Dr Paul Allen

Jesus articulates the amazing truth that it will be to the advantage of the disciples for him to leave them, for then the Spirit will be sent in his place. Although Jesus had been of such great importance to them, he now says that someone is coming who can be of even greater benefit (16:7) to them, and they will be active based on his strength. In 14:12–14, Jesus identifies one of the benefits of the arrival of the Spirit. Jesus promises that the works (erga) that he performed will be achieved to a greater degree by those who believe in him. Such works are best identified as miracles and possibly also ethical acts. It may be appropriate to recognize that anything that fulfils the will of God, as exemplified in the life of Jesus, may be identified thus. However, to suggest that believers will be able to perform greater miraculous works than Jesus, in terms of the dramatic impact they cause, is an unlikely interpretation of the text. Nor is Jesus promising that greater power will be avai...

Jesus uses the metaphor of water in association with the Spirit in the context of salvation. It is no coincidence that these words of Jesus were uttered during the seven-day-long Feast of Tabernacles (7:2).  It was popularly referred to as the Feast of Tents due to the fact that the participants camped in homemade shelters, erected on rooftops or in the fields (Lev. 23:34–36). It functioned as a thanksgiving for the harvests and an opportunity to remember how God had guided their forefathers during the forty years in the wilderness. Implicit was an anticipation of the arrival of the kingdom of God, when their ‘exile’ would finally be over and life-giving water would be available in abundance. Little wonder that Josephus described it as the most popular festival held in the temple. It was at this feast that the ritual of drawing water took place on each of the seven days, reflecting the provision of water from the rock by God (Exod. 17:1–6). Water was drawn from the Pool of Siloam a...

The Gospel of Mark is understood by some as having a low Christology . This is understandable, to some extent, in light of the very human aspects of Jesus in the Gospel:  He displays a range of emotions (Mark 1:41; 8:12; 3:5; 6:6);  He doesn’t know everything God the Father knows (Mark 13:32; Edwards 2002, 13);  He is occasionally unable to perform miracles (6:5);  His question to the rich man—“Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mk. 10:18)—could be interpreted as a direct denial of divinity. Mark’s use of the Old Testament, however, reveals a Christology that is “enigmatic and paradoxical” (Strauss 2014, 734), full of the reality of Jesus’ humanity and yet pointing to his divinity. Jesus is the Davidic Messiah , and yet a suffering servant. He is the Danielic Son of Man who, at his lowest point, claims the highest authority (Mark 14:62). More than that, whether by direct quotation or by allusion, Jesus is revealed as the God ...

In Revelation 1:4–5, John gives what appears to be a Trinitarian greeting from God, the Spirit, and Jesus; but in place of the Spirit, he highlights the “seven spirits before his throne.” John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits, before his throne, and from Jesus Christ. These seven spirits appear three more times in Revelation: Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. (3:1) Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. (4:5) He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. (5:6) These references raise an important question: Why does John replace an expected reference to the Holy Spirit with a reference to seven spirits of God? What does this mean? Symbolic apocalyptic visions defy all attempts at perfect systematisation. The seven spirits of God are symbolically described t...

The fundamental distinction between Christian and Islamic theology centers on how God’s nature is understood. The God revealed progressively through Scripture—Yahweh in the Old Testament and continuing through Christ and the apostles—differs fundamentally from Allah as presented in Islamic teaching. 1 The most significant theological divergence involves the Trinity . Christians affirm God as triune—one in essence yet three in person—where the distinctions between Father, Son, and Spirit do not create three separate deities. 1 While both faiths claim monotheism, Islam understands “one” to mean Allah is a singular spiritual being without internal plurality, and Muslims explicitly deny the Trinity as implying polytheism. 2 The Qur’an categorically rejects any notion of threeness in God, treating the Trinitarian confession as blasphemy. 3 This doctrinal disagreement extends to Christology and redemption . Islam denies both the incarnation of a second person of the Trinity who accomplishe...

We have a God for all circumstances. In times of affliction, we should pray to Him; in times of cheerfulness, we should sing to Him. Do times of trouble drive us to prayer, and do times of joy lead us to praise? To encourage us to pray, James draws attention to the powerful combination formed by the right kind of prayer prayed by the right kind of man. The fervent supplication of a righteous man, he assures us, is of ‘great strength’, v. 16 lit. James loves to illustrate his points by reference to examples from the Old Testament. Previously, he had cited Abraham and Rahab as evidence of true faith that expresses itself in works, 2:20–26, and Job as evidence of patient endurance in the face of affliction, 5:10–11. Now he introduces Elijah as an example of one whose prayer was of ‘great strength,’ 5:17–18. Although James was fully aware of the normal weather cycle, v. 7, he was also aware of one occasion when God interfered with that cycle in response to a man’s prayers. For by his praye...

James was concerned about believers who did not know how to face their many trials and troubles. If any lacked the necessary wisdom to bear and make proper use of their afflictions, he said they were to ‘ask of God’. By way of encouragement, James described Him as the One who gives without reservation (liberally) or reproach (upbraideth not). God gives unreservedly. He gives ‘richly’, 1 Tim. 6:16, ‘freely’, Rom. 8:32 and ‘liberally’ (with singleness of heart, lit). God’s resources are not simply great; they are infinite. In response to my requests, He gives and I receive. Yet, although thereby I am so much richer, He is not one whit poorer. Usually, when I receive something good (cf. verse 17) from somebody else, I end up with more and they with less. But not so with answered prayer.  Notwithstanding all God’s bountiful giving, His store is not in the least diminished. If I come to Him for help or strength or whatever, I need never fear that my taking is going to impoverish Him. Hi...