The Justice of God and the Imputation of Adam's Sin: A Realist Apologetic

Last year, I wrote a post in which I said I would like to write more on the topic of original sin (link). In that post, I provided an introduction to some resources for Reformed readers who want to gain a sound perspective on what theologians have historically argued that original sin entails. I also briefly alluded to why I think that traducianism and a realistic view (a la Samuel Baird) of our participation in Adam's sin is biblical and vindicates the justice of God in imputing Adam's sin to us, his progeny.

As mentioned in the aforementioned link, what original sin entails has been debated by Presbyterians, a most notable account of which is contained in George P. Hutchinson's excellent book, The Problem of Original Sin in American Presbyterian Theology. This debate continues even today.

For example, at the invite of a friend, I had the opportunity to discuss and defend the realist position outlined in Hutchinson's book in a recent conversation with Dr. Lane Tipton and others on the Reformed Forum discord. 

With the exception of my friend, Ken Hamrick, and I, most (if not all) of the other interlocutors explicitly rejected or leaned against the view that Adam's federal headship is grounded in his natural headship. That is, they reject a realist view of original sin. 

Those who are interested in what the realist view is but don't have as much time or whose interest has yet to be piqued enough to read the resources in the above link might find the following conversation enlightening. I believe the comments by Ken and I show the strength of the realist position in its ability to answer tough questions that other positions seemingly can't. I'll indent the comments of others and leave my own comments without indent. All italics and bold emphases are each authors' own. At the end, I'll venture a few further thoughts that were not included in the conversation:

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Tyler 

The organic unity that exists between Adam and his posterity is not the ground but the means for the transmission of Adam’s sin to us. Now it can certainly be said that Adam must have one nature with us if he were to be our covenant head and his sin were to be imputed to us. An angel, for example, could not represent us federally. But, conversely, it does not follow that Adam, because he possesses our nature, now must represent us. The unity of the nature is only a conditio sine qua non. It is in no way the ground that excludes the possibility of the opposite. The actual relationship is such that God, with an eye to the covenant unity for which He intended humanity, also created it as a natural unity. As being reckoned in Christ by election entails that in God’s time one is born again of Christ through the Spirit, so being reckoned in Adam by the covenant of works entails that in God’s time one is born of Adam.

-Vos, R.D. II, pg. 32

 

Ken Hamrick

@Tyler Thanks! I now have this book, so I'll have to study it...

 

Ken Hamrick

@Tyler I would say that not only could an angel not represent us federally, but also, no angel could represent other angels federally. Having a nature with the same characteristics misses the point of representation. Only when the nature of the representative head contains within it all those who are to be represented can the defining act of the head be justly seen as having been participated in by the members. There must be a genealogical principle involved in which the organic unity transcends the merely physical. As to the supposed necessity of representation resulting from such an organic unity, we need to look at the special act of Providence in God condescending to make a covenant with Adam. By nature, Adam owed perfect obedience; but that would never of its own attain to the eternal reward that God graciously offered in His covenant. Adam’s disobedience was simultaneously natural and Covenantal, since obedience by both was owed. So then, the organic unity would of necessity result in his representation of us according to that natural obedience that was owed and the natural results of disobedience; but it would not result of its own in a necessary representation for Covenantal rewards. The rewards offered to Adam by covenant exceeded what was naturally due for obedience; but the penalties incurred were exactly what was naturally due for his sin. It is true that we are naturally born in God’s time; but naturally, we cannot be born other than to be born of Adam, since that is the origin of our nature. We were not “reckoned in Christ by election.” We were “chosen in Him” by election. It is a matter of the decree and not a matter of union in Him according to His righteousness. In God’s time, one is born again in Christ according to God’s plan and decree. Only when He is put in us are we put in Him and given a proprietary title to His human actions and counted as crucified and risen with Him. 

 

Tyler 

Decree 

(WLC 14) "God executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will." 

Creation 

(WLC 17) "After God had made all other creatures, he created man male and female; formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man, endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it, and dominion over the creatures; yet subject to fall." 

Providence 

(WLC 20) "The providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created, was the placing him in paradise, appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth; putting the creatures under his dominion, and ordaining marriage for his help; affording him communion with himself; instituting the Sabbath; entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, of which the tree of life was a pledge; and forbidding to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death." 

Creation (image) = means of imputation 

Providence (covenant) = grounds of imputation

 

Tyler 

At least how I understand it...Vos does note prior to the quote provided earlier that the distinction between natural relationship and the covenant of works is logically and judicially distinguished but not temporally distinguished. 

Such that "even when the covenant of works has served its purpose, the natural relationship remains in force in all circumstances, and also all the demands that stem from it still apply to man." Of course this is a must - https://reformedforum.org/courses/union-with-christ-the-benefits-of-his-suffering-and-glory/ (youtube links coming soon??)

Reformed Forum

Lane Tipton

Union with Christ: The Benefits of His Suffering and Glory

This course aims to build up the saints in their understanding of two basic features of Reformed theology: 1) redemption accomplished by Christ for the church in his humiliation and exaltation, suffering and glory; and 2) how that redemption accomplished by Christ is applied by Christ’s Spirit, work.

 

Ken Hamrick 

To what do we mean by the ground of imputation but the ground of justice for imputing? And what is just about God imputing sin to those who did not yet exist, due only to His choice to view all future men in a "moral union" with Adam? Covenant alone cannot be the ground of justice, because even covenants must morally conform to the greater framework of God's moral law. If a covenant stipulated that its members must blaspheme God daily, then it would be immoral to keep that covenant. Covenants are only moral insofar as they comply with God's moral law, and that law does not abdicate its authority in the presence of a covenant, as if anything specified by covenant is justly grounded in that covenant, regardless of whether it would be just in the greater moral framework of God's law. Specifically, if it is unjust in the greater moral framework of God's law to hold as guilty those who had no part in the crime other than to be--years or millennia in the future--physically propagated from the criminal, then it cannot be claimed to be just based only on the fact that a covenant was made which specified that they would share the legal standing of the progenitor who happened to be the covenant representative. If it is immoral outside of the covenant, then it is immoral regardless of any covenant.

 

Ken Hamrick 

@Tyler God, in wanting a covenantal union of men in Adam, created mankind in such a way that all men are propagated out of the substance of Adam--both the material and immaterial natures--such that all men had a germinal, spiritual existence in Adam and a participation in his sin. In this way, the justice of imputation is grounded in the creation, while the grace of covenantal reward would have been strictly a matter of special providence. However, even if God had not condescended to covenant with Adam, if Adam had remained righteous then his righteous state would have been passed on to his progeny in the same way that his sin was passed on. Often it's said that one cannot object to the imputed sin of Adam unless one also objects to the imputed righteousness of Christ. But notice that God was not content to reckon us with Christ's righteousness and leave it at that: rather, God also spiritually joins us to Christ by putting His Spirit within us in a union so intimate as to call us one new man in Him, so that we are crucified with Him and seated in heavenly places in Him. God's ways in this are very realistic, but we tend to ignore the realism and emphasize that God imputes based only on His will. And in the Trinity, we also ignore the realism and focus instead on the representation. But without realism, there could be no understanding of the Trinity. Three Persons in one substance is realism. Three Persons reckoned and treated as one substance would be nominalism. Although Vos appeals to the representation involved in the Trinity as archetypical of the representation involved in covenantal representation, it can only serve as archetype for realistic union.

 

Ken Hamrick 

The covenant union worked with the natural union as created. It could have stood without the natural union in the event that Adam passed the test, but it could not justly stand without it in the event that Adam failed. Gratuitous benefits, such as imputed righteousness or eternal life, are grace; but gratuitous condemnation can be nothing other than injustice. We do not earn God's salvation, but we did earn our condemnation as a race while, as Augustine said, "We all were that one man." Not only did we earn the condemnation, we also earned the depravity and spiritual death with which we are conceived.

 

Ken Hamrick 

Adam wasn't merely the representative of mankind, he was the root of mankind. And his sin was not conveyed merely by imputation, but his sin was conveyed by natural propagation. Adam wasn't merely a representative. He was a public person--a person who contained the whole public within him. What I'm advocating isn't something foreign to Reformed thinking. It's the root of Reformed thinking.

vantil101 

What is so helpful here by from Vos and from the WSC 12 is the distinction between nature and covenant. The covenant--and with it Adam's federal representation--accrues by virtue of an act of special providence. The covenantal probation and reward come by way of special revelation in the covenant of works. So also does representation. The terms of the covenant enshrine the ex pacto justice of God, so that the relation is not nominal or arbitrary. The natural relation is necessary for the representation; the covenantal relation is sufficient for representation. Thus, the "organic" or natural relation between Adam and his descendants is not the ground but the means to federal representation. Everything within the confessionally Reformed view hinges on that distinction and its outworking. To deny this is to fold the entirety of covenantal representation into creation and then either to deny the act of special providence altogether or to make it redundant in accounting for Adam's federal headship.

 

Me:

Vos: “Now it can certainly be said that Adam must have one nature with us if he were to be our covenant head and his sin were to be imputed to us. An angel, for example, could not represent us federally.”

Does Vos explain why would it be unjust for God to impute the sin of an angel to men?

vantil101 

Yes. Earlier on in the same section he engages in extensive discussion of that precise fact. The natural image of God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7) is the necessary condition for representation. Angels lack just that psycho-somatic image endowment.

 

Me:

Do you have a reference? I only have the kindle version.

vantil101 

My best advice for you is to read about 20 pages on either side of your own quotation. It will give you the context.

 

Me:

I don't see where Vos says anything about the image of God being the necessary condition for representation.

vantil101 

Image = natural relationship in the quotations above. 

 

Ken Hamrick 

I’ve read all of it. It seems circular. Man was made in God’s image. It is man’s nature to be in God’s image. Representation requires the natural relationship insofar as we are related to each other by our common nature in which we all are in the image of God.

 

Me:

Does Vos argue that angels have no natural relationship to God, though? The following statements suggest that they do have a natural relationship to God: 

Pg 290: 

"a) Adam by nature was obliged to obey God, without thereby having any right to a reward. 

b) God had created him mutable, and he also possessed no right to an immutable state. 

c) His natural relationship to God already included that he, if sinning, must be punished by God. 

d) All this was a natural relationship in which Adam stood." 

Pg. 592: …one must distinguish three kinds of relationships in which man stands to the law: 

"1. The natural relationship of a rational being. No due possession can be earned from God by this relationship. Even if a person in this relationship does all that is demanded from him, he is still an unprofitable servant [Luke 17:10]." 

Pg 1053: 

"[Good works] are also required by the natural relationship in which he, as a moral creature, stands toward God’s law."

Angels are rational beings, moral creatures, by nature obliged to obey God, punishable by sin, mutable, required to do good, etc. Do they not, then, stand in a natural relationship to Him?

Ken Hamrick 

“The terms of the covenant enshrine the ex pacto justice of God, so that the relation is not nominal or arbitrary.” If the union between Adam and mankind existed only in God’s mind, and not substantively within Adam himself, then the relation is nominal—regardless of assertions to the contrary. Is God’s justice according to truth? Truth is necessarily in accordance with reality. That which exists in God’s mind alone does not exist in reality. And if all men are reckoned by God as if all sinned when Adam sinned, but yet it is admitted that the souls of these men did not in any way exist in Adam or participate in his sin, then the so-called ex pacto justice is indeed an arbitrary act of sovereignty and not an act of justice—unless it is a justice “in name only” (nominal).

 

Ken Hamrick 

They don’t stand in a natural relationship to us, though.

 

Me:

Right. To be clear, I, like Vos, believe that: 

"…it can certainly be said that Adam must have one nature with us if he were to be our covenant head and his sin were to be imputed to us. An angel, for example, could not represent us federally." 

The reason I believe this, however, is because I think God’s only justly charges persons of sin if they participate in sin. Did we participate in angelic sin? No. In fact, we could not have participated in angelic sin for the reason you just mentioned and Vos (in the quote above) mentions. Therefore, it would be unjust to impute angelic sin to man. On the other hand, it was just of God to impute Adam’s sin to his posterity. Why? Because we can and did participate said sin. 

Our participation was not grounded in an arbitrary or nominal representative, as you say. In such a case, the question would be begged as to “why would it be unjust for God to impute the sin of an angel to men?” In fact, I think the foregoing conversation did beg this question… which is why I asked it! 

As it stands, then, the following answer to my question appears insufficient: “The natural image of God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7) is the necessary condition for representation.”

 

Ken Hamrick 

@vantil101 “The covenantal probation and reward come by way of special revelation in the covenant of works. So also does representation… The natural relation is necessary for the representation; the covenantal relation is sufficient for representation. Thus, the ‘organic’ or natural relation between Adam and his descendants is not the ground but the means to federal representation… To deny this is to fold the entirety of covenantal representation into creation and then either to deny the act of special providence altogether or to make it redundant in accounting for Adam's federal headship.” Is it true that the special act of providence added the Covenantal reward for obedience but added nothing to the penalty for disobedience? Ah! You will likely contend that the covenant alone caused the progeny to be included in the penalty. So the real bone of contention on this point is that traducianism & realism would make special providence “redundant in accounting for Adam’s federal headship.” But can’t you see how they work together? You know, when Covenant Theology first gained acceptance among Reformed, it was seen as complementary to the popular view of an Augustinian-Realistic participation of all men in Adam’s sin. They were seen as two sides of the same coin. When pressed about the justice of imputing only Adam’s first sin, they pleaded federal headship; and when pressed about the justification imputing Adam’s sin to those who supposedly had no part in it, they pleaded a realistic participation. And I think you will find if you look into it that even those who produced the WCF held that the imputed sin of Adam was to us a sin of participation rather than an alien sin.

 

vantil101 

The covenant of works includes dual sanctions of blessing and curse. Those sanctions are conveyed not by nature or natural revelation but by covenant or by special revelation. The sanctions are not concreated and natural to Adam by virtue of creation but specially revealed to him by virtue of an act of special providence. That is the interior logic of what WSC 12 and Vos are after. The natural relation established by special creation and the covenantal relation established by special providence--distinct yet simultaneous--are not two sides of the same coin but distinct aspects of God's creational relation to Adam in covenant. The natural simpliciter, while necessary, is not sufficient to account for the terms of probation, the advancement of Adam's estate, the sanctions of blessing or curse, or the imputation of guilt and transmission of corruption. The revelation of God's ex pacto justice in covenant that brings blessing or curse to Adam and his posterity is not a bare "different side" of the same natural coin. The federalism of WSC 12/WCF 7.1 and Vos is simply not the realism for which you advocate. 

 

Me:

I'm not sure if this response was meant to address what I wrote, what Ken wrote, or what both of us wrote. For my own clarification, may I ask if it would be unjust to impute sin to a non-participant in sin? 

“The natural simpliciter, while necessary, is not sufficient to account for… the imputation of guilt and transmission of corruption.” 

Why not? 

For example, if we can agree on that it would only be unjust to impute sin to a non-participant in sin, the only question would be: “how did we participate in Adam’s sin?” If traducianism is true, we bear a natural relationship to Adam not only biologically but also spiritually. In that case, I am struggling to see why “The natural simpliciter, while necessary, is not sufficient to account for… the imputation of guilt and transmission of corruption.”

 

Keith Hernandez 

I think the answer is, in short, because Adam is a federal/covenantal head, not an ontological head. He is the fount of humanity proceeding from him by ordinary generation. But as legal representative, his public position is federal and covenantal. As such imputation is the only proper mechanism for relating his guilt to others.

 

Me:

"Adam is a federal/covenantal head, not an ontological head." 

George P. Hutchinson discusses the question of natural and federal headship in his book, "The Problem of Original Sin in American Presbyterian Theology." There certainly appears to be room for debate about your assertion, especially if traducianism is true. That is, the above quote appears to 1) beg the question and 2) be a false dichotomy. 

"As such imputation is the only proper mechanism for relating his guilt to others." 

I don't think anyone is denying this, so I'm not sure what it has to do with the issue. The question is not whether sin is imputed but on what grounds it is imputed. On that note, may I ask you too if it would it be unjust to impute sin to a non-participant in sin?

 

paulhuang

If I may venture a question…if the imputation of Adam’s sin to us is based upon natural propagation, then how is it that we who are not related to Christ by natural propagation can be imputed with His righteousness?

 

Me:

Ken can answer for himself, of course, but if I may venture a relevant quote: 

"According to our understanding of the Scriptures, it was provided in the eternal covenant that the elect should be actually ingrafted into Christ by his Spirit, and their acceptance and justification is by virtue of this their actual union to him… Thus, the sin of Adam, and the righteousness of Christ are severally imputed to their seed, by virtue of the union, constituted in the one case by the principle of natural generation, and in the other, by ‘the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,’ the Holy Spirit, the principle of regeneration… 

If the imputation of Christ’s righteousness be founded in a real inbeing in him, wrought by the uniting power of his Spirit in regeneration,—if it is thus that we are brought within the provisions of the covenant of grace to our justification, it follows, (we will venture the word,) incontestably, that the imputation to us of Adam’s sin, is founded in a real inbeing in him, by natural generation, by virtue of which we come under the provisions of the covenant of works, to our condemnation. 

Samuel Baird (https://archive.org/details/rejoindertoprinc00bair/page/32/mode/2up?view=theater)

  

vantil101 

The responses Jim and I gave above keep us from the sorts of remedial departures from the federalism in the WCF and in Vos as found in Baird.

 

Brad Anderson

In our young men's group we have had many discussions about the fairness of Adam's sin being imputed to all people. But we have found consolation in the reverse flow dynamic of the imputation. The same dynamic whereupon the sins of one man transferred to all men, allows for the sins of all men to transfer to the one man Jesus. Maybe we have this wrong? But that's how I understand Romans 5. I enjoy reading these discussions and the beautiful precision that you brothers are laboring toward.

 

Me:

I believe Baird would take exception to this! Baird certainly argues that his realist position is represented by the WCF and the divines (e.g. pgs. 39-46; 463ff.; etc. in The Elohim Revealed). https://books.google.com/books?id=945HAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

vantil101 

Thanks, brother. Vos is as incisive as a dogmatic theologian as he is a biblical theologian. I think he is the best since Calvin. Blessings!

 

Me:

Thank you for the kind words! 

I think the symmetry between the two Adams and the grounds of our imputations, as presented by Baird (natural birth vs. spiritual rebirth), is not only beautiful but also accounts for how it is fair that we are charged guilty for Adam's sin. For given traducianism, we really participated in the sin, albeit in a different mode of being. 

I would also like to echo Vos as an excellent theologian, even if I differ with him on this point. I own his Biblical Theology, Pauline Eschatology, Eschatology of the Psalter, and Reformed Dogmatics and have profited tremendously from them. 

 

Keith Hernandez 

There were many in the Presbyterian church, more of the New School types, who denied the classically reformed position. The men at old Princeton, however, really did a good job defending the position.

Me:

I definitely appreciated George Hutchinson's breakdown of the various schools in his book. I too disagree with the New School. His book was quite helpful to my understanding Baird, Hodge, Murray, etc. 

The issue I have with Charles Hodge (Princeton) is his insistence that "imputation does not imply a participation of the criminality of the sin imputed." Even John Murray seems to demur from Hodge on this point (The Imputation of Adam's Sin pg. 88). Robert Landis in particular took Hodge to task on this aberration from the view of the Westminster divines in his book, The Doctrine of Original Sin (https://books.google.com/books?id=SX4rAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false).

Keith Hernandez 

And the position of the Westminster Standards is - far as I can tell - clearly that of the Federalist kind. I dont even think that is under serious dispute. "They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation." WLC: "Q. 22. Did all mankind fall in that first transgression? The covenant being made with Adam as a public person, not for himself only, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in that first transgression."

 

Me:

Absolutely. To be clear, Baird agrees with this. He just grounds federal headship in natural headship. See pages 309ff. in The Elohim Revealed: 

"Here, it is necessary to guard against overlooking the inseparable and essential relation which Adam’s natural headship sustains to his federal office; and at the same time to avoid confounding them together, in disregard of the important distinction which subsists between them… 

It is perfectly conceivable that Adam might have been so made as to be the natural head of the race, without being either its moral or federal head… 

But although it was thus possible for Adam to have been made merely the natural, or the natural and moral, head of the race, without being its federal head, - the reverse was impossible. In order that he should be their federal head, it was necessary that they should derive from him both their being and the moral attitude of their nature." 

Actually, Baird cites the language you quote as evidence for his position: "They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed..."

 

Me:

vantil101 

Jim, Strimple, Vos, and I addressed that kind of argument above. I am finished with the discussion. Just disagree fundamentally with Baird’s realism. And the arguments have been made. All the best.

 

Me:

Okay. Thank you for the conversation. If anyone else is interested in continuing to talk, I'm happy to do so. But I'll not try to monopolize the board.

 

Brad Anderson 

“If the imputation of Christ’s righteousness be founded in a real inbeing in him, wrought by the uniting power of his Spirit in regeneration,—if it is thus that we are brought within the provisions of the covenant of grace to our justification, it follows, (we will venture the word,) incontestably, that the imputation to us of Adam’s sin, is founded in a real inbeing in him, by natural generation, by virtue of which we come under the provisions of the covenant of works, to our condemnation.” 

I have been reading the context around Baird's statement above and he strikes me as emphasizing a mystical union with Christ over and against a legal standing in Christ. That's very concerning.

 

Me:

I believe he means to emphasize both. Take the following statements he makes: 

“...the righteousness in which we are justified is extrinsic and foreign to our nature. We were so far from being natively in its author, when he wrought it, that our native positive toward him is that of alienation and antagonism. And it is only by factitious means, - by renewing influences, superimposed upon our nature, - that we are brought into a relation of membership in him. The righteousness, therefore, of which we become possessed, by union with Christ, is not ours in any such sense as though we had a part in the merit of working it; but only, as the robe wrought by Christ and bestowed by his grace, covers the nakedness of all his members.” 

Surely, the legal standing of Christ is present. Baird goes on to note, however, that even Hodge grounds the legal standing in the mystical union: 

“Dr. Hodge denies any “mysterious oneness” between us and Adam, by which his sin is really and criminally ours. By parity of reasoning, a similar denial should be made in the case of Christ and his people. But, here, the professor takes the opposite position: - “To be in Christ Jesus signifies to be intimately united to him in the way in which the Scriptures teach us this union is effected, viz., by having his Spirit dwelling in us. The phrase is never expressive of a merely external or nominal union” [Hodge, a Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans]. Thus we are justified, not by Christ’s righteousness extrinsic to us and only nominally ours, but the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” – Rom. Viii. 1, 2. The power of the Spirit of Christ was the law or principle of holiness in him, the cause of the righteousness of the Mediator; and that Spirit, given to us, and uniting us to him, conveys a title in that righteousness thus wrought in him." (The Elohim Revealed, pgs. 430, 448)

 

Tyler 

The mystical union is not the basis on which I appear just before God but a gift that is extended to me from God’s justification. When one reasons otherwise, one constantly reasons secretly in a circle. If all the actions of grace following upon the mystical union become mine on the basis of this union, the question must still always be asked: On what basis do I share in the unio mystica with Christ Himself? If it is true that no grace can come to me on the basis of Christ’s merits as long as I am not in Christ, how is it ever possible that I would be implanted in Him? This implanting cannot occur on the basis of being in Christ, for it is precisely the implanting that effects being in Christ.

-Vos

 

Ken Hamrick 

The sin of Adam is actually immediately imputed to us at the moment that we all--within Adam--sinned. First, we sinned, becoming sinners in fact. Then, depravity and imputation of guilt were equal consequences. Our propagation from the substance of Adam means that we were involved and justly implicated in his sin due to a participation in his nature and being (as Baird calls it, "inbeing"). We were in Adam when he sinned, participating in it according to our mysterious, germinal (or "seminal") presence. On the Christ-side of the parallel, it is the opposite in a sense. We are guilty of Adam's sin because we were in him when he sinned, and subsequently born out him. But we are not born out of Christ; we are reborn into Him. We were not in Christ when He lived a humanly righteous life and suffered the wrath of God on the cross; but we are in Him now, and the Christ in us now brings all of His human experiences with Him when He is spiritually joined to us through the Holy Spirit. Just as the spiritual union of all of us in Adam identified us with Adam and implicated us in his sin, our new spiritual union with Christ identifies us with Him--so that it can now be said of us that we have been crucified with Him and seated in heavenly places in Him. We gain an ownership in the deeds of the Head to whom we are spiritually united as one man, whether Adam or Christ. As sinners, we stood in need of two human experiences in order to satisfy the law of God: 1) We need the experience of having lived a perfectly righteous life from cradle to grave; and 2) we need (as sinners) the experience of having endured the complete wrath of God against sin. Christ brings these two human experiences to the union when His Spirit is sent into our hearts. That's how His atoning death and righteousness are applied to us. Adam's sin was propagated to the many, but the many are being justified by union into the One. God did not merely impute righteousness--He put Christ in us! 

 

Me:

WLC Q. 66. What is that union which the elect have with Christ? 

A. The union which the elect have with Christ is the work of God’s grace, whereby they are spiritually and mystically, yet really and inseparably, joined to Christ as their head and husband; which is done in their effectual calling. 

This effectual calling logically precedes justification, not proceeds from it.

 

Ken Hamrick 

Are we saved strictly and only for our benefit? Are we not saved for the higher purpose of God's glory? Faith and regeneration are indeed needed for our salvation, but so are the atoning death of Christ and election itself; so if we cannot be saved without our faith and regeneration having first been purchased by the cross, then what purchased the benefits of Christ's atoning death and our election? God in the decree chose to save a people for Himself. He works out this decree in time by regenerating and bringing to faith whom He will. Without the cross, God could not save anyone; but with it, He is able to save anyone, since anyone who is joined to Christ will share in atoning death and in His righteousness.

