Next Up in Greek Class

Participles. Which means we can finally talk about the grammar of the Great Commission! 

Recovery Is Vital

You are not growing when you are training in the gym. You get stronger when you are outside of the gym recovering. 

Back to 3 Days a Week at the Gym

Today I began a major weight training reset now that my 30-day pull up challenge is over. 

Instead of going to the gym daily, I will attend every other day while continuing to pursue my goal of increasing my overall upper body strength by 25 percent between now and next March. I'll continue doing pull ups of course. 

Other regulars in my routine are biceps curls, lat pulldowns, and dumbbell bench presses. I have found that the very best workout routine for me is a 3-day per week schedule at the gym, with the other days being dedicated to either running or cycling. At the end of the day, you have to find a workout routine that is the most enjoyable and sustainable for you. It doesn't matter how effective a given routine is at putting on muscle and taking off unwanted fat. If it's not something you can maintain over the long term, then it's only a matter of time before you burn out and quit. The ultimate goal is to create a workout routine that is most enjoyable and sustainable for you as an individual. I have found that going to the gym every day is counterproductive because it doesn't allow my muscles enough rest between workouts. So, bottom line here, as a beginning bodybuilder your focus in those initial stages of muscle building should be on developing your overall physique evenly as a whole and on perfecting the fundamentals of the sport first. 

Yesterday, by the way, I had my weekly 90 massage focusing on a complete neural reset using the quantum alignment technique and it was amazing. It was exactly what I needed both to end the 30-day challenge and to begin a new, less rigorous phase of lifting for me. I'm also averaging over 9 hours of sleep every night (10 hours last night), which helps me to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and restored and ready to face a new day of training. Remember: If your effort is so high that you can't properly recover, then you are providing for yourself fewer opportunities for muscle protein synthesis. Yes, it's hard to achieve the proper balance between gym workouts and days off from lifting, but it's a goal we have to just keep on pursuing. 

On Church Traditions

The only church practices that can be pleasing to God and beneficial to believers are those which distinguish between apostolic traditions and ecclesiastical traditions and then subject the latter to the former. 

Pumpkin Time

My grandson just stopped by to bring me some produce from his pumpkin patch. 

Thank you, Bradford! 

On Deck: Contract Verbs

What will we cover in tomorrow's Greek class? Contract verbs. Some of our favorite New Testament verbs fall into this category. Here's a list of some of them. 

If you have taken Greek in the past, care to try your hand at translating them? If you can get all of them right, you are amazing!

HE DID IT!

In an absolutely insane performance in Chicago, Kelvin Kiptum just ran the fastest official marathon of all time. Sub 2 hour is next I'm sure. A well-deserved honor for this young Kenyan and my hearty congratulations. 

Runners LOVE Chicago. The marathon course is both flat and fast. Here's my view as I got underway in the 2019 Chicago Marathon. 

What happy memories but nothing like the ones Kiptum will have. Glorious day for runners and for the sport! 

"All of Our Games Are Away Games Now": Why Inerrancy Still Matters

I began teaching in 1976. That's 47 years ago. That's a very long time. I know, because people sometimes ask me, "What was it like way back then? Was the earth dry yet?"

Truth is, things haven't changed all that much in the four and a half decades I've been a teacher. 1976 was the year that saw the publication of one of the century's most important books. It is a highly readable -- and disturbing -- account of the bitter battle that was taking place in the American church over the doctrine of biblical inerrancy. Harold Lindsell's The Battle for the Bible really shook me up. 

"I have written this book," wrote the former editor of Christianity Today, "largely for the evangelical lay people in the pew who may not be aware of the central issue facing them, their denominations, and their institutions." The issue, you ask? "The battle that rages over the Bible today centers around the question of infallibility -- whether the Bible is fallible or partially trustworthy .... To ignore the battle is perilous. To come to grips with it is necessary. To fail to speak is more than cowardice; it is sinful."

