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A Fresh Look at the Sermon on the Mount

Dr. Jonathan Pennington, a New Testament scholar at Southern Seminary, offers a distinct and influential interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount, primarily through his seminal work, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing: A Theological Commentary (2017).

His teachings move away from viewing the Sermon as an “impossible law” designed to crush the listener (a common Lutheran/Reformed reading) and instead present it as a guide for the good life. 1

Part 1

1. The Core Definition

Pennington defines the Sermon on the Mount as a:

“Christocentric, flourishing-oriented, kingdom-awaiting, eschatological wisdom exhortation.”

This mouthful essentially means that Jesus is teaching his disciples how to truly thrive (flourish) as human beings by living in alignment with God’s kingdom, even while suffering in the present world.

2. Key Linguistic Shifts

Pennington argues that traditional translations often miss the nuances of “virtue” and “wisdom” in the original Greek. He proposes two major re-translations:

  • From “Blessed” to “Flourishing” (Makarios):

    Pennington argues that makarios (the first word of the Beatitudes) isn’t just about a divine “blessing” or a feeling of happiness. Drawing from the Hebrew ashre (found in Psalm 1), he suggests it refers to a state of being. To be makarios is to be in a state of human flourishing—a life well-lived in God’s presence.

  • From “Perfect” to “Whole” (Teleios):

    In Matthew 5:48 (“Be perfect as your Father is perfect”), Pennington argues that teleios means wholeness or integrity. It’s not about “flawlessness” but about being “single-hearted” or “undivided” in one’s devotion to God, contrasting with the “double-minded” hypocrisy of the Pharisees.

3. The “Virtue Ethics” Approach

Pennington situates the Sermon within two historical contexts: Jewish Wisdom literature (such as Proverbs) and Greco-Roman Virtue Ethics (such as Aristotle).

  • Character over Rules: He teaches that Jesus isn’t just giving a new set of “harder rules” (e.g., don’t just avoid murder, avoid anger). Instead, Jesus is interested in character formation.

  • The Heart of the Matter: The Sermon is a “cardiographic” (heart-focused) teaching. It’s about the internal disposition of the person rather than just external conformity.

4. Key Theological Themes

Theme Pennington’s Teaching
Greater Righteousness Not just more rules, but a “whole-person” righteousness that starts in the heart.
Eschatological Hope Flourishing is “already but not yet.” We experience it now through virtue, but it is fully realized only when God’s kingdom arrives.
The Fatherhood of God Pennington highlights how often Jesus calls God “Father” in the Sermon, suggesting that flourishing is rooted in a secure, familial relationship with God.
Paradox of Suffering He teaches that Christian flourishing is unique because it can coexist with suffering and persecution.

5. Summary of Impact

Pennington’s work has been praised for bridging the gap between Jesus and Paul. While some fear that focusing on “virtue” and “works” undermines grace, Pennington argues that God’s grace enables the disciple to live a virtuous life. He invites readers to see the Sermon not as a burden, but as an invitation to the most beautiful and complete way of being human.

In short: For Pennington, the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’s answer to the ultimate human question: “How can I truly live well?”

Part 2

To understand the Sermon on the Mount through Dr. Pennington’s lens of human flourishing and wholeness, we can examine specific scriptural passages in which Jesus redefines what it means to be a “whole” person. Here are four key areas defined by the text:

1. The Heart of Human Flourishing (The Beatitudes)

Scripture: Matthew 5:3–12

Pennington views these not as “entrance requirements” for heaven, but as a map of the “good life” in God’s kingdom.

  • The Logic: Jesus uses “Macarisms” (statements beginning with Makarios).

  • The Insight: States traditionally viewed as miserable—poverty of spirit, mourning, and persecution—are redefined as “flourishing” because they position the person to receive the comfort and inheritance of the Kingdom.

2. The Wholeness of the Law (The Antitheses)

Scripture: Matthew 5:21–48

Jesus uses the formula, “You have heard that it was said… but I say to you.” This section is often called the “Antitheses.”

  • The Insight: Pennington emphasizes Matthew 5:48: “Be perfect [teleios], therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” * The Wholeness Aspect: Jesus isn’t just raising the bar to make it harder; he is demanding integrity. Not to murder is good, but to remove the root of anger (Matthew 5:22) is to become “whole” (teleios). It is an invitation to align your internal desires with your external actions.

3. Secret Piety vs. Public Performance

Scripture: Matthew 6:1–18

Jesus addresses three pillars of Jewish life: Almsgiving (Matt 6:2), Prayer (Matt 6:5), and Fasting (Matt 6:16).

  • The Insight: The “Hypocrite” (Greek for “actor”) performs for the applause of people.

  • The Wholeness Aspect: Flourishing requires a “singular eye” focused on the Father. Pennington points out that when our religious life is lived for the audience of God alone, we find freedom from the exhausting need for human approval. This is the essence of undivided devotion.

