Biblical interpretation

The metaphor of God’s kingdom as a vineyard is one that has Old Testament vintage, which is appropriate when talking about a vineyard. Long before Christ’s first advent, the prophet Isaiah described the Kingdom of Judah as a vineyard well-supplied to do what it is supposed to do: produce grapes for...

When was the last time you cried out, “How long?” Was it another hurtful word or action in an important relationship? Did unexpected bills deplete your savings? Were the medical treatments barely tolerable? Were more hurtful words spoken by someone who didn’t like your leadership? Did your boss...

Let me begin by saying that the Bible is a book like any other book. Before you unfriend me or delete Place for Truth from your favorite bookmarks, let me explain. The biblical writings contain elements found in other documents, e.g., metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche, synonyms, allegory,...

When we think about confessing sin, self-righteousness is likely at the top of the list. Rooted in pride, it is something we’re all prone toward. Sadly, it destroys godliness and humility, as it wreaks havoc in our relationship with God and with others. It also steals our joy. The book of...

For those who believe that God does not accept and account a person righteous by imputing to them faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience, as the Westminster Confession contends, a passage like Romans 4:3 is hard to understand. Not because of the grammatical...

In places with a Christian heritage the weightiness of baptism can easily be underestimated. Many people get baptized, or baptize their children, out of impulse, or as a matter of custom. It isn’t usually a sobering decision. Believers under persecution understand baptism differently. Immediately...

Throughout our lives we encounter times when things either seem to be going against us or for us. We would all likely agree that we much prefer the latter. But as believers we know that bitter experiences will come and Scripture reminds us that such times are opportunities to grow in our faith. One...

You have likely heard people called “boomers,” or maybe even “zoomers,” but have you come across the term “doomer?” A doomer is someone who holds a pessimistic view of life, who despairs over impending societal collapse, and feels a sense of helplessness and hopelessness in the face of doom and...

As we survey the twelve so-called Minor Prophets, Micah seems to be the prophet most obviously oriented on Christ the coming Messiah. More clearly and directly than the other eleven books that make up this canonical collection, the book of Micah predicts the advent of Christ Jesus. But thou,...

Justitia Sengers – a Forgotten Sixteenth-Century Exegete Blindness was common in ancient, medieval, and early modern Europe, due to the frequency of infections, malnutrition, accidents, and acts of violence, as well as to the lack of effective treatments. Some men, such as Jan Žižka, a commander of...