 

Tyler 

The legal basis for all grace lies in being reckoned in Christ by the judgment of God. This actual relationship in the justice of God is reflected in the consciousness of the sinner when he believes, for by faith he acknowledges that there is no righteousness in himself, and that the righteousness by which he stands righteous before God is transmitted to him by imputation. Now as far as what is judicial is concerned, it could have remained at this. Without effecting a life-union between Christ and believers, God still could have transmitted His righteousness to them. Then, however, imputation would only appear in the consciousness. Grace would have only been revealed as grace to the consciousness, without its imprint having been stamped deeper into the life of the believer. Now, however, God acts otherwise. He does not stop with this acknowledgment in the consciousness that righteousness is transmitted and that, consequently, each gift of grace is given for Christ’s sake. To strengthen this impression, He also has all grace actually come from Christ and establishes a life-bond between the Mediator and believers. The legal fellowship reflects itself in a fellowship of destiny. All that the sinner receives flows from the living Christ. The result is that the sinner not only knows as an idea that he will receive everything for Christ’s sake but also experiences in life how everything comes from Christ. He is regenerated, justified, sanctified, glorified, but all this is in the closest bond with the Mediator.

 

Me:

"...the righteousness by which he stands righteous before God is transmitted to him by imputation... Without effecting a life-union between Christ and believers, God still could have transmitted His righteousness to them." 

This appears to be quite a stunning statement. Am I correct to understand that Vos thought that the God of truth could have viewed a sinner as righteous apart from life-union to Christ? 

What do you make of WLC 66 making the mystical union logically prior to justification?

Ken Hamrick 

Hodge and the men at old Princeton really did a good job of making out their position to be the only "classically reformed position." You would benefit from reading George P. Hutchinson's book, "The Problem of Original Sin in American Presbyterian Theology." The classically reformed position was not a Federalism scrubbed of Realism, but one that included a realistic understanding of a "sin of participation" in Adam. As Robert W. Landis, in "Original SIn," said, prior to the Princeton School's position, Adam's sin was imputed because it was ours, but Princeton saw that the sin is ours only because it was imputed.

 

Ken Hamrick 

George Fisher states, “The Augustinian and the Federal Theories of Original Sin Compared,” Discussions in History and Theology, (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1880):

The fundamental idea of the Augustinian theory is that of a participation on the part of the descendants of Adam in his first sin; in consequence of which they are born both guilty and morally depraved. The fundamental idea of the federal theory is that of a vicarious representation on the part of Adam, in virtue of a covenant between God and him, whereby the legal responsibility for his first sinful act is entailed upon all his descendants; participation being excluded, but the propriety of his appointment to this vicarious office being founded on our relation to him as the common father of men. The Augustino-federal or semi-federal theory is a combination of the two, the covenant relation of Adam being prominent, but participation being also, with more or less emphasis, asserted […] […]The federal doctrine is the offspring of the seventeenth century. In fact it may also be said of it, in the form in which it is now held, that it is the offspring of the eighteenth century; since, in the preceding age, the great majority of the theologians who adopted the theory of a covenant coupled with it the Augustinian principle. That is to say, they maintained the Augustino-federal or semi-federal doctrine as above defined.

Fisher understands the modern mistake:

The mistake of the modern defenders of imputation is in ignoring and denying the capital fact of a TRUE AND REAL PARTICIPATION IN ADAM’S SIN, which still formed the groundwork of the doctrine of original sin long after the federal theory came into vogue. They mistake history likewise, by ascribing their own purely federal view to the great body of Calvinistic theologians in the seventeenth century, who were Augustinians as well as federalists, holding to the second type of doctrine which we mentioned in the beginning–the Augustino-federal.

 

Ken Hamrick 

To abstract legal standing from ontological involvement in the crime is to abstract justice from truth. Was it necessary for there to be a real Adam in history? If God can justly reckon us to have been in a union with Adam which itself did not exist in substantial reality but only existed in God's mind, then He can justly reckon us to have been in union with an Adam who did not exist in reality but only in God's mind. Was it necessary for Christ to die for our sin? Could not God have merely reckoned Him to have suffered and died? No, God is a God of truth and a God of reality. He is not satisfied to merely reckon things as if they comport with His justice, but instead, He brings those things into being so that reality will satisfy His justice.

 

Ken Hamrick

@vantil101 I sincerely thank you for the discussion and for your patience. You and I agree on far more than we disagree. I have enjoyed many hours of your podcasts and teaching videos, and hope to enjoy many more. May God continue to bless this ministry!

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Now, for a few comments as an addendum:

1. I still have not been able to verify that the reason why Geerhardus Vos states it would be unjust for God to impute the sin of an angel to men is, as Dr. Tipton's asserts, that Vos "extensively discusses" that the "natural image of God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7) is the necessary condition for representation. Angels lack just that psycho-somatic image endowment." 

If anyone knows where Vos discusses this, please let me know, as I am quite interested in what "psycho-somatic image endowment" angels apparently lack. From recollection, the belief angels are not images of God is not a monolithic one amongst Reformed theologians.

2. In one comment, Dr. Tipton stated:

The natural relation established by special creation and the covenantal relation established by special providence--distinct yet simultaneous--are not two sides of the same coin but distinct aspects of God's creational relation to Adam in covenant. The natural simpliciter, while necessary, is not sufficient to account for the terms of probation, the advancement of Adam's estate, the sanctions of blessing or curse, or the imputation of guilt and transmission of corruption.

Initially, I was going to give a fuller response to the entirety of this comment. What I actually did - which was, I think, the correct approach, as it avoided getting bogged down in too much detail - was to self-edit and simply ask for the justification of one particular assertion:

For my own clarification, may I ask if it would be unjust to impute sin to a non-participant in sin? "The natural simpliciter, while necessary, is not sufficient to account for… the imputation of guilt and transmission of corruption." Why not?

In my opinion, neither he nor another commenter could justify this assertion without begging the question and posing a false dichotomy. For example, the comment that "Adam is a federal/covenantal head, not an ontological head" seems to be a false dichotomy. Adam does not have to be one or the other. 

Or, if the assertion was simply that Adam actually is not an ontological head (although he could have, in principle, been one), unfortunately, no argument was given as to why he is not an "ontological head" (if, by that, we are referring to traducianism). 

Now, while I think my approach was the correct one, as it focused on the implicit assumptions of the idea of what special providence entails, on the other hand, I will say that in my initial writeup, I was actually going to agree (at least for the sake of argument) that, in my mind, "the natural simpliciter, while necessary, is not sufficient to account for the terms of probation, the advancement of Adam's estate, the sanctions of blessing or curse..." That is, my primary pushback was against the inclusion of "the imputation of guilt and transmission of corruption" as something for which Adam's nature was merely necessary and not sufficient, not the other covenantal features mentioned. 

Thus, federal headship, while grounded in natural headship, does not completely collapse into it. For I, like them, would agree that certain facets of the covenant do not appear to follow by necessity from Adam's natural headship and relationship with us. That is, there appear to be facets of the covenant contingent on God's free choice.

For example, I don't personally see any reason why the probation must have included a command not to eat from a certain tree rather than, say, not to sleep on a certain island (e.g. C. S. Lewis's excellent book, Perelandra). Of course, God's command not to eat of a tree is certainly compatible with His nature. This is unlike, say, a divine command to commit idolatry, which I think is impossible. But I can see how certain commands might be the result of God's free choice.

Thus, as Dr. Tipton states, there does appear to be a natural relation established by special creation distinct from a covenantal relation established by special providence (the latter of which could have been otherwise in some respects, such as in the specifics of the probation).

This agreement is qualified by two points, though: 1) the covenantal relation is grounded in the natural relation such that any commandments God gives, judgments He makes, or truths He reveals would be consistent with His own nature and the nature of the reality He freely chose to create; 2) to argue that the reason the imputation of Adam's sin is just or even sufficiently possible is grounded in the [contingent features] of the covenantal relation over against the natural relation begs the question (as I pointed out) and calls into question whether there is a real participation and/or union with Adam corresponding to God's imputation and knowledge.

3. One area in which I think I can improve my apologetic for a realist understanding of original sin is to better my understanding of the historic context of the WCF and its authors. As I tend to find myself in these sorts of discussions with fairly strict confessionalists, mastering the historical theological background on this subject might help to persuade others that the realist view deserves a fair hearing (even if I think it already deserves a fair hearing on the merits of the arguments for it rather than its historical pedigree). 

An open question I have is whether something like Van Dixhoorn's The Minutes and Papers of the Westminster Assembly would have any relevant material on if, when the WCF was formulated, its authors discussed natural and federal headship, traducianism, etc. Baird and Landis themselves cite individual Reformers, the WCF, and its authors on the issue of participation in Adam's sin et al. - I would imagine that Shedd does too - but perhaps having a list of transcribed, primary source material also would be helpful in showing that the realist view deserves a fair hearing in contemporary Reformed discussions on original sin.

On the other hand, on some level, even the best Reformed theologians are fallible. All sides of the above discussion know our rule of faith is Scripture. In future discussions, then, I hope to see more interaction with questions regarding why Reformed theologians believed what they did. 

As an example, I notice that in his most recent podcast on Vos' Biblical Theology (link), Dr. Tipon and Camden Bucey make a passing allusion to the realist view of original sin, only to note that Vos rejected the position. Given that the topic of the podcast was Vos' view of the nativity of Christ - not original sin per se - I doubt that their mention of it was meant to suggest that a realist view of original sin necessarily implies that Christ would have had a sin nature passed to him. 

For example, paternal traducianism - in which the father's spirit is propagated to his offspring and through which the offspring is ultimately said to have participated in Adam's sin - is a species of realism about original sin which would avoid the suggestion that the virgin born Christ inherited a sin nature. Thus, I rather suppose the point of the passing comments by Dr. Tipton and Cameron Bucey was to disassociate someone like Vos from even having to entertain such a question as a traducian or realist about original sin might be asked about Jesus' human nature. That's fair enough. 

There are, however, other questions which someone who, as Vos indeed does, rejects the realist view should, at some point, answer. For example, I consider it unfortunate that the discord conversation seemed to fizzle out precisely at the point I was hoping to receive an answer about whether "Vos thought that the God of truth could have viewed a sinner as righteous apart from life-union to Christ." I would have found any response to this question illuminating and (potentially, depending on the answer) persuasive. I hope the cordial spirit of the discussion will enable more opportunities for such answers in the future.

Gordon Clark: [Gordon Clark Feels at Home on Lookout Mountain] (Covenant Courier)

1978. [Gordon Clark Feels at Home on Lookout Mountain]. Covenant Courier. Winter, pg. 3-4.

Round-faced and trim, he sits quietly at his office desk on the second floor of the Anna Emma Kresge Memorial Library.

"Laymen pick up ideas from newspapers, magazines, and books. They do not know the source of these ideas," he says.

"They absorb false, anti-Christian ideas without knowing it. A knowledge of philosophy makes them less gullible."

The man is Gordon Clark, emphasizing the importance of knowing philosophy. At 75, he is teaching it less but writing it as much as ever, and happy to be part of the Covenant College faculty.

It was over fifty years ago that Dr. Clark himself was a college student - then at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed his graduate and doctoral studies. H e well remembers his college years and the academic rigors lie went through.

All this has come to shape some definite opinions in his mind about the nature of an academic institution. He thinks college is a place to study, and his high standards make most students think that he is a little tougher than the average professor. His succinct answers (often in the form of another question) and dry wit have come to be the mark of his classes.

Dr. Clark has reason to expect high achievement from his students. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from college and later studied in the Sorbonne in Paris.

And so Dr. Clark spurs his students on to intellectual exercise. Objecting to the idea that there is something suspicious and dubious about the intellectual realm, he stresses the need for careful doctrine. “Non-doctrinal Christianity is the opposite of Christianity,” he says. Thus Dr. Clark resists the tendency to put the emotional over the intellectual.

That mistake has resulted in a lack of interest in philosophy classes, and Dr. Clark is the first to point in out. But he adds balance to the discussion: “Philosophy has never been popular. The Greeks didn’t like their philosophers. Plato was driven out, Socrates poisoned himself, and Aristotle got by because he was a friend of the emperor. I’ve never thought that it was possible to change things so as to make philosophy more popular,” he adds.

Still, Dr. Clark is satisfied with teaching it in the Covenant classroom. And while that is important to him and his students, it is his writing which absorbs the largest part of his time. Having authored at least 20 books and numerous, articles, he is currently working on books entitled A Commentary on Colossians and Philosophy of Language. The latter will be formulated in part next spring when he teaches a course by that title at Covenant.

What makes a good writer, according to Dr. Clark? "You should know the meaning of the words you use. Strict definitions, I believe, are a matter of primary importance," he says. "Too often authors use the same word at different points with two or three meanings, and the result is complete confusion."

The Westminster Shorter Catechism, on the other hand, which Dr. Clark loves, contains many strict definitions, he says. Students often hear reference to this catechism in his classes, and his reverence for the truth of it is obvious during his lectures.

As for Dr. Clark's own philosophy - what experts call "presuppositionalism" - it is gaining in popularity in some circles. "Conservative seminaries today are somewhat more favorable to this point of view than 30 or 40 year ago," he says.

"Presuppositionalism" is a term used to denote the necessity of indemonstrable axioms for any system. The Christian system takes. Holy Scriptures as its axiom and deduce its doctrinal theorem from them.

When Dr. Clark is done with his work for the day, there are other diversions which he enjoys. Playing a game of chess or sitting at an oil painting easeI are favorite recreations. His high reputation as a chess player has spread over the Covenant campus and it is such that few would challenge him to a match.

Painting interests have led to his enrolling in several art classes under covenant art professor Ed Kellogg. In pleasant weather students may see him on campus painting a landscape or panoramic mountain view.

The beauty of those mountain has impressed Dr. Clark. His home - situated on the west brow of Lookout Mountain - has provided comfortable living quarters with its sweeping view of the valley and Georgia mountain ranges. He appreciates their beauty but at the same time states firmly that he could live anywhere and be happy.

"It doesn't really matter where I live," he says. "South or north, there is not a lot of difference."

Covenant people are especially thankful that he chose Lookout Mountain for his home. For them, it makes a great deal of difference.

Gordon Clark: Transcriptions of Material from Photo Album

There are no transcriptions yet of following material that I've only seen in a photo album here, so the below aims to fill in that gap:

c. 1936 Letter to a friend.

Dear Friend:

This is to extend to you a personal and urgent invitation to attend an important meeting of Presbyterians at the Rennert Hotel, Saratoga and Liberty Streets, Baltimore, Md., on Friday, February 14th, at 8 P. M. The purpose of this meeting will be to inform Presbyterians of the great crisis that confronts the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and to plan to do something about it. The Rev. Charles J. Woodbridge, of The Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions, and Dr. J. Gresham Machen, of Westminster Theological Seminary, will be the speakers. This is a momentous occasion! You cannot afford to miss it. Bring all your Presbyterian friends with you. We are counting on your presence and yours prayers.

Yours for the Gospel, 

Gordon H. Clark

Elder, Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

c. 1940s. A Poem

610 Howard Steet

Wheaton, Ill.

Be still, my soul, and know thy God

His light and truth behold.

With calm content prepare thy mind

To hear his wisdom told.

 

Eradicate emotion bling

The heat of passion flee.

The Shadow of a mighty Rock

His mind shall be for thee.

 

He is the Way, the Truth, the Life

The Light of men is He.

Attend, my soul, and see that Light

His truth shall make thee free.

????. Science Contains No Truth (author unnamed and typewritten)

All knowledge that is acquired through the scientific method, in the final analysis, reduces to the measurement of the distance between two points. 

Since the distance between two points can Never be known exactly of perfectly, then the scientific method is unable to give truthful information. This means that all knowledge in the realm of science is at best uncertain. 

Absolute Truth can come only through Revelation. In this realm our object of faith is the omniscient God, and that faith itself is His gift to the believer.

Science gives us knowledge that is verifiable by temporal.

Revelation gives us knowledge that is unverifiable but eternal.

Gordon Clark: Aristotle's Ethics

1948. Aristotle’s Ethics. The Indianapolis Star. pg. 16.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Star:

A letter to the editor by Edwin T. Sandberg, chairman National Campaign for Federal Aid to Teachers, quotes Aristotle to support his argument for Federal aid. Aristotle also taught that "politics ordains which of the sciences should be studied in a state, and which each class of citizens should learn, and up to what point they should learn the," (Ethics, chapter one.)

This is exactly what is wrong with Federal aid to education. The United States will do well to avoid Aristotle and all other totalitarian leaders. There is too much social and political propaganda in the schools now. We don't want, I hope we don't want a system where the state ordains what courses are to be taught and up to what point they may be taught and which students may take which courses.

G. H. Clark

3429 Guilford Avenue.

Gordon Clark: Personal Diary (PCA Archives)

c. 1972. Personal Diary (PCA Archives)

[Ed. Note: the diary itself (written between 1972 and 1974) can be read here. Most of it is descriptive accounts of places he toured, including fragmentary facts or figures. The only full sentences which I judge reflect any philosophical or theological thought are below (pgs. 13-14), so those are the only ones I've chosen to transcribe.]

Sunday 13 [Aug 1972]

We stayed in our room until nearly 10 AM (local time = noon [?]) and then crossed the street to the Pentecostal Revival Center. It was a two hour service. Two guitars furnished the music for half a dozen songs. There were about six in the congregation plus ourselves. Some prayers or exclamations – repetition of phrases, many times just the name Jesus. The minister interrupted now and then with some remark. Then came the more particular petitions. There the minister prayed, though with some help. One child was sick and they put oil on a handkerchief and prayed. The minister’s wife would take it to the child and cure it. Several reports of healing. The sermon was on John 7:31-48. The minister would read a verse, give several irrelevant illustrations, chiefly on Christian morality – and it was not at all bad. He must have preached 45 minutes, using mainly his experiences in the construction business – obviously he received no salary from the congregation. No offering was taken. I spoke to him at the end and he said the people kept their gifts in the Bible. Which I did. Earlier he asked the visitors for a testimony and I gave part of [?] sermon. On the whole the service was better than I expected – only too long 10 AM to noon.

Personal Sermon Notes: December 2019-October 2021

A few years ago, I wrote a post about thinking generationally (link). In it, I mentioned that one idea for a long-term view of building up one's own family would be to write notes on sermons given each Sunday. In the long run, this could generate up to 1,000 or so pages of thoughts which could be shared or reflected upon by future generations in one's own family. It would give insight into who we are (or have been) as Christians and provide a source of encouragement, solidarity, understanding, resonation, comfort, joy, etc. for our descendants, regardless of their different experiences. I've finally transcribed sermon notes I wrote in my first journal, between December 2019 and October 2021. 

Should I be blessed with children or family members who read this: I am a fallible man, and my writings are often reflective of this. I pray that whatever you can glean from my thoughts which is good and biblical, you keep and treasure as a heritage; whatever is poor, criticize freely, even as I have in rereading some of what I've written here and elsewhere. As you read my thoughts, I hope you consider your own children and how to better our family for service in God's kingdom. Be always thankful, and remember our chief end. Soli Deo Gloria.

Hebrews 4

How do we enter rest? Belief. How do we fail to reach it? Unbelief. What does being “received” mean in vs. 6? Merely hearing the gospel or accepting it? Psalm 95 and the hardening of hearts in disobedience implies the former. Vs. 6 seems to imply the exodus era Jews heard the gospel. It also seems to imply belief is obedience. See vs. 2 for confirmation. v. 4 refers to the 7^th day as when God entered His rest. Whence a 1^st day Sabbath rest? The rest the exodus era Jews didn’t enter was not the type – for they observed the 7^th day Sabbath at times – but the rest to which this type pointed: Canaan (still a type) or Christ or heaven? v. 7 refers to a certain appointed day: “today.” When is today? When we hear His voice and good news. What is appointed on this day? That we enter the rest Joshua couldn’t give. Do we rest from our works only once a week now? Our rest is like God’s. What is God’s rest like? Cf. John 6:29. What does the Sabbath point to, Christ or heaven? What about Canaan?

 

Romans 10:1-4

“End” of the law – goal, purpose, sum, objective. Paul desired the salvation of his fellow Israelites and prayed for it. For they had a zeal, even a zeal for “God” (how? *), but not according to knowledge. Hosea (4:6) says people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Ignorance of God’s righteousness leads to a false way of pursuing righteousness – pursuing one’s own way (v. 3), not by faith (v. 32). Our faith is our knowledge of God’s righteousness by which we are saved. Faith and knowledge, far from being opposites, are tied together. But we must pray for this faith-knowledge to be given to unbelievers, for otherwise Christ will never be regarded by them as the end of the law of righteousness – His work its grounds of our justification – but rather they will regard themselves as the end of the law of righteousness. *Devoted, passionate, zealous, perhaps even for a righteous standing before “God” – of whom they were aware, even if they had damnable misconceptions about Him – but it was an ignorant zeal, without knowledge

 

Colossians 1:19-23

Reconciliation: we who were enemies of God, alienated from Him (in exile), hostile towards Him in mind and evil deeds, now are at peace with Him by faith which justifies us before our loving justifier/faith-giver. The fullness of deity dwelling in the incarnate Son who Himself has tabernacled among us, emptying Himself of His pre-incarnate glory in order to glorify us in His exaltation – is Jesus’ incarnation and exaltation an instance of the exodus motif? Jesus “tabernacled” among “us” by moving among us: God “with” us. Our bodies are “temples” of the Holy Spirit because no matter where we move, the Spirit permanently resides in us. As we are Christ’s body – He in us through His Spirit – as we move with God in us, Christ continues to tabernacle among “us.” Analogy between incarnation – Pentecost/indwelling? Are “all things” reconciled (1:20)? Has “every creature” heard the gospel proclamation? Present reconciliation bears a necessary relationship to future perseverance (1:22-23), although the causal relationship is from former to latter. We have been recreated as unshakeable foundations, houses of God who are constituents of God’s unshakeable kingdom (Heb 12). New creations always beget shaking of foundations. Only once we or other things (e.g. kingdoms) cannot be shaken any more can there be no more new creation following?

 

James 1:1-4

We (who) will experience trials (what) in our lives (where) when God (when) wishes to test our faith to produce (why) steadfastness in our response (how) of joy, to the perfection and completion of our faith in sanctification. We pray not just in God’s house but as God’s house, the working of His hands through the life of His Son’s salvific grace poured out through His Spirit. Just as His houses where He placed His name were persecuted in the OT. So we, His new creations, redeemed from slavery to be bodily temples for the Spirit, should expect persecution. Indeed, we sometimes are our own worst persecutors. We must be steadfast in using our tongues to keep the Lord’s name on our lips.

 

Luke 8:43-48

Haggai 2:12-13 holiness in garments does not proceed from the robes/garments/etc. of the OT priests. But uncleanness contaminates. In Leviticus 15, menstrual impurity contaminates whatever she touches and whoever likewise touches those same things. The significance is that in Luke 8, Jesus – the true high priest – can clean the unclean. He does not become contaminated by her as would have been the case in the OT. Her faith was such that she disregarded the OT application to the true high priest who can clean anyone. She touched the blue tassels which recalls the righteousness of God coming from the temple. She remembered the commandments about discharges but saw the flow of righteousness in Christ who fulfills the types and shadows. She who had no other hope – spending all her money on other possible remedies – had hope and faith in Christ. Jews were aware of the significance of “edges” (hair, fields, garments). She was able to explain “why” she touched them. Miracles are never done for the sake of miracles alone – they picture the gospel fulfillment. Christians should “touch untouchables” (Rodney Stark). Zechariah 8:23

 

Romans 10:5-13

The person who does the commandments shall live by them (Rom 10:5, Lev 18:5). But no one is, in fact, justified or living by the law (Gal 3:10-12, Deut. 27:26, James 2:10). Rather, we are justified by faith; we, the righteous, live by faith (Rom 10:6ff., Hab. 2:4). Only Christ earned righteousness and lived as a human by the law. The law is life-giving, but only if lived perfectly and until the righteousness is sealed by having passed a probative period of testing.

Why, then, did Moses preach a ministry of condemnation (2 Cor 3:9), a way of righteousness that we can only attain by keeping a covenant of works which we are naturally unable to keep (Rom 5, Eph 2), having fallen in Adam? To show what Christ needed to do for us whose mouths have been shut (Romans 3, 5, Gal 3).

Was there a typological level to what Moses preached and the nation of Israel as a new “Adam” accepted at the Sinai covenant? Not at an individual level, but just as Noah experienced an exodus from the old world to be a new Adam in a new land in which men fell again (Gen 9:21ff), did the Israelites experience an exodus through waters unto a new creation, being a new Adam, which fell? Or does any exodus experience already presuppose – as in our case – that the sinner[s] (excepting sinless Christ) can’t even typologically obey the covenant of works in principle?

 

Romans 10:14-21

Golden chain of conversion? Sent – preached – heard – called – believed? How can one have faith without hearing the word of Christ? Rhetorical? Or can a person believe without any of these questions being answered? Or if they can be answered, is Paul encouraging only because whatever answers that can be given are in the hands of God alone?

Distinction between call (10:12-14) and belief (10:14, 17)?

Hearing does not necessarily entail belief – necessary but insufficient conditions (silver chain; Rom 10:18ff)?

In particular, Gentiles are used to provoke Israel to jealousy, to understanding of an repentance in the true word of God – Christ. They forsook their priestly task to take the gospel to the nations, and Paul is using the “nevertheless” fact of Gentile conversion to call them back.

The chain of our witness should mirror Christ’s.

 

Genesis 1

In the beginning God declared the end: a new heavens and new earth (Is 46:11, Rev 21). And the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven to earth, was with form and fruitful, the radiance of the glory of God, and light was over the face of this city. And the Spirit of God hovered over the face of this city as the glory-cloud covering, the city’s temple.

 

Romans 11:1-10

Paul is proof there was a remnant of Jews who served God, believing the gospel of His Son. God “foreknew” (chose beforehand) the Jews to be His people – in type, a pattern foreshadowing the church – and it is these people whom Paul seeks to provoke to repentance through his ministry to the Gentiles. Further, God’s “choosing” of Israel as a type does not entail they are all also chosen as antitype, elect in His Son. Those who pursued salvation by works were not saved by grace, for the basis for election (or salvation or anything) cannot both be grace and works, antithetical principles. Grace itself is the basis for our being able to do good works proceed out of salvation (Phil 2:12-13). Those who reject this have a spirit of stupor, blind eyes, deaf ears, deformed bodies, etc. The story of Elijah (1 Kings 19) was a type of the scenario Paul described in Romans 11, as is David’s experience recounted in Psalm 69. In both cases, Elijah and David were being pursued, persecuted, for following God. The were chosen by grace. So too we can expect that same persecution in those circumstances – as Paul did too – if we are chosen by grace.

