Ministry Training Program

Ministry Training Program
ACR Hampton Roads, VA June 3-5, 2011

MTP Overview acr 2011 Purpose of mtp “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2nd Timothy 2:15 “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Ephesians 4:12-14

MTP Exams Each Module will have a separate examination
ACR 2011 MTP Exams Each Module will have a separate examination Exams will be distributed via You must delete all electronic versions of exams upon completion and submission Each exam will ask whether or not you have completed the required reading (20% of exam grade) Extra credit reading will be made available for each exam There will be exams for this week’s classes on Biblical Exegesis and Hermeneutics Exams will contain multiple choice, short answer, short essay and long essays

MTP Overview. ACR 2011 General MTP Q&A

Biblical Exegesis ACR MTP June 2011

What Is Exegesis And Why Is It Necessary?
This is an ancient Greek word (UGH!!) “EX” means “Out Of” “EGESIS” means “To Lead” EX-EGESIS means “to lead out from” the Biblical Text Exegesis’ goal: “What did the author intend for his original readers to understand?” What did he say? (Content) Why did he say it then and there? (Context) The opposite approach is “EISEGESIS”, where “EIS” means “Into”… thus Eisegesis is leading our own preconceptions into the Text Be Aware, however, that none of us is a blank slate!

Exegesis “To draw out” Contrast with Eisegesis: “To put in”
Acr 2011 Exegesis “To draw out” Contrast with Eisegesis: “To put in” Exegesis’ goal: “What did the author intend for his original readers to understand?” What did he say? (Content) Why did he say it then and there? (Context)

Exegesis: Content Word meanings Grammar Syntax Case Study: John 3:5
Acr 2011 Exegesis: Content Word meanings Grammar Syntax Case Study: John 3:5 I tell you the truth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and Spirit. Word study: “hudor” Grammar: Coordinating conjunction “and” Syntax: one preposition governs two copulated nouns

Exegesis: Context “A proof text taken out of context is a pretext.”
Acr 2011 Exegesis: Context “A proof text taken out of context is a pretext.” Read section by section, not verse by verse Literary Context Who is writing to whom What is the flow Can this harmonize (1 Sam 31/2 Sam 1; Jn 7:42) Historical Context Circumstances for the writing Nature of previous relationship Manners and customs (Needle’s Eye fallacy: Mk 10: 23)

biblical hermeneutics
ACR MTP June 2011

What Is hermeneutics ? Derived from the GK ‘to interpret’
ACR 2011 What Is hermeneutics ? Derived from the GK ‘to interpret’ Is Investigative; The broader term that encompasses exegesis and contextualization Somewhat of a ‘science’ and provides a logical, orderly classification of the rules of basic interpretation Does have an artful aspect; requiring both spiritual and imaginative powers

hermeneutics “The big problem with Bible study today is that we think it should be easier than other things we do. We study recipes for quality meals, how-to books for all kinds of things—carpentry, plumbing, automobile maintenance and so on—and read vociferously for our hobbies. Why do we think the Bible is the only subject we should not have to study?! Let me challenge you—make the Bible your hobby. At one level I do not like the analogy; the Bible must be so much more than a hobby! But at another level, what if we spent as much time and money on Bible study as we do our hobbies?” -Grant Osborne-

ACR 2011 We all Interpret “We don’t interpret the Bible, we just do what it says” “We simply let the bible interpret itself” We read the bible in translation (a form of interpretation!) We all bring preconceptions to the text Exegesis and Hermeneutics recognizes and controls our preconceptions, biases and worldviews These disciplines protect & illuminate Gods word! The need to interpret: “The bible interprets itself” fallacy, “just use common sense” Fact is all of us bring our own pre-conceptions to the text, and our own theological biases. Our history has been notoriously weak in these disciplines. All readers are interpreters: education, thought-life, denominational, psychological etc all this is the lens through which you see the text in front of you. This is not bad, it is a fact and so we need controls and a method that as much as possible removes this kind of subjectivity in our reading so that we can have a common approach. This does not guaranty common outcomes! We read (most of us) in translation: we therefore read through the biases of others and are to an extent relying on their ‘interpretation’ and choices of words when they translated the text from Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew. Human and Divine Nature;

But I’m not Biased… Consider these Sacred Cows: Luke 9:23 Philemon 6
Matthew 6:33 Matthew 18:20 Matthew 16:18 WE believe ourselves to be free from interpretive biases. We are not Because we have the truth about the plan of salvation and or discipleship, we feel that we are free from other kinds of historical or interpretive errors. Many before us have said these things.

You Can Do this!!!! What you need for effective Exegesis
Biblical Exegesis. ACR 2011 You Can Do this!!!! What you need for effective Exegesis Prayerful Spirit Reverent Awe Good Translations Bible Dictionary Inquisitive Mind Common Sense A little imagination

Let’s Get Technical Exegesis jargon
Biblical Exegesis. India 2006 Let’s Get Technical Exegesis jargon Exegesis Hermeneutics Genre Textual Criticism Higher Criticism Lower Criticism Rhetoric Dynamic Equivalent

Bible Translations Dynamic Equivalence Literal Free KJV NIV RSV NRSV
ACR 2011 Bible Translations Dynamic Equivalence Literal Free KJV NIV RSV NRSV GNB NLT LB NAB NASB ESV Message JB NEB NET

The Exegetical “Method”
ACR 2011 The Exegetical “Method” 2. Investigate the Context 1. Survey the Text 3. Fine Tune the Genre 6. Apply It 4. Detail the Content 5. Synthesize the Findings

Survey the Text Read Re-Read Repeat Take notes
Acr 2011 Survey the Text Read Re-Read Repeat Take notes Craft a Preliminary Thesis (Big Idea)

Deductive Reasoning ACR 2011 What Is Inductive Bible Study?
Inductive Bible Study involves the use of inductive reasoning to study the Bible. It includes the observation of evidence, the examination of evidence, and a conclusion based upon the evidence. Inductive goes from specific to general. In this way, one would observe or examine the evidence, take notes, and draw a conclusion. On the other hand... Deductive goes from general to specific. Perhaps you have heard of Deductive Reasoning before. The fictional character, Sherlock Holmes, used deductive reasoning to solve mysteries. He was very successful and there is nothing wrong with deductive reasoning, but it is not recommended for Bible Study. Why Study Inductively? Deductive Reasoning begins with a hypothesis (fancy word meaning to conclude by guessing)or an IDEA. After the hypothesis has been made, one gathers evidence to prove one's point. If the hypothesis is correct, the evidence will support it. If the hypothesis is wrong, the evidence won't support it. We all use deductive reasoning. Children are taught in school that scientists use The Scientific Method to learn. It is deductive in nature — it begins with a hypothesis like, "Air is a gas" (a general idea). Then, evidence is gathered to prove that air is a gas, or more accurately, a blend of gasses. The evidence gathering process usually involves a series of tests, or observations, to prove that "Air is a gas." Does it act like a gas? Does it smell like a gas? (the specific part) And, so on. The answers to these questions may not necessarily determine whether or not the hypothesis is true. For instance, if one asked whether "air" smelled like a gas, the answer would be no. It has no odor. Some gasses have odor where others do not. Yet, if this was the ONLY question asked about "air", then one might be led to conclude that "air" is not a gas. In the area of Bible study, one can fall into the same trap; many do. For example, using deductive reasoning (general to specific) in Bible study would be like making a hypothesis that states "money is evil." Then, one would have to gather evidence to prove that "money is evil." In the Bible in the book of 1st Timothy chapter 6, verse 10 reads, "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang." This could be taken out of context by simply seeing the words money and evil, and re-reading it in such a way that changes the verse to look something like "...money is ... evil...". But, this is absolutely NOT what this passage teaches. First, by using the passage this way is taking the phrase out of its context. Yet, if one has made up his mind that "money is evil", this might seem to be "proof" enough. This is the danger of deductive Bible Study. The inductive method says that one will study, observe, and gather evidence (the specific part) on whatever topic and then draw conclusions(the general part) based on the observations. This is a much stronger way to establish truth than any other method of Bible Study. By using inductive reasoning with the same passage, we would take the whole context of the passage. It says that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. Does this mean that money is evil? No. What then is evil? The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. So, the deductive process uses a series of observations to prove whether the hypothesis or idea is true or not. The IDEA is stated before the observations are made and, hence the conclusion is a statement of whether the idea is true or not. The inductive process uses the process of deduction at every observation. But, unlike deduction, the inductive process states the IDEA after the observations are made. In this way, each observation leads to a new discovery of truth.

ACR 2011 Inductive Reasoning

Biblical Tools good translation second, literal translation
ACR 2011 Biblical Tools good translation second, literal translation logical mind pocket concordance sound Bible Dictionary good Bible Handbook sound commentaries

ACR 2011 How to read “Think of yourself as a detective looking for clues to a text’s general theme or idea, alert for anything that will make it clearer” - How to Read a Book. Page 36

Investigate the Context
ACR 2011 Investigate the Context Historical Context Notes: "In what historical, social, and cultural situation was the passage written?" Literary Context Notes: "How does the passage relate to what precedes and follows it, and to the document as a whole?" “Why THIS and why HERE?” “What is this text trying to DO to its original readers?” For instance, John used “new birth” language to express the concept of regeneration, while Paul used the image of adoption. Also, Paul stressed the faith that alone could lead to regeneration, while James emphasized the works that alone could point to a valid faith. These are not contradictory but diverse emphases of individual writers.

Context is King! A Proof Text without its Context is a Pretext!
ACR 2011 Context is King! A Proof Text without its Context is a Pretext! A lack of context is the chief cause of most heresy A text cannot mean what it never meant! The presence of genre is an important point in the debate as to whether one can recover the author’s intended meaning (Hirsch calls this “intrinsic genre”). All writers couch their messages in a certain genre in order to give the reader sufficient rules by which to decode that message. These hints guide the reader (or hearer) and provide clues for interpretation. When Mark recorded Jesus’ parable of the sower (Mk 4:1–20), he placed it in a context and within a medium that would communicate properly to his readers. We can recover that meaning by understanding how parables function (see chap. 12) and by noting how the symbols function within the Markan context.

It’s Too easy to cite Scripture For your own purpose
ACR 2011 It’s Too easy to cite Scripture For your own purpose "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” -William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

ACR 2011 Fine Tune the Genre What is the literary Genre of this text? What are the general principles for exegesis of this genre? What kind of structure does this genre employ – repetition, contrast, parallelism, inclusion, chiasm, classic rhetorical argument, comedic or tragic narrative? Why would the author choose this form for his intended affect? How does the text “move” from beginning to end?

Biblical Genres Epistles OT Narratives Parables Laws Prophecy Gospel
ACR 2011 Biblical Genres Epistles OT Narratives Parables Laws Prophecy Gospel Poetry/Wisdom Apocalyptic

Investigate Details of Content
ACR 2011 Investigate Details of Content “It is not in the interest of extravagant ambition that we trouble ourselves tith this detailed exposition, but we hope through such painstaking interpretation to train you in the importance of not passing over even one slight word or syllable in the Sacred Scriptures. For they are not ordinary utterances, but the very expression of the Holy Spirit, and for this reason it is possible to find great treasure even in a single syllable.” - John Chrysostom 4th Century AD

Investigate the Details of Content
ACR 2011 Investigate the Details of Content What does the text communicate and how? What are the key terms and images? Are these terms or images consistent in the major exegetical translations? What do they mean? Are there any key terms or ideas whose meaning may be explained by looking elsewhere in the book? Are there any literary or rhetorical devices (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, repetition, irony, particularization etc.) and if so, what it their effect? What kinds of sentences are used? What are the major components of each sentence? What verbal actions or states appear in these sentences, and what subjects are associated with them? Does the text include appeals to tradition or Scripture, such as stories, beliefs, laws, and well-known historical figures? If so, how doe these appeals function? Does the text appear to use any other earlier sources, whether written or oral? If so, how do these appeals to tradition function? If the text is a narrative, what elements of setting, plot (conflict, suspense, resolution), and character development does each part of the text convey?

Investigate the Content
ACR 2011 Investigate the Content Which elements of the text work, individually or together, to instruct, delight, convict, or move the reader? What is the tone, or mood, of the passage, and what elements convey that tone? How do the various parts of the passage reflect and/or address the situation of the readers? How does each part of the passage relate to the other parts? How does each Part contribute to the whole? How does my emerging understanding of the whole affect the meaning of the parts? Does the author use any technical terms? If I enter the narrative world of this text, what do I see and hear and feel? If I join the community that is receiving this letter, what am I being urged to do? If I join the psalmist in prayer/song, what are we imagining about God? If I am among this crowd encountering Jesus, how do I view Him?

