Category Archives: Bible

White Paper: The Bride of Christ and the Saints Before the New Covenant: A Biblicist Examination of Covenant Identity, Eschatology, and Scriptural Language

Executive Summary This white paper examines whether Scripture identifies believers called before the inauguration of the New Covenant—that is, the faithful of the Hebrew Scriptures—as part of the Bride of Christ, or whether that identity is reserved for those called … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Chronology of the Tiqqunê Soferim: When Were the Old Testament Scribal Emendations Most Likely Made?

Executive Summary This white paper examines the probable historical period in which the Tiqqunê Soferim—the eighteen acknowledged scribal emendations of the Hebrew Old Testament—were introduced into the consonantal text. Based on manuscript evidence, linguistic uniformity, Second Temple scribal culture, and … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: Scribal Emendation and Theological Reverence: A Biblicist Comparison of Old Testament and New Testament Textual Interventions

Executive Summary This white paper examines the phenomenon of scribal emendation in both the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament, comparing their frequency, transparency, motivations, and theological implications. From a biblicist perspective, it argues that the two testaments … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“They Hated Me Without a Cause”: A Biblicist Examination of Uncaused Hatred

In John 15:25, Jesus Christ declares, “They hated Me without a cause,” explicitly invoking the language of the Psalms (Ps. 35:19; 69:4). At first glance this claim appears paradoxical. Surely the Jewish leadership of the first century could articulate reasons—theological, … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

White Paper: Providence, Permission, and the So-Called “Fall”: A Biblicist Examination of Genesis 2–3

Executive Summary An enduring theological dispute concerns whether the sin of Adam and Eve should properly be called “the Fall,” or whether it should instead be understood as a deliberately designed and planned act within God’s redemptive purposes. Some argue … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

White Paper: The Literacy of Joseph and the Patriarchs: A Biblicist Analysis

Executive Summary This white paper examines the question of literacy among Joseph and the broader patriarchal figures in Genesis (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants). From a biblicist perspective, literacy is understood not as a universal social skill but as … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, History | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: Boundary-Setting Doctrine: Why Fundamental Beliefs and Creeds Often Emphasize Distinctions Rather Than Core Importance

Executive Summary Across religious history, formal statements of belief—creeds, confessions, catechisms, and fundamental belief lists—rarely represent a full hierarchy of what a community considers most essential for salvation, moral transformation, or covenant faithfulness. Instead, these documents tend to emphasize points … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Origins and Development of Scribes as a Profession: A Biblicist White Paper

Executive Summary This white paper examines the origins, development, and operational roles of scribes in biblical times from a biblicist perspective. It argues that the scribal profession emerges not merely from literacy, but from covenantal administration: because God reveals Himself … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: Training Students and Educators to Use AI for Biblicist Analysis While Preserving Sound Interpretive Guardrails

Executive Summary As AI systems become increasingly capable of generating theological commentary, exegetical insights, and instructional materials, Christian educators face a growing need to integrate these tools without compromising biblically faithful interpretation. AI can accelerate learning, broaden access to historical … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Graduate School, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: “The Kingdom of God Is at Hand”: A Biblicist Analysis of the Phrase “At Hand” in Scripture and Extra-Biblical Literature

Executive Summary The expression “the kingdom of God is at hand” (e.g., Mark 1:15; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17) is among the most programmatic declarations in the New Testament. Yet the meaning of “at hand” is frequently misunderstood due to modern … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment