Hello! I am Jon Paulien and I’m glad you came to this page to check out my work. I am a New Testament scholar and Professor of Religion at Loma Linda University. On this website you will find a collection of my articles, commentary on Revelation, and links to my blog, videos, and other resources. Make sure you check the articles link above regularly to see the latest postings. In my hand above is an exact replica of p52, the earliest extant New Testament manuscript fragment, containing portions of John, chapter 18. Centered above my head is a replica of ancient Greek pottery. At either end above are two sets of books from, and about, my favorite spiritual author, Ellen G. White. I hope you enjoy the site.

Daily Devotional For March 10, 2026

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But you have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. Rev 3:4.

           In the Hebrew language “walking” was a metaphor for the total experience of everyday life. Our character is the sum total of the way that we “walk” from day to day. The church at Sardis had some serious deficiencies on the whole, but there were a few believers there whose character suggested that they would one day walk with Jesus in eternity.
           In the old city of Jerusalem you can tell the age of a pavement or a staircase by the amount of wear in the stones. Considering the hardness of most rocks, it is an amazing thing to realize that over a few hundred years the constant shuffling of sandaled feet can actually wear grooves and depressions into granite, slate, marble and other types of paving stones. Each time a foot slides over a stone, a microscopic puff of dust is worn away from a stone. Tens of thousands of steps leave a permanent impression.
           My favorite spot to observe this is the newly excavated staircase below the south wall of the temple mount. This staircase was the main entrance into the temple courts from the south. Pilgrims coming up from Bethlehem, Beersheba or Hebron would ascend these stairs to gates that passed under the royal portico and into the Court of the Gentiles, where Jesus drove out the money changers. While the gates into the temple area have long ago been bricked over, the steps leading up to those gates have been newly exposed by archaeologists. Sitting on those stairs one can view the City of David (the original city) angling down toward the Pool of Siloam and covered in part by the Arab village of Silwan. One can also see the hills that continue to separate Jerusalem from Bethlehem.
           Since the staircase was unearthed in severely damaged form, a portion has been completed with fresh stones so that visitors can gain a sense of what the staircase must have looked like in Jesus’ day. Interspersed among the fresh stones, however, are the rounded remnants of paving stones that have withstood the grinding of countless feet for more than a thousand years. It is thrilling to walk or sit on these stones, realizing that Jesus and His disciples had certainly passed over them.
           In today’s world, where constant change is the norm, it is helpful to remember that others have gone before us. We are never alone in our spiritual pilgrimage. We can seek out mentors and guides to help us overcome our most difficult moments. And above all, the well worn steps that lead to God are before us every day in the Bible. When we open the ancient Word and listen to its voice, we can find solid ground for our feet.

           Lord, open my mind today to learn something of value from everyone I meet.