BROWSE THE COLLECTION
Author: Marc Bates
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Architectural Polemics: The Marwanid Origins of the Dome of the Rock and the Unfolding of the Biblical Promise-Plan
This essay examines the historical, architectural, epigraphic, and theological setting of the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat al-Ṣakhra), constructed in Jerusalem under the Umayyad caliph ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān and dated by its mosaic inscription to 72 AH…
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Ethical Unity and Moral Failures in the Old Testament
The perceived moral disparity between the Old and New Testaments remains one of the most persistent hermeneutical challenges in biblical studies. Skeptics and some critical scholars cite ethically offensive traits and actions of Old Testament figures—ranging from Abraham’s…
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The Resurrected Body and the Future of Human Identity: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Promise-Plan Synthesis
This essay examines the relationship between the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ and the destiny of human identity, drawing primarily on Carmen Joy Imes’s
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Matthew 10: An Exegetical and Biblical-Theological Commentary
Matthew 10 constitutes the second major teaching discourse within the fivefold narrative-discourse scaffolding of the First Gospel. Positioned directly following Messiah Yeshua’s extensive demonstration of authority in word (the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5–7) and restorative power…
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Matthew 9: An Exegetical and Biblical-Theological Commentary
Matthew 8 and 9 form a distinct narrative unit coming immediately after the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7. Having revealed His messianic authority in word through the kingdom Torah on the mount, Jesus demonstrates His equal…
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The Quranic Preservation Debate: Manuscript Evidence, Historical Critique, and the Promise-Plan of Divine Revelation
This essay offers a historical-critical examination of the traditional claim that the Qurʾan has been preserved letter for letter from the seventh century to the present. Drawing on paleography, codicology, and the history of the qirāʾāt, it argues…
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The Torah as Prophetic Narrative
This essay argues that Moses composed the Pentateuch not as a static statutory code designed for merit-based righteousness, but as a prophetic narrative that anticipates Israel’s covenantal failure and directs the reader toward eschatological restoration in the Messiah-King.
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Matthew 7: An Exegetical and Biblical-Theological Commentary
Matthew 7 forms the climax and solemn conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), representing Jesus’s definitive instruction on Kingdom ethics and discipleship.
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Matthew 8: An Exegetical and Biblical-Theological Commentary
Matthew 8 marks a decisive transition in the Gospel narrative, shifting from the Messiah’s authoritative proclamation in the Sermon on the Mount to His authoritative demonstration of kingdom power through mighty deeds.
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The Divine Mystery: Understanding God’s Hiddenness and Relational Mercy
The perceived phenomenon of divine hiddenness remains one of the most enduring intellectual and existential challenges in biblical theology and the philosophy of religion. Skeptical treatments frequently frame divine invisibility as evidence of non-existence or divine indifference.