The Letter of Paul to the Colossians contains six verses which form a hymn or poem in praise of Christ. This Christ Hymn is a densely packed statement of Paul’s Christological monotheism. Christ is exalted as sovereign over creation, the church and new creation. The letter was written in response to the false philosophy that the church in Colossae was in danger of following.
Exegesis of Romans 1-3
In Romans 1-3, Paul writes to the Christians in Rome about a major theme in his theology, the righteousness of God which has been revealed through the gospel. In this passage Paul describes the universal sinfulness and guilt of humanity that results in the wrath of God, before beginning to reveal the solution – faith in Jesus the Messiah.
What cosmic symbolism did Solomon’s Temple have, what purpose did that symbolism have (and what contribution to biblical theology and spirituality does that symbolism make)?
The first temple dedicated to YHWH in Jerusalem was constructed under King Solomon in the tenth century BC at the top of Mount Zion; where it stood until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 585 BC. Solomon’s Temple was symbolic as the dwelling place of Israel’s god, a restored Eden, a microcosm, the cosmic centre, a bulwark against chaos and the story of Creation in stone.
What exactly did Adam and Eve do wrong?
The account of the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, how they were tempted by the serpent and their subsequent fall are recorded in Genesis 2:4b-3:24. A study of this pericope will reveal that Adam and Eve already know the difference between good and evil, that they are already divine in a specific way, that they do not complete the purpose for which they had been placed in the garden of Eden, and the nature of the sin which led to their expulsion from Eden.
Words made flesh: What important insights are there for the practical theologian in the conviction that Jesus Christ is ‘God Incarnate’?
The study of the nature and person of Jesus Christ, known as Christology, has provoked much debate and controversy from the early Christian period up to the present day. To answer the question whether Jesus was only human or whether he was divine or both is the task for the practitioner of the Gospel when faced with those who challenge the historical understanding of Jesus. To illustrate this task, the position of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and contemporary writers on the identity of Jesus will be compared to the Arian heresy.
Summarise the contribution of Jesus of Nazareth to an understanding of leadership today
Jesus of Nazareth was a leader. Blanchard and Hodges call him the “one perfect leadership role model you can trust.” The public ministry of Jesus lasted for three years; his training has been estimated at thirty years. However, his influence has lasted two-thousand years.