To prove his point, Lindsell documented how a defective view of Scripture inevitably leads to disaster down the road. Compromise always and only ends in more and more concessions until every last truth of the Scriptures is dismissed with disdain by "true" scholars. Fuller Seminary wasn't the only institution to fall to the infestation of a postmodern mindset. 

I was wondering, as I thought back to 1976, if there was something I could share with my students that might prepare them to better face the challenges of their own generation. Perhaps the best thing I can do to help them arrest the slide of evangelicalism toward a liberal view of the Bible is to argue strenuously for its inerrancy. This I hope to do next Saturday in Charlottesville, and you are most cordially invited to attend this free seminar. We will discuss, among other things, why no true evangelical should ever talk about "errors" in Mark's Gospel that were "corrected" by Matthew and Luke. We can't avoid issues like these. The Bible is under attack. To ignore the battle is indeed perilous. 

47 years ago, American evangelicalism was more widely accepted by the culture than it is today. The year 1976 was, in fact, declared the "Year of the Evangelical" by none other than Time Magazine. 

After all, we even had an evangelical in the White House, right? Today all that has changed. The wind, as they say, is against us. Or if I many change the metaphor slightly, "All of our games are away games now." 

Lindsell concluded his book by saying that "when all of the mysteries of Scripture have been unlocked, we shall see what we have always believed -- that the written Word of God is free from all error, and all parts of it in some fashion or another bear witness to the incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ the righteous Branch, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords." 

When inerrancy is lost, the historicity of Christianity will disappear with it. 

True Friendship (Phil. 2:25)

The book I was reading this morning has this dedication page:

I love it. It reminded me of the three words Paul used to describe his friend Epaphroditus in Phil. 2:25:

I have a friend. A really good friend. I wish we were neighbors but we're not. If we were, property values in our community would skyrocket. When I got sick in 2020, he drove over 3 hours to pray with me. He is a good pastor and a great teacher -- great in content and great in delivery. I know him well. I know his heart and I trust him. He's shared not only the work with me but also the danger. Once, when we were in Ethiopia together, I watched him suffer from illness with perfect equanimity of spirit. Truth be told, I cannot imagine a better friend than he.

Don't underestimate the power of a good friend. Paul didn't. His description of Epaphroditus stirs me. Something inside of me resonates and begins to sing. May I make a request? Send a message today to that good friend of yours. Tell him your world is different because of him. Thank him. Then thank God for him. 

May your relationship with Christ reach new heights this year as you grow closer and closer to those true friends he brings into your life.

Evening at the Farm

The Synoptic Problem (5)

As you know, Occam's Razor gives precedence to simplicity. The simpler explanation is to be preferred to the more complex one. 

Now, our hypothesis -- the Fourfold Gospel Hypothesis -- differs in many ways from the current consensus view (Markan priority), not least in terms of simplicity. Do you know how many hypothecated documents our theory requires? Yep, you guessed it. NONE. Not one. No M. No L. And no Q. I emphasize this because the Markan priority hypothesis is based on a number of dubious assumptions not least of which is that Q was a vitally important document in the first 50 years after the resurrection but was lost through shocking carelessness. I find this simply incredulous, especially when there is a much simpler explanation for the relationships between the synoptic Gospels. 

No, we cannot blindly apply Occam's Razor willy nilly. But all other things being equal, there is something to be said for the simpler explanation, don't you think? Luke knew Matthew. Mark knew both Matthew and Luke. Simple but not simplistic!  

A Bit of Novelty in the Gym Today

Having friends is essential -- a true gift in life. Friends are never perfect, just like you aren't perfect. But they always have your best interests at heart. To have a good friend you must be a good friend. I've got a number of friends at the gym. Here are two of them. 

We are constantly nudging each other on in our goal to take good care of the fragile tents in which we dwell in this world. Because of their encouragement and example, today I tried a brand new exercise called the bicep cable curl. I did it both one-armed....

... and two-armed.

Now, I'm not one who believes that you need tons of novelty if you're a lifting novice like me. If you're coming back to the gym stronger on a consistent basis, then your program is working for you. So exercise variety is not some holy grail that lifters need to obsess over. That said, there's nothing wrong with mixing things up from time to time, like I did today. I definitely don't need a million exercises to grow my biceps, but I am willing to give new exercises a try if I think they can help me reach my goals.

