NOTE: The following is a sermon preached by Dr. Köstenberger at Christ Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. When we think about Christmas and the Bible, we naturally think of Matthew’s account of the virgin birth and the visit of the Magi or Luke’s account of Gabriel’s visit to Mary and of Jesus’ birth in… Read More
How Should You Apply Scripture?
So you have followed the first two steps in interpretation, “Observation” and “Interpretation.” You have sought to determine what the text “meant” in its original context, to its original readers, as intended by the original author, exploring what some call the “first horizon” of biblical interpretation. You have studied difficult words, outlined your passage as… Read More
Background Information and Biblical Interpretation
There are some purists who hold to a form of textual autonomy according to which only the text is relevant for interpretation and the use of background information is anathematized. Most, however, find the use of background information helpful, and at times even vital, in making sense of a particular biblical passage or entire book…. Read More
Advice from the Apostle: Cutting Straight the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15–16)
In contrast to the false teachers, Timothy must make every effort (spoudazō, cf. 2 Tim 4:9, 21; Titus 3:12; Gal 2:10; 1 Thess 2:17; Eph 4:3) to present himself (paristēmi—an allusion to OT ritual? cf. Rom 6:13; 12:1; see also 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:27; Col 1:22, 28) to God as one tested and approved… Read More
Jesus and the Bible
It seems strange why anyone would want to pit Jesus against the Bible, but in recent weeks the question which of these two is primary, Jesus or the Bible, has once again taken center stage in many circles. I am hesitant to weigh in on this issue since I have not published any major monographs… Read More