 

Servanthood

(Phil 2:5-8, Matt 20:25-28, John 12:12-15, Luke 22:27, John 6:38)

 

Romans 11:11-24

Israel fell so that salvation would come to the Gentiles, but in the future, Paul anticipated their “fulness.” Jealousy would provoke them, resurrecting them from the dead, so to speak – the apostles followed Jesus in their ministries, typologically. When will/did this occur? Meaning of v. 16?

Jesus is the root of the olive tree that came from the branches (physically) as so is naturally related to them, but it is He who supports us all (spiritually). God’s kindness is contingent (v. 22); is “you” singular or plural? Is it a reference to the Gentiles as a group or individuals? Seemingly plural – external vs. internal covenant community?

 

John 6:16-21

Separation from Jesus is darkness. His light now only illumines those who are united with Him. In Genesis, evening comes before morning, night before day. Likewise, the day of the Lord comes after the darkness of the old covenant and our sinful breaking of it. As light approaches the darkness in which we have loved living, it can be a terrifying feeling to have one’s formerly hidden sins brought to light. But Jesus tells us not to be afraid – He comes to us even in our doubt (cf. Matt 14:22-33) to save us from the pain and trials that are our own fault. His light shines in and on our darkness, and we are made new creations. People who wish for a personal vision of Jesus have probably not considered that such visitations are often fearful. The I Am had to assure His own disciples not to be afraid – the shepherd’s voice calmed the sheep. His voice in Scripture is all we should seek to be calm in today’s storms, present but passing troubles – the day of the Lord will come again when the light returns.

 

Exodus 1:1-14

Levi – Kohath – Amram – Aaron/Moses

Pharaoh knew Joseph – Pharaoh did not know Joseph

Israel being fruitful and multiplying as a whole is an indication that they are like a new Adam. In 4:22, Israel is called the Lord’s firstborn son, another indication.

But additionally, the typological escalation here shows in that they particularly prefigure the last Adam in the killing of Hebrew infants (Ex 1, Matt 2), the exodus from slavery (Exodus, John 8:32). Ironically, Israel (physical) becomes like the very Egypt (spiritual) from which Jesus and His disciples had to experience hardship/oppression that the Israelites had themselves experienced by Pharaoh (Matt 23), and now they were persecuting the true natural Son who was only trying to liberate them from the true slavery to sin the experienced. The Son is not only the true Israel but the true leader that Moses et al. typified and escalated.

 

Luke 24:36-47

Where do we find peace – if we have peace at all – if not in Jesus? In particular, the resurrected, in-the-flesh Jesus who conquered death and all worldly troubles, the firstfruits of the glory-harvest of all those united to him by the Spirit. Those who have been justified by the faith given to us by this Spirit have peace with the Father through Jesus and will ever have it (Romans 5:2, 8:30), for we who were enemies are now reconciled. Knowing therefore that we are exiles in this world – in it but not of it – we should not be anxious but rest in the knowledge that our home is coming. All of these things were and have been predicted by the prophets (e.g. Matt 26:24, Acts 26:22-23, 1 Pet 1:10-11, etc.). And just as Christ brought peace, we are to be imitators, conformed to His image, and proclaim and be witnesses of this peace and the means by which it is received. Our light will shine God’s glory, even as we have been enlightened by the Word-word unto full glory, peace, and rest.

 

Exodus 1:15-22

The midwives were righteous in their deception of Pharaoh (cf. Rahab’s righteous deception). Lying as such is not wrong, it seems, if one is turning the serpent’s lie against him. What does it really mean to “bear false witness against one’s neighbor”? Midwives were rewarded just as Rahab, Abraham (also deceiving a Pharaoh), etc. In a way Christ deceived the serpent in His death, which had the opposite effect of a serpent’s sting but rather was necessary for our salvation. Foreshadowed Jesus’ own life (Matt 2, Rev 12 – and ours? Who is God’s Son: Israel, Jesus, and us: redemptive history applies to us. But cf. 1 Pet 3:10) in which the wise men “tricked” Herod. When we obey God and fight against the persecution of the serpent[‘s agents], the dominion mandate/blessings are bestowed upon us. Have we evaluated in our own lives where Satan is trying to use fear against us, and are we resisting/ The midwives feared God. We are often placed in difficult circumstances to plunder God’s enemies, as Abraham (Gen 12) did during his personal exodus from Egypt. What’s our Egypt?

 

Exodus 2:1-10

Moses is like a new Noah – saved by an ark with pitch (Gen 6:14ff). His salvation is through an infant baptism just as Noah was saved by the Flood’s baptism. Moses was a Levite, and Levites guarded the tabernacle and temple (?), intercessors. Correspondence between ark and ark of the covenant (Ex 25:22)? Three story structure? What of the women? Are they, as saviors, alike to other people in redemptive history? Cf. she “hid” Moses 3 months, perhaps Pharaoh’s daughter was deceptive as well. Note: they were intercessors who deceived Pharaoh, indeed casting Moses into the Nile, but not as a death sentence but a hope of salvation (micro and macrocosmic divine response). Moses will likewise lead Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea baptism. He was indeed a “good” Son (Ex 2:2), beloved like Jesus (natural Son of God vs. Moses adopted by serpent figure’s daughter (false) god). Though Pharaoh decreed the Nile to be a river of death, it was for Moses and Israel a river of life – yet not in itself, but by God (Ex 7:14). 3 month’s resurrection (2:2), cross baptism and crying (Ex 2:6, Mark 15:33)?

 

Exodus 2:11-25

Moses’ initial life in Egypt is a type of his return: he strikes down the Egyptian to save the Jew, experiences an exodus from an angry Pharaoh, and deals with grumbling from his brothers as to his leadership (cf. Acts 7:23-29, Heb 11:23-27). Moses was afraid of his time as deliverer being eclipsed, so he withdrew from his oppressors and his unrecognizing countrymen just as Jesus did from His, for Moses’ time was not yet come. Stephen notes Moses knew his brothers – Hebrews says he was not afraid personally of Pharaoh, so he must have been afraid only of death before appointed time. That he was not personally scared but rather prudent is seen in the following narrative in which he saves a flock – again, as he would in the future – and meets his wife at a well, just as the patriarchs and Jesus Himself did (John 4). Once again, even here, his identity was mistaken (2:19), as Jesus’ was. Our suffering, faith, hope, and love for our brothers who mistake our identities unto an exodus to glory should be our pattern for life as well: deliver sheep by the gospel.

 

John 20:1-18

Where did the disciples go after vs 11? If Jesus appeared on the evening of the first day (vs. 19), did His resurrection reorder time from evening to morning to vice versa (same with Sabbath)? The tomb could be a picture of the holy of holies – just as the garden of Eden over which Adam presided as a priest of – keeping and guarding the corresponding tabernacle holy of holies – Jesus’ tomb in His garden, where He lay between two angel-cherubim, the antitypical mercy seat. He was thought to be a gardener, and His death-resurrection indeed makes Him firstfruits of the harvest of believers united to Him. This story matches John’s book of Revelation. Why weep? He will wipe away tears. Cling to the ascended Christ with whom we are raised and will descend as His bride upon a new Earth/Jerusalem. Mary’s recognition of the Lord on the first day is like John’s recognition on the Lord’s day. In Christ’s resurrection, we have come back to life from death.

 

Psalm 121

The psalmist looks to the hills for his help – toward the dwelling place of the Lord of all creation, on high (cf. Mt. Zion). He is our “keeper,” our security from heaven. This is the main point of the chapter, being referenced 6 times. He is never asleep on the job: our keeper is always [a]risen and watchful over us, protecting us both from any personal enemies or calamity possible from the very creation He made and is in complete control over. Where are our eyes: on Jesus or the seeming danger around us? Are we of little faith, sinking like Peter, or is our faith grounded on the Rock of Christ? Is He our mountain (eternal security: this time forth and forevermore), or do we look for protection elsewhere? The trials in our lives are there for a reason, intentionally put there by God to sanctify us in our dependency upon Him. That should spur us into wise, prayerful action – not rash arrogance, but humble, trusting work to love those around us however our talents enable us to do. And when our time comes to suffer unto death, we then can experience the glory of our keepers’ promise: well done, thou good and faithful servant. He works for us just as we work for Him.

 

Psalm 122

David was glad to go to Jerusalem, praying for the peace of those within its walls and towers – peace and security for his companions, those who love God. We should be glad and wish peace upon our mother, the antitypical Jerusalem (Gal 4), the true temple and dwelling place of God. The house of David and house of God is not merely a physical city, it is a people of God – God’s children, who are bound firmly together and whose good we seek. Further, there is an antitypical heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12), a city with beautiful gates (Rev 21) which both can refer to the people of God but also the most holy place into which Jesus as our high priest entered, and securing eternal redemption for us, sat at the right hand of the throne of His Father, ruling as judge over all creation. All things being under His feet, we who are united with Him as head to body are unmoved (Psalm 121) from this city already to which we have not yet come. We rule with Him (Eph 2) as priest-kings until all is brought to subjection under His feet (1 Cor 15). The church is the immune system of society.

 

Psalm 123

A continued song of ascent, by tradition sung as pilgrims traveled to mt Zion. Gives additional meaning to uplifted eyes to the Lord enthroned in the heavens. The temple to which they were ascending was like heaven on earth. Our songs and prayers ascend to God as incense offerings that move from the temple high to the heavenly throne and our Master. We look until He has mercy upon us – then what? Do we take our eyes off our God? Not insofar as we are then able to be merciful to others, directing our love toward fellow images of God. Likewise in our efforts to, as helpers of Christ – His bride – try to maintain His house (cosmic as well as anthropological - [As servants to our Master, we are also servants to and in the rest of His house.]), we must focus our attention to those ends as well, but only after through prayer-songs we receive mercy, for our own efforts will always fail us. Contempt and scorn of the proud and easy will never change apart from the mercy of God – our efforts are deservedly in vain apart from mercy (unmerited relief) descending upon us, God’s response to ascending prayer-songs. In humility we will be lifted up, suffering before glory, servants before kings.

 

Psalm 124

God’s people always experience opposition. While the metaphors of adversaries as raging waters and fowlers may refer to events in Israel’s history – the exodus, for example, from the serpent – Pharaoh and the Gentilic kingdom (Deut. 32:10-13, etc.) – and while the people of God on their way to Jerusalem would have just cause to recall these events in redemptive history as they sang this song of ascent, we too as people of God may also sing this as pilgrims on our way to heaven (Rev 12:13-17). Although the serpent pursues us and attempts to overwhelm us in a torrent of flood water, God has caught us up too on the eagle-wings on His Spirit to escape through our union in baptism with Christ. In the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit comes our help, and the serpent-fowler cannot touch us now that we can identify and call upon this name. We are not prey to his fangs, and the one who was cursed to eat dust will not be able to devour men who came from dust who have been renewed by the Spirit to be conformed to the image of Christ by the will and power of the Father.

 

Psalm 125

Believers are like Mt Zion in that we can’t be moved and abide forever (perseverance of the saints). Mt Zion by synecdoche refers to the temple, and we are now temples of the Holy Spirit, immovable, antitypical places in which the name of God dwells in our union with the Son who has, in His exaltation, received a name above all names. While the temple in Jerusalem fell, however, the mountain remains, and just as we are compared to this OT holy site, the Lord is compared to surrounding mountains, from this time forevermore. Mountains are covenantal (Eden, Ararat, Zion, Sinai, Olives, Carmel, etc.) – God surrounds us in His eternal, covenantal protection (God’s protection is communal, not just individual). The scepter of Judah, not wickedness, is the rule of life in our lives. Rest – land – Jesus: in Christ, we rest, dwell in life, and conform to His image of goodness, not wickedness. Our faith-trust works out good, and we are remade to be upright. Even so, in this life, we are being sanctified progressively who have been perfected for all time. Apart from union with the perfectly good Messiah, we could not be viewed as good or upright, could not have divine protection from divine justice, and would not have peace, but be led away from life (death) with evildoers.

 

Psalm 126

Restoration of Zion’s fortunes is commonly taken to refer to the Babylonian exile (Ezra as author?) but is applicable to all of God’s exiled people, including the present church (?). In what way are we who have access to the throne through Jesus exiles, if at all? If we are not exiles, how much more should we be joyous even in times of grief and sorrow? The consummation of new creation has not come, but it has never been present in the first place. At the same time, we collectively and individually can experience periods of drought in our lives (objective and subjective), but all things work together for our good. Any seeming drought in an objective sense may be groundwork for objective fruit: evangelism is never in vain, nor our witness as Christians. Out very tears may become the streams by which nations are healed, fruits reaped. Sorrow will precede laughter and joy by which others will know the Lord is with us. Our sorrow for the death of our Savior preceded the joy at His resurrection, the evidence God is among and has done great things for His whole church. What seemed a withdrawing drought was a necessary restorative act. So too in our individual lives, our trials which discipline or mature us are always providential, leading to greater glory among the joyous grieving/blessed people. “Fortunes” restored = “joy” restored (and/or salvation)?

 

Psalm 127

God must build “the house” of else all labors are in vain. What house? The temple towards which they were singingly ascending may be in view, but given the rest of the chapter and the revelation that we are new temples of the Holy Spirit in whom His name dwells, we are the house is also in view (1 Cor 3 and the material with which the temple was built: we are precious metals, etc.). Trinitarian: Jesus builds the house, the Holy Spirit dwells in the house, the Father watches over the house He has commissioned to His and their glory. [God alone is self (selves?) sufficient. The goodness and well-being of all else derives from Him (them?).] Therefore we can work and rest without anxiety, for the Trinity are all involved in building God’s house (His children adopted: us) within His house (His temple-creation). And as God so acts, we should regard ourselves as blessed in our lives where is follows the divine handiwork (John 1:1), such as when our work in building a “house” [and family] is successful. We as God’s children are the fruit-reward of His work of [new] creation, so too our children are divine rewards for our fruitful and blessed labors. Their lives speak in defense of ours, literally (vs 5) and metaphorically, for how we raise and discipline them will, God willing, result likewise as God’s disciplining us: in perseverance and good works. And as we build “our” family, we must remember the materials (people) we incorporate are ultimately God’s. Vs. 3 – what bread do we eat, anxious toil or rest in Christ?

 

Psalm 128

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of many things: knowledge, walking in God’s ways, blessing. The fruit of our labor – our blessing – is not just a reward in the afterlife but here on earth. Specifically, the blessing of a family. In Genesis, man was cursed to bring forth thorns and thistles, and the ground was explicitly cursed. Hence, sin has created a situation of unjust reaping of others’ labors. A return to God entails a reversal of the curse: a man who fears God now reaps the fruit of his own labors, with a wife like a fruitful vine and children like olive shoots – not thorns and thistles, but godly members of his family. So is the analogy and participation in blessing we see when a man leads his life and family into God’s archetypal family. Just as children are blessed to obey their parents and the wife is blessed to obey and submit to the heavenly Father and bridegroom Son who model in turn how the earthly husband is to love, lead, and sacrifice for his ectypal family. Finally, this blessing now comes from the true Mt Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem where Jesus is and we are in Him. We will see the prosperity in our children of the gospel through our fearful testimony. Was this blessing for Jews specifically that is now to be applied to us spiritually rather than earthly? Do not the Psalms even more fully apply to us such that we can see the deeper layers?

 

Psalm 129

Israel’s affliction from its youth both was foreshadowed in Israel-Jacob’s affliction by Esau (and Isaac?) and exile from them as the younger brother and also foreshadows the affliction the church experienced from its youth (and from their spiritual fathers, the Jews?) in Acts in its persecution by physical Israel and worldly powers. The nation of Israel is in immediate view here, and its affliction is the exodus from Egypt and return from Babylonian exile. Not the afflicters are eventually overcome like withering grass by the sun of righteousness. The sun can both scorch and cause growth. As Israel was being trampled on in oppression, God still watered and shone down upon His people. Ultimately, this points towards the blessing in the name of the Lord that His people experience as they overcome their trials in righteous maturity vs. the curses that the wicked both sow and reap, their fruit being thorns and thistles. His cord is cut. What of the cord of God’s people? When do these imprecations of the Psalmist take place? In God’s good time. We are united as God’s people, and our bonds are reinforced, no cut. True Zion has its true ruler by which it will overcome affliction: King Jesus. Praying for God’s kingdom come is an implicit imprecation. Pray for conversion 1^st, then God’s will ultimately.

 

Psalm 130

The songs of ascent are like the pilgrim’s progress: as they get closer to Jerusalem and Mt. Zion, they get closer to God, developing in their spiritual life. In this psalm, the psalmist recognizes his need for mercy, as his iniquities cast him into the very depths from which he was crying. But by God’s forgiveness, in His love He has enabled our ascent to His presence, redeeming us from our sins by His word of hope. And it Him – our Yahweh and God – to whom we must turn, for no one else can stand as we are all in the depths, all marked by iniquities in need of forgiveness. Our hope is truly in Yahweh our God – Christ Jesus. And as we cry out to Him in distress and receive forgiveness, we come to a realization of who He is, and why He ought to be feared. Who else is worthy of our fear? Who else is worthy of our hope? Therefore, even as we live now and await the second coming of the light – the true morning who dispels our darkness and judges the lovers of it – let us be watchful in fear and hope, knowing our Redeemer to whose presence we come in worship, in ascent, because He descended to the depths for us (Romans 10?). The watchman is confident morning will come.

 

Psalm 131

Threefold denial of pride in heart, eyes, and actions (no haughtiness or presumption). One whose life does involve these sins cannot calm and quiet their souls, for anxiety from rivals, competitors, or externalities in general, will occupy our thoughts only, unless we are content with what God has given us by His grace. We are, rather, like weaned children, satisfied, not easily disturbed when hungry, anxious, etc. When questions arise within us about God, do we say, “shhh”? We can be quieted without being quiet. We can ask questions without being presumptuous. Infants demand, make noises, etc. They have not learned trust. We know our safety in God’s care. We hope in the Lord alone always. It can be a struggle – we can way within ourselves about in whom we should be confident, or even forget to direct our heart, eyes, and actions to God. But we ought to remember, even as a child who forgets his place will often seek to make peace with the parents whom s/he has rebelled against. We have been born again into a lively hope. As new believers, it would be expected that we question things pertaining to our faith. But as we grow – not even unto maturity – but engage even the milk-doctrines of God’s word, we should have more assurance of God’s care and promises that once we have faith, we have peace: we just need to learn this in order to have psychological security.

 

Psalm 132

Quoted too in 2 Chr 6:41-42, Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple, this psalm pointed more clearly towards to Messiah following the exile. At the time of the singing of the psalms of ascent, however, the singer anticipated worship at the Lord’s footstool (ark-temple-earth; 1 Chr 28:2, Ez 43:7, Is 66:1), Christ is the true ark-temple-earth, our land of promise and means by which we bow at the feet of the Father. Where is the resting place of the Lord and His ark? Zion is His dwelling, where He consumed the sacrifices of Solomon pointing toward the true consummation-consumption of the true sacrifice of the true Solomon at the true Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. Jesus His Spirit built a spiritual and physical temple, being temples themselves (cf. perichoresis and our union with them). God rests in the heavens such that when the heavens descend on earth in Rev 21, such signifies God’s rest descending upon His people forever. The heavenly Jerusalem, our Mother (Hal 4, Heb 12) will have her (us) pour satisfied with the bread of life, her provisions (us?) blessed, her priests (us, royal priesthood) saved, and her saints (us) joyful. The horn of David sprouted first in Jerusalem below, then above, anointed by each baptism He experienced before His ministry in each. What lamp was prepared? Us, the present vehicles of His W/word. Concludes with Christ’s exaltation.

 

Psalm 133

Brother dwell in unity when the Trinity dwell in them and they are in the Trinity (John 17:21, Rom 8:9). We are only united as men and women by the greater Tri-unity. It is a telos of creation – it is good. Just as Aaron was anointed with precious oil that ran down his person, becoming high priest, our unity with the High Priest Christ comes by the anointing with the Spirit, and the resultant unity is a pleasant aroma to God (Rom 15, Eph 2). Christ’s prayers to the Father is always answered – He does not deny us unity, although its visible manifestation is yet to be revealed in its consummate form: one body, Spirit, hope, faith, baptism, God and Father. While one body, different members (1 Cor 12), but we are all priests in the High priest, sheep of the Shepherd (this is a clothing with Christ: He is the ground of our union with each other, the Spirit is the means). The Holy Spirit has washed over and renewed us, just as dew on the mountain of Zion (and we renew the world – water flowing from mountain to plains) - we’re the antitype of Mt Zion (Gal 4, Heb 12), the house of God (Heb 3). There is an already-not yet dimension here (Phil 2), so let us fellowship with and be hospitable towards each other, living out the 2^nd greatest commandment as well as the first, for we love Him and others because He first loved us (and His Word and Spirit).

 

Psalm 134

We must always bless the Lord – the final psalm of ascent contains the word “blessing” of the Lord (objectively and/or subjectively) in every verse. This is a picture of what will happen once we’ve ascended to Mt Zion truly. We will bless God and be blessed by Him. We will not only lift our hands to the holy place but as and in the holy place. The servants of the Lord are, by proxy, continually praising the Lord – through the priests/Levites in the OT and our elders in the NT – and we too are priests though we stand not continually by night in God’s house, for Christ has already sat down at His Father’s right hand, having already completed the sacrificial grounds for our atonement. And if we continue our worship of Him hay and night, we can expect blessing from the true Mt Zion, from He who made the heavens and earth. Just as the people ascended to the temple for worship, so too they could expect that as they left, they would be blessed in the temple-house of the Lord, His creation. The benediction we hear as we leave the house of God (assembly-church) is analogous to His parting blessing the Israelites received. As we are weekly called to a together-communion, He scatters us back to the world with bless (so only somewhat similar to the tower of Babel/Acts 2). We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing by His grace/light (Numb 6, Rom 8), which leads to peace. Does Christ’s sitting happen before or after His ascension? Our blessing is a praise, His is a promissory gift of His presence and favor.

 

1 John 1:1-4

In the beginning, God created by His Word, because the Word was with God and was God in the beginning. Any new creation entails a new beginning, and in fact it is an escalation rather than complete break from former epochs. God speaks His creation into being by His word, then renews man according to His word-revelation, then assumes humanity as the ultimate revelation of Himself as the beginning of a “new” creation that, far from breaking completely away from the old, redeems and perfects it: hence, a spiral (not cycle) of escalating and fulfilling of patterns in providentially designed history. The Son was hidden and God was a mystery before the incarnation of Christ, who is thereby manifest to us and reveals the Father through His Spirit. Christ is the door, way, and [eternal] life (inclusion between 1:2 and 5:20?). As we unit with Him in life, we both unit with the entire Trinity and those likewise united with Him. This is our grounds for fellowship with out fellow man. The life of the church depends on the life of the Trinity, and we are called to proclaim and celebrate this in joyful worship, prayer, and living testimony. Word: seen heard touched tasted smelled? Heb 6:5, John 1, 1 Pet 2:3, Ps 34:8, Eph 5:2, Gen 8:21. We imitate Christ in these sensible metaphors, literal (e.g. prayers = incense?)

 

John 3:16-21

The Father sent and gave His Son to save those who believe. Salvation presupposes something from which one is being saved: sin. Hence, those who reject the Son are already condemned, for they have rejected their only means of reconciling with God and will remain His enemies (Rom 5). The word Christ has spoken will judge them on the last day. And as He is the embodiment of the spoken word – the Word eternal – He will be our judge, the true light who will judge the darkness of the men who hid from the light by rejecting it, not wanting to forsake or expose their sin which condemns them (John 12, Eph 5). It is shameful when the darkness becomes so bold as to publicly try to overcome the light, which cannot happen (1 John 5) so long as we do not hide our light among men (Matt 5). As we will dwell in light as being enlightened at the end, those who remain in darkness cannot hope for salvation. Universalism is a false, unloving view. We must believe in Christ, His word, and His work, not our own. We cannot be good – be light – apart from the only one who is good, is light (John 1, Mark 10).

 

Psalm 119:1-8

God’s word is our rule of faith – it is thus lawful for us to believe and walk in its truth. For thus are we blameless and blessed, thus is how we seek God with our whole heart (and how else could we “learn” – vs. 7 – to obey the 1^st and, by implication, the 2^nd greatest commandment?). God’s commanded precepts deserve to be kept: not for salvation, but because God has already entered into covenant with those to whom His word-law comes (e.g. Adam, Israel). God’s word is “fixed” (Ecc. 12:11), so if we “fix” our eyes on it, we too shall be as it is: blameless, steadfast, without shamefulness, upright, righteous, without wrong. As these things, we, like God’s word, bring God praise. We become conformed to the image of the archetypal Word about whom the word speaks and testifies (not only archetypal vs ectypal knowledge but also archetypal vs ectypal life: metaphysics as well as epistemology). This eternal Word is Jesus Christ (John 1), the Lawgiver and Law of life. To walk in the law is to walk in the light, in Christ. God’s word is our means of knowing the content of what to believe and how to live, for its object is our grounds of living – the Word, Christ. Metaphysically, the union with the Word enables us to obey the word. Covenant precedes covenant keeping for the regenerate too. We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4-5). Thus: metaphysically, Word -> word. Epistemologically, word -> Word.