Incidentally, another thing that really drives me during my workouts, in addition to the help and motivation of others, is listening to great music like this awesome piece. 

I love it so much I'm teaching it to myself on the piano. 

In a nutshell, the most reliable way to make progress in the gym is a combination of consistency with your current routine and the willingness to add in new exercises if you think they are useful for achieving your overall fitness goals. Since muscle growth is a very slow and gradual process in the short term, however, it's probably best to stick with those exercises that have proven to be the most advantageous to you through the months and even years. 

Meanwhile, I've been doing house cleaning and guess what -- I'm finding it a lot more tiring than working out at the gym. I always feel uninspired and generally blah when it comes to working around the house. I do love my family, though, and nobody likes a parent who's a slob. While I do sort of care about appearances, I clean the house mostly because dust is not good for your lungs or anyone else's for that matter. 

Back to dusting .... 

Weekend Swell?

Been waxing down the surfboard. 

I'm closely watching the surf report at Virginia Beach. Word has it there may be some swells this weekend. Stay tuned....

Book Giveaway

I'm giving away a copy of this book. 

Simply write me at dblack@sebts.edu and let me know why you'd like it. Winner will be contacted tomorrow evening, and the book will go out pronto. 

I'm Not Where I Want to Be

But I'm not where I used to be either. Always compare your fitness with your starting point, not your end point. In fact, fitness has no end point; it's a lifelong commitment. I started lifting two years ago. I also cleaned up my diet. I am sooooo far from where I started. It would be true to say I'm not where I want to be, but I'm actually starting to see real results. 

I am putting on muscle and taking off fat. I can see results in my chest, arms, and shoulders. Today I was lifting and said to myself, "This is such a blessing that I am able to do this. Thank you, Lord." I am having a lot of fun with the whole process and am excited to see where I will be a year from now. I will keep being patient with myself and not rush the process. The smallest changes make me happy and keep me going regardless of the other parts that have changed little. I look at myself after every workout and say, "You got this. Just keep at it and don't give up. Even when you fall get up and get at it again." 

It's a long, slow process and I am loving every minute of it. 

Be a Berean

Even a squirrel can fall out of a tree. Even an expert can make mistakes. Don't just accept what you're told at face value, because very often that can lead you down the wrong path. 

Jesus' Parable of the Greedy Farmer (Luke 12:16-21)

Currently we are storing our hay in 8 different barns. Seven of them we built ourselves after we purchased the farm 25 years ago. This is one reason I've always been puzzled as to why the farmer in Jesus' parable in Luke 12:16-21 tore down his barns in order to build bigger ones. Why not just do what we did -- keep the older barns and add to them? 

Incidentally, Jesus' subject in this chapter is "greed" (see v. 15). I love Haddon Robinson's definition of the word:

"Being wealthy," adds Robinson, "is not sinful. But it is dangerous." The farmer could have said, "Because God has blessed me with such a great harvest this year, I'll donate the extra income to the synagogue or to some ministry or to the poor." Instead, he reasoned as follows: "Let's see here. By replacing my existing barns I can avoid using my pastures for storage purposes. Thus I can maximize my income potential while allowing me to increase my prices before selling my hay." He knew that if he flooded the market there would be high supply and low demand and his profits would decrease. But, Jesus says, he was a fool because he was neither rich toward God nor toward others. Remember what Haddon Robinson said? Greed is the excessive desire for wealth or material possessions. It is often characterized by a lack of concern or empathy for others and even a willingness to exploit them for one's own gain. Hence, even though the farmer undoubtedly had some virtuous qualities:

• he planned
• he saved
• he prepared for the future
• he worked hard

Jesus calls him a fool because he thought only of himself. Note the self-centered nature of the passage:

Jesus' parable depicts the utter folly of believing that wealth can secure either prosperity or happiness. It can't. 

