TOPIC HUB
Studies
Enter the full collection of long-form studies spanning biblical theology, history, ethics, philosophy, and apologetics.
Questions This Hub Explores
- Which methods best recover Scripture’s historical and canonical setting?
- How do major theological claims cohere across the canon?
- Where do contemporary debates require deeper historical analysis?
FOUNDATIONAL STARTING POINTS
Begin with These Studies
April 19, 2026
The Complete Guide to the Edenic Temple: Cosmic Conflict, Priest-Kings, and the Divine Council
Explore Eden as the primordial temple mountain, humanity’s royal-priestly vocation, the divine-council setting of cosmic rebellion, and the promise-plan’s movement toward Christ and the New Jerusalem.
Open article guide →
April 20, 2026
The Last Adam and the Eternal Logos: Restoring the Cosmic Temple
The biblical narrative arcs from a pristine mountain sanctuary in Genesis to a glorified garden city in Revelation. Between these two points lies a history of fracture, exile, and the…
Open article guide →
April 20, 2026
A Definitive Turning Point: Purity, Tradition, and the Reclaiming of the Nations in Acts 10
The tenth chapter of Acts stands as a definitive turning point in early Christian history. The narrative architecture reveals a precise divine orchestration, marking the transition from a Jewish-centric movement…
Open article guide →CONTINUE EXPLORING
Newest Article Guides
October 27, 2026
How to best navigate my websites
Watch Marc Bates’ live-video replay introducing how to navigate his websites. The approximately 12-minute recording is available on Substack.
Open article guide →October 27, 2026
Epigraphy, Historical Skepticism, and the Origins of Islam: A Critical Realist Evaluation of Seventh-Century Rock Inscriptions against the Space-Time Bedrock of the Promise-Plan
This study evaluates what early Arabic rock inscriptions can contribute to debates about Islamic origins. It compares traditional, revisionist, and moderate readings of the evidence, considering religious identity, the development…
Open article guide →October 27, 2026
The Historical Bedrock of the Cross: A Promise-Plan Defense of the Crucifixion
This study examines the evidence for Jesus’ crucifixion under Pontius Pilate and the interpretive debates surrounding his execution. It connects historical inquiry with early atonement traditions, the biblical covenants, and…
Open article guide →October 27, 2026
Bultmann’s Demythologizing Theology and the Proclamation of the Word of the Cross: An Evaluation from the Horizons of Biblical Theology and the Promise-Plan of God
This essay evaluates Rudolf Bultmann’s demythologizing program, examining existential interpretation, faith, and the proclaimed word of the cross. It contrasts Bultmann’s approach with the author’s emphasis on historical redemption, canonical…
Open article guide →October 23, 2026
The Word Made Flesh versus the Word Made Book: A Biblical-Theological and Historical-Critical Evaluation of Qur’anic Origins and the Promise-Plan of God
This study contrasts incarnation and inlibration through biblical theology and the historical study of Qurʾānic origins. It surveys manuscript corrections, transmission, Late Antique intertexts, Islamic biographical traditions, and the author’s…
Open article guide →October 23, 2026
The Incarnate Mind: Omniscience, Covenantal Fidelity, and the Promise-Plan of God
This study examines how the Gospels hold together Jesus’ divine knowledge and genuine human limitations. It considers his knowledge of hearts, growth in wisdom, and Mark 13:32 through the incarnation,…
Open article guide →October 23, 2026
The Father’s Table: Covenantal Warfare, Contagious Grace, and the Background of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15
This study reads Luke 15 as Jesus’ defense of welcoming sinners to the table. It explores the father’s restoring love for both sons, the parable’s honor-and-shame setting, and the relationship…
Open article guide →October 22, 2026
Mohammad vs Jesus: Who Has Better Historical Evidence?
This comparative study examines the historical sources for Jesus and Muhammad, engaging early testimony, manuscript evidence, Islamic origins, and the crucifixion. It evaluates claims raised in Jay Smith’s presentation through…
Open article guide →October 22, 2026
Hidden Kingdom Treasure: Parabolic Wisdom, the Promise-Plan of God, and the Radical Reorientation of Discipleship in Matthew 13:44
This study reads Matthew 13:44 as a parable of the kingdom’s surpassing worth. It examines how unexpected discovery, joy, and decisive action reorder discipleship, placing the hidden treasure within Matthew’s…
Open article guide →October 20, 2026
The Organic Architecture of Divine Instruction: Promise-Plan Theology, the Unity of the Law, and the Canonical Coherence of Scripture
Engaging Walter Kaiser’s account of biblical unity, this essay examines Torah as covenantal instruction. It evaluates law-and-gospel divisions, Pauline language, and principlization to argue for continuity within the unfolding promise-plan.
Open article guide →October 20, 2026
Beyond the Epistemological Divide: Ancient Near Eastern Literature, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Cosmic Architecture of the Divine Promise-Plan
This essay examines how ancient Near Eastern literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls illuminate Scripture’s textual history, divine council language, and cosmic rebellion narratives within the unified trajectory of God’s…
Open article guide →October 19, 2026
Mark 7 Deconstructed: Exegetical, Grammatical, and Canonical Foundations of Purity in the Divine Promise-Plan
Engaging Tim Hegg and recent scholarship, this essay reexamines Mark 7 through Jewish purity debates and Greek syntax. It argues that the passage defends written Torah against human tradition rather…
Open article guide →