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Tag: Proverbs

Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Socrates —

Part III. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Socrates —

Part III. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

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The ancient Near East held to a spiritually intimate, yet cosmic view of wisdom, a kind of judicial sovereignty over chaos and order. Israel identified this source of wisdom as Yahweh––the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob––who was also the Creator of the cosmos and Author of life. The Greeks
Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Solomon —

Part II. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Solomon —

Part II. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

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On the cusp of East and West, one thousand years before the apostle Paul addressed the Areopagus, and well before Aristotle (c.384-322 BC), Plato (c.428-347 BC), and Socrates (c.469-399 BC) catapulted a new era of Western philosophy that still persists today, and roughly four hundred years before natural philosopher Thales
Dairy Delicacies —

How dairy products were manufactured in the ancient Near East.

Dairy Delicacies —

How dairy products were manufactured in the ancient Near East.

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The Hebrew word חֶמְאָה (ḥem’â) occurs no less than ten times in nine different verses throughout the Old Testament canon (Gen. 18:8; Deut. 32:14; Judges 5:25; 2 Samuel 17:29; Job 20:17, 29:6; Prov. 30:33; Isaiah 7:15, 22).[1] The King James Version of the Bible always translates this word as “butter”
Heap Burning Coals —

What does it mean to heap burning coals on the head of your enemy?

Heap Burning Coals —

What does it mean to heap burning coals on the head of your enemy?

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Although a human’s natural tendency is to love his friends and hate his enemies, Solomon, in Proverbs 25:21-22, goes against the grain by suggesting to his readers that “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you
Did Satan Really Say? Part 2 —

Understanding the depth of deception and how to defend against it–––the need for humility.

Did Satan Really Say? Part 2 —

Understanding the depth of deception and how to defend against it–––the need for humility.

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I do not doubt that the upsurge of empirical certainty in the West has had some effect in misunderstanding the depth of presumption in how we believe, where naturalism reigns supreme and, so, empirical facts are the only true facts – a deception in its own right – where Christian
Did Satan Really Say? —

Understanding the depth of deception and how to defend against it–––the danger of presumption.

Did Satan Really Say? —

Understanding the depth of deception and how to defend against it–––the danger of presumption.

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It is an easy thing nowadays to take for granted just how dangerously complex a lie truly is. Whether it is subtle or subliminal, or as plain as the high noon sun, a lie is never quite so simple. It is conventional to reduce a lie to mere logical contradiction,
Flying Saucers & Spaghetti Monsters —

A quick crackdown on New Atheism, Scientism, Naturalism, and the usual suspects.

Flying Saucers & Spaghetti Monsters —

A quick crackdown on New Atheism, Scientism, Naturalism, and the usual suspects.

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Over recent decades, New Atheism evolved from a small elite group of militant anti-theists known as the Four Horsemen of Atheism – Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins – into a broad sweeping social attitude, a spirit even, characterized by its “reasonable” rebellion against religion, its claim to
Wisdom’s Wine —

What is the meaning of the “mixed” or “mingled” wine in Proverbs 9?

Wisdom’s Wine —

What is the meaning of the “mixed” or “mingled” wine in Proverbs 9?

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In Proverbs 9, we find Lady Wisdom preparing a banquet for those who are “simple” and “have no sense.” (v.4 NIV) In her preparations she has slaughtered her meat, mixed her wine, and furnished her table. (v.2) Certainly, this proverb pictures a very special occasion. Indeed, in the ancient Near