Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | August 20, 2016
Recently a preacher got fired for being scripturally divorced. The congregation was sympathetic to his plight due to his wife leaving him and their children, to join her “lover” in Florida. The elders, however, severed their fellowship with him as a preacher because they were afraid his situation would be a “distraction” to the congregation. […]
PHall | November 25, 2015
How did Samson, the womanizing, violent, self-serving judge make it into the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:32)? In some strange way he and Paul are partners in grace. Paul had to learn “power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor.12:9). Samson, gifted by God with great strength only learned to rely upon God when he “gained […]
PHall | September 18, 2014
Prayer and reading have replaced the prophet and priest. When we pray we speak to God. When we read God speaks to us. The prophet was speech from God coming downward. The priest was speech through sacrifice going upward. The prophet says God wishes to be heard. The priest says the people wish to be […]
PHall | May 9, 2014
Cain dismissively answers God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain is sarcastically saying he isn’t responsible for Abel; he isn’t Abel’s baby sitter, although many years ago he might have been as the older brother. Such an attitude cautions us on how we answer and treat one another. In Iain Provan’s Seriously Dangerous Religion, he […]
PHall | March 22, 2014
Incentives or motivation for righteousness in the OT was very personal, even “base” by New Covenant standards. And yet, sometimes what sin “costs” us can and should be motivating; it can cost us relationships, self-respect, all more important than money, and yet…. Imagine the personal financial cost of offering sacrifices in bygone years. You sinned, […]
PHall | November 22, 2013
This exhortation to not forsake our assembling but to encourage one another to love and good deeds leads to chapter 11 where we have “Heroes of Faith” who are in 12:1 a “great cloud of witnesses (that) surround us.” The imagery is historical and refers to a stadium full of supporters cheering on the participants. […]
PHall | November 21, 2013
Hebrews 10:24-25 – Notice the linguistic and spiritual connection between “attend” and “attention.” When we pay attention to God we attend to God’s people by attending with God’s people. We are not only attendees, we are attendants, “one who waits on another.” When we attend, we pay attention, not just mentally by bodily, because attendance […]
PHall | November 14, 2013
Hebrews is obviously written to Hebrew believers. Considering how much of the exhortation is about the Tabernacle and sacrifices and the topic of perseverance, we connected Acts 6:7, “and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith” to the topic of what converted Jewish priests had to “sacrifice”: their livelihood, their paycheck, their […]
PHall | November 9, 2013
The Garden of Gethsemane is connected to the Garden of Eden, where God walks among men. The cross of Golgotha is also connected to the Garden of Eden. When in sin, mankind recognizes their sinfulness, see their nakedness and live in shame only to be covered by God’s grace. When Jesus becomes the sin offering, […]
PHall | June 18, 2013
Hebrews is filled with family regulations of food and drink (9:10). For the kids we have fruit lips (13:15). For men there is both solid food and milk (5:12). For ladies there are vegetables: lettuce draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith; lettuce hold fast the confession of our hope without […]