Miracles, Messages, and Metaphors: Unlocking the Wisdom of the Bible Book

Foreword xv

Preface: Essential Preambles xvii

Acknowledgments xxiii

Introduction: Fundamentalism, Deflecting the Search 1

1 Spirituality and Religion 7

2 Tradition, Mother of the Bible 11

3 How to Interpret the Bible 15

4 Dig Down: Fundamentalism Exposed! 19

5 Abba's Breath of Inspiration 25

6 In the Name of Yahweh 29

7 In the Beginning, When God Created 33

8 Eve and Adam, Alive and Well 37

9 Cain and Abel: Brothers in Blood Only 41

10 Noah the Mariner 45

11 Abraham, Our Father in Faith 49

12 Issac, the Passive Patriarch 53

13 Jacob and Rebekah, Family Conspirators 57

14 Our Judaic-Christian Covenants Endure 61

15 The Exodus: Bon Voyage! 75

16 Moses, the Transformed Journeyman 69

17 Hail, the Ark of the Covenant! 75

18 Our Warrior God? 79

19 Singing Psalms and Living Liturgy 85

20 Wisdom and Her Children 89

21 Joshua, the Four-Star General 95

22 Samuel, Our Wise Ancestor 101

23 The Tragic Saul 105

24 A Shepherd Boy: The True Goliath 111

25 Solomon, Son of Wisdom? 117

26 Elijah, a Man of Conscience 121

27 Ah, For a Jeremiah Today! 125

28 Ezekiel, A Prophet Among Us 131

29 "Here I Am: Send Me!" (Isaiah 6:8) 135

30 Jerusalem: Tragedy and Triumph 141

A Transition 147

31 The Four Evangelists: Why Can't They Agree? 153

32 Herod to Christ: The Great Divide 161

33 Merry Christmas! 165

34 The Colorful Visitors 169

35 John, Mentor and Baptizer 173

36 Will You Marry Me? 177

37 "Behold the Man!" (John 19:5) 181

38 Prayer: Embracing the Divine 185

39 His Secret Passion 189

40 Mary, His First Disciple 193

41 The Challenge of Family Living 197

42 The - of Abba201

43 The Constitution of God's Kingdom 205

44 Shalom Aleichem! 211

45 Evil: Our Stepping Stone to Success 215

46 Seeds of the Final Conspiracy 221

47 Jesus Challenges Capitalism 225

48 John 5 and John 9: A Stark Contrast! 229

49 You Can Walk on Water! 235

50 The Canaanite Teacher 239

51 A Woman En Route from Magdala 243

52 A Tale of Two Sisters 247

53 The Good Samaritan Lives On 251

54 The Greatest Short Story Ever Told 255

55 Simon Peter at the Helm 259

56 Long Live Lazarus! 265

57 Choose Your Company: Goats or Sheep 269

58 Love Is Your Name! 273

59 Table O' Plenty 277

60 Temple Tenders 281

61 That "They May All Be One!" (John 17:21) 285

62 Come Dine With Me! 289

63 Do We Sleep in Gethsemane? 293

64 Our Royal Scapegoat 297

65 He's Risen! 301

66 Journeying in Fire, Wind, and Tongue 305

67 The Battle Lines Are Drawn 309

68 Paul Journeys from Law to Spirit 313

69 Revelation Revealed 319

70 Good-bye to Good-byes 325

Epilogue 329

Point/Counterpoint 335

Notes 359