Investigate the Content
ACR 2011 Investigate the Content Text Phrase “In the beginning” Meaning and Function -adverbial phrase indicating time of action and perhaps the action to follow as the beginning of time

Synthesize Your Findings
ACR 2011 Synthesize Your Findings “We shall not cease from exploration, And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. - T. S. Elliot, Four Quartets

Synthesize Your Findings
ACR 2011 Synthesize Your Findings What is the main point of each part of the text? Why do you think the passage was included in this biblical book? For what main function? What claims did the text make upon its original hearers or readers? What response might the author have desired from the readers? What is the main idea that the author talking about? (Subject) What is he saying about what he is talking about? (Complements) What is the big idea of this passage – stated in a single sentence?

ACR 2011 …And more Exegesis “And now the end has come. So listen to my piece of advice: exegesis, exegesis, and yet more exegesis!” - Karl Barth, in his farewell to his students before his 1935 expulsion from Germany

not Done until you Apply it
ACR 2011 not Done until you Apply it “Search the Scriptures, not as though thou wouldst make a concordance but an application.” - John Donne

Ot narrative ACR MTP June 2011 Plot (character names/name changes)
Characters Characterization Point of View Manipulation of Time Repetition and Variation Structure and Symmetry

Narrative basics “Stories with a theological point of view” 40% of the OT is Narrative Has Literary features; Plot, characters, tension and conflict, antagonist, agonist This is Gods Story, and we are players in it, God is the hero of all biblical narratives The Question: how do the levels work together to create the picture of what God is doing/teaching? Narrative: 40% of the OT is Narrative Plot, characters, tension and conflict, Three Levels of Narrative: Metanarrative, the big picture of redemption that began in the garden, the fall, reclaiming of land, apostasy, repentance, Jesus and the act of saving man, our eternal home in heaven… 2nd Level: Gods redeeming his people back to himself and forming a covenant with them ( more on that later), Abraham and the promised land, Conquest of Canaan, etc 3rd level: all the small stories that make up the big picture; “snapshots” that all contain elements of the bigger truths or fit into the metanarrative in some way and this is the key to their interpretation Matthew genealogy is a good example of how all these stories are ultimately woven together in the history of Jesus” We need to ask “how do these three levels fit together to give us the picture of what God is doing? What the OT Narratives are NOT: Not allegories full of hidden meanings Not intended to teach concrete moral lessons The do not teach an explicit doctrine, they may illustrate implicitly what is taught explicitly elsewhere, (Law) Features of Narrative: Compound Narratives The narrator is ‘omniscient’ but may not tell all he knows Narrator may be a ‘re-teller’ Deuteronomy is in fact ‘looking back through the lens’ and is a re-telling events after the fact, with an eye on why things went wrong (Israel dis-obeyed God) Designed to be read aloud in publish setting, so there are literary devices and poetic devices that make them memorable when ‘heard’ They use stereotyped patterns…’he did not do as his father David had done’, the ‘barren woman’ motif, “he was buried with his fathers” ‘again Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord” Foreshadowing: “the Ruth narrative” No direct doctrine but may propositionally illustrate a doctrine taught elsewhere Does not tell us what ‘should have happened’ but what did happen Not examples to imitate, but actual events, of good and bad people “do not be like Joseph to get ahead in business…” If I am like Ruth, I will find a great husband…(no) f. We are not told the moral outcome of the story, but are expected to KNOW what it is as we are to know the covenant and what God expects g. all selections are incomplete, not designed to answer all of our questions: The Bethlehem principle in Ruth (Fee and Stuart)

Three Levels Of Narrative
Meta-narrative, the big picture of redemption the fall, reclaiming of land, apostasy, repentance, Jesus and the act of saving man, our eternal home in heaven… 2nd Level: Gods redeeming his people back to himself and forming a covenant with them ( more on that later), Abraham and the promised land, Conquest of Canaan, etc 3rd level: all the small stories that make up the big picture; “snapshots” that all contain elements of the bigger truths or fit into the meta-narrative in some way and this is the key to their interpretation Narrative: “stories with a theological point of view, or theological thrust” 40% of the OT is Narrative Plot, characters, tension and conflict, This is Gods Story, and we are players in it, God is the hero of all biblical narratives Three Levels of Narrative: Metanarrative, the big picture of redemption that began in the garden, the fall, reclaiming of land, apostasy, repentance, Jesus and the act of saving man, our eternal home in heaven… 2nd Level: Gods redeeming his people back to himself and forming a covenant with them ( more on that later), Abraham and the promised land, Conquest of Canaan, etc 3rd level: all the small stories that make up the big picture; “snapshots” that all contain elements of the bigger truths or fit into the metanarrative in some way and this is the key to their interpretation Matthew genealogy is a good example of how all these stories are ultimately woven together in the history of Jesus” We need to ask “how do these three levels fit together to give us the picture of what God is doing? What the OT Narratives are NOT: Not allegories full of hidden meanings Not intended to teach concrete moral lessons The do not teach an explicit doctrine, they may illustrate implicitly what is taught explicitly elsewhere, (Law) Features of Narrative: Compound Narratives The narrator is ‘omniscient’ but may not tell all he knows Narrator may be a ‘re-teller’ Deuteronomy is in fact ‘looking back through the lens’ and is a re-telling events after the fact, with an eye on why things went wrong (Israel dis-obeyed God) Designed to be read aloud in publish setting, so there are literary devices and poetic devices that make them memorable when ‘heard’ They use stereotyped patterns…’he did not do as his father David had done’, the ‘barren woman’ motif, “he was buried with his fathers” ‘again Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord” Foreshadowing: “the Ruth narrative” No direct doctrine but may propositionally illustrate a doctrine taught elsewhere Does not tell us what ‘should have happened’ but what did happen Not examples to imitate, but actual events, of good and bad people “do not be like Joseph to get ahead in business…” If I am like Ruth, I will find a great husband…(no) f. We are not told the moral outcome of the story, but are expected to KNOW what it is as we are to know the covenant and what God expects g. all selections are incomplete, not designed to answer all of our questions: The Bethlehem principle in Ruth (Fee and Stuart)

Ten Principles: OT Narratives
ACR 2011 Ten Principles: OT Narratives They usually don’t directly teach a doctrine They usually illustrate a doctrine taught directly elsewhere They record what happened – not necessarily what should have happened What people do is not necessarily a good example for us Most OT characters are far from perfect

Ten Principles: OT Narratives
ACR 2011 Ten Principles: OT Narratives We are not always told the end of the story – whether what happened is good or bad – but we are expected to understand it from other scripture All narratives are selective and incomplete They are not written to answer all our theological questions They may teach either explicitly or implicitly In the final analysis, God is the hero of all biblical narratives Joseph Narrative, compound narrative but ‘reads like a story’ and so is easier in some senses to follow the thought-line. Ezra-Nehemiah is compound and more difficult Numbers 14-17; what are all of these ‘random laws’ doing here? They are commentary on the narrative

ACR 2011 Features of narrative The narrator is ‘omniscient’ but may not tell all he knows Narrator may be a ‘re-teller’ Designed to be read aloud in public setting* They use stereotyped patterns Employ devices; foreshadowing, irony etc Assume knowledge of LAW and Previous History of Israel Assume we will draw implications of outcomes for ourselves (not morality tales) Ultimately incomplete, we must connect ideas to principles Compound Narratives Deuteronomy is in fact ‘looking back through the lens’ and is a re-telling events after the fact, with an eye on why things went wrong (Israel dis-obeyed God) , so there are literary devices and poetic devices that make them memorable when ‘heard’ They use stereotyped patterns…’he did not do as his father David had done’, the ‘barren woman’ motif, “he was buried with his fathers” ‘again Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord” Foreshadowing: “the Ruth narrative” No direct doctrine but may propositionally illustrate a doctrine taught elsewhere Does not tell us what ‘should have happened’ but what did happen Not examples to imitate, but actual events, of good and bad people “do not be like Joseph to get ahead in business…” If I am like Ruth, I will find a great husband…(no) f. We are not told the moral outcome of the story, but are expected to KNOW what it is as we are to know the covenant and what God expects g. all selections are incomplete, not designed to answer all of our questions: The Bethlehem principle in Ruth (Fee and Stuart)

Narratives are not Not allegories full of hidden meanings
ACR 2011 Narratives are not Not allegories full of hidden meanings Not intended to teach concrete moral lessons Not intended to teach an explicit doctrine To be directly imitated as a guarantee of similar ‘results’ (Joseph/Gideon) Not examples to imitate, but actual events, of good and bad people Teach Propositionally Joseph Narrative, compound narrative but ‘reads like a story’ and so is easier in some senses to follow the thought-line. Ezra-Nehemiah is compound and more difficult Numbers 14-17; what are all of these ‘random laws’ doing here? They are commentary on the narrative

INTERPRETIVE CLUES IN TEXT
ACR 2011 INTERPRETIVE CLUES IN TEXT NUMBERS 15-18 NARRATIVE/LAW COMBINATION 15:1-21: LAWS 15:22 ‘OFFERINGS FOR UNINTENTIONAL SIN’ (LAW) 15:32 AN ISREALITE INTENTIONALLY SINS! (NARRATIVE) 15:37 A REMINDER TO HAVE A TASSLE TO REMEMBER THE LAW! (LAW) 16:1-35….v 36-39! (NARRATIVE) 17: Aarons Staff Produces Almonds (NARRATIVE) 18: LAW (Priests and Levites) Joseph Narrative, compound narrative but ‘reads like a story’ and so is easier in some senses to follow the thought-line. Ezra-Nehemiah is compound and more difficult Numbers 14-17; what are all of these ‘random laws’ doing here? They are commentary on the narrative

INTERPRETIVE CLUES IN TEXT
ACR 2011 INTERPRETIVE CLUES IN TEXT RUTH 1: “IN THE TIME….” What do we already know about that time? Who is Ruth? Her situation? What do we know about how God feels about people like her? The Moabites? RUTH 2: BOAZ: What kind of man is he? What is his household like? How does he treat this widow? What does this suggest about him? His relationship with Torah? RUTH 4:13-22: Why include a genealogy? Message? Ruth Narrative; we are expected to see these ideas…to know Torah, to see Boaz as a man against the tide, not being like others, but like God commanded and so he was blessed by God. Just knowing those few details can give you a great summary of Ruth! Being faithful is always blessed by God, even if no one else is. The rest of Israel was a mess, but Boaz was following God, and God wove him into the line of Jesus!

Take Caution When Interpreting OT Narratives
ACR 2011 Take Caution When Interpreting OT Narratives Implicit does not mean secret Desperation, impatience, and false expectations Allegorizing Selectivity False Combinations …Syllogisms Redefinition Moralizing Personalizing/Individualizing Implicit meant that the message is capable of being understood from what is said (though not stated in so many words) Selectivity is ignoring the sweep of the passage as a whole, concentrating on smaller units, ignoring others, no real balance of the entire passage Redefinition: Woe to you who are rich vs. Woe to you who love money so much you have renounced your faith in God Moralizing: The narratives were written to show the progress of God’s history of redemption, not to illustrate principles. They are historical narratives, not illustrative narratives. Personalizing: “Building God’s temple” is God’s way of telling us – and only us – that we have to construct a new church building Individualing: No monkey see monkey doisms. Joseph was written about Joseph (it his how God did things through Joseph, not a narrative directly about me) and Ruth was written about Ruth (it glorifies God’s protection and benefit for Ruth and the Bethlehemites – not you!)

