Tag: Pharisees

Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Review of ‘Windows into the Bible’ by Marc Turnage

georgepwood

This review first appeared at InfluenceMagazine.com. Marc Turnage, Windows into the Bible: Cultural and Historical Insights from the Bible for Modern Readers (Springfield, MO: Logion Press, 2016). “The past is a foreign country,” wrote British novelist L. P. Hartley; “they do things differently there.” We modern Bible readers would do well to keep Hartley’s dictum in mind. Why? Because the question, “What did the Bible mean?” takes precedence over the question, “What does the Bible mean for me?” We cannot correctly apply biblical wisdom to our lives until we understand what the Bible said in its original context. Windows into … Continue reading Review of ‘Windows into the Bible’ by Marc Turnage

Mark, The Daily WordLeave a comment

Clean Hands, Unclean Hearts (Mark 7.1–23)

georgepwood

Mark 7.1–23 tells the story of Jesus’ interaction with a group of inquisitive Pharisees and teachers of the law. Through his response to their question, we learn about the danger of externally defined righteousness as well as the necessity of inward moral transformation. Let’s take a closer look at the story! Notice the context: A committee of Pharisees and teachers of the law from Jerusalem go down to Galilee to investigate Jesus’ orthodoxy. When they see Jesus’ disciples eating food without first washing their hands, they ask Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders … Continue reading Clean Hands, Unclean Hearts (Mark 7.1–23)