Michael Ballai's Page

Since I managed to upset some people the last time around, I might as well make sure that I finish the job. Not to bother people, although that seems to be inevitable if one tells the truth, but to see what I missed that people didn't understand. I'm trying to teach scripture, not simply disprove faulty exegesis. It's hopefully not too much to expect readers grasp the concept that you don't just place extra-biblical material into a single scripture verse hat and pull out a soundly biblical dove-… Continue

One of the guys here on Theologica just came up with a very clever explanation of what it means to bear one's cross. Unfortunately, it was done entirely around the phrase from Roman law and then given a spiritual veneer to equate it with submission and obedience to make it sound plausible. It was just a little too slick. It may be a nice message, but it missed the mark.

Here's the verse: And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him… Continue

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. Mark 4:35-36

Of all the Gospel narratives, the account of Yeshua calming the storm affirms the sovereign power of the living God in the strongest way. Nothing speaks more to this writer's heart than reading about the awesome power of the Messiah in whom I have placed my hope.

Mark has one uni… Continue

My last post on Colossians 2:16-17 generated not a little controversy. Judging by the response and my own writing, it's probably best for us internet exegetes to pull up our socks and see if we cannot properly define what Paul is talking about. There's been a chasing of lexical rabbit trails and that doesn't do justice to the exegesis of the passage.

The Greek word itself is simply shadow. The context reference clearly states it in relation to something taking place. F. F. Bruce (also Le… Continue

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Colossians 2:16-17

Whenever anyone mentions Torah observance for a believer, the above verses are promptly trotted out as a proof text against such a practice. Many are particularly keen about emphasizing the term shadow. A few translators will even go so far as to call them… Continue