Dr Paul Allen

“If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (Matt 27:40) There’s Mary, standing near the base of the blood-stained heath, hearing this taunt hurled at her son. If only they knew what she knew, their wagging heads would have bowed low. If only they had heard what she had heard, their mocking lips would have been shut in a terrible silence. If only they knew that he wasn’t Joseph’s son! The tradesman from Nazareth, descendent in the line of David, betrothed to the pious young Mary. Though totally pure and righteous in his conduct towards her, he found out she was pregnant (Matt 1:18-19).  Who knows what he said to her, what she said to him? Instead of legal retribution or a public scandal, he chose a quiet courthouse divorce to protect his reputation and her life. Until the angel told him in a dream that this child was “from the Holy Spirit” (1:20). Joseph knew that he wasn’t the father, but he had never imagined that God himself would be the Father. Why did it matter that...

In 1963, when Andy Williams released his song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” he had the Christmas season in mind. Despite the song not mentioning Jesus Christ or his birth—which I see as a departure from the “reason for the season”—I do agree with Him: Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. When rightly appropriated, it is a blessing that there is a time that is set apart for remembering a pivotal moment in history, the incarnation of our Savior. It’s the time when, as John says in John 1:14, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” There is such value in marveling at the weight and gravity of verses like Paul’s, where he writes, “Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:5–7 What a balm this is for our souls when we consider the cond...

  JOHN 13:4 Jesus’ call to his disciples in the Synoptic Gospels is clear. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24). We are called to “take up our crosses” and die to ourselves. It is less clear exactly what Jesus means when he asks us to “take up our cross.” Are we to imitate him in his death by literally dying on a cross, or literally dying on behalf of others? Are we all called to go to a closed country and be physically persecuted for Jesus’ sake? It is interesting that the gospel of John lacks this call to take up one’s cross. In fact, depending on the English version one uses, it can be difficult to see in John’s gospel anything at all that one is to “take up,” except for the healed paralytic’s taking up his “mat” (John 5:8). Reading the Greek text instead of relying on English translations, however, presents a different picture. John 13:4 gives us great insight into the meaning of “taking up the cross.” The Eng...

Some versions of the Apostles’ Creed say Jesus descended into hell. Did he? For centuries, Christians have proclaimed, “. . . he [Jesus] descended into hell . . .” Other versions of the creed say “the grave.” Why do we say those words at all, and what are the implications of one versus the other?   Bible verses about Jesus’ descent into hell The main texts are Acts 2:31, Romans 10:6–7, and Ephesians 4:9. Acts 2:31 [The patriarch David] foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. Romans 10:6–7 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). Ephesians 4:7–9 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to m...

The above graffiti found in Rome (A.D. 200–250) shows a man kneeling before a crucified figure with a donkey’s head. This is an example of the contempt shown toward the importance placed by Christians on Christ’s crucifixion. The crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth is the central event of the New Testament. The term “Cross of Christ” has come to stand for all that went into and flows out from that event. The cross of Christ points to the violent death of Jesus by means of a heinous Roman method of execution reserved for slaves and enemies of the state. This central event, therefore, is at the same time the “scandal” (Gal 5:11) of the Christian faith.  Torturous executions of the ancient world had found their worst form in crucifixion. Josephus called it “the most wretched of deaths.” Already in Jesus’ own ministry “bearing your cross” was a mark of discipleship (Mark 8:34; Matt 10:38; 16:24; Luke 9:23; 14:27) and seemed to mark a readiness to follow even unto death for C...

He hath made Him to be sin for us,…that we might be made the righteousness of God.… 2 CORINTHIANS 5:.21 The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy. The New Testament view is that He bore our sin not by sympathy, but by identification. He was made to be sin. Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the explanation of His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy with us. We are acceptable with God not because we have obeyed, or because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and in no other way. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the Fatherhood of God, the loving-kindness of God; the New Testament says He came to bear away the sin of the world (RV mg). The revelation of His Father is to those to whom He has been introduced as Saviour: Jesus Christ never spoke of Himself to the world as one Who revealed the Father, but as a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9 was spoke...

The story of Abraham and his “one and only son” Isaac actually foreshadows God the Father’s offering the redemptive sacrifice of the “second Isaac”—his “one and only Son” (John 3:16 NET). Rather than this being forced upon the Son—divine “child abuse,” as Richard Dawkins calls it—the Father is not pitted against the Son. Christ willingly laid down his life and then took it up again (John 10:15, 17–18). God sent his Son into the world (John 3:17) to bear Israel’s and humanity’s curse and alienation on the cross. Yet, God the Son himself came into the world (John 9:39) to save it. With three wills of Father, Son, and Spirit united as one, the Triune God gave his very self to rescue and redeem humankind: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Cor. 5:19). Abraham’s unquestioning yet difficult obedience to the covenant God not only helped shape and confirm Israel’s identity in Abraham but also provided a context for understanding God’s immense self-giving love in the...