4. The Priority of the Kingdom (Anxiety and Wealth)

Scripture: Matthew 6:19–34

Jesus addresses the two biggest distractions to a flourishing life: money and worry.

  • The Insight: Matthew 6:24 states, “No one can serve two masters.” This is the “double-mindedness” that Pennington argues Jesus is trying to cure.

  • The Logic of Flourishing: By seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness (Matt 6:33), the disciple is released from the “fragmented” life of anxiety. Wholeness is found when the Fatherhood of God becomes the foundation for our physical security.

Comparison of the Two Ways

The Sermon concludes in Matthew 7:13–27 with a series of contrasts (two gates, two trees, two builders). This is classic Wisdom Literature style.

The Divided/Foolish Life The Whole/Flourishing Life
Focus on “the Broadway” (Ease) Focus on “the Narrow Way” (Virtue)
Religious “acting” (Hypocrisy) Secret Piety (Integrity)
Built on hearing only Built on hearing and doing

Pennington’s overarching point is that these scriptures aren’t just ethical commands; they are a “vision of the beauty of the Christ-centred life” that leads to the ultimate telos (goal) of human existence.

Does this focus on “wholeness” change how you view the “hard sayings” of Jesus, like turning the other cheek?

1 Dr. Jonathan Pennington, a New Testament scholar at Southern Seminary, offers a distinct and influential interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount, primarily through his seminal work, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing: A Theological Commentary (2017).

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Ayn Rand’s Objectivism versus Christianity

To understand the fundamental conflict between Christianity and Objectivism, one must look at the source of morality and the direction of sacrifice.

Let’s look at Ayn Rand, who championed “The Virtue of Selfishness” and the absolute sovereignty of the individual ego, and at Christian doctrine, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God and the moral necessity of self-sacrificial love (agape).

1. The Source of Sovereignty: God vs. The Ego

Objectivism posits that the individual is the highest authority and that his own life is the ultimate value. Christianity asserts that the individual is a created being whose purpose is to glorify the Creator.

  • Ayn Rand: “I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”

  • The Scripture: “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” (Matthew 16:24)

2. Altruism and Sacrifice

Rand defined altruism as a “moral cannibalism,” arguing that sacrificing a higher value (one’s self) for a lower value (others) is a vice. Christianity views self-sacrifice as the highest expression of virtue.

  • Ayn Rand: Sacrifice is the surrender of a greater value for the sake of a lesser one or of a non-value. It is an act of self-destruction.

  • The Scripture: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

  • The Scripture: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

3. Wealth and Materialism

Objectivism views the pursuit of wealth as a moral achievement and a sign of productive virtue. While Christianity does not condemn wealth itself, it warns that the pursuit of it can become an idol that replaces God.

  • Ayn Rand: Wealth is the result of man’s capacity to think. It is a badge of honour.

  • The Scripture: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

  • The Scripture: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

4. Humility vs. Pride

In Objectivism, pride is a virtue (defined as “moral ambitiousness”). In Christianity, pride is the foundational sin, and humility is the required posture of the believer.

  • Ayn Rand: Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value.

  • The Scripture: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

  • The Scripture: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

5. Care for the “Non-Productive”

Objectivism holds that “man is an end in himself” and generally rejects the idea of a moral duty to support those who do not produce (the poor, the weak). Christianity explicitly commands care for the vulnerable as a reflection of God’s character.

  • Ayn Rand: One should help others only in emergencies or out of a “generalized benevolence,” never out of moral duty or at the expense of one’s own goals.

  • The Scripture: “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Proverbs 19:17)

  • The Scripture: “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17)

Summary of Contradictions

Concept Objectivism (Rand/Peikoff) Christian Doctrine
Highest Virtue Rational Self-Interest Self-Sacrificial Love
View of Man A Heroic Being (Self-Made) A Fallen Being (God-Made)
Primary Evil Irrationality / Force Sin / Rebellion against God
Social Focus Individual Rights Love for Neighbour
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Redemptive Biblical Counsel

Biblical counselling, as pioneered by Jay Adams and refined by Paul David Tripp, is centred on the belief that the Bible is sufficient to address the complex issues of the human condition. 1 While Adams provided the foundational “Nouthetic” framework, 2 Tripp expanded the model to emphasize the heart, the community, and the process of “incarnational” ministry. 3

The following sections synthesize the four-step process defined by Adams with the heart-oriented lessons found in Tripp’s Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands.

1. Love: Building the Relationship and Entering the World

Jay Adams begins his process with Inventory, which Tripp refines into the “Love” stage. Before change can happen, the counsellor must enter the person’s world to build a bridge of trust.

  • The Incarnational Model: Tripp argues that we are called to represent Christ by being his “instruments.” This requires a sacrificial entry into the sufferer’s life.

  • Scripture Reference: Hebrews 4:15. Tripp uses this to show that Christ, our Great High Priest, sympathizes with our weaknesses, providing the ultimate template for empathetic counselling.

2. Know: Data Gathering and Heart Discovery

In Adams’ framework, this aligns with Enlightenment. However, Tripp emphasizes that we aren’t just looking for facts; we are looking for the “idols of the heart” that drive behaviour.

  • Asking Discovery Questions: Counselling is not just about giving answers; it is about asking questions that expose the person’s functional “rulers” (what they love, fear, or crave).

  • Scripture Reference: Luke 6:43-45. Tripp frequently cites this to explain that the “mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” To change the fruit (behaviour), one must address the root (the heart).

3. Speak: Truth-Telling and the Confrontation of Sin

This stage corresponds to Adams’ Commitment phase, where the counsellor brings the Word of God to bear on the person’s specific situation. This is not “bashing” with the Bible, but speaking the truth in love.

  • Reinterpreting Life through the Gospel: The counsellor helps the person see their circumstances through God’s “story” rather than their own narrative of victimhood or self-righteousness.

  • Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:15. Tripp emphasizes that “speaking the truth in love” is the primary mechanism for growth in the body of Christ. Truth without love is harsh; love without truth is sentimentalism.

4. Do: Implementation and Radical Change

Adams refers to this as Evaluation/Implementation, while Tripp focuses on the “Do” stage—the practical application of insights into daily life.

  • The Process of Sanctification: Change is rarely a single event; it is a “process” of putting off old habits and putting on new ones (Habituation).

  • Scripture Reference: James 1:22-25. Tripp utilizes this text to warn against being “hearers only.” Real change is verified by the “doing” of the Word in the mundane moments of life.

Comparison of Methodologies

Feature Jay Adams (How to Help People Change) Paul David Tripp (Instruments)
Primary Focus Behavioural change and Nouthetic (confrontational) correction. Heart transformation and “incarnational” community.
Counsellor’s Role The teacher/authority directing the process. A “fellow-sufferer” and instrument in God’s hands.
Change Model Four Steps: Inventory, Enlightenment, Commitment, Implementation. Four Stages: Love, Know, Speak, Do.
The “Why” Obedience to God’s commands. Worship and the displacement of heart-idols.

The Goal: Redemptive Ministry

Both authors agree that the ultimate goal is not merely “feeling better” but Christlikeness. Tripp’s Facilitator’s Guide emphasizes that every believer is called to this work. As he famously states, we are “people in need of change helping people in need of change,” grounded in the finished work of Christ.

1 Paul David Tripp: Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands

2. Jay Adams, How to Help People Change: The Four-Step Biblical Process

3. Paul David Tripp: Facilitator’s Guide

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Jesus Christ’s Divine Sovereignty: The Miracles

The miracles of Jesus recorded in the Gospels serve as “signs” to demonstrate his divinity and compassion. They are traditionally categorized into four types: power over nature, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead.

Here is a comprehensive list of the miracles of Jesus Christ with their corresponding scriptural references. Hover over the scriptures to read the text.

Miracles Over Nature

These miracles demonstrated Christ’s authority over the physical laws of the universe.

Miracle Scripture Reference(s)
Turning water into wine John 2:1-2, 3-4. 5-6, 7-8, 9-11
Calming the storm Matt 8:23-24, 25-27; Mark 4:35-36, 37-38, 39-41; Luke 8:22-23, 24-25
Feeding the 5,000 Matt 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14
Walking on water Matt 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21
Feeding the 4,000 Matt 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9
Coin in the fish’s mouth Matt 17:24-27
Cursing the fig tree Matt 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14
First miraculous catch of fish Luke 5:1-11
Second miraculous catch of fish John 21:1-14

Miracles of Healing

The most frequent type of miracle, showing Jesus’ power over physical infirmity and suffering.

Miracle Scripture Reference(s)
Healing an official’s son John 4:46; 47; 48-49; 50-51; 52-53, 54
Healing Peter’s mother-in-law Matt 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-30,31; Luke 4:38-39
Healing a leper Matt 8:1-2, 3-4; Mark 1:40-41, 42-43, 44-45; Luke 5:12-13, 14-15, 16
Healing a centurion’s servant Matt 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10
Healing a paralyzed man Matt 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26
Healing a woman with an issue of blood Matt 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48
Healing two blind men Matt 9:27-31
Healing a man’s withered hand Matt 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11
Healing a man at the pool of Bethesda John 5:1-15
Healing a deaf and mute man Mark 7:31-37
Healing a blind man at Bethsaida Mark 8:22-26
Healing a man born blind John 9:1-12
Healing a woman bent double for 18 years Luke 13:10-17
Healing a man with dropsy Luke 14:1-6
Healing ten lepers Luke 17:11-19
Healing Bartimaeus (blindness) Matt 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43
Restoring a severed ear (Malchus) Luke 22:50-51

Miracles Over the Spirit Realm (Exorcisms)

These events displayed Jesus’ spiritual authority over demonic forces.

