Thoughts on the book of Exodus.

In my Bible reading I just finished up reading through the book of Exodus and am gearing to read through Leviticus. 

When I read stuff, be it the Bible or other books, I typically need a few days to think on what I’ve read.  As I’ve been reflecting on my reading of the Exodus, I’ve been thinking about the role of the Priests in the Israelite community (this may be more prominent as I go through Leviticus as well).  They were specially annointed men who were set apart to do function on behalf of the people.  They made sacrifices on their behalf.  They made prayers on their behalf, and so on.   At the time, there was no “priesthood of all believers,” there were only the Priest specially appointed to such tasks (Moses and Aaron, and his sons at this point).   The people did not have open access to God.  Instead, they had to rely on the intercessions of the Priest in their place and on their behalf.   If the Priest didn’t do their part in staying focused on what they had been set apart to do, it cost the whole community. 

I realize much of the Priestly activity forshadowed Jesus Christ as the Great High Priest and that by his sacrifice on the Cross on the behalf of all humanity, all believers are now Priests to God.  But it has been impressed upon me in my role as a Pastor here in the Grand Canyon Village, that this is the role Pastors play, one of the hats they wear.  The role of the Priest – who, on behalf of the people, makes intercessions for the people of the community.  How I live, or don’t live has consequences for the whole community – if  I mess up, that could be bad.  If I stay on task, that can be good, etc.   My prayer life (or lack thereof) can have consequences for the larger community (or not).   I know too, there are plenty of folks here who are probably never going to “go to church,” but are greatful for pastoral presence in the community – they like knowing they are being prayed for.  This can be one of the many “good” aspects of having a church in a community – pastors pray and interceede to God on behalf of those who are not able or do not yet know how to pray to God. 

But if i take this a little further, I think this applies to the whole Christian community within the larger community as a whole and the world at large - Christian presence means a lot to those who are aware of their presence and activity – because of Christ we are a priesthood of all beleivers and so all Christians are Priests in that sense.  Each of us knows people – we all have our own particular spheres of influence, be it work, school, neighborhood, club, local store, etc.   Each of these are little communities in which we ourselves are to function as Priests on their behalfs – just as Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest in all of our behalfs before the throne of God in heaven (cf. 1 John 2:1). 

Just imagine if we as Christians could spend less time sqaubbling and being divided over inconsequential theological musings and spent more time interceeding before God in prayer on behalf of those of our friends, families, co-workers, etc who for one reason or anothe are not able or do not yet know how to pray to God.   It’s not just prayer either, but in how we live our whole lives – the things we say and do and think, and don’t do, and don’t say, and don’t think.   Just imagine how quickly we might see entire communities transformed and changed to the point that those who were unable or even unwilling to pray to God now give him all glory and praise through their own prayers and lives lived before him? 

The question is, is this what we want?  Do we want to see our communities transformed and changed or are we comfortable with all the brokenness we wee around us so that we just shake our heads but don’t do anything about it?

One concern I have is that much of the squabbleing that goes one between Christians over seemingly important doctrinal issues or even territorial issues negates the prayers we give to God.   I wonder if they cancel each other out so that neither means anything or has any effectiveness.   James 5:16 tells us the prayers of a righteous person “has great effectiveness” (ενεργεω) (NET).  I wonder is it the same for a righteous people?   If we are all praying different prayers, is that like static on the TV for God (so to speak)?  What if we are praying against one another (though each thinks its praying for the other)?

I am still working through all this but I think I may be on to something.   Let me know what you think.

Dave Black on learning NT Greek

Dave Black (NT Prof at SEBTS) is teaching a NT Greek Class at his Church Bethel Hill.  He writes a note to his students:

As you study this week, a few reminders of what the class is all about and not about. It’s not about information – I don’t want Bethel Hill to become a small-scale seminary. It’s not about being initiated into the mysteries of theological jargon so that we can join the “elite.” It’s not about knowledge for knowledge’s sake. No, Jesus is the ultimate purpose of the course – to know Him better so that we can make Him known. I believe each local congregation has been commissioned by the Lord Jesus to preach to the whole world and to participate in the advancement of God’s kingdom. Greek, then, must always focus on equipping us for dispersion, for witness, for life in society through exhortation, admonition, and especially modeling. Luther once said it is by living and dying, not by reason and speculation, that we become theologians. He said that what counts in church life is not knowledge but maturity of character. I heartily agree. Greek can help give us an underlying supportive foundation and grid for everything we do as we serve Jesus. So, to that end, let’s buckle down and get that alphabet memorized! And remember: you can email me if you have any questions.

