Leo Held was a paragon of respectability. He was a middle-aged, hard-working lab technician who had worked at the same Pennsylvania paper mill for nineteen years. Having been a Boy Scout leader, an affectionate father, a member of the local fire brigade, and a regular church-goer, he was admired as a model in his community. Until . . .
Read MoreTag Archives: Hebrews
The Injustice of Roman Justice
Law is the protector of justice. But when madmen make law, justice becomes perverted. When Paul was arrested, he was brought before a tribunal to determine whether sufficient evidence existed for a formal trial. This “first defense” (4:16) or prima actio included a presentation of the case against Paul, as well as his opportunity to present […]
Read MoreMelchizedek as a Type of Christ
Few persons in the Bible are shrouded in more mystery than Melchizedek, king of Salem. After the battle against the five kings in Genesis 14:17, Melchizedek stepped into the narrative as if out of nowhere . . . then vanished again. We know nothing of his ancestry, his family, or his exploits. All we know […]
Read MoreStumbling
Nothing damages our dignity like stumbling! I have seen people, dressed to the hilt, stumble and fall flat on their faces as they were walking to church. I have witnessed serious and gifted soloists, stepping up to the pulpit with music in hand, stumble and fall as the sheets of music sailed like maple leaves in an October breeze.
Read MoreTrophies
He was brilliant. Clearly a child prodigy . . . the pride of Salzburg . . . a performer par excellence. At age five he wrote an advanced concerto for the harpsichord. Before he turned ten he had composed and published several violin sonatas and was playing from memory the best of Bach and Handel.
Read MoreExcuses
I’m a sports fan. I’m sure that comes as news to no one! For some strange reason, even when I was growing up, I could remember the most amazing details—okay, maybe “trivia” is a better word—about different ballplayers. You know, stuff nobody really cares to hear, but nevertheless sticks in my head . . . the way it does with most sports fans.
Read MoreWho Cares?
Who really cared? His was a routine admission to busy Bellevue Hospital. A charity case, one among hundreds. A drunken bum from the Bowery with a slashed throat. The Bowery . . . last stop before the morgue.
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