The prophets ACR MTP June 2011

Prophets: Covenant Enforcers
ACR 2011 Prophets: Covenant Enforcers The prophets’ purpose was to enforce the covenant (law) The prophets’ message was not their own, but God’s The prophets’ message is unoriginal Exegetical Task Hermeneutical Task Key to understanding is to know Gods laws and Principles Exegetical task: What Law/Principle are they discussing/Where is it written? What historical situation are they now in? What are issues causing them to forget, neglect, overlook the principle? What alternatives are available to them in that cultural context/what are they doing Any sense of what ‘REASON’ they might have for capitulating What did God previously say the consequence of those things would be for them? HERMENEUTICAL TASK: if we arte not ‘bound’ by the law; then what can I take from this? God is serous about his Law/He will enforce or expect obedience to it/no matter what our circumstances are? God is patient/continue to warn Israel/ but eventually I lose my relationship with God by continuing to live as I have Jeremiah: Crying out in pain Isaiah: the Voice of Messianic Hope Ezekiel: Wild Visions of Glory Daniel; enforcing covenant in a foreign land, even Gentiles must obey God God Expects us to know our story and HIS place in it Minor Prophets: Use of stock imagery Amos: you are not building right Jonah: Even Gentiles can repent/What Jesus says about them, they were good doobies! Notice that there are injunctive against Gentile nations too. Gods standard is Universal. He judges the nations for behaviors even in lack of understanding

The Prophets: general ideas
ACR 2011 The Prophets: general ideas The Call: Human and/or Divine (Is 6, Jer 1, I Ki 19 Not ‘inheritance’ like priesthood; Divine Call Prophet no longer controls own destiny, but is ‘owned’ by God Message is “Thus saith the Lord” and prophet may not even like it! (Jer 20:17-18) Key to understanding is to know Gods laws and Principles Exegetical task: What Law/Principle are they discussing/Where is it written? What historical situation are they now in? What are issues causing them to forget, neglect, overlook the principle? What alternatives are available to them in that cultural context/what are they doing Any sense of what ‘REASON’ they might have for capitulating What did God previously say the consequence of those things would be for them? HERMENEUTICAL TASK: if we arte not ‘bound’ by the law; then what can I take from this? God is serous about his Law/He will enforce or expect obedience to it/no matter what our circumstances are? God is patient/continue to warn Israel/ but eventually I lose my relationship with God by continuing to live as I have Jeremiah: Crying out in pain Isaiah: the Voice of Messianic Hope Ezekiel: Wild Visions of Glory Daniel; enforcing covenant in a foreign land, even Gentiles must obey God God Expects us to know our story and HIS place in it Minor Prophets: Use of stock imagery Amos: you are not building right Jonah: Even Gentiles can repent/What Jesus says about them, they were good doobies! Notice that there are injunctive against Gentile nations too. Gods standard is Universal. He judges the nations for behaviors even in lack of understanding

The Prophets: historical
ACR 2011 The Prophets: historical Prophetic activity concentrated between 760 and 460 BC Significant dates 722 and 587…captivities of Northern and Southern Kingdoms Prophets spoke in the context of Kingdom history beginning with Samuel Hundreds of prophets functioning in Israel at this time, we have writings of 16 of them, others we know about from narratives, Elijah and Elisha

ACR 2011 The Prophets Main Issue: We are looking backward toward events that for them, were future/present Modern definition of ‘prophecy’ is too narrow Poor understanding of forms and ORACLES Lack of Context for political, military, geographical nuances Historical Distance… 2. Prophets Enforce Gods Covenant; 1 Sam 8….1 Sam 13 especially as laid out in Lev 26, Dt 4; 28 Did not invent their doctrines, re-cycle and reformat the covenant language Offer corporate blessings and curses, very few are ‘individualized’ (King/Leader) Blessings: Life, Health, Prosperity, Agricultural abundance, safety, Curses: “d’s”; Death, disease, drought, danger, destruction, defeats, deportation, destitution Statistically, most of what you see in 8,7,6 C is curse as Israel drifted into apostasy 3. Prophets are “forth tellers” not foretellers…our definition of prophecy is narrow. When they do ‘predict the future’ it is the near future, within months or a few years of the historical event. Most ‘predictive prophecy’ in the OT is about the captivity if Israel does not repent This leads us to an important hermeneutical challenge: We are looking back on events that for them were in the future, but for us are the distant past Speak for God: spoken word, hard for us to understand if we do not know situation, it is also poetry, linguistic considerations, word plays etc….I see an almond branch…I am ‘watching’ to see that my word is fulfilled..(footnote tells you that this is a wordplay) Hosea; the allegory is more obvious… Notice difference in tone between pre-exilic prophets and post-exilic…you see promise of blessing return to their language Message is unoriginal: re-styled and re-shaped but not new Some Examples of what we are talking about: Hosea 4:2…5 out of ten mentioned….what this would do to a hearer… Amos 5:11 ff Amos 4: sent drought, then threatens captivity if they do not repent… Amos 3:14 destroy the alters of Bethel….what does this mean? What happened there? (1 King 12) Jeroboam…why, what is the principle….what can we teach from this??? Joel 2:12….what God wants We need outside help (as before) Understand political and military situations during these centuries Political and military upheaval, massive covenant disloyalty, shifting of balance of power in the mid-east…see timeline…. For interpretive purposes: THINK ORACLES, LOOK FOR MAJOR CHANGE IN SUBJECT AND THEMES, not necessarily chapter numbers… Understand the major forms: Lawsuit: Is 3:13-26 Woe: Hab 2:6-8 Promise: Amos 9:11-15 Enactment Prophecy: Is 20, Ezek 4:1-4 Messenger speech: “thus saith the Lord” “this is what the Lord says”

The Prophets Forth-telling vs Fore-telling Leviticus 26 Deuteronomy 4
ACR 2011 The Prophets Forth-telling vs Fore-telling Leviticus 26 Deuteronomy 4 Significant Dates: 722 BC & 587 BC These dates ‘govern’ the narrative of the prophets Function as Temporal Markers 2. Prophets Enforce Gods Covenant; 1 Sam 8….1 Sam 13 especially as laid out in Lev 26, Dt 4; 28 Did not invent their doctrines, re-cycle and reformat the covenant language Offer corporate blessings and curses, very few are ‘individualized’ (King/Leader) Blessings: Life, Health, Prosperity, Agricultural abundance, safety, Curses: “d’s”; Death, disease, drought, danger, destruction, defeats, deportation, destitution Statistically, most of what you see in 8,7,6 C is curse as Israel drifted into apostasy 3. Prophets are “forth tellers” not foretellers…our definition of prophecy is narrow. When they do ‘predict the future’ it is the near future, within months or a few years of the historical event. Most ‘predictive prophecy’ in the OT is about the captivity if Israel does not repent This leads us to an important hermeneutical challenge: We are looking back on events that for them were in the future, but for us are the distant past Speak for God: spoken word, hard for us to understand if we do not know situation, it is also poetry, linguistic considerations, word plays etc….I see an almond branch…I am ‘watching’ to see that my word is fulfilled..(footnote tells you that this is a wordplay) Hosea; the allegory is more obvious… Notice difference in tone between pre-exilic prophets and post-exilic…you see promise of blessing return to their language Message is unoriginal: re-styled and re-shaped but not new Some Examples of what we are talking about: Hosea 4:2…5 out of ten mentioned….what this would do to a hearer… Amos 5:11 ff Amos 4: sent drought, then threatens captivity if they do not repent… Amos 3:14 destroy the alters of Bethel….what does this mean? What happened there? (1 King 12) Jeroboam…why, what is the principle….what can we teach from this??? Joel 2:12….what God wants We need outside help (as before) Understand political and military situations during these centuries Political and military upheaval, massive covenant disloyalty, shifting of balance of power in the mid-east…see timeline…. For interpretive purposes: THINK ORACLES, LOOK FOR MAJOR CHANGE IN SUBJECT AND THEMES, not necessarily chapter numbers… Understand the major forms: Lawsuit: Is 3:13-26 Woe: Hab 2:6-8 Promise: Amos 9:11-15 Enactment Prophecy: Is 20, Ezek 4:1-4 Messenger speech: “thus saith the Lord” “this is what the Lord says”

ACR 2011 The Prophets Look for “Blessings”; life health, prosperity, agricultural abundance, respect and safety Look for “Curses” ; death, disease, drought, dearth, danger, destruction, defeat, deportation, destitution and disgrace Engage with Historical Situation (Kings, Chronicles) Be Aware of ‘loaded’ ideas (Jezebel, Abraham,Jeroboam, and references to historical failures, Baal of Peor etc) Hermeneutics: Fee and Stuart summarize the biblical material into six general categories of blessings (life, health, prosperity, agricultural abundance, respect and safety), and ten types of punishment (death, disease, drought, dearth, danger, destruction, defeat, deportation, destitution and disgrace). The prophetic proclamation centered on these categories and would accent one or another depending on the situation.

The Prophets Major Oracle Sub-Types THE LAWSUIT: Isaiah 3:13-26
ACR 2011 The Prophets Major Oracle Sub-Types THE LAWSUIT: Isaiah 3:13-26 WOE ORACLE: Habakkuk 2:6-8 ENACTMENT PROPHECY: Isaiah 20, Ezekiel 4:1-4 MESSENGER SPEECH: “thus saith the Lord” Notice difference in tone between pre-exilic prophets and post-exilic…you see promise of blessing return to their language Message is unoriginal: re-styled and re-shaped but not new Some Examples of what we are talking about: Hosea 4:2…5 out of ten mentioned….what this would do to a hearer… Amos 5:11 ff Amos 4: sent drought, then threatens captivity if they do not repent… Amos 3:14 destroy the alters of Bethel….what does this mean? What happened there? (1 King 12) Jeroboam…why, what is the principle….what can we teach from this??? Joel 2:12….what God wants We need outside help (as before) Understand political and military situations during these centuries Political and military upheaval, massive covenant disloyalty, shifting of balance of power in the mid-east…see timeline…. For interpretive purposes: THINK ORACLES, LOOK FOR MAJOR CHANGE IN SUBJECT AND THEMES, not necessarily chapter numbers… Understand the major forms: Lawsuit: Is 3:13-26 Woe: Hab 2:6-8 Promise: Amos 9:11-15 Enactment Prophecy: Is 20, Ezek 4:1-4 Messenger speech: “thus saith the Lord” “this is what the Lord says”

The Prophets The Differences between pre and post exilic prophecy
ACR 2011 The Prophets The Differences between pre and post exilic prophecy Amos 3:14…destroy the altar? Why is this significant? Joel 2:12 Hermeneutical ‘keys’ within the oracles Bethel (Heb. bêṯ-˒ēl) (PLACE) 1. An important city (“house of God”) strategically located at a crossroads 19 km. (12 mi.) N of Jerusalem at the border of Ephraim/Benjamin (for the source of that ambiguity compare Josh. 18:22 and Judg. 1:22) and Judah. Only the city of Jerusalem is mentioned more frequently in the OT. It is not cited in the NT. Abraham pitched his tent E of Bethel (Gen. 12:8) before going to Egypt and settled in Bethel for a time upon his return (13:3). The “God of Bethel” spoke to Jacob while he was still in Haran (Gen. 31:13). Later Jacob was commanded to go to Bethel and build an altar (Gen. 35:1), which he did (v. 6). The latter episode also refers to the site by the earlier names Luz and El-bethel. Deborah, a nurse of Rebekah, is buried under an oak near Bethel (Gen. 35:8), and the more famous Deborah judged Israel at a site between Bethel and Rama (Judg. 4:5). The ark of the covenant was brought to Bethel (perhaps implied in Judg. 20:18 and confirmed in 20:27). It was at Bethel that the people of Israel gathered to inquire of the Lord who should be first to fight Benjamin to avenge the rape and murder of a Judean concubine (Judg. 20:18). Bethel was the first stop on Elijah’s last journey before being taken up in the fiery chariot (2 Kgs. 2:3), and it was at Bethel that his successor Elisha expressed his anger at the children who called him an old bald head (v. 23). Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, established an Israelite sanctuary there (1 Kgs. 12:25–33) which the unnamed prophet from Judah (1 Kgs. 13) and Amos condemned. Finally, the city was destroyed by Joshua (2 Kgs. 23:15–20).

The LAW ACR MTP June 2011 The Old Testament term for “law” is tôrâ, but the Hebrew term does not really mean “law” but rather refers to teaching or instruction (from the verb hôrâ), commands or general ethical guidance. The Israelites were to be taught especially by the priests and Levites (Deut 33:10; 2 Chron 15:3; Ezra 7:6, 10), in the family (Ex 13:8–9) and in national assemblies (Deut 31:10–12). They are primarily instructions for daily conduct, not only with reference to God but also to fellow Israelites. Still, other words are used, such as command, judgment, ordinance and covenant stipulations. At the level of command, it does come close to the idea of “law.” Torah is to be “kept” and “obeyed” (Deut 31:12; 32:46). The people were expected to learn the laws and understand them, so that they could keep them at all times. Still, the use of indicatives rather than imperatives in Numbers 5–6 and Leviticus 11–15 shows that the aspect of instruction was dominant (see Selman 2003:498–99; Block 2005:5–6).

Acr 2011 Collections of law Decalogue; (Exodus 20-23) It follows the suzerainty form in which a vassal (Israel) has certain obligations established before the superior power (Yahweh) “Tabernacle Laws” (Exodus 25-40) Priestly or Ritual Laws: regarding worship and the altar, purity and holiness. “Holiness Code” (exodus 25-Lev 16) A wide variety of issues are addressed (food laws, sexual behavior, neighbor relations, criminal activity, eating sacrifices, sabbatical and Jubilee years, blasphemy) but all relate to Israel living before the Lord as a holy people. The Four Speeches: (Deut 1:6–4:40; 5:1–26:19; 27:1–28:68; 29:1–30:20) a retelling for new generation Law: not rules for people to follow but the gracious gift of God to assist his people in being who he wanted them to be for himself and each other Provides a framework for the proper worship of Yahweh Law is not only ‘10 commandments law’ but all of the more than 600 commandments Law: all the law and prophets, all the little laws, the 10 commandments, Leviticus, it is used in deferent ways at different times; “Book of the Law” as in the Pentateuch Christians struggle most with hermeneutical questions; how does or does the law pertain to me at all, and if so, in what way? xtians are not told to love god by obeying the law, it is not our law, reconcile this with Matt 5:18 Six Guidelines: OT law is a covenant, binding contract, parties, rules for various penalty clauses, like a suzerainty treaty, rules for showing loyalty, stipulations, witnesses to the facts, built-in penalties for failures; the document clause, which creates provisions for remembering the terms of the covenant. “Do not forget”. It is critical to understand this issue so that we can later understand the role of the prophets. The OT is not our Testament; it is not binding on us unless the stipulations are explicitly renewed in the new covenant, “Law of Love” the loyalty is expected, but we not have different ways of showing it, not killing animals…but…whatever Two kinds of laws have not been re-newed in the NT civil laws: shape the basic life of Israel, think of their role in ancient society, and then how the demonstrate the character of God himself by what they include and exclude ritual laws; largest single block ate in Leviticus, detail eth specific details for ritual purity etc ect Part of the Old Covenant is re-newed in the new covenant: ethical laws, love neighbor, love God, in this sense we always live with the Law, Jesus re-defined All of the OT is Gods word for us, even if it is not his word TO us. Only that which is explicitly re-newed in the NT can be part of the law of Christ, and is applicable for us, ex 10 commandments are all re-newed in some sense, and the two greatest commandments, not other can be proven to be re-new able No none is ‘saved’ by obeying the ot laws, but they are Gods way of setting Israel aside from the culture around them, so that they ca know how to love God and each other the in a way that was a ‘light to the gentiles and to the ends of the earth’ When they failed, there was a specific means for forgiveness and atonement in the sacrificial system, never a means of salvation but a patter for the relationship of God and his covenant people Kinds of LAW: Apodictic : Do this law and do not do that Lev 19:9-14direct commands generally applicable as part of fulfilling the covenant with God They set a standard by way of example and are not exhaustive. (gleaning laws, food laws, laws of slavery) Pharisees interpret literally and narrowly…not the way the law was ever intended to be read or obeyed, skirt the real issues... Guide, like constitution not state law of Virginia. Preliminary hermeneutical principle: it is in faact impossible and impractical to try and please god on our own by following the sum total intent of any of this Law, be humbled and appreciate the way in which God has allowed us options, like his grace… Casuistic Law: Case-by-case law, situations they come up in every day life kind of law. Conditional and are conditioned by Situation in life or specifics of living daily life. Give ‘what to do in a certain situation, injury of slave, unintentional sin, accidental contact with the dead etc Functions indirectly if you are recipient, directly if you are the one of whom it makes a requirement These make up the large portion of the 600 plus commandments in the Pentateuch We do not ‘obey’ them, but there are important hermeneutical principles in them for us; Ask “why” are there limitations on slavery, “how” are they to be applied, “what benefit does this have and Note well that this law was a significant upgrade from other early Middle Eastern “Law codes” that had built in class distinctions. Cite FS examples on pages Food Laws: Again not ‘restrictive’ but they have protective purposes and covenant purposes Some were due to diseases carried by certain animals, or the cost of producing and raising them or are favorite foods of other religious groups that Israel was not to imitate Laws of shedding blood: For forgiveness of sin has a price and someone must pay, a life must be taken when there is a violation of the covenant Principle of “substitution” is set up …Jesus Unusual prohibitions: Blending fabrics, cooking the goat etc: Sympathetic magic of Canaanite fertility religions and Israel was to avoid all of these as god know that we take on the character of whatever God we worship Summary Do’s and Don’ts Do see OT law as gods word for you Do see the OT as a basis for the old covenant and the basis for Israel’s and our spiritual history Do not see it as binding on Christians, unless specifically renewed Do see it as Gods justice and high standards revealed to us in the Law Gods Mercy is equal to severity of the standards Do see the law as a paradigm providing us with examples of a range of behavior Do not see it as technically complete, it is not comprehensive Do remember that the essence of the law is repeated in the NT and the prophets Not necessarily ‘quoted’ as we will see in the next session, where it is again re-shaped and re-configured as are the gospel pericopes… Do see the law as a generous gift that bring blessings when it is obeyed Do not see it as a group of arbitrary and annoying regulations limiting peoples freedom

Acr 2011 The Law OT Law is fashioned around other ‘legal’ systems in the ancient world Has similarities with ancient suzerainty/protective treatises. (Lord/Servant, Slavery/Protection) Code of Ur-nammu; Sumerian, c b.c. Code of Eshnunna; Babylonian, c b.c. Code of Hammurabi ; BC McConville argues that Deuteronomy is meant as a constitution for Israel. The tôrâh is seen as a gift by the grace of God, meant to be lived in a society that protects the helpless and the poor. As the chosen people, Israel is to live apart from other nations and as a brotherhood that transcends tribal distinctions as well as social differences like slave-master, male-female, or rich-poor. Deuteronomy develops a religion of the “heart” centering on love of Yahweh (Deut 6:5). A theology of the land centers on the control of Yahweh (not the king) and the centrality of worship.

The Law The Old Testament Law is a Covenant
Acr 2011 The Law The Old Testament Law is a Covenant The Old Testament is not Our Testament Some stipulations of the OT not renewed in the NT Some of the OT is renewed in the NT All of the OT law is still the Word of God for us even though it is not still the command of God to us Only that which is explicitly renewed from the OT law can be considered part of the NT “law of Christ” (Gal 6:2) Gal 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Law of the Spirit of Life is also referenced. The difference between the pagan law codes and the Israelite code is that the former were idealized representations rather than the actual demands of their day

Types of laws F/S divide into Functional Groupings:
Acr 2011 Types of laws F/S divide into Functional Groupings: Apodictic : Direct commands generally applicable as part of fulfilling the covenant with God (Lev 19:9-14) They set a standard by way of example and are not exhaustive. (gleaning laws, food laws, laws of slavery) Law: not rules for people to follow but the gracious gift of God to assist his people in being who he wanted them to be for himself and each other Provides a framework for the proper worship of Yahweh Law is not only ‘10 commandments law’ but all of the more than 600 commandments Law: all the law and prophets, all the little laws, the 10 commandments, Leviticus, it is used in deferent ways at different times; “Book of the Law” as in the Pentateuch Christians struggle most with hermeneutical questions; how does or does the law pertain to me at all, and if so, in what way? xtians are not told to love god by obeying the law, it is not our law, reconcile this with Matt 5:18 Six Guidelines: OT law is a covenant, binding contract, parties, rules for various penalty clauses, like a suzerainty treaty, rules for showing loyalty, stipulations, witnesses to the facts, built-in penalties for failures; the document clause, which creates provisions for remembering the terms of the covenant. “Do not forget”. It is critical to understand this issue so that we can later understand the role of the prophets. The OT is not our Testament; it is not binding on us unless the stipulations are explicitly renewed in the new covenant, “Law of Love” the loyalty is expected, but we not have different ways of showing it, not killing animals…but…whatever Two kinds of laws have not been re-newed in the NT civil laws: shape the basic life of Israel, think of their role in ancient society, and then how the demonstrate the character of God himself by what they include and exclude ritual laws; largest single block ate in Leviticus, detail eth specific details for ritual purity etc ect Part of the Old Covenant is re-newed in the new covenant: ethical laws, love neighbor, love God, in this sense we always live with the Law, Jesus re-defined All of the OT is Gods word for us, even if it is not his word TO us. Only that which is explicitly re-newed in the NT can be part of the law of Christ, and is applicable for us, ex 10 commandments are all re-newed in some sense, and the two greatest commandments, not other can be proven to be re-new able No none is ‘saved’ by obeying the ot laws, but they are Gods way of setting Israel aside from the culture around them, so that they ca know how to love God and each other the in a way that was a ‘light to the gentiles and to the ends of the earth’ When they failed, there was a specific means for forgiveness and atonement in the sacrificial system, never a means of salvation but a patter for the relationship of God and his covenant people Kinds of LAW: Apodictic : Do this law and do not do that Lev 19:9-14direct commands generally applicable as part of fulfilling the covenant with God They set a standard by way of example and are not exhaustive. (gleaning laws, food laws, laws of slavery) Pharisees interpret literally and narrowly…not the way the law was ever intended to be read or obeyed, skirt the real issues... Guide, like constitution not state law of Virginia. Preliminary hermeneutical principle: it is in faact impossible and impractical to try and please god on our own by following the sum total intent of any of this Law, be humbled and appreciate the way in which God has allowed us options, like his grace… Casuistic Law: Case-by-case law, situations they come up in every day life kind of law. Conditional and are conditioned by Situation in life or specifics of living daily life. Give ‘what to do in a certain situation, injury of slave, unintentional sin, accidental contact with the dead etc Functions indirectly if you are recipient, directly if you are the one of whom it makes a requirement These make up the large portion of the 600 plus commandments in the Pentateuch We do not ‘obey’ them, but there are important hermeneutical principles in them for us; Ask “why” are there limitations on slavery, “how” are they to be applied, “what benefit does this have and Note well that this law was a significant upgrade from other early Middle Eastern “Law codes” that had built in class distinctions. Cite FS examples on pages Food Laws: Again not ‘restrictive’ but they have protective purposes and covenant purposes Some were due to diseases carried by certain animals, or the cost of producing and raising them or are favorite foods of other religious groups that Israel was not to imitate Laws of shedding blood: For forgiveness of sin has a price and someone must pay, a life must be taken when there is a violation of the covenant Principle of “substitution” is set up …Jesus Unusual prohibitions: Blending fabrics, cooking the goat etc: Sympathetic magic of Canaanite fertility religions and Israel was to avoid all of these as god know that we take on the character of whatever God we worship Summary Do’s and Don’ts Do see OT law as gods word for you Do see the OT as a basis for the old covenant and the basis for Israel’s and our spiritual history Do not see it as binding on Christians, unless specifically renewed Do see it as Gods justice and high standards revealed to us in the Law Gods Mercy is equal to severity of the standards Do see the law as a paradigm providing us with examples of a range of behavior Do not see it as technically complete, it is not comprehensive Do remember that the essence of the law is repeated in the NT and the prophets Not necessarily ‘quoted’ as we will see in the next session, where it is again re-shaped and re-configured as are the gospel pericopes… Do see the law as a generous gift that bring blessings when it is obeyed Do not see it as a group of arbitrary and annoying regulations limiting peoples freedom

