Posts by Josh Moody

Isaiah 40-41, Proverbs 25:15-28, Luke 23:13-25, Hebrews 9:1-10 Hebrews 9:1-10: Now the author of Hebrews comes to describe what worship was like in the old covenant.  Sometimes, we can think that such worship – with all its ceremonies – must have been particularly exciting, brilliant and somehow better than the rather plain (by comparison) kind of worship with…

Isaiah 31-33, Proverbs 24:1-22, Luke 22:54-62, Hebrews 7:11-28 Hebrews 7:11-28: Some people seem to view the Old Testament as merely a list of rules, at best, or, at worst, a description of slightly disreputable activity on the part of an unpredictable and wrathful deity. But this kind of approach to the Old Testament woefully misses the larger story…

Isaiah 29-30, Proverbs 23:19-35, Luke 22:47-53, Hebrews 7:1-10 Hebrews 7:1-10: This is one of those passages in the Bible whose logic is a little hard for us to grasp because it is depending on modes of thinking that are unfamiliar to us. For most of us, conversations about Melchizedek and priests and who is greater than the other…

Isaiah 24-26, Proverbs 22:17-29, Luke 22:31, Hebrews 6:1-12 Hebrews 6:1-12: Having exhorted his readers to leave elementary mere “milk” teaching to go on to the “meat,” the author of Hebrews does precisely that. But in beginning now to teach about some deeper matters, he has often left those who read his words wondering how to interpret what…

Isaiah 21-23, Proverbs 22:1-16, Luke 22:24-30, Hebrews 5 Hebrews 5: In this passage, the author of Hebrews first describes how Jesus can be a high priest even though he was not born in the line of the tribe of Levi, and then what this teaching means for us in practice.  First, he talks about Melchizedek in the Old…

Isaiah 17-20, Proverbs 21:17-31, Luke 22:14-23, Hebrews 4:12-16 Hebrews 4:12-16: The author of Hebrews is taking a brief break in his exegesis to apply what he has been saying. And broadly speaking, he applies his teaching so far in two ways: 1) to the Bible and 2) to prayer.  His application to the Bible, or “the word of God,”…

Isaiah 14-16, Proverbs 12:1-16, Luke 22:1-13, Hebrews 4:1-11 Hebrews 4:1-11: When we think of rest, we tend to think of a nice relaxed Sunday afternoon lying on the couch taking things easy. Perhaps there is a game on the television, Sunday lunch has been eaten, and mercifully – for once that week – there is not much to…

Isaiah 11-13, Proverbs 20:16-30, Luke 21:29-38, Hebrews 3 Hebrews 3: The Book of Hebrews is making the argument to Hebrew Christians facing persecution for following Christ that to go back to Judaism was unacceptable. Why? Because Christ is better than the great Old Testament heroes, even greater than angels. Going back to Judaism was not a safe option,…

Isaiah 9-10, Proverbs 20:1-15, Luke 21:20-28, Hebrews 2:10-18 Hebrews 2:10-18: There is indubitably no greater trial for most mortals than the trial of suffering. By its very nature, suffering not only causes us physical (or mental or emotional) pain, but it also seems to raise profound philosophical and theological questions at the same time. Why am I suffering…

Isaiah 6-8, Proverbs 19:15-29, Luke 21:1-19, Hebrews 2:1-9 Hebrews 2:1-9: It is easy sometimes – given our exposure to “Christianese” and kitsch Christian giveaways, or what I even once heard someone in the gift trade call “Jesus junk” – to think of Jesus in less highly exalted terms than we should. Because we are exposed from an early age,…