  • Man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit: Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37

  • The Gadarene/Gerasene demoniacs: Matt 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39

  • A mute, demon-possessed man: Matt 9:32-34

  • A blind and mute demoniac: Matt 12:22; Luke 11:14

  • The Syrophoenician woman’s daughter: Matt 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30

  • A boy with an unclean spirit: Matt 17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-43

Miracles Over Death (Resurrections)

These were the ultimate signs of Christ’s power before his own resurrection.

  1. The widow’s son at Nain: Luke 7:11-17

  2. Jairus’ daughter: Matt 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56

  3. Lazarus: John 11:1-44

Note: The Gospel of John concludes by stating that Jesus performed many other signs not recorded in the book—so many that “even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

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Ephesians 4 Grace and the Gifts of the Spirit

The essay under review offers an assessment of the gifts of the Spirit in Ephesians 4 through the viewpoint of Christ’s victory, ascension, and gift-giving. Ephesians 4: 7, 10-12: “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift… And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” This text connects Christ’s exaltation with the distribution of grace to the church, conjoining ministry as an outgrowth of the body’s maturity and unity.¹

Church attendance statistics may well have been affected by COVID lockdowns, when congregants watched TV sermons. Beyond COVID, a formidable challenge to the church, as we move nearer to the last days, a great end-time falling away will ensue, before the return of Jesus and the revealing of the Antichrist. (2 Thess. 2:3; Mat. 24:10-12; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 9:21) This fits with Paul’s argument in the epistle, which suggests that Paul’s concern is not primarily explaining declining attendance, but urging believers to live worthily of their calling in a manner consistent with the church’s unity, holiness, and maturity. 2

Our outreach as we approach Christ’s second coming should increasingly engage members who are equipped with their specific gifts of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:7–10 presents Christ as the one who ascends, triumphs, and gives gifts to his people.3

The citation of Psalm 68, whatever the details of its interpretation, serves Paul’s larger point that the exalted Christ now distributes grace to his church.4  However, in Ephesians 4, the point is not simply that believers possess gifts because Christ won a cosmic battle, but that Christ’s victorious reign richly supplies the church with the ministries necessary for its procedural growth into effective mature church outreach. 5 The “spoils” of Christ’s victory should not become an overarching metaphor that limits Paul’s ministerial emphasis. With an ecclesial emphasis, New Testament historians often argue that the primitive church was controlled by the Spirit and that the church order developed later. Some see Ephesians as representative of an early Catholicism.

While the focus on the Spirit could be lost, from very early in the church’s history, both the Spirit and human leaders were joined.1 Corinthians 12:27–31 makes it clear that no community can exist without some form of leadership, and that the Spirit and institutional order are not antithetical. Servants build toward unity and knowledge of Christ (Eph. 4:11–13). Paul was not setting up a hierarchy of clergy and laity; rather, it speaks of people given to the church to assist its service and edification. The idea is not of gifts given to a special group, but of grace giving empowered people to the church. Compare 1 Cor. 12:28, where God appointed in the church first the apostles, then the prophets, then the teachers; after these three, functions such as powers and gifts of healing are listed. No function is listed in Eph. 4:11, but the same three categories of people are listed with two additions: “evangelists” and “pastors” (lit., “shepherds”), who are joined to “teachers.” These last two form one category, for one Greek article governs both. In other words, the phrase meant “teaching pastors,” and there are only four groups.6

An important truth implicit in Eph 4:7 is that God does not give gifts based on race or social status. They are distributed equally to “each one of us,” and the basis is “as Christ apportioned it” (literally, “the measure of the gift of Christ”). In other words, diversity is grounded in unity, for the entire body is involved. In 1 Corinthians 12:11, it is the Spirit “who distributes them to each one, just as he determines,” while here it is Christ who is in sovereign control of the gifts. Paul describes them as grace-gifts; the very term for spiritual gift is charisma (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:4), meaning “grace given” to a person. The emphasis here is on the source of these graces: Christ.

Another important concern is our lack of exposure to good theological teaching on whether the functional gifts, such as miraculous healing, prophecy, or guidance by dreams and visions, continue to be gifts of the Holy Spirit. Many pastors hold to a theological position called “Cessationism” — a belief that these gifts were only temporary for the Apostolic age.

Cessationists often cite 1st Corinthians 13:10 “But when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” They argue “the perfect” is the Bible. Contrastingly, Continuationists argue that “the perfect” refers to the Second Coming of Christ or the eternal state. Paul follows this by saying we will then see “face to face” and know even as we are known—states of being that clearly haven’t been reached yet. Therefore, the “partial” gifts (prophecy and tongues) must remain until Christ returns. Thereby, Continuationism (or Non-Cessationism) posits that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the New Testament are still available and commissioned for use in the Church today. Proponents argue that there is no scriptural “expiration date” for these powers.

