeheartedly agree with the pre-existence of Christ. For them, Jesus is not a created being, which is an important distinction to make in modern conversations.

At the core of the question, however, is still the nature of the relationship between the humanity and divinity of Christ, and thus the relationship between the Father and the Son.

(Byzantine triumphal arch at Nicea (modern Iznik, Turkey). The first Council of Nicea (a.d. 325) debated the Arian controversy, resolving that Christ was “begotten, not made,” “of one essence with the Father.” (B. K. Condit).)1

Considering the Historicity of This Conversation

The early church, specifically in the pre-Nicene period, did not have a consensus statement in regard to this question. That is what led to the fourth-century rise of the “Arian controversy.”

The theology of the Arians can be summarized as:

1. God was not always the “Father” — there was a time when God was simply “God” and not “Father.”

2. The Son (Jesus) is a creature, created out of nothing by God.

3. There are several “powers” of God that were present prior to the creation of the Son.

4. The stability and sustenance of the Son is predicated on the Father.

We could summarize the main issue this way:

Central to Arian teaching is the insistence that the Son is alien from the divine being and distinct from God — even though he can be called “divine,” he is not true God.2

Arians would have been happy to say that Jesus is the Son of God and that he was “begotten” of the Father. But the nature of “begotten” for them was synonymous with “creating,” which led them to believe that Jesus was both subordinate and inferior to the Father.

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Nicaea’s Answer: The Son Is of the Same Substance

This led early church fathers such as Athanasius, Gregory of Nyssa, Basil of Caesarea, and others to agree upon the homoousion (same substance) of the Son with the Father. This means that the Son is pre-existent and eternal. In other words, there was never a time when the Son of God did not exist. There is no diminishment in the divinity of Christ. This concept found its way into the language of the Council of Nicaea (325).

Athanasius puts it this way:

But since the generation of the Son from the Father is not according to the nature of men, and not only like, but also inseparable from the essence of the Father, and He and the Father are one, as He has said Himself, and the Word is ever in the Father and the Father in the Word, as the radiance stands towards the light (for this the phrase itself indicates) ... 3

The Westminster Confession of Faith says it this way:

In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost (1 John 5:7; Matt. 3:16–17; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14). The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father (John 1:14, 18); the Holy Ghost [eternally proceeding] from the Father and the Son (John 15:26; Gal. 4:6). 4

The Incarnation Is Not the Son’s Beginning

When we think of the incarnation, we should not think of it as a “beginning of creation for the Son.” Instead, as John Webster notes,

The incarnation is therefore not a further instance of a process of becoming, of which the divine life and activity are also part. Nor is the incarnation a creaturely movement; it is free, gratuitous and ex nihilo, the exercise of the divine good pleasure and not a necessary consequence of any state of affairs beyond the loving will and purpose of the Father who sends and the free, active obedience of the Son or Word. 5

Jesus Is the Begotten Son of God, but Not Created

A lot of ink has been spilled on this topic. In John 1:14 we find the Greek word μονογενής/monogenes, which is a compound word. The first part, μονο/mono, carries the sense of “only” or “one.” The second part, γενής/genes, is talking about kind or class, something that is unique or distinct. Put together, the word deals with the nature of that uniqueness.

To summarize, this word refers to the unique, unparalleled, and incomparable nature of Jesus as the “only Son.” So this may be surprising, but the Greek word has less to do with “begetting” and more to do with being unique, unparalleled, and distinct in nature and class.

There are theological reasons for the translation “begotten,” and they can be traced to Jerome and how he translated this word in various places in the Latin Vulgate. Jerome was dealing with a theological issue with the Arians, who claimed Jesus was made, not begotten. So when monogenēs was connected to Jesus, Jerome used the translation “only begotten.” That influenced the KJV, which in turn influenced other modern translations.

So, to simplify it: the Greek word monogenēs means “one of a kind.”

This translation is reinforced by the Hebrew yāhîd, which can be translated as “only, precious” (Gen. 22:2, 12, 16).

Tertullian saw the same thing centuries earlier:

Then, therefore, does the Word also Himself assume His own form and glorious garb, His own sound and vocal utterance, when God says, “Let there be light.” This is the perfect nativity of the Word, when He proceeds forth from God — formed by Him first to devise and think out all things under the name of Wisdom — “The Lord created or formed me as the beginning of His ways;” then afterward begotten, to carry all into effect — “When He prepared the heaven, I was present with Him.” Thus does He make Him equal to Him: for by proceeding from Himself He became His first-begotten Son, because begotten before all things; and His only-begotten also, because alone begotten of God, in a way peculiar to Himself, from the womb of His own heart — even as the Father Himself testifies: “My heart,” says He, “hath emitted my most excellent Word.” 6

Jesus is the “one of a kind/unique” Son of God, who is fully God Himself. He is the invisible God made visible and is not in any way inferior in quality or essence (ontology) to the Father. In the Incarnation, Jesus willingly submitted Himself to the Father so the mission and plan of the Godhead (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit) could be fulfilled in human time and space, ultimately leading to the cross and through the grave into the resurrection.

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The “sea” wasn’t something that was taken lightly by the people in the Ancient Near East. It was an image of chaos and destruction. When the Israelites ran into the Red (reed) Sea, they faced death in front of them, and could hear the sound of death (the Egyptian chariots) behind them. But this wouldn’t be the end of their story.

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At first, when I saw the image, I thought it was some funny meme or parody of a Transformers movie set in India. Then, when I looked closely, I saw that the source of the image was DHS (Homeland Security). At the time of this writing, it is September 11th. I remember exactly where I was when I saw the second plane crash into the tower. I was sitting in my science class with the black-topped tables and four wooden legs, a sophomore in high school, watching horror unfold in real life on the TV that was hanging in the corner of the room. I cannot begin to describe the kind of evil that was exposed to us in America at that moment. A kind of evil that had been active in other parts of the world that we had been insulated from, but that now became a reality.

With that moment came insecurity, anxiety, and, sadly, severe errors in how Asians and those from the Middle East who were loyal citizens of America were treated. I know this personally because I am of Indian descent. I heard the statements behind my back or to my face about how my family were probably terrorists. I remember when my dad, who had had a beard since the day I think I was born, shaved it all off just a few weeks after 9/11 simply because of the stigma that came with long hair and beards for brown-skinned men. These are all realities that I can’t hide from or ignore, because I lived it.

All these years later, with all the progress that has been made and the healing that has taken place, to see that image on this day broke my heart.1 Arguably, there are a lot of “what abouts” when it comes to this image. What if the image was referring to a specific person, not an entire people group? What if it is based on a true story? All of these questions are fair and should be discussed. I’m not qualified to discuss the political data and aspects of this. Regardless of the “what if,” we are still left with the “impact” of the image and how it has been received by many, including myself.

An image and marketing strategy that is frankly unhelpful and creates division, not unity. For me, I care deeply about the theological implications of the moment.

For those of you who have followed along with me, you know that I care deeply about theology. I want to understand the Scriptures on their terms, not my own. I also want to work hard to understand how the Scriptures, and Jesus Himself, call us to live as a witness in a world that is still under the oppressive power of dark forces that hate humanity and would love nothing better than to see us destroy ourselves.

Friends, this is one of those tactics. A simple image that communicates fear, hatred, and animosity, and sparks the flame of the spirit of the age — contempt.

My concern mostly is for Christians. How do we respond in these moments? I’d love to start by speaking to the everyday follower of Jesus. Then, I have a specific encouragement, even a challenge, for my ministry leader and pastor friends who are reading along.