This isn't a particularly cosmic blog post, I know. But this morning, while reading this passage in Luke,  I experienced a small and needed reminder from the Holy Spirit that generosity matters to God. At the end of your life, you can say you've lived well if you've been generous with those "little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness" (Wordsworth). 

P. S. I think you will love watching Haddon Robinson's outstanding message on this parable. 

The Synoptic Problem (4)

No solution to the so-called synoptic problem is legitimate unless it takes into account ALL of the evidence. This includes the eternal evidence -- the testimony of the early church fathers. Our hypothesis -- the Fourfold Gospel Hypothesis -- respects and accepts the real-life situation of the universal church in the years 30-67 and agrees with the known history of the apostolic churches at all key points. It is the only solution that conforms to the historical and patristic evidence, and it meets the internal data at least as well as the Markan Priority Hypothesis and often much better. The latter is built upon a deliberate and a priori rejection of the ancient patristic evidence and a denial of any suggestion of a direct connection between the apostles and the gospel writings.

Despite the lip service that is often paid to the patristic testimony by gospel scholars, the fathers are more neglected today than ever before. The same kind of neglect runs through the majority of New Testament introductions and guides to the synoptic problem. The late Bernard Orchard once quipped that if I took the fathers' writings seriously I would be accused of being a Roman Catholic in Protestant clothing. So be it. If reading the church fathers critically makes me a catholic (please note the small "c"), then I am happy to accept that title. For me, this means that although I delight in studying and reading the New Testament in its original language, I think it is an advantage rather than a detriment to learn Scripture through the works of scholars who through the years have drunk deeply from the well of the New Testament. 

In fact, I believe that the fragmented and atomistic approach to the New Testament documents today is often merely an excuse for intellectual laziness. I too once held to Markan priority, but all that changed when I translated the writings of the fathers for myself from the original Greek and Latin. I saw that their testimony, though not inerrant (only the Bible is inerrant), was reliable and not as self-contradictory as many modern writers tried to make them out to be. At any rate, it will be obvious to anyone who reads my book that I have taken tradition seriously, and with that tradition I have found my home and am at peace. 

The statements of the church fathers concerning the origins of our Gospels may be found freshly translated and analyzed in my book. The unhesitating support by the church fathers for the historicity and authenticity of the four Gospels can no longer be doubted, nor can it be questioned that the earliest church believed that the apostle Matthew was the first to write a Gospel. Could it not be, then, that the Markan prioritists are wrong? 

No Quick Fixes for Getting Fit

Getting into shape requires that you make a long-term commitment to diet and regular exercise, and that you follow through with this commitment. Otherwise, there are no quick fix formulas for getting fit. 

Hilaros = Hilarious? (2 Cor. 9:7)

The Greek word hilaros in 2 Cor. 9:7 does not mean "hilarious" no matter how often preachers say it does. Word meaning is determined by usage, not etymology. So you can put away your laugh tracks during the offering. 

Dunamis = Dynamite? (Rom. 1:17)

The Greek word dunamis in Rom. 1:17 has nothing to do with dynamite no matter how often preachers say it does. 

Care Package!

Shout out to my son for bringing these delectibles to me today. 

Looks like it's time for Chinese stir fry again. Incidentally, their 7th son will be born any day now. And she's still baking bread. Thank you, Jessie! 

The Synoptic Problem (3)

We have been arguing that the order Matthew-Luke-Mark is the one that best comports with the earliest traditions of the church fathers. It is, in fact, what one would naturally expect seeing that Christianity spread from Jerusalem into Asia Minor and Greece and thence westward to Rome. Thus, there were two primary phases of the Gospels in the first century. 

But what did the early fathers say about Mark's Gospel? Here's a quick overview from my book:

• In all cases, Peter is described as the person responsible for creating the text of Mark. Justin even said that Mark is nothing other than Peter's "memoirs."
• Peter did not himself write down his gospel stories. He spoke them aloud to his Roman audience.
• Peter's disciple Mark retrieved what Peter had spoken and did so at the request of Peter's enthusiastic audience.
• The almost invariable use by the fathers of the Greek word hermēneutēs (Latin interpres) to describe Mark's function indicates that he was not the author in the normal sense but rather the "recorder" or "stenographer " of Peter. 