Theologians argue that the commission to “make disciples of all nations” was accompanied by the promise of Christ’s presence and power. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18. Continuationists maintain that as long as the Commission is active, the empowerment to fulfill it is also active. Wayne Grudem, a systematic theologian, who is a Continuationist notes: Perhaps it would be good for those arguing against continuing prophecy today to give a more sympathetic hearing to the most responsible charismatic writers, simply for the purpose of being able to respond to something that charismatics actually believe (even if not always expressed in theologically precise form), instead of responding to something that cessationists say that charismatics believe or say that charismatics should believe. 7

For example, here are a few bible texts that support the Continuationist viewpoint:

In Acts 2:17-18, Peter, quoting the prophet Joel on the day of Pentecost, defines the “Last Days” as a period characterized by visions and dreams and by prophetic insights given to all (sons, daughters, young, and old). Thus, since the “Last Days” began at Pentecost and continue until the return of Christ, we are still in the era of prophetic outpouring. To stop these gifts would be to claim that the “Last Days” have ended, which is biblically inconsistent.

In 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39, Paul explicitly commands the Church to “earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” and to “not forbid speaking in tongues.”  If these gifts were meant to vanish with the Apostles, these commands would eventually become traps or lead to disobedience.

Many Continuationists argue that healing is not just a “sign” but a benefit of the Gospel. James 5:14-15 provides a standing protocol for the church: calling the elders to pray and anoint the sick with oil for healing. This instruction was given to the general church, not just to  Apostles, suggesting that healing is a normative function of the Kingdom of God until the end of the age. (see Isaiah 53:5)

As we look at the gifts theologically, the counter-position views the Kingdom of God as “already but not yet.” Because the Kingdom has broken into the present age, the supernatural tools of that Kingdom—healing, prophecy, and visions—are seen as necessary equipment for the Church to demonstrate the reality of a living Christ to a skeptical world.

There is no haphazard, random distribution of gifts. Every gift is carefully chosen and apportioned according to God’s sovereign will. In our narcissistic world, we too often are dissatisfied with what Christ has given us and want more. That is to deny God’s grace and will for the sake of self. God gives us exactly what he wants us to have and what is best for us. It is our privilege to accept and use his gracious gifts without question.8 

1 Ephesians 4:7–16, especially vv. 7–13.

2 Andrew T. Lincoln, Ephesians (Dallas: Word Books, 1990).

3 Peter T. O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999).

4 Frank Thielman, Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010).

5 Markus Barth, Ephesians, Anchor Bible 34–34A (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1974).

6 Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 202–203.

7 Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House, 2004), 1039.

8 Grant R. Osborne, Ephesians: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017), 119–121.

Bibliography

Lincoln, Andrew T. Ephesians. Word Biblical Commentary 42. Dallas: Word Books, 1990.

O’Brien, Peter T. The Letter to the Ephesians. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.

Snodgrass, Klyne. Ephesians. NIV Application Commentary. Nashville: B&H, 1996.

Thielman, Frank. Ephesians. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010.

Barth, Markus. Ephesians. Anchor Bible 34–34A. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1974.

Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House, 2004), 1039.

Grant R. Osborne, Ephesians: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017).

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Will Christ’s church be raptured?

The relationship between the teachings of Jesus and the writings of the Apostle Paul regarding the “Rapture” is a central theme in Christian eschatology. While the specific word rapture does not appear in the original Greek of the New Testament (it comes from the Latin rapiemur), both Jesus and Paul describe a definitive moment where believers are gathered to meet the Lord.

Their teachings align on several key pillars: suddenness, divine gathering, and the requirement of readiness.

1. The Divine Gathering

Both Jesus and Paul speak of a supernatural assembly of believers initiated by a heavenly signal.

  • Jesus: In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus describes the Son of Man coming on the clouds.” And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:31)
  • Paul: Paul uses nearly identical imagery when describing the “catching up” of the church. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command… and with the trumpet call of God… we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17)

2. The Element of Surprise: The “Thief in the Night”

One of the strongest linguistic and conceptual links between Jesus and Paul is the metaphor of a thief. They both emphasize that the timing of this event is unknowable and will catch the world off guard.

  • Jesus: “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch…” (Matthew 24:43).
  • Paul: “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

3. The Concept of “One Taken, One Left.”

Jesus provided a vivid illustration of the selective nature of this gathering, which aligns with Paul’s teaching that this event specifically concerns “those who are in Christ.”

  • Jesus: He describes everyday scenarios—men in a field or women grinding grain—where “one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24:40–41).
  • Paul: He clarifies that this “taking” involves a physical transformation. He explains that “we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52).

4. Summary Alignment Table

Feature Jesus (Gospels) Paul (Epistles)
The Signal A loud trumpet call The trumpet of God
The Agent The Son of Man / Angels The Lord Himself
The Action Gathering the elect Caught up (Harpazo)
The Timing Unknown; like a thief Suddenly, like a thief
The Location From the earth to the clouds Meeting in the air

5. The Moral Objective: Watchfulness

The ultimate alignment between Jesus and Paul is not just about the mechanics of the event, but the intended result for the believer.

