Showing posts sorted by date for query Abraham. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Abraham. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Lincoln Biographies
I’ve had a biography
of Abraham
Lincoln setting on my shelf for a long time. It’s hard to believe I haven’t gotten to it
yet. If you can’t wait for me (there is
no reason to), the Daily
Beast has put together a list
of the best Lincoln biographies.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Hebrews
Hebrews. The Holy Bible. New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,
1982.
To my mind, Hebrews is one of the key books of the Bible. Like Paul’s letter to
the Romans,
it ties together and gives context to other scripture.
The audience and authorship of this book are not made clear as is
typical of most New Testament
epistles. Based on the subject and the many references
to Old
Testament scripture, it is clearly direct to an audience of Jewish Christians. Early church leaders
and scholars often attributed it to Paul.
Paul’s commission as apostle to the Gentiles might
suggest another author, but Paul’s passion for his native people and thorough education
in the Hebrew
Scriptures point toward him as a likely author.
I find three major themes in Hebrews.
These are: the centrality of Christ and his
fulfillment of the Mosaic
covenant,
how faith was
central to salvation
even before the Mosaic
Law, and encouragement in Christian living.
CENTRALITY OF CHRIST
The first section of Hebrews focuses on Jesus Christ. It makes the case for the divinity of Christ
and His complete humanity in the incarnation. As a perfect man, Jesus Christ fulfilled
every requirement of the Mosaic Law. This
made him the perfect sacrifice for the sins of man. In addition, because he is divine and
eternal, his atoning sacrifice is likewise eternal.
This is not the only role Jesus Christ fills eternally. He is the first and highest of mankind and
exercises the dominion over creation God gave to man, but
that we forfeited when we sinned (as God, He is lord of all also). As the son of God, Christ had priority over Moses, even though
as a man He submitted Himself to the law in loving
obedience to the Father. Christ is a priest of a
higher order than the Levitical priesthood,
namely a priest like Melchidezek
to whom Abraham
paid tithes and through him all his descendants including the Hebrew priests.
The law and sacrifices of earlier times were signs pointed to the
Christ to come. All of these things are
fulfilled and completed in Him forever.
Where many sacrifices were made to temporarily cover ever mounting sins,
Christ’s sacrifice suffices forever to remove all of our sins. Where the priests entered the presence of God
once a year, Christ is constantly in the presence of God making intercession
for His people.
CENTRALITY OF FAITH
If Christ does all for our salvation and when no longer need to make
sacrifices and observe the Mosaic Law, how do we realize this reconciliation
through Christ and live morally? The
answer is faith in Christ. Hebrews makes
the argument that the answer has always
been faith in God.
Hebrews makes the argument, drawing on many examples from the Old Testament,
that God has forgiven the sins of and imputed righteousness to those who had
faith in Him. This predates Abraham,
though for an audience of his descendants it is important in Abraham. It predates Moses, though for an audience
born into a religion
base on Mosaic Law it is important in Moses.
Even after the law was given, it is faith that God rewarded because no
one could live up to God’s perfect law.
The faithful people of the Old Testament looked forward by faith to a
day when God would cleanse their sins, make them righteous, and completely
restore their relationship to him. Even
in the time of the law, the sacrifices and observances were signs of the things
God was going to do. God’s provision for
the cleansing of sin and the raising us to righteousness were completed in
Christ, so we place our faith in Him.
They had faith what was to come, even if they didn’t fully understand
it, and we have faith in what Christ has accomplished.
CHRISTIAN LIVING
To wrap up, Hebrews includes encouragement for the faithful. We’ll face troubles just as those in the Old
Testament did, but by faith we can overcome and see the day when God will make
us perfect and bring us into His eternal kingdom. In the meantime, the temporary troubles of
this world are opportunities to imitate Christ and become more like Him, more
holy in practice. God is working through
these troubles to help and purify us.
As a result of Christ’s work in us, we should love one
another. This should be practical love,
taking care of each other’s needs. Instead of trying to live up to a law our
sinful nature wars against, we put our faith in Christ and walk in humility and
love.
If you’re interested in this book, you may be interested in the Old
Testament, especially Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Judges, Second Samuel,
First and
Second Kings,
Second
Chronicles, Jeremiah,
and Daniel. You may also be interested in other New
Testament books, particularly the Pauline
Letters and especially Romans.