A Christian Response to Intolerance and Fear-Mongering

The image that you saw is the fruit of the issue, not the root. And sadly, it is just one image in a sea of images that are all being nourished by what Paul refers to in his writings as the “vices of the flesh” in Galatians 5. However, I want to turn to a section in the letter he wrote to the church in Rome that really speaks to this particular issue. The church in Rome had really been going through it. There was the presence of imperial power and pressure; it was a melting pot of cultures and worldviews; and there was a growing local church trying to follow the ways of Jesus in the midst of people telling them that they really should be hating each other. Hmm… sound familiar? This is what Paul says:

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” (Romans 16:17–18, NIV)

Notice that Paul first wants us to “watch out.” In other words, if we are not on the lookout for the way the enemy is deceiving us, we will fall into their snares. Then we are directed to whom we should look out for: those people who cause division and create obstacles that are contrary to the teachings of Jesus. What did Jesus teach us about our unity with other image bearers of God? Well, first we are reminded that there is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female — because we are one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).2 Now, some of you will observe that this is a statement directed toward believers, which is true. What about unbelievers? Paul says earlier in Romans:

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18, NIV, emphasis mine)

Paul modeled this personally as he interacted respectfully with unbelievers who held to a contrary worldview and religious framework. He wouldn’t be sucked into their game plan, but rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit, would invite them into the perspective and practice of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Some may push back and say that this is speaking about individuals. What about when it involves the governments that we are subject to? Great question, and something we need to wrestle with. We have to be careful that we don’t overreact and, as the saying goes, “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” which, for the record, is a horrible saying.

Peter gives us some very helpful insights:

“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:13–17, NIV)

On the one hand, we are to submit to the rulers and leaders over us. This is not an accident; God is sovereign even in this part of human existence. But notice that the responsibility of these leaders is to “punish those who do wrong” and “commend those who do right.” They are responsible to do this in both the manner in which they go about it and the outcome. So, we can’t just say, “Well, they are trying to keep our roads safe,” when the manner in which they go about it actually undermines the human dignity, respect, and honor of an entire people group. This is where discernment is so important. We should acknowledge the good while also not allowing our freedom to be a means to “cover up evil.” Notice the very next thing that Peter says — show proper respect to everyone!

I wonder if this teaching stems from what happened in Acts 5:29, when Peter and the disciples were faced with a choice. Obey God or humans?

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29, NIV)

What Peter and the apostles do is rooted deeply in the Old Testament. The people of God speak truth to power and encourage rulers and leaders to exercise their authority with righteousness and justice. The Hebrew midwives defy Pharaoh’s evil decree because they feared God (Exod 1:15–21), and Daniel prays openly despite the decree against it (Dan 6:10).

So Where Do We Go From Here?

The marching orders are actually quite simple without being simplistic. Let’s just do what Paul says to the church in Galatia.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:13–15, NIV)

P.S. — I’m convinced a big part of the failure and challenge we have in this area is because of the lost, neglected, or even rejected biblical virtue of humility. This Substack is called “Humble Theology” for a reason. To learn more about the power and peace that come through humility, check out The Hidden Peace.

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A Special Thought For Pastors and Ministry Leaders:

I don’t actively pastor a local church. I am a member of a local church and serve on the teaching and preaching team. I have my friends who pastor local churches. I am regularly in conversations with pastors and ministry leaders as they process how to engage theologically and pastorally when it comes to politics. I can’t imagine the pressure you are under. So, let me start by saying I’m praying for you. Seriously, in the morning as I sit on my front porch and work through the Scriptures - I have a time of dedicated prayer and you all are on that list. Prayer for wisdom and discernment in such confusing days.

A question for you to consider. Even if you don’t talk about politics, how would you teach and work through the Gospel implications and the ethics of the Kingdom of God? Maybe this post can help you as you process this. If you do talk about politics regularly, my hope is that you would maintain consistency not to a political party, but based on our shared allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven. As such, we can speak with confidence against evil and proudly proclaim what is true, righteous and just. Thank you for serving the Kingdom of God and praying for wisdom in such trying and difficult days.