Jesus taught, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42). Paul echoes this moral imperative, telling believers they are “children of the light” and should therefore “not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).

Both emphasize that the doctrine of the gathering is meant to produce hope and holiness, rather than just a timeline for the future.

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Ephesians 4 and the Gifts of the Spirit

The essay tackles something genuinely worth exploring: how Christ’s victory and ascension in Ephesians 4 become the basis for the church’s gifted life. That’s a theologically rich instinct, and the passage itself invites exactly this kind of reflection — Christ ascends, triumphs, and gives gifts to his people, all in service of the church’s growth toward maturity and unity.¹ The essay’s heart is in the right place. What it needs is tighter control over the argument and a more honest reckoning with what Paul is actually doing in this text.²

One early misstep is the reliance on church-attendance statistics in the introduction. The decline in participation is a real and pressing concern, but the essay never really demonstrates that this has anything to do with neglected spiritual gifts. It reads more like a rhetorical entry point than a substantive connection. Paul’s concern in Ephesians 4 is not diagnosing institutional decline — it’s urging the church to live out what it already is: one body, called and united in Christ.³ Starting there would give the argument considerably more traction.

Where the essay genuinely shines is in its treatment of Christ’s victory as the ground of the church’s gifts. The ascension passage in 4:7–10, drawing on Psalm 68, does present Christ as the triumphant one who now lavishes his church with grace.⁴ That’s exegetically defensible and theologically compelling. But the “spoils of war” imagery, while evocative, needs to be kept in its place. The point in Ephesians 4 isn’t simply that believers receive gifts because Christ won a cosmic battle — it’s that the reigning Christ actively supplies his church with the ministries it needs to grow into full maturity.⁵ The victory motif serves the ecclesial vision, not the other way around.⁶

A related issue is that the essay doesn’t clearly distinguish the gifts Paul names here — apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor-teachers — from the broader charism lists found elsewhere in Paul.⁷ These aren’t just individual abilities waiting to be discovered and deployed. They are ordered ministries, given specifically so that the saints can be equipped and the body can be built up.⁸ The essay occasionally drifts toward a more individualized spirituality, as though the passage’s main question is whether each believer knows their gift. That question isn’t unimportant, but it isn’t what Paul is pressing here. His eye is always on the corporate horizon: the whole body growing into Christ, reaching stability and love together.⁸

The essay also tends to treat 4:7–16 in relative isolation, which costs it some depth. The exhortation to walk in humility, gentleness, patience, and unity in 4:1–6 sets the terms for everything that follows. Gifts don’t create unity — they serve a unity that already exists in the one Spirit, one Lord, one faith.⁹ That sequence matters a great deal. And pulling back further, to chapters 1–3, the gifts look even richer: they are instruments through which the church participates in God’s grand project of reconciling all things in Christ, creating one new humanity out of formerly divided peoples.¹⁰ ¹¹ Connecting the dots across the letter would lift the argument considerably and give it the theological synthesis it seems to be reaching for.

A stronger thesis might go something like this: Christ’s ascension and victory supply the church with the diverse ministries it needs — not as individual privileges, but as Christ’s ongoing provision for building a body that is unified, doctrinally grounded, and maturing in love.¹² The essay’s core intuition survives this reframing, but it becomes cleaner and more defensible. The passage is less about personal gift-discovery and more about the exalted Christ furnishing his church for the long work of becoming what it is called to be.¹³

To sum up: the theological instinct driving this essay is sound, and there’s a genuinely good argument trying to get out. Christ’s triumph really is inseparable from the church’s gifted life. But to make that case well, the essay needs to stay closer to Paul’s text, attend more carefully to the corporate shape of the gifts in this passage, and set the whole discussion within Ephesians’ sweeping vision of reconciliation and new creation. The victory motif doesn’t need to be abandoned — it needs to be properly situated. When it is, the argument becomes both exegetically honest and theologically compelling.¹⁴ ¹⁵

Notes and bibliography remain as in the original.

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Exposing The Law of Attraction

Herein, we focus on the “spiritual Trojan Horse” of the Law of Attraction (LOA) and how it subtly replaces biblical faith with occult principles, with scriptures to support the warnings.

1. The Core Deception: “You Are God”

Scafidi argues that the fundamental root of the Law of Attraction is the belief that humans have the innate power to create their own reality through their thoughts and vibrations. She identifies this as the same original lie from the Garden of Eden.

  • The Teaching: LOA teaches that you are a “co-creator” with equal authority to the Creator. Scafidi warns that this shifts the focus from God’s Will to Man’s Will.
  • Scripture Used: > “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5)
  • The Warning: This is a form of self-worship. If you believe you “attract” everything, you become the center of your universe, effectively making yourself an idol.

