A newsletter of weekly mediations on biblical theology and curated resources from The Carson Center

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

1 Corinthians 1:26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Read 1 Samuel 19; 1 Corinthians 1; Lamentations 4; Psalm 35

It is a perennial human temptation to “boast in” (that is, rely on, value and treasure) the wrong things. Reputation, money and power are all hugely attractive and seductive— and we don’t have to be famous, rich or influential to feel that allure. We live in a world where the urge to proclaim our basic “worth” is strong. Which is what makes Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1 (and Jeremiah’s words which stand behind them) so utterly revolutionary.

The church at Corinth was born into a world built on status. The Roman world was built on knowing your place. The Greeks were famous for valuing “knowledge,” especially, the ability to have philosophical conversations, above all else. And those who were Jews? They cherished their identity as the “Scripture” guys, who had worshipped one thoroughly impressive God for centuries. Put all those people together in church, and what do you get? Interesting times!

Paul wants them to grasp that when Jesus, the eternal Son of God, became human, lived as one of us, and in particular, died on a cross, a means of execution reserved for those who were trying to subvert the social order, he turned everything upside down. Jesus’s death recalibrates what really matters. To illustrate that point, he turns to Jeremiah 9.

Through Jeremiah, God is explaining to his people Judah that neither their temple, nor their land, nor their (Davidic) King, nor any of their traditions have any power or ultimate value in and of themselves. Rather, they were designed to lead God’s people into the knowledge of him: “let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me….” The people of Judah needed to hold onto that knowledge in the face of coming judgment through the Babylonians. The Corinthians, too, needed to grasp it as a fractious, immature, multicultural church of the Lord Jesus. Which begs the question, what about us? – Gary Millar

Reflect: What are the things that we are tempted to boast in about ourselves, our church or our “tribe”? Why is that foolish? Ask God to recalibrate your heart so that you might long to know him, and treasure him above all things.

Sing About Exodus with the Psalmists

“Look how united America was!” “Good people around the world stood against tyranny.” “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” “That’s why they call it the greatest generation!” “Scientific innovation reached new and deadly heights.” “The military industrial complex was born.”

World War II was such a vast and multifaceted historical phenomenon that modern people refer to it regularly. Some references are positive. Some are negative.

The same is true of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Yair Zakovitch isn’t exaggerating when he says, “No other event in the history of Israel is given so much attention by biblical writers as is the exodus—as many as one hundred and twenty references in a variety of literary genres.” The Psalter probably tops the leaderboard with dozens of allusions to Exodus across 23 psalms.

These allusions occur for various reasons. Some positive. Some negative. Here are five reasons that Israel’s psalmists recollect or allude to the book of Exodus.

At TGC25, Ben Gladd, the Executive Director of the Carson Center, sat down with three seminary presidents to discuss the current landscape of theology. In this breakout session, Ben, Scott Swain, Doug Logan, and Jason Allen discuss the relationship between biblical theology and systematic theology, theological retrieval, the role of creeds and confessions, as well as areas of encouragement and growth for the church today.

In this essay, Gray Sutanto, professor at Reformed Theological Seminary and Keller Center Fellow, helps us to explore all of the depth in the gospel message. He writes, “The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, and it is good news precisely because of its covenantal backdrop, its benefits for the Christian believer, and its cosmic implications.”

READ "The Gospel" by N. Gray Sutanto

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