Acr 2011 Types of laws 2. Casuistic Law: Case-by-case law, situations they come up in every day life kind of law. Conditional and are conditioned by Situation in life or specifics of living daily life. What to do specific situation, injury of slave, unintentional sin, accidental contact with the dead etc Functions indirectly if you are recipient, directly if you are the one of whom it makes a requirement Law: not rules for people to follow but the gracious gift of God to assist his people in being who he wanted them to be for himself and each other Provides a framework for the proper worship of Yahweh Law is not only ‘10 commandments law’ but all of the more than 600 commandments Law: all the law and prophets, all the little laws, the 10 commandments, Leviticus, it is used in deferent ways at different times; “Book of the Law” as in the Pentateuch Christians struggle most with hermeneutical questions; how does or does the law pertain to me at all, and if so, in what way? xtians are not told to love god by obeying the law, it is not our law, reconcile this with Matt 5:18 Six Guidelines: OT law is a covenant, binding contract, parties, rules for various penalty clauses, like a suzerainty treaty, rules for showing loyalty, stipulations, witnesses to the facts, built-in penalties for failures; the document clause, which creates provisions for remembering the terms of the covenant. “Do not forget”. It is critical to understand this issue so that we can later understand the role of the prophets. The OT is not our Testament; it is not binding on us unless the stipulations are explicitly renewed in the new covenant, “Law of Love” the loyalty is expected, but we not have different ways of showing it, not killing animals…but…whatever Two kinds of laws have not been re-newed in the NT civil laws: shape the basic life of Israel, think of their role in ancient society, and then how the demonstrate the character of God himself by what they include and exclude ritual laws; largest single block ate in Leviticus, detail eth specific details for ritual purity etc ect Part of the Old Covenant is re-newed in the new covenant: ethical laws, love neighbor, love God, in this sense we always live with the Law, Jesus re-defined All of the OT is Gods word for us, even if it is not his word TO us. Only that which is explicitly re-newed in the NT can be part of the law of Christ, and is applicable for us, ex 10 commandments are all re-newed in some sense, and the two greatest commandments, not other can be proven to be re-new able No none is ‘saved’ by obeying the ot laws, but they are Gods way of setting Israel aside from the culture around them, so that they ca know how to love God and each other the in a way that was a ‘light to the gentiles and to the ends of the earth’ When they failed, there was a specific means for forgiveness and atonement in the sacrificial system, never a means of salvation but a patter for the relationship of God and his covenant people Kinds of LAW: Apodictic : Do this law and do not do that Lev 19:9-14direct commands generally applicable as part of fulfilling the covenant with God They set a standard by way of example and are not exhaustive. (gleaning laws, food laws, laws of slavery) Pharisees interpret literally and narrowly…not the way the law was ever intended to be read or obeyed, skirt the real issues... Guide, like constitution not state law of Virginia. Preliminary hermeneutical principle: it is in faact impossible and impractical to try and please god on our own by following the sum total intent of any of this Law, be humbled and appreciate the way in which God has allowed us options, like his grace… Casuistic Law: Case-by-case law, situations they come up in every day life kind of law. Conditional and are conditioned by Situation in life or specifics of living daily life. Give ‘what to do in a certain situation, injury of slave, unintentional sin, accidental contact with the dead etc Functions indirectly if you are recipient, directly if you are the one of whom it makes a requirement These make up the large portion of the 600 plus commandments in the Pentateuch We do not ‘obey’ them, but there are important hermeneutical principles in them for us; Ask “why” are there limitations on slavery, “how” are they to be applied, “what benefit does this have and Note well that this law was a significant upgrade from other early Middle Eastern “Law codes” that had built in class distinctions. Cite FS examples on pages Food Laws: Again not ‘restrictive’ but they have protective purposes and covenant purposes Some were due to diseases carried by certain animals, or the cost of producing and raising them or are favorite foods of other religious groups that Israel was not to imitate Laws of shedding blood: For forgiveness of sin has a price and someone must pay, a life must be taken when there is a violation of the covenant Principle of “substitution” is set up …Jesus Unusual prohibitions: Blending fabrics, cooking the goat etc: Sympathetic magic of Canaanite fertility religions and Israel was to avoid all of these as god know that we take on the character of whatever God we worship Summary Do’s and Don’ts Do see OT law as gods word for you Do see the OT as a basis for the old covenant and the basis for Israel’s and our spiritual history Do not see it as binding on Christians, unless specifically renewed Do see it as Gods justice and high standards revealed to us in the Law Gods Mercy is equal to severity of the standards Do see the law as a paradigm providing us with examples of a range of behavior Do not see it as technically complete, it is not comprehensive Do remember that the essence of the law is repeated in the NT and the prophets Not necessarily ‘quoted’ as we will see in the next session, where it is again re-shaped and re-configured as are the gospel pericopes… Do see the law as a generous gift that bring blessings when it is obeyed Do not see it as a group of arbitrary and annoying regulations limiting peoples freedom

Types of laws Casuistic Law:
Acr 2011 Types of laws Casuistic Law: We do not ‘obey’ them, but there are important hermeneutical principles in them for us; Ask “why” are there limitations on slavery, “how” are they to be applied, “what benefit does this have” Note well that this law was a significant upgrade from other early Middle Eastern “Law codes” that had built in class distinctions. These make up the large portion of the 600 plus commandments in the Pentateuch Law: not rules for people to follow but the gracious gift of God to assist his people in being who he wanted them to be for himself and each other Provides a framework for the proper worship of Yahweh Law is not only ‘10 commandments law’ but all of the more than 600 commandments Law: all the law and prophets, all the little laws, the 10 commandments, Leviticus, it is used in deferent ways at different times; “Book of the Law” as in the Pentateuch Christians struggle most with hermeneutical questions; how does or does the law pertain to me at all, and if so, in what way? xtians are not told to love god by obeying the law, it is not our law, reconcile this with Matt 5:18 Six Guidelines: OT law is a covenant, binding contract, parties, rules for various penalty clauses, like a suzerainty treaty, rules for showing loyalty, stipulations, witnesses to the facts, built-in penalties for failures; the document clause, which creates provisions for remembering the terms of the covenant. “Do not forget”. It is critical to understand this issue so that we can later understand the role of the prophets. The OT is not our Testament; it is not binding on us unless the stipulations are explicitly renewed in the new covenant, “Law of Love” the loyalty is expected, but we not have different ways of showing it, not killing animals…but…whatever Two kinds of laws have not been re-newed in the NT civil laws: shape the basic life of Israel, think of their role in ancient society, and then how the demonstrate the character of God himself by what they include and exclude ritual laws; largest single block ate in Leviticus, detail eth specific details for ritual purity etc ect Part of the Old Covenant is re-newed in the new covenant: ethical laws, love neighbor, love God, in this sense we always live with the Law, Jesus re-defined All of the OT is Gods word for us, even if it is not his word TO us. Only that which is explicitly re-newed in the NT can be part of the law of Christ, and is applicable for us, ex 10 commandments are all re-newed in some sense, and the two greatest commandments, not other can be proven to be re-new able No none is ‘saved’ by obeying the ot laws, but they are Gods way of setting Israel aside from the culture around them, so that they ca know how to love God and each other the in a way that was a ‘light to the gentiles and to the ends of the earth’ When they failed, there was a specific means for forgiveness and atonement in the sacrificial system, never a means of salvation but a patter for the relationship of God and his covenant people Kinds of LAW: Apodictic : Do this law and do not do that Lev 19:9-14direct commands generally applicable as part of fulfilling the covenant with God They set a standard by way of example and are not exhaustive. (gleaning laws, food laws, laws of slavery) Pharisees interpret literally and narrowly…not the way the law was ever intended to be read or obeyed, skirt the real issues... Guide, like constitution not state law of Virginia. Preliminary hermeneutical principle: it is in faact impossible and impractical to try and please god on our own by following the sum total intent of any of this Law, be humbled and appreciate the way in which God has allowed us options, like his grace… Casuistic Law: Case-by-case law, situations they come up in every day life kind of law. Conditional and are conditioned by Situation in life or specifics of living daily life. Give ‘what to do in a certain situation, injury of slave, unintentional sin, accidental contact with the dead etc Functions indirectly if you are recipient, directly if you are the one of whom it makes a requirement These make up the large portion of the 600 plus commandments in the Pentateuch We do not ‘obey’ them, but there are important hermeneutical principles in them for us; Ask “why” are there limitations on slavery, “how” are they to be applied, “what benefit does this have and Note well that this law was a significant upgrade from other early Middle Eastern “Law codes” that had built in class distinctions. Cite FS examples on pages Food Laws: Again not ‘restrictive’ but they have protective purposes and covenant purposes Some were due to diseases carried by certain animals, or the cost of producing and raising them or are favorite foods of other religious groups that Israel was not to imitate Laws of shedding blood: For forgiveness of sin has a price and someone must pay, a life must be taken when there is a violation of the covenant Principle of “substitution” is set up …Jesus Unusual prohibitions: Blending fabrics, cooking the goat etc: Sympathetic magic of Canaanite fertility religions and Israel was to avoid all of these as god know that we take on the character of whatever God we worship Summary Do’s and Don’ts Do see OT law as gods word for you Do see the OT as a basis for the old covenant and the basis for Israel’s and our spiritual history Do not see it as binding on Christians, unless specifically renewed Do see it as Gods justice and high standards revealed to us in the Law Gods Mercy is equal to severity of the standards Do see the law as a paradigm providing us with examples of a range of behavior Do not see it as technically complete, it is not comprehensive Do remember that the essence of the law is repeated in the NT and the prophets Not necessarily ‘quoted’ as we will see in the next session, where it is again re-shaped and re-configured as are the gospel pericopes… Do see the law as a generous gift that bring blessings when it is obeyed Do not see it as a group of arbitrary and annoying regulations limiting peoples freedom

The Law (Fee/Stuart) The OT law is a Covenant
Acr 2011 The Law (Fee/Stuart) The OT law is a Covenant The Old Testament is not our Testament Some stipulations of the OT have clearly not been renewed in the NT Part of the OT is renewed in the NT All of the OT law is still the Word of God for us even though it is not still the command of God to us Only that which is explicitly renewed from the OT law can be considered part of the NT “law of Christ” (Gal 6:2) Law is not just OT idea; Paul speaks of Law of Sin and Death, Law of Spirit of Life, Law of Christ….

How Should I View the Law?
Acr 2011 How Should I View the Law? Galatians 3:24 It functioned in the history of salvation to bring us to Christ The Law stands as a paradigm (a model) of what it means to be loyal to God The Law should increase our appreciation of our unworthiness for grace, thus our gratitude is greater Gal 3: So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ£ that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Do’s and Don’ts of the Law
Acr 2011 Do’s and Don’ts of the Law Do see the law as God’s fully inspired Word for you Do see the law as the basis for the OT and Israel’s history Do see God’s justice, love, high standards, and gift Do see the law as directing a full range of behavior Do remember the essence of the Law is repeated and renewed Don’t see the law as God’s direct command to you Don’t see the law as binding on Christians Don’t see the law as a grouping of of arbitrary, limiting, annoying regulations Don’t see the law as technically complete Don’t expect the law to be cited frequently by the prophets or NT writers

The Gospels ACR MTP June 2011

ACR 2011 The Gospels They already function as hermeneutical models for us, insisting by their very nature that we, too, retell the story Steeped in 1st C Judaism Second-hand Documents Filled with “Kingdom Rhetoric” Eschatological Fervor and Expectations Challenges: Four accounts, all different, with differing points of view Tendency to Harmonize and blend them together an not see the elegance or purpose of the differences, and therefore obscure the meaning Kingdom of God issue pervades them Eschatological tension of the ‘now’ and ‘not yet’ that we overlook as we try and harmonize it away or deal with the difficulties Synoptic Gospel: Matt, Mark Luke, “one view” Sources of material. Mark or M, Q, the sayings source, L, material only in Luke. Seems like Mark was first as Matt and Lk have many commonalities with him, and yet seem not to have had access to each others sources and therefore have nothing in common except the Markan material. Authors and editors; Editorial license and selectivity: each evangelist took the material they had and shaped and organized it in ways to suit the audience for whom they were writing. This is why parables are not always ‘in order’ (we will get to this later) Two levels of narrative: Historical; the original audience and situation , our needs and the canonical purpose for all Xtians at all times.

Gospel: Literary Context
Acr 2011 Gospel: Literary Context Think Horizontally Harmonize Four Accounts Appreciate Distinctiveness of each Gospel Think Vertically Awareness of historical contexts of both Jesus and the Evangelist Examine selection of Jesus and organization of Evangelist as unified whole Jesus

Gospel: Literary context
ACR 2011 Gospel: Literary context Horizontal Considerations: Adaptation & Selectivity Parallel Accounts (beware harmonization) Overlapping Source Material DEPENDENT upon one-another Redaction, Re-use and Borrowing Early Church Understanding* Think Horizontally: Explain, context, parallel passages, placement within the text Be alert for parallel accounts and how they give clues to meaning Do not over harmonize, respect and enjoy the differences, we are concerned with canonical purpose not historical purposes; the differences are intentional…and wonderful when you ask the right questions. Remember that they are distinct but connected, and that they had some similar materials. Synoptic: Word use in 5 thousand feeding narrative: Words in Story Matt Mark Luke John Word in common of the first three: 53, exact words, in Gk very unusual. Word in John that are common to the other three: 8 % of agreement among them: Matt w Mark 59% Matt w Luke 44% Luke w Mark 40% John w Matt 8.5% John w Mark 8.5% John w Luke 6.5% These points to similar source materials, used for individual purposes. John had own material “eye witness”

Gospel: literary context
ACR 2011 Gospel: literary context Feeding of Five Thousand Narrative (Fee/Stuart) Words in John that are common to the other three: 8 % of agreement among them: Matt w Mark 59% Matt w Luke 44% Luke w Mark 40% John w Matt 8.5% John w Mark 8.5% John w Luke 6.5% They use different vocabulary They told different stories/versions What does this tell us? How does it help us ‘interpret’

Gospel: Two Dimensions
Acr 2011 Gospel: Two Dimensions Horizontal; How the gospel fits together with other gospel accounts of same events and pericopes Vocabulary, Temporal Placement, Arrangement, Plot Gives appreciation for differences in gospels Adds clarity and details other gospels may have excluded, including additional context When teaching or preaching these, both contexts should inform our conclusions, poverty and spiritual dearth can go hand in hand, Jesus spoke to both issues… Jesus use in multiple contexts combined with gospel writers use in different forms broadens meaning of “significant theological ideas” This idea is CENTRAL and so may appear in multiple contexts/situations/uses by Jesus

