Theology Seeking Eschatology
How did these ancient NT authors source their OT citations and allusions? A “tally” approach—even a “weighted” tally approach—is flawed because it does not sufficiently account for the various modes by which the textual tradition would be accessed in the ancient world or, relatedly, the values and expectations of those studying and commenting on that tradition.
People are kind; the righteous and the unrighteous build beautiful things; we care for our people, beautify our spaces, love our pets, and share our lives with one another. All of this creates little stories, stories that shape the world around us, that leave imprints not only in souls, but in the soil of the earth. Does all that end at the end?
On the cross Jesus said “it is finished” (John 19:30). If Jesus completed his work as the Messiah on the cross, then why does he need to come back to the earth? Why does Jesus come twice?
There is no good reason to think the predication of “scripture” upon Paul’s writing is anachronistic within Paul’s lifetime.
Biblical Theology / Featured / Eschatology
by Tommy Keene · Published April 1, 2025 · Last modified April 3, 2025
On the one hand, the delay is a function of God’s desire to see “everyone” repent, since he does not desire the death of the wicked. At the same time, it allows the people of God to grow (in the case of the New Covenant, through covenant children and through evangelism) in number and in maturity until it is sufficient (quantitatively and qualitatively) to be caretakers of the promised land, that is, the world to come.
Each gospel highlights, in their very first sentence, the importance of where the gospel story begins, and yet each of the gospels begins in a different place.
I recently had the great privilege of joining Nancy Guthrie and my mentor and friend Dr. Dick Gaffin for a podcast about Pentecost. Pentecost is a surprisingly under-appreciated moment in the history of redemption.
The church speaks as one: we are Judean and Greek, we are one body, we will affirm one another’s expression of our common faith in Jesus the Christ. Amidst the diversity of Christian expression–some Christians live like Judeans and are zealous for the law of Moses (Acts 21), and some live like Gentiles (and yet have forsaken the ways of their forefathers, 1 Pet. 1:18)–amidst the diversity there is, nevertheless, a common core: Christ is Lord.
Biblical Theology / Greek / Exegesis
by Tommy Keene · Published October 12, 2023 · Last modified October 15, 2023
Ok, but then why add the Covenant of Law at all? What purpose would it serve? Why not just fulfill the Covenant of Promise without any intermediary period of Mosaic Covenant (and with it, the seed as national Israel)? The law was added to illustrate, illuminate, incubate, impede but also aggravate the problem of transgression.
Biblical Theology / Featured / Exegesis
by Tommy Keene · Published July 13, 2023 · Last modified July 14, 2023
As far as I can tell, there’s only one apostle that had the privilege of seeing the ascension twice, at two different times in his life, and from two different points of view: John,...