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To be in misery is to be in pain. And pain has a way of blinding us. We wonder if anyone is watching. Does anyone hear? Is anyone going to risk stepping into our pain to bring rescue? The answer is, yes.

All of this and more in this week’s devotion brought to you by the NIV Application Bible from Zondervan.

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First Light - Your Monday Devotion To Light Up Your Week: Genesis 12

I’m excited to launch a new series here on Substack called “First Light.” It’s a Monday video devotion that I pray will help you to marvel at the light of the Gospel and encourage you for the week ahead!

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To really understand the Bible, we need to recognize that it is miraculously interwoven. In other words, it is a series of hyperlinks that point back to one another. The earliest hyperlinks set the stage for understanding the rest of the Bible. This is why Genesis 12 is so important. The story of the Tower of Babel sets the framework for the tension of the Old Testament, the Gods of the Nations, and the plan that God has to have his family back together.

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You may be shocked to read this, but the Bible didn’t really come alive to me until I realized that there was more benefit in reading the Bible like Homer’s the Odyssey or the Iliad or even Marvel comics! Now, don’t unsubscribe (not yet at least). Let me explain, when we read Homer we don’t expect Homer to write his literature based on our modern context. And when we enjoy Marvel comics and movies we do so because we are fully aware the supernatural cosmology of the that world.

Guess what, we need to apply those same principles to reading the Bible.

The Bible is true. It is real. It is also written within an actual cultural context and social setting that we are distanced from today 2,000 years later. The good news, we can still get the offense of the Gospel through a very simple reading the Bible! And, we can train and learn how to dig deep into the text by learning about the Ancient Near Eastern World, the Greco Roman Context, and the literary features of the Scriptures.

I don’t want you to have to go to seminary or start a PhD program to get into all of this. That’s why I’m teaching a Seminary level “How To Study The Bible Course” - Tonight (8pm EST) LIVE on Substack.

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Even if you can’t make it for the live teaching, I’ll have the replay available and ready for you. This is FREE for all paid Humble Theology Subscribers. If you haven’t upgraded your subscription, I’d love to invite you to do so. Not only will you get this Course for free (normally $199) but you will get access to all future courses and the full theology essay archive. Additionally, you will be supporting my ability to continue to research, write, and teach.

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~ Dr. Joel Muddamalle

Iphone people - elated and celebrate.

Android people - anger, resentment, frustration.

Or, you could say that MJ is by far the GOAT. Instantly Lebron folks are up in arms with all their stats, and longevity, and on and on it goes.

(Image source1)

For the record, when I bring these up in teaching or speaking situations it is always to lighten the mood, get a reaction, and in a way disarm people so they can meet with the Word of God in an honest way.

But I’ve come to realize that these simple lighthearted jokes, aren’t being taken that way any more. In fact, five years ago when I made these jokes no one ever seriously got upset. But today, slowly; more and more people are not only taking it very seriously - but it is shaping the way they perceive me as a person. Kind of wild, but it’s been my experience. This experience has zeroed me into something that I think is one of the great (if not greatest) dangers of our society today. Not at a local level, or national level, but global.

It is the issue of contempt. I would argue, that this is not simply an emotion people can have, but it is the preferred emotion that the dark powers (spirits) desire to leverage in order to bring about the undoing of our humanity.

What is contempt? Contempt is the movement beyond anger, and into hatred. You could be frustrated and even angry with someone for a moment because of their

• political views

• opinions on gender

• theological takes on hell or the rapture

and this would be very understandable, and I would argue very normal.

Contempt moves beyond anger and into overwhelming hatred of the person that thinks or feels different than you. No longer are they an image bearer of God that differs in opinion from you; now they are an arch enemy that must be despised wholesale. This kind of perspective creates a scaling division that is fueled by contempt. We’ve seen this especially in the last few years with politics. Author Arthur Brooks says, “America is addicted to political contempt.”2 I agree.

