The Surprising God

This post exegetes Colossians 3:1-11, providing context for the Epistles reading on Easter Sunday, 4/5/26. Insights are drawn from commentary by Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Peter T. O’Brien ("New Bible Commentary"). "Lost and Found" by Greg Olsen (used with permission of artist) Introduction  The theology of Paul’s epistles centers fully on Jesus and the creation and outworking of the union that all humanity has with him. Our personal realization of and active participation in that union proceeds in three interrelated steps :   1. Belong . This is the declaration of what is true already of all humanity, namely, that in and through Christ (our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer), God includes all humanity in his life and love. He has made us all his dearly beloved children. And he has done this for us and to us, apart from any work or merit of our own. It is thus his gift of pure grace. And now the Spirit brings us a choice: to believe o...

This post exegetes Philippians 2:1-11, providing context for the Epistles reading on 3/29/26, which is Palm/Passion Sunday--the first day of Holy Week. Insights are drawn from commentary by Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Francis Foulkes ("New Bible Commentary"). "Paul in Prison" by Dore (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction  Paul is in prison, and Epaphroditus visits, bringing Paul a generous gift from the church at Philippi. But he also brings disturbing news of a double threat to that congregation’s unity: false teachers from without (Phil 3:1–3) and disagreeing members from within (Phil. 4:1–3). Paul is greatly concerned, and so in his letter to the Philippians he pleads with them to recover a true and lasting unity. They will do so as they, through the Spirit, actively share in the mind of Jesus. Note Philippians 2:1-2: 1 Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his lov...

This post exegetes Romans 8:1-17, providing context for the Epistles reading on 3/22/26, the 5th Sunday in Lent. Insights are drawn from John Stott’s commentary on the book of Romans, and from "The Expositors Bible Commentary." "Holy Spirit" by Bernini (St Peter's Basilica) (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction Having discussed in Romans 7 the frustrations of seeking to live for God under the law, Paul now turns in Romans 8 to the blessings that come through living for God in the Spirit. Paul contrasts the law and the Spirit—showing that the law has no power to save or to deliver from indwelling sin, whereas the Spirit does both. Thus Paul points Christians away from living under the law to a life animated, sustained, directed, transformed and enriched by the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:1-17 he describes multiple and glorious blessings of life in the Spirit. No condemnation  Romans 8:1  The first blessing is related to what Paul wrote in chapter 5: ...

This post exegetes Ephesians 5:5-21, providing context for the Epistles reading on 3/15/26, the 4th Sunday in Lent. Insights are drawn from Karl Barth's commentary on Ephesians and "The Expositors Bible Commentary." "The Descent of the Holy Ghost" by Titian (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction To understand Paul’s approach to Christian ethics, it’s vital to recall his presentation of the gospel of grace given in chapters 1-3. There he shows that through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension, we have been adopted by our heavenly Father as his children. It was not our behavior that gave us this status, nor is it our behavior that maintains it. We are God’s children, included in Christ; and that’s God’s gift of grace. But why then talk about our behavior? Listen to what Karl Barth said in a lecture on Ephesians chapter 5: Whoever has understood God [referring to a believer] becomes conscientious and attentive [to Christ]. Such a person has be...