Sometimes when we read a passage of scripture, we have to fill in the gaps, noticing what’s not said. In this passage, I think something is missing: a celebration. After the...

I teach preaching at a theological seminary, and each year my colleagues and I assign this passage as a sermon text to a number of students. I’m accustomed to hearing sermons...

It is worth re-reading and even memorizing Psalm 121. In its brevity and simplicity, it takes us straight to the heart of what it means to embark on a journey of...

God promises Abram that all families of the earth will be blessed because of him. This is important to remember, particularly in light of the covenant God made with Noah and...

Jesus responds to Nicodemus’s questions with a reference to a curious part of the Israelite story: Moses’ creation of a bronze serpent statue to protect the Israelites from dying from snake...

When considering the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, it is important to note that Nicodemus shows up again later in two places in John’s Gospel—when he challenges his fellow Pharisees to...

Abraham is central for Paul in his letter to the Romans because Paul sees Abraham as the common ancestor for Jews and Gentiles, showing both peoples how faith works. While we...

Abram who becomes Abraham is our forefather in faith. Why? Because he stepped out into an unknown future to an unknown land, trusting fully in God’s promise that he would be...

The Psalms are the songs and prayers of the Israelites, and this psalm, part of the Songs of Ascent (see Psalms 120–134), most likely functioned as a pilgrimage song for people...

Invited to interview for the deanship at the Boston University School of Theology, I pursued the job for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to succeed my great teacher, Dean Walter...