Judges Exegetical Paper Part 1

The first few pages of my paper on Judges 11:29-40.

As the pages of Biblical history turned from the great conquests of Joshua, a period of confusion and chaos fill the void of leadership. This period forms the content of the book of Judges. Thus the book of Judges records a historical record of sorts of the people of Israel during this stage in their development as a nation and a culture.

However, it is not so simple to evaluate the setting of Judges by studying the clear historical landmarks of the contents of the book directly. Instead, the reader must recognize that two cultural settings are in view and impact the tone and meaning of the book as a whole. The first and most obvious culture under view is that of the time period of the events described in the book directly.

Following the death of Moses, Joshua took the leadership reigns for the nation of Israel and led the people into the land that was promised. The long travel was complete but the battle for the land was just beginning. The book of Joshua records a series of battles and settlements as the people made the land their own.

Yet as battles were won and the land is apportioned to tribes, the people spread out and placed roots in the conquered cities and towns. Joshua served for many years as a central and strong leader with a network of helpers. Following the death of Joshua, no clear leader is established for the people. Joshua himself charges the people en masse to follow and serve God.

While Joshua makes clear in his closing charge that the people will not be prone to obey the law he describes, he does nothing to prepare them for the troubles or difficulties which lie ahead. Indeed, the closing words of the book of Joshua set the ominous tone for the setting of Judges. “So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.”

This “every man” motif not only sets the appropriate stage of Judges but serves as a grammatical bookmark throughout the book. With no clear leader, the nation become subject to the waves of power and national struggle. That lack of leadership was not confined only the nation itself but was mirrored by the region as a whole. Daniel Block mentions the lack of information regarding this time period found in the pages of Scripture. In addition as well, he adds that “exrabiblical sources for the period of the judges are scarce.” Since history in the ancient world was normally driven by singular leaders and kings, such a lack of documentation suggest a period both of frequent war and destruction but the marked absence of either a dominating nation or king.

This absence of leadership or power affected the region with numerous national strife events and oppression. The numerous socio-political groups or nations mentioned in the book of Judges reflect constant fighting and war. In addition, the nation of Israel found such strife internally as well including civil war of sorts. Herbert Wolf lists these conflicts in his description. “Ephraim was ravaged by Manasseh (ch. 12), and Benjamin was almost annihilated by the other tribes (chs. 20-21).”

In terms of religious views of the times, Judges itself reflects a people who were misled. The repeated habit of turning to God displays the truth that the people in general had a technical knowledge of the worship of the God. Block agrees by stating “although little is known about the practice of official national religion at this time, these data demonstrate that throughout the period of settlement the Israelite tribes retained a consciousness of their status as the people of Yahweh.”

What the people knew to be true at the time was however not often relevant. Their practice, rather than knowledge, was that of pursuing what is termed in Judges as “Baals and the Asherahs.” Baal specifically was the most well known god of the time and his connection to winter rain became symbolic of fertility. He is often found in connection with two other goddesses. Asherah who was considered to be the mother of Baal was one while Ashtoreth was the god of war and sex. Any extensive study into the premonarchial period of Israelite history should involve an extensive study of these gods and what they represent and how their worship impacted the cultures of the world.

In short however, the worship of these idols demonstrate a clear cultural emphasis. Worship of Baal and Asherah/Ashtoreth were a vital aspect of agricultural people groups at that time period of history. The desire for fertile crops, the source of wealth and prosperity, became the main religious focus. As the nation of Israel moved from a nomadic livestock driven people to a stable agricultural people, the absorption of the religious connections to that lifestyle became natural. It is necessary to see the religious struggles of Israel not merely as a worship failure, but a lifestyle and cultural development in conflict with God’s plan. Thus the leadership vacuum, civil war and religious apostasy set the key cultural stages upon which the drama of Judges would be played.

In addition as well, the second culture to be evaluated is of course that of the time period during which the book was written. This culture is less important in understanding the stories but far more important to understand the intended meaning and inclusion of the stories. It is only from this view of the writing world that one can grasp the functional importance and appreciation for the message of the book of Judges.

The general consensus regarding the writing of the book of Judges is during the timeframe of Israel when the nation was unified under one king. The impetus for this dating centers on both the tone of the book and the frequent references to the time being without a king. Such a comment would suggest that the original reader would understand the contrast. More specific dating is difficult although some commentators suggest an early Davidic reign due to the mention of Jerusalem belonging to the Jebusites in 1:21.

The significance of this date would be greatly meaningful to the specific occasion of this book. Prior to the conquest of Jerusalem, David was not fully accepted as king over all of Israel. After the death of Saul, David was made king of Judah publically. However, 2 Samuel 3 records an ongoing war between the family of Saul and David. David ruled at this time from the city of Hebron. It is not until after the conquest of Jerusalem that one can see a clear kingdom for David emerging. “At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.” Thus the key cultural aspect of the timeframe of the writing of Judges is the gradual movement toward a secure king and nation. 

While God has recognized David as king, the people of Israel as a whole have completely accepted neither that kingship nor God’s involvement in the affairs of Israel. With this in mind, one can clearly see the overarching emphasis of the book of Judges. It becomes of sorts a political campaign for the people to support David and pursue God. The anonymous author makes clear that the alternative to a God fearing leader is chaos and violence. Instead, by accepting and following God and his appointed servant, the people of Israel can expect blessing and security. It is upon these cultural settings that one must approach and understand the book of Judges.