Incidentally, under this view, we can completely dispense with all hypothetical documents, not only "Q" but also "M" and "L." Luke wrote with full cognizance of the content of Matthew, and Mark wrote with the full cognizance of the content of both Matthew and Luke. All of this, of course, utterly fails to support the priority of Mark at any point.

More soon .... 

Our Gentle Savior (Mark 10)

 While studying Mark 10 this morning I was struck by the tenderness of our Lord. 

These three expressions stood out to me. 

First, Jesus takes the little children "in his arms." Secondly, he speaks a blessing over them. The Greek does not merely mean "he blessed them" but "he tenderly blessed them" (the verb has a prefix that intensifies the idea). Finally, notice in v. 21 that Jesus "loved" the rich young ruler. According to the standard Greek lexicon (Bauer), the idea of the verb here probably means that Jesus "embraced" or even "caressed" him. 

These three verbs provide three quick flashes of Jesus' character. Let's never equate gentleness with weakness. Gentleness is not something to be ashamed about. It is supreme strength of character, even if you're a "macho" man. It is a virtue that grows from the inside out. Jesus had it in spades. And to think -- he lives in us! 

5 Lifting Mistakes I Regret Making

I have made quite a number of mistakes since I first began lifting weights seriously about 2 years ago. Today I'd like to share 5 of them with you. Actually, I was quite naive when I started this journey, so I made many mistakes I should not have made. Maybe you've made the same ones. I will use some pics I took during my workout today as illustrations.

In the first place, I failed to know and respect my body's limitations. I often pushed myself a lot harder than I probably should have. Since then I have dialed things back. I'm trying to remember that I have a 71-year old human frame and, while I should expect much from it, I can't expect everything from it that I would like. The ancient Greeks wisely said, "Know thyself." 

Secondly, when I first started lifting I failed to keep my shoulder blades back and my sternum forward while doing bench presses. This put tremendous pressure on my shoulder joints and once even led to a temporary shoulder injury. Since then I've learned to focus on ensuring that my shoulders are rolled back and down. If I fail to do this, then my front delts take on most of the work, not my pecs. By keeping my shoulder blades retracted, my shoulders and elbows aren't stressed as much. 

Thirdly, I have learned to maintain a high level of intensity while working out. It's not the amount of work you perform that is the primary driver of hypertrophy (muscle growth). You have to perform an exercise right up close to or beyond the existing capability of the muscle. Intensity, not volume or even amount of weight, is the ultimate baseline factor. You have to train hard while training smart. 

Fourthly, when I first started out, I had never heard of "muscle contraction." In order to build a muscle you have to contract that muscle. You can't just move a weight from one place to another. You must move the weight while mentally focusing on the targeted muscle as hard as you can. This slight adjustment (often called the "mind-muscle connection") can make a huge difference in the results you see in the long run.

Finally, I think I made the mistake of ignoring the eccentric (or lowering) phase of the exercise I was doing, particularly on pulling exercises. Since pulling exercises (like a biceps curl) involve the weight falling away from you, it's easy to forget about lowering it slowly. When you do that you are foregoing one of the greatest stimuli for muscle growth and gains. Even while doing a pull up I have learned to slow down the eccentric (lowering) portion of the exercise considerably.

I'm sure I've made other mistakes while lifting, but these are the 5 that come to mind as I type. If you simply take the time to think through what you are doing in the gym, it could truly make a significant difference to your muscle growth and strength gains. 

Happy training!

Dave 

"Examine Yourselves": Rethinking the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11)

I grew up in a church that always had a lengthy period of introspection before we partook of the Lord's Supper. We were asked to "examine ourselves," just as Paul had done with the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. If we felt we were not "worthy" to partake of communion that Sunday, we would pass on the elements as they were served.

Here are three terms in 1 Corinthians 11 that I think might call this practice into question. 