 

Psalm 119:9-16

God’s word is sufficient to, if we guard it, keep our way pure. How do we guard it? We must seek God, by grace not wandering from the commandments of God’s word. We must store the word in our hearts – our minds having learned them from the blessed Teacher. We must recite God’s word, His rules, not merely silently reflecting on it but confessing it publicly to apply it in our actual living. Those who do this will have every reason to delight in having oriented his whole person, body as well as soul, to God’s word, His precepts. For unlike physical wealth, our memory and possession of God’s word is riches that we do not lose when we share it but rather grow stronger in it. It brings wholeness and meaning, not hollow hoarding. It can make others rich by your own enrichment, for love is the sum of God’s laws. This is a gracious, not vicious, cycle, whereby our delight and joy leads us back to seeking God continually. Our faith thereby deepens, we become more mature and holy as we mortify sin in our lives, and we will not forget to whom we owe our riches: God and His word. And once we have guarded it, we can guard others by it too (Eph 6:17, Heb 4:12).

 

Psalm 119:17-24

God deals well with His servants, according to His law-word-promise. To those who rebel against His kingdom and kingship, they can expect affliction without end. For going astray of God’s good judgment, knowledge, and commandments – which only He can ultimately teach us by His word – leads to affliction, which ought to lead to our repentance and learning/application of God’s statutes (cf. Heb 12). Hence, divine affliction is good (v 71) for His children for whom all things work together for good (Rom 8). While others might regard our affliction as a judgment against us, it can be a means of sanctification, opportunity for testimony, and exhibition of maturity – for those who truly follow God’s precepts with their whole being. It is, if we have gone astray, a correcting discipline, and this indeed is good to those who understand this and do turn away from their sin towards God’s word and law, more precious than thousands of pieces of hold and silver (cf. Judas’s meager wages instant gratification that lead to ultimate death and affliction, unending – again, from God’s “mouth.” Whose word do we listen to, God’s or man’s? cf. v 43, Is 9. Only God’s word cannot be taken from us in troubling times). Our suffering is a share in the glory of Christ (1 Pet 4). Let us rightly discern which case or reason for affliction is present in the lives of ourselves and those around us, that we may know to be sympathetic to one’s martyrdom, light to darkness, or assured that we are or must be following God’s word and law. In all cases, let us not be as unfeeling fat, but good servants with full, not dull, hearts. Just as God’s word contains promises of blessing/curse, so do the sacraments, visible “Word” (Christ) and “water” (Spirit) – triple or double entendre metaphor in the Lord’s Supper? We eat the word as we heard it (cf. Scripture and Christ). Visible sacrament (compare Mark 14:10 to Ps 119:72, John 17:17, and 1 Pet 1:18-25) and the living Word, Christ.

 

Psalm 119: 25-32

Of ourselves, we choose the false ways, the ways to death – the dust, the old nature with which we were born (just as our bodies require animation/resurrection/divine breath of the Spirit to become alive). It is by God’s word that He breathes upon us just as He breathed the word itself out – both actions by His Spirit – that life is spoken and imparted (Gen 1, Rom 4, 2 Tim 3, 1 Cor 15). Life is “given”, we are “taught,” made to “understand,” “strengthened,” by God’s “word” and “law,” our heart “enlarged,” removed by God from “false ways” and “shame” – our life is by grace not our efforts. The contrast of “false ways” is God’s law, rules, testimonies, precepts. All God speaks is truth, even in commandment form, for God Himself is truth (not propositional, but the source of all [life]). Who is our council? Where do we find wisdom if not God’s word? By God’s grace, we choose (action, synergistic albeit caused) faith[fulness]. We must meditate on God’s works, of which His word in Scripture is the preeminent source of knowledge, for it is our means of salvation. Yet Abraham’s faith in God’s power to resurrect Isaac (Gen 22, Heb 11) was founded on God’s creative power (Rom 4). It was a reasonable faith (Rom 1). Life from dead ~ creation ex nihilo. Hence why we can know God through His [creative] work[s], the product of divine speech. He is truth, He is life (all else is ectypal) - the person of God as truth as archetype of His thought. False ~ death, truth ~ life. What happens when we disobey God’s life-giving word? Adam came from dust, and in his sin, we all must return to our “shameful” beginnings. New Creation comes from our new death – a shameful rather than a noble one (Gen 3). Adam and Eve trusted false council, as have we. Pray for grace.

 

Psalm 119:33-40

God’s law, to be kept and observed, must be taught and understood, both of which require God’s initiatory and sustaining grace and leadership. Obeying God’s law is a reward in itself, so we should delight to follow it rather than our own selfish desires, and to do so with our own, whole-hearted person-heart. But God must teach, give, incline, lead, confirm, turn away… only then may we look towards divine life and participate in it through God’s promises and look away from worthless idolatrous, reproachful paths. Our life is given to us – physically and spiritually – by our Father. Choosing to break away from God’s precepts to our own path has led back to death, a de-creation of our own making. We must now be newly created in life, and those who are now, united to a righteous God, will naturally begin to seek to live righteously themselves. We cannot follow God’s law until we are given life in righteousness. God’s grace alone can set us on a path that is not dreadful, dead. Life is in “your” (God’s) ways, not our own. Life is in “your” righteousness, not our own. But once this life is given, the path we then follow, we will keep to the end – persevering because preserved by grace. Hence, our conformity to God’s holy image is a reward in itself, our “end purpose.” Eyes are the instrument that focuses the head that turns the body. Who is our head? That will determine whether we see light (Christ) or darkness (ourselves). Likewise with our speech and hearing and tasting and smelling and touching (as a result, at least). We imitate, not invent, unless it is to our destruction.

 

Psalm 119:41-48

Our salvation according to God’s promise, the evidence of His steadfast, covenantal love for us, is our answer to taunters or mockers (for His glory through our testimony). Our humility about our sinfulness and need for a savior, our trust – not in ourselves – but in God’s word, is what can silence others’ arguments. For we who follow and set our hope in God’s rules, because they include meditation of God’s statutes, delight in them, uplifted hands in respect for them and worship of Him, and seeking of them, it is right to request that the word of truth – God’s word – out of our mouth (cf. vs 142 and 151). Focus on God’s word of truth and law and promise is a gracious circle: it allows us to keep God’s law continually, forever and ever, for it begets further hope, truth, meditation, and action and confession from our mouths about it. This is what enables anyone to speak even before kings about God’s testimonies without being ashamed. We must start this in our lives, and as we grow in opportunities to testify of God’s love and salvation before more and more people in greater contexts, we will be able, with boldness yet humility, to proclaim God’s glorious excellencies. But any “I will/shall” stem from God’s love and salvation – His unconditional grace – for only then are we free, liberated to “walk in a wide place” without condemnation.

 

Psalm 119:49-56

We servants hope in the word of promise from our Master and petition Him to remember it, for our comfort in the face of affliction, derision, and wickedness is that we have life through the promise. Therefore, whereas others forsake the law – and we are right to be indignant against this – we keep the law, do not turn from it: these, the rules from of old (the Pentateuch). Just as we ask God to remember us, we remember Him, blessing His name at night in worshipping Him through singing His statutes. Hence, our obedience is also our joy, comfort, and reminder to ourselves that in God’s house we sojourn with Him as His guest (Ps 39:12), and blessing has fallen from God’s hand in heaven to us on earth to keep His precepts, to be faithful servants who return God’s blessings to us by blessing Him in worshipful singing of the very commandments He gives us grace to cheerfully obey. His remembrance and blessing leads to our own, and thusly glory is returned to the glorious, in God’s glorifying us in perfect conformity to His [Son’s] image. Resurrecting us from the dead, we are continually revived by God’s law-word as we must live among the dead, wicked me who willfully transgress the law, as we once did. From morning (v. 147) to night, our salvation/life comes from God’s word, which is why it’s our hope (Heb 6:13-20). Let us therefore defend this word of our Master in the face of any attacks from the wicket with righteous zeal/holy indignation/tearful desire/wise anger/fervent determination (Eph 5:15-21).

 

Psalm 119:57-64

The head directs the body. As our thoughts go, so do our actions. As our head goes – first or last Adam – so does ourselves. Christ move His body – we members – to do good works, at all times, in all circumstances. “The Lord is my portion” is spoken by exiles: by we who are sojourners on earth, by the Levites who were allotted no land, by the exilic Jews who were cut off from their land-inheritance. Our chief inheritance is God Himself. This is by choice (Ps 16:5) as well as by decree. God’s grace has favored us according to His promise He enabled us to believe and by which we can return promises of faithfulness to Him. His love enabled ours, which we exhibit by following His commands. His promises enable ours, which we exhibit by not only thinking them but also directing our body to fulfilling them. We must entreat God’s favor with all our hearts (cf. 1^st commandment), not least because wicked men try to ensnare us with their cards. We must for that reason be all the more hasty to obey God, else our thoughts and actions turn towards wickedness (cf. Joseph and Potiphar’s wife). We must endeavor to keep company with God-fearers (localism, hospitality, and community towards unbelievers becomes easier when among believers). Midnight = thieves’ time, we are awake and praising God, our protector, our inheritance. His love is throughout His house-creation, earth. May we follow God’s thoughts/actions analogously. To this end, we must learn God’s statutes to follow them. Our church members are our companions – in good and bad times, rejoicing, mourning, etc. with them. Do we have that hospitality, depth of relationships, intimacy, love for one another? Having the Lord as our inheritance means having those who belong to Him as our inheritance as well (hence, union means 1^st commandment entails the second).

 

Psalm 119:65-72

God deals well with his servants, according to His law-word-promise. To those who rebel against His kingdom and kingship, they can expect affliction without end. For going astray of God’s good judgment, knowledge, and commandments – which only He can ultimately teach us by His word – leads to affliction, which ought to lead to our repentance and learning/application of God’s statutes (Heb 12). Hence, divine affliction is good (v 71), for all things work together for the good of His children (Rom 8). While others might regard our affliction as a judgment against us, it can be a means of sanctification, opportunity for testimony, and exhibition of moral maturity – for those who truly follow God’s precepts with their whole being (John 17:17). It is, if we have gone astray, a correcting discipline, and this indeed is good to those who understand this and do turn away from their sin towards God’s word and law, more precious than thousands of pieces of gold and silver (cf. Judas’ meager wages that led to death; this is what sin is – meager wages of instant gratification that lead to ultimate death and affliction, unending; 1 Peter 1:18-25 and the living word, Christ; again, from God’s “mouth” – who do we listen to, man or God? Cf. vs 43, Isaiah 9). Our suffering is a share in the glory of Christ (1 Pet 4). Let us rightly discern which case or reason for affliction is present in the lives of ourselves and those around us, that we may know whether to be sympathetic in one’s martyrdom, light to darkness, or assured that we are or must follow God’s word and law. In all cases, let us not be as unfeeling fat, but good servants with full, not dull, hearts. God as God’s word contains promises of blessing/cursing, so does the sacraments, visible (word/Word) and water (Spirit) – triple entendre, depending on the metaphor, in the Lord’s supper? We eat the word as we heard it (cf. Scripture and Christ). Visible sacrament (compare Mark 14:10 to Psalm 119:72). Only God’s word cannot be taken from us in troubling times

 

Psalm 119:73-80

Those who are afflicted in the Lord remember it is because God is faithful. God’s hands made us – through affliction, He remakes us after His own image. In all times, we should look to the promises of God in hope – such a testimony will cause our brothers/sisters to rejoice and, like us, look to understand and apply the law and rule of our righteous God to our lives. We need God’s mercy to live; only then can we delight in God’s law. We need God to help us understand His precepts; only then can we meditate on them, apply them, and teach them to others. We need God’s love to be comforted; only then can we withstand the insolent who wrong us, knowing that because we are blameless with respect to God’s law (whereas the insolent are not), it is they, not we, who will be put to shame. Their nakedness in their sin leads to a shameful end. Our clothing in Christ leads us to a glorious end, even if we must suffer in affliction for a time, just as Christ did for us. Not only personally, but also corporately – affliction by the virus does not prevent we, Christ’s body, from assembling for worship in according with and delight in God’s law. The world watches our testimony, and they, not we, are put to shame, whereas our fellow believers rejoice in our hope in God. And because we are comforted in our affliction, we can comfort others when they are (1 Cor 1:3-7). The Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s promises, intercedes for us, and loves us. Pray for God to reveal and expose their true character. Exposure to the light is the only way they may turn from darkness. The Psalmist looks for their judgment but grace is given opportunity.

 

Psalm 119:81-88

Sermon comforted Christella before her surgery*. Prayer requires submission to the will of God: waiting for deliverance, helping in His word, trusting in His promises. We must wait for salvation from the Lord, and in these times of trials in which we are damaged as smoke against a wineskin, we can only hope in God’s word, His promise that brings comfort in its fulfillment. Thus, we must nevertheless remember His statutes while we await deliverance – even temporal deliverance. We endure persecution and cannot look to any other than God. Indeed, others are as pits compared to the Lord who lifts us up. The OT stories are full of God’s servants experiencing the pits of men vs the resurrection of God unto life in obedience to His law. And in our obedience to these sure commandments, we know God is working as we wait for Him to work. He is not inactive. He will take care of the persecutors, no matter how far they pursue us. We do not forget God, not He forget us. His love is steadfast, and it gives us life and the time of our need in order to preserve us in our continued keeping of His precepts and testimonies. Yes, we must wait, and we must be steadfast/firm in our faithfulness as imitators of our God. So we hope in Him and His unfailing/infallible/unerring word (contrast to the falsehoods of men). It endures to vindicate us. And we, like Sarah, who doubted but eventually trusted (Heb 11), and as she trusted God’s testimony and word, no doubt she became God’s testimony/word in pattern-participation. Even Jesus submitted to His Father - so must we do. Amen.

 

Psalm 119:89-96

God’s word is eternal and heavenly (cf. vs 88; where did the Psalmist receive life, hope? The mouth of God who is in heaven). They are fixed, immutable (cf. Ecc. 12). It is the ground of His faithfulness, endurance, standing fast for all generations of the earth over which He reigns from heaven. God’s election appoints generations to stand firm upon the earth which, by His word, itself stands fast (created and sustains, it stands by God’s word). All things God has created are for the good of His servants. He appoints from heaven all things on earth together for our good. This sure word is our lifeline and delight. Our affliction is meaningless and leads to demise apart from God’s law. Hence, we cannot forget His precepts. To disobey would be to turn form the very word by which we received life. But we who seek to obey – who remember these commandments – have every reason to trust that God will save us from those who would make an end of us. While the wicked would wait to destroy us, if we hold fast to the steadfast love of God in His word that stands fast on the earth as it does in heaven – considering God’s testimonies rather than capitulating to His enemies – God will not forget us but remember us. God’s word is trustworthy because it is supreme, powerful, and perfect. All else is limited in its perfection – too narrow to give us refuge from our enemies (cf. Psalm 18:19 and the “broadness” of the promised land). But the word of God is sufficient for every good work. Just as the Lord is faithful in His word, He is faithful to His Word (Christ) and words (us). The word increases, endures, does not return void, is broad, is fruitful – this is His church, the image of the Word. We are ourselves limited in perfection but are perfected in Christ (Heb 10:14). Just as Jesus gave sight to the blind (light vs darkness), He gives speech to the dumb (Word in silence), so too are we in Him -> Rev 19:9 and 13 (double entendre).

 

Psalm 119:97-104

Why do we love the word of God? It makes us wiser than our enemies, for it is our meditation all the day, ever with us. It gives us more understanding than our teachers or the aged as we keep its precepts, avoiding evil paths. The Lord Himself is our teacher by whom we stay true to His rules, get understanding, hate false ways. He has taught us to (causative vs persuasive, although both are important as grounds and instruments. Therefore, God’s words are sweeter than honey to our mouths. And just as the true light and word has nourished us, bringing us to a promised land flowing with milk and honey – saturated with God’s word – so too we, through our gracious words, speak sweetness (fragrance) to the soul and health to the body like sweet honeycombs (Prov 16:24). As the Lord is the source of sight/hearing, so too He is the sources of taste (Gen 1:11-12, 28-29, 2:16-17). Let us not be blind, deaf, mute, “ageusia.” Bread and wine, milk and honey, fruit, water, meat, fish, etc. The word is our food and drink, for it is truth. This truth is loving, eternal, and empowers us to obedience against falsehoods, immorality. We shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Deut. 8:3, John 4: 13-14, 34). Do our mouths nourish others? Is our speech seasoned with grace or not? Is our speech seasoned with grace or rot? Clothes, smell, house, etc. – all things find their analogue in God or in falsehood. Eternal life is to know the Trinity – we only know them by Scripture (John 17:3, 17). They reveal the revelation (cf. book, title, another Johannine double entendre? Who authored Rev, John or Jesus?). Only God’s word can satisfy our souls as well as bodies, for it redeems both as new creations.

 

Psalm 119:105-112

The Christian life is like a walk (Rom 6, 1 John 1). To walk rightly, we need light. The word of God – Christ and Scripture, which testifies of Him – is this light. Darkness is sin or ignorance of chaos. Light brings purity, knowledge, order. As we walk in the light, it will (or should) be noticeable to those who are in darkness, as light attracts looks if not feet. As we are lights to others, we too reveal the Lord and are called His true words (Rev 19). That opens us up to be targets, which is why our walk isn’t risk-free. But it is life, not death, that we have been given by God’s word, both in a heavenly and earthly context. His oath-promise is our font of life. As we walk in light, we are protected insofar as we walk in God. Our union with Him entails our protection even in affliction, for all things work together for our good insofar as all things work together for God’s good ends (we are united to Him, so what is good for Him is good for us). Union in life thus begets union in walk and public, manifested life, not just our invisible salvation. We voluntarily praise God and do not stray from the rules He teaches us, for His testimonies are our heritage and joy. They are our possession (Deut 33:4), just as God possess us and we are His heritage and joy (Prov 11:20, Deut 28:63, 30:9). Just as we make marriage and church vows yet sometimes fail, we depend on God’s grace to be our strength as we vow to perform these statutes forever. Our oaths are not covenantal prerequisites, however, for all our salvation is by grace, even its synergistic conditions]. Is praise, prayers, worship always intellectual? Do we not trust in God as we sleep? Just as the land allocated to the Israelites in the promised land was their heritage from God, God’s word and rules are given us freely. Celebrate! The church vows chastity although it subjectively sins + objectively is clean in Christ at the consummation (Rev 21) alone.

 

Psalm 119:113-120

Hate the double-minded (people, not just behavior) – those not rooted in God’s word. Love God’s law – God’s word. Stark contrast. This love leads us to view God’s word with hope, in that it tells us God Himself is our shield and hiding place, our refuge and deliverer. We spurn evildoers (Compare Joseph to Adam/Eve. What about Satan? From whom should he have departed? Whole situation led to his temptation) in order to keep God’s commandment-word, just as God spurns those who go astray from His statutes-word. We too must pray for God to hold us up continually to even have regard for these laws, in order to be safe from God’s fearful judgments against which we will tremble if not found in Christ. It is God’s promise which upholds us in life (blessing); the hope of eternal life over eternal death-judgment, this prevents us from being put to shame (the word of God promises it, and all the cunning of God’s intentional enemies – “evildoers” – cannot cause God to spurn us who are found in Christ, who paid for our sins). Whereas we are refined through fiery trials unto maturity like silver (Prov 2:3-5), the wicked are like the dross God takes away from the silver by spurring them. Dross is the wasted metal as it is smelted. The fiery trials are failed by the wicked and they are cast off, left to their reprobate minds. James 1 speaks of what our and God’s hatred looks like – withdrawal of presence. These people will not receive anything from the Lord (1 Cor 4:7 vs James 1:5-8, cf. Rom 8:28). God is omnipresent, but divine hiddenness is a real struggle (our perception of God’s presence) even to Christians like the Psalmist. Yet God helps His people, whereas He will not help the wicked. Indeed, at some point, separation for a season can be the most loving thing we do, hoping it leads a person to repentance (2 John 10). When we are tested, that will show on what side of the spiritual war we all wage that we fall on. For whom are we doing battle (hence, “enemies”)?

 

Psalm 119:121-128

As a good and faithful servant – found in the true Servant who suffered for us and was ultimately vindicated (Is 53, Matt 12; cf. passages in earlier entry) – we too should expect divine justice and vindication upon our behalf against our oppressors, so long as we are acting justly and rightly. Affliction comes from but is also taken away by God, so we should look to Him for temporal as well as eternal salvation. His promise and love is extensive, and our gospel redemption is a pattern for the rest of our lives: bondage then freedom, exile then [re]entry (cf. Joseph, Jacob, Israel at large). Our pledge of good is the Comforter, the Spirit, and Christ, the only Mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5, Heb 8-9). Only as servants can we ask for God’s help: His love, justice, salvation, promise, teaching, etc. God’s precepts are right and testimonies can be known – they are true – propositional and opposed to false ways. How valuable are the ethics of our Master, who uses them to teach us patience, endurance, expectation, reliance, and satisfaction in God’s sufficiency. Knowing how to live in peace is of far more worth than fine gold. Even while injustices occur, we may rest in the comfort and knowledge that the Lord, our Yahweh, will act to save His people. Where His law is broken, justice will occur – either through the payment of Christ or retribution against His enemies. We may not see the act, although we should expect it in certain circumstances: when His law is broken. All lawbreaking receives a reckoning. We should pray for divine action. Compare Psalm 101:3 to Psalm 119:127 – what is worthy? God’s law. What is worthless? All others and their paths. Surround ourselves by fellow servants who do God’s law. One cannot serve 2 masters. Serve God, hate false ways (have nothing to do with them).

 

Psalm 119:129-136

God’s word is miraculous, wondrous. In a hyperbolic society, we can easily lose sight of how incomparably great is His word, and how desirous we should be to hear, learn, know, understand, and live it (cf. vs 131). From God’s mouth, we should open our mouths to receive His revelation and delight in keeping them, sorrowful and tearful when people don’t. Indeed, we need continual redemption from oppressors who would prevent us from keeping God’s law-word (cf. grace and mercy in 25:16, 69:16). God must turn to me (repent of His judgment against me?) by His loving envelope-mental choice [or affliction] for me to be found and brought in union with His righteousness-giving, life-giving Son, who is the true light, in order for us to love His name in the first place. He must shine His face upon us, open our mouths, as babes who have been birthed from a dark, void, barren womb and must be fed His statutes and promises steadfastly, let we lose our footing and slip back into the dominion of iniquity. And as the Lord shines His face upon us through the light of His word – as it is unfolded before us – we become lights, revelations whose lives before others can be unfolded before them, that they too might be birthed from darkness to light, through the Spirit. Even the simple may understand its perspicuous message. God’s enemies hate His word; therefore, the hate us, His words. Our panting is a sign of thirst. As the deer pants for water so our soul long after God and the water of His word, eternally satisfying. Indeed, God’s perfect Torah-word-law can instruct the simple to make them wise (cf. Ps. 19:7). The unfolding can refer to both the word being opened, read, and learned (light in) or to our living the law-word before others (light out). Revelation in becomes revelation out, since we becomes lights by revelation.

 

Psalm 119:137-144

Because the Lord is righteous, His rules are righteous. Nothing about His actions are inconsistent nor arbitrary. He may or may not have a reason for creating rather than not (such reasons themselves would not be necessitated), but insofar as God must will something and did, in fact, will to create, it was not arbitrary for Him to create. His righteousness is righteous forever and law is true; there never was a time when God was not righteous. His attributes are not results of will but rather direct His will. Picking attributes would deny divine simplicity (which is fine) but imply progressive, process theology (which is not), for then God’s faithfulness could change (which can’t). God’s character is important: His word must be true, and He must be as He says He is, or else the denial of this metaphysic undermines our epistemological assurance in His word. But God’s promises to us are well tried (Ps 12:6), and we love them. We can trust then, even in times of trouble or anguish. We mustn’t forget His law but rather delight in it, lest we become like our enemies. These enemies forget God’s words – they therefore forget us even though we are zealous. In our zeal, we must request in prayer understanding from God that we may live, and this life we receive will enable us to be words of God who reveal Him to others, giving life to them according to God’s will, grace, and Spirit. Let us live and worship that any who forget God’s words are without excuse. Pray for our enemies. Take the gospel to them in knowledge and action. God is just and righteous because He punished Christ, who bears the penalty for those who believe in Him. We can know God’s law because it is true (even its commands or rules). By knowing it in Christ, we can live. When people abuse God’s word, don’t return insult for insult, but have holy zeal, righteous anger, and trust in the God who converts to vindicate you, if you don’t sin. Small and despised, nevertheless let us remember what we deserved from God – live by God’s law, not by man’s praise, for He saved us.

 

Psalm 119:145-152

The essence of an effective prayer is to pray wholeheartedly. That sort of cry will receive an answer from the Lord – salvation and help, unexpected as the form of that answer may be. This cry for help is for salvation here on earth. The Psalmist already hopes in God’s words, the foundation of the promises of divine protection and nearness, presence which can dispel evil persecution from enemies who are near yet far: nearing us yet far from the law which we seek to observe, keep, and know, if the Lord should save us. Yet we must be stable and urgent and single-minded as we pray for help (James 1, Prov 23, Psalm 71, Jer 29), or we cannot expect or suppose salvation will come. Rise before dawn, stay awake at night, in humility and without hypocrisy or pretense, meditate on God’s promises and hope in His words. Jesus Himself prayed and cried wholeheartedly and was saved (Heb 5). If we are steeped in God’s word, the as we ask God to hear us, we ask Him to hear His own words and respond in faithfulness and justice. God’s mercy and grace are founded on eternal promises to His people, and He therefore has committed Himself to respond in righteous favor to those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11). God loved us while we were yet enemies – how much more does He love unto salvation those who conform their voices to the sound of His eternal Word, hearing the prayers of these His true words (Rev 19). Like a shepherd who places himself between the flock and trouble, He is nearer to us than any disease, enemy, or anxiety, look to Him in confidence. Is Isaiah 43:12 when we experience water which may overwhelm others or fire which could burn, because God is with all that will happen is maturity through washing away of sin and purified refinement through fire. Who is our priority when we cry for help? Do we want help to obey God?

