Christians cling to a peculiar hope. Dr. Timothy Saleska writes “As the story of Israel makes clear and as God demonstrated by raising Jesus from the dead, the difference for God’s people is that the darkness has an end.” In the Old Testament God sent preachers to share the promises that bring hope…and he still does today. Concordia Seminary is privileged to form students for this role — preachers of a peculiar hope
Editor’s Note: For this year’s Profs ‘n Stein, the students suggested that professors write a letter to their 25-year-old selves to read to the group. Here is a recent one, written by Dr. Timothy Saleska, Professor of Exegetical Theology and Dean of Ministerial Formation Dearest Tim, I am dashing off this letter to you from ..
How the “Gospel-centered” Christian can avoid the Scylla and Charybdis of both fundamentalism and Gospel reductionism
How we relate the Gospel and the Scriptures affects the Christianity we practice
By Timothy E. Saleska Sermon Notes Luke 10:1–20 does not develop an argument but instead lays out a series of sayings that are disparate in structure and content: a metaphor (v. 2); a comparison (v. 3); instructions (v. 4); regulations and brief developments of themes (vv. 5–13); lamentation (vv. 14–15); a wisdom saying (v. 16); a ..
By Tim Saleska Text and Grammar Notes 9:24: εἰσῆλθεν: the aorist verb emphasizes the central point of this text that, unlike the OT sacrifices, Christ’s sacrifice was “once and for all.” ἅγια: The author of Hebrews commonly uses both the plural and the singular, ἅγιον, without distinction to refer to the sanctuary (BDAG). ἀντίτυπα τῶν ..
By Tim Saleska Relevant Background Acts 18:1–17 describes Paul’s eighteenth-month stay in Corinth. When both Silas and Timothy came to help him, he was able to spend all of his time ministering to the Jews (v. 5). But eventually, opposition to his message forced him to stop preaching in the synagogue. He moved next door to the house ..
Text Notes Verses 1–2: “Holy you will be because holy am I, Yahweh, your God.” The commands in Leviticus 19 pertain to almost every area of Israelite life. By commanding such a mix of laws, Yahweh implies that every sphere of life is subject to him. Every action has ramifications for the relationship between God ..
By Timothy E. Saleska Galatians 6 includes the third part of the exhortation section of the letter (6:1–10) and the concluding postscript (6:11–18). Points of theological interest in this chapter are: 1. The concept of the “law of Christ” (v. 2); 2. The fact that we are morally accountable (vv. 7–10); 3. The idea that ..
By Tim Saleska Ezekiel 17:22–24 is an epilogue to the “Allegory of Two Eagles and the Vine” in 17:1–20. The allegory itself is described in 17:1–10. Then, in 17:11–17, the historical interpretation of the allegory is given. On the level of human history, the two eagles are Nebuchadnezzer and Egypt (Pharoah Psammetichus II and his ..
By Dr. Timothy Saleska A question I want to ask you: Does it matter to you if this story is true or not? I don’t mean the question as a test of your orthodoxy. It is not a, Do you believe the Bible is true or a bunch of fables? type question. I don’t mean ..
By Timothy Saleska Background notes (the text in context) 1. Micah 1:1 sets the ministry of Micah in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah. In modern chronology Micah prophesied in the latter half of the eighth and early years of the seventh century B.C. Micah’s ministry came slightly after the ministry of Amos ..
By Tim Saleska Sermon Notes The question that presses the characters in this text is the same one that often presses modern Christian readers of this text. It is the question that the preacher himself must face and answer: What authority does Jesus really have? Put more simply: Can Jesus help us or not? The question ..