If we look at the intricacy of the drama of the events of Jesus’ crucifixion , we see that some amazing things took place so that Old Testament prophetic utterances were fulfilled to the minutest detail.  In the first instance, the Old Testament said that the Messiah would be delivered to the Gentile s (“dogs” or “congregation of the wicked”) for judgment (Ps. 22:16). It just so happened in the course of history that Jesus was put on trial during a time of Roman occupation of Palestine .  The Romans allowed a certain amount of home rule by their conquered vassals, but they did not permit the death penalty to be imposed by the local rulers, so the Jews did not have the authority to put Christ to death. The only thing they could do was to meet in council and take Jesus to Pontius Pilate , the Roman governor, asking him to carry out the execution. So Jesus was delivered from His own people to the Gentiles—those who were “outside the camp.” He was delivered into the ...

Young Isaac Watts found the music in his church sadly lacking, and his father challenged him to create something better. Isaac did. His hymn “ When I Survey the Wondrous Cross ” has been called the greatest in the English language and has been translated into many other languages. Watts’s worshipful third verse ushers us into the presence of Christ at the crucifixion . See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down. Did e’er such love and sorrow meet Or thorns compose so rich a crown? The crucifixion Watts describes so elegantly stands as history’s most awful moment. We do well to pause and stand with those around the cross. The Son of God strains for breath, held by crude spikes driven through His flesh. After tortured hours, a supernatural darkness descends. Finally, mercifully, the Lord of the universe dismisses His anguished spirit. An earthquake rattles the landscape. Back in the city the thick temple curtain rips in half. Graves open, and dead bo...

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” ( Luke 9:23 ) This same conversation and challenge is also recorded in Matthew 16:24 and Mark 8:34 , except that only Luke included the term “daily.” Except for one brief reference in Matthew 10:38 , this conversation marks the first explicit reference in the Bible to the practice of crucifixion, and it apparently assumes that the disciples were already well aware of this typically Roman method of execution. “Taking up the cross” referred to the usual requirement that each condemned man haul his own cross to the place of execution. Jesus knew that He would soon have to be doing this Himself ( John 19:16-17 ). Christians sometimes use this phrase without appreciation of its true meaning, thinking of some burden (such as sickness or poverty) as “the cross” they must bear. Such things can be serious problems, but they are not instruments of execution, such as a c...

The doctrine of limited atonement (also known as "definite atonement" or "particular redemption") says that the atonement of Christ was limited (in its scope and aim) to the elect; Jesus did not atone for the sins of everybody in the world. In my denomination, we examine young men going into the ministry, and invariably somebody will ask a student, "Do you believe in limited atonement?" The student will respond by saying, "Yes, I believe that the atonement of Christ is sufficient for all and efficient for some," meaning the value of Christ's death on the cross was great enough to cover all of the sins of every person that ever lived, but that it applies only to those who put their faith in Christ. However, that statement doesn't get at the real heart of the controversy, which has to do with God's purpose in the cross. There are basically two ways in which to understand God's eternal plan. One understanding is that, from all et...

There is significant evidence in both the Old Testament and the New Testament that perfect obedience to the law was necessary for salvation. Paul’s fundamental complaint with the Jews of his day was not that they excluded Gentiles.  Rather, he indicted them for failing to do God’s will, for failing to see the depth of God’s demand on their lives. I think we can say with confidence that the same is true today.  Many do not rely on Christ’s atoning sacrifice for forgiveness and his righteousness because they believe their own obedience is sufficient Schreiner, T. R. (2010). 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. (B. L. Merkle, Ed.) (pp. 53–57). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic & Professional.

Luke 22:63–65 . Who struck you Jesus? This question was asked by wicked men who held the Saviour in the hour of the power of darkness, Luke 22:53. So far, during His ministry they could not stretch forth a hand against Him.  But now, having been falsely accused and condemned to death by their leaders, those wretched minions thought to physically man-handle Him. They mocked His claims by spitting in His face, smiting and buffeting Him. Then, they thought of further humiliating Him by blindfolding Him, striking Him, then asking Him to tell who it was that had carried out the mean action. Did they really want to test His prophesying ability? Or were they just putting Him to an open shame, Heb. 6:6? Were they really interested in learning the truth about His Person? Did they have a genuine desire to know if He was indeed a prophet? Certainly not! This was simply a clear demonstration that ‘the carnal mind is enmity against God’, Rom. 8:7. Every proof that Jesus of Nazareth was ...

“And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” ( Isaiah 53:9 ) It is generally recognized that the amazing 53rd chapter of Isaiah, written over 500 years earlier, is the most explicit and complete exposition of the substitutionary suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ in all the Bible, including even the New Testament accounts. And this prophecy that His death and burial would be with both the “wicked, and with the rich” is surely one of the most remarkable. How could such a prediction possibly come to pass? Yet it did! Unjustly condemned, not for any violent or deceitful acts, but only for telling the truth, Jesus was crucified between two wicked criminals, yet He was buried in a garden tomb lovingly built by a rich member of the council that had condemned Him to death. Furthermore, that elaborate tomb had almost certainly been personally designed and built ahead of time by Jose...