General Hermeneutical Thoughts

During this semester in school, I have been studying the topic of hermeneutics. A fancy word that basically means we are learning how to study the Bible well. It may seem at first glance to be a relatively non essential class. Some would even argue that the Holy Spirit helps you to understand when you read so why learn how to understand. But there was a thought in one of my textbooks that made an excellent point. The general idea was a challenge to truly study the Bible. If one only grabs from Scripture the lessons of a casual reading, there are numerous unintended consequences. The first is that you tend to read only those things that seem to make sense to you. Thus without more focused study, many passages that don't make sense at first glance will be neglected. Secondly then you will eventually begin to only see what you have already learned. If there is never education or study in certain areas of knowledge, you will only bring to the text what you already knew. Over time, this will render the Word quite shallow and repetitive. This is not the fault of the Bible but the failure of the reader to truly grasp what the Bible is. The third consequence is that in the interest of preserving interest, you are more likely to find "new" and "exciting" meanings to the text which are incorrect. The natural mind cannot understand the things of God and the natural (or non spiritually focused) mind will look for meanings based upon human comprehension.  I guess that what I realized upon reading these warnings was why many people struggle with or don't find purpose in daily reading of the Bible. Without real study, many things begin to look the same and the concept of lighthearted reading doesn't accomplish very much. The meaning of Scripture is forever bound first in what the Bible meant to the original reader. To get to the point of truly understanding Scripture, you must cross the cultural, philosophical and other barriers to place yourself in the place of the original reader. Crossing those barriers takes work and study and time. But it is that focus which opens the door to truly grasping and loving the Word of God. If you are interested in how to do this, I have a few good books which help you learn the steps toward understanding all of Scripture better.

Paper Conclusion

I just finished my lengthy paper on the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy. Below is the final section from the paper. If  you want to read the whole 19 pages, let me know and I will email you a copy.

While Fundamentalism as a movement became separate and discounted at the time, the course of history has shown several growing lessons from the changes of the controversy. Fundamentalism became separate from culture and thus culture showed through its art a decline in order and meaning. Likewise, the modernist movement, with no real answer regarding truth or hermeneutic, lost impact and passion in the churches. This is reflected as previously mentioned in schools such as Princeton Seminary which lost viability as the standard bearer of truth. To this day, there is a nondescript and lacking theological statement on the website of the seminary.

With the emphasis on the social pragmatism of faith, modernism was forced, and has demonstrated over the years, an unbridled connection with the whims of the standards of the world. There is a growing disconnect between these churches and culture since they no longer offer a set of beliefs contrary to the general morality of culture.

On the contrary, the fundamentalist movement continues to stand opposed to culture and both preach and teach the need for individuals to change. The Southern Baptist Convention fought to turn away from a growth toward modernism and liberalism and now stands united with the various denominations which represent the legacy of fundamentalism. It is this legacy now which stands situated to represent and address the growing problem in modern America.

The reality at the inception of the fundamentalist-modernist controversy was a world infatuated with science and the progressive hope of mankind. That which could be achieved seemed vast and a religion emphatic on the absolute inerrancy of an archaic book seemed both preposterous and dangerous. Thus, an adaptive religion took hold which balanced the morality and community of church with the advances and hope of scientific progress.

However, as the century came to a close and the twenty-first century began, a new reality has emerged more clearly. Science and technology have indeed increased and brought the world in increasing interaction with one another. The remnants of modernism, with a potentially errant Scripture, can offer only cooperation with the religions of the world and not hope. Yet religion in general is now viewed as either worthless or harmful. The actions of September 11, 2001 helped cement that extreme devotion to a religious ideal was potentially even destructive.

These factors present the individual with a world both of confusion and devoid of meaning. Modernism promoted science but science without a God only promoted hopelessness. Technology can enhance life but it cannot extend it. Each individual’s place in the world is becoming more and more meaningless. Likewise an integrated individuality enhances the concept that each person’s belief system is personal and not communicative. With no overarching meaning or relationship, mankind is alone in all the noise and confusion of the world.

Against such a backdrop, the modernist churches no longer have real answers. They can offer only community and belonging of a temporal nature. It is now clear that fundamentalism and the basis of belief upon which it was founded continues to offer the best answer for a world in need. It is in short here delineated the core aspects of fundamentalism and how they offer a response to the world today.

Fundamentalism claimed from the beginning that the Bible is the inerrant Word of a sovereign God. Such a God is thus not constrained to the limits of time or the machinations of man. As such, the Bible becomes a source of timeless revelation when interpreted in light of it cultural writing. Its story of a personal God and the incarnation and resurrection paint a picture far different not only than any other religion (including modernism) but of significant meaning to the world.

This reality stand contra juxtaposed to both modern society and that which could be called post-modern. As the world has moved away from modernity to a more pessimistic reality, the unchanging nature of an inerrant Scripture poses a set of answers for a new generation of questions. The Bible issues both an understanding of a greater purpose for man as well as hope for a future after life. The Bible explains the meaning of singular truth and the reason that such truth is not oppressive.

These truths are found only from the fundamental basis of interpreting and understanding Scripture. It is without question then that as modernist churches die without answers, fundamentalism and the churches which cling to its core principles carry an inherent hope built upon the Bible. It remains thus for the fundamentalist movement to recognize the potential and answer the call for this generation. It is no longer a question of fighting against other churches. Fundamentalism must recognize its place and humbly offer a hurting world the timeless truths of the faithful gospel.

Interesting Book?

Below is a quote from a sports article ("TMQ" on espn.com). The quote references a book which sounds quite interesting from everything I have read. I have not yet however read the book so I am not recommending it. It does seem that the book will present some interesting points for discussion.

"Love him or hate him, on this subject you've got to read Charles Murray's new book "Coming Apart." His big point is that well-off liberals should "preach what they practice" -- that denizens of the high-income zip codes in blue states themselves have two-parent households with conventional marriages, strict work ethics and high educational achievement, yet contend no one should be judgmental about out-of-wedlock birth, bad public schools or welfare. Murray presents overwhelming evidence that although it's assumed anything goes in the sinful liberal cities while tradition rules in the Bible Belt, in the last generation it's been the other way around -- red states are plagued by divorce and teen pregnancy, blue states have conventional family values.
Coming from a radioactive conservative, this analysis is unsettling. Liberals, Murray charges, are harming the underclass by asserting that all lifestyles are equally valid -- when they know from their own experience that conventional behavior leads to the best economic and educational outcomes."

Saving Money on Proofreading

I recently was afforded the opportunity to donate money to Madison County. Even though I have decided not to contest the opportunity, I figured that the generic ticket handed to me is fair game for proofreading. Considering they made a point of asking me to "read carefully," I will assume that I can critique their poor proofreading skills. Both grammar and typing seem to be an issue.

Old Song for the Day

I greatly enjoy really old hymns. Usually I enjoy them when they are reworked with contemporary music. That way you get the style of modern worship with the language and depth of old music. This song struck me today and is one I wish I could place into a modern context musically.

