R. L. Solberg

Acts 15 in its Historical Context

In ~50 CE, believers in Jesus held the first recorded Church council. Following a clash with men from Judea, the apostles and elders—including Paul, Peter, James, and Barnabas—gathered in Jerusalem to discuss whether new Gentile believers were required to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to follow Jesus (Acts 15:5). The […]

R. L. Solberg 2 weeks agoNovember 18, 2023

Academic Philosophy Theology

Genesis v. Science

What strikes me about the scientific and theological approaches to the question of the origins of the universe and mankind is that neither will ever be able to produce the level of articulation desired (or perhaps expected) by modern minds. Technically speaking, there is no such thing as “proof” outside of the discipline of mathematics. […]

R. L. Solberg 3 weeks agoNovember 18, 2023

Academic Apologetics Hebrew Roots Theology

The Law & the Land

“The legal materials in Exodus–Numbers and Deuteronomy include explicit indication that they are meant for the new land, itself already promised to the forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the book of Genesis (cf. Gen. 12:1–3, 7; 26:2–5; 28:10–15; Deut. 1:8; 12:1; Lev. 18:1–5).”1 The laws given to Israel were tied not only to the […]

R. L. Solberg 4 months agoJuly 23, 2023

Academic Theology

Abraham’s Righteousness

An Exegetical Paper on Genesis 15:6 The fifteenth chapter of Genesis says of Abraham, “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6, ESV). This paper will evaluate this theologically significant verse. Word Study: וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן The Hebrew word וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן is formally rendered into English as the phrase, “and he believed” (ESV), although […]

R. L. Solberg 5 months agoJuly 6, 2023

Academic Apologetics Theology

Matt. 5:17–20 – Four Contexts

Matthew 5:17–20 is a passage of particular interest because it serves as a proof text for the theology of Torahism,1 which teaches that Christians are obligated to keep the Law of Moses. Thus, correctly understanding this passage will shed valuable light on that discussion. Because this text stands alone and lacks clear, immediate context—it is […]

R. L. Solberg 6 months agoJuly 19, 2023

Apologetics Hebrew Roots Theology

Salvation and Justification in Hebrew Roots

A standard line of argumentation by some “Torah-observant” followers of Jesus hinges on the distinction between justification and salvation. The theology of Torahism (aka Hebrew Roots, Torah-observant Christianity) holds that all the Mosaic rituals—circumcision, maintaining a kosher diet, observing the Torah feasts, etc.—are required of followers of Jesus and, therefore, it is sinful and disobedient […]

R. L. Solberg 6 months agoMay 25, 2023

Apologetics Theology

Where Are the Prophecies of the Resurrection?

I recently appeared on a show called Tanakh Talk, hosted by an ex-Christian preacher who left Jesus to embrace Judaism. They were kind enough to ask me on to share the Christian perspective on a fascinating question. (Here’s the full interview.) I thought sharing my answer here on my blog might be helpful because some of […]

R. L. Solberg 7 months agoNovember 1, 2023

Apologetics Hebrew Roots Theology

Is the Covenant New or Renewed?

There’s a line of argument among some Torah-observant Christians suggesting that the new covenant isn’t new, but rather a renewal of the Mosaic covenant. How and why would someone come to that idea? It seems be driven by the theology of our Hebrew Roots friends who are looking for ways to reinterpret Scripture in a […]

R. L. Solberg 9 months agoMarch 20, 2023

Apologetics Hebrew Roots Theology

The Last Supper and the Law

A common adage used by authors is “show, don’t tell.” This saying refers to a writing technique in which sensory details and actions, rather than exposition, are used to connect the reader to the story and characters. As Anton Chekhov famously said, “Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light […]

R. L. Solberg 9 months agoMarch 7, 2023

Academic Theology

The Principle & Expression Framework

Here is an interesting conundrum. Scripture is full of passages that teach us to delight in the Law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night (Ps 1:2), that God’s law is perfect, right, and pure (Ps 19:7-8), and that it is eternal (Ps 119:111-113). Yet, other passages in the Bible teach things […]

R. L. Solberg 12 months agoApril 18, 2023