 

Psalm 119:153-160

The faithless do not keep God’s commandments, nor do they even seek them. They do not seek salvation because they refuse to accept that they need it. Instead, they persecute and are adversaries against the faithful who remember and do not swerve from God’s testimonies, becomes testimonies themselves of God’s advocacy and redemption of us in terms of affliction. He will deliver us. We are given life according to God’s promise, His rules, and His steadfast love. Life from promise is by God’s pleading and redeeming. Life from rules is by God’s great mercy. Life from love is by our love of His precepts and disgust with those who forsake them. God understands our pains and affliction – Jesus experienced all the weaknesses of human frailty. Just as He came through these earthly trials in perfect obedience, so too can He help us – intercede, sympathize, teach, help – come through our trials. He cares for us, so even If nobody else gets us, we can always turn to God and cry out for salvation (heavenly or earthly). Because God’s righteous rules endure forever, our keeping them allows us in faithful expectation (but no presumption) to look for deliverance from affliction, forever. The sum of God’s word is truth: Jesus is truth because in Him are hidden all the mysteries of wisdom/knowledge (col 2). We being united to Him become words of truth (cf. Eph 1:13). Is truth more than this sum? At least double/triple entendre. When the Father sent His word, He knows Jesus wouldn’t return void (Is 55:10-11). He knew Jesus since the Word did the Father will, His prayers must be answered. Vs. 160: “is” of identity? Are any other interpretations possible? Truth endures forever. Do we live as and according to truth, or do we live falsely? God’s word doesn’t return void, so neither can we who are sent out by Him. Psalm 139:17-18 – sum = collected total of God’s thoughts. Sum = thinker/revealer of those thoughts (i.e. Jesus and/or elect, Trinity too)

 

Psalm 119:161-168

Without any just cause, all Christians can expect persecution from the world, and the more mature we become, the more authority we are given, and the greater the resistance we should experience from God’s enemies – even from princes. Yet our whole person ought to be in awe and rejoicing at God’s Word, the great spoil (Matt 13:44, Prov 2:4) or treasure that gives us hope for salvation, knowledge of God’s law – which is true and we love – vs. falsehoods, which we hate. It enables us to praise God for His righteous rules (7 times of a day; the whole or complete day), keeps us from stumbling in our obedience to them (1 John 2:10, Prov 5), and gives us peace, for when we follow God’s precepts, we exalt His name to the heavens and reciprocally receive blessing from heaven to earth. We keep His testimonies because we love them exceedingly – parallel to our ways being before God (Ps 139:3-4 – even as we are speechless, God knows all of our paths, intentions, and thoughts thoroughly, as well as His deeds – Prov. 5:21). In what way can we limit God’s word? To whose detriment would any attempt to do so? Whatever decisions we make ought to be based on the word of God, being greedy for it. To treasure it in our hearts means we must continually store it up through meditation on it. Falsehoods lead to false riches. God’s word is truth (John 17:17), more precious than gold or silver (cf. vs 127). We keep it not only by following it but by lovingly reflecting on it, dwelling in it. Our awe is speechlessness, ironic because it is in references to God’s words. Our awe, then, is our time of hearing which leads to our doing His commandments. What was the problem Christ had with the young rich rulers? To what was he devoted? What was the true treasure of his heart? Love God, with soul, heard, mind and body – all of us must love Him and His word.

 

Psalm 119:169-176

Themes of this psalm are, in this final stanza, summarized: we must cry out to the Lord, pleading for Him to hear us before Him. We need understanding according to His word, especially in times of affliction from which we need deliverance (// between 169=170). We ought to praise the Lord with our lips – confession, singing of His word with our tongues for His teaching us of His righteous statutes (//ism between 171-172). We pray for a helping hand from Him, longing for His salvation in our times of trial, for we have delighted in and chosen to obey His law (//ism between 173-174). We go astray, but through the Lord’s seeking us – His [believing] servants – we return and live and praise Him with our souls, for the Lord’s rules help us when we do not forget them (//ism between 175-176). God speaks to us in His word, and we speak to God through prayers – both are needed. Those whom God seeks, He finds, and they live and praise in return. Each 1^st part of each //ism is about need->response, cry->word, praise->commandments, salvation->obedience, life->remembrance. Each 2^nd part of the //ism is about God’s word-law which we mustn’t forget but rather choose. The whole structure seems aba’b’: help->praise. Vs 176 is a bit off in this scheme maybe, do some research. While vs 169-172 is aba’b’, recheck 173-176 aba’b’. Always be humble, dependent. Totally sufficient //ism mirrors sufficiency of God’s word. Themes of Ps 119: prayer, affliction, understanding, word, praise, obedience, right, help, astray, law, remember, servant, life, delight, teach, deliver, etc. Just as baptismal waters pour out the Spirit of the Word upon us, we must then pour out praises that ascend to our Lord who has saved us (temporally/eternally). Aba’b’, all b’s involve “your.” Our theology ought to produce doxology, otherwise our theology is deficient.

 

Exodus 7:14-8:19

The cast-down staff becomes a serpent (Gen 3), and the lifted up serpent becomes a staff (cf. Num 21, Ex 9:16) that can be at and an extension of God’s right hand and means of salvation, or as a rod of judgment [that, in some cases, will itself be judged? (Is 10)]. The serpent is cursed, just as Christ was cursed even as He was lifted up (John 12) to be salvation for an unrighteous people. Impersonators like Pharaoh are serpents whose self-exaltation is the ground for their judgment-curse. Likewise with Satan. Contrast this with Christ, who voluntarily humbled Himself to do the will of the Father (John 6), become a curse for us (Gal 3), a punished substitute that those who are united to Him may also be righteous in the sight of the Father: a double imputation grounded in union by His Spirit. In Christ’s case, if He was lifted up even as He was made to be a curse by the viper-serpents of His day in mock praise, how much more was His exaltation as He was ascending into heaven to be seated on the throne at and as the rod of the Father, His right hand, using the serpent’s head as a step-stool, as it were? To those who obey the will of God, humbling themselves as suffering servants, they too may experience the glorious resurrection-exaltation that comes by union with Christ (Phil 2, 1 Pet 4). The impersonators may be raised up for a time, but unless the Lord grant them repentance as He has us, they will experience the eternal judgment rather than glory that is the wages of disobedience: God raises them up only to show His power. Normally, lifted up serpents are like judgments upon judgments (cf. Pharaoh’s magicians). Irony: Christ was lifted up as was the serpent of Moses, no cast down, for even on the cross, He was personally righteous. Even the cross was an exaltation (Ex. 9:16).

 

Isaiah 8:1-10

“Immanuel” and “Maher-shalal-hash-baz” are signs for Israel (prophecy, Isaiah’s wife is a prophetess too), first for the hopeful expectation of salvation through Jesus Christ, the antitype of Israel as God’s Son, and second as a sign of the near judgment of unfaithful Israel, though the rod of Assyria. Spare the rod, spoil the child (Prov 13:24) – Israel needed to be disciplined (cf. Zech 13:7, Jesus experienced the rod for us all  - Matt 26:39), and Assyria was the tool God used to do it, although they in turn would be judged (Isa 10). The second son in Isaiah’s house was given a name placed in the town square as a sign of the “hasty plunder” or “swift spoil” the salvation remnant Israel would experience through “God with us.” Assyria, Gentile kingdom, is pictured as a mighty river that would nearly overtake Israel – coming up to their necks – because they had rejected the waters of Shiloah. Israel was inheritors of the land, and the Gentile waters would overflow it in judgment. Instead of God’s wings protecting over His people in cover (Deut. 32), the wings of Assyria would fill the land. Israel refused gentle waters and protective cover in God’s word-law-presence in favor of violent, anti-divine rule (gently love our enemies – also Israel missed the point of the destruction of Rezin and the son of Remilah, the rejoicing over the destruction of sinners rather than repenting of idolatry. Take care we do not unwittingly become the enemies of God). Nevertheless, God’s word stands, the remnant will indeed have God with them, and all other words and counsels will come to nothing. God’s Son was to come to save God’s son. Therefore, repentance was proclaimed. Only those clothed in God’s armor will stand. Only those broken in Christ’s body will be wholly unshattered.

 

Isaiah 9:1-7

Zebulun and Naphtali were the 1^st regions in Galilee that suffered from the rod of Assyria (cf. Judges 5-6 rewarded). Through Jesus (Matt 4), this region – “the way of the sea” (Gentiles) – was made glorious by the appearance of the kingdom of God (John 10). The light came, and with it, a government of peace by which the land in contempt was able to multiply (Gen 1), fruitful and joyous under the reign of a new king. As mighty Gideon broke Midian, Jesus Christ take on our yoke so that in Him we can find rest. He has defeated our enemies – our sin, the powers of darkness: these are the antitypes of Assyria. Christ is the mighty God – warrior whose scepter-staff (Gen 49) usurps the governments of the nations who oppose us. In fact, this light not only conquers, it converts (Eph 5), and in gladness we rejoice as God’s victorious spoils who have been divided by the word of God (Heb 4). The burning of the warriors and blood will be as a burnt (ascension) offering before God (Josh 6, Gen 12). Christ was the child born, the son of God and man given (John 1). He is the light, the wise king-counselor, the warrior-God, the Father-king from eternity who entered our sinful domain and broke its power (His shoulders are pillars, cf. temple), the one who brought peace and ensured it by His death-resurrection-exaltation. The true successor to the throne of David (2 Sam 7), His rule is perfect in zeal and justice and righteousness (Rom 9-10) for all time by the will of Yahweh, and as imitators of Christ in conformity with Him, we have died-resurrected-been exalted (Eph 2, 5) to reign with Him and participate in His government and its accomplishments, being His bride (cf. vs. 3, Gen 1). Do we act gloomy, or are we joyful?

 

Exodus 8:20-9:12

When the Lord sets apart or divides Hid people from Pharaoh’s, it is a covenantal distinction, redemptive in character here. Seed of the woman vs. seed of the serpent – Pharaoh is a type of Satan whom God overcomes, not with the effort of His people, but Himself brings His people out of Egypt, a liberating exodus from sin by monergistic grace and the calling by the men of God in preaching the Word. Moses demands a 3-day journey, a type of resurrection from the sin from which we are redeemed and to which we were enslaved. Punishment to the Egyptians = salvation to God’s people. The covenantal division comes with judgment (cf. over the chaos waters in Gen 1). The hand of the Lord-Christ falls severe against the serpent and his offspring by graciously upon His own. By extension, Moses as the mouthpiece of God uses his hand to throw soot in the air by which the punishment of boils spreads, putting the magicians in disgraceful retreat. God’s enemies are punished in their persons, living space, and property. Yet Pharaoh hardened his heart, the Lord hardened it as well, and he still set himself up as a serpent-rod who would be kind over God’s people, lifting up himself despite all punishments. Yet this Is predicted by God to Moses and to us in reference to Satan. Satan’s heart has also been hardened (Rom 9:17-18) to show God’s power and to exalt His name in all the earth. The Lord will not be cheated out of His family, His plunder. When God’s enemies prevent us from [being pleasing] sacrificing/es to God, they themselves become a sacrifice in wrath, judgment vs. blessing. John 12:35 and Gen 1: when God divides, in decreation we see confusion (cf. gender dysphoria as a return to chaotic fluidity in Gen 1 and the darkness in which we not only don’t know where we are [going], but neither who we are – God’s creations. This is severe punishment indeed.

 

Isaiah 9:8-21

God’s judgment is announced towards His people, yet in pride they attempt to glorify themselves in their efforts (“we will”), being wise in their own eyes (cf. Babel). But the Lord’s chastisement was ordained to come to Israel through Assyria (attacked from the north) and Syria + Philistia (attacked east and west) in anger, His hand outstretched against a continually unrepentant people. Civil and religious leaders would be cut off as head/tail or palm branch/reed, implying judgment on the whole people, for both sets of leaders have life, leading and guiding the people astray into being swallowed up by the open mouths of God’s enemies (or repetitions of God’s anger not turning, His hand outstretched. What a contrast to the love of God to those who meditate of His law and keep His word of truth in their mouths).. In honoring themselves, their own mouths speak folly – God’s word has been utterly removed from it, implying disobedience, godlessness, evildoing (cf. Psalm 119:41-48). No compassion, grace, or rejoicing blessing will come to the people (even the helpless) from the Lord, and families will have men torn from them. The inheritors and imagers of the promised land have, in their wickedness, burned itself in a consuming fire – briars, thorns, thickets are their cursed works leading to a cursed end (cf. Gen 3, Heb 6). Typologically, this corresponds to the wickedness of sinners who will be consumed by their own sin and the fire of God’s vengeance (Heb 10) eschatologically (Rev 16, 20). The land – the people – was punished, being the fuel for the fire in their evil deeds and the consumed consequences these bring (opposite of the gracious circle in Psalm 119, this is vicious). No one spared, no one satisfied, Israel even consumes itself along with its enemies – its own body. May the church, our country, our marriages, our family, ourselves not do the same (any “body” metaphors). God’s wrath will not be quenched. God’s people are attacked by allies and themselves (cf. vss. 20-21).

 

Isaiah 10:20-34

In the day of judgment, the elect will rely on Yahweh rather then worldly oppressors, instruments of God’s discipline who will themselves be punished in righteous destruction. They, the faithful remnant, will return to God’s house – their exile will be over, their exodus from sin and slavery complete. This is as true for we believers in the eschatological day of the Lord as it was for Israel’s scattering from Jerusalem. But although God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled in his offspring being as sands of the sea, only a remnant of Jews were saved. God’s grace allowed for a remnant before the whole of Israel became as Sodom/Gomorrah (Rom 9:27ff). His judgment was swift by also fortunate. This discipline of a father is necessary to prevent a worse end for the son. Furthermore, it provided an opportunity to evangelize the nations, just as the scattering of the church in the apostolic martyrdom led to the great commission’s fulfillment. Jesus reached the Gentiles, but only by God’s judgment of Israel (who forsook the mission in the first place, cf. Jonah). To the remnant, Israel preaches hope as well as typological markers in the midst of doom (Midian, Egypt - whose staff is lifted? Always God’s, but the instrument may vary. Jesus leads the charge and we follow (Gen 49).). They will be so prosperous that like the fat neck of an ox, a yoke cannot contain it. Paul played the role of Isaiah in the NT. Isaiah, in vss. 28-32, marches north-> south through the cities until Zion is in sight as God cuts down the forest thicket (the Assyrians) so His people may return, fruitful, to the promised land (likewise, our sanctification leads to glorification individually). So it was for Israel before [their rejection of the Messiah], so it will be at the day of the Lord for us. Swap your yoke (Matt 11:28-30, cf. Rom 6:15-19, Gal 4:9, 1 John 5:3, John 8:31-36). Let us consider this grace in destruction as it may occur in our own lives and at its end.

 

John 10:22-41

Feast of Dedication – Hanukkah, in winter, to commemorate the restoration of the temple in Maccabees. Columnade of Solomon – in the court of the Gentiles. Sheep in John 10 to whom Jesus referred as others He would gather upon the Father’s giving them to Him, a work evidencing Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah. For the Gentiles heard His voice and followed Him, but just as after the exodus many Jews nevertheless grumbled against Yahweh, so here the Jews grumble against Jesus. Jesus is the true temple by whom dwelling with God is restored, the true exodus from sin unto salvation, the true sacrifice and eternal life and shepherd, yet the Jews rejected the typical Moses and the antitypical Christ, because they were not His sheep, not given to Christ from the Father. Only grace overcomes blindness, deafness, death, and all other such ills from our father by wrathful sin nature, the devil (John 8). This grace is not only an exodus form sinful slavery to dwelling in adoption with our Father but a permanent sustaining inheritance of eternal life, for the Father is greater than all (obviously including the sheep themselves). The Father and Son are one – we are in the hand of both, for the works are one; hence why the Son’s works testify of their perichoretic union. Likewise, their word is one (vs. 35), and their truth and the authority must be one. If Christ did the works of the Father, then He could not have been blaspheming. We know Him by His fruits: His voice, His work, His salvation of us. Apart from this (internalism/externalism), we have a father of lies, not truth. Thus, we have evidence of Jesus’ divinity and oneness with God, and our reason to submit to His kindship, which does not address how the kingdom and headship within the ontological Trinity itself is addressed. Finally, the Psalms count as the law of God as much as the Pentateuch. What does vs. 34 and Psalm 82 mean? Cf. Heiser and study further. A fortiori: gods “to whom the word of God came” – but His IS the word of God consecrated (John 1), thus God and sent. Map out Jesus’ life in terms of OT stories, from annunciation (cf. Solomon) to infancy (cf. Egyptian killings) to etc. (cf. John 1 again). OT stories repeat typological themes but in eschatological sequential order, so such a mapping may show when new creation/new stories repeating and escalating the same themes begin in the OT… How to explain John 17:12?

 

Psalm 62

Vs 7 is at the center of 8 stanzas on either side and emphasizes the Psalmist’s point: on God rests my salvation and my glory; He is the might rock, my refuge. God protects, secures, and builds us up – in righteousness, in community standing (e.g. dignity, reputation). Our confidence is not found in earthly things – money or power – but in God alone, for in Him alone do we silently as our rock, salvation, and fortress. Thus, since we do not lay confidence on others, we shall not be shaken even against the attacks of others like a leaning wall or tottering fence. In God alone do we hope, not in those who speak falsely, planning to overthrow us. We must trust in Him ultimately in all things, including in who He surrounds us with in our lives. Let us pour out our hearts that faith in God’s power, not our own. He, not men of good or low descent, is significant. All others are but a breath. His love is steadfast, all others is derivative at best. Let us set our eyes, ears, mouths, hands, noses, hearts, and all our persons on God alone and what He has spoken in His word, for all else is vanity. Even while in this life many injustices will occur and remain unresolved, for the righteous are often at the mercy of the wicked, God will balance the scales in judgment eternal. We will be rendered according to our works – therefore, let us found our works on the solid rock of Christ’s salvific work for us, not in ourselves, and let us work out that salvation with fear and trembling. Soli Deo Gloria! From Him comes my salvation because He, as my salvation, come to me. To be shaken is to not remain; we were shaken out of the old man into the new. But the new man’s rock is Christ, so no longer will we be shaken (except in our physical death/recreation?). By God’s power, He tests us and reminds us often to trust in Him alone, depend on Him alone. Remember Romans 8:28. He is advancing His kingdom, not letting His enemies win. Does this kingdom look as we would expect? May the church not be Israel in this assumption.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always (Phil 4:4). Having joy in all circumstances is a commandment which we can obey, because our joy rests or depends on the Lord, not [un]favorable circumstances. Likewise, we can and ought always to pray without ceasing (Luke 18:1). A widow may obtain godly justice from an ungodly man by pestering him – appealing to his self-interest by not ceasing to appeal to him. A fortiori, how much more will our just God give those who unceasingly appeal to Him give us justice against our enemies (and His)? We may therefore all the more be joyful always, knowing this fact. Finally, in all things we should give thanks to God who works all things together for our good (Rom 8:28). In the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19) we thank our God and Father always and for everything (Eph 5:20), through our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. This is the [prescriptive] will of God who works all things out according to the counsel of His [decretive] will, and whose will cannot be thwarted (Is 14:27, Eph 1:11-13). If He works out all things according to his will, should we not be thankful for all things (Rom 1:21)? In the Lord’s Supper, even the divine Son modeled giving thanks to His heavenly Father (Luke 22:17-19). This does not mean we should prescribe all things, for God’s moral commandments for how we should act are clear, and we are subject to them. But our holy and glorious God is subject to none other than Himself – His own character. He knows how to act according to His nature; let us know how to act according to our godly, God-given natures: by obeying His word in thanks. Remember the heroes of faith and join their company, not grumbling like Israel, etc. Suffering precedes glory. It is sufficient for us to do these things that it is God’s will; how much more can we be thankful that our God has given us further and abundant reason to be joyful, thankful, and unceasingly prayerful? What a wonderful life!

 

Luke 16:19-31

The resurrection of a man of heaven will not convict sinners necessarily, not the appearance of such a person as an apparition. God’s word is more powerful. When Jesus raise Lazarus, did the opponents of Christ believe? No, they even sought to kill both (John 12:9-11). When Jesus rose, did all believe? No, they sought to cover up the story (Matt 28:11-15). Do people believe those with NDEs today? No. Did even a Scrooge believe a Jacob Marley? The word of God alone has power to convict the hearts of men. So too in this story: a “certain rich man” (for his name is now forgotten to history – beware!) hoped a Lazarus (coincidence? No) would return to his family on earth to warn them not to follow in his footsteps. Lazarus, who was lame and with infirmities, was a beggar as we in sin are beggars from the outside of God’s house who, unlike this man, are not only given crumbs but raised to be seated, fed, and married in the house itself as guests. On earth, we may be beggars. But eternity is what matters. Judgment comes to all. How stark a contrast that those buried in pits (Sheol?) may end up with God whereas those who are buried in pyramids may end up in Sheol. No hint of purgatory, annihilation, or universalism. Torment, anguish unending – conscious torment. Supernaturalism is real, no matter what you read or hear or believe, it won’t change the reality of our possible end. R.I.P. only occurs in Christ. Lazarus was comforted – little more needs to be said about him. May we be beggars now rather than for eternity (*this story is written about those who have the Scriptures). Christ paid our penalty, equal in “cost” due to His dignity. How can His death be equal to an eternity of torment? God’s justice is not in question (Rom 3:25-26) because His wrath was displaced or appeased by His Son. The rich man asked Abraham for mercy but received none. It was too late. The wicked rich men even now says the word of God is insufficient. The word is near (Rom 10:5-13)!

 

Isaiah 14:1-2

Israel was meant to be a light, but they themselves became blind (the leaders) by Jesus’ time (John 9:39-41, Matt 11:23). From a chapter of wrath and anger, without mercy or grace (ch. 13), we turn to the covenant keeping God of love who will yet again choose Israel despite their faithlessness throughout their generations and leaders. And in the rhythmic pattern of history, Israel’s faithlessness towards who should have been her true leader – Yahweh, Yeshua – they are once again cut off but grafted back into the holy vine and olive tree, for God’s gifts, calling, and election is irrevocable (Rom 11:23-24, 29-31). But in this typological pattern, there is always escalation: for in the case of Paul, he says they shall become true Jews once they come to faith (Rom 2:25-29). We believers are all one in Christ, Abraham’s true seed and offspring (Gen 12, Eph 2, Gal 3, Rom 9:6). At this point in biblical history, Israel has been cut off from their land and put in exile. We are blessed because we are never cut off from salvation, although our sin can lead God (or trials) to withdraw His grace in order that we may seek it, often in repentance. This too will happen to the Israel who hears Isaiah’s words, and as a result, they will again be set in the promised land (typologically speaking). They will then be able to do the priestly work commissioned to them as a light to other nations, taking captive those who formerly oppressed them, ruling their former captors (not in wrath but in grace). Sojourners will attach themselves to Israel to escape exile, they who were themselves exiled, all in service to God. Israel’s purpose was always to a greater purpose than their own: to evangelize all peoples. When they once again forsook this duty, Gentiles found God even though they weren’t seeking Him (due to Israel’s sin) anyway and Israel was cut off (Rom 10:14-21). See Zechariah’s 1^st night vision, 1:7-17. When God’s mercy and judgment of the overly wrathful nations commences, comfort, prosperity will return and God’s house rebuilt (triple entendre: Zion-Jesus-believer). After 70 years, a complete Sabbath. Let the church remember her true mission and not hide her light.

 

Luke 1:39-56

Mary’s pregnancy, of course while unique, nevertheless is typified in the OT in Samson’s birth, where the angel of the Lord (Christ Himself) announced the conception, or in Hannah’s prayerful exaltation of God in the birth of Samuel (Judges 13, 1 Sam 2; cf. all pregnancies in the OT, particularly from Abraham onward – ministry to the then separated nations). John the Baptist leaps in the womb, anticipating his prophetic ministry and is given voice through his mother, filled with the Holy Spirit: Mary is the mother of “my Lord.” Stark contrast to her husband, Zechariah’s, response to the angelic appearance foretelling his son’s own birth. Mary too sees God as her Savior, who exalts the humble, even as Jesus chose humility before exaltation, and scatters the proud. We assemble in union, rich in the riches of Christ. Those who trust in their wealth are instead sent away, scattered as enemies are routed in battle. Mary blesses the God who blessed her, magnifying His name in praise for 1) His almighty and great works for her (belief, salvation, pregnancy, legacy, etc.), 2) His holy name, 3) His mercy to those who fear Him in all generations, 4) His strength against enemies like Herod, 5) His generosity in feeding – physically and spiritually - the hungry, 6) His help to His servants, whom He brought out of a house of slavery [to sin, Ex 20] into servitude – indeed, sonship – in a good Master’s house, even more allowing us to be a part of the house-temple itself in whom God dwells, both corporately to Israel-the church and individually to us, Abraham’s true offspring. Mary seems to stay until John the Baptist is born (likewise, until Zechariah has his voice returned to him). Zechariah too, filled by the Holy Spirit, prophecies in faith about Christ, blessing God once His voice returns. How much more can we trust that the God who saves us also remembers us?

 

Luke 2:8-14

“Fear not” is a command, a phrase appearing more frequently than any other in Scripture (365 times? Every day, we should be not afraid). It is striking that an army (host) of angels is announcing peace on earth through a Savior that is a newborn infant. This peace is for those on earth – not just in heaven – for people of good pleasure: the elect who have been justified, predestined according to the good please of the Father, through the Spirit-given faith in His Son (Eph 1, Rom 5, 8). So while it is natural that those who are under oppression should experience fear, the angels said “fear not,” then explained why. Light was coming into darkness; rather than hiding or covering up this light, we must come out of darkness. Israel ha been under the darkness of the old covenant, shepherding in shadows of the new covenant. This enacted, emblematic parable is designed to show the true Israel and one good shepherd – the antitype of David, Israel, etc. – was the radiance of God’s glory come into the world to bring peace to His people, Himself as light into darkness. From Bethlehem, an insignificant city 5 miles from Jerusalem, a new David from his own city arise, younger than His brothers, to save them. “He shall shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God, and they shall dwell secure (unafraid), for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth. And He shall be their peace.” The sing of this for the individual shepherds was Jesus’ birth – in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. The sign for Jesus’ birth-resurrection from swaddling clothes out of the tomb, where angels, a Mary/Joseph, birth from death, etc. thematically reappear (holy of holies). Glory and praise ascended, peace come down in descending response (cf. Jordan’s description of ourselves in the ascent offering and what follows, peace to our neighbors). He 1^st came as gracious host, a Savior. When He returns next, it will be as a visitor of judgments to an old world, not His house that He Himself will bring (us/creation/heaven/His Spirit-temple). Blessing comes to those who bless/glorify God.