Gospel: Two Dimensions
Acr 2011 Gospel: Two Dimensions Vertical; examines historical context of both Jesus and gospel writer together Jesus may be illustrating a general principle for his own (universal) mission, while the gospel writer is organizing the teaching into his account in a way that illuminates additional/secondary truth “Poor” and “Poor in spirit” Mat 5 vs Lk 6 “First and Last” Mat 19:30 (Workers in Vineyard) vs Mark 10:31 (Rich Ruler) Jesus says it more than once/change in meaning When teaching or preaching these, both contexts should inform our conclusions, poverty and spiritual dearth can go hand in hand, Jesus spoke to both issues…

Gospel: Historical Context
Acr 2011 Gospel: Historical Context Immerse yourself in first century Judaism and its preaching style Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus Jeremias; The NT Environment” Lohse; Jesus’ Audience Derret The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teaching Stein (proverbs, similes, metaphors, poetry, questions, irony, etc.) They are shaped for content and intended groups: Matt for Jews, Luke for gentiles etc; give examples of the shaping and development of these ideas: the placement of the sower parable differs and this has an impact on its meaning for that audience, (essential meaning is same) but shaping The stories or PERICOPE’s came to the evangelists without context sometimes. We have difficulty understanding the historical particulars: Need assistance from good helps: Jeremias, Scott Customs and controversies, Stein (excellent), Matthews (easier to read) Need for seeing structure and basic styles of writers: Matt’s 5 teaching sections and the ‘new Pentateuch’ concept, what this means for interpreting… Matt 5-7 SOTM 10:5-42 Instructions for ministry 13:1-52 work in the Kingdom (parabolic) 18:1-35 Relationships and Discipleship 23-25 Consummation and Eschatological concerns

Gospel: Historical Context
Acr 2011 Gospel: Historical Context Difficulty is many of Jesus’ sayings come without the original context (1 Cor 9:14, Acts 20:24) Different gospels seem ‘out of order’ What was Jesus’ audience for a given teaching? Close Disciples… crowds… enemies? This helps with the ‘point’ 1 Cor 7:10 - In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. Acts 20:24 - However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

The Gospels: horizontal
ACR 2011 The Gospels: horizontal Adaptation; Same stories re-used and re-shaped Critical to understand AUDIENCE, as it may vary by evangelist/pericope Fig tree in Mark 11:12-14; vs Matthew 21:18-22 Authors are also “compilers” (Fee) Adaptation: Using same material in different ways, like rejection narrative, or making modifications to the content itself: Fig tree story is different in Mark 11: than it is in the other gospels. One implies the death of un-repentant Judaism, the other (Matt 21:18-22) a simple reminder that faith is required to accomplish the works of God. Same story, perhaps same incident (although some believe there were two incidents) but two different possible ‘meanings’ or nuances depending upon the lens. BOTH ARE CANONICAL AND BOTH ARE ‘TRUE’

The Gospels: horizontal
ACR 2011 The Gospels: horizontal Selectivity: Rejection at Nazareth; (Matt 13:51/Mark 6:4/Luke 4:24) John 4:44 puts the rejection text in Jerusalem! No “I AM” statements in three gospels Missing Beatitudes etc Johns Structure vs. Synoptic Structure

The Gospels: Horizontal
ACR 2011 The Gospels: Horizontal Horizontal Sensitivity will assist in understanding possible meanings or range of meanings (Semantics) Horizontal Sensitivity shapes our view of how the early church ‘interpreted’ these texts Horizontal reading prevents overly narrow interpretations Horizontal Reading my also assist in filing in gaps in context by providing additional details They use different vocabulary They told different stories/versions What does this tell us? How does it help us ‘interpret’

The Gospels: think vertically
ACR 2011 The Gospels: think vertically Theological Point of View How Jesus uses the teaching COMBINED with the setting given to it by the gospel writer Jesus by historical context may be making one point and Mark, by his organization makes another ‘point’ Meaning my be localized by Jesus telling, and at the same time ‘globalized’ by the manner in which the pericope is placed within the gospel itself

The Gospels: think vertically
ACR 2011 The Gospels: think vertically Matthew 4:17 17From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Mark 1:14–15 14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Luke 4:14–15 14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. Three accounts of the early ministry: Matthew : Right after the temptation and success in wilderness; Jesus as fulfillment of Prophetic Voice Mark: Jesus as Fulfillment of JTB Ministry/Emphasis is that this is ‘after Johns ministry’ Luke: no quotation at all, reference to Spirit….an overlay from Matthews Spirit Victory in the wilderness All there indicate power, fulfillment of mission, even popularity. But Luke says nothing about the Kingdom at this point….

The Gospels: Horizon / Vertical
ACR 2011 The Gospels: Horizon / Vertical Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke is only gospel to reference the Isaiah 61 text (horizontal) Luke recounts Jesus reference to Elijah/Elisha (v 25-27) (horizontal) Jesus is rebuking exclusivism (vertical) Luke is encouraging Gentiles that Jesus has come for them (vertical) Luke uses different messianic text at the same juncture of Jesus ministry. Matthew uses Is 9/Luke has Jesus quote Isaiah 61. Both are getting at the Messianic fulfillment of Jesus, but are using different texts to shape the form of their message to reflect additional concerns as well. In one instance, Matthew, the writer, is citing a messianic text. In Luke, Luke the writer has Jesus quote another Isaiah text about himself. Both passages get at the messianic fulfillment of Jesus. But also do other things simultaneously.

Acr 2011 Gospel: Hermeneutics Note Setting Carefully; audience, surrounding material Note Audience; who is being addressed, tone of voice, repetition of ideas Study Structure; literary devices, rhetoric, inclusio, chiasm… Look for change in focus/attention (change of pronoun) Locate the climax of story (moment of truth) Shift in action before/after climax Hermeneutical Observations: Teaching and imperatives: they are ‘hard’ and we do not downplay, or ‘modernize’ or allegorize…they are the standard and should drive us to gracious acceptance and mercy upon those who struggle with them…) all of us!) Narratives: miracle stores are not precedent setting, nor are all the precise situations, look to the context, Rich young ruler is not a once for all given to the saints, but a representation of the perils of wealth. Etc Must understand the concept of the Kingdom of God, and I do not mean “the kingdom study” which is very selective and contains numerous oversimplifications if not outright errors in my opinion Eschatology; Define, explain, the tension that this creates as we see element of both of this, to some extent personalize in Romans 7, the struggle of what is and yet is not complete So when JTB announces that this time is coming, people get fired up, Messiah will usher in this new age of regeneration and “world peace”. But then killed, then resurrected and the hope is born anew that he will fix things, including the Romans… Jesus said it is here with his own coming The spirit does get poured out Some things do happen, and there is an inauguration but there is still an age in which we are living that goes on, there has been a new beginning, but no a decisive ending to the old age, so what does all of this mean? We have the spirit and some of the blessing of living in a kingdom that has some of the form and feel and experience of the future with God, if we live it right, but not all of it. Living in between times; beginning but not consummation the “already” and the “not yet”

Gospel: Hermeneutics Do not ‘modernize’ teachings
Acr 2011 Gospel: Hermeneutics Do not ‘modernize’ teachings Miracle narratives are not precedent setting “Now” and “Not Yet” – Eschatology Jewish culture saw end of all things as imminent, especially the Galilean sect of Zealots Jewish culture hoped Jesus would destroy Rome and inaugurate the ultimate age of blessing JTB fueled this fervor with his message of repentance…. Hermeneutical Observations: Teaching and imperatives: they are ‘hard’ and we do not downplay, or ‘modernize’ or allegorize…they are the standard and should drive us to gracious acceptance and mercy upon those who struggle with them…) all of us!) Narratives: miracle stores are not precedent setting, nor are all the precise situations, look to the context, Rich young ruler is not a once for all given to the saints, but a representation of the perils of wealth. Etc Must understand the concept of the Kingdom of God, and I do not mean “the kingdom study” which is very selective and contains numerous oversimplifications if not outright errors in my opinion Eschatology; Define, explain, the tension that this creates as we see element of both of this, to some extent personalize in Romans 7, the struggle of what is and yet is not complete So when JTB announces that this time is coming, people get fired up, Messiah will usher in this new age of regeneration and “world peace”. But then killed, then resurrected and the hope is born anew that he will fix things, including the Romans… Jesus said it is here with his own coming The spirit does get poured out Some things do happen, and there is an inauguration but there is still an age in which we are living that goes on, there has been a new beginning, but no a decisive ending to the old age, so what does all of this mean? We have the spirit and some of the blessing of living in a kingdom that has some of the form and feel and experience of the future with God, if we live it right, but not all of it. Living in between times; beginning but not consummation the “already” and the “not yet”

Gospel: hermeneutics Very Important Final Consideration
Acr 2011 Gospel: hermeneutics Very Important Final Consideration “Now” and “Not Yet” – Eschatology Jewish culture saw end of all things as imminent, especially the Galilean sect of Zealots Jewish culture hoped Jesus would destroy Rome and inaugurate the ultimate age of blessing JTB fueled this fervor with his message of repentance…. “Realized Eschatology” Hermeneutical Observations: Teaching and imperatives: they are ‘hard’ and we do not downplay, or ‘modernize’ or allegorize…they are the standard and should drive us to gracious acceptance and mercy upon those who struggle with them…) all of us!) Narratives: miracle stores are not precedent setting, nor are all the precise situations, look to the context, Rich young ruler is not a once for all given to the saints, but a representation of the perils of wealth. Etc Must understand the concept of the Kingdom of God, and I do not mean “the kingdom study” which is very selective and contains numerous oversimplifications if not outright errors in my opinion Eschatology; Define, explain, the tension that this creates as we see element of both of this, to some extent personalize in Romans 7, the struggle of what is and yet is not complete So when JTB announces that this time is coming, people get fired up, Messiah will usher in this new age of regeneration and “world peace”. But then killed, then resurrected and the hope is born anew that he will fix things, including the Romans… Jesus said it is here with his own coming The spirit does get poured out Some things do happen, and there is an inauguration but there is still an age in which we are living that goes on, there has been a new beginning, but no a decisive ending to the old age, so what does all of this mean? We have the spirit and some of the blessing of living in a kingdom that has some of the form and feel and experience of the future with God, if we live it right, but not all of it. Living in between times; beginning but not consummation the “already” and the “not yet”

The Parables ACR MTP June 2011 Plot (character names/name changes)
Characters Characterization Point of View Manipulation of Time Repetition and Variation Structure and Symmetry

The parables Most Mis-Understood of all Scripture
Acr 2011 The parables Most Mis-Understood of all Scripture Very often over Allegorized Find the Audience: crowd, ‘disciples’, Pharisees, an individual? Jesus is not trying to be obtuse Understand Palestinian Judaism Understand the ‘types’ of sayings The Parabolic Sayings and mis interpreted, primarily bc Jesus himself allegorized the Sower, and we tend to try and do the same thing, over simplifying ad allegorizing them into the ground to fit any and every situation. The hardening Theory Mark 4:10-12…mysteries and hardenings, READ Share Augustine’s “Interpretation” of the Prodigal son F/S p. 150 (recall that not all are the same as they have been re-ordered and selected by the evangelists and may appear without an original context, ? , but to be well understood, and by reactions of people, you know that they did understand him Luke 10:36-7… Types of Parables: True parable, a story like prodigal son, Samaritan, etc Similitude; comparisons “like” something, yeast and dough, the characteristics of yeast and dough are always true, and are more like representations from every day life Epigram; Metaphor; comparison using “are’ or some other directive, you are salt, you are light, they are sheep without a shepherd… Function of Parables: Primary is to call a response, not ‘teach a concept’ they are to get a reaction Like ‘explaining a joke’ it is not funny if you miss the detailed or illustrations Setting and original environment, need helps here and should do homework to understand Who get’s ‘caught’ or ‘hit’ by them. This impact point is what we are trying to re-construct. Look for reference points or hinge points Look for the unexpected turn or result, the ‘surprise’ when the prodigal son returns home and is embraced, which makes the older brother’s miss-alignment with the father all the more significant, for example: Let’s look at Simon in Luke 7: who is it aimed at? Who gets caught? What does Simon “see” what does the women “see” this is the meaning… Identify Audience Luke 10:25/Luke 15:11 who is asking the question, and at whom is it ‘aimed’ Parables without context, read carefully, ask the same question, Parables of the Kingdom Sower: not where are you, but are you the fruitful soil, are you right with God? The urgency of the hour, Look foe the ‘already’ ‘not yet’ elements in the parables, something is happening, and we need to RESPOND with urgency, repentance, whatever….but act now the time is near, the kingdom has broken in on our reality already Luke 12: Shrewd manager, why commended, because he acted urgently (ant perhaps other things) his behavior is not in question, but he saw the sword coming and he reacted quickly. The world sees consequences coming and takes action, why are we as believers so slow to do so??? This is the issue raised by the parable, i8f we are indignant over this guy ‘getting away with something’ we ought to be more urgent and take action Parables of Lost things/and the kingdom Hidden treasure and the pearl. “not the pearl” not the treasure, but the experience of the joy of discovery of the riches of the kingdom whether I searched for it my whole life or it ran me over on the street, the experienced of discovery and urgent action are the ‘point’ of the text Hermeneutics of parables: Apply them to genuinely comparable situations as in Matt 18. Find the point, and translate the point into a modern context that makes sense All are somewhat kingdom parables, showing need for Jesus, repentance, urgency and response to the kingdom breaking in on our lives, take care when we make them too much more complicated than that, for that seems to be the most prominent original intent and usage by the evangelists and Jesus Himself.

