Posts by Layton Talbert
Providential Dullness: An Easter Meditation
Layton Talbert Matthew, Mark, and Luke record three occasions on which the Lord Jesus explicitly forewarned his disciples of His approaching betrayal, death, and resurrection. The first occasion prompted Peter’s rebuke of the Lord and the Lord’s rebuke in reply (Matt.16; Mark 8; Luke 9). Soon after, the Lord repeated the prediction (Matt.17; Mark 9;…
Read MoreAdding to Our Faith? (2 Peter 1:5)
Layton Talbert Second Peter establishes that our salvation is secured by means of a faith that gives us equal standing with the apostles themselves because our faith, like theirs, is not attained but obtained (1:1). Everything necessary for our sanctification has also been provided by God (1:3), accessible to us via priceless promises (1:4). Then…
Read MoreChrist Is Supreme Because He Is Man (Hebrews 2:5–9)
Layton Talbert Have you ever been stumped by a child’s theological question? It is a humbling reminder that sometimes children see things we have not noticed. A query from my daughter prompted a closer examination of the nuanced Christological argument of Hebrews 1–2. In that argument, the quotation of Psalm 8 in 2:6–8 raises the…
Read MoreThe Fundamentalist and Social Issues
Layton Talbert Adjusting Popular Misconceptions Over the past twenty years, Fundamentalists have grown more sensitive to community opportunities and responsibilities. To some, this is a negative development, a distraction from our prime directive as believers in a lost world. But it need not be. Rather, it ought to be an extension of our ministry, a…
Read MoreThe Critical Nature of Leadership
Layton Talbert The storyline is all too familiar. A well-known leader of God’s people — popular, well intentioned, and godly — forges an alliance with a notorious enemy of Biblical truth. Why? In the interest of unity, he says. An act of magnanimity and compassion — of “getting along” — no doubt. He even sought…
Read MoreAmos – A Prophet For All Seasons
Layton Talbert Whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning . . . and they are written for our admonition” (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). If theology is “the queen of the sciences,” then history is the heir apparent. It is no accident that God has given the lion’s share of His revelation…
Read MoreProvidential Dullness? Luke 18:34
Layton Talbert The writers of the synoptic Gospels record three occasions on which the Lord Jesus explicitly forewarned his disciples of His approaching betrayal, death and resurrection. (See a harmony of the Gospels to compare the exact parallel passages.) The first occasion prompted Peter’s rebuke of the Lord and the Lord’s rebuke in reply (Mt.16/…
Read MoreUpon This Rock • A Study of Matthew 16:13–20
Layton Talbert This famous theological battleground invites, deserves and rewards close and independent exegetical scrutiny. Interpretational Options The first option, perhaps the most popular view among non-Romanists, is that the “rock” is Christ Himself. This view is defended by the New Scofield Reference Bible, Barbieri (Bible Knowledge Commentary), and somewhat tentatively by Matthew Henry.
Read MoreSalvation: BC or AD?
Layton Talbert Who split time?” A billboard along the highway daily poses that rhetorical question. The sign juxtaposes images of a lightning bolt on the left and a multi-colored explosion of fireworks on the right, divided only by the unmistakable outline of a cross. The statement it makes, and the reflection it invites, is as…
Read MoreWomen in Luke’s Gospel
Layton Talbert In recent years Biblical scholarship has seen a revival of interest in the role of women in the Bible. Unfortunately, this interest is too often motivated by or mixed with a modern feminist mentality that seeks to liberate women from an imagined patriarchal suppression of their historical significance and contributions. The result is…
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