Lent 1 • James 1:12–18 • February 22, 2015


Lent 1 • James 1:12–18 • February 22, 2015

By William W. Carr “Blessed is the man (Μακαριος ανηρ; see, e.g., Ps 1:1, אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־הָאִ֗ישׁ) who remains steadfast under trial” (Jas 1:12, ESV). Preparing this homiletical help in September makes it difficult not to think about Christians in Iraq and in several areas of Africa, who are pursued, persecuted, kidnapped, and murdered because they are Christians. The stomach churns, the ..


Pentecost • Acts 2:1–21 • May 19, 2013


Pentecost • Acts 2:1–21 • May 19, 2013

By William Carr What in the world is going on? English versions seem so pedestrian, e.g., “When the day of Pentecost arrived” (ESV) or, simply, “came” (NIV and others). Though the verb συμπληροω occurs only three times (Lk 8:23; 9:51; and here), there is more to the arrival of Pentecost than flipping the calendar to ..


Proper 21 • Amos 6:1–7 • September 26, 2010


Proper 21 • Amos 6:1–7 • September 26, 2010

by William Carr Where Are You Resting? For exegetical details, see Lessing, Amos, Concordia Commentary (CPH, 2009), 388–409. His treatment of language-oriented matters, especially morphology and syn- tax—sorely lacking in most other commentaries—is important. Another decent choice is Andersen and Freedman, Amos, Anchor Bible 24A (Doubleday, 1989), 544–569. This commentary focuses on a possible poetic ..