John Mark Hicks

Despite Israel’s adulteries and idolatries, Yahweh makes a surprising announcement. “Behold,” Yahweh says, I will renew my relationship with Israel as in the day when I brought her out of Egypt, loved her in the wilderness, and gave her prosperity in the land. A day is coming when Yahweh covenant with Israel in justice and […]

“Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah”–it was #148 in my hymnbook growing up. I loved singing it because it called even “dragons” to praise the Lord (according to KJV). The hymn is based on Psalm 148. Psalm 148 invites all heaven and earth to praise God from their heights to their depths. Yahweh is praised as creator of […]

Don’t trust in rulers; they are but dust. Trust in the God of Jacob who is our help and hope. Follower the way of the Lord which seeks justice, heals the sick, liberates the oppressed, cares for the stranger, widow, and orphan, and feeds the hungry. The way of the wicked does not pay attention […]

The Hebrew Bible’s word for the theological idea of “grace” in the New Testament is hesed (steadfast love). Psalm 136 celebrates God’s initiative and commitment, God’s grace, by reciting the line “because his steadfast love endures forever” 26 times. Israel, gathered in assembly in Psalm 135 and Psalm 136 to bless, praise, and give thanks […]

A PDF is available here. For a 2016 class, I prepared a statement of the gospel. I believe it is has a longer history but I am uncertain. Since I will soon begin reading Five Views on the Gospel (due out in June), I thought I would share my own thinking (at least as it […]

How should we walk? And how can we walk? (Ephesians 4:17-24) Disciples of Jesus, those who learned about the Messiah, are to walk worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1). These first generation Gentile believers are called to no longer walk as they used to walk as people alienated from God, but to walk in the […]

(An English version is available here.) Dios se asocia con la humanidad como representantes divinos dentro de una creación llena de shalom, pero la humanidad –y con ella la creación– se degenera a través de una serie de crisis. Creada y coronada de gloria y honor como criaturas reales dentro de la creación, la humanidad […]

(An English version is available here.) La comunidad divina disfruta de la comunión con la comunidad creada mientras Dios se regocija y descansa en la creación que revela la gloria de Dios. Un acto Trinitario, Soberano y Misericordioso La comunidad Trinitaria crea la comunidad humana y la sitúa dentro de la creación. El Padre es […]

Psalm 104 celebrates creation as God’s continuous work from laying the foundations of the earth to giving breath to every living thing. God lies at the center of the creation; it is not about life per se or human utility. Rather, the creation is God-centered. Out of God’s steadfast love, God gifts the creation with […]

(English Version Here) El Salmo 33, un himno de alabanza, expresa esperanza y gozo en tiempos de miedo. Las circunstancias de Israel, cualquiera que fuera su carácter preciso, generaron una profunda necesidad de la ayuda y protección (“escudo”) de Dios frente a la muerte y el hambre (Salmo 33:19-20). Este temor posiblemente fue ocasionado por […]