The parables Hebrew māšāl = proverb, riddle, comparison
Acr 2011 The parables Hebrew māšāl = proverb, riddle, comparison Proverbs: “Physician heal yourself” -Lk 4:23 Metaphors: “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted” -Mt 15:13 Similes: “I send you out like sheep among wolves”- Mt 10:16 Figurative Sayings: Lk 5:36–38, new wine in old wineskins Similitude or more developed similes: Mk 4:30–32, comparing the kingdom to a grain of mustard seed Story Parables in the form of fictional narrative: Mt 25:1–13, the ten virgins Many types: The one common element is the use of everyday experiences to draw a comparison with kingdom truths. When most people think of “parable” they think of the story parables, but as we have seen the form is much broader. In short, Mark 4:10–12 and Matthew 13:13–15 clearly indicate that Jesus chose the parable form to symbolize God’s judgment on his opponents and on an unbelieving people. Jesus often used parables not from a desire to communicate truth but to hide the truth from unresponsive hearers. Parables confirmed unbelievers in their rejection

Acr 2011 Parables: functional Mark 4:10–12 and Matthew 13:13–15 clearly indicate that Jesus chose the parable form to symbolize God’s judgment on his opponents and on an unbelieving people. “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” Jesus often used parables not from a desire to communicate truth but to hide the truth from unresponsive hearers. Parables confirmed unbelievers in their rejection “Encounter Mechanism” -Osborne Parables are an “encounter mechanism” and function differently depending on the audience. Give folks a chance to see, but not making it ‘too easy’ In his controversies with the leaders and unbelieving Israel, a large part of that purpose was to conceal the truth from them. Yet this negative sign was part of a larger purpose that had its roots in the Old Testament wisdom use of parables to challenge and draw the people to response (such as Nathan’s parable to David in 2 Sam 12).

Types of Parabolic sayings in the canon:
Acr 2011 The Parabolic sayings Types of Parabolic sayings in the canon: Similitude; a likeness or similarity Epigram; is a brief, clever, and usually memorable statement (sometimes in verse, rather than prose) Metaphor; uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent some intangible quality or idea or else some less tangible thing Simile: similes indirectly compare the two ideas and allow them to remain distinct in spite of their similarities True Parable; Lost Son a STORY likely ‘true’ or “possible” The Parabolic Sayings and mis interpreted, primarily bc Jesus himself allegorized the Sower, and we tend to try and do the same thing, over simplifying ad allegorizing them into the ground to fit any and every situation. The hardening Theory Mark 4:10-12…mysteries and hardenings, READ Share Augustine’s “Interpretation” of the Prodigal son F/S p. 150 (recall that not all are the same as they have been re-ordered and selected by the evangelists and may appear without an original context, ? , but to be well understood, and by reactions of people, you know that they did understand him Luke 10:36-7… Types of Parables: True parable, a story like prodigal son, Samaritan, etc Similitude; comparisons “like” something, yeast and dough, the characteristics of yeast and dough are always true, and are more like representations from every day life Epigram; Metaphor; comparison using “are’ or some other directive, you are salt, you are light, they are sheep without a shepherd… Function of Parables: Primary is to call a response, not ‘teach a concept’ they are to get a reaction Like ‘explaining a joke’ it is not funny if you miss the detailed or illustrations Setting and original environment, need helps here and should do homework to understand Who get’s ‘caught’ or ‘hit’ by them. This impact point is what we are trying to re-construct. Look for reference points or hinge points Look for the unexpected turn or result, the ‘surprise’ when the prodigal son returns home and is embraced, which makes the older brother’s miss-alignment with the father all the more significant, for example: Let’s look at Simon in Luke 7: who is it aimed at? Who gets caught? What does Simon “see” what does the women “see” this is the meaning… Identify Audience Luke 10:25/Luke 15:11 who is asking the question, and at whom is it ‘aimed’ Parables without context, read carefully, ask the same question, Parables of the Kingdom Sower: not where are you, but are you the fruitful soil, are you right with God? The urgency of the hour, Look foe the ‘already’ ‘not yet’ elements in the parables, something is happening, and we need to RESPOND with urgency, repentance, whatever….but act now the time is near, the kingdom has broken in on our reality already Luke 12: Shrewd manager, why commended, because he acted urgently (ant perhaps other things) his behavior is not in question, but he saw the sword coming and he reacted quickly. The world sees consequences coming and takes action, why are we as believers so slow to do so??? This is the issue raised by the parable, i8f we are indignant over this guy ‘getting away with something’ we ought to be more urgent and take action Parables of Lost things/and the kingdom Hidden treasure and the pearl. “not the pearl” not the treasure, but the experience of the joy of discovery of the riches of the kingdom whether I searched for it my whole life or it ran me over on the street, the experienced of discovery and urgent action are the ‘point’ of the text Hermeneutics of parables: Apply them to genuinely comparable situations as in Matt 18. Find the point, and translate the point into a modern context that makes sense All are somewhat kingdom parables, showing need for Jesus, repentance, urgency and response to the kingdom breaking in on our lives, take care when we make them too much more complicated than that, for that seems to be the most prominent original intent and usage by the evangelists and Jesus Himself.

Parables: reversal of fortune
Acr 2011 Parables: reversal of fortune Some Notable “Plot Twists” Lk 10:30–37; Samaritan Lk 15:11–32; Wandering son Lk 14:15–24; Crippled at Great Banquet Lk 16:1–13; “shrewd manager” Luke is a big fan of the Reversal of Fortune

Parables of the kingdom
Acr 2011 Parables of the kingdom Parables of the Kingdom: New patch/wine and the old cloth/wineskins (Mk 2:21–22) Kingdom ‘ripping away from the past’ “The kingdom of God has come to you” (Lk 11:20). Exorcism Mustard Seed (Mk 4:30–32) The Leaven (Mt 13:33). Kingdom is living, spreading, growing exponentially! Kingdom calls for a Radical Response: Sower, Tares, Dragnet Kingdom Ethics: Mt 5:13–16, Mt 6:19-24, Mt 7:1-5 Viewed together they form a ‘hermeneutic of the Kingdom’ God’s rule is seen first as a present reality. In the parable of the kingdom is seen as forcing a break with the past. Interpreted in the light of inaugurated eschatology: the growth takes place in the present, although the full extent of the greatness of the kingdom will not be manifest until the eschaton (1963:27–29). In light of the kingdom’s presence, several of the parables of growth demand radical response (the sower, the tares, the dragnet). Kingdom ethics. The presence of the kingdom in Jesus demands a higher ethical stance on the part of his followers. This of course is developed especially in the Sermon on the Mount and the parables in it. The disciple is the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt 5:13–16) and must at all times live as a citizen of heaven. Therefore, the follower of the kingdom must be characterized by a wholehearted devotion to heavenly rather than earthly treasures (Mt 6:19–24) and by an unwillingness to judge others (Mt 7:1–5). The believer takes the narrow way (Mt 7:13) and thereby builds a solid house that cannot be destroyed by the storms of life (Mt 7:24–27). These emphases are carried throughout Jesus’ parabolic teaching

Eschatology in parables
Acr 2011 Eschatology in parables Parables of the End Time Matthew 25 Collection: Virgins, Talent, Sheep & Goats Luke 16: Rich Man and Lazarus Matthew 22: Wedding Banquet Illustrate element of surprise, reversal, the unexpected choice of common people and the urgency of the hour “Inaugurated Eschatology” Final destination determined ‘later’ but action required in the present to avoid catastrophe Viewed together they form a ‘hermeneutic of the Eschaton’ God’s rule is seen first as a present reality. In the parable of the kingdom is seen as forcing a break with the past. Interpreted in the light of inaugurated eschatology: the growth takes place in the present, although the full extent of the greatness of the kingdom will not be manifest until the eschaton (1963:27–29). In light of the kingdom’s presence, several of the parables of growth demand radical response (the sower, the tares, the dragnet). Kingdom ethics. The presence of the kingdom in Jesus demands a higher ethical stance on the part of his followers. This of course is developed especially in the Sermon on the Mount and the parables in it. The disciple is the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt 5:13–16) and must at all times live as a citizen of heaven. Therefore, the follower of the kingdom must be characterized by a wholehearted devotion to heavenly rather than earthly treasures (Mt 6:19–24) and by an unwillingness to judge others (Mt 7:1–5). The believer takes the narrow way (Mt 7:13) and thereby builds a solid house that cannot be destroyed by the storms of life (Mt 7:24–27). These emphases are carried throughout Jesus’ parabolic teaching

SALVATION in parables Parables of Repentance and Salvation
Acr 2011 SALVATION in parables Parables of Repentance and Salvation Lk 15:11– Lost Son/Older Brother Mt 20:1– Grateful/Ungrateful Workers Mt 21:28–31 Obedient/Disobedient Son Lk 14:16– Great Banquet Grouped together a ‘hermeneutic of Salvation’ emerges God’s rule is seen first as a present reality. In the parable of the kingdom is seen as forcing a break with the past. Interpreted in the light of inaugurated eschatology: the growth takes place in the present, although the full extent of the greatness of the kingdom will not be manifest until the eschaton (1963:27–29). In light of the kingdom’s presence, several of the parables of growth demand radical response (the sower, the tares, the dragnet). Kingdom ethics. The presence of the kingdom in Jesus demands a higher ethical stance on the part of his followers. This of course is developed especially in the Sermon on the Mount and the parables in it. The disciple is the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt 5:13–16) and must at all times live as a citizen of heaven. Therefore, the follower of the kingdom must be characterized by a wholehearted devotion to heavenly rather than earthly treasures (Mt 6:19–24) and by an unwillingness to judge others (Mt 7:1–5). The believer takes the narrow way (Mt 7:13) and thereby builds a solid house that cannot be destroyed by the storms of life (Mt 7:24–27). These emphases are carried throughout Jesus’ parabolic teaching

Parables: hermeneutics
Acr 2011 Parables: hermeneutics Call for a RESPONSE from the Audience Are meant to illustrate PRINCIPLES of Kingdom Life, not teach morals per se Who is ‘caught’ or surprised by outcome? Reversals/changes in fortune, tone, mood...( I tell you than not one of those will get a taste of MY banquet!) Luke 7:47, Luke 15:28, Luke 19:9-10, Mat 25:44-45, Mat 13:14 “them”.. Ultimately CONTEXT must be final arbiter of Meaning Function of Parables: Primary is to call a response, not ‘teach a concept’ they are to get a reaction Like ‘explaining a joke’ it is not funny if you miss the detailed or illustrations Setting and original environment, need helps here and should do homework to understand Who get’s ‘caught’ or ‘hit’ by them. This impact point is what we are trying to re-construct. Look for reference points or hinge points Look for the unexpected turn or result, the ‘surprise’ when the prodigal son returns home and is embraced, which makes the older brother’s miss-alignment with the father all the more significant, for example:

The epistles ACR MTP June 2011 Exegeting the Epistles:
Learn to think contextually (as above) Occasional documents Letters, personal or corporate and have structure and elements of personal correspondence Read through entire text in a single sitting and strive to Understand the flow of thought the background and occasion of the writing Issues and concerns/major themes or conflicts Historical Context: (as above) Look for theologically loaded ideas References to OT passages or situations Names of cities, people or other referents that are clues to meaning Any natural or logical divisions of thought Ask ‘who is writing to whom?’ Develop a working outline 5. Think Paragraphs; trace the flow of the argument as it pertains to; a. the rest of the letter b. the body of NT thought in general c. known issues in the churches, (judaizing and Gnostic heresies etc) d. the rest of Scripture e. and in some cases, other letters to the same church or group of leaders 6. Ask “What is the big idea?” What is being said? How is it being said? Why is it being said here, in this way with these words? How does all of this contribute to the entire argument? Example Text: 1 Corinthians 1:1-4:1

The Epistles Good place to start (easy?)
ACR 2011 The Epistles Good place to start (easy?) We all write and read letters ( is distorting this experience) Nature of Epistles: similar in form and mostly in function Letters, Epistles, Prison Epistles, Catholic Epistles, Pastoral Epistles Crucial Issue: All are Occasional documents With the Epistles, we have answers, but we don’t always know the questions It’s like listening to one end of a phone conversation Read carefully and learn to ask the right questions of the text. Context Historical Literary Content Historical Context: what is the occasion for the writing, who is writing to whom? What situation is being addressed? Are there latent problems, issues, or threats evident in the text. (Bible Dictionary or introductory material here are VERY HELPFUL Read Galatians 1 with our eyes open: Repeated words or concepts Transitional phrases that indicate building on a theme Punctuation, or word choice, anything ‘unique’ that is not hyperbole Rev 1: ‘which God gave to show……’ ‘this prophecy’ ‘time is near’ Not ‘from Jesus’ from ‘him who was, who is and who is to come’ WHY this way???