Edit: Keep in mind too that Dave Black has made some updates to his Greek Grammar which is coming out in March and also has a companion workbook.  In addition, if you contact Dr. Black himself he will also send you a pronunciation CD gratis!

C.S. Lewis on the practice of Christian Virtues

So said I was in a funk.  Well, I picked up my copy of C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity and was thumbing through.  I can to the first chapter on Faith and found a simply brilliant sentence.

The main thing we learn from the attempt to practise the Christian virtues is that we fail. 

Isn’t this the truth?!  It’s brilliant really.  How often do we all go around pretending to act as though we are good at living out the Christian virtues – when the reality is, that many of us, if not most of us, are failures!  We try to read our Bibles ina year and quit mid January.  We commit to pray an hour a day and barely get past 5-10 minutes.  Soon as we set out to practice the Christian vitures, we fail (in some sense or another).  And you know what?  Despite our failures to live up to our own and and other people’s expectations, God still loves us!   Now I am just going to have to go out and get John Maxwell’s book Failing Forward!

I mean, just imagine the life we could live if we allowed ourselves to live a life set free from pretenses?  A life that says, “Hey, I am a failure, but that’s okay, at least I am trying”?  Now, I am not saying this releases us from the responsibility to live responsibly – rather, I am saying we need to quit acting like we are better than we are, and quit worrying what other people think.  When this happens, (living like we’re better than we are) I think that is when we get ourselves in trouble.  1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (TNIV).  Humility and an intentional dependence on God is the key to living the life God has called us to live.  Why is it that we miss this?  When will we get it?

Let me go on with a little more of Lewis:

If there was any idea that God had set us a sort of exam, and that we might get good marks by deserving them, that has to we wiped out.  If there was any idea of a sort of bargain – any idea that we could perform our side of the contract and thus put God in our debts so that it was up to him, in mere justice, to perform his side – that has to be wiped out. 

The point?  You can’t win.  To earn God’s favor through the virtues is a loosing battle.  Give it up.  The virtues are good – yes, practice them, regualrly - but don’t think they well necessarily get you ahead with God.  He doesn’t play those kinds of games.  More to the point?  You cannot earn God’s favor – you already have it! 

So this is my post for today.

misc

been in a blogging funk…

New WP convert!! CMRM!!

Celucien L. Joseph of his own Christ, My Righteousness Ministries has finally given in and called it quits on blogger!  He has moved over to WordPress!! Whoo-hoo!! Welcome to the club Lou!

Some reviews forthcoming.

The following are some forthcoming book reivews:

Gregory Koukl’s Tactics (forthcoming Zondervan, Feb 2009)

Comfort and Driesbach’s The Many Gospels of Jesus (Tyndale, 2008 )

Menzies et al.  Spirit and Power: Foundations of Pentecostal Experience (Zondervan, 2000)

Frank Macchia, Baptized in the Spirit: A Global Pentecostal Theology (2006). 

Edit to add:

Craig S. Keener’s The Spirit in the Gospels and Acts: Divine Purity and Power (Hendrickson, 1997).

These will be put out in the coming months.

In the Mail UPS edition: Bible Works 8!!

I finally got my free review copy of Bible Works 8 today!  Unfortunatley my Father in Law has my BW 7 installation disks so I’ll have to wait until Saturday for him to bring them up to me here at the Canyon.  Ah well!  I already really like BW 7 so I imagine BW 8 will be awesome too!  Reviews forthcoming!

