Daily Archives: March 4, 2026

The Heart That Deceives Itself: Self-Justification, Moral Rationalization, and Narrative Self-Construction in Light of Jeremiah 17:9

Posted on March 4, 2026 by nathanalbright

Abstract This paper undertakes a sustained theological and anthropological examination of Jeremiah 17:9 — “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” — as the foundational scriptural diagnosis of the human capacity for self-deception. … Continue reading →

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Reflection and Forgetfulness: The Mirror Metaphor in Biblical Self-Knowledge

Posted on March 4, 2026 by nathanalbright

Abstract This paper examines the mirror as a controlling metaphor for self-knowledge in two pivotal New Testament texts: James 1:23–24 and 1 Corinthians 13:12. It argues that the biblical deployment of the mirror image is not incidental but theologically purposive, … Continue reading →

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The Assayer’s Art: Greek Vocabulary of Self-Examination in the New Testament

Posted on March 4, 2026 by nathanalbright

Abstract This paper investigates the Greek vocabulary of self-examination as deployed in the New Testament, with particular attention to four key terms: δοκιμάζω (dokimazō), πειράζω (peirazō), ἀνακρίνω (anakrinō), and ἐξετάζω (exetazō). It argues that the metallurgical semantic background of these … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Self-Examination in the Hebrew Bible: The Opacity of the Heart and the Necessity of Divine Participation

Posted on March 4, 2026 by nathanalbright

Abstract This paper examines the Hebrew Bible’s conception of self-examination as a fundamentally theocentric activity. Drawing on key lexical terms — חקר (ḥāqar), בחן (bāḥan), ניסיון (nissayon), and לב (lev) — it argues that the ancient Israelite worldview treated the … Continue reading →

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