Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | August 31, 2014
The attitude and desire of the Troas Christians gathering on the first day of the week to break bread should be more instructive to us than the simple fact that they did (Acts 20:7). Why precedes what. Following their example of what without following their example of why leads to formalism and empty tradition. Remember, […]
PHall | August 28, 2014
Jesus says to the church in Thyatira, “I know your works — your love, faithfulness, service, and endurance. Your last works are greater than the first” (Revelation 2:19 HCSB). The original Greek did not have punctuation, so adding it becomes part of the translation, and the interpretation. For example, both the HCSB and the NET […]
PHall | August 26, 2014
Consider how similar Thyatira’s sins are to Corinth: 1) Both tolerated someone who needed to be put out (1 Cor.5); 2) Both had people who committed fornication (1 Cor.6:12-20); 3) Both had problems with the eating of meats sacrificed to idols (1 Cor.10:14-22); 4) Both had some kind of “sickness” and death (1 Cor.11:30); 5) […]
PHall | August 21, 2014
If loving God is the greater commandment over loving our neighbor (Mt.22:37-39); and if we cannot love God whom we have not seen if we hate our brothers who we have seen (1 John 4:20), then loving one another is one way that we learn and practice loving God.
PHall | August 21, 2014
Ever hear, “Jesus afflicted the comfortable and comforted the afflicted?” Ever hear, “Therefore I will afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted?” Ever hear the glee in their voice, and see the smirk on their face, as they claim act just like Jesus? But after comforting and afflicting, Jesus willingly and lovingly died for those […]
PHall | August 19, 2014
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul includes the phrase, “and that he was buried.” David Wenham writes, “His highlighting of what might seem to be a relatively unimportant event (as compared to the death and resurrection) may simply be a lead into his following discussion of resurrection. But it quite probably also reflects the fact that […]
PHall | August 13, 2014
Been ruminating on what is or are the differences between walking after law versus walking after the Spirit (Galatians). Or, what is or are the major differences between the covenant written in stone and that written on the heart (2 Corinthians). For example, both are ethically equal in many commandments – do not murder, do […]
PHall | August 6, 2014
Paul’s “Preaching Trip” (2 Corinthians 2:13-7:7) – Ironically, Paul goes on a little preaching trip after he stops going on his big preaching trip. What I mean is, after mentioning that he leaves Troas to find Titus, where he was evangelizing due to God’s open door, Paul goes on a tangent about his preaching ministry. […]
PHall | August 6, 2014
Why was Paul so restless about Corinth, so much so that he left a field ready to harvest? The answer is finally given in 7:6-7. Theory 1 – Paul loved all the churches, those he founded and those he strengthened; those he visited and those he only wrote to (11:28). Someone suggested that while that […]
PHall | August 5, 2014
Lately I have been fascinated by how many times Paul’s teaching reflects that of Jesus’. Sometimes it is just a peculiar word repeated, a phrase reworked, or an essential doctrinal issue reiterated. For example, in 1 Cor.5:4 in the discipline of a brother, Paul writes, “in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit […]