Two verses from Acts 3

I've been rather neglectful of a number of things in my life recently. I've been intellectually, spiritually, physically and creatively lazy over the past few months. This is nothing new - and it tends to coincide with dips in form in my struggles. This in turn creates tension in my marriage, putting more pressure on my inability to overcome my baser desires and intentional forgetfulness. That in turn, makes me a bit depressed and I turn to my well worn stress relievers putting more tension on my marriage and the carousel continues to spin faster and faster, sucking me in deeper and deeper to the middle and everything seems to get worse and worse. And so on and so on. But, if I push through and am not intellectually, physically, creatively or most importantly, spiritually lazy than none of this happens. Mistakes are still made, but these are incidents rather than cycles.

I often work in platitudes or hastily announced, unachievable goals. This drives my wife insane and sets me up for failure. I'm trying not to do this again. I've ran or worked out the last three days, finished another book (40 of my 60 goal this year) and read some from Acts last night. I'm hoping to just make incremental progress this week and work on creating a more virtuous circle rather than getting sucked into the aforementioned negative merry-go-round. But - as you can see, that last sentence is rather close to a hastily announced, unachievable goal. Is it my own personal jargon? Who am I announcing these platitudes towards? I think I'm only saying them to ease my own unrest. But, I digress.

I read the first three chapters of Acts last night after finishing The Symposium by Plato and reading 20 pages of Ulysses by Joyce. It took me nearly a month to finish the Plato piece (which marks my intellectual laziness as of late). It will take me longer to finish Joyce (which is because it's a gargantuan 700 plus pages and difficult to read). But, two verses stood out to me from Acts 3.

Acts 3:16

"It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him".

I'm not sure that I'm ready or willing to call my self-inflicted frustrations a disease. It's more of an issue of will. But, there is definitely some healing that needs to take place in me. Whether it is biological or spiritual in nature is a question of semantics. There is something broken inside of me. And it struck me that my spiritual laziness is leading me to reject complete healing. What also struck me about this verse is that faith comes through Jesus. In order for man to have faith it must come through Jesus. It isn't a strength of a man reaching out to Jesus, but rather Jesus preceding the faith that the man can have. So I prayed for that faith that comes only through Jesus last night and I echo that prayer again today.

Acts 3:26

"When God raised up His servant, He sent him first to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways".

My struggles are my struggles. They have impacted my social life, my career life, my physical life to an extent, my spiritual life and my love life. To be blunt, they have sucked. Yet, I derive a weird pleasure while going through them. I know it's wrong but I do it anyway for the moments of escape they provide. However, this verse jumped out at me because I never thought of getting out of these struggles as a blessing. I just figured when I grew out of this struggle that I could return to a sort of base line normalcy. I now see it - when I am turned by Jesus from my wicked way, I won't be returning to some base line normalcy, but an elevated state of being blessed.

Godly in Acts 8

In continuing to understand what it means to be godly I've come to the next instance in the Bible, Acts 8.

"Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him" (Acts 8:2).

This doesn't tell us a whole deal about godliness, so I backed up to Acts 6 & 7 and read about Stephen.

Stephen was a man full of God's grace and power (Acts 6:8). Many leaders of the Jews rose up in opposition to him, but "They could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him" (6:10). So to get Stephen in trouble they lied about him and Stephen wound up in front of the Sanhedrin for trial.

In chapter 7 Stephen gave an account of the History of Israel and how it led to the people always turning their backs on God and his prophets up to the killing of Jesus. He calls out to them "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" (Acts 7:51).

The Sanhedrin stoned Stephen and yet Stephen saw God as he was being murdered. In the end, he followed Christ's example and asked the Father not to hold his murderers accountable for the sin they were committing. That is exact godliness. That is Christ-like in all that it can be.

So, Chapter 8 begins with Saul's persecution of the Church. With persecution breaking out against the Christians in Jerusalem, the apostles are scattered. But, "Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him" (Acts 8:2). It's apparent that Stephen was godly as testified in the account of his death. But, I had to dig a bit deeper into some commentaries to understand why those who buried him were godly.

According to David Guzik's commentary, the godly men who buried Stephen and lamented over his death were breaking Jewish law as it was against the Law to mourn for someone who was executed. This shows that these men were breaking with custom to be God-like rather than religious. They felt sorrow for the loss of Stephen and remorse for him being killed. A godly lesson from this is to do what is right in God's eyes, rather than following custom or tradition.

From this little reading I have this prayer: Lord, help me to continue to learn what it is to be godly so that my character can be built up in your image. Also help me to not be like the Sanhedrin and always resist the Holy Spirit. Give me the grace of Stephen to forgive as Christ forgave. Grow me closer to you so that your Spirit may move through me freely.

Draw The Circle - Get Ready

Draw the Circle starts out with Cornelius praying to God regularly. The first sentence convicts me because I don't pray to God with any sense of regularity. The story comes from Acts 10. Since Batterson's theme for the Day is Get Ready I'm trying to get myself ready. I am ready but I don't know how committed I am - not that I don't want to be committed, just that I don't have the discipline to always follow through on my commitments. I'm praying for discipline.

Batterson uses fairly typical modern church language, i.e. "And when you pray to God regularly, irregular things happen on a regular basis" (Batterson, 15). I have to fight the cynicism that naturally creeps up in it. Since my wife and I are doing this devotion together I have to redouble my efforts to keep her from following me down my natural inclination. The message is good, but it sounds very much pastoral, not in a good way, but in a Youth Pastor type of way that comes off as cheesy sound bytes after a game of laser tag at the Lock-In. That's my cynicism coming out. I'm praying for discipline. I'm praying to get out of the seat of mockers. Flowery language aside I am praying that God will take us (my wife and I) places we cannot even imagine. I want to get ready.

"If you establish a prayer routine, your life will be anything but routine... You don't need to seek opportunity. All you have to do is seek God. And if you seek God, opportunity will seek you" (Batterson, 19). Rhetorical games aside, I do in fact, chase opportunity. I might not always see my chase through to the logical conclusion, stopping either out of realization that the opportunity is a trap, getting sidetracked by another opportunity or becoming bored by the chase, but I chase opportunity nonetheless. I don't always seek God. I want to though. I want to seek Him. In that I need patience. I need discipline. I'm praying for discipline. Speaking of rhetorical games, I'm noticing I fall into patterns as well. My cynicism is hypocritical as well.

Batterson tells us that we must seek first his Kingdom; do God's will God's way. That is obviously biblical. I heard it in my sleep all last night - children singing "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" in round fashion. Thank you Psalty the Singing Song Book! I mean this both sarcastically and honestly. The song won't leave my head, which is a bit annoying. But alleluia! His words are written on my heart, even when my flesh belies it.

What I came away from this devotional is that I do desperately want to seek first the Kingdom of God. But, when Erin and I prayed last night I asked that she pray for me to know what seeking first the Kingdom of God looked like in my life practically. I want to get ready. I want to be ready. I pray the patience and discipline to be ready when he calls. I pray to know what seeking first the Kingdom of God looks like and that I have the wherewithal to do it.

On a side note in this passage it makes me think a little theologically. Not that I'm an expert, nor that it is important but I question the statement "If you're a non-Jewish follower of Jesus, your spiritual genealogy traces back to this genesis moment" (Batterson, 16), referring to Peter's role in the salvation of Cornelius.

My questions arise from the passage in Acts 10 itself. It begins with stating that Cornelius and his whole family were God-fearing and devout. Cornelius then has a vision from God and follows it. When Peter arrives at Cornelius' house Peter states "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right" (Acts 10:34-35). Peter then states that Cornelius knows the message God sent to the people of Israel and retells the short version of Jesus Christ. Then he confirms that he (and his companions) were witnesses of Christ Jesus. It was while Peter was speaking that the Holy Spirit came over the Gentiles. "The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles" (Acts 10:45). My question is whether Acts 10 is about the Jewish followers needing to understand that Gentiles could be endowed with the Holy Spirit or whether it is about the fact that Gentiles could be endowed with the Holy Spirit. To my eyes it seems as if God was stripping away at the Jewish perception of who could be saved rather than opening the flood gates to the Gentiles. Is it not possible that salvation was opened to the Gentiles prior?

What about the faith of the Canaanite Woman? In Matthew 15 we see a Canaanite woman come to Jesus and ask for mercy from Jesus and for Jesus to heal her demon possessed daughter. Jesus tries to shoo her away stating that he was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel (presumably the Jews). When Jesus tells her it isn't right that the children's bread be given to the dogs, but the woman persists that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table. Jesus praises her faith and grants her prayer. Doesn't Matthew 15 show that salvation was at hand for all who had faith, not just the Jews?

What about the story of Ruth. When Orpah returns to Moab to her people and her gods (Ruth 1:15) Ruth claims your people will be my people and your God my God (Ruth 1:16). Ruth being a Moabite isn't a lost sheep of Israel, but a lost sheep of Moab. Her salvation through the remainder of the book, isn't that a portrait of salvation being extended to all humanity rather than just to the Jews?

Again, I don't profess to have answers, just thoughts on the spiritual genealogy of non-Jewish Christians going back exclusively to Cornelius. I may be wrong, but I am just thinking aloud.

Who is saved

(Originally written May 1, 2007 in Book 15)

Class Notes

John 14:6 - No one comes to the Father but by me
Acts 4:12 - There is no other name
I Timothy - One God, One Mediator - The Man Jesus

"If you believe then you will be saved"
does not mean
"If you don't believe, then you will not be saved".

"You will be saved if and only if you believe"
means also
"Since you believe you will be saved"

Romans 10

Old Testament

Who is definitely saved?
- The ones who are in covenant with God
- The sacrifices implicitly direct them to Christ
- Job, Melchizedek, Rahab (worshippers of the true God outside of the covenant), Ruth

Who is definitely not saved?
- Idolaters

Class Notes on Pluralism and Exclusivism

(Originally written April 29, 2007 in Book 15)

Class Notes

Grace & Redemption Debate

Options:

1) Ture Pluralism - DeNoia, Heim
2) Coerced Pluralism - John Hick
3) Bashful Pluralism - William Alston
4) Inclusivism - Karl Rahner
5) Exclusivism

Karl Barth

Two Options

1) Either you accept God as He revealed Himself as Christ
2) Or you do not accept God

All Christians have a belief system based on God. All non-Christians' belief systems are based on self. There is no common ground.

Are those who have never heard the gospel lost?

Before answering this question it must be based completely on Biblical data, not merely philosophical or emotive arguments.

Passages:

John 14:6 - "Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

Acts 4:12 - "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved".

I Timothy 2:5 - "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Jesus Christ."

Romans 9:1-5 "I speak the truth in Christ - I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit - I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to the sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen"

1) Exclusivism because otherwise the anguish would make no sense.
2) Cursed and cut off from Christ makes sense only if it is possible.

Salvation in Christianity

(Originally written April 22, 2007 in Book 15)

A Tapestry of Faiths
Win Corduan

Is Christianity alone true?

By asking if a religion is true we ask if it is as a whole true, not if it contains some truth.

Pluralism asserts that all truth claims made by all religions are equal.

Hick claims that those Christians who maintain exclusivist theologies must revise their thinking.

Hick's pluralism is however, completely wrongheaded. No religion teaches that it is one way of relating to the Real.

Most, if not all, religions make exclusive claims. This is another point where Hick's theory does not accurately describe religions.

Hick's theory is either false or arbitrary if it is based on data from religion it is obviously false. If it is not then it is simply arbitrary.

Hick also demands that religions, especially Christianity, rewrite themselves to fit his theory. This is absurd.

Rather than an aggressive form of pluralism like Hick's, William P. Alston postulates a more subtle form:

1) Christians basing their beliefs on their mystical experience of God are justified in holding there beliefs.
2) Adherents of different religions basing their beliefs on their mystical experience are justified in holding their beliefs.
3) There is no way of adjudicating between different belief systems.
4) All persons are entitled to their beliefs since their system is coherent and productive.

Alston's theory hinges on mystical experience alone. He ignores any other type of evidence.

There are two component in accepting a belief system as true:
1) Accepting the beliefs as true
2) Justification of the belief system

Some ways of justifying religious beliefs:
1) They are self-evident
2) based on experience
3) superiority of teaching, etc., etc.

Christians can find confirmation for the beliefs in:
1) General revelation and natural theology
2) Fundamental rationality of Christian beliefs (Plantinga's "warrant" or "proper function")
3) Historical and archeological evidence
4) Inner witness of the Holy Spirit
5) Experience of when God manifested himself

Mainly, Christians have grounds for their beliefs that correspond to reality.

Christianity as a belief system based on the New Testament must be either false or exclusively true.

To deny pluralism one must show that it is rational to believe that Christianity is exclusively true.

Establishing Grounds for Answers

The problem of evil has been posed as a loving God is incompatible with the circumstances of this world since the time of Hume. But, Marilyn McCord Adams made the excellent point that: "It does the atheologian no good to argue for the falsity of Christianity on the ground that the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, pleasure-maximizer is incompatible with a world such as ours, because Christians never believed that God was a pleasure-maximizer anyway" (Corduan, 156).

Christian theology must be firmly rooted and wholly based in Biblical revelation. One cannot abstract a specific principle and build from there (a common mistake).

Who is Definitely Saved?

In Old Testament theology those who are the people of God are saved by faith in God. These include the chosen people, converts to the chosen people (i.e. Ruth) and those who helped form the chosen people.

New Testament theology demands personal knowledge of the gospel as a prerequisite to salvation: How can we accept what he does not know?

In addition to knowing the Gospel, one must accept it as true and place trust in the atoning work of Christ.

The New Testament stress the need for missionary work.

The notion of implicit faith in Christ as a way of salvation is oxymoronic. Implicit faith makes as much sense as unfelt pain or inaudible speech.

However, all of these seemingly incoherent expressions are made coherent by mediation. Inaudible speech is made coherent by the usage of sign language. Sign language mediates the speech.

The sacrificial cultus of pre-Christ Jews was the meditation for implicit faith.

Who is Perhaps Saved Before Christ?

In the Old Testament the people of Israel are those who were saved. In the New Testament explicit faith in Christ and his atonement is the criterion for salvation.

To expand either of these criterions require that it is Biblically revealed, not what is merely fair or consistent.

Idolatry, under no circumstances can serve as the mediator in implicit faith. Thus, idolators are not saved.

C.S. Lewis claims that prayers made to false gods in earnest are heard by the true God. But, Lewis cannot substantiate this theory with Biblical evidence.

One argument for idolatry as a mediating device for implicit faith is the relationship of Abram and Melchizedek.

Melchizedek was the priest of El Elyon (God Most Hight) and Abram paid him a tithe for his blessing.

Clark Pinnock makes the claim that El Elyon and YHWH are equivalent. Corduan contends that rather than being equivalent deities, El Elyon and YHWH are identical, two names for the same deity.

This argument (Cordon's) makes sense because Hebrews 7's treatment of Melchizedek as the forerunner of Christ. If Melchizedek were some pagan priest, Hebrews 7 would make no sense.

Melchizedek and others (like Jethro, Moses' father-in-law) are saved by their implicit faith in Christ as mediated by their explicit faith in the God of original monotheism who is identical to the God of Old Testament Israel.

Who is perhaps saved after Christ?

The Jews were no longer saved by being a member of the chosen people because they rejected Christ. Thus, even if Gentiles were worshippers of the original monotheistic God and equivalent to Jews they are no longer saved.

In the New Testament men who worshipped the God of original monotheism were granted the opportunity to have explicit faith in Christ:
1) The Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)
2) Cornelius, the Roman Centurion (Acts 10)
3) The "God-fearing Greeks" (Acts 17:4)
4) Apollos (Acts 18:24-28)
5) The disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:1-6)

"Natural revelation does not save, but it provides the opportunity for the saving message to be sent to those who respond to it" (Corduan, 168).

Thomas Aquinas believed in this, "God will send the message" theory. Robertson McQuilken and Oliver Buswell also advocate this position.

Epistemologically - Is Christianity alone true?
Metaphysically: Do the effects of Christ's atonement extend only to those who believe in Him?

Yes! But, there is a small amount of room for implicit faith in pre-Christ times.

Ethically: Is a human being required to express faith in Christ in order to be eligible for salvation? Yes.

Subjectively: Is an implicit faith in Christ expressed in actions as valid as an explicit faith? Yes, only in pre-Christ times.

Theologically: Does God's saving love extend to those who do not know of Christ? Yes, but only within the further plan of God.

Socially: Are those who never heard of the gospel without hope of salvation? Yes, but God reaches out in the New Testament to those without limited with natural revelation and why would he stop this practice?

Discipleship and how to study the Bible

(Originally Written May 8, 2006 in 3 Subject Book)

Introduction to Christian Education

Colossians 1:28 "He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ"

Ephesians 4:11-12 "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up."

Disciple - follower, pupil, learner
Disciple is used two ways in the New Testament
1) Broad: meaning a follower
2) Narrow: followed Jesus' teaching and bore fruit

Discipleship is a process of learning theology and practice

Spiritual growth is vertical and horizontal. It has a whole person focus. (Luke 2:52, Acts 2:42-47).

The third generation of Christians focused on making disciple-makers (II Timothy 2:2)

Vocation:

Vocation is where your deepest joy meets the world (the divine call to serve). A job is merely a way to earn money. A career is a life goal. What is a divine call? It is not specific to place or time. It is not a way to make life easy. It is not waiting for a voice.

Theory of Revelation:

Liberal - eliminates the supernatural, a perspective of religions, man is generally good
Contemporary - (neo-orthodoxy) contra to the liberal (Karl Barth)
Conservative (evangelical)

One's view of scripture changes the way you view information and the way you teach.

Inductive Bible Study

Deductive - start with a general principle and move to specific details
Inductive (exegesis) - start with specific details and move to a general principle using hermeneutics

Hermeneutics - methods of interpretation

IBS method
1) Observation - what does it say?
2) Interpretation - what does it mean?
3) Generalization - what's the big idea?
4) Application - what's the difference?
5) Implementation - what must I change?

Description vs. Prescriptive interpretation
The Big idea - the point, the composition, the central theme
Ask:
1) What is the author talking about?
2) What is the author saying about what he is talking about?

Application:
Take a specific principle and apply it to a specific situation and apply a specific action plan.

In a lesson plan there are three objectives to touch:
1) A person's head - engage the mind
2) A person's hand - get them to do something
3) A person's heart - get them to feel something

Notes on the Holy Spirit

(Originally written April 19, 2006 in 3 Subject)

Historic Christian Thought

The Holy Spirit

Who He is

1. He is personal
-"He" not "it", contra Jehovah's Witnesses
-Not the 'Star Wars' spirit or force

2. He does personal deeds
-John 14:26
-John 15:26
-John 16:13

3. He is God
-Spirit of God/Spirit of Christ/Holy Spirit
-He is the third person of the trinity, John 15:26

Montanus, a 3rd century teacher (contemporary of Tertullian) taught that there were three eras of God's workings:

1. God the Father (Abraham, Moses, up to Jesus)
2. God the Son (Jesus' lifetime)
3. God the Spirit (Pentecost era)

Montanus however, believed that he was himself the last great prophet

Montanism had a lot to do with 'filioque' (and the son). The controversy over 'filioque' is what caused the 1054 split between the eastern and the western Church.

Montanism is nearly dead but will occasionally pop up from time to time.

Montanism today:
Jim Jones (1970s) was a charismatic preacher from San Francisco who went to Ghana. One day he said is this the Word of God (referring to the Bible). He answered 'No, the words from my mouth is the Word of God.' Jones' mission ended in mass suicide.

What the Holy Spirit Does (part one)

-Testifies of Christ, John 14:26, 15:26
-Continues Jesus' ministry, John 14:16, 16:7, Acts 1:1
-The spirit glorifies Jesus, not Himself
-Baptizes believers into the body of Christ
-Christ's life through the spirit (Romans 8:2-27)
-Gives fullness of Christ at Conversion (John 1:16). No second work of grace for fullness. Assures perseverance of salvation

Catholic Epistles, Pastoral Epistles, The Epistles of John

(Originally written January 24, 2006 in Book 20)

The first three Catholic Epistles:
1 Peter
2 Peter
Jude

1 Peter: Salvation & Suffering

What it means to live for God in a world without God.

"For Western Christians at the close of the 20th Century this brief tract written within a culture not yet Christian becomes a relevant textbook on Christian living in a culture no longer Christian".

1 Peter

I. Problem of Authorship
-What difference does it make whether the Apostle Peter wrote this letter or someone else wrote it and ascribed it to Peter?
-Peter is a highly esteemed apostle
-Peter was an eye witness
-Peter's words in 1 Peter & Acts

II. Who was I Peter written to?
-Gentiles

III. Setting of Peter's Readers
-ridicule for their beliefs
-honor and shame
-walking in Jesus' steps

2. II Peter

-Parallels Jude
-II Peter 1:20-21 Source of Scripture
- A response to rationalistic and hedonistic denials of God
-Paul's letter as Scripture

3. Jude: Danger! False Teachers!

-Parallels 2 Peter
-Jude was probably written after II Peter

Pastoral Epistles

Called Pastoral because they were written to young pastors

Contents: Introduction to Timothy and Titus about:
1) Errors of false teachers
2) Conduct and teaching as pastors/teachers
3) Church order and behavior in worship
4) Pastor's relationship to other groups in the Church
5) Qualifications for Church leaders

Authorship: critical scholarship considered non-Pauline
-a pseudonymous writer in the second century
-used Paul's authority
-to combat a rising Gnostic influence
-or could think of them as pious forgeries

Paul's authorship attacked on four grounds
1) Historical arguments
-don't fit into chronology in Acts (written after Paul was released in the end of Acts)
2) Stylistic arguments
-Author uses different style and words than Paul's (Paul was older, could have given secretaries more freedom)
3) Ecclesiastical arguments
-Church structure and church order is too developed for first century church (ignores fact that church in Acts is already highly developed)
4) Theological arguments:
-Heresy is a developed Gnosticism of the second century so it is therefore, post-Paul (Gnostic heresy existed very early on)

1st Timothy Highlights

1:18-20 Timothy's character and Paul's admonition

1 Corinthians 11:29-30
- New covenant stipulation
- Will Hymenaeus and Philters be in heaven?
2 Timothy is written 5 years after and it seems unlikely.

2:11-15
- Role of women in the church is one of the hottest topics in evangelicalism today

Authorship of Hebrews
-Philip?
-Apollos?
-Priscilla?
-Barnabas?

Hebrews was the oldest complete early Christian sermon that has been preserved.

Written to professing Jewish Christians in danger of apostasy (going back to Judaism)

The Epistles of John

Intro to I John

Test of fellowship
-Am I a carnal or a spirit directed believer?
-Assumes all John's readers are believers

Tests of Life View

-Am I spiritually alive or spiritually dead?
-Assumes some readers are not Christian

The Colossian Heresy

(Originally written January 23, 2006 in Book 20)

Paul's Prison Epistles

Acts: Paul was imprisoned twice:
1) Caesarea
2) Rome - house arrest some say Paul was imprisoned also in Ephesus

Philemon: Plea for a runaway slave

Philemon was a wealthy Christian slave owner who lived in Colossae (100 miles East of Ephesus)

The church met in Philemon's home (Philemon 1:2)

Onesimus was a profitable slave who stole money from Philemon and ran off to rome.

The name Onesimus means profitable and useful.

He ran into Paul and converted under Paul's ministry in Rome.

Philemon is an excellent example of how the gospel will undermine unjust social structures in the world. (Galatians 3:28)

Colossians: Christ as the head of the church

(Colossians is parallel to Ephesians)

Situation: an un-bliblical philosophy distorting Christian faith
Purpose: Paul writes to refute the Colossian heresy
What did it consist of?

Colossians Heresy:
-Ceremonialism: held to strict rules about food and drink, religious festivals and circumcision
Colossians 2:16-17, 2:11, 3:11
-Asceticism: "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch", Colossians 2:21, 2:23
-Angel worship, Colossians 2:18
-Deprecation of Christ, Paul has to stress the supremacy of Christ, Colossians 1:15-20, 2:2-3,9
-Secret knowledge: Gnostics boasted of this, Colossians 2:2-3, 18
-Reliance on human wisdom and tradition, Colossians 2:4,8
-The heresy is a mix of extreme Judaism and early gnosticism

Acts 28: Colossians/Ephesians
Church = Universal Church vs. Local churches (house churches)


Themes:
1. Complete adequacy of Christ over against emptiness of mere human philosophy.
2. Practical implications of supremacy of Christ for every day living.

Structures:

Chapters 1-2: Doctrine, Christ is "the head"
Chapters 3-4: Practical, Follow Christ, "the head"

Philippians

A friendly missionary thank you letter

-Church at Philippi - Paul panted it on his second missionary journey
-Lydia, a wealthy God-fearing gentile
-slave girl with a spirit of divination
-Paul and Silas were stripped and flogged and imprisoned, where they sung songs all night
-Paul's Roman citizenship vindicated him
-Church met in Lydia's house

Perhaps Paul's favorite church.
-Regularly assisted Paul financially

Dominant Emotional tone: Joy
-The word Joy appears 16 times in various forms

What prompted Paul to write: Philippians had sent Epaphroditus with their gift to Paul

Being filled with the Spirit

1) Understand God's will
-Devotional
2) Be filled with the Spirit (v.18)
-a decision of the will (not something forced on you)
-controlled and empowered
3) Step out and obey

Paul's Missionary Journeys and 1 Corinthians Notes

(Originally written January 19, 2006)

Pg. 472-505

-Paul's Second Missionary Journey (A.D. 50) starts with the split between Paul and Barnabas. Paul takes Silas and goes north to Galatia. Barnabas takes John Mark and goes to Cyprus.
-Paul strengthens the churches in Syria and Ciliciaby by giving encouragement and teaching and by giving a copy of the letter from the Jerusalem council.
-Paul picks up Timothy in Lystra

-Paul had Timothy circumcised because his mother was Jewish (Father was Greek). Timothy was a believer before he met Paul, but Paul had Timothy circumcised so that he would not offend Jewish believers (because his mother was Jewish also) which gave him access to the Synagogue. 

-Paul next goes to Troas because the Holy Spirit forbids him to go to Asia (Ephesus) or to Bithynia. 

-While in Troas, Paul receives a vision to go to Macedonia. Paul relays the vision to his companions and they leave for Macedonia immediately (God's will for us??)

-The first church in Europe was probably in Rome, but going into Macedonia was a big step in Christianity's expansion into Europe.

Chapter 23

-Neapolis was the first city they went to. From Nepalis they went to Philippi.

-Philippi had no synagogue because it probably expelled the Jews after Rome did in A.D. 49

-Paul found a group of women praying on the Sabbath. He ministered to Lydia who accepted Christ. Lydia invited Paul and his companions to stay with her and her family. This was the start of the church in Philippi

-One day Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl, who then lost her ability as a fortune teller. Her master then took Paul for a trial because the girl was very profitable as a fortune teller.

-As a result of the trial Paul was beaten and imprisoned.

-During their night in prison an earthquake shook the prison, unlocking all the doors. To avoid trial the guard planned to kill himself. Paul convinced him not to and shared with him the good news. He became a Christian. Paul and Silas was freed in the morning.

-The next big stop was Thessalonica. In Thessalonica Paul preached in the Synagogue and many believed. Out of jealousy, Jewish leaders who did not believe in Jesus started a riot. They took Jason, whom Paul was staying with and brought him to court. They were told to post bond and were released. Later that night Paul was encouraged to leave, so he did.

-Paul then went to Berea. The Jews in Berea checked the facts of Jesus through the Old Testament and many were saved.

-The angry Jews of Thessalonica came to Berea to start riots and stop Paul. Paul left, but Silas remained.

-Paul and Timothy sailed for Athens. Timothy stayed in Athens teaching. Silas was in Berea and Paul returned to Thessalonica to encourage believers.

- In Athens Paul debated with Stoic and Epicurean philosophers. Many Athenians laughed at the idea of the resurrection but some believed. Paul left Athens to go to Corinth.

-Corinth had a population of 500,000. Paul met Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth and he worked with them as tent makers for several months. While in Corinth, Paul waited for updates from Silas and Timothy.

-Paul's first letter to Thessalonians was one of faith, hope and love. He was encouraging them to stay hopeful despite persecution.

-Paul said they are to avoid sexual immorality and to love one another.

-Paul encourages them that those who died would take part in God's kingdom to come.

-A couple of month's after the first letter Paul wrote a second one to the Thessalonians.

-This letter was to assure them that the day of the Lord had not come and when it did come it would be unmistakeable. 

-It also praises them for growing in love and faith and encouraged them to keep hope despite the continuing persecution.

-Paul ended his letter with some prayer requests and some admonitions.

-Paul signs the letter (wrote it) by himself because forgeries were starting to confuse people.

-Paul "shakes out his clothes" in protest to the unbelieving Jews. This marks a shift in policy to ministering primarily to Gentiles.

-Paul remained in Corinth for a year and a half.

-Paul left Corinth to return to Antioch and give an update. While going through Ephesus he was asked to stay. He declined so that he could return to Antioch, but did leave Priscilla and Aquila to minister there. 

-In Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila teach Apollos the resurrection of Jesus because he was already teaching about Jesus' life. Apollos then went to Greece as a missionary.

-Paul traveled to Antioch probably alone. His companions were probably still scattered teaching the good news: Luke in Philippi, Timothy and Silas in Corinth, and Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.

Chapter 24
-Paul stayed in Antioch through the winter then headed back out to the churches he planted. (AD 53).
-When Paul returned to Ephesus he met a group of men who knew of John the Baptist (probably by Apollos before he knew all of Jesus' story). Paul preached to them about the Holy Spirit and they believed.
-Paul spoke and taught in the synagogues of Ephesus for three months and drove a wedge between the Jews. Some believed and some did not. Then Paul taught the Gentiles in Ephesus. This lasted over two years.
-Some Jews were trying to use the name of Jesus in an exorcism. The demon possessed man claimed to know of Jesus and Paul but not them. The demon possessed man then beat the exorcists and the name of Jesus was seen as powerful in that region because of it.
-In Ephesus the silversmiths started a riot because Paul had converted many idol worshippers and they were losing business because no one was buying dos anymore. The riot dispersed and Paul eventually left Ephesus.

-While in Ephesus Paul wrote four letters to Corinth (We have 2).
-First Corinthians was correcting them on instructions he gave in his first letter.
-First Corinthians deals with issues that the modern church still struggles with.

Review of Wednesday

Paul first visited Corinth on the Second Missionary Journey (Acts 18:1-18).

4 Letters to Corinth/3 Visits
1st is lost
2nd is First Corinthians (from Ephesus)
3rd is lost - a "sorrowful letter"
4th is Second Corinthians (from Macedonia)

Wrote Romans from Corinth

Sources for Paul in 1 Corinthians
-Chloe's household
-Three individuals
-Letter from Church at Corinth with questions for Paul

Two root problems at Corinth
1) An over-enthusiastic view of the Spirit
-abuse of flashy gifts (1 Corinthians 12-14)
2) An over-realized eschatology:
-felt the future was present (1 Corinthians 4:8-10)

4 Kinds of People
- Natural Person
- Baby Christians (Natural persons who receive salvation)
- Willful Carnal Christians (Baby Christians who experience no growth)
-Spiritual Christians (Baby Christians who grow)

Carnal Christians have legalism, jealousy, guilt, aimlessness, fear, ignorance of spiritual heritage, disobedience, unbelief, poor prayer life, no desire for Bible Study

Church discipline/Restoration

The goal of Church discipline is always restoration.

What sins warrant this act?
-incest
-idle men
-the divisive

"Church discipline is needed when a given sin carries with it the serious possibility of corrupting the whole congregation"

Two extremes to avoid:
1) Becoming legalistic about forbidding all kinds of morally neutral practices
2) Refusing to engage in Church discipline because no one is perfect

I Corinthians 6:1-1: Lawsuits

What kind of cases are in view?
-trivial crimes
-ordinary matters along the lines of civil cases

Key question: will the gospel be promoted by contemplated litigation?

Paul used the courts to spread the Gospel throughout Acts.

Single vs. Marriage

Philosophical dualism background:
"matter" is evil (body)
"spirit" is good (soul)

Libertine/antinomian - "everything is permissible"
ascetic - no sex whatsoever

Do not deprive one another of sexual relations except for:
1) Total agreement
2) Limited time
3) devotion and prayer
(But after that, have at it!)

1 Corinthians 7:6: "this I say by way of concession, not command"

What does Paul allow?
1) Marital relations
2) Temporary abstinence

The ascetic view was pushed on the church by force.

The gift of celibacy comes from the gift of self-control.

What were Paul's reasons for staying single:
1) "The present distress"
2) "The shortening of the time"
3) "To promote what is seemly and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord"

When do spiritual gifts come to you:
1) When you become a Christian
2) More dynamic - when you need it
3) Pray for it, desire it (1 Corinthians 12:31, 14:1, 14:39)

Tongues - Ecstatic utterances or known foreign Languages?
-Both

What purpose do tongues have?
-The charismatic praise of God

Guidelines for tongues?
-two or three at the most should speak in Church with an interpreter. No interpreter, no tongues

Highlights of Acts, James, Calvinism vs. Arminianism & Galatians

(Originally written on January 17, 2006 in Book 20)

Highlights in the Book of Acts

Acts 2 - Birth of the Church

Church = New Testament People of God
Israel = Old Testament People of God

Acts 6 - Prototypes of Deacons/Elders

The 12 - Prototypes of elders/bishops

Functions of the Elders/Bishops
1) Teaching the word
2) Prayer

The Seven = The prototypes of deacons/deaconesses

Acts 8 - Persecuted church scatters
Acts 9 - Paul's conversion
Acts 10 - Gospel to the Gentiles
Acts 12 - James is Martyred
Acts 14 - 1st Missionary Journey
Acts 15 - The Jerusalem Council
-Must Gentile Christians keep the Law in order to be saved as the Judaizers insist?
Acts 15:39-18:22 - 2nd Missionary Journey
Acts 18:23-21:27 - 3rd Missionary Journey
Acts 21:27-23:32 - Imprisoned in Jerusalem
Acts 23:33-26:32 - Imprisoned in Caesera
Acts 27-28 - Voyage to Rome
Acts 28:16-30 - Roman imprisonment

The Book of James:

Author: James, brother of Jesus (oldest)
- Did not believe in Jesus
- Jesus appeared to him post resurrection
- Very religious Jew
Galatians 2:12/Acts 21:17-26

Recipients:
-Jewish believers who scattered after Stephen's death
-Only epistle strictly written to a Jewish audience

Date:
- Earliest Christian document
- Josephus records James' martyrdom in AD 62
- Makes no reference to Judaizing controversy (AD 49)
- Approximately written AD 46-47

Focus of James: The practical outworking of Christianity in a righteous lifestyle

Emphases
1) Patience in the face of suffering
2) How the rich treat the poor
3) Judgment and judging

James & Paul on role of works in salvation:
- Both James & Paul affirm good deeds and are against bad deeds
- Both use the Greek word "erga" (works) but use it differently

James 2:14-26 has a particular kind of works in view
- Good deeds like acts of charity, generosity, impartiality, control of tongue, etc
- His opponents were claiming orthodoxy without action

Paul opposes "works" as in works of the Law
- Stops people from attempting to obtain salvation through the Law, which is impossible

Calvinism vs. Arminianism

Total Depravity vs. Free will/human ability
Unconditional Election vs. Conditional election
Limited Atonement vs. Unlimited Atonement
Irresistible Grace vs. Resistible grace
Perseverance of the Saints vs. Can fall from grace

Calvinism justifies Unconditional Depravity by Romans 3:10, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 4:18 and Ecclesiastes 7:20. We are unable to save ourselves and will never choose Christ on our own.

Arminianism justifies free will/human ability by John 1:9 and Titus 2:11

Calvinism justifies unconditional election by Romans 8:29-30, Romans 9:11-18, Acts 13:48. Foreknew = Forechosen. God chooses man, man does not choose God.

Arminianism justifies conditional election via Romans 8:29. Foreknew = Foresaw. God foresaw who would choose Him.

Calvinism justifies limited atonement with John 10:10, John 10:15, John 17:2, John 17:6, John 17:9. Christ only died for the elect.

Arminianism justifies unlimited atonement with 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10, 2 Peter 2:1 and 2 Corinthians 5:19. Christ died for all men.

Calvinism justifies irresistible grace with Romans 9:19-21. Nobody can resist God's will.

Arminianism justifies resistible grace with 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10, 2 Peter 2:1, 2 Corinthians 5:19. God can be resisted.

Calvinism justifies Perseverance of the saints with Philippians 2:12-13, John 10:27-30, Romans 8:38-39. Salvation is secure.

Arminianism justifies can fall from grace with Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 10:26-31, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Romans 8:38-39, Romans 11:22. Salvation can be lost.

Introduction to Galatians

Dualism: Body doesn't matter, do whatever. Soul is what counts.

Two Extremes of dualism:
Antinomianism - over indulgence
Asceticism - no pleasure at all, minimalism

If Paul was concerned about distortions of the gospel, we should too.

Problem behind letter to Galatians.

Jewish Christian teachers infiltrated the Galatian churches with a message that endangered the Gospel message. They were Judaizers.

Judaizers sought to complete Paul's gospel in two ways.
1) by requiring circumcision
2) by enforcing Jewish food laws

Notes on Acts 13

(Originally written January 16, 2006)

Reading: Acts 13-28

13:1-3
Saul and Barnabas receive a calling from God and the brothers in Antioch send them off

13:4-12
Saul and Barnabas go to Cyprus and when they arrive in Salamis they proclaimed the word of God

When is someone baptized by the Holy Spirit?

(Originally written on January 13, 2006 in Book 20)

General Epistels/Catholic Epistles

- James
- 1 & 2 Peter
- Hebrews
- Jude
- 1, 2, 3 John

Paul

Acts 28 - 1st Roman Arrest (House Arrest)

Prison Epistles
- Ephesians
- Colossians
- Philemon
- Philippians

Pastoral Epistles
- 1 Timothy
- Titus
- 1 & 2 Peter

2nd Imprisonment: Dungeon
- 2 Timothy

Acts 1-11: Focus on Peter's mission to the Jews

Acts 12-28: Focus on Paul's mission to the Gentiles

Resurrection (40 Days) -> Ascension (Acts 1)

Pentecost (Acts 2)

Acts 2: Birth of the Church

What are tongues signs of?
- Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10, Acts 19 - The Holy Spirit

Impending Judgment

A sign that functions to the disadvantage of believers

Tongues are a prayer language used in private devotions

When is someone baptized by the Holy Spirit?

1) Reformed Christianity
- At the moment someone believes the gospel
- Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 8:9
- Acts is transitional and some experiences are unique (especially Acts 8 & 19)

2) Pentecostalism
- When you speak in tongues
- The Acts phenomena is normative (especially Acts 8 & 19)

Pentecost

Fulfillment of Joel 2:28-29

2 Separate groups received the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:
-120 (apostles and close followers, already believers)
-3,000 (converts from all over the world)
-All Jews

Acts 10:
Cornelius and the Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit

Notes on the Introduction to Acts

(Originally written January 12, 2006 in Book 20)

Matthew - Jewish Audience
Mark - Roman Audience

Rabbinic Debate: Shammai vs. Hillel

Shammai - Deuteronomy 24:1 Divorce for adultery
Hillel - Deuteronomy 24:1 Divorce for any cause

Jesus replies with Genesis 1:27 & 2:24

Crucifixion of Jesus

Saturday - Anointment of Jesus by Mary
Sunday - Triumphal entry
Monday - Curses the fig tree (again) and changes the Temple
Tuesday - See the fig tree withered, Jesus argues with religious leaders, Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives and tells the disciples of the signs of the End
Wednesday - inactive
Thursday: Last Supper in Mark's mother's house. Jesus arrested and taken to the Sanhedrin

5 Precautions taken in case that Jesus would not rise from the Dead
1) Prepared in accordance with Jewish burial customs
2) Placed in a new tomb "cut out of the rock"
3) A "Big Stone", "Extremely large" was rolled in front of the tomb's entrance
4) Roman Guard was place in front of the tomb (probably four men)
5) Seal of Rome placed on the entrance of the tomb

Introduction to Acts

Acts 1:8 gives the outline of the Book of Acts

I. The Witness in Jerusalem 1:1-6:7
II. The Witness in All Judea and Samaria 6:8-9:21
III. The Witness to the Ends of the Earth 9:32-28:31
-Antioch (Syria) * Antioch is the missionary church 9:32-12:24
-Asia Minor 12:25-16:5
-Aegean (Greece) 16:16-19:20
-Rome 19:21-28:31

"Progress Report" Refrains in Acts
6:7, 9:31, 12:24, 19:20, 20:31

Acts 8-12

8:1-3 The Church is being persecuted in Jerusalem and the members scattered. Stephen was buried while Saul tries to destroy the church.

8:4-8 Wherever the scattered members went they preached. Philip went to Samaria and cast out demons, healed and taught. There was great joy in the city.

8:9-25 Philip is preaching in Samaria when a sorcerer believed and is baptized. Peter and John came out to Samaria to bring them the Holy Spirit. The sorcerer offers to pay Peter and John to teach him the power. They rebuke him for his wicked and sinful heart, trying to buy God's grace.

8:26-40 Philip goes down to the road and hears an Ethiopian reading from Isaiah. Philip explained what the passage means to the man. Philip baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch and then he is taken away by the Spirit.

Jesus' highlight reel

(Originally written January 11, 2006 in Notebook 20)

Reading Notes

The Promise & the Blessing

John 1:1-11:57
Matthew 1:1-20:28

The New Testament is not a biography of Jesus' life and career; it is a highlight reel.

-John the Baptist was born to a priest named Zechariah and his barren wife, Elizabeth.
-John the Baptist was a Nazarite.
-After Gabriel informed Zechariah & Elizabeth of the baby to be born to them, Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth. Joseph decided to quietly divorce her but an angel told him not to.
-Jesus is born. The Magi visit him. Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt and return. Jesus grows up and at age 12 disappears only to be found teaching in the Temple. This is all that is written of Jesus' childhood.
-John's ministry led people to ask if John was the Messiah. He said, "no" and eventually baptized Jesus around A.D. 29.
-After being baptized Jesus left for the Wilderness and was tempted while he fasted for 40 days. Jesus resisted by quoting Scripture.
-After coming from the Wilderness Jesus calls his first disciples: Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip and Nathaniel
-These four and Jesus go to the wedding in Cana where Jesus performs is first miracle.
-Jesus cleanses the Temple during his first recorded Passover.
-After cleansing the Temple Jesus stays and teaches a while, then goes to Samaria (woman at the well)
-Next Jesus heals the boy from a distance

The first portion of Jesus' career starts to show what he is about with two key incidents:
1) Jesus heals the Leper: this shows Jesus' power to heal and make a person "clean"
2) Jesus heals the paralytic: this shows Jesus has the power to forgive sins

Jesus' miracles were purposeful to validate his claim to being the Messiah.

Structure of Matthew's Gospel

Teaching about the Kingdom of God

"The Kingdom of heaven is near" - Matthew 4:17/Mark 1:15
"The Kingdom of God has come to you" - Matthew 12:28/Luke 11:20
"Thy Kingdom Come" - Matthew 6:10

Two Meanings of "Kingdom" in Jesus' teachings
1) Reign or rule (primary meaning)
2) Realm or territory over with one rules

Matthew 1-28:20
John 1-21:25
Acts 1-7

After the feeding of the 5,000 some disciples began to leave Jesus for political, material and theological reasons.

Chapter 19 Review Questions

1) Jesus refused to give a sign to the praises because the only sign they would see was that of the prophet Jonah
2) The Mount of Transfiguration was where Jesus was transformed in to his Glorious self and talked with Moses & Elijah. It was significant because Peter, James and John saw him in his glory.
3) Jesus came to the festival of Succoth later to avoid drawing a crowd, but appeared publicly to teach.
4) Jesus waited so that he could raise Lazarus from the dead.
5) We determine the date of the crucifixion by determining it happened after the last supper (passover) and by the customs of starting days at sunrise or sunset based on the culture
6) The triumphal entry was Christ riding into Jerusalem on the donkey with crowds laying palms at his feet saying, "Hosanna"
7) The Last Week of Christ
- Jesus' entourage arrived in Bethany on Friday
-Jesus eats with Lazarus, Mary and Martha where Mary pours perfume on his feet (Saturday)
-Sunday was the Triumphal entry (Palm Sunday)
-Monday: Jesus curses the fig tree
-Tuesday: Jesus goes into Jerusalem and confronts the religious leaders
-Wednesday: Prayer & Meditation
-Thursday: Last Supper
-Friday: Trial and Crucifixion
8) The last night of Jesus' life was prayer at Gethsemane where he was betrayed by Judas, arrested and tried.
9) Jesus' trials were mockeries for many reasons. First, he was brought to Ananias who had no authority to interrogate Jesus. Second, he was tried in Caiaphas's palace instead of the council champers. Third, the testimony was contradictory. Lastly, the death penalty was given which they had no authority to do.
10) We know Jesus was really dead because the Centurion in charge of the execution proclaimed him dead and they stabbed him with a spear to ensure of his death
11) The evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead was:
-That he appeared to Mary
-That he appeared to Cleopas and another
-Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room. Then he appeared to the disciples and this Thomas believed
12) Jesus appeared to numerous people and taught his disciples more

Chapter 20 Review Questions
1) The last question the disciples asked Jesus about the kingdom was, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?"
2) The events of Pentecost were: the disciples were praying when a strong wind came over the house. A tongue of fire came in to the room, split and hung over their heads. They spoke different languages to the men who came to listen. They spoke all the listener's native languages.
3) The Jews who accepted the Messiah were the early Church and preached in his name boldly, healed and performed signs. This frightened the Jewish leadership and they ordered the church to stop.
4) Some of the problems of the early Church were human problems:
-Ananias & Sapphira lied about the money they were giving and were struck dead for it
- The 12 were oppressed by the Sadducees and thrown in jail
- They were distracted by secondary issues like the Hebraic widows receiving more attention than the Hellenistic ones
5) Stephen was stoned for arguing with a group of men from the synagogue of freedmen. They couldn't defeat him in argument so they took him to court with false witnesses.
6) Saul was searching for the leaders of "The Way" (The Church) to stop their heresy. On the road to Damascus he encountered a bright light (Jesus) and he asked Saul why he was persecuting him. Saul was blinded for three days. He reflected inwardly. Ananias was called by God to restore Paul's sight. When Saul was unblinded he got up and was baptized as a believer.

Notes on the Canon, Textual Criticism and Interpretation of the Bible

(Originally written January 5, 2006 in Notebook 20)

The Canon & Transmission of the New Testament text

Definition of Canon - originally meant measuring reed

Metaphorical meaning - standard

Applied to the New Testament - refers to those books accepted by the Church as the standard with governs our beliefs.

The Precanonical Period

- Oral tradition (25 years worth)
(The passion narrative was probably memorized)

- Early Christian Preaching:
1) No New Testament books at this time
2) Early Church had the Septuagint

- Logica = Sayings (A collection of Christ's sayings compiled by Matthew)
- Perhaps like the "Q" Source, namely the 250 or so verses common to Matt and Luke, not in others

- Testimonia = Collection of Old Testament Passages

- Agrapha
- Literally means "unwritten"
- they are the unwritten things that Jesus said
- unwritten means not in the Gospel
- An example of this is Acts 20:35

- Direct revelation from God through the prophets (Acts 11:27-28, Acts 13:1, I Corinthians 11:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12-14)

The collection of individual documents

- New Testament authors regarded their messages as authoritative (I Corinthians 7:40, I Corinthians 14:37, 2 Peter 3:1-2, Revelation 22:18-19)
- Internal testimony: the documents were to be read in the public gatherings of the churches (Revelation 1:3, Galatians 1:1-2, I Thessalonians 5:27, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Colossians 4:16)
- Internal testimony: at least two writers cite other New Testament works as "Scripture" (1 Timothy 5:18, 2 Peter 3:15-16)

The influence of that lead to their collection
- Apostles start to die
- A body of truth was needed for teaching new convents
- Influential heretics arise like Marcion of Sinope: Marcion limited the canon to Paul's letters and Luke's gospel. He was anti-semitic and disregarded other books as Old Testament and of the God of wrath.

Formation of the Canon

- The idea: God superintended the collection of the documents via through his spirit in the churches

Tests of canonicity:
1) Apostolic origin (of an apostle or associate)
2) Apostolic doctrine (first oral, then written)
3) Acceptance by the churches

- Canon confirmed the third council of Carthage

Conclusion
- The Holy Spirit superintended the writing, collection and recognition of the canon
- None of the books were accepted by the church because of ecclesiastical compulsion
- Canon wasn't determined by a council or by individuals' judgments. It was the Spirit guidance.
- Church did not determine the canon, it only recognized it

Textual criticism - the study of the copies of any written composition of which the original autograph is unknown

Foundations of Exposition

-Exposition
- Systematic Theology
- Biblical Theology
- Exegesis
- Hermeneutics

How the Bible came to Us

Thoughts in God's mind --> revelation --> Human author's minds --> Inspiration --> Original Manuscripts of the Bible (Collection of 66 Books) --> Textual Criticism --> Modern Greek and Hebrew Bibles -> Translation --> Modern English Versions --> Illumination and Interpretation --> Thoughts in our minds --> Application --> Change in our lives --> Communication --> to others

The Holy Spirit does not help you to interpret the Bible. It prompts you to act on the Biblical passages you read.

Revelation is the wisdom that cannot be known through human methods, it must be revealed by God

Hermeneutics is the science that teaches us the principles, laws and methods of interpretation.

Differing hermeneutical principles and procedures yield different results and is responsible for varying Christian doctrines.

Evangelicals use the grammatical-historical method of interpretation.

Grammatical - considers the meanings of the words in the text

Historical - considers the meaning of the text within historical contexts

Validation - validating your interpretation

Grammatical-historical method seeks to establish the meaning and the intention of the text as it would have been understood by the original readers.

Competent exegesis must be done in the original languages

Interpret literally

Literal - the natural or usual construction and implication of a writing or expression; following the ordinary and apparent sense of words, not allegorical or metaphorical

There are three elements to every word:
1) Symbol - the actual letters
2) Sense - the meaning attached to the symbol (mediator, intercessor, helper)
3) Referent: the actual thing being related to

Interpret the Bible Contextually

Interpret in accordance with the genre of literature

Understand there are figures of speech: metaphors, similes, overstatements, hyperbole, pun, paradox, irony, parables, fables, myths, riddles

Revelation is accommodated.
Revelation is progressive.

Political, Historical and Cultural Context of the OT & NT

(Originally written January 4, 2006 in Notebook 20)

The Promise and The Blessing pg. 349-371

- 400 years in between the Old Testament and New Testament changes occurred in the Jewish culture. The Jews served under Persia an Greece then gained independence only to lose it again to Rome.
- The Apocrypha, Mishnah and the Pseudepigrapha were written
- Three bridges will be used to move from the end of the Old Testament to the New Testament over the 400 years of silence:

1) Literary Bridge
- just because there is a silent 400 years between the Old and New Testaments does not mean the Jews stopped writing
-The books written in this period are divided into three groups:
1) Apocrypha
2) Mishnah
3) Pseudepigrapha
- Apocrypha means, plural, "hidden" or "secret"
- The Apocrypha was not considered canonical by the Jews of the early church. However, the Catholics included it in their Bible
- The Apocrypha included a wide variety of books
- The Mishnah dealt with the Old Testament Law
- The Mishnah was a commentary on the Torah and a record of debate and conclusion among Jewish leaders
- The Gemorah was the completion of the Oral tradition and a commentary on the Mishnah
- The Mishnah and Gemorah together form the Talmud
- Modern Judaism is more based on the Talmud then the Torah
- The Tarsumin & Midrashim were translations written for Jews that did not read Hebrew, they were written in Aramaic and Greek
- The Pseudepigrapha includes many different types of works
- Pseudepigrapha is Greek for "written under a false name"
- These books mark a trend from the Israelites moving away from idolatry to being overly legalistic

2) Religious Bridge
- the major groups were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenses
- These were also political affiliations
- After Ezra and Nehemiah the Jews split into traditionalists and accommodationists
- The traditionalists wanted to get back to their roots, the accommodationists wanted to set up a new culture
- Traditionalists - Hebraists; Accommodationists - Hellenists

The Hebraists:
- Lived in Babylon Or Palestine
- Followers of Ezra and Nehemiah
- Maccabean Revolutionists
- From the oral tradition

The Hellenists:
- Widespread
- Accepted other cultures as well

-The Sadducees were Hellenists
- Sadducees believed in free will, argued agains any resurrection, believed that the soul died with the body and did not believe in Angels or Demons
- The Sadducees were aristocratic

-The Pharisees were Hebraists
- The Pharisees believed in free will, but thought God was ultimately in control
- The Pharisees believed in resurrection, angels and demons and fought for the equality of all human beings
- The Pharisees were middle-class citizens

- The Essenes were much more conservative than the Pharisees
- The Essenes were a minority party and spread out thinly, thus their influence and significance in the New Testament is non-existence

- Scribes are either Pharisees or Sadducees that copied, read and interpreted the Law.
- The Zealots were the extreme nationalists that were determined to rid Judea of all foreign rule

3) The Political Bridge

Persian Rule then Greek Rule then Freedom, then Roman rule

-The Persians ruled the Jews at the end of the Old Testament
- Greece fought off the Persian advances and then were involved in a civil war
- Eventually Philip of Macedonia conquered all of Greece
- His son, Alexander then took over and captured Persia
- Alexander then died and four generals became the rulers of four divided lands
- The four eventually became two, the Kingdom of Egypt and the Syrian Kingdom
- Egypt fell to Rome in 30 B.C. Syria fell in 64-63 B.C.
- The Maccabees gained their independence from the Syrian Empire over a period of time
- They fought many bloody battles and aligned themselves with Rome against Syria
- Rome was originally a republic but Julius Caesar eventually became dictator for life
- After Julius Caesar was killed a civil war took place an Caesar's adopted son Octavian (Augustus) became the ruler
- Augustus ruled over a generally peaceful empire, the only serious problem was Judea.
- In 6 A.D. Rome took control of Judea
- In 70 A.D. Rome destroyed the Temple
- In 135 A.D. Rome exiled all of the Jews in Judea

Review Questions

1) The Old Testament ended with Malachi because none of the books written after were considered to be Canonical or as authoritative as the books in the Hebrew Scriptures
2) The Apocrypha was a collection of books written by Jewish authors between the Old Testament and New Testament times. They are viewed as less authoritative as the included Scriptures.
3) The Mishnah is a commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures and included debates of interpretation and the results of the debates. It is different than the Talmud because the Talmud contains the Mishnah as well as the Gemara. The Talmud is important because it is what modern Judaism bases its religion on.
4) The Pseudepigrapha are books that were written under false names. These books were written both prior to the New Testament and through the first century A.D. and beyond.
5) The Sadducees developed by trying to fit their religious beliefs into the cultural surroundings they were in.
6) The Pharisees developed out of a strong opposition to the Sadducees.
7) The Essenes were a strict, traditionalist sect of the Jews. They were important in that they practiced a strict way of the Law, but were a small minority and spread thin enough not to make an impact on the New Testament.
8) The scribes were the men who copied, read and interpreted the Law for the Jews. They were vital in the formation of Jewish doctrine and law.
9) Alexander's father, Philip, conquered and united much of Greece. After Philip was killed Alexander set out to conquer the world. He conquered the Persian Empire and his empire stretched from Egypt to India. Alexander's troops eventually revolted in India because they were tired of fighting. Alexander eventually died after a huge amount of eating and drinking.
10) After Alexander's death the kingdom was divided into four separate kingdoms.
11) The Ptolemies and the Seleucids were the rulers of Egypt and Syrian empires, respectively. They fought each other until they were both conquered by the Romans.
12) The Maccabees are a rebellious family that fought the Syrian Empire. They eventually gained freedom for Judea.
13) Herod became King of Judea by fleeing to Rome and convincing the Romans to name him King of Judea. They did and he returned to Judea with the Roman Empire.
14) Rome made Judea a part of the empire by revoking its independence and status in 6 A.D.

Jesus was counter-cutlrual, he disregarded some Jewish cultural customs.