 

Isaiah 14:24-32

When the Lord swears a plan and purpose, it shall be/stand. For who will annul it? Who will turn back His outstretched hand (rhetorical)? He is in control of the whole earth, all the nations are in His hand, for their good or ill. His sovereignty is extensive, complete. He can know all things because He is omnipotent. Our wills are not free from Him, although we may be free in other respects (compatibilism of free will and determinism; cf. 37:36). Vice versa too, for to be omnipotent presupposes that God knows all factors that are at play when He plans anything. The omni’s are mutually dependent. One instance of His total authority is how he will break Assyria in His land. On God’s mountains – where His special typological presence often was and especially in the holy land concerning Mt Zion – He tramples they who were rods of oppression, burdens upon shoulders and yokes upon His people, the Israelites. In judgment will He break them. Is this what Assyria was, or rather like an ark for Israel (cf. Jordan, or both)? But this should not cause a celebration among others of God’s enemies, like Philistia. In crushing the serpent figure of oppression (a serpent rod, cf. Moses, Jesus), God reveals through Isaiah that from this root will come forth another more vicious viper – the fruit of God’s judgment of Assyria will be a flying fiery serpent. This is an oracle about a continuation of wilderness wanderings (cf. Deut 8:15) for an Israel that will be sent out of the promised land and into exile. Israel should not turn to these worthless allies (Philistia; cf. Jordan on treaties and international relations) to overthrow Assyria, however. Refuge can only be found in Mt Zion – God and His people. Israel will continue to be afflicted, but unlike the wailing, fearing Philistines who will experience the smoke of judgment (did Assyria strike against Philistia?) from the fiery serpent, God is with His people in exile. Those who trust in the Lord (the poor/needy) will be safe and feed as a flock upon God’s word-promises, lying down in green pastures. Famine will kill the Philistines and their root/remnant/firstborn (cf. Egypt). Cf. commentary on this passage

 

Isaiah 15-16

The Moabites were incestuous offspring of Lot, an ignominious beginning. Nevertheless, because God respects land and nations, He commanded the Israelites not to attack the Moabites on the way to the promised land. Indeed, the kind of Moab or Edom (?) and Abraham made a covenant in which the king respected Abraham. The Hebrews were always supposed to be priests to the nations, blessing them insofar as they blessed [the God of] Abraham. But the Moabites attacked Israel unprovoked and were therefore judged by God. Nevertheless, even Ruth, a Moabitess, was saved by a type of Christ, Boaz. There always remains a path for redemption to all nations. Ruth even was included in the ancestry of David and Christ. Likewise, America is becoming a very prideful nation. Nations can be sovereign in relation to other nations, but never in respect to God. God will not stand for a nation to unite against Him (cf. Babel). God will send division, scattering, confusion in lip (religion), and we have seen this in the attack on the capitol this past week. Yet God will always protect the remnant elect (cf. Is 16:4-5, Christ’s people has believers from all nations. Who are we allied to ultimately, God or the USA?). The nations may find shelter in Christ (Acts 15:16-17). Or they may be trampled underfoot like Assyria crushed Moab. These false shepherds (Num 32:3-4) was what Israel ought to have looked at before their own judgment. Nations – Christian ones – ought also to give shelter to the foreigner, for Israel was strangers in Egypt, and Christians are foreigners in this world, in it but not of it (cf. immigration). God respects borders; indeed, He has decreed for there to be many nations and borders. This is a good this. But nations ought to submit to Christ (cf. Jordan). Biblical hospitality is loving even to strangers: “Don’t talk to strangers” is an unbiblical notion. On the contrary, we are lights to the world. God is primary actor in Job, Jonah, Isaiah, Esther, etc. Swift righteousness -> faith -> justification. Ruth: “your people are my people, your God is mine” (Abraham’s offspring).

 

Isaiah 18

The Cushites wanted to ally with Israel against Assyria. Isaiah tells their ambassadors to return, for Judah has the Lord on their side (don’t ally with enemies of God). These sorts of nations hustle and bustle with political ambition (land of whirring wings, e.g. frantic buzzing of insects), desperate to be free from they know not what (sin? No). Such an alliance was deceitfully grounded, not upon the faithful God (Psalm 68:28-31 is a fulfillment wherein God’s rebuke is His destruction of a nation.) In contrast, our patience is rewarded in depending on Yahweh, who may appear slow (2 Pet 3:8-10) to move but is quietly looking from His dwelling place like the silent but present heat in sunshine or cloud of dew in harvest. We can feel Him at work if we trust in His word-promise. Indeed, there will be a harvest. Vines will be pruned (matured in patience) to encourage the development of grape-“shoots and “branches.” Contrast this blessing upon Judah to the judgment upon Cush (by implication), who will be left as a carcass for birds of the air and beasts of the field to devour, which is a judgment that will be extensive – winter/summer. Then will tribute be brought to the Lord from Cush – our pastor himself is from Ethiopia (pastor Melaku too) – to Mount Zion, our sanctuary-garden (cf. land of Cush in Gen 2 also) where the place of the name of the Lord of hosts is present and reigns. Their tokens of submission is the nations’ peoples (cf. the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, Is 53). When God conquers nations, He brings its people (remnant) into His fold. By the gospel, we are God’s homage, cf. our last sermon in Isaiah in which more nations’ people converted (Rev 7).

 

Joshua 1:6-9

What does it mean to be strong a courageous? We must know our requirements, God’s promise, and the primacy of God’s word in His service. Joshua’s requirements were to follow God’s law, not turning from it. So too we have the 1^st/2^nd commandments. But the promise of success (“you shall”) is given prior to obedience. The level of success might have varied depending upon their obedience (“good” success), but the chain of redemption is golden and unbreakable. To ensure obedience would be aligned with what was required of them (and of us), the book of the law – the words of the prophet[s] of God – should not depart from our mouths but rather our constant confession upon which we meditate day and night. The proximate goal of inheriting their promised land was typological and restricted. Our antitypical promise of inheriting the earth requires a fuller word of God and repeated call to not be afraid by to put on the whole armor of God, including the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. As Paul preached the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:20, 27), we should not be using a blunted sword (Eph 6) but a sharp one (Heb 4). Our faith in God’s word will yield fruit of obedience to what we believe and depend on, and God will prosper us. He is with us, much more now than with Joshua (cf. the Spirit). How much more should we be confident (strong/courageous)? Joshua as a type of Christ – cf. their names, Christ’s obedience to all His Father promised and upon which He meditated. When was the book of the law written? Problem if it is after or even somewhat copied from language in pagan nations? No, cf. Gen 4 and evil city preceding city of God. The eschatological plan of God was set up first, so even the evil preceding the good in certain respects is always borrowing from Christianity. Patience begets understanding and maturity for the proper usage of our God-given abilities and talents.

 

Romans 11:25-36

Question all of the following as I study more (e.g. what does it mean to be a nation, and Jewish specifically? Covenant that has been abrogated such that the biblical notion of that nation is dissolved or resolved as well?): The crescendo of Romans is seen and sung in the last lines of this chapter. From (His will) and through (activity) and to (glory) Him are all things – so be it! The depths of God’s wisdom and knowledge cannot fully be plumbed. None are God’s counselor, the riches of Christ is uncountable (infinity). “All things are thine no gifts have we, Lord of all gifts to offer thee. And hence with grateful hearts today, thine own before thy feet we lay.” Fully sufficient and dependable, we must trust in Him for life – not just salvation. This is indeed a fitting end to a mystery such as is revealed in the prior verses, which is difficult to understand, let alone comprehend. All things have been given to disobedience so that all can be given mercy: all nations, all peoples, not individuals as such. Israel’s hardening was not a revoking of the gifts given to them through the patriarchs (cf. Rom 9:1-5). Yet Christ is the sum of these gifts and must be accepted by faith. Israel will be grafted back into the shoot of Jesse, the root of the olive tree, having been the ones from whom He came in the incarnation in the 1st place (hence, “natural”). But when will/did this happen? 70 A.D.? Was that typological, a pattern that will repeat* prior to the second coming? Was this completely resolved at that time? Or is it even applicable at all (study more – what does the rest of the NT, e.g. Revelation, say takes place? When does the Jew/Gentile distinction hold?). Do Jews exist contra Jordan by his own admission regarding eternal, creation plan for different nations? The question does remain as to when the fulfilling of the ingrafting will or has occurred (I think typologically at this time)*. Difference between incommunicable or comprehensive vs communicable or apprehensive. Jews created by Babel incident, but the reversal of this curse as seen in Acts doesn’t abandon nations in toto (this was always intended) from creation, yet just as many nations was the plan of God, does God consider the Jews as eliminated or revealed category (intimate?).

 

Isaiah 19:16-25

Assyria and Egypt ae at opposite poles of the ancient world (north vs south; e.g. as God came down to Egypt from the north to a type of the pit, hellish slavery, cf. sin). Redemption coming to the nations who, together with Israel, join together in worship prophecies of a time when every tribe, tongue, nation, people, language, etc. are redeemed – everywhere, from north to south. Egypt’s fear of Assyrian takeover in the land of Judah will be a means of their seeking divine protection, like a woman seeks a man to protect her. Egyptians hated all things Canaanite (Gen 43:42, 46:34), so that 5 of its cities will be allied to the Lord and speak its language is remarkable. A memorial pillar will be built in Egypt as a sign/witness by which the Egyptians cry out for deliverance from oppressors. They will worship/sacrifice/offer/vow to the Lord, who will send a Savior to His remnant. The Lord’s discipline will cause repentance, healing, mercy, and obedience. A highway from north to south will facilitate this change of heart and fulfillment of the messianic prophecy – Christ is the way. This is the “midst of the earth” spoken of, and the gospel would proceed to all ends of the earth, thereby blessing all peoples. Egypt as God’s people (unthinkable in the exodus), Assyria as the work of God’s hands (once again, this time as a staff of blessing rather than a rod of discipline [serpent rod?]), Israel as God’s inheritance (who mediates this to the other nations). If Egypt and Assyria can be redeemed, what nation can’t be? When does/did this happen – 8 B. C.? Who mediates between (as?) the firmament between heaven and earth, bringing heaven to earth: Christ, the ladder, and His church. God will always save His remnant even while the nation is disciplined or punished. Is. 49:6 – gospel sharers, hence we are now view as spiritual Israel as Christians.

 

Romans 12:1-2

Our election, our predestination, our calling, our justification, our sanctification, our future glorification – all spiritual blessings upon we who were sinful enemies of God should “therefore” elicit what kind of life we should lead: orthodoxy leads to orthopraxy, including doxology such as we see at the transition point ending ch 11. Our knowledge should lead to application – wisdom. We must know the precious truths of God’s words to apply them consistently and unconfusedly, lest we conform ourselves to this world rather than the image of the Son who builds His house upon the true foundation of Scripture in conjunction with the life-giving Spirit. Our minds must be renewed for our bodies and wills to be holy and acceptable sacrifices living. We discern what is God’s will (how we should live, since test vs study) – the good, perfect, acceptable (matching His nature/character) – by testing (1 John 4). But as a scientist must form a hypothesis based upon assumptions as he tests in a laboratory, we must test based on our assumption-presupposition-foundation-knowledge of God’s word. By this means we become and present our bodies – our senses and vehicles thereof – as holy and acceptable living sacrifices before God (Rom 6:12-14). Because Jesus was our death-sacrifice-substitute, we may live as sacrifices with no need for an animal sacrifice or to die ourselves (except to sin! Rom 8:13). All our possessions and ourselves should be dedicated in service to our Master. This is how we as redeemed worship God appropriately. The mercies of God cause the mercies and worship of men. Salvation is not just external of objective be transformative, subjective. All creatures will become a sacrifice before the creators: either living, if they rightly serve them, or deathful, if they sin and bear the curse thereof. We may be offering false worship/sacrifice to God by implication of this passage – be careful how you present your members (Cain, cf. Amos). Rom 8:7 hence we must meditate on God’s word, continuously, for mind -> thinking -> will -> body -> holy living -> death to sin. E.g. Abraham was willing to dedicate Isaac as a sacrifice even unto death, but also in life (be willing to die).

 

Psalm 100

A celebratory conclusion to previous psalms regarding the kingship of the Lord, calling for praise of the Lord from all the earth, beyond the chosen people, and servitude with gladness toward our merciful and gracious king (who is no despot but wants cheerful worshippers). Sing, know, thank, expect: these are the actions and attitudes our God desires of His worshippers. Be joyful, always. Publicly responsive to the commands of God. Come into His presences, gates, and courts. Into His house we must come – His body, He built Himself – thankful, blessing the name of our kind (cf. 1 Thess. 5:16-18). We sing because we are happy and free – there are too many examples from Scripture and church history (jailed Christians in Acts 16:25ff, Song of Moses in Luke 19:37-40, angels in Rev 5, Jesus Himself in Matt 26:30). God’s wonders should cause us to cry out in praise of Him (Rev 5). For His goodness and steadfast love towards us has enabled us to know Him. Yahweh, our covenant-Savior, our creator God. He made us and remakes us in His image. He cares for us as the good shepherd (cf. His love as He died for us, John 1, 17) who gathers His straying sheep. We must be conscious we are singing to our holy God, so we must not sing tritely. Our singing must be truthful and reflect God’s majesty. Our attitude must be one of thanks as we draw near to the one who draws us near, for He loves us, all peoples (tribes, tongues, nations, languages); in all generations He is faithful (enduring, comprehensive across time, people, space; hence it is incomprehensible e.g. He loves sinners), for all times His love endures. His love is extensive. *Expect divine things from our divine Lord. Thanks for God’s words, works, word, and being. Receivers of mercy -> givers of thanks. We can/should only sing because these things are true. Sing joyfully, why? 1) We know the Lord, He is God (Jesus, Rom 10). 2) it is He who made us. 3) we are His special people. 4) we are His sheep. 5) the Lord is good. 6) His mercy is everlasting (His nature, non-Platonic). 7) His truth endures forever and to all generations (Jesus is truth, God’s word is truth). Historically verified, we are involved too. How awesome would be an army that sings hymns of praise to God?*

 

Romans 12:3-8

As we are living sacrifices – holy, acceptable, peaceful before God – let us think of ourselves soberly in humility and not pride, for it is by grace that we have been united to Christ and each other in love. Furthermore, we are different members of one body, with differing functions or endowments or gifts to use in service to this body – each other, with Christ as our Head – just as Paul’s own ministry is by grace given to him according to his suitability in exercising that gift through his proportion of faith. We are not gifted with all gifts listed. Further, study whether prophecy must be considered preteristically or if there is same continued application distinct from teaching (or if needed). How should we judge ourselves as having one gift rather than another? Think. Also, talk to the living body to see in what way you contribute to the needs of the body (1^st/2^nd commandments). Use your talents, don’t bury them away from the body as in the parable. Prophecy – proportion to the faith; preaching to edify/comfort? Is this continued? Service (in serving) – provision of needs? Deaconal? Teaching: of what, to whom? Proclamation of the word, men only? Exhortation – call, direct, guide? Contribute – be generous, to whom much is given? Leadership - be zealous and give aid, command? Acts of mercy – cheerful, attitude, distinct from service? Where else does Paul or others mention these gifts? The members work towards the good of the body first, but we sacrifice as a body to bring others into it as Christ sacrificed Himself for us – the body works towards an end outside itself (glorify God, again 1^st/2^nd commands).Do not think you are better because of whatever gift you have compared to others. What do you have that you did not receive (1 Cor 4). We must be humble, because it is only by grace that we have any good gifts from above (1 Pet 4, James 1:17). To what gift does being a deacon correspond? What do each of these gifts look like in living out our walk? Does and should every local body have one of each type of number by providence? Do we consider the blessing to others as we determine which gift we have (i.e. its effectiveness)?

 

1 Peter 4:1-6

Pattern your life intentionally after Christ, including His sufferings – not merely physical, but any suffering in this life that follows Christ’s thinking of the cause of righteousness, the “will of God,” i.e. “your” sanctification (1 Thess. 4:3). Using time wisely means we should never be killing it. Invest it and keep in perspective our appointed time on earth is sooner over than we are often wont to think. How can I practically apply this? If we love God, His commandments are easy: Christ kept them for us, and He knows and lives in us to work out God’s will. V 5-6, spiritually dead vs alive, not physically. People who are blind don’t realize they need our help. Responsibilities are fine, not excuses so long as they’re done for God’s glory and in conjunction with resisting sin.

 

1 Peter 1:3-5

Spiritual birth (effectual call?): Titus 3:4-7, James 1:18, Rom 6:3-8, 8:7-11, John 3:3-8, 1:13, 8:47, Eph 2:1-10, 1 Cor 3:5-9, 1:22-24, 1 John 2:29, 5:1-5, etc. Not physical: new disposition/habitus. Not due to man’s will but God’s. How? By the instrument of His word (Ez 37:1-14) and grounded upon Christ’s resurrection from the dead. – Christ who likewise was made alive again by God. Why? Prior to this regeneration, we are spiritually dead, unable to submit to God or please Him. Our corruption prevents this, so we need an external power to give us a new disposition towards faith and goodness. Spiritual rebirth necessarily leads to spiritual walk in faith. Regeneration has a pictorial precedence (creation, 2 Cor 4:6; flood/baptism/Jordan/new creation; exodus from Egypt/slavery; cf. Gage’s 3 day book) and eschatological anticipation (as we have already been made alive in this life, we will be made alive upon physical death, Rom 8:23ff and the golden chain of redemption)

 

Genesis 24

Marriage via meeting at a well: Isaac/Rebekah, Jacob/Rachel, Moses/Zipporah, Jesus/believers (Gen 24, 29, Ex 2, John 4). Just as Abraham ordered his servant to find a bride for his son, the Father orders us to find the bride for His Son: the whole body of believers. In both cases, the Father has ordained the finding of the bride. However, the seeking and finding of Christ’s bride is greater, as anyone and everyone is invited to participate is this mystery of marriage, not just particular people as in the case of Isaac and Abraham’s kindred, Nahor and Rebekah. And yet, in both cases, God chose, by his providence, who these brides would be. In the case of the church, it is by the Father’s gift of His Spirit that we are able to come to faith in Christ by which we are both saved and are constituted as the bride of the Son.

 

Genesis 26:17-33

Conflict happens: handle it like Isaac did. Philistine’s put faith in Abraham’s wells. Isaac dug them out and peaceably gave them away when others tried quarreling with his men. Figure of speech when a literal event and metaphor correspond in meaning and practice (cf. James 3-4, John 4)? Isaac was very blessed via a well (received Rebekah as his wife) and blessed others by it too, not being contentious regarding what was rightfully his in labor and inheritance. And this led to further blessing showing the king and his men he truly was favored by God and attracted them to a covenant with him. Isaac’s peace-ableness and patience in not being contentious over his labors, his worship in persistence, and his word with those who has wronged him typifies Christ. He trusted God to lead his family through the trial. Such is how you can live a life even your enemies will respect and may even wish to reconcile with. Treat everyone harmoniously and peacefully (Rom 12): that is loving your memories. That is loving your enemies, as Jesus commands.

Mark 10:17-27

Money can’t by everything: eternal life can only be found in the riches of Jesus Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). Young, rich, powerful – these are temporary and given by God. Jesus lovingly points out the self-deception in self-reliance, for only God (i.e. Himself) is good. 10:18 carries rhetorical effect that should (but doesn’t) lead the young men to reflect on whether it is possible for him to inherit eternal life by his own deeds or God’s (cf. 10:27). Fulfillment of the law is the only way one’s own works suffice to inherit eternal life for him (i.e. covenant of works); yet because we fell in Adam, we must unite to the last Adam, the only [God]-man who fulfilled the whole law without condemnation from it, without defect. The mirror of the law reflects what we should, with reflection, also find: that we have not obeyed the 2^nd – let alone the 1^st – commandments. And if we deceive ourselves in believing we have obeyed them, Jesus will always lovingly speak the truth to us. We take up our cross now in union with Christ; the ruler would have had to do it to evidence his total commitment to God in obeying the 1^st commandment (Deut. 6:5) as he implies he has done. Jesus, knowing his heart, knew he wouldn’t, thus contradicting his previous remarks about law-obedience from his youth. To whom much is given, much temptation must be overcome. Riches can be a blessing as well as a curse; the disciples assumed that if the rich can’t inherit eternal life as those clearly blessed by God, then none can, especially not the poor (“Who then can be saved?”). 1 Tim 6:17-19 cf. love of money is root of all evil, of what does it profit a man to gain the world but lose his soul, etc. We can’t put camels through a needle’s eye: only God can do what is impossible for man. Compare the answer “what must I do?” here with Acts 16. The law is brought up in this context because Jesus is aware of the difference in heart between the ruler and Philippian jailor. Blessing and curse is still set before us, now in the choice between being found in Christ or not (the gospel). Salvation is of the Lord, not our own riches/works.

 

Isaiah 11:1-9

The Holy Spirit is needed for the w/Word of God to take root (cf. parable of the sower) and be effective. Yet the Spirit needs the w/Word to work it in us (If Jesus/Spirit is imaged by man/woman, how to we need each other?). The Spirit’s work in Jesus is the pattern for His work in us. The Spirit equips Christ/w/Word as He spreads His kingdom (mission) by giving Him the means/tools needed to spread the gospel. Vs. 1’s promise is the archetype for the promise in us: the Davidic kingdom is chopped down from punishment and out of which the Davidic Son will rule a greater kingdom (cf. Jesse’s stump, not David’s). What is the branch of his roots? God chopped down the forest of Assyria into a desert of stumps from which a new creation arises. New rod (Assyria cast aside) comes forth, Christ, by the power of the Spirit (cf. new birth, resurrection, Jesus’ story). The field is plowed (decreated) so the true seed can come forth (Gen 3:15), the final iteration of the OT story. The Spirit rests on Christ as He descended on the tabernacles as a glory cloud (Ex 40), on Christ as dove. How can the Spirit work in me? Because He worked first in the w/Word that is implanted in me. It is not about feelings so much as the w/Word taking root in us, from which comes wisdom, understanding, might, counsel, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. He is the creative agent who empowers the Messiah. The Spirit is also the glorifying agent; is Christ glorified among us (our robes of glory, and we His, cf. mutual consumption)? His work in us is not only patterned after by leads us back to Christ, in whom were the fruits of the Spirit perfectly (cf. godly character), even as incarnate Son of man. As the outworking of Christ’s mission comes to fruition through the Spirit, we see peace among animals (cf. nations), vs. 11. The knowledge of God’s glory will spread over the whole earth, and nations will come to the holy mount to inquire, the seat of His rest/kingdom (cf. heaven, Heb 10, 12). Christ is a judge without prejudice, bias, or against the outward appearance. Social justice must lie in the righteousness of Christ. As we are sealed by the Spirit, He imprints the character of Christ’s likeness upon us as letters of the w/Word, the true words of God (Rev 19). Christ is in us by the Spirit. The union of all of us is the groundwork for justification, sanctification, and glorification (cf. Trinity union). The Spirit of RESToration. Notes of the beatitudes in vs. 4, armor or God in vs. 5, cf. Rev 1. John 2: Jesus knew men’s hearts, not just by what He saw/heard but by the Spirit. Peace with God -> peace among us. Don’t be an enemy!

Zechariah 8:1-23

A picture of the peaceful prosperity that shall come to Zion and, by extension, come to the other nations which bless her, seek her, and confess their God (cf. Rev 7:9). God will dwell in His holy mountain, surrounded by His hosts who rule with staffs in old age, in the redeemed garden-vineyards in which God has sowed peace. God commands the hands of His people to be strong, just as they were in times these old prophets spoke God’s words as His temple was being built. This is all old covenant culmination that is typological of the new people (Christians), new temple (heavenly Jerusalem/the body-politic of the church), the remnant who shall experience everlasting peace with and among all nation-peoples-languages. Godly character in speaking truth, peace, and love while rendering judgments – not as in former days in Israel in which God was provoked to wrath – but following the model of Christ and His good types. Old and young, east and west, all nations, men and women, slaves and free men, rich and poor, all the extremities of societies will be saved from false idols. Israel will warn the nations of being cursed by sin and be a place of refuge/blessing to which they will come in repentance (central worship site). We will once again have a central worship site, but only at the end of the new covenant. Be merciful to others as you have received mercy, 1^st and 2^nd commandments. Will 10 people of all nations hold to our robe of authority in Christ? We feast in festivity, fast is not our norm (?) Contrast the fasts mentioned to commemorate the instances of Jerusalem’s destruction: 4^th day (fall of Jerusalem’s walls, 2 Kings 25:3-4); 5^th: fall to Nebuchadnezzar (25:8); 7^th: date of Gedaliah’s death (25:25); 10^th: siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (25:25). Covenant renewal and consummation.

Isaiah 22:1-14

God’s mercifulness in warning His people against the consequences of sin (cf. parents warning kids about playing in the street). Jerusalem, a city on top of hills, is endangered by unrepentant sin and has been brought low, a valley of vision – blindness vs. light on a hill. These people are slain – not by battle, but by their spiritual idolatry. They forsook God, their leaders fled (2 Kings 25:4-6), abandoned the people to save their own lives. To the warnings, the people respond with false joy – materialistic exaltation. This leads to the destruction of Jerusalem over which God weeps (breaking 3^rd commandment). In the day of the Lord, there is a decreation the likes of which we see against Sodom and Egypt – to which Israel and the leaders will later be compared in Jesus’ time as well. The divine protection is taken away (covering of Judah), for there is no atonement for unrepentant sin. To the call for weeping, mourning, baldness, sackcloth – repentance – the people of Jerusalem instead respond with empty joy and gladness – killing, eating, drinking, for tomorrow we die (nihilistic hedonism?). Covenant breaking leads to covenant curse, for there is no sacrifice remaining when the people look to their weapons, wealth, waters and storage, depending on these things but not the Lord who gave and planned it long ago (cf. Solomon, USA). The people did not look in faith to Yahweh. In the day of the Lord, we must be found in the rock of Christ, clothed with His righteousness, or we will be exposed in our naked sin to God’s wrath. Do not labor: for in labor (double entendre), Israel has been destroyed by her own daughters. Israel is not comforted by the false assurances of the people who were going up (the high places, God’s dwelling) to celebrate without repentance: do not reject God’s word to His face. What is repentance? A saving grace in which a sinner, out of his apprehension of the mercy of Christ and his hatred of sin, turns from it to God with full purpose of new obedience (8.7 WCF). God is our protection, not the weapons of this world. Those cannot save us, false confidence.