But contempt is not limited to politics. I experienced this personally when I had a difference of opinion on a very popular pop star who is beloved by many. Some of the very people who messaged me about how much my ministry and theology efforts in various areas had been such a blessing and source of encouragement to them, after watching my “hot take,” replied with some of the nastiest, anger-filled words that ended with “I’ll be unfollowing you now, and I’m done with you.”

This, my friends, is the spirit of the age - contempt.

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” (Ephesians 2:1–2, NIV)

I think one of the great tragedies for believers specifically who live out contempt in their lives is that they were actually set free from this in Christ and yet willingly chose to be held captive by it.

How do we deal with contempt? I think we can practically do three things. First, we practice forgiveness. Second, we embody the fruit of the Spirit. Third, we live out the virtues of the Kingdom of God detailed in the Sermon on the Mount.

Practice Forgiveness:

The English word “forgive” is a multi-faceted concept in the Hebrew Bible and throughout the New Testament. The idea throughout the Old Testament is that forgiveness is something that we should be indulgent towards. Forgiveness is heavy and costly. And then in the New Testament we see that forgiveness is about releasing that weight and burden. It is about a debt that has been freely cleared, not to let the other person off the hook, but to free yourself from the entrapment of resentment and yes, contempt.

Here is the relief that many of you also need to hear. The Bible does not demand that we forgive and are required to be reconciled. We can forgive, and release, and establish a boundary for the sake of safety and our own personal sanity and just move on with our lives to honor the Lord in all that we say and do.

We Embody The Fruit of The Spirit

Take some time and read through Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit. The Fruit of the Spirit has a goal. To edify the people of God and to glorify God. This means that when we practice love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness… and the list goes on - we are, in fact, inoculating ourselves against the sickness that is contempt. The fruit of the Spirit is given to all believers. Some may come more naturally to us than others, but we don’t get to say we only have some and not others. So we embrace fully what comes naturally, and we learn through the process of sanctification to practice those that are hard and painful. Whatever we practice, we will get better at!

We Live Out The Virtues of the Kingdom of God

The greatest sermon ever preached was by Jesus, and it’s called the Sermon on the Mount. Every part of the Sermon on the Mount protects citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven from being enticed and corrupted by contempt. I’ll end with something very simple.

Finish this article by reading Matthew chapters 5-7.

When we embody the virtues of the Kingdom of Heaven, we will suffocate out the oxygen that contempt requires to live and thrive on.

Here’s a bonus for us. Something Arthur Brooks states that I think is so important, “Gratitude is, quite simply, a contempt killer.”3 The challenge for us today would be to look at those that we have anger and contempt towards and force ourselves to figure out at least one thing that we are grateful for in what they do or say. This could be in the area of politics, theology, social situations or cultural perspectives. It could be music that you hate. Whatever it is, learning to find something that we can find gratitude for will over time deal with the virus that has plagued our society called - contempt.

He said, “Do you think Jesus enabled drunkenness with that first miracle? Any thoughts on this?”

I replied on IG, but I wanted to give a bit more because I think this is such a great example of the tension of having real modern questions as it relates to an ancient text that is very much applicable to our context today.

A couple of things we need to consider.

(Oenochoes (wine pitchers or jugs) from Corinth1

We want to try to understand this miracle in John 2:1-11 in its ancient cultural context as well as within the messianic motif that John is developing through his Gospel.

For instance, the motif of “an abundance of wine” was used throughout the Hebrew Bible to symbolize an age of salvation:

“Abundance of wine often was used as a motif to symbolize the age of salvation (Jer 31:12; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13–14; 2 Bar. 29:5; Sib. Or. 2.317–318; 3.620–623; 744–749) and the coming of the Messiah (Gen 49:11–12).”2

Throughout the OT, drinking of wine is associated with banquet imagery and anticipates the end-time messianic feast with the coming king, exactly what Jesus wants to draw upon in this miracle. Additionally, the Old Testament warns extensively about indulgences with wine and strong drink. Priests were not allowed to drink wine while they served in the temple, not to mention additional passages throughout the Old Testament that communicate the negative impact of drunkenness, such as addiction and poverty.