Google
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The Pentateuch
The first five books of the Bible are collectively referred to as the Pentateuch, from the Greek for “five books.” In the Hebrew Bible, they are referred to as the Torah, from the Hebrew for “law.”
The Pentateuch is partly a book of laws. In the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy can be found the civil and ecclesiastical law given for the Israelite theocracy would be established in the Promised Land. Moral law also appears in these books, most famously in the Ten Commandments.
Some would say that “law” is too narrow an interpretation of “torah.” A better word might be “teachings” or “doctrine.” The contents of these books were meant to be taught and contain repeated instructions to remember and to teach the works of God to successive generations. Stories from these books have been told and retold for centuries.
These books contain more than law. They are history as well. In particular, they are a history of God’s interaction with creation and especially mankind. Genesis begins with creation and ends with Joseph, a key figure in history of the Israelites and, in some ways, a type of Christ. Abraham and his descendents are the main thread of Genesis in which we see God working to rebuild a relationship with sinful humanity. The remaining books with the Israelites eventual enslavement in Egypt to border of the Promise Land. The prophet Moses is the main figure of these books as God’s spokesman.
It can be easy to get lost in the details of these books. They are not as riddled with genealogies and “begats” as some suggest. Even so, sometimes there is a surprising amount of detail. The style in some sections can seem stilted to modern readers. Familiarity with Jewish traditions can bring some life into the sometimes dry descriptions of ceremonies.
Don’t let yourself be too bogged down by the details. Remember that they are important. As a believer, they are important because they are part of the inspired Word of Gods. As a reader seeking to understand these books, they are important because they were important to the people who wrote, copied, and even memorized these books for generations.
In addition, they are part of a larger story. It’s a good story, too. It is the story of the establishment of a people, and from those people a nation. All of this is part of a larger story of redemption: God working through history to rescue, redeem, and restore people who were enslaved to sin and sentenced to death for their wrongdoings. It is an exciting story and the Pentateuch contains important early chapters that help us understand the rest what comes later.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Deuteronomy
Exodus
Genesis
The Holy Bible
King James Bible
Leviticus
Numbers
Google
The Pentateuch is partly a book of laws. In the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy can be found the civil and ecclesiastical law given for the Israelite theocracy would be established in the Promised Land. Moral law also appears in these books, most famously in the Ten Commandments.
Some would say that “law” is too narrow an interpretation of “torah.” A better word might be “teachings” or “doctrine.” The contents of these books were meant to be taught and contain repeated instructions to remember and to teach the works of God to successive generations. Stories from these books have been told and retold for centuries.
These books contain more than law. They are history as well. In particular, they are a history of God’s interaction with creation and especially mankind. Genesis begins with creation and ends with Joseph, a key figure in history of the Israelites and, in some ways, a type of Christ. Abraham and his descendents are the main thread of Genesis in which we see God working to rebuild a relationship with sinful humanity. The remaining books with the Israelites eventual enslavement in Egypt to border of the Promise Land. The prophet Moses is the main figure of these books as God’s spokesman.
It can be easy to get lost in the details of these books. They are not as riddled with genealogies and “begats” as some suggest. Even so, sometimes there is a surprising amount of detail. The style in some sections can seem stilted to modern readers. Familiarity with Jewish traditions can bring some life into the sometimes dry descriptions of ceremonies.
Don’t let yourself be too bogged down by the details. Remember that they are important. As a believer, they are important because they are part of the inspired Word of Gods. As a reader seeking to understand these books, they are important because they were important to the people who wrote, copied, and even memorized these books for generations.
In addition, they are part of a larger story. It’s a good story, too. It is the story of the establishment of a people, and from those people a nation. All of this is part of a larger story of redemption: God working through history to rescue, redeem, and restore people who were enslaved to sin and sentenced to death for their wrongdoings. It is an exciting story and the Pentateuch contains important early chapters that help us understand the rest what comes later.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Deuteronomy
Exodus
Genesis
The Holy Bible
King James Bible
Leviticus
Numbers
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Romans
Romans. The Holy Bible. New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Paul wrote this letter to the church at Rome around A.D. 57 and expressed his desire to visit them. In the meantime, he gave them much to consider.