How Vast the Benefits Divine

Words: Augustus Toplady (1774)

How vast the benefits divine which we in Christ possess!
We are redeemed from guilt and shame and called to holiness.
But not for works which we have done, or shall hereafter do,
Hath God decreed on sinful men salvation to bestow.

The glory, Lord, from first to last, is due to Thee alone;
Aught to ourselves we dare not take, or rob Thee of Thy crown.
Our glorious Surety undertook to satisfy for man,
And grace was given us in Him before the world began.

This is Thy will, that in Thy love we ever should abide;
That earth and hell should not prevail to turn Thy Word aside.
Not one of all the chosen race but shall to Heav’n attain,
Partake on earth the purposed grace and then with Jesus reign.

Words of Prophecy

While I love to study the writings of the Old Testament, I often find it hard to stir up the same excitement in others. However, in my continuing pursuit of my M.Div. degree, I have come across a book that has renewed my vigor for the Old Testament and specifically the prophets. The book is called "Plowshares & Pruning Hooks" by D. Brent Sandy. I knew that I would enjoy the book after reading the opening bombardment of the first chapter. While the quarter is only one week old and much remains, I am glad that I can look forward to what I will learn this quarter.

"Climb into an eight-person raft for an October trip down the Upper Gauley River in West Virginia, and you will experience power. Millions of gallons of water being released from Summersville Reservoir turn the gorge into a competition between water and rock. The rock wins, and the water alters its course, surging over and around and between boulders and canyon walls. The result is roaring whitewater: massive hydraulics, towering liquid walls, class V rapids--powerful enough to stand your raft straight up in the air, with you and your buddies in it--maybe! Guides prepare rafters for the good and the bad: the rush of adrenaline, the teamwork, the risks. And they need to. Every year the river chews up and spits out hapless victims. But you are there to experience adventure, to behold beauty, to learn respect, to stand in awe, to feel power.
Prophecy is like whitewater, perhaps the most powerful whitewater in Scripture--maybe in all the literature of the world. This is language unmatched in what it beholds and in how it describes the beholden. Words of worship, terror and mercy are unparalleled. Words of beauty, passion and hope are unequaled. Words of adoration, condemnation and salvation are unrivaled. In order to speak to our hearts, the powerful language of prophecy brings God's might and wrath and humankind's sin and doom to life with surrealistic images."

A Defense of Terms

I enjoy writing immensly. Toward this end I also enjoy words. I actually probably enjoyed words before I enjoyed writing. I have even written before in this blog regarding my fascination for language, words and meanings. Two recent interactions have reminded me of the importance of language and words in our society.

The first interaction is a growing socio-political division relating to various divisive issues. These issues pop up in personal conversations or in any perusal of news. Whether it is the recent Chick-fil-A debate, or a personal discussion on the difference between a God of love or the God of the Bible, difficult conversations are had most every day. In addition I have recently read some work by Francis Schaeffer. In addition to being a great writer, he was one of the most brilliant men of the past century. He wrote in his book "The God Who Is There" (1968) a perspective on culture at the time which has continued to be true.

"People in our culture in general are already in process of being accustomed to accept nondefined, contentless religious words and symbols, without any rational or historical control. Such words and symbols can be filled with the content of the moment."

This reality is exhibited by terms and phrases being shaped and fitted constantly with new definitions in order to support or question various philosophies. The term Jesus for many in my own circles carries with it certain meaning mined from years of reading and understanding the Bible. However, to others, the term Jesus conjures other sorts of images or meaning. And culture seeks to assign the most useful definition or meaning to what Schaeffer calls contentless symbols. It is important to remember that as you engage in discussions or read/watch the news, be very wary of the usage of terms or presupposed shared definition of terms.

Nine on 9

June 9th was a long day and included a funeral for my father-in-law's mother. However, at the end of the day, we decided to sit on the beach of Lake Michigan and watch the sun go down (or technically the earth rotate so that the sun is no longer visible). It was a reminder of God's continued sovereignty over all of creation and his sustaining of life and the promise of eternity.

The End of My Paper

I am working on finishing a paper for school. The paper is about the speeches of God offering an understanding of the whole book of Job. Here is a draft of my closing arguments.

Since then the book is not about fairness or suffering primarily, it is important to grasp the scope of the book of Job. The unique format of the book and the distinctiveness of Job as a character serves to separate the book of God from the rest of the Old Testament. Job as a character and a book then become a timeless lesson. Timeless here means that the message extrapolated from the book of Job can stand the test of time since the characters and cultures have been removed.

            The remaining aspects of the book of Job exist for all people in all ages in all cultures. Job is a man living a life which becomes beset by drastic material hardship. Such a concept is understood by all because all men know pain and loss. The speeches of God then add a timeless answer because they reflect and point back to nature. No matter the person, the scope of God’s speeches reflects realities at some level that all men can understand and grasp. It is reflected in the book of Romans when the writer points out that the universe displays the attributes of God.

            Therefore, the speeches of God offer by contrast the timeless understanding to the timeless problem of Job. It is then imperative to measure the response of God to those timeless circumstances. It is by so doing that you see one of the keys to understanding Job in light of the rest of Scripture. God, as the controller and orchestrator of nature, displays for the ever changing seasons of man, that His power and plan transcend the short lives of men and demonstrates as such through the constancy of nature. Mankind then should recognize and formulate their worship and sorrow through the active knowledge of an unchanging yet careful caring God.

          By so learning, the book of Job offers for all men a perspective on the world and God of constant power and unchanging action. This formulation can serve to separate God and show His transcendence. Yet it is from this transcendence over nature that this sovereign God acted in the sending of His son Jesus Christ to initiate suffering. Job serves as an example of God for displaying the power of man’s love for God. And Jesus serves as an example of God for displaying the power of God’s love for man.

Art and Meaning

Recently I was reading in Francis Schaeffer's book The God Who Is There. In the opening chapters of this book he evaluates the degradation of philosophy and art past what he calls "the line of despair." Specifically I found his evaluation of art particularly enlightening. He move through an evaluation of Van Gogh, Gaugin and Cezanne as they search for what Schaeffer calls the "universal." In short this concept is an attempt by the artist to capture and depict beauty and meaning outside of cultural moles and in a form that is open to all people at all times. Unfortunately this attempt moved slowly away from understandable forms until the attempt reached new heights in Picasso. Schaeffer aptly describes the conclusion. "If you go far enough, your abstracted women can become 'all women' or even everything. But the difficulty is that when you get to that point the viewer has no clue what he is looking at.You have succeeded in making your own world on your canvas, and in this sense you have become god. But at the same time you have lost contact with the person who views your painting. We have come to the position where we cannot communicate."

It is clear that such progression has and will continue to manifest itself in many forms of art or communication medium. When mankind wants to be greater than man or to manifest his own meaning, the end result is a lessening of communication. What God started at the Tower of Babel practically plays out as people seek their own fulfillment and meaning on their own power. Art (and its manifestation in commercialism) continues to appeal either to the senses (thus sensual) or to pride. Some art wants a response or to entertain while others supposes itself high art. This art appeals to people's pride as they seek to understand it when in actuality the emperer has no clothes but nobody is willing to say so. Beauty and art will always be most profitable when it attempts to depict reality based upon cognizant realization of order and meaning. God's creation at the beginning of time was good in its form and function and communicates the artist's nature. We must not become wise in our own minds and seek by our own power to manifest new meaning and reality but shape our lives and actions upon pleasing God while living in His creation.

Be Consistent

In a recent class discussion, we examined the chapter of Ezekiel 40-48. In these chapters, the prophet Ezekiel details the dimensions and decorations of a new temple to be erected sometime in the future. Likewise, in these chapters, a renewed system of killing animals similar to that described in Leviticus is described. The basic discussion was to evaluate whether each aspect of these chapters both the temple and the "sacrifices" were to be understood literally or figuratively and when their completion would be realized.

I found that a large majority of my class felt that the temple was a as yet future literal building. Due to various reasons, they almost unanimously stated that this temple was an actual building to be realized sometime in the future of the nation of Israel. However, when the discussion moved to the "sacrifices," they almost equally unanimously stated that these were to be seen as figurative. Their reason was that due to the death and resurrection of Jesus such actions were obviously no longer necessary. Thus these described actions were a figurative picture of something else.

As I read these comments and arguments I realized how shallow many people are when it comes to difficult hermeneutics. It is easy to interpret what fits your beliefs. However, in this case, it was clear that these people had not thought it all completely through. When the temple and the "sacrifices" are described together, it is not appropriate to interpret one as literal and another as figurative just because it makes the most sense immediately. You have to be consistent with your interpretation, even with difficult passages.

It was a stark reminder that I need to evaluate the flippant way in which I approach passages which I think I know very well. It is not wise to trust my own wisdom and intuition when it comes to teaching or interpreting the Scriptures. Careful study and diligent prayer should accompany the reading and study of the Word of God so that man's wisdom does not cloud the revealed truth of God.

(P.S. - If people are interested, I can post my answer to the interpretation and understanding of those chapters of Ezekiel.)

Group Think

As I have continued to work through my class on intercultural studies, I have been challenged with many topics. Most of these involve evaluating my own culture to see things which seemed most basic to me. Part of the class is to focus on what is essential and what is connected to culture.
One such topic is that of individuality versus the group mentality. I have been forced to realize that both in life and in the American church, individuality is stressed and applauded. I see now that our culture celebrates and emphasizes the importance of the singular person. We are encouraged to be our own man and to help ourselves. It is the individual who achieves great things that garners much attention. This same mentality can often affect Christians.
I have realized that I see a great emphasis on individual faith as separate from the feature of the church. A person is to prove and work out their salvation in order to please God. This is all acceptable and Biblical to a certain extent. However, I feel we need to carefully evaluate how much is Biblical and how much is cultural. As you study Scripture, you see collections of people forming the basis of the Christian faith. Jesus discipled a small group of individuals. After his ascension, the group gathered for prayer. It was in this group setting that the Holy Spirit came upon the people. On that day, a great number were added to the church. The Bible records the activities which the church performed together.
I guess that the basic point is that I have been starting to process the concepts of my cultural perspective and how it clouds my interpretation of Scripture. We need to be very careful to study the singular message of the Bible in its appropriate context, extract the core timeless message, and then apply those concepts to our current culture and needs. Truly, the practice of theology is just that, organizing the timeless truths in a time restricted sensible fashion. Let us not become conceited in our current construct of that process.

Modern Legalism

Since the early days of the church, legalism has often arisen to challenge the grace of salvation. From those first discussions about the necessity of circumcision for salvation, people throughout the ages have sought to require extra action to secure salvation. Often these actions rise out of a desire for control or to assuage the guilt over personal sin. However, I have seen recently a new trend toward a type of legalism which has surprised me. In a number of books which I have read recently, there is a growing trend toward challenging the status quo of the average Christian. This is of course a good action as all Christians should regularly evaluate their lives and character in light of the truths of Scripture. However, each of these books seem to focus extensively on the aspect of giving up material possessions to either live more simply or to support the poor. Let me state first and foremost that those are very good things to do and supported by examples of Scripture. However, I have issue with the growing emphasis on a singular action. The motive is of vital importance to the conversation. No person should give up anything in order for the sole purpose of being more spiritual. Unbalanced focus on the action of giving rather than the Biblical reasons or love for God turn a good thing into a legalistic behavior. We must be careful not to pursue actions of any kind which we undertake in order to gain spiritual acclaim. This can be from daily devotions to tithe to clapping while singing. It is very hard but we need to learn how our relationship with God naturally outflows into our life and let our motives of love drive our actions.

The Glory of the Story

Even if you don't realize it, much of our developmental and continued learning integrates the concept of stories. Aesop's fables are of course the most well known combination of story and lesson. However, the use of stories to teach are far more varied and subtle. Teachers use examples and object lessons. Math is brought to life in word problems. Pastor's illustrate with terse or humorous stories. Hypothetical questions and scenarios are used in problem solving. It is often integral to combine a memorable story or story feature to some aspect of truth distribution. The Bible is truly no different. The Bible is constructed of 75% narrative (story), 15% poetry and 10% direct didactic teaching. Jesus himself utilized stories to communicate much of his lessons while on earth. The question I have is if stories are so clearly important, why do we focus so much of our Bible study on avoiding the narrative sections. We teach the stories to our children because we know that they remember the life lessons through the stories. Why do we neglect to continue this as adults? Do we think we are so smart that studying stories is beneath our conceptual comprehension? Do we feel that stories are not an efficient use of our learning time? Much of the world learns through a story motif even today. I think we would do well to re-learn how to read and develop lessons through interaction with Biblical stories.

Reading the Bible Carefully

I was reminded the other day of how quickly we read the Bible on occasion. While it is of benefit to read, carelessness can limit you from truly grasping the truths of Scripture. One prime example is from Ephesians 6:1-3.

6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. 6:2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, 6:3 “that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth.” 

Many of you have probably heard this passage taught or studied it on your own. However, in many cases when I have hear it taught, the speaker struggles with verse three. It seems that in every case, the first two verses are great discussion points and the third verse complicates the matter. The most common treatment of the verse is to pass it off as a proverbial promise. I have heard such statements as "A lifestyle which is built upon respect and obedience for authority is a far safer lifestyle which generally tends toward a longer life."

Let me just tell you that such interpretation and explanation is both ludicrous and shallow. Do you really think that Paul, one of the greatest authors in the Bible, would place a poorly structured proverbial adage to convince children to obey their parents? The answer is "NO!" Instead,  more careful reading of the verses opens an even greater meaning.

1.       Our English Bible structure begins this first verse with a succinct command to children. However, chapter five ends with an explanation of how a husband and wife relationship demonstrates the love of God for His church. By referencing first this key family relationship, Paul builds a base upon which he can now explain the importance of reflected Christ in other relationships. The first one he comes to is children. His first statement is a very short and simple lesson. If indeed these books were read in the church, there is no doubt that Paul wanted these children to hear and understand what was expected of them. In order to do so, Paul first states merely the expectation in clear and concise words.

2.       Paul must have known children very well. Of course most children upon such a direct command as "Obey" would naturally respond with a question. "Why?" For this reason, Paul is now going to build a two level explanation of why. Paul, as a good writer, anticipates a counter argument and offers a defense for his thesis in two stages. The first one here in verse two is to reference a document that would have been well known to any believer; the ten commandments. Since the church at that time was restricted to teaching from the Old Testament, they would have known the ten commandments very well. Paul thus first explains that obedience for parents is a reflection of the command to honor. This is clearly an important connection because all people tend to carefully define words to their advantage. "I may love that person because I have to but I do not like them." Here Paul relates his command to obey to God's clear command to honor.

3.       Stealing from verse two, we now move to verse three. The remainder of verse two sets us the third verse by explaining more. While the command to honor reinforces Paul's command to obey, there is even reinforcement to the command to honor. Paul explains that if you were to go and read the Ten Commandments, the command to honor parents is the very first one to be accompanied by a promise of reward. The commands about idols and honoring God did not come with promises. It isn't until command five (Exodus 20:12) that God offers " that you may live a long time  in the land  the Lord your God is giving to you." It is important then to realize how much emphasis God placed on the natural relationship of parenting in the Old Testament. There is of course not time to give the topic justice here but several key themes stand out from this passage forward in the Old Testament. The Israelite parents were expected and encouraged at all time points to teach their children the lessons and commands of God. At key moments in the Exodus, the people were to erect monuments in order to pass the story of God's power on to the next generation. In Deuteronomy 6, there is an extensive explanation of how fathers are to teach the commands of God in all aspects of life.  "And you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the door frames of your houses and gates." As the nation of Israel moved forward, the plan of God was for them to obey His commands. If they failed to obey His commands, he had promised that He would bring punishment on them from other nations. The responsibility for ensuring obedience did not fall to the priests, but to the families. If the parents failed to pass along God's teaching, or if the children failed to learn, the resulting national punishment would be exile from the land. This truth is played out exactly as you move through the remainder of the Old Testament. Judges records how a "generation arose that did not know God." This generation then suffered greatly as God punished the people. After a king took over, things went well for awhile. However as time moved on, things came apart and subsequent generations became worse and worse. Eventually God sent other countries to conquer and take away His people. By the end of the Old Testament, only a fraction of the amount of people still lived in the land of Israel. The closing promise of the Old Testament in Malachi reflects not a return to a physical land but "Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me, so that I will not come and strike the earth with judgment." It is the hearts of fathers and children that God will change. Therefore, the original command to honor came with a physical promise to the people of Israel that they as a nation would live in the promised land. It was a national promise connected to the history of this people as a whole. The parent/child relationship was so vital to God, that He built the success of the whole nation dependent upon its proper fulfillment.

With that view in mind, Paul shows that the command to obey and by extension to honor parents was essential to the success of the nation of Israel in the whole Old Testament. Therefore, obedience to parents is vitally important to God. Paul, with only two verses, is able to show an immense power behind this command. With all that background in mind, the promise of Ephesians 6:3 is so much more valuable than a hard-to-explain proverb. Thus by carefully reading these three verses of Ephesians six, both parents and children are shown immense impetus to pursue God's glory in their relationship. This is why it is important to always remember to read Scripture carefully.

Job Meets Jesus

I have a dream to write books. Several ideas have grown in my head over the last several years and I have attempted at various times to inscribe the pieces of wandering inspiration. However, without significant blocks of time, I probably will never truly attempt these works. However, if I ever do head in that direction, the first book will be one titled "Job Meets Jesus." This will be a study of the lives of Job and Jesus in order to provide a Biblical theodicy for all time. In my note taking, I have written a draft preface in order to set a precursor to my thoughts.

Preface

Few books of the Bible are as unique as the book of Job. Both the characters involved and the format used  have no equal or logical place in the normal progression of Scripture. The story woven from Genesis through Revelation largely traces God’s work through specially chosen people groups (Israel and the church). The book of Job, however, is an enigma with no significant connection to the general theme or tone of a greater purpose in the Bible.

 Extending this unique aspect, the person of Job exists apart from any clear label or placement. He isn’t given a nation, a culture or even a history. He is introduced as a singular individual with material wealth and success. Through events not of his own doing, he is reduced to nothing even though his heart and relationship with God are good. Without our brief glance behind the curtain, we would question along with Job the nature and severity of his suffering.

Since therefore, Job has not label, his story and example remain timeless in application and connection. His suffering could describe a person living in any nation at any time in history. For this reason, Job offers a powerful study into that which is known as theodicy. The word basically applies to any attempt to explain the balance between a world filled with evil and the existence of a sovereign God. For all ages of human history, the greatest and most penetrating question regarding the supposed existence of a powerful God is the apparent disease of widespread suffering and hurt throughout the world.

Almost every person on earth has viewed the two suggested realities and struggled to bring the perceived injustice of a sovereign God and suffering together. This conundrum provides the unbeliever a reason not to believe and challenges the faith of every believer. Thus it remains vital for all people to investigate and offer an answer to suffering in this present world. Whether a person is in suffering right now or not does not matter, no true understanding of God is complete without an answer to suffering.

It is upon this necessity that this book is built. The circumstances of Job provide a timeless look into a life of suffering. Job had everything and lost it all at the hand of God. Juxtaposed against this story is that of Jesus. Jesus had everything and gave it all up in order to suffer. In light of the suffering of Christ, we now can look back at the person of Job with new information. The nature of God is revealed in the life of Christ. And in the suffering of Christ, the problem of sin and trouble is answered. It remains only for us to combine the stories to mine the truths.

This book is not intended to end suffering or to ignore it. However, it is an attempt by a feeble mind to study the lives of two people separated by thousands of years who lost more than many of us ever will. Through the viewfinder of Jesus, we now can understand the life of Job and a connection and answers unavailable to Job at that time. In so doing, we can establish the character and purpose of God in all of history. Upon this basis, we hope to demonstrate a basis of hope that transcends earthly suffering through a greater power than evil.

A Theology of Missions

This is the introduction to a paper which I wrote for school. However, they only gave me seven pages to write what would probably take me hundreds.

As the story of the world opens in Genesis 1:1, God initiates all that exists and directs forever a course of events with a definite purpose and path. As the path of time, as revealed in Scripture moves onward, the purpose of God for all of creation is the worship and glory of Himself.1 Through the fall of man and thus the corruption of nature, the worship and glory due to God is not complete. It is for this reason that God works and has worked in the world in order to bring about His glory in all aspects of reality.

And since worship, the ultimate recognition of the true God, is not fully present in the world today, it is the purpose now of God’s people to act and live to bring about that worship. This purpose is fulfilled in practice by the work of missions. As John Piper states, “The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God.”2 Therefore the purpose and nature of God must foment at the heart of all missions. Thus this paper will show that Scripture forms a basis of theology that connects the purpose of missions to the nature of God and His revealed truth in all aspects of doctrine.

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1 This purpose is clarified throughout Scripture in passages such as Isaiah 43:6-7 and Habakkuk 2:14.

2 John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad (Grand Rapids, MI; Baker Books, 1993) 11.

Is the Bible really all about Jesus?

Before you jump to conclusions based upon the title, let me first explain my question. It seems relatively common for people to categorically summarize various truths pertaining to all aspects of life. Sweeping generalities are probably the most used figure of speech (irony yes). One such statement that I have heard is that the Bible is all about Jesus or all about the gospel. The question is whether this is an accurate statement.

My contention is that such a statement actually denigrates the Bible which can be so much more. While there are verses that state "these things are written that you may know you have eternal life," those phrases apply specifically to their immediate context and book. I don't believe that it is proper hermeneutics to apply that phrase to the entire Bible.

The option which I believe is far more fair is also more powerful. Since I am prone to ramble in my blog posts, I will seek to keep this relatively short. From the moment when God intervened and created time and existence for the world, He has moved and acted for a purpose. It is clear through Scripture that this purpose is for all of creation to glorify Him. For this reason, he shaped one feature of His creation with a choice.

Mankind, thus free to choose to obey, could offer a far greater glory to God than could nature. However, mankind chose to sin and with the subsequent curse brought destruction upon all of creation. Now, nature itself points glory to God and proves God. Yet nature, with no choice of its own, awaits a change in history in which it will be restored to a perfect state.

What is left is mankind. Since mankind was free and initiated the fall from perfection, any attempt to rectify the plight of mankind must be dramatic. It is this progress toward redemption that occupies a growing place in Scripture until the climax in the Gospels as Christ dies and rises. However, history continues on. And the Bible itself progresses through more instruction until it closes with Revelation. It is in the book that we see a restoration of nature and a re-establishment of a perfect relationship between God and man. The difference at the close of the Bible as opposed to the beginning is that at the end, the remnant of God's creation of choice will be forever evident in hell.

But it is the story of God's love and purpose for creation which occupies the totality of Scripture. The Bible answers the question of why we are here and where we are going. The Bible tells of the Holy Trinity and the decision to create and to love and to desire glory. And the Bible describes how God shapes history to bring about people who love and glorify Him. In it we see the creation and sustaining nature of God the Father. We see the humility and redemption of Christ the Son. We see the communication and power of the Holy Spirit.

The whole of Scripture tells us about God and His work and goal in creation. By reducing the Bible to all about Jesus lessens the true power of Scripture. Yet it is true that Jesus is seen in progressive revelation at many places in the Bible, but so is God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Don't begin to separate and highlight just one aspect. By so doing, you will little by little begin to feast on the parts of Scripture that make sense to what you are looking for. Instead, search all of Scripture and ask "What do I learn about God and His work on earth in this passage?" By so doing, you will open up every part of the Bible and see so many things. This is why my passion is to teach the Old Testament. It is because I want people to see how much we learn about a mighty God in every single page.

School Thoughts on Calvinism Part I

As I work through my seminary studies, I occasionally decide to write down my thoughts on some topic or discussion. The purpose is to capture my thoughts at the time I am actually in the midst of studying that issue. Hopefully, if I need to gather my thoughts someday for teaching or if I am ever ordained, the information is already gathered. Since I have a blog, I have decided to vent my learnings and thoughts on here. Feel free to ignore the post if you have no interest.

It is normal to associate Calvinism with a series of 5 points defining the extent and application of salvation. However, the actual five point stance is relatively misleading in its title and structure. Particularly, it is unfair to John Calvin to have his legacy so created. I am quite sure (though there are many who would disagree) that Calvin himself would not have appreciated the "TULIP" delineation and the strict definition as such.

It must be remembered that John Calvin arrived in history at a time when the Roman Catholic church was at an apex of corruption. The church was in the midst of selling forgiveness of sins in order to build massive cathedrals and live in luxury. It was toward this end that Martin Luther objected to much of the papal authority and became known as a Reformer. Calvin also became a similar reformer and, though opposed on a few issues, mirrored the emphases and work of Luther in opposing the established church.

Calvin's writings took two main forms. He wrote many commentaries (a link to which is included in the Bible Study page of this blog). In these commentaries, he taught directly from the scriptures. In conjunction, he also wrote increasingly larger versions of The Institutes of the Christian Religion. This book became his magnum opus and is still read and studied today. Calvin focused on the issues of his day and responded in specific manner to areas in which he saw error.

After his death, a man named Theodore Beza continued his work. He interpreted the points of Calvinism in retrospect and continued in the post which Calvin filled. A certain individual named Jacobus Arminius, who had studied under Beza, became convinced that in the area of predestination, there was some necessary clarification. When he became a teacher, he stressed that predestination was based upon God's foreknowledge of those who would have faith in Christ. His fellow teacher Francis Gomarus held an opposing view that predestination determines faith. Arminius was in all other aspects in line with everything Calvin had taught.

The debate raged after Arminius' death in an increasingly political battle. A group who supported Arminius formed after his death and wrote a document outlining five articles of clarification. They stated the following:

1.      God determined before the world that those who would be saved would believe in Christ.

2.      Jesus died for all human beings although only believers receive the benefits.

3.      Humans can do nothing good on their own and God's grace is necessary to this end.

4.      Grace is not irresistible.

5.      It is not clear yet from scripture whether those who believe can fall away.

The political battle became more pronounced over the years and so the Synod of Dort was called. It was in this meeting that a response of five points was written specifically to be worded so that the opposing group would not be able to accept any of the articles. It was these intentionally designed articles that became what we know today as Calvinism.

1.      Total depravity

2.      Unconditional election

3.      Limited atonement

4.      Irresistible grace

5.      Perseverance of the saints

With this history in mind, it is very unfair to use labels such as Calvinism and Arminianism. The development of current definitions is the result of numerous battles and intentional animosity. Calvin and Arminius would both have been very unhappy with the theologies which bear their name. While I am preparing a separate post directly addressing the traditional five points of Calvinism, I wanted to write down the story so that it is clear that such a discussion is neither pertinent nor helpful. While the doctrine of salvation should be carefully explained and defended, it is of no worth to specify and defend artificially created barriers which constrict Biblical truth rather than explain.

A Few Comments About Hymns

• I love hymns, especially really old ones.
• I don't know why "blessed" is two syllables when we sing hymns.
• The sound at the end of the word seraphim is pronounced "eeem."
• Someone wrote all the verses for a reason.
• Why don't we ever sing the "amen" at the end?
• Why is the Star Spangled Banner in the hymnal?
• (Side note) Does anyone realize that the 4th verse of the Star Spangled Banner actually says "And conquer we must when our cause it is just"? I love me some imperialism.

For What Would You Die

The judgment again Michael Sattler read as follows:

"Michael Sattler shall be committed to the executioner. The latter shall take him to the square and there first cut out his tongue, and then forge him fast to a wagon and there with glowing iron tongs twice tear pieces from his body, then on the way to the site of execution five times more as above and then burn his body to powder as an arch-heretic."
It is almost hard to read and even harder to imagine what such suffering must feel like in action. The question of course arises as to the nature of his crimes. It is upon this answer which we must question our own resolve and commitments.

It was in the sixteenth century that a certain group arose to challenge the status quo in Europe. By that time in history, the Catholic Church commandeered the majority of power. However, such dominance had led to corruption and moral depravity. In like manner of lifestyle, the theology of the church had become tainted with man's quest for power and control. In the face of such corruption, a few men rose to challenge the church.

Men such as Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli raised questions based upon their understanding of Scripture. These men called in question many areas of faith and religion that had become normative. Their questions and subsequent revolution was aptly called the Reformation. This was largely an attempt to reform the church from within. It was not intended to destroy the church entirely.

However, on the tails of these great men, others arose who pursued the questions even further. Committed to the truth and authority of the Bible, these men stood all beliefs before the mirror of Scripture and did not allow tradition to dictate their interpretation. It was this group that looked upon infant baptism as a grave misunderstanding of salvation. They believed that baptism was a symbol to be performed upon the decision to accept the sacrifice of Christ. To baptize an infant was pointless and missed the point of baptism.

In their mind therefore, people should be baptized when they made a public profession of belief. Toward this end, they began to publically baptize adults who accepted or confessed faith in Christ. For this reason, they were dubbed "Anabaptists" or "re-baptizers." This action was an affront to the control of the church whose infant baptism confirmed people into their following. The affront to their control was akin to treason.

For this reason, they began to hunt and kill all who practiced or received adult baptism. For most individuals this involved public drowning as an ironic and cruel twist. However, certain individuals inflamed passion to such degree that they garnered more noteworthy deaths. One such individual was Michael Sattler.

Hundreds of thousands of Anabaptists were killed over the years as intolerance for the group followed every flight the group undertook. It was to the continent that many of such faith eventually fled in order to escape the persecution that continually followed them.

But the question stands for us today of the severity of our own beliefs. To many today, baptism is a trivial exercise. However, the blood of thousands testifies to a far greater story which is easily forgotten. These people gave their lives because they stood by their understanding of the Word of God. What weight would we have placed upon that distinction if faced with the same choices today? How important would baptism have been to us if placed in the same spot in history? Do we study the Bible to discover its truths and stand upon them? What line would we draw in our stands if the cost was our life?

Good Ideas Meet Reality

When it comes to things that I would like to write, I have many great ideas. However, these ideas are stored in a box labeled with words like "reality" and "priorities". Occasionally however, I catch myself thinking of what I would do with a lot of free time. One such example is the legend of the marathon. As an avid runner, I thoroughly enjoy the legend of the first marathon.

The story begins in the small city-state of Athens, Greece. This city was not well known for their skill on the battlefield as were their neighbors Sparta. However, when the Persian army came to attack their land, the army of Athens made great effort to protect their city. The water born Persian army landed near the city of Marathon on the east coast of Greece. The army of Athens traveled to battle the Persian army at that point rather than sit and wait in their city. By this surprise move, the Athenians were able to victoriously defeat the superior Persian army.

But things turned quickly when the remainder of the Persian army sought to rush via the ocean around the southern end of Greece and take Athens while the army was away. In order to protect the city, the army needed to return quickly to Athens and let them know that the battle was won so the city would not surrender to avoid destruction. The practical restraint however is that an army cannot move very quickly and thus it seemed that the Persian army would arrive and threaten the people of Athens into surrender.

With this challenge in mind, a young man named  Pheidippides was chosen as a messenger. He set off running back to Athens. The story goes that he ran as hard as he could the entire way form Marathon to Athens, a distance of 26.2 miles. Upon arriving exhausted in the town, he collapsed and announced that the battle was won. With his message delivered, he then died. (Side note: why we choose to run a distance which by legend killed the first person who tried it is beyond me.)

This legend, while possibly not completely true, offers a wealth of wonderful subject matter for a fictional novel. Grand battles waged by two vastly different cultures. Victory followed by anguish. A personal struggle and the subsequent success against the backdrop of a far greater battle. The bittersweet end of success coupled with death. I can even picture in my mind the flow of the story.

The story begins upon a solitary individual running all alone. His thoughts turn back on his life as he pursues the enemy of time. The choices and struggles of his life all laid bare in this single task which he must face alone. The story then turns to one week prior as the leaders of an intellectual city hear warnings of the arrival of a murderous nation. Their quiet life now threatened by a military might whose stories echo of destruction and violence. These two storylines intersect as battles are waged on two fronts, the military battlefield and the mind and will of a solitary soldier giving his own life for the ideals of a greater good.

There is so much there which begs to be explored. The characters await the pen and the issues beg to be argued. Yet, I have committed my life to other causes. And while it would be so much fun, I realize that some things must be laid aside in order to achieve more important goals. But once in a while, it is fun to imagine and to visit in my head the story which will always exist. Because the power of imagination and stories and legends is that their existence burns always in the heads of the dreamers.

Lesson from my Car

In the fall of the year 2002 I finally made my way to the BMV to obtain approval from the government to operate a motor vehicle. In contrary nature to normal people, I had not felt the need to obtain said license at the normal age of 16. So, at the age of 19 I practiced a few times and successfully passed the relatively simple requirements laid down by law. It seems odd how easy it is to achieve a license to drive when it basically allows you to operate a deadly weapon.
However, after this life milestone, I was then in need of a vehicle to operate. I had saved a small amount of money for the purpose of purchasing a car. I knew that with no real job and about to head off to my second year of college that a loan was out of the question. Therefore, I was relegated to a rather simple car search.

Me: (walking into dealership) Do you have any cars for under $1000?
Dealer: No.
Me: (walking out of dealership) Thank you.

Eventually, in the back corner of a parking lot of one dealer I found a car. The actual price on the car was unreadable. However, in one short test drive and transaction, I was the first time owner of a car. That 1987 Chevy Nova has remained with me to this day. I am by no means skilled in mechanical work. Nor am I well versed in car terminology. However, I have learned many lessons about life while maintaining a car that is almost as old as I am.

But this year, as my car turns 25, I have learned something new. I finally realize what it means to not take something for granted. Every day, as I sit in my car to drive to work, I have the conscious realization that my car may not make it through the day. The potential for my car to die completely is ever present. And each day when I make it home again, I am grateful for the simple fact that my car worked. This recognition has begun to creep into other areas of my life. What guarantees do I really have about many things? What should I truly be thankful for each day? How much do I realize the blessing of God in little things like a car working, having water to drink, good health, electricity, family, etc?

While there are many other vehicles I would like to drive on a daily basis, few would help my humility and heart as much as the one God has given me. I am finally coming to the realization that such a truth is probably found in most areas of my life. Learning to be thankful for my very old and unique car has led to other lessons for which I am grateful.

Measuring Mediocrity

Upon this time of year as most humans celebrate the passing of an artificial way to track our relatively short lives, it is common to stop and reflect upon the past and the future. Likewise, I myself am approaching that particular day in which we celebrate our birth even though that day came long after our life actually began. For some reason though, the awkwardness of the birthing process is easier to think about than celebrating the actual conception. In conjunction with both of these factors, I am naturally an introspective melancholy so it is not hard to spend time dwelling on the slow and steady passage of time.
But this year as I arrive at my 29th birthday (yes it is actually 29) I have come to a stark realization. As a teen and subsequently as a young 20 something young man, it is easy to entertain grand thoughts of successes in numerous fields of life. We picture and work towards excellence in various pursuits and envision a time when we are considered one of the best in the world. This is encouraged by most all societies and cultures.
However, as I have come to the point in which I can see the age of 30 in the distance, a new truth is now staring me in the face. Instead of unparalleled success, I am quite sure now that in most every arena of life, I will remain average or less for the remainder of my life. I will never be the best writer or debater. I will never master photography or art. I will never be faster, stronger, taller or smarter than the majority of people. I will never win grand prizes or "go out on top." I won't be considered famous for some skill. I won't become the master of any particular field. And I will probably never finish a Rubik's cube.
In most regards, mediocrity will become standard for my life. However, such truth is not depressing. I have come to realize that my greatest weakness is my pride. If God gave me the ability to be the best at anything, I would promptly forget that it was God who supplied that gift. The only way that God can use me for His glory is if I am not special. The awareness of my own shortcomings and dependence for success upon God is far more freeing than actual achievements. This is no excuse for laziness but the total trust upon God to provide the success. I remember as a child trying to "help" my dad. Though the tool was in my own hand, my dad's hand completely covered my small hand and directed and moved the action to accomplish the job. It is this picture which I now realize is far more appropriate of God's work in our lives. As I move into a new year, I hope that being average will encourage me to more action rather than constantly practicing to be the best.