The phrase “wine and strong drink” shows up together in a negative context throughout the Hebrew Bible.

“Wine and “strong drink” (šēkār, a fermented beverage made from barley and similar to beer) often appear together and are warned against or forbidden (Lev 10:9; Num 6:3; Deut 29:6; Judg 13:4, 7, 14; 1 Sam 1:15; Prov 20:1; 31:4, 6; Is 5:11, 22; 24:9; 28:7; 29:9; 56:12; Mic 2:11; cf. Lk 1:15).”3

In the miracle at Cana, those phrases are not paired. The focus is on the quality of the wine and the quantity of the wine in order to draw the reader - both ancient and modern - to the messianic motif of a wedding feast. In other words, the Bride groom as arrived; it’s time to feast.

We really need to read this story in light of the messianic role and purpose that Jesus fulfills. The wine itself is not evil. However, it is in the pattern of humanity to take things that are neutral and use them in ways that are excessive and become evil.

Additional passages in the Old Testament, such as Eph 5:18, warn against getting drunk on wine, affirming the Old Testament teaching on the topic.

What Bible translation should I use? How do I move beyond simply reading my Bible to actually understanding what it says? You may be thinking you have a Bible problem.

You Don’t Have a Bible Problem. You Have a Toolkit Problem.

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6, CSB)

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I walked down the stairs and heard three little voices yell in unison, “But Dad, you promised!” Six brown eyes were staring at me, shocked and hurt that I had broken my promise to them. I had promised them the day before that I would take them out on a “dad date” to eat at our favorite pizza spot and grab some ice cream afterward. But the promise I made the day before was no longer possible the day after. As I looked at my kids’ faces, I saw something that broke my heart, because I realized I had broken their trust.

Broken trust has a way of breaking relationships. It leaves us intimately aware of our vulnerability because we took the risk of relying on someone else. I once learned that the English word “vulnerable” comes from the Latin vulnare and has in mind the reality of being willingly placed in a po…

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“So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs [ṣēlāʿ] and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made [bāná ] a woman from the rib [ṣēlāʿ] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.”

Genesis 2:21–22, NIV

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The Miss: Sadly, our modern cultural and social context can tend to frame our understanding of words and verses. Today when we think of a “rib” we think of a part of the human body that is helpful but not necessary. It is very possible for someone to fracture, crack, or even break a rib and the pain is immense but it’s not necessarily life or death.

When we take that understanding and import it onto Genesis 2:21 the conclusion can be that woman is an important part of creation, but since she comes from Adam and his rib, she still comes in 2nd best. In other words, yea; it could be painful to lose her but its not life or death. She comes from “just a rib” after all. Right?

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Greco-Roman

In the New Testament we find continued discussion of sexuality and sex in explicit terms. The Apostle Paul spoke often of the dangers of unbridled sexuality. Paul’s teaching in the NT comes into focus once we locate it in the backdrop of the Greco Roman world, “where various forms of sexual license were common.” This detail is important for us because it builds a bridge to our current context. Sexual freedom, exploration, and license is as common today as it was in the Greco-Roman world. It is true that Rome was a very sophisticated city that had influence in the known world at the time. However, it was also one of the most sexually …

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“To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16, ESV)

Certain verses in the Bible have been used in ways that the Bible itself never intended. At times, these verses have been weaponized in manipulative ways. At other times, the verses have just been misunderstood and misapplied. Though the intentions may have never been malicious, the impact was nonetheless damaging.

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Genesis 3:16 is one of those verses. I want to take a look specifically at the second half of the verse, talking about a woman’s desire and the man’s rule.

Here is how this verse has been weaponized.

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Popular pornography sites are seeing continual upticks in viewership. Pornhub had over 42 billion visits in 2019 according to a Forbes article. With the increase in viewership creates immense opportunity to commercialize around pornography. NBC news reports that Pornography has a global revenue i…

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