They should at least give us pause. First of all, nobody was ever invited to the Lord's table. The verb poieite that Paul uses here is in the imperative mood in Greek, that is, the mood of direct command. That's one reason why we call communion an "ordinance" of the church, like baptism. We are commanded to do it. In fact, NOT to partake of the supper would apparently be the violation.

Secondly, notice the word I underlined above in v. 24. This is perhaps the strongest way in Greek you can say "in remembrance of ME." We come to the table to remember, not our sins, but our Savior. Of course, if the Lord brings to your mind some sin that is in your life, the Lord's Supper is as good a time as any to repent of it and ask the Lord for forgiveness. But honestly, we believers are so permeated with sin that it is probably impossible to ever know what sin or sins remain unconfessed and unsurrendered. 

This leads me to my third observation. Notice that in v. 27 Paul uses an adverb (unworthily), not an adjective (unworthy). His warning isn't about sin in general. I used to think like this when it came to the Lord's Supper: "Let's see, on Monday I was late for work for no reason. On Tuesday I skipped my morning quiet time. On Wednesday I sped on the interstate. On Thursday I spoke an unkind word to a friend. Man, this week has been a spiritual struggle. I think I'll pass on the Lord's Supper today." 

No, the problem in Corinth was the congregation's failure to "discern the body" (v. 29). Paul was rebuking them because they were forgetting that every person in the room was family. There were, he says, divisions at the table. The greedy behavior of some -- they were eating their own meals and not sharing with others -- humiliated those with nothing to eat (vv. 21-23). This completely defeated the purpose of coming together as a church. "So you're hungry?" asks Paul. "Okay. Eat at home! But when you come together as a church, all should eat together. That way when you eat it will not be for judgment." In short, he is rebuking the Corinthians for their unloving, uncaring, and unworthy behavior at the meal, not because they were "unworthy." 

Have you ever failed to treat your brother or sister in Christ as you ought to, as family? 

A young lady was at the airport waiting for her flight when she opened a bag of cookies. After she took a cookie from the bag, a man sitting next to her did the same. This greatly irritated her. She said to herself, "How dare he?" Not wanting to create a fuss, she let it pass. But when she picked up another cookie, the man did the same. This happened time and again and she was really having to control her temper. Finally, there was only one cookie left. As she was wondering what the man would do now, he took the cookie, broke it in half, ate half of it, left the other half for her, and quietly walked off. Fuming with anger, her flight was finally called and she boarded the plane and took her seat. When she opened her carry-on to look for something to eat, she noticed that she still had her bag of cookies, untouched and unopened. Then she realized that she had been eating from the man's bag of cookies, not her own. She was ashamed of herself for faulting the man for his terrible manners. And to think that he had even shared with her his last cookie! He did not say anything but just broke the cookie in half and left.

Do you have any regrets about the way you have treated a brother or sister in Christ? Every Lord's Supper is an opportunity to choose to do better. We could probably all be a lot more loving and patient with each other. We have the opportunity every moment of every day to make a positive or negative impact on those around us. Remember: our actions reveal the kind of people we really are deep down inside. 

Sproul once said, "The Lord's Supper is for Christians, not for perfect people. That we are sinners should not keep us from taking the supper." I would add: If the Lord convicts you of an uncaring spirit on your part, do not wait until the next communion service to make things right. You can do that right now, today. 

The Synoptic Problem (2)

Here are a few points to ponder as we think about the Synoptic Problem.

1. The early church was unanimous that our earliest Gospel was not Mark's but Matthew's. 

2. Clement of Alexandria stated that the Gospels containing the genealogies (Matthew and Luke) came first. 

3. Matthew has always been the church's foundational Gospel and the most important. It was composed to meet the urgent needs of the primitive church of Jerusalem, which needed a manifesto defending its integrity and its right to exist alongside of Judaism.

4. Luke, on the other hand, was written at the request of Paul to meet the no-less urgent need of his Gentile churches to have their own manifesto to prove their full equality with Jewish Christians.

