The tension: Matthew 10:5-6 and 15:24 have Jesus restrict his and his disciples' mission to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" — explicitly forbidding any approach to…
The tension: The Pentateuchal legal codes prescribe death by stoning, burning, or general execution for an enormous range of offenses: murder (Gen 9:6; Num 35:30), striking…
The tension: The Synoptic Jesus tells his followers they must become like little children to enter the kingdom — receive it, in fact, *as* a little child or stay locked out.
The tension: Matthew 23:1-3 has Jesus tell the crowds that because the scribes and Pharisees 'sit in Moses' seat,' the listeners should 'observe and do' whatever the Pharis…
The tension: Luke 16:8 has Jesus declare, in the parable of the unjust steward, that "the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."…
The tension: 1 Corinthians 8:4-8 has Paul argue that since an idol is nothing, food sacrificed to it is theologically neutral — eating it neither commends nor condemns you…
The tension: Acts 18:26 has Priscilla (with her husband Aquila) instructing Apollos in "the way of God" — a clear example of a woman exercising teaching authority in the ea…
The tension: 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 has Paul instruct believers not to leave unbelieving spouses, and even says the unbelieving partner is sanctified by the believer.
The tension: Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:15 says the spiritual person "judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." Two chapters later in the same letter, 1 Corinth…
The tension: Genesis 9:5-6 lays down the Noahide blood-vengeance principle: whoever sheds human blood, by man shall his blood be shed, because humans are made in God's imag…
The tension: Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and parallel Lukan material tells his followers to take no thought for tomorrow, to give to everyone who asks, to lend without…
The tension: Ephesians 4:26 says "Be ye angry, and sin not" — anger is permitted, even commanded, as long as it doesn't lead to sin and isn't carried into the next day.
The tension: Deuteronomy 25:5 not only permits but commands a man to marry his deceased brother's childless widow — the institution of levirate marriage (Hebrew yibbum), wi…
The tension: Luke 14:26 has Jesus state baldly that no one can be his disciple without hating father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and his own life.
