On Commentaries … and a New One
I’m frequently asked by my students about commentaries I employ in my preaching prep.
The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
Ecclesiastes 12:10–12
Qohelet notwithstanding,
Godliness?
While in Istanbul the other day, I had the delight of viewing a Sema—“whirling dervishes” in action. The ceremony has been proclaimed by the UNESCO as amongst the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”
These folks are part of the Mevlevi Brotherhood, a Sufi order within Islam, named after Mevlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian mystic. Apparently Rumi was strolling through a town marketplace once when he heard
Preaching is Ecclesial
The Bible is, without doubt, the church’s book and, therefore, the arena of action of its exposition is the congregation of God’s people of all time, the church, “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Thus the primary locus for the preaching of Scripture is the church, the assembly of God’s people, a setting that provides the direction and thrust for its interpretation.
Then Ezra the priest brought the law before
Temple?
I was in Istanbul a couple of weeks ago. One of the highlights was visiting the Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”).
Once a church, then a mosque, now a museum. One of the most impressive (and important) structures on the planet!
Emperor Justinian I built the church between 532–537 AD, choosing a physicist (Isidore of Miletus) and a mathematician (Anthemius of Tralles) to design the structure, decorated with Greek columns from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, purple marble
Success?
He did it again. Broke another record. This one is probably going to stand for a looooong time. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (IND) became the first batsman to score 100 international centuries (century = 100 or more runs in a single innings)! Playing Bangladesh last Friday, history was made. (The next highest run-getter is 29 centuries behind.) All said and done, Tendulkar has scored over 32,000 runs, an amazing feat.
And this guy is now 38 years old. Another amazing feat. Not
Preaching is Communicational
The reading of the law in Neh 7:73b–8:12 is considered one of the oldest descriptions of the formal, liturgical employment of Scripture in the gathering of the people of God (which happened sometimein the 430s B.C.E.). This event forms the climax of the Ezra-Nehemiah books, and the missions of the two protagonists, Ezra and Nehemiah, converge precisely within this enterprise: for the first time they are mentioned together in this section (Neh 8:9).
My Definition of Preaching
Welcome to the “reincarnated” aBeLOG. In its previous existence, this name served, for five plus years, as the label for a weekly devotional (that one now has been baptized as RaMbLeS—also located on HOMILETIX). The new aBeLOG is intended to serve as a preaching blog.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped
Abe Kuruvilla is the Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), and a dermatologist in private practice. His passion is to explore, explain, and exemplify preaching.