Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | February 14, 2017
The Servant Songs of Isaiah In studying the Servant Songs there is a definite and surprisng move from brightness to darkness. The first sings of God’s pleasure in His Servant and how the Servant will not break a bruised reed (Isa.42:1-4). The second has the Servant singing a melancholy song of depression; while questioning His […]
PHall | February 14, 2017
Everyone knows the Second Great Command as listed by Jesus and lifted from Leviticus; but do we know how to love others as ourselves? Pragmatically, a Jewish Rabbi focused on “as yourselves”: “Just as we love ourselves despite the faults we know we have, so should we love our neighbors despite the faults we see […]
PHall | February 13, 2017
Each church needs a eugenics program. Properly defined, eugenics is, “the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. Developed largely by Francis Galton as a method of improving the human race, it fell into disfavor only after the perversion of its doctrines by the Nazis.” […]
PHall | February 11, 2017
Did Jesus ever get depressed, despondent, or at least disappointed in His impact on others? Last night we had an enlightening and hopefully uplifting – because misery loves company – time with the 2nd Servant Song (Isaiah 49:1ff). We recalled the many NT passages which gave reality to the first two lines of v.4 which […]
PHall | February 11, 2017
Jewish tradition states the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 took place on the same calendar day as God came down on Sinai to deliver the Law to Israel. Historically then in order: 1) the Israelites “plundered” the Egyptians; 2) The Israelites crossed the Red Sea; 3) The Israelites received the Law. When we come […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
In Mark 1, immediately after His Father confesses Jesus, we see Him at His most human. Jesus is in the wilderness, hungry, surrounded by wild animals. When Jesus leaves the wilderness, He casts out a demon. Later in Mark 8-9, immediately after Peter confesses Jesus, we see Him at His most divine. Jesus is on […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
How much better is the New Covenant than the Old? Excluding all the “betters” of Hebrews, the Servant Songs of Isaiah say Yahweh will appoint Jesus to be a covenant for the people (42:6; 49:8). Just think about that. We don’t have a covenant with God. Jesus is God’s covenant with us, and our covenant […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
Here’s a good exercise to keep you studying: 1) Get a piece of paper and pen; 2) Write down all the things that are wrong that you believe; 3) After you figure out it is impossible to know what you don’t know, you now have a reminder to keep learning. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (HCSB) (14) But […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
“What about the thief on the cross? He had no outward manifestation of his faith.” This statement was made to me when doing evangelism at our Coffeehouse Evangelism by someone who believed baptism was not necessary. So we revisited the thief on the cross. That believer said, “Don’t you even fear God, since we are […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
Jewish tradition states the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 took place on the same calendar day as God came down on Sinai to deliver the Law to Israel. Historically then in order: 1) the Israelites “plundered” the Egyptians; 2) The Israelites crossed the Red Sea; 3) The Israelites received the Law. When we come […]