The Samaritans came from the leftover Jews in the Northern Kingdom after the Assyrians exiled the majority of the Jews that intermarried with the local gentiles.

Key Dates in the Old Testament History
722 B.C. - Israel taken captive by Assyria
587 B.C. - Judah taken captive by Babylonia
539 B.C. - Persia defeats Babylon, ending Jewish captivity

Persia, 539 - 332 B.C.

Persia deposed Babylon; which, under Cyrus the Great, allowed the Jews to return Home.

Greece or Hellenistic Period, 333 - 63 B.C.

Greece deposed Persia; which, spread Hellenism and a common language throughout the world.

After Alexander the Great died the Empire was split into four kingdoms, two of which are important to New Testament History

1) The Ptolemaic (Egypt) 323 - 198 BC
- Ptolemy Philadelphus translated the Old Testament into the common language of Greek, which was called the Septuagint

2) The Seleucid Empire (198-143 B.C.)
- Antiochus IV, the prototype for the Anti-Christ in the 1st century A.D. Jews. He killed the Jews, destroyed the Torah, denied the Jews the rites of circumcision of their children and eventually desecrated the Temple of the Lord by sacrificing to Zeus on the altar.

The Hasmonean or Maccabean Period (143-63 B.C.)

Matthathias and the Maccabean revolt in 167 B.C. Judas Maccabaeus (The Hammer) and his men cleansed and rededicated the temple in 163 B.C. and waited for a prophet to come to fully restore it.

The Roman Period (63 B.C. on)

The Pax Romana (Peace of Rome) and the Roman road system aided in the spread of the gospel through the world.

Herod the Great, King of Judea 37 - 4 B.C.
- Ordered the slaughter of the innocents
Archelaus, tetrarch of Judea and Samaria, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.
- Joseph and Mary fled from him
Herod Philip, tetrarch, 4 B.C. - 34 A.D.
Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, 4 B.C. - A.D. 39
- had John the Baptist beheaded
- was ruler when Jesus was killed

Herod Agrippa I, King of Judea 37 - 44 A.D.
- Had James, the half-brother of Jesus killed

Herod Agrippa II, king of Judea

Titus and the Fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70)

The Apocrypha
- Tobit
- Judith
- Additions to Esther
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Ecclesiasticus
- Baruch
- Letters of Jeremiah
- Prayer of Azariah
- The Song of the 3 Jews
- Bel and the Dragon
- I & II Maccabees
- I & II Esdras
- Prayer of Manasseh

Jewish Religious Parties

The Sadducees
- Influenced by power & wealth
- Aristocratic class

Sadducees References in the New Testament: Matthew 22:23, Acts 4:1, Acts 5:17

The Pharisees
- Legalistic
- Rules and Regulations, but little joy

Pharisees References in the New Testament: Matthew 11:9, Mark 2:16, Luke 15:1-2, Luke 19:7. Matthew 5:43-48, Mark 11:25, Luke 19:10, Luke 21:20-24

The Pharisees vs. Jesus

-The Pharisees Separated from unholy sinners, Jesus associated with them
-The Pharisees believed the Messiah would gather and sanctify his people, no evil or unrighteousness allowed; Jesus came to seek and save the Lost
- The Pharisees believed in victory for Israel and Jerusalem based on violent exclusion of the Gentiles; Jesus preached forgiveness to the enemy and the destruction of Jerusalem by the gentiles.

The Essenes
- Abdicated responsibility to confront the culture, as they retreated to the desert where they died, oblivious of the Teacher of Righteousness they sought

Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls
- The Oldest of the Old Testament Documents was the Masoretic Text (A.D. 900).
- The Dead Sea Scrolls come from 150 B.C. - A.D. 68
- We can now check the accuracy of our copying technicians and how accurate the Masoretic Text was

The Scribes
- Teachers of the Law
- Neither a religious sect or political party (but most were Pharisees)

The Zealots
- Revolutionaries dedicated to overthrowing Roman power
- Refused to pay taxes, were not loyal to Caesar, led the Jewish Revolt that led to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Judaism's response to Hellenism
- Wealthy Jews caved into Hellenism
- Poorer Jews reacted bitterly to Hellenism
- Early Hasmoneans reacted violently
- The Hasideans reacted passively
- The Pharisees expressed a separation by strict adherence to the law of the covenant
- The Essenes withdrew from society and into the desert

Proselytes (Gentiles who worship God and got circumcised) and God Fearers (Gentiles who worshipped God, but didn't snip)

- Syncretism: the combo of different forms of practice and belief
- Pagans were synchronistic
- Jews and Christians were exclusivistic

Prayer and thoughts on Acts

(Originally written July 29, 2005 in Talks With God)

Acts is the next book I will read. Lord, teach me the wisdom and knowledge of Acts and help me to retain the wisdom you've given me through Isaiah, Daniel and Paul's letters. I love you Lord.

Acts 3:1-10

This is where Peter 'heals' the crippled beggar. I do not question your power or how you do miracles Lord, all I want to know is how to get a faith that strong? What must I do to have faith strong enough to have your healing power come out of my mouth? Lord, teach me, so that I am strong enough to do your work.

Acts 1-14

Lord, I realize that I must continually serve you. That is the only way I will become like Paul and thus be a great servant to you. Lord, I don't worship Paul, nor do I try to bring glory to him. It is not he who I strive to be like in all that I do. I want to be like Christ, I want to look at him in the face and thank him for all he had done for me. But as I see Paul, I see a role model to being a servant of Christ. OF all those who are worthy of your undying love, I am the least. I am a liar, a thief, a cheat, I speak with a crude tongue, I am a lover of money and a wicked, wicked man. But, I feel the Holy Spirit working in me. I feel you cutting away the sins in my life. I look back at the sins I have committed and wonder how can you want to save me. Only by your grace. You are so incredibly full of Grace, your eternal light I cannot even fathom. I love you with all my heart. Let all I do bring glory to you. Watch over me and keep me committed. I want nothing to do with what will bring you shame and dishonor. I want only what is good and pleasing to you.

I see through Acts 1-14 that being a Christian is not an easy road. Lord, as I am at Taylor and other places prepare me to stand up for all the trials I may face. As Jesus did his ministry on earth, the disciples got a 3 year, hands-on training on how to minister. Give me training, whether it is for 3 or 30 years, so that I can be effective for you. Give me strength enough, even in the face of death, to stand up and proclaim your ever living presence. You are Holy. You are Holy. I love you Lord. I can never say that enough.

Lord, two passages of the reading really moved me. I was full of tears because of your amazing power. You've shown me what true faith is.

Acts 3:1-10

When you healed that cripple through Peter my eyes welled up. I could hardly contain myself. I felt your presence as I never felt before. I do not need to see obvious miracles to know your power. I look around and simply see the trees and the water and the clouds and the dirt, and know. I know you have the power to make all of this out of nothing. This is sufficient for me. I should have that faith, a faith so strong I can move mountains. But, I don't. I'm sorry. I tell you today that I will stay faithful and ready and pray everyday until my faith is that strong and more.

Acts 9:36-43

When you raised Tabitha from the dead, Lord I could hardly read more. My eyes welled up and I shook because I knew you were and are the Lord God Almighty. May praise be to you forever and ever! But, Lord I cannot fathom your true power. I want to though, and I will serve you all the days of my life. Bless me if I am obedient, devour me if I am not. Hear my prayer oh King! I love you God.

Acts 15-28

As I have finished Acts, Lord let the wisdom that has been passed down to me sink in. Let the wisdom and grace you have given me be evident to all. You show me how to live in Acts. I must speak your word boldly and continually if I am to be a true servant of Christ. Lord, this is my plea! Help me to speak of you always and boldly. When I open my mouth let your words fill others' hearts and ears. I am nothing without you; use me as you see fit. Let them know that I serve and live for Christ Jesus. Let them know these things, not so that I may be praised, but so that your glory and praise will increase among men. Lord, I ask for much I know, but it is possible for you. I want these things for your glory and not my own. Strip me of pride if it swells. I only want to accomplish things to your account. I love you Lord. As I begin at Taylor I see many people who will be obstacles to my starting in ministry for you. Keep me encouraged and strengthened. Keep my eyes on you and keep this verse in my heart:

1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and purity"