2. Faith vs. “Vibrational Alignment”

A major point of her talk was the distinction between biblical faith and the “frequency” or “energy” mechanics taught in New Age manifestation.

  • The Teaching: LOA teaches that the Universe is a cosmic vending machine that responds to your “vibration.” Scafidi argues that this is actually witchcraft—the attempt to control or manipulate the spiritual realm through rituals, affirmations, or mental techniques.
  • Scripture Used:“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
  • The Contrast: Biblical faith is trust in a Person (Jesus Christ), while manifestation is trust in a Principle or a “Law.” Faith says, “Thy will be done”; LOA says, “My will be done.”

3. The Danger of “Positive Thinking” and Silence

Scafidi addresses the common practice in business circles of avoiding “negative” words to prevent “attracting” bad luck.

  • The Teaching: In LOA, suffering or “negative” thoughts are seen as failures of alignment. Scafidi argues this prevents Christians from reaching out for help and ignores the biblical reality of trials.
  • Scripture Used:“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
  • The Reality: We are called to endure trials with joy, not to pretend they don’t exist in hopes of “manifesting” them away.

4. Discerning “The Universe”

Many Christians use the term “The Universe” interchangeably with “God.” Scafidi explicitly warns against this.

  • The Teaching: “The Universe” is a created thing, not the Creator. To pray to or trust in the “Universe” is pantheism.
  • Scripture Used:“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” (Romans 1:25)

5. The Role of the Heart and Repentance

The summit focused on entrepreneurs, and Scafidi challenged the audience to examine their motives for wealth and success.

  • The Teaching: Many engage in LOA because they want the “blessings” of God without the “Lordship” of Christ. She calls for a “burning of the plows”—a total abandonment of New Age tools (vision boards used for manifestation, ritualistic affirmations, etc.).
  • Scripture Used:“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
  • The Call to Action: Scafidi urges Christians to repent of trying to “command” the spiritual realm and to instead submit to the sovereignty of God.

Summary Table: Biblical Truth vs. Law of Attraction

Concept Law of Attraction (LOA) Biblical Christianity
The Source The Universe / Higher Self Jehovah (The Triune God)
The Power Your Thoughts / Words The Holy Spirit / God’s Will
The Goal Material Success / Happiness Holiness / The Glory of God
Suffering Low Vibration / Misalignment Refinement / Identification with Christ
Authority Man commands the Universe Man submits to God

Defining New Age “ungodliness” from a biblical perspective involves identifying practices that shift authority from the Creator to the self, the “Universe,” or other spiritual entities. In Christian theology, these are typically categorized as idolatry (worshiping the created), divination (seeking hidden knowledge outside of God), or sorcery (attempting to manipulate the spiritual realm).

For more on this subject: New Age Ideologies in Conflict with God

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The Divine Foundation of Easter

Based on Biblical prophecy, the Jewish festival calendar, and insights into the “Hebrew roots” of the New Testament, the term “10th of Nisan” means the 10th day of the first month of the year,  1

In the traditional “Passion Week” view, here is the breakdown of the days and specific times Jesus was arrested, crucified, and died:

1. The Arrest: Late Thursday Night / Early Friday Morning

According to the Gospels, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper on Thursday evening.

Time: Roughly between Midnight and 3:00 AM.

  • The Scene: After praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested by a mob. He was then taken through a series of “night trials” before the High Priest and the Sanhedrin while it was still dark.

2. The Crucifixion: Friday Morning

As the sun rose on what we now call Good Friday, Jesus was moved from the Jewish leaders to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.

  • The Sentence: After being scourged and mocked, He was led to Golgotha.

  • The Time: Mark 15:25 explicitly states He was crucified at the “third hour,” which in modern times is 9:00 AM.

3. The Darkness and Death: Friday Afternoon

While Jesus was on the cross, a supernatural darkness covered the land for three hours.

The Darkness: From the “sixth hour” to the “ninth hour” (12:00 PM to 3:00 PM).

  • The Death: Jesus died at the “ninth hour,” which is 3:00 PM.

  • The Significance: This is the exact time in the Jewish Temple when the afternoon Passover lambs were being sacrificed.

Summary Timeline (Modern Time)

Event Day Estimated Time
Arrest Thursday Night / Friday Morning 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM
First Trial (Pilate) Friday Morning 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Crucifixion Begins Friday Morning 9:00 AM
Sun Goes Dark Friday Midday 12:00 PM
Death of Jesus Friday Afternoon 3:00 PM
Burial Friday Evening Before Sunset (approx. 6:00 PM)

The Historic Link to the Passover

1. The Egyptian Passover: 10th of Nisan

In Exodus 12:3, God commanded through Moses that the Passover lamb be chosen on the 10th day of the first month. It was to live with the family for four days to be inspected for flaws.