John Wesley on the Biblical Languages

Do I understand Greek and Hebrew?  Otherwise, how can I undertake, (as every Minister does,) not only to explain books which are written therein, but to defend them against all opponents?  Am I not at the mercy of every one who does understand, or even pretends to understand, the original?  For which way can I confute his pretence?  Do I understand the language of the Old Testament? critically? at all?  Can I read into English one of David’s Psalms; or even the first chapter of Genesis?  Do I understand the language of the New Testament?  Am I a critical master of it?  Have I enough of it even to read into English the first chapter of St. Luke?  If not, how many years did I spend at school?  How many at the University?  And what was I doing all those years?  Ought not shame to cover my face?

-John Wesley, An Address to the Clergy

HT: Benji Overcash

New Book by Seyoon Kim on Paul and Luke

Chris Tilling shared a while ago some books he got for review.  One that I took interest in and would like to read is Seyoon Kim’s recent work: Christ and Caesar: The Gospel and the Roman Empire in the Writings of Paul and Luke (Eerdmans, 2008). 

I’ve read one other book by Seyoon Kim and it was really good, though pretty heavy in its academic approach – it’s not light reading.  It is Paul and the New Perspective: Second thoughts on the origin of Paul’s Gospel (Eerdmans, 2001).  In this work Kim dialogues with James Dunn on issues related the New Perspective on Paul and just how and when did Paul formulate his gospel.  For the NPP folks and others, they see a progression in the development of Paul’s gospel from his Damascus conversion to his writing of Romans (one of his last letters).   Kim argues otherwise and asserts Paul got his gospel message nearly instantly (and completely) at the moment of his Damascus Road conversion.

Now, in this book, Kim takes on everyone’s beloved Bishop of Durham, N. T. Wright.   Wright leads the way in arguing that much of Paul’s writings are anti-imperialistic in their tones.   Kim takes on Wright and his NPP cohorts and challenges the notions that Paul is as strongly anti-imperialistic as Wright makes him out to be. 

I know Gordon Fee takes a similar position as Wright – he spoke at a Chi-Alpha Retreat once right after his work on Philippians and talked some about Paul’s use of κυριος (Lord) and how it was menat to be in contrast to the Roman usage of καισαρ (Caesar)and also that the Caesars, with their self-imposed diety status (the Imperial Cult and Ideology), insisted the people refer to them as “Lord.”  Thus, the implication that any claim that “Jesus is Lord” (over and against the Caesars) is anti-imperialistic.   The wonder was, how could a crucified messiah figure be Lord over and against the young robust Caesars of the Roman Empire?

Here are Chris’ thoughts:

Kim argues, against Wright, Crossan and co, that an anti-imperial interpretation is actually unlikely. I look forward to reading this exciting contribution and having my own views challenged. It simply makes sense to me that some of Paul’s important language would have naturally struck cords in people’s minds concerning the empire, and that this was no accident on Paul’s part. Kim may just change my mind on how, or even whether, I see this happening. Of course, he may not and I am not altogether convinced of the rather mathematical approach he takes to the Damascus Road experience and Paul’s theology, but Kim is a scholar of considerable standing so I expect to be challenged and to learn a lot reading this new book.

Here is the product description from the Eerdmans site:

The slogan “Paul and the Empire” is much in vogue in New Testament scholarship today.  But did Paul truly formulate his gospel in antithesis to the Roman imperial cult and ideology and seek to subvert the Empire? In Christ and Caesar Seyoon Kim first examines five epistles of Paul exegetically and shows how the dominant anti-imperial interpretation is actually difficult to sustain.

Next, he examines the Lukan writings (Luke-Acts) to see how Luke talks about the encounters of Paul and other gospel preachers with Roman imperialism.  Kim explores why it is that Luke makes no effort to present Christ’s redemption as materialized in terms of political liberation.  Finally, Kim compares the exaltation Christologies of Luke, Revelation, Paul, and Hebrews and inquires about the hermeneutical possibility of developing a political Christology in our present-day context.

This sounds like some pretty heavy stuff!  In my opinion, more folks need to pay attention to Kim’s work on Paul.

MLK’s “I have a Dream” – One of the greatest speeches in American History