born and raised twice in the bay, I preach Jesus and him crucified
At first, the wedding at Cana and Jesus' crucifixion seem like disconnected scenes. One is a joyful celebration, while the other is heavy with pain and loss. But John weaves these moments together, showing us how they both point to something bigger—Jesus' mission, the unveiling of His glory, and the new creation He brings. The... Continue Reading →
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quietly embedded itself into our daily lives in ways we might not notice. Spell checkers, writing assistants like Grammarly, virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa, and text generators like ChatGPT all fall under the category of Narrow AI. These are specialized systems designed to perform specific tasks, and they do it well,... Continue Reading →
Herod the Great, king of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth, is a critical figure in both the New Testament and historical writings. His reign, marked by paranoia, monumental building projects, and ruthless political maneuvers, significantly shaped the landscape of first-century Palestine. Historical Overview Herod rose to power in 37 BCE, consolidating his rule... Continue Reading →
The Letter to the Hebrews is one of the New Testament's most mysterious and theologically rich writings. While we do not know who wrote it, suggestions include Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, and Priscilla. However, the author's identity matters less than the letter's powerful message. Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians, likely living near Judea, who were... Continue Reading →
Throughout history, traditions have played a significant role in shaping religious practices, but when these traditions begin to overshadow the text’s teachings, it raises important questions. In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, we find examples where tradition has, at times, taken precedence over Scripture, leading to practices that diverge from the original message of... Continue Reading →
Phillip W. Martin 