Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.
Karma is a concept found in many eastern religions that essentially says, “What goes around, comes around.” It is a sort of universal law of cause and effect. There is a seemingly karma-like verse in the Bible, which appears to paraphrase this idea. It says, “You reap what you sow.” However, in looking at the […]
I did a word study on the usage of yeast in the Bible. Here is what I found: Yeast is used symbolically to represent influence, usually negatively. Just as a little bit of yeast, permeates dough and produces a noticeable result, so to does influence, be it good or bad. [Check out where these references […]
Do You Live by the Law or by Faith? In what initially seems to be shocking statement, Jesus says that if we want to have eternal life, we must follow the commandments in the Old Testament. [Matthew 19:17] Of course, this is impossible, because if we break even one law, one time, we are found […]
When Jesus died, many dead people came to life. This is a literal, physical event that Matthew documented. This can also be understood and applied on a figurative or symbolic basis, in that for all who follow Jesus: We came alive when Jesus died. This is a new, spiritual, eternal life. In short, Jesus died […]
There is an account of Jesus, when a paralyzed man seeks to be healed. In a surprise move, Jesus confounds everybody by forgiving the man’s sins! Jesus had realized that this man’s greatest need was not physical, but spiritual, so he addressed that first. Knowing that it is much easier to say “your sins are […]
In the book of Matthew, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for placing their traditions ahead of God’s commands. From our perspective, in a different time and culture, it is easy for us to see their error. However, we likely do the same type of thing and are blind to it. What might some of those traditions […]
By C. S. Lewis Reviewed by Peter DeHaan C.S. Lewis’s book, Mere Christianity, is based on a series of BBC radio broadcasts in the early 1940s. Initially, published as three separate volumes Broadcast Talks (1942), Christian Behaviour (1943), and Beyond Personality (1944), the works were combined in 1952 to result in Mere Christianity, that is […]
Praise God or Fear God? After Jesus performs a miracle—healing a paralytic man—the people were fearful of God, yet full of praise at the same time (this precise wording is not apparent in all translations—see the New Living Translation or the Amplified Bible). Although it seems like a paradox to simultaneously fear God and praise […]
Jesus is sleeping in a boat; the disciples are crossing the lake. A major strong whips up and the disciples are overwhelmed—remember that several of them were fishermen, so it must have been a bad one to scare them. In a panic, they wake up Jesus. He says, “You have little faith; why are you […]
When, Not If In the book of Matthew, chapter 6, there is a word that is interestingly repeated by Jesus. It is the word when: “When you give to the needy…” [Matthew 6:2]“When you pray..” [Matthew 6:5 and 7]“When you fast…” [Matthew 6:16] Notice that Jesus doesn’t say if you give, if you pray, or […]