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-28

The resurrection of Christ is the crux of our faith, without which we have believed in vain. For Christ is the one in whom all things are renewed, resurrected, redeemed. The seed of the last Adam are only no longer able to be found in sin [from the first?] in the last Adam has been raised from the dead, resurrected and justified thereby in order that we too may follow this pattern by being united with Him in regeneration-conversion (Rom 4:25). The OT witness to the death and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:3, 4) by the many 3-day (hour, week, month, year) patterns. The resurrection is bodily just as ours will be: bodies are good. We ae images of God just as the incarnate Christ (Heb 1:3, Col 1:15). Yet union in nature to the first man has corrupted and condemned us all to due (by nature?); therefore, a last man needed to come for us to be united to Him by nature (regeneration, 2 Pet 1:4). Whose lived are our viewed in by God objectively and patterned after (subjective, experimental)? The Spirit works out our salvation in us as He worked in Christ (cf. Holy Spirit in 1^st Adam or not)? How much more should we be a witness to others, knowing that our only hope for them, as for us, is that they not perish in sin but raise again, believers in Christ. Only for them does death have no sting. Otherwise, Christ’s enemies, including death, will be destroyed, unwilling to subject to Christ’s reign as established and to be returned to His Father. He is the resurrection and the life. Believe in Him, the person, not just the event, to be harvested after Him, our firstfruits (cf. Leviticus, Exodus?). By the grace of God we are what we are: dead to sin, raised to serve, ascended to exalt and be exalted with our Savior and firstfruits. Paul was untimely born: miscarriage or premature first (late birth?); he experienced a death-resurrection in his history of persecution and conversion to ministry which he persecuted. There is no hope at all if it is in this life only; such is the pitiable situation, for then we will perish in sin (note Paul still assumes Scripture, hence an accentuation of pity). Paul’s testimony was eyewitness grounded as well as biblical, cf. epistemic justification (external and/or internalist and fallible). James mentioned particularly because he doubted until resurrected (?). Confirmatory apologetics vindicated here. Death would come to the obedient 1^st Adam [as substitute for progeny] (1 Cor 15:42ff.)?

 

Romans 12:14-21

Possible chiasm with Rom 3:8. Instead of let us do evil that good may come, Paul here warns against doing evil because evil has or may come. How a Christian reasons in a non-Christian environment is different from how a non-Christian reasons, for our minds have been renewed that, although we must not be wise in our own sight (Prov 3:7), our lives are influenced by the way we think. Christians have been given mediatorial roles as peacemakers in the world – they have been raised back with Christ into the sanctuary as a firmament people, governors whom God will rule to as His kingdom expands. But we must be kings sacrificially, just as Christ was, binging peace to what extent we can. God will right wrongs and bring vengeance at His time. Revenge on our part is an empty pursuit. We instead ought to be patient with our enemies as God was patient with us who were His enemies (Rom 5, 2 Pet 3). Rather than curse them, bless them, for that is what our Savior did. He rejoices and weeps with us – we who are infinitely lower than He is. How much more should we seek harmony with one another? It is our honor to suffer persecution in likeness with Christ. Therefore, we must not avenge ourselves but heap coals upon others with kindness, leading either to their conversion or further wrath from God. God overcame our evil by feeding us, clothing us, giving us drink and shelter. We too must follow the exemplar of our God (Matt 5:43-48). We are not a people who are driven by emotions (although emotions are good, hence rejoice/weep) but by our own fear of the Lord. Just as we treat our bodily members with care and empathy when they hurt etc., so must we treat our church and race. Likewise, we have many members because each is insufficient on its own. Our wisdom is from our Head, Christ Jesus, not in ourselves. Implications of this regarding church discipline (or otherwise) confirm that it is for the benefit of the person cut off or disciplines that such occurs, if indeed peace in Spirit and truth is possible (v. 18). How is the world overcome? Who overcomes? Those born of God unto faith in Jesus, the Son of God who prayed for His enemies even with His dying breath (1 John 5:4-5). The people of God must rely on the Elohim-leaders He put in place to deal with law-breakers. Consider what your testimony will be when it is your turn to face God on the last day. Fear of His wrath, awe of His majesty, leads to wisdom.

 

Romans 13:1-7

Even without a corrupt nature, in Adam all chose to rebel against divine authority. With corruption, we rebel against all sorts of godly appointed authorities, Elohim imagers: church, state, family, work, and, of course, God. In each sphere, God has ordained a society, a communion, to teach us dependence, to restrain sin, to order, to mature and lead, and as subordinates, we must submit to and even bless authorities, even if they are enemies of God. We overcome evil with good, model citizens in which we only disobey when personally commanded to disobey a higher authority (God -> church -> state; family fits in where?). Otherwise, we will be judged and disciplined just as we would in our house under a godly father when we disobey him. If we always do good – even if it seems we are being terrorized – then we build our character, our testimony, and our dependency on even higher authority to vindicate the righteous. Rev 13, Isaac’s well-building, Nebuchadnezzar, etc. show abuse of governance. When we only must suffer, we still must obey. When told to alter our worship – and this also covers times outside church, since we are living sacrifices – we must disobey and will still suffer consequences. Ultimately, God’s sword of vengeance will be brought against evildoers, or they will be converted (Abimelech, Nebuchadnezzar), for one must not misuse his subordinate sword of authority in his sphere (father, elders, magistrates). This would be a defacement of godly imaging as judges. God’s wrath is carried out in justice by image-bearing judges like Him, not us in revenge, or else we will experience not just human punishment but divine wrath-justice (discipline?). Even for our sound conscience and peace of mind, we submit in all things that belong to authorities over us since all belongs to God, except when God’s word overrules those demands of lower authorities. Rules not being a terror to good conduct but bad may imply that without said authority, even if they seem bad, society would be for the worse. Deacon = servant of God, tax collector. Pay = tribute, Rom 11:36. Leaders will always be judged severely when they themselves do not honor God (consider this, fathers!). As we would expect respect, fear, and honor from those subordinate to us, so too we must do likewise to those to whom we are subordinate. Governing authorities are servants of God whether they believe it or not. A godless nation is one whose authorities don’t recognize God as a higher authority. When they say worship is nonessential, they err grievously and overstep. Children: obedience to father-rule (in church, family) until ready to go off and start a family on one’s own. Citizen: tax, respect, honor, revenue.

 

Romans 8:18-39

Trouble and trials surround us and the people of God with whom we fellowship and are in union. Multiple members allows us to care for one another when one of us suffers, with our Head, the Word of God and light of our eyes that enlightens His body, ultimately working through His binding Spirit to intercede for us before our Father who is in control of all things and ultimately works then for our good. Resting in the work and power of our Triune God enables us to be free of sin’s slavery, our anxieties, and God’s enemies (cf. Psalms). Just as the Father hears and answers His Son’s prayers for us (John 6, 17), will He not also hear His Spirit’s prayers (Rom 8:26-30) and answer them – Jesus and the grounds by which we can draw near in the first place, the Spirit as the means by which we came to and abide in this root? The Spirit’s groaning are too deep for words (non-propositional, attitudinal, metaphorical?). Our society is rebellious, the promise for all things working together for good only applies to Christians – we must pray/intercede for our enemies just as Jesus/the Spirit pray/intercede for us who were His enemies in hope of societal reform/recreation (Rom 8:24-25). Decreation or trials and suffering often precede glorious rebirth. When we experience hardships, our hope must carry us through, and our patient God is always working things towards our good, even if the effects aren’t seen until after we die (martyr’s blood as seeds of truth growing). Paul will himself give an example of his faith/hope/love in 8:36-39 (cf. chapters 9-11), and we can view the Christological // pattern as, united with Him, our confidence that we will overcome as conquerors and be glorified. The Father’s glory and our good are tied together by Paul’s argument, so we can trust in His promises to us. Thus, don’t complain, be patient, pray, and love others. Hardships to bring maturity/dependence, our current afflictions are light (double entendre); consider eternity, don’t wallow in the present. We underestimate God in prayer. Because creation was the house of God and was defiled by Adam’s sin, it is in need of cleansing just as we are (Heb 9, Rom 8:12-23). Hence, a new creation cosmologically, anthropologically, soteriologically, ecclesiologically, etc. is needed. Literally nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, the exemplar who not only had/has faith/hope in His Father and Spirit and us (His family) but also sanctifying love [for us]. We are given all things needed for continued salvation, a fortiori Romans 8:31-39. Two advocates and [covenantal] witnesses of our redemption besides ourselves, or even three (Father included).

 

Romans 13:8-10

Because we always pay people what we owe them, one thing we owe to all is love, for all our neighbors are images of God. As God love we His enemies, as well as loving His neighbors (intra-Trinitarian, heavenly host), so too we must image Him in loving Him as well as our neighbor-enemies. How this love is exemplified in some cases is contingent (rebuke, mourning, laughing, encouraging, etc.) and in some senses not (10 commandments/words. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” summarizes these exemplifications. It is the word (singular?) of the Lord just as the Bible is the word of God (singular?). In both cases, commandments/truths (plural) are summarized such that the one can be said to fulfill the whole law – because its implications entail obedience and acceptance of all other divinely communicated words, e.g. 1^st commandments, non-commandment facets of 10 commandment/words – and the other can be said to be the preaching of the whole counsel of God which is to be believed – and hence all future divine revelations (synecdoche). As Christ’s life fulfilled the law so as to save us unto glorification, He enables us to, in union with Him, live out a life patterned after Him, fulfilling the law as ones already perfected yet still being sanctified. As we love ourselves naturally (Luke 6:31), so too ought we to love others. What is love? To do* no wrong. Love is an act of will, directed by God’s word to another’s well being as God w/Word was so directed towards our well being. 1 John 3:16 social justice is encompassed and, hence, if another gospel is false. The purpose of the law is implied in the statement that love is the fulfillment of it. Love of God -> love of neighbor. It is not to justify ourselves in God’s sight but is the end* of the law (1^st, shut mouths, recognize sin). The law is not the ground of our salvation, but it is how we recognize we need salvation. Its purpose doesn’t stop there but helps direct us towards how to, once saved, do for others what is so natural for us to do for ourselves (also restrains sin). The Adamic law was to bring the love of God and others to Adam’s heart (1 Cor 13). Christ is Lord of our sanctification as well as our justification such that the righteous requirement of the law – to love – is fulfilled in us (Rom 8:1-4) by grace alone but synergistically.

 

Romans 13:11-14

In addition to the foregoing exhortations – to not live according to the systems of the world, to present our members as holy and acceptable as a living sacrifice, to love one another (even our enemies) – besides this the timing of our need to awake from sleep and heed Paul’s alarm-warning is that the day of the Lord’s salvation was near[er] than when they had first believed. Thus, believers can fall asleep (cf. Mark 14:32-42). We must be roused to action, like an army that should have been watching at night for daybreak, that they enemy does not infiltrate when we are unsuspecting. Indeed, for the believer, we must also be watchful for the return of our Master, always expectant and never taking for granted the care of stewardship He has given us. In fact, our putting on armor of light and casting off works of darkness appears to be means by which the day of the Lord itself comes. Just as we wake up from drowsiness by showering and dressing for work, so too the word’s washing and the Spirit’s equipping do we ready ourselves for kingdom work. These things are the only way we can walk as we should, not distracted or drunk or stumbling in the dark. Just like how our leg can “fall asleep,” so too can individual members (part vs. whole, church or our own compartmentalized lives) need to be roused by the rest of the body. We must live consistently our union to Christ: externally should match the internal/invisible (church and our own works/salvation). To correctly cast off/put on, we must first know the hour. We watch by prayer and meditating on God’s w/Word. Is Paul typologically referencing the shaking of heavens and earth against the 2^nd temple/Jerusalem, Old -> New covenant completion? All new creations are days of the Lord and bring salvation to God’s people. Sleepiness can also refer to unbelief and taking for granted that we can address spiritual matters whenever we feel like it (Matt 25:1-13). Being awakened is, thus, a picture of resurrection. For those believers who have been making provision for the flesh, putting on the Lord Jesus and or as his garment is a sanctifying resurrection fitting to his union with Christ in the Spirit. Our nature of flesh must be conformed by the Spirit and to the image of the Son. Quarrels and jealousy cause warring among members, being lascivious or drunk cause uselessness of the members. Both hurt the body.

 

Isaiah 26:1-6

Every time God saves His people, a new song is sung. In the day of the Israelites, their secure city was Jerusalem. Antitypically, we are secure in Christ already and not yet in the heavenly Jerusalem. Jesus is our strong city, in whom our salvation is [protected by the] walls/bulwarks. The city has defined limits, and being found in Christ is that limit. No one can lay a successful attack against this city. We enter Christ by faith; it is our gate-door into our ark of righteousness, and our entrance defines the nation. This city is founded on the everlasting rock, the cornerstone of Christ. Hence, we can trust in the Lord forever to be our strong deliverer. We are at perfect peace who trust in and have our mind stayed on Him, for we have no condemnation who have been justified by faith in Christ Jesus (Rom 5:1, 8:1, Heb 10:14). In contrast to the city of God is the city of man, one which attempts to build itself up to the heavenlies by its own efforts and will be humbled, brought low to the cursed ground, cast in the dust where our works brought us in the first place by our failure to keep the Adamic covenant. And the meek/humble/poor/needy in Christ on earth will trample (as feet, hierarchical connection between social/biological/ecclesiological/Christological bodies and members?) this arrogant city and enemies of God underfoot (1 Pet 2:18, Gen 3:15; alternatively, convert these enemies), for they are united as members in the body of Christ who set the pattern for us of suffering unto glory, humility unto exaltation. The proud will contrarily fall on their knees before a conquering God, and while the feet may be bruised, the heads of God’s enemies will be crushed. Our objective peace before God ought to be matched by subjective peace in staying our minds upon God’s w/Word. The already-not yet dimension captures the Christological-cosmological connection between our temple-salvation in Christ and His wall-vestments as high priest (Rev 21). Christ is the temple who is adorned by His works – us. We are the jewels of His own temple garment as high priest, and thus this city is strong, salvation in it secure. Heaven will descend on earth at Christ’s return, and a new, glorified creation will be the righteous result. We can only “accept” Christ as our Lord and Savior by first being deemed by God as acceptable – not in sin but in loving anticipation of transformation of sinner-enemies to righteous in Christ. The love of God for we who were His enemies is stunning, and we are therefore called to love our enemies. Eph 2 shows that the city of Christ broke down walls and boundaries between Jews/Gentiles, making peace between us by being common citizens in a common city.

 

Hebrews 10:19-25

We have full confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus. Compare to Lev 16; we no longer need to follow washing and clothing and sacrificial rituals to draw near before God (cf. Nadab and Abihu), for Christ is our clothing and sacrifice, and we have been washed in His blood by His Spirit through the word of faith. We have union with our great High Priest, and this invisible reality has been signified and sealed visibly in our baptism. Christ’s flesh was the curtain through which we, because it has been rent, have access into the most holy place and the holy place, where only the priests could go (Lev, Matt 27:51). Conscience – heart connection. Our inmost parts have been sprinkled clear just as heavenly things and copies thereof were cleaned-purified (9:23-24). Just so, we should not neglect to meet with one another no matter the persecution or trying circumstances, for that is how we may be encouragements to each other. The “Day” is drawing near, so let us draw near to Him – the true “Day”-light of Christ. We mustn’t hide from the [2^nd] coming of the Day-light, as if darkness will allow us to perpetually keep evil works secret (John 3:19-21). Because our hope and faith in Christ’s return and enabling us to enter the same holy places He already has is a confident one, we must consider how to do good works all the more, knowing all works will be brought to light. What is our habit. Also cf. 70 A.D. as the end of the old covenant visibly (= Day of the N.C.). Sacrifice = near-bringing? Pure water: pure because of its innate characteristics being able to function in significatory fashion or pure because of the function of it in baptism (or both)? Objective confidence grounds subject confidence. Similar to how objective grounds for salvation grounds subjective salvation. 3 commands: let us draw near with full assurance in faith, with a true heart (since objective grounds subjective); let us hold fast our confession of our hope in He who is faithful (assurance -> unwavering); let us consider how to stir one another up to love and good works (positive alternative to negative unwavering). Speculation: veil/curtain is removed/torn only by incarnation and death of the Son unto the beatific vision (cf. angels don’t have flesh and so didn’t need this for seeing God face to face, or is sin the real difference)? He who promised is faithful (Heb 6) as we have also seen in history. Confirmation of intrinsic reality as to sign/seal in visible actions (apologetics; cf. sacraments).

 

Matthew 15:10-20

Why would the Pharisees have been offended at the statement by Jesus that what goes into our mouth doesn’t defile anyone? They may have understood the ceremonial law and dietary prohibitions to be literal rather than symbolic. While in the OT there were clean and unclean animals (symbolizing people), holy hand, and other boundary markers for Israel, these were types of Christ and the salvation He was to bring to His people. Further, even in the OT, God-fearing Gentiles like Jethro didn’t need to be circumcised to draw near to God (Ex 18). God’s creation was good; it is our sin that proceeds from our heart that defiles. If thoughts comes from the heart as well as other particular instances of lawlessness, does this indicate a distinction? Is the heart a disposition of the mind/will? What are the plants that were not planted by God? Adam was planted in the garden, and yet he would have been uprooted had God not saved him. If nothing went “into” Adam that defiled him, he must have defiled himself. He set his heart (mind/will?) to think evilly and do wrong. It is these rather than the heart per se that defiles. To what end do we present our members: righteousness or lawlessness (Rom 6)? Does this imply libertarian free will? *Not on pain of precluding eternal, divine omniscience. What then? How is it that God is the ultimate cause of all things and yet Adam’s heart turned to sin without divine temptation? Is planting active and sin “passively” predestined? I.e. secondary causation certainly must be the explanation from whence sin is caused (James 1:13) because our sin cannot likewise be immediately caused without antecedent, ultimately divine causation unless we deny *. But then, is that 2^nd cause leading to sin itself an evil thing? No, perhaps an Augustinian explanation of hierarchical goods explains how all creation is good (cf. Gen 3:6) and yet can be causes of evil (cf. Jordan that the fruit would’ve eventually been good to eat (Gen 1:29-31). We must just direct ourselves to the ultimate good, God, and what He commands.

 

Romans 15:1-7

While some may be misinformed – especially in regards to matters in which we have freedom, we who are strong must be mature, patient with the failings of the weak in conscience due to their infancy in the faith. For our bearing with them pleases them for their good and builds them up, not by capitulating and putting up with their weakness, but is not oppressive nor excluding. It is gentle, humble strength in patience, not at the expense of truth but nor reproachful. On the contrary, we are to bear others’ reproaches and burdens as Christ bore ours (Gal 6, cf. fruits of the Spirit). Service is more important than liberty, as our model who we are to imitate has shown us on our own behalf (Ps 69). Reconciling ourselves to each other follows the heavenly pattern set before us (in truth), and although such requires endurance and diligence, even from old instruction has been written to encourage us and our hope in the unity of the faith of Christ’s body. Resulting harmony in Christ and the Scriptures (the word-Word truly means we can together, in one voice, glorify God the Father, just as Christ Himself has. All things end in the glory of God. Let us be intentional about welcoming others as Christ welcomed us – for the glory of God; that is true obedience and holiness, the goal of all things in our life, and worship in one voice magnifies our glorifying Him. In building one another up, we literally build up the church – house of God. This brings maturity, glory, magnificence to God’s dwelling place and thereby glorifies Him in turn. Thus, while we may choose relative self-sufficiency, that is not to what we have been called in the church. We must depend and be dependable for other members of the body, for even the truly self-sufficient One set an example for we who are not. We imitate the servitude of Christ towards others.

 

Romans 15:8-13

As proved in chapters 9-11, God fulfilled His promises to the Jews-circumcised-patriarchs in becoming a servant to them. In His service, He showed God’s truthfulness, caused Gentiles to glorify the merciful God – in that, through a large scale rejection of this servant by the circumcised, the mercy of God extended to include Gentiles among the remnant of Israel – and to fill us with hope. Scripture, as said in verse 4, was written for our instruction such that, through endurance, we might have hope. As the Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture, it is due to His work that we are filled with joy and peace in believing unto hope. Our faith et. al. comes by hearing the word of God and effectual power of the Holy Spirit. These go hand in hand. Thus, Paul brings out the unanimous teaching of the OT regarding Gentile inclusion in the kingdom and worship of the truth, promise keeping God. Prophecies regarding the suffering Servant and inclusive King give us reason to endure with joy and peace. There is a sort of feedback loop in which these cause increase in our hope in God’s power to fulfill God's word to us – that we will live in harmony and His presence forever. 2 Samuel 22:50 shows that persecution of faithful Israelites-Jews (David – who was fleeing fellow Israelite Saul) will lead to Gentile inclusion; Acts follows that pattern ultimately in Jews persecuting their own and leading to the scattering unto larger gathering. God’s mercy is not just taking a breath or sweeping things under the rug. It includes grace. He withholds His wrath in communicating grace to us through His Son’s work as applied to us by His Spirit.

 

Matthew 6:6-13

The sign of new life is crying. We celebrate this in babies born and in regenerate who cry out in prayer to their heavenly Father. We do this due to our needs, needs that in our infancy we cannot yet even articulate (Rom 8:26-27). Prayer is not only private but corporate. Our, us, we. Our prayer should be modeled by the Lord’s prayer: that God’s glory and purposes be manifested on earth as in heaven – God hallowing His name in justice and holiness and grace and mercy that we desperately need (which He knows whether or not we articulate all of them) – that we may imitate Him as images of Him, forgiving others and providing for their needs. Our trust in God as His children is because we ought not trust in ourselves, yet we should also strive to be people in whom others can relatively trust. We don’t need empty words and long speeches, but we do need to speak with our Father in dialogue: He through His word and we in understanding and obeying it. The Pharisee’s religion was individualistic: hypocritical “look at me” rather than “let us look to God.” Our prayers are a sweet aroma of incense before God. They sanctify us in mortifying our sins before them (or by them). They are a way in which we are called living sacrifices (Rom 12:1, cf. Eph 5:1). The church is the house of prayer, of worship. We identify with this house, not a room. Having a separate room during and in which we privately pray notwithstanding, we need to be members of and live in the house (corporate -> individual). We learn how to live on our own only by hearing those more mature corporately. Corporate prayer: requires physical presence, agreement, representation, etc. We are embodied people. Virtual marriage doesn’t work! Worship -> culture, not vice versa. People want to be prayed for and cared for by prayer. They can’t know about that aside from corporate prayer. Heb 10:25 is not abrogated by Zoom. A temporal arrangement for a health crises might match a time of separation between husband and wife by agreement and for the purposes of prayer… “but then come together again”! (2 Cor. 7:3).

 

Romans 15:14-21

Following his lengthy and systematic exposition of the gospel and its implications, Paul assures the Romans of his conviction that they are his brothers, full of goodness and knowledge such that they could instruct one another. His satisfaction must have given them great joy. He even speaks to why he has written to them so boldly: to remind them, as all Christians need, that they are to be sanctified by the Spirit, acceptable before God. Because of Paul’s grace-full ministry. As an evangelist to the Gentiles, it was his calling to offer them before God as a pleasing sacrifice, only possibly because of his priestly service of the gospel, his instruction as a minister of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ (who has authority over all people and thus is able to make Paul and others’ work effectual). Paul’s pride is in Christ’s working through him to bring the Gentiles to faith and obedience (since that was his distinct calling – Gal 2:7-9 – by the Trinity, all of whom are mentioned in this passage). Paul brought these Gentiles before God by word (Scripture) and deed (model), having had his commission and the truth of the revelation of the counsel of God more fully before these people confirmed (just like Moses, Christ, etc.) by signs, wonders, and the power of the Spirit. Paul was building foundations as we do now only by appeal to those who are the foundations (Eph. 2:20), whose words we only have now in the Scriptures. In this way do we fulfill the ministry of the gospel of God/Christ, still relying on the power of the Spirit to convict sinners, only doing what we can: obey the word in all areas of our lives. We minister as a church. Marks of a gospel church: produces mature Christians, providing faithful, biblical teaching, relies on the power of God’s word and Spirit. Paul’s calling was to places where the gospel was unknown (evangelist, not for everyone). It is not just these elders who are able and ought to edify one another. We apply what we learn to our lives. There is no R2K position here. The gospel is how we are brought by evangelists to be thank offerings before God (or by others, e.g. family, cf. 12:1). Have people been built up on false foundations? Is their thought that they are self-made, boot-strapped up by their own efforts? We must tear down such foundations.

 

Isaiah 30:1-7

The Israelites actively sought an alliance with the Egyptians. They “went down” as if to a pit of death/destruction, but without hope of divine resurrection since it was set out without divine sanction (compare Matt. 2, in which Mary/Joseph fled to Egypt to seek refuge from Herod, reflect on the fact that only after his death they could return to the promised land, cf. city of refuge and death of the high priest; also compare this to the question of whether the exile of the Israelites from the promised land can be likened to fleeing to cities of refuge, able to return when the high priest died; is this when the Jews could return?). These Israelites were being “stubborn children” (constant theme of Israel; cf. Moses, Judges, Is. 1:2), not trusting in their heavenly father for help against the Assyrians but making foolish plans on their own. Did they not remember how Egypt treated their fathers? Did they forget the shame of our father Adam? For the serpent in the garden (cf. Pharaoh, who himself in Exodus is a type of the serpent/Satan) could not profit them once he spoke lies of God, and the Egyptians, whose land is compared to that from which comes the adder and fiery, flying serpent, can similarly be of no profit to Israel without divine approval. They are host to a land of waste, a wilderness that the Lord Himself had to deliver their Fathers from. While risk this danger, leaving the presence of the Lord who must be with them to withstand all trials, this one with Assyria, no more than at earlier points in their history. Help comes from the name of the Lord, not those who do not confess this name. The Rahab-god of the Egyptians is profitless, hence the apt descriptor: “Rahab, who sits still.’ Only our living God can arise to protect His people, or will we be found naked at the time of judgment (i.e. Assyrian), not clothed in Christ’s glorious righteousness. (2 Pet. 2:22). Alliances are fine so long as they are with God-fearing nations/groups. Do we plunder Egypt or send it our riches? So too our individual lives. No prayer by the Israelites. They proceeded with their own plans, even seeking help from chariots/horses that God warned them not to depend on. Let us not turn back to Egypt, the sin-slavery from which we were delivered – lest our land become the new Egypt. Egypt itself was a recipient of divine grace then fell away, setting the type (cf. Joseph narrative).

 

Acts 2:32-39

Infant baptism is a practice that ought to be based on Scripture. There is a continuity between the old and new covenants. God always related to people by means of covenant. The Abrahamic covenant was everlasting. So too were Sabbaths, circumcision (not only a national covenant sacrament, cf. Ishmael and Esau), and land promises said to be everlasting, but the principle of household inclusion carries over throughout the history of redemption (cf. Noah and his family baptized although he alone was favored in God’s sight; perhaps he evangelized them, though, or else we should baptize unbelieving spouses). There is no qualifier as to which children are in view in Acts 2:39. Baptism communicates grace or judgment, one is never neutrally viewed in God’s sight nor in the sight of His church. How God views men is secret that becomes manifest or public over time. Do they come to true faith? The visible church, on the other hand, must in the here and now declare how they view infants – welcomed into their arms as such to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs (Luke 18) or cut off from the community as ones unholy? (1 Cor 7:14 but cf. again whether unbelieving spouses should be baptized although “holy”). Revisit whether faith immediately proceeds from regeneration or how to denies faith (intellectual as substance?), etc. Is it more dangerous for us to bring unregenerate children into the church than it is to leave regenerate ones out or vice versa? Away with such utilitarian arguments; the church has disciplinary authority for any such cases. They are participants in worship (Prov 14:26, Psalm 8:2). Will not infants be baptized upon the 2^nd coming? The sacrament only brings forward the reality that is eschatological into the present, not ex opera operato, but as symbol which visibly communicates grace/judgment (and cf. infants in the Flood). Main argument in favor: in order for one to be a participant in worship, with the elder as one’s spiritual father taught and disciplined by him, one must belong to the visible church (Eph 6:4 – analogy of our households to that of the church). Otherwise, the infants are merely present as strangers among a household that is not their own, and we should not draw them near to our God of fire due to danger. Presumptive discipleship/adoption in an analogical sense (ecclesiastic).

 

Romans 15:22-23

Corresponding Acts 24:17 to Romans 15:25 dates or the approximate timing of Paul’s letter and ministry (estimated 55-57 A.D.). Paul regarded his work as coming to completion in the east and therefore (15:23-24) would pass through Rome after Jerusalem on his way to Spain (Acts 27-28). He explains that the Gentiles coming to share in spiritual blessings should lead them to share their own material blessings: the body of Christ is made whole from all contributions to its good by its members (cf. construction of the OT tabernacle in Exodus 25-40), no matter what blessings they may bring. All members are parts of the fulness of the blessing of Christ, with their individual gifts. What has been sowed with the gospel should be reaped in the benefits of good and [financially] generous works by those who are so sowed (e.g. Paul himself, Gal 6:6-7, 1 Cor 9:3-14), even if they did not always demand what they were rightfully owed. If we share pain, knowledge, blessing spiritually, we must also do so materially. We meet others’ needs just as ours are met in and by others – no one is self-sufficient, we are all in service to the body whose Head is Christ. How Paul came in the fulness of the blessing of Christ is interestingly as one persecuted by the Jews and accused of charges that could’ve led to his execution (cf. when he wrote Philippians in jail). We must pray to strive together with our fellow believers. Cf. deacons. Do we submit to God’s plans? We don’t negotiate with God, change His mind, or do so for His benefit. We are changed and benefitted. God hears our prayers and indeed may include them in his sovereign decree as means to ends, e.g. 1) Paul’s deliverance from unbelievers (he expected persecution even though He believed in a God of peace) 2) and that his service to the saints would be acceptable (Would Jews accept $ from the Gentiles? Yes! Reconciliation is key), that he would be refreshed and joyous. Bother of these + and – examples of prayer and how we depend on others. Paul. Exhibits the Christological suffering unto glory patter, a blessing in which we too participate (1 Pet 4:12ff.).

 

John 4:1-43

Each story in the NT is by design providentially ordained and fulfilling the OT – 4:4 doesn’t mean Jesus had to pass geographically but theologically. Women, wells, types, enacted parables (cf. Gen. 24, 29, Ex. 2). Jesus is the greater Jacob indeed because He provides a greater water to His bride than did Jacob (who rolled back a stone, cf. resurrection) to provide a greater life, be a better Husband, and continue His covenant through offspring and promises. What’s more, we are broken cisterns who can’t hold water – what love Jesus must have for we who were His enemies in comparison to a loveable Rachel (Rev. 17:1 corresponds to John 4:19, we are all of mixed history, adulterous). We are now wells into which Jesus pours water, not draws it our. The Spirit enables us to worship in Spirit and truth. This water is our everlasting life (4:10) the Son will be able to give us once His stone is rolled back in the resurrection. It’s no wonder the woman runs to tell her family like Rebekah did. She finally has been overcome by Jesus’ prophetic word. This was Christ’s messianic mission ordained by the Father who sent Him (4:34). And we now have the privilege as His wife to participate in the reaping of that which Jesus sowed, profiting from His labors. He is the self-sacrificial I am. The Father is Spirit, His Son incarnated truth (14:6). Our “fruit” as mother-church is to bring in many more children to the kingdom by the gospel testimony of our Savior-Husband’s work. We have entered into His labor, sola gratia/fide/Christus, and hence will enter His rest. Cf. Warren Gage’s The Romance of Redemption. Dual mountains and theological understanding, Samaritans vs. Jews (4:9, 20-22). Samaritans were left by the Assyrians (722 B. C.) as less intelligent, intermarried, then looked down upon by Jews. We are bother the women and the well in this erected parable. Jesus had to roll back our stone hearts of sin to pour the living water of the Spirit into us.

 

Romans 16:1-16

We should cherish having a well-lived name by Christ (Prov 22:1). A good report of our name among the church is a worthy goal. Just as these believers were remembered by Paul and the Holy Spirit who moved Paul, let us seek to be remembered by God in His book of life, that our name may be found in it as a good and faithful servant of Christ. If Paul is able to provide a good record of these believers whom he was not locally among, how much more should we know and greet our fellow members of our local body? All have qualities similar to us, even with their individual, distinct gifts (cf. overlap between Paul’s description of these believers to himself). A Paul communicates greetings from all Christ’s churches, so too should our elders have fellowship and communion with sister churches, and so too ought we to greet them. A holy kiss still symbolizes Christian fellowship that has been sanctified (1 Cor 16:20, 2 Cor 13:12, 1 Thess 5:25, 1 Pet 5:14). Is today’s handshake a sufficient correspondent to this command? The kiss is still common in the East. Hence Judas’ betrayal. Let us seek these qualities as Christians in God’s kingdom. Indeed, Paul had not visited Rome yet has so many personal and full ties. Paul’s letter is quite grounded (historically) and full of love in purpose. Phoebe: servant, patron. Prisca/Aquila: taught Apollos, tentmakers like Paul, sacrificial, house church? Epaenetus: 1^st “Asian” convert. Mary: hard worker. Andronicus/Junia: another couple, prisoners. Ampliatus/Stachys: beloved by God/Paul. Urbanus: fellow worker, these may have been slaves. Apellas: approved, faithful. Aristobulus: perhaps related to Herod the Great/Emperor Claudius, cf. Herodian as a freeman of this family who took on its name. Narcissus: perhaps aid of Claudius who was forced to kill himself. Persis: another hardworking woman, beloved – Trypheena/Tryphosa (sisters?). Phiologus/Julia/Nereus/Olympus: saints with them. Asyncritus/Phlegon/Hermes/Petrobas/Hermas and brothers with them. Rufus: perhaps the Son of the crossbearer (Mark 15:21) for Christ. If so, Paul may have heard the mother’s testimony, hence the affection. 23 names.

 

Romans 16:17-23

Further greetings extended toward the end of the letter, but sandwiched between is warning against divisive individuals who would create obstacles contrary to the doctrines taught in the church. We ought to avoid such people. The people in Rome are priests and to guard themselves and the church from Satanic smooth talk and flattery. We cannot be naïve so as to be deceived. We must serve Christ by listening to His word, not our own sinful appetites or theirs. While the Rome Christians are obedient, they must be wise in their innocence to determine between good and evil. Paul’s letter itself is intended to increase their wisdom – it is Scripture. When we harken to God’s word, the grace of Jesus Christ is evident within us. This is how we remain obedient in the face of Satan and those who he fathers in lies. These divisive people must be noticed and avoided. The God of peace will deal with them, crushing them as enemies under our feet. We are God’s footstool if we are His enemies. Being in union with the Son, we reign with Him over God’s enemies (Heb 1). When will Satan be crushed? Soon. Preteristic inference, cf. the polemic against the Judaizers? Timothy: fellow worker. Lucian/Jason/Sasipater: kinsmen. These descriptions again can be read to apply to Paul and us. Tertius: writer of the letter. Gaius: hose of Paul/church. Erastus: city treasurer. Quartus: brother. The allusion to the garden of Eden could hardly be clearer. We are indeed a firmament people. See also the allusion to Gen 3:15 in Rom. 16:20. We are Eve to our last Adam. But cf. army of God: Exodus 14:14 – whose word is sufficient? Not inactive though. It is easy to be seduced quickly from God’s word if we don’t constantly meditate on it (cf. Adam, Israel, David, Galatia, etc.). Go deep in God’s word, not in study of false teaching (Ecc 12). Elders will deal with these people through discipline, i.e. excommunication – which is itself a form of avoidance (we ought to flee these people to our elders – many passage and typological examples)

 

Romans 16:25-27

The prophecies long ago were given in symbolic types of the salvific Messiah and good news that can be heard in the preaching of Him. That gospel having been manifested in the life of Jesus Christ and made known to “all nation” (oikumene), the mystery revealed by the command of the eternal God, we should be brought to obey all God’s commands in faith. And we will, but not by our own strength but by being strengthened by this wise God who – through His Son and Spirit – works our salvation to its completion. Thus, as has been Paul’s themes throughout the letter, we see that in every facet of our lives and new life – the knowledge to which we have come by the gospel which has been preached by the command which has been given through the Spirit of the Messianic Son to our obedience and glorification by God’s continued strengthening in the word/Word – in all things, we must give glory to the only wise God forevermore through Jesus Christ, Amen. On earth as in heaven, glory must be given to God. Worship is owed to Him. Will we not be humble before Him in heaven? Then how can we be otherwise on earth before those whose offices image God’s authority? And yet it is ultimately God who is our Master. Triune God and metaphysics/perichoresis – how is the Father the only wise God, Christ the only Sovereign (1 Tim 6:16), etc.? Purposeful conflation? Nicene monarchism vs. triple autotheism – always deep, impenetrable? The “obedience of faith” – is it not obedience to continue to “believe” all of God’s word? Faith is not passive, but active. Faith is an obedience, but it is not the ground of justification. Neither does it function as our righteousness by which we can stand before the faith. It only serves to consummate our union to Christ who, being in us by the Spirit who gave us our faith, is our righteousness. Why faith rather than only regeneration mentioned as an instrument of justification (Titus 3:4-7)? God can’t be “pleased” with those who are not disposed to worship Him. The is no peace, even if love of His enemies by which God was moved to act and save them did precede this.

 

Habakkuk 1:1-4

It is natural for Christian to come before God in prayer wondering why such lamentable events take place in our day and society. Indeed, why are the righteous persecuted and the wicked able to prosper, even in our own immediate circumstances? In Habakkuk’s day, the wicked of Judah were breaking the covenant, but no curses were being brought upon them. “How long?” is a frequent cry in Scripture. We ought to consider, though, that if the Lord was quick to judgment, we who were His enemies would never have had a chance to repent and convert. We must also remember that our God is continually acting in history. It is not for us to decide times for when we are ready to execute justice autonomously. Waiting patiently, prayerfully, our suffering and persecution also enables us to become more conformed to Christ in participating in His own pattern of sacrifice before glory. This should not be an excuse for inactivity. In our own lives no, we must hear cries, see evil, arise to end strife, save from violence, not be paralyzed in our obedience to God’s laws – but always in proportion to the God-given authority or subjection in which He has placed us. We must keep in mind who is really in charge and only, with wisdom, do our best to exemplify Christ-likeness where we are. Theodicy: a defense or justification of God’s actions. Our oppression is more so verbal that visible, counterfeit word[s]/Word. Jordan argues that God did not immediately judge the wicked because they were more mature. Just as He was quick to quell rebellion in the infancy of Israelite history – killing the disobedient quickly – as the nation ages, as in our own lives punishments are built over the as we fail to confess and repent from our perpetual sins (cf. an adult embezzler whose consequences build up over time as he continues in sin and is finally found out). It would be easier for us to be punished for sin quickly as with a spank, but we are supposed to become more mature. Le not the cup of your iniquities become full before God. God will always mete out eye for eye punishment/consequence. Confession is light, repentance is light!

 

Mark 1:1-8

If this is the beginning of the gospel, what of the incarnation and child narratives? What is it about the first chapter of Mark that begins the good news of Jesus? Acts 1:22 – Isaiah 40 mentioned links those events to these. John the Baptist was the consummate forerunner of the consummate good news. John is announcing the need for another exodus (Is 40-54, Ex 23:20, Mal 3:1). The messenger (angelic figure), new Elijah, is preparing for the coming of the Lord, Jesus, whom he and we are not worthy to serve. An exodus is not only happening in terms of John leading people outside of the new Egypt (Jerusalem) in the wilderness to be baptized in the Jordan to reenter the promised land (cf. the tabernacle as a ritual recapitulation of this), it also applies to our need to exit from a life of sin, making straight our crooked hearts, and live in the wilderness of this world while God is enthroned upon our hearts as we await the final entrance into the true promised land. Jesus is here being announced as the true Kind, true God, true Elisha, true temple, etc. and this sets the context for Jesus’ ministry as a priest unto His ascension as Kind. The stories of the whole OT are finding their culmination in Christ. Let us humble receive this good news and repent of and confess our sins. Is John’s eating honey indicative of some new location of promised land? Research this more. Mark received his information from Peter. Wrote to Gentiles, especially in Rome (15:21, Rom 16:13). John Mark. Gospel: good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Baptism of repentance is different from Christian baptism in that this was for those already in the covenant community. In the new covenant, we are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-2) whom the Son who possesses the Spirit in full measure pours out upon us (Is. 42:1, 61:1, cf. Jer. 31:33-34, Ex 37:14). Is there an ordination into being priests of God occurring with John’s baptism as with ours?

 

Isaiah 32:9-20

Complacency – one who thinks no spiritual help or direction is needed and that one’s spiritual growth can be static. Such is dangerous teaching leading to laziness, lack of interest, and can lead to denial of Christ (cf. lukewarmness, Rev 3:14ff.). Further, it can lead to carelessness towards the needs of others and, perhaps, even oppression of these (cf. vss. 5-7). God will judge such affluent persons. These works which spit on God’s covenant will call down the covenant curse: thorns and briars in place of a fruitful harvest (7:23, cf. Gen 3, 32:13). These abominations will lead to a desolation of the city and houses of Israel. The rulers of Israel are also and by implication are being warned as well, for the people are in need of discipline. Are the leaders, being complacent, acting as women instead of priest-guards? Only the Spirit can transform such a situation (vs. 15). Only He will bring justice, righteousness, peace, quietness, and trust. Ironically, it was the pouring out of the Spirit upon the faithful that led to the judgment of Jerusalem and these secure dwellings and resting places for the true followers of God. Only the latter experience joy, even in the face of persecution. The decreation of the false temple of idolatry in which God is not present must precede the complete and consummate temple of God’s people in whose hearts He is enthrones and rules. Complacency is the other side of pride. Only the Spirit can rouse one out of such dire wilderness exile. We all need others’ prayer, and continue self-reforming. Be faithful to the means of grace in Christ’s church – that’s all. Context has to do with the coming of Assyria. They have trusted in Egypt and their wealth over God (see: hail). The passage is replete with double references to fruit in terms of harvest/agriculture and fruit in terms of women. Will Israel be laid bare (double entendre) as wilderness is naked, or will they repent of their complacency, yielding fruit of obedience (to adorn them as clothing for trees) in their own lives? Will we be spit out for spitting on God’s grace of have the Spirit poured into our lives?

 

Mark 1:9-11

Jesus appears suddenly. Unlike others whom John baptized, when Jesus was, the heavens were torn open (a precursor to the temple veil rending upon His baptism-crucifixion) and the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove (cf. Pentecost). Baptism and dove imagery recalls Noah, Moses, and Jonah (cf. 40 day/year or 3 day experiences). Jesus was in no need of repentance; rather, His death-resurrection-baptism was so He could identify with us, fulfilling all righteousness to enable us to enter in God’s presence, glorified, and to worship Him as (in addition to our Creator) our Redeemer who took our curse upon Himself. Christ’s anointing and life sets the pattern for the Christian, who first dies to sin in baptism and is raised to walk in newness of life in the Spirit. All 3 members of the Trinity are included in our salvation. Just as the natural Son is here inaugurated into His public ministry in which He spread the good news. By His life and death, Jesus earned and the Father was well pleased to give us the same Spirit by which we could be adopted sons who, in suffering unto glory for the sake of the gospel, will experience another baptism in death (like our Head) unto the Father’s voice in heaven welcoming us into whom with the words, “well done, thou good and faithful servant.” The Father will be well pleased with us, being clothed with the garment’s of Christ’s righteousness. He came out of Nazareth, a very insignificant town, of Galilee. This is Mark’s origin story. As Jesus is the Head who is the antitype to all those in the OT who foreshadow Him, we are the body who experience what He does because of where He directs us (cf. Moses-Israel). Visual/audible anointing (as High Priest?). The Holy Spirit came to test (and alight gently) upon the true temple and King. In Christ dwelled the fulness of the godhead (Col. 1, Is 61, Ex 40). If Jesus had the Holy Spirit to fulfill His earthly ministry, how much more any of us (including Adam/Eve?).

 

1 Samuel 4

The capture of the ark of the covenant caused all of Israel’s ears to tingle. It caused Eli to fall over and die, for the wife of Phineas, Eli’s son’s wife, to die in lament, declaring, through the naming of God, that God’s glory had departed. The defilement of the tabernacle by the priests and house of Eli caused the Lord to desolate and abandon it. Likewise, when Jesus virtually abandoned the temple upon His death and went into exile for the judgment-substitution for His true temple-body – and, further, the church’s abandonment of the temple upon its exile-scattering from Jerusalem in 70 A.D. whereby it began to, in union with its Savior, experience persecution due to the sins of the world – a new exodus is being set up to take place. It is not the utter abandonment of creation but the preparation of a new creation for the faithful, even in/especially in light of the features of the leaders of the people apart from Christ. Aaron-Nadab-Abihu. Eli-Hophni-Phineas. Our focus should be more concerned with the church and that the glory of God not depart from it, rather than with our families (obviously not mutually exclusive concerns, though). Let us not make idols/superstitions of the things of God. The art and the elements of the Lord’s Supper are not in themselves assurances of God’s presence-favor (nor indeed [presence in] a nominal “church”). Indeed, presence-judgment is quite possible (cf. Nadab and Abihu, the battle, etc.). We may be spit out of His mouth rather than incorporated into His body. Do you abandon God and exile yourself or trust in Christ’s exile? Was Eli the high priest? If so, his death meant the movement of the nation towards release (e.g. the city of refuge, Aaron’s death in Numbers, etc., cf. died at the gate of the city). The Philistines were the descendants of Egypt. This is a new enslavement that would require a new exodus, which the Lord will make possible by taking upon Himself the judgment due to the nation by Himself going into exile, cf. chapters 5-6. Both Eli and Phineas’ wife knew that the capture of the ark was the more serious news in comparison to the death of the sons and people. Numbers are significant, it seems: 98=49x2. 40, 4,000 (cf. Abraham’s age? Exodus and wilderness wandering, feeding of 4000? New birth?).

 

Mark 1:12-13

Note that the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness. This was the same Spirit with which He has just been baptized. The Jews, too, after having been baptized into Moses, were driven into the wilderness. They grumbled and rebelled against their “father” (spiritually speaking). In the one case, the cause was to be tempted – Jesus passes the test. In the other case, temptation was the cause, as the Jews failed to resist it. There are many other themes from the OT laden in this text. Certainly the Adamic temptation of the serpent is also in view; Christ as the last Adam was tested by the serpent, only He repudiates him with the true word of God, as the Word of God. The mention of wild beasts would also hint back to Gen. 2. The 40 days reference is an allusion to the Jewish wandering which has already been mentioned. It could also harken back to the Noahic wandering upon the water, the bread of the word Moses fed upon Sinai, Elijah also receiving revelation upon Sinai, etc. Christ Himself is the revelation of the Father (John 1) and kept His charge (Phil 2).v Because Jesus was tempted, He is able to sympathize and empower us as we are tempted (Heb 2, 1 Cor 10:13). There is no question that we will be tempted, nor that we will if united to Christ overcome temptations by the Spirit through the word of God (Eph 6). We further are members of a larger army, not lone soldiers. The ministry of angels to Christ is interesting in two respects: one, in that Christ did not call upon angels to serve Him as Satan said He could have (Matt 4:6). Two, in that the first angel likewise was tested by a fallen angel and, had he passed, may have also been ministered to by angels (Gal 3:19, Acts 7:53, Heb. 2:2, Deut. 33:2). What this involved is not explicit, but certainly it must’ve been a respite from the just waged war.

 

Mark 1:14-20

After being anointed into His ministry and passing the probation test in the wilderness, Jesus begins to act in His official capacity as priest, proclaiming the gospel. Mark skips some events which John records, which we already saw in 1:1 anyway. The focus is on what the gospel is and means: the fulness of time and kingdom of God was at hand (Gal 4:4, Eph 1:10), for the King had arrived, Yahweh in flesh, to rule. He came to rule, not by physical force, but by conquering the hearts and minds of His enemies through the gospel’s leading to repentance, faith, and salvation. The appearance of the Messiah meant God’s rule over the earth was going to become more recognizable and that the revelation of God’s plan for how He could have subjects in His house who had rebelled against Him – yet remain just and holy – was to come to fruition. Jesus is the object to whom we turn after we turn from our old life of sin. In every way, Jesus sets the pattern for our life as priests. As He proclaims the gospel, He builds His church through the effectual call of God that we too might become fishers of men (albeit we proclaim and must depend on God for the effectuality of the call, cf. Rom. 10:14-17). The manner in which we live as lights of the gospel, therefore, may differ (e.g. hospitality vs. missionary). What of the extra information in the passage (hired servants, Zebedee, etc.? The answer is they came from a well off family and forsook it for the sake of the gospel. The sea of Galilee was a place of booming business (literally and figuratively many fish to catch. Perhaps Mark’s letter was written to Gentiles converts in Rome; thus, Mark concentrates on Jesus’ ministry as it began in Galilee. Jesus picked His own disciples (unusual) : disciple = student, learner, follower, fruit bearer. At the initial disciples were both fishing with nets and mending nets, Jesus was doing both at the same time in enjoining allies to His ministry. The disciples were both fish and fishermen-nets, in need of mending for the sake of other fish. We are both the goal of the proclamation of the gospel and, in turn, the means by which others hear the gospel and likewise turn from sin.

 

Mark 1:21-28

Of benefit would be a chronology of Jesu’ actions across all 4 gospels, of which there must exist several reasonable constructions. Look into these and more closely into the geographic understanding of travel, living conditions, etc. involved in Christ’s time. Now, note that one of Jesus’ first public ministries was a Sabbath story. Ironically, this is the beginning, not the end of Christ’s ministry, yet the unclean Spirit recognizes the type of the Sabbath which will be realized upon Christ’s 2^nd coming: the destruction of His enemies and rest given to His disciples. Interestingly, the people seem less amazed that there is an unclean spirit than that Jesus was able to cast it out. Not too that Jesus tells the spirit to be silent. Perhaps this anticipates a theme in Mark’s gospel, the somewhat hidden purpose of Christ (until the appointed time). Yes, Christ is the Holy One of God. Yet, He taught with authority – in what exact way did this differ from the scribes? “I say unto you.” But Jesus cuts off the spirit before too much is revealed before the appointed time – note His fame spreads rapidly anyways. Now, one ought to be surprised at this stage of redemptive history, for to this point, all others have pointed in anticipation or dependence upon something future or in God Himself, never in their own selves. As Jesus points to Himself – and to His Father in so doing – His ministry is authenticated in some respect by signs and wonders. As a Scripturalist in respect of a philosophic understanding of knowledge, this begs the question about how we should be able to know when the 2^nd coming has occurred if empiricism cannot give knowledge. Idea #1: we will be mortified of sin upon the 2^nd coming, some will be able to recognize it empirically (then prelapsarian Adam could know in this wise, sin is the problem); Idea #2: new revelation upon the 2^nd coming will be known as John 10 says, by the sheep recognizing the voice of the Shepherd. Christ speaks with authority because He has it, and we will have the Spirit to understand this.