Bible Passages

These are exegetical studies of specific biblical passages — widely-known or widely-misunderstood. Each follows the Reformed principle that Scripture interprets Scripture: a verse is read in light of its immediate context, the argument of the book that contains it, the covenantal progression of redemptive history, and the analogy of faith (analogia fidei) — the overall pattern of biblical teaching.

Historic Christian exegesis is both historical-grammatical and theological. It asks what the author meant in his own time and how the passage fits within the whole canon's witness to Christ. Popular verses are often quoted apart from their context (Jeremiah 29:11 is not a promise of your personal career path); other passages carry greater weight than they are usually given (Romans 8:28–30 is the Bible's compressed ordo salutis).

These passages include the heart of the gospel (John 3:16), the classic psalms of comfort (23, 139), Paul's compressed theology (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 2:8–9, Galatians 2:20, Romans 12:1–2, Philippians 4:13), the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), and other widely-cited texts (Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 3:5–6, 1 Corinthians 13, James 1, Hebrews 11). Good theology reads verses in light of texts.