Exegesis of the Epistles: The Literary Context
ACR 2011 Exegesis of the Epistles: The Literary Context Now is the time to THINK PARAGRAPHS If it were an assignment: “Trace the argument of 2 Thessalonians, paragraph by paragraph, and in a sentence or two explain the point of each paragraph for the argument as a whole (i.e.: Christ’s return) Ask repeatedly “What’s the point?” As you trace the arguments of Paul response Content: What does Paul say in this paragraph? State this in a concise sentence Context: Why does Paul say this right at this point? Explain this in another sentence Lets do this together too

Exegesis of the Epistles: The Historical Context
ACR 2011 Exegesis of the Epistles: The Historical Context Consult your Bible Dictionary Read the Letter for the Big View Reconstruct the problem (occasion) Note the recipients Note Paul’s attitude Note specific things mentioned to specify the occasion of the letter Note the letter’s natural divisions Re-re-Read the Letter List every clue to the recipient’s problem List key phrases that indicate Paul’s answers Lets do this with Galatians 1 together. Make a list…. Literary Context: Flow of thought and the development of arguments and structure. Ask: “what is the point of what the author is trying to say” the big idea What is being said Why is it being said here, and now and in this way? Why has the author chosen this word, or figure of speech, or allusion, and what is it supposed to indicate to the reader? THINK PARAGRAPHS: Learn to recognize units of thought, and to follow the argument or narrative through to logical grammatical or philosophical break points. (thought by thought, or ‘think paragraphs) NOT ‘verse by verse’ which are arbitrary anyway? Read Galatians 1 with our eyes open: Repeated words or concepts Transitional phrases that indicate building on a theme Punctuation, or word choice, anything ‘unique’ that is not hyperbole Rev 1: ‘which God gave to show……’ ‘this prophecy’ ‘time is near’ Not ‘from Jesus’ from ‘him who was, who is and who is to come’ WHY this way???

EXEGESIS in the Epistles
Acr 2011 EXEGESIS in the Epistles Think Paragraphs; trace the flow of argument The rest of the letter The body of NT thought in general Known issues in the churches, (Judaizing and Gnostic heresies etc) The balance of Scripture In some cases, other letters to the same church or group of leaders Historical Context: (as above) Look for theologically loaded ideas References to OT passages or situations Names of cities, people or other referents that are clues to meaning Any natural or logical divisions of thought Ask ‘who is writing to whom?’ Develop a working outline 5. Think Paragraphs; trace the flow of the argument as it pertains to; a. the rest of the letter b. the body of NT thought in general c. known issues in the churches, (judaizing and Gnostic heresies etc) d. the rest of Scripture e. and in some cases, other letters to the same church or group of leaders 6. Ask “What is the big idea?” What is being said? How is it being said? Why is it being said here, in this way with these words? How does all of this contribute to the entire argument? Example Text: 1 Corinthians 1:1-4:1

EXEGESIS in the Epistles
Acr 2011 EXEGESIS in the Epistles What is the “Big Idea” What is being said? How is it being stated? Why is it here, now, in this paragraph or portion of the argument? How does this ‘point’ contribute to the overall ‘flow’ of discourse or argument? Historical Context: (as above) Look for theologically loaded ideas References to OT passages or situations Names of cities, people or other referents that are clues to meaning Any natural or logical divisions of thought Ask ‘who is writing to whom?’ Develop a working outline 5. Think Paragraphs; trace the flow of the argument as it pertains to; a. the rest of the letter b. the body of NT thought in general c. known issues in the churches, (judaizing and Gnostic heresies etc) d. the rest of Scripture e. and in some cases, other letters to the same church or group of leaders 6. Ask “What is the big idea?” What is being said? How is it being said? Why is it being said here, in this way with these words? How does all of this contribute to the entire argument? Example Text: 1 Corinthians 1:1-4:1

Hermeneutics in the Epistles
ACR 2011 Hermeneutics in the Epistles What does this mean to us? All “do” hermeneutics, even without exegesis as we bring an enlightened common sense to the text The Big Issue: Cultural Relativity How to get at what is NORMAL VERSUS NORMATIVE. Cultural 2 Tim 4:13 Eternal 2 Tim 2:3

ACR 2011 Hermeneutics in the Epistles Occasional documents Letters, personal or corporate and have structure and elements of personal correspondence Read through entire text in a single sitting Understand the flow of thought The background and occasion of the writing Issues and concerns/major themes or conflicts Exegeting the Epistles: Learn to think contextually (as above) Occasional documents Letters, personal or corporate and have structure and elements of personal correspondence Read through entire text in a single sitting and strive to Understand the flow of thought the background and occasion of the writing Issues and concerns/major themes or conflicts Historical Context: (as above) Look for theologically loaded ideas References to OT passages or situations Names of cities, people or other referents that are clues to meaning Any natural or logical divisions of thought Ask ‘who is writing to whom?’ Develop a working outline 5. Think Paragraphs; trace the flow of the argument as it pertains to; a. the rest of the letter b. the body of NT thought in general c. known issues in the churches, (judaizing and Gnostic heresies etc) d. the rest of Scripture e. and in some cases, other letters to the same church or group of leaders 6. Ask “What is the big idea?” What is being said? How is it being said? Why is it being said here, in this way with these words? How does all of this contribute to the entire argument? Example Text: 1 Corinthians 1:1-4:1

Acr 2011 Hermeneutics in the Epistles Look for theologically loaded ideas References to OT passages or situations Names of cities, people or other referents that are clues to meaning Any natural or logical divisions of thought Ask ‘who is writing to whom?’ Develop a working outline Historical Context: (as above) Look for theologically loaded ideas References to OT passages or situations Names of cities, people or other referents that are clues to meaning Any natural or logical divisions of thought Ask ‘who is writing to whom?’ Develop a working outline 5. Think Paragraphs; trace the flow of the argument as it pertains to; a. the rest of the letter b. the body of NT thought in general c. known issues in the churches, (judaizing and Gnostic heresies etc) d. the rest of Scripture e. and in some cases, other letters to the same church or group of leaders 6. Ask “What is the big idea?” What is being said? How is it being said? Why is it being said here, in this way with these words? How does all of this contribute to the entire argument? Example Text: 1 Corinthians 1:1-4:1

ACR 2011 Hermeneutics in the Epistles The Basic Rule A text can’t now mean what it never could have meant! The Second Rule When we share comparable life situations with the 1st century setting, God’s word is the same for us, too Our Problems with the Second Rule: Extended Application Non Comparable Life Situations Cultural Relativity Task Theology Task Theology: Paul is addressing a specific issue. We must try to understand what it was before we can get at best meaning in the text.

Hermeneutics: The Epistles
ACR 2011 Hermeneutics: The Epistles The Third Rule: Extended Application; If it meant ____ for them, it must mean _____ for us, right? In extended or extending application Gods word must be limited to teach its original intent. If you are hot certain that all the particulars are the same, this is the best approach. We will deal with Extended Application in Acts along with issues of Historical Precedent Goal: Find out what is Gods word for us that leads us to obedience Hermeneutics in the Epistles: (Handout ‘common hermeneutics’ sheet) Rule #1: A passage cannot mean what it never could have meant in its original context and to its original audience Our common practice of ‘hermeneutics’; Read verse by verse and look for cool things Do a word study, pull things from all over scripture that ‘have the same word’ and string them together Build a sermon outline, and then find supporting texts to make our points, adding ‘disciples’ ‘fired up’ ‘commitment’ and ‘lets be that way’ as needed for emphases Inconsistency is the enemy of hermeneutics here Apply ‘common sense’ (different for everyone) and dictated by culture Simple example: 2 Tim 2:3 Do this; 2 Tim 4:13 do this; 1 Tim 5:23, don’t do that; Why?? On what basis do we make the distinction and yet we insist that all Christians “Preach the Word” and apply 2 Tim 4, which is clearly a text written to instruct an evangelist to uphold his office and responsibilities. Not saying we are wrong, but how it that ‘for us’ and ‘a little wine’ is ‘not for us’ Marrying or dating a N?C on the basis of 2 Cor 6….(perhaps, but better from other principles) LOOK AT THIS ONE Rule #2; When we share comparable situations as those in Scripture, Gods word to us is the same as Gods word to them. Some things are always true, moral laws, non-retaliation, and immorality etc, the deadliness of sin….. Other things are ‘particular’ or situational and so we need to strive to understand their particulars carefully, before we try and apply the principle that is being taught Explicit vs. Implicit Lawsuit principle 1 Cor 6 Rule 3#; the problem of extended or extending application; in situations like this, Gods word must be limited to teach its original intent. If you are hot certain that all the particulars are the same, this is the best approach. Especially careful when our extended application is ‘true’ but is bet taught from another passage or principle in scripture You are on more sound footing if you use the text where that principle is explicitly taught (how about dating and marrying only believers, where would you start???) The issue of non-compatible particulars: Idol food Pagan Ritual The ‘weak and strong’ passages 1 Cor 8-10, Romans 14 give us some guidance here in application, well when we are dealing with what ‘could happen’ Look for a clear principle Apply only in genuinely comparable situations, where the same things are ‘at stake” (Usually if it is a really bad situation, there are clear mandates for and against it, but we need to do the hard work and understand the principles to bring forward. This builds people’s faith in the word of God and it’s applicability) Differential between ‘central’ and ‘peripheral’, we call them ‘opinion matters’ or non ‘salvation issues’. Epistles give direction on this, E.g. Food, special days, drink, remaining un-married, instrumental music in church…etc Matters like this are normally cultural, rather than moral Challenge for us when we do not agree to the designation, i.e. baptism of pouring vs. dipping, age of kids to study bible, defining ‘meeting of the body’…there are principles in scripture about all these things, but very few explicit demands. Sin Lists are always wrong; Rom 1, 1 Cor 5, 6:9-10, Gal 5, 2 Tim 3… Issues of Cultural Relativity: Most make these distinctions using enlightened common sense but are not consistent There is no divinely ordained culture, and so we must apply guidelines and operate within those that seem to be... Normative: What is normal practice for all xtians at all time Begin with central universal issues: Falseness of man, Redemption, the work of the Spirit… Take note of those areas where the NT gives us a uniform and consistent witness Note where it reflect differences of practice Distinguish between principles and specifics Task theology vs. Systematic theology The occasional nature of the documents leads to the ‘task’ nature of the theology, theological principles with a task and goal in mind, dealing with an issue, not a comprehensive treatment of a doctrine, per se. We have fragmented positions on Paul’s issues. Must be careful not to press the details as we do not have his systematic theology. Resurrection, grace, his conversion (we have more detailed explanation, and so can be a bit more dogmatic. Romans is the closest thing we have The other issue is that we are asking our questions of the text, not theirs. The reasons for the text are their issues; some issues are not addressed in scripture because they never came up in scripture. Marriage to a gentile, for example, Jesus had no occasion to speak to this issue as it was simply not an option in the culture in which he spoke, But Paul did (“I not the Lord…) Issues of gender and slavery, again, ‘only viable cultural option’ so we should not expect to see a ‘theology of women at work’ or a theology of infant baptism’ or a ‘theology of abortion’ or any “modern issues” for these we must develop a systematic theology on the basis of what the entire bible tells us about the nature of God and relationships and weave together a consistent dogma about it. This is true of dating/marrying believers, for example. Plan of salvation, we have multiple examples of ‘how’ people were saved, but there are differences in the actual specifics. Some things do seem to be critical, and for these we can be more dogmatic, other things are simply not conclusive. We must apply a biblical worldview, but beware proof-texting Paul’s ‘opinion’ about virgins and being married 1Cor 7:10-12 ff

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