  • The Fulfillment as the true Lamb: Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey (Palm Sunday) on the 10th of Nisan. Just as the lambs were being led into the city of Jerusalem for the Passover inspection, the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29) entered to be scrutinized by the Pharisees and Sadducees.
  • Prophecy: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion… behold, thy King cometh unto thee… riding upon an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

2. The Preparation: 14th of Nisan (Passover)

On the 14th of Nisan, at the “twilight” (literally between the evenings), the Passover lambs were slaughtered.

  • The Fulfillment: Jesus celebrated the Last Supper (a Jewish Seder) and was arrested in Gethsemane. His trial and crucifixion occurred on the same day the lambs were being sacrificed in the Temple.
  • Prophecy: “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
  • The Timing: Jesus was nailed to the cross at the third hour (9:00 AM), the same time the morning sacrifice began in Jerusalem. He died at the ninth hour (3:00 PM), the exact moment the High Priest would slay the corporate Passover lamb for the nation.

3. The Burial: Feast of Unleavened Bread

Immediately following Passover is the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 15). Leaven represents sin; bread without leaven represents purity.

  • The Fulfillment: Jesus, the “Bread of Life” born in Bethlehem (House of Bread), was placed in the tomb. He was the sinless (unleavened) sacrifice.
  • Prophecy: “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10).

4. The Resurrection: Feast of Firstfruits

The Torah mandates the Feast of Firstfruits on the “morrow after the Sabbath” following Passover (Leviticus 23:11).

  • The Fulfillment: Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week—the Feast of Firstfruits. He is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
  • Prophecy: “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up” (Hosea 6:2).

5. The Ascension: 40 Days Later

Jesus remained on earth for 40 days, appearing to many, before ascending from the Mount of Olives.

  • The Fulfillment: His ascension marked his return to the Father to act as the High Priest in the heavenly Tabernacle.
  • Prophecy: “Lift up your heads, O ye gates… and the King of glory shall come in” (Psalm 24:7-10) and the vision of the Son of Man coming to the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13).

The Future Advent: The Lion and the Lamb

While Jesus came first as the Lamb to take away sin, he returns as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to execute judgment.

  • The Second Coming: Prophecy states He will return to the same location from which He left—the Mount of Olives.
  • Prophecy: “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives…” (Zechariah 14:4).
  • The Marriage Supper: Revelation 19 describes the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb,” where the sacrifice of the 14th of Nisan reaches its ultimate prophetic conclusion.

The “mystery of the Lamb” is not just a past event but a divine universal reality that rings throughout history. The Lamb is the only one worthy to open the seals of the final judgment (Revelation 5). This suggests that the same mercy found in the Passover blood is the only protection available during the coming “Day of the Lord.”

1 Johnathan Cahn

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A Life that looks like home to your soul

Building a “godly home for the soul” is a beautiful metaphor for inner transformation. It suggests that our internal world—our thoughts, habits, and peace—should be a place where the Holy Spirit feels at home.

Scripture often uses the imagery of construction and indwelling to describe this process. Here is how you can build that internal sanctuary.

1. Lay the Foundation: The Rock

Every home is only as stable as its foundation. In a world of shifting cultural “sand,” a godly soul must be anchored in the person and teachings of Jesus.

  • The Blueprint: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24).
  • The Practice: It’s not just about reading the Word, but doing it. Consistency in obedience creates an unshakeable inner life when storms hit.

2. Framework: Guarding the Doors and Windows

What you allow into your soul determines the “atmosphere” of your home. Your eyes and ears are the entry points.

  • The Blueprint: “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” (Psalm 101:3).
  • The Practice: Be intentional about your “input.” If your soul feels cluttered or anxious, check what media, conversations, or environments you are allowing to enter. A godly home requires a filter.

3. Interior Design: The Mindset

A home is defined by its “decor”—the thoughts we dwell on. If you dwell on fear or bitterness, the soul feels like a basement. If you dwell on grace, it feels like a sunroom.

  • The Blueprint: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure… think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
  • The Practice: Practice “mental housekeeping.” When a toxic thought enters, replace it with a specific promise from Scripture.

4. Maintenance: The Altar of Prayer

A home stays warm through its heating source. For the soul, that heat comes from a “continual conversation” with God.

  • The Blueprint: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
  • The Practice: View prayer not as a chore, but as the “breath” of your home. It keeps the air fresh and the connection to the Father open.

5. The Guest of Honour: The Holy Spirit

Ultimately, we aren’t just building a house for ourselves; we are building a temple for God.

  • The Blueprint: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you…?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
  • The Practice: Yielding control. A godly home is one where the Spirit has the “keys” to every room—even the secret ones we’d rather hide.

Summary Table

Element Spiritual Application Key Verse
Foundation Obedience to Christ Matthew 7:24
Walls/Roof Protection & Truth Psalm 91:1-2
Atmosphere Gratitude & Praise Psalm 100:4
Cleaning Repentance & Grace 1 John 1:9

 

Building this kind of life is a lifelong renovation project, not a weekend DIY. Be patient with yourself—the Great Architect is still at work.

Protecting Marriage