I think Romans is a very important book of the Bible, one that Christians would do well to read carefully. This is because Paul lays out the fullness of Christ’s atoning work and what it means for the way Christians can and should live more thoroughly than possibly any other single book. He also argues that Christ fulfilled the plan of God to reconcile with man that had been in the works from the beginning, drawing heavily on the Old Testament.
Paul may have been uniquely prepared to write this book. He was Jewish, a Pharisee, a zealot and, prior to his conversion, a persecutor of the church. (Paul talked and wrote about his early life and conversion regularly. A nice summary form his address to Agrippa in appears in the 26th chapter of Acts, though it is addressed elsewhere in Acts and his epistles.) Later, the leaders of the church appointed him to serve as a missionary to the Gentiles. Paul came to this letter steeped in the Jewish scripture and tradition, longing to see them experience salvation in Christ and he had, and committed to his calling to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles.
After the introductory matters, Paul lays out the foundations of Christianity going back to the Old Testament. A summary of the major points follow.
-The Universality of Sin. We’ve all sinned, done wrong, and deserve the judgment of God against us. Whether we’re a Jew, a Gentile, or anything else, we’re all in the same boat.
-The Primacy of Faith. From the start, or at least as early as Abraham, God has chosen to have mercy on people who have faith in Him, forgive their sins, and impart to them a righteousness (right standing, merit, or goodness) that wasn’t their own. This began before the law was given to Moses (in the example of Abraham), continued during the law’s seeming primacy (from the words of David), and was completed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, who bore the punishment of our sins and gives us a new life.
-Christ Enables Us to Live in a New Way. As Christians, we can and should live in new way that is characterized by honoring God, doing good, and eschewing sin. However, God doesn’t transform us in an instant; we struggle with sinful habits and new temptations and sometimes we lose. Even so, we can have confidence through our faith in the One who saved us. God chose to love us and adopt us as His own children. We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, i.e. God lives in us, and He step-by-step quickens us in our new life. Chapter 8 digs into this issue and many believers can read this chapter repeatedly.
Paul them moves on to other issues. One is the unbelief of the Jewish people of his day. He had hoped that his people would respond to the Gospel.
As he approaches the end of his letter, Paul touches on many practical matters of the Christian life. The include service, character, citizenship, getting along, loving and helping each other.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Acts
Genesis
The Gospels
Paul wrote this letter to the church at Rome around A.D. 57 and expressed his desire to visit them. In the meantime, he gave them much to consider.
I think Romans is a very important book of the Bible, one that Christians would do well to read carefully. This is because Paul lays out the fullness of Christ’s atoning work and what it means for the way Christians can and should live more thoroughly than possibly any other single book. He also argues that Christ fulfilled the plan of God to reconcile with man that had been in the works from the beginning, drawing heavily on the Old Testament.
Paul may have been uniquely prepared to write this book. He was Jewish, a Pharisee, a zealot and, prior to his conversion, a persecutor of the church. (Paul talked and wrote about his early life and conversion regularly. A nice summary form his address to Agrippa in appears in the 26th chapter of Acts, though it is addressed elsewhere in Acts and his epistles.) Later, the leaders of the church appointed him to serve as a missionary to the Gentiles. Paul came to this letter steeped in the Jewish scripture and tradition, longing to see them experience salvation in Christ and he had, and committed to his calling to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles.
After the introductory matters, Paul lays out the foundations of Christianity going back to the Old Testament. A summary of the major points follow.
-The Universality of Sin. We’ve all sinned, done wrong, and deserve the judgment of God against us. Whether we’re a Jew, a Gentile, or anything else, we’re all in the same boat.
-The Primacy of Faith. From the start, or at least as early as Abraham, God has chosen to have mercy on people who have faith in Him, forgive their sins, and impart to them a righteousness (right standing, merit, or goodness) that wasn’t their own. This began before the law was given to Moses (in the example of Abraham), continued during the law’s seeming primacy (from the words of David), and was completed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, who bore the punishment of our sins and gives us a new life.