NOTE: In my book Why Four Gospels? I use the term "manifesto" intentionally. A manifesto is "a public declaration of principles, policies, or intentions, especially of a political nature, proclaiming certain opinions and motives in reference to some act or course of conduct done or contemplated." Think, for example, of the Communist Manifesto or the Feminist Manifesto. Matthew and Luke were no less revolutionary. 

"Why Mark?" will be the topic of our next post. 

Alpine Training Continues

It felt so good to get back to the Y today and resume my upper body training for the Alps, including pull ups. 

I think I am currently looking at a 50-50 chance of summiting an Alpine peak next summer. I won't go back to Switzerland unless I can get that up to 75-25. There's no sense in traveling all that distance and spending all that money unless you stand a better-than-average chance of accomplishing your goal. I'll decide somewhere around next March. Which gives me 5 solid months of training left. 

As a goal setter, I've discovered that there's no use in making goals unless you have action steps and target dates for completion. Incidentally, there are three basic types of goals -- those you can live with, those that are a slight stretch, and those that are a dream. Climbing one more peak in Zermatt is in the latter category. I am trying to set myself up for being successful, but the truth is that this is a HUGE stretch for me. The main thing is that I give 100 percent to everything I do or attempt to do, and to always expect the best of myself. To do this you have to leave both self-doubt and perfection behind. You have to listen to your body. You also have to give yourself permission to fail. 

I've committed myself to the Alps, but I'm still not at the point where I believe it's actually going to happen! 

The Synoptic Problem (1)

Here's the consensus view on the origins of our Gospels: 

The problem solved is stated here, our Mark did first of all appear. For Luke and Matthew used him both, but Luke and Matthew, nothing loath, to add some more used "Q" for "Quelle," and special sources "M" and "L."

Make sense? Not to me. I'll be blogging about this topic this coming week and challenging the scholarly guild. I hope you'll join me. 

Recovery Walk (and Church) in Appomattox

After getting 10 and a half hours of wonderful sleep last night, I woke up refreshed and completely recovered from yesterday's race. One thing I always like to do after a race is walk the next day just to keep the muscles in active recovery mode. Since the day had dawned with absolutely perfect fall weather, I decided to take advantage of the trails at Appomattox Court House for that purpose. I also thought I'd take the opportunity to add some pictures to my photo collection of this beautiful and historic site. Here is just a sample of the dozens of pictures I took. 

Afterwards I attended a nearby Baptist church that is really making its mark in southern Virginia. 

We sang all the old hymns accompanied by a piano, the choir brought a lovely special, and the Lord's Supper was accompanied by a young lady on the harp playing such hymns as "It Is Well with My Soul" and "Be Thou My Vision." The message from Romans 6 was excellent. I still remember its outline:

1. The picture of baptism.

2. The priority of baptism.

3. The practice of baptism.

Tomorrow it's back to the gym to continue my pull ups challenge. I also have my sports massage in Wake Forest and I plan to get in some writing while on campus. This week we have off for Fall Break. The weather is very promising for haying. We'll see what happens. 

Today I met someone at church who also did the race in Lynchburg yesterday. I'm sure we were both thinking, "I can't believe it's humanly possible to go up that hill at the end." If, 7 years ago, a prophet would have told me, "In a few years you'll be running the Virginia 10 Miler and even longer distances," I would told him he was crazy. I would have told him that I was more likely to give birth to an elephant named Dumbo than to compete in a foot race. Then I witnessed one of my kids run a half marathon. Even though you may not know it at the time, every once in a while you have those experiences in life that shape the person you become. That was one of those moments. We did a 5K together, and the rest was history. Since then, running has become a part of me. That moment was the beginning of so many amazing experiences that have come into my life because I am a runner. I can't begin to imagine how different my life would be today if I had never started running or lifting or surfing again. Each of us is capable of so much more than we realize. I know I sound like a broken record, but I hate watching people waste away their lives because they believe they have run out of untapped potential. I cannot help but run, even if I'm terrible at it. I know of no other way to live than to be active. 

You (yes, YOU!) can go out and do something awesome. Challenge yourself to go beyond the line of what is comfortable. Begin NOW.