-Christ Enables Us to Live in a New Way. As Christians, we can and should live in new way that is characterized by honoring God, doing good, and eschewing sin. However, God doesn’t transform us in an instant; we struggle with sinful habits and new temptations and sometimes we lose. Even so, we can have confidence through our faith in the One who saved us. God chose to love us and adopt us as His own children. We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, i.e. God lives in us, and He step-by-step quickens us in our new life. Chapter 8 digs into this issue and many believers can read this chapter repeatedly.
Paul them moves on to other issues. One is the unbelief of the Jewish people of his day. He had hoped that his people would respond to the Gospel.
As he approaches the end of his letter, Paul touches on many practical matters of the Christian life. The include service, character, citizenship, getting along, loving and helping each other.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Acts
Genesis
The Gospels
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Genesis
Genesis. The Holy Bible. New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
It’s hard to even begin to discuss Genesis in just a page or two. It covers a great patch of history from the creation of the world to the death of Joseph, who brought Israel and his descendants to Egypt, where he was a high official, to save them from a famine. A lot happens in between.
A lot happens in Genesis, but three major thematic events occur: the creation, the fall of man and the God’s initiation of a plan to redeem people. The creation is described in a chapter. Man’s wonderful life with God before the fall takes up another chapter. These are important issues, but since they occurred before the problem of sin became the central problem of human life, they are presented as establishing scenes.
The fall takes up a chapter, too. Eve is deceived and believes ill of God. Adam stands by passively letting it happening and following her into sin. They broke there relationship with God and since then humanity has been a slave to sin and a victim of sin’s consequences, ultimately death.
God immediately steps in to begin to repair the relationship with man. Yes, in His justice He judges man, as in the flood of Noah’s time and other times in Genesis and since. However, Genesis also establishes God as the hero of the story who rescues people from sin and reconciles them to himself. He provides a sacrifice for Adam and Eve and covers them. This pattern repeats throughout Genesis and the Bible until it finds its ultimate expression in Jesus Christ.
In its major themes, Genesis is the establishing chapter in our enslavement to sin and God’s heroic action to free us, love us and make us part of His family. In its details, Genesis is full of interesting stories. We are introduced to several of the major people of Biblical times: Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel) and Joseph. One can get the impression that the Bible is all about these people.
The things God did in their lives reverberate through the Bible. God revealed his plan of salvation step-by-step, each time making a connection to the past as He opened up something about the future. In this way, Genesis isn’t tossed aside with the coming of Christ, but becomes part of the background and evidence for our faith in the One who completed the divine work of salvation that began as soon as we needed saving.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Matthew
Proverbs
It’s hard to even begin to discuss Genesis in just a page or two. It covers a great patch of history from the creation of the world to the death of Joseph, who brought Israel and his descendants to Egypt, where he was a high official, to save them from a famine. A lot happens in between.
A lot happens in Genesis, but three major thematic events occur: the creation, the fall of man and the God’s initiation of a plan to redeem people. The creation is described in a chapter. Man’s wonderful life with God before the fall takes up another chapter. These are important issues, but since they occurred before the problem of sin became the central problem of human life, they are presented as establishing scenes.
The fall takes up a chapter, too. Eve is deceived and believes ill of God. Adam stands by passively letting it happening and following her into sin. They broke there relationship with God and since then humanity has been a slave to sin and a victim of sin’s consequences, ultimately death.
God immediately steps in to begin to repair the relationship with man. Yes, in His justice He judges man, as in the flood of Noah’s time and other times in Genesis and since. However, Genesis also establishes God as the hero of the story who rescues people from sin and reconciles them to himself. He provides a sacrifice for Adam and Eve and covers them. This pattern repeats throughout Genesis and the Bible until it finds its ultimate expression in Jesus Christ.
In its major themes, Genesis is the establishing chapter in our enslavement to sin and God’s heroic action to free us, love us and make us part of His family. In its details, Genesis is full of interesting stories. We are introduced to several of the major people of Biblical times: Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel) and Joseph. One can get the impression that the Bible is all about these people.
The things God did in their lives reverberate through the Bible. God revealed his plan of salvation step-by-step, each time making a connection to the past as He opened up something about the future. In this way, Genesis isn’t tossed aside with the coming of Christ, but becomes part of the background and evidence for our faith in the One who completed the divine work of salvation that began as soon as we needed saving.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Matthew
Proverbs
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