Week 6: Three Worlds Bridges/ Status, Worth, Value /Magazine Party/Wrap up

Second devotion:
 "Rats and Garbage":

Two rats

Ephesians 4:26

• 1 Cor 7: 3-5
• 2 Cor 2:10-11
• James 3:13-16

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In the "three worlds" language of our textbook, interpreting the Bible is all about how we cross the bridge from  the literary and historical worlds to our
day (contemporary world):

This seems to get tricky..especially with issues like Slavery Sabbath War and Women.
  How do we know what cultural commandments carry over to our day?  It can be a tough bridge..
See also: "kicking butts, hair in a bun, tattoos"

Click here (scroll down to page 19-21) to see the helpful "bridge" section from Brian Dodd's book.  (i also really recommend chapter 1, pp. 9-18)


As you can see by the David Lee photo here,
and as you have been experiencing in class,
traveling the bridge can be a foggy and frustrating affair.




 


Or to mix the metaphor, the bridge can be
"all wet" (photo below and story here).





















To play with the bridge image one more time:

Here 's a pic of the New Choluteca Bridge, which, thanks to a hurricane, effectively links "nothing to nowhere"

This way of reading the Bible really helps us cross the bridge,
ans is especially helpful for sections or books of the Bible that we have too often read with "verse-itis,"
and not through the "historical world" and "literary world" of their day.

How about building a bridge from BOTH SIDES?:
Like this one in Virginia>

or the Hoover Dam bridge.





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Remember how many times we mentioned understanding what the text is saying is?
Ever have a hard time discerning words to songs?  When all you know is what it sounds like they're saying?

It can happen with contemporary songs:

or with hymns:

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Bible Study sources:

• The "TNIV Books of the Bible"  that I'll mention is described in more detail here, in above video, and see an update: "The TNIV is Dead. Long Live the New NIV"
• The IVP Bible Background Commentary is largely readable online at Google Books..helpful on Philemon. Just click here, then click "preview."
• Several wanted the info on the books on structural Bible study. Here they are, with links to amazon.com, and in order from large/academic to small/accessible: "Methodical Bible Study" "The Joy of Discovery in Bible Study" and "Bible Study That Works."
• Some good books on how to read the tougher passages of the Bible, and walk the bridge to "contemporary world" are "The Blue Parakeet, " "How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth" and"Slavery Sabbath War and Women.
•  Additional resources:
  
  The NIV Study Bible: the study notes here are not perfect, but they are extensive, and nothing else quite like it has been done ; basically summarizing the best available commentary on each book of the Bible. The notes have been adapted to different Bibles, and even translations (For example, you can but the New American Standard Version with the NIV Study Bible Notes, a great combo. The one I would recommend, though, is the TNIV Study Bible.
  
  Interlinear:
  NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and English (Marshall)... Extensive preview here
  
  Many online
  
  The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Vital for grasping the historical/cultural significance of a passage. Extensive OT preview here, Extensive NT preview here
  Eerdman's Handbook of the Bible: It is amazing how this overview can sometimes nail the understanding/message of a particular book of the Bible, theme, or historical question. Full of charts and maps.
  Small preview here
  
  The New Bible Dictionary: The best one-volume Bible Dictionary; essential.
  
  Concordance: Strong's (free online) and Young's are still popular, but since we don't circulate in the King James much anymore (and these are not "exhaustive or complete), The NIV Exhaustive Concordance is to be preferred.
  
  Commentaries:
  In order from most detailed/academic/use of Greek and Hebrew
  todown-home, practical, devotional,sermon-oriented and "popular":
• New International Greek Testament Commentary
• Word Biblical Comemtary
• New International Commentary
• Inter Varsity Press Commentary (many volumes online free here at biblegateway.com
• Matthew Henry's Commentary (free here; concise version here)
• Warren Wiersbe's "BE" series

A good middle ground would be to start with the 2nd or 3rd above, and branch up or down from there. Individual commentaries within a series vary in quality, as each volume is by a different author, ideally a specialist in that book; but tha above series are so good, that most volumes are excellent. It would still be best not to buy a complete series, but pick and choose the classic volumes among 1, 2. and 3. One suggested list here

Online:

• BibleGateway.com
• Bible StudyTools.com (part of Crosswalk.com) 

Of course, you can search our Israel tour guide's website for his comments about a passage you are studying:

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings

1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Isaiah Jeremiah

Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Habakkuk Zechariah Malachi

Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians

1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 1 John 2 John Revelation

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 This video clip on "kingdom of our group" dovetails with many themes from class:

Wolfgang Simson's comments here (1:03-2:22)

on

• "the Kingdom of our group"

vs.

• the Kingdom of God

are helpful.

He deals with the roots of group-ism, and also addresses the fascinating inclusio/chiasm of Jesus' sayings:

Luke 9:50:
"Whoever is not against you is for you."
Luke 11:23:
" Whoever is not with me is against me."

And if you keep watching, he'll suggest that God's Kingdom image is male/female, while some nations tend to incarnate (only) a male or female image. Can you guess which gender he assigns your country?


(Whole series here)

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On this week's topic of Worth and Status, we'll look at some of these Scriptures n class.  How do they inform your Philemon paper?

• Matthew 12: 46 – 50
• Matthew 13: 53 – 58
• Mark 9:33 – 37
• Luke 6:27 – 38
• Luke 10:38 – 42
• Luke 14:12 – 14
• Luke 16:1 – 9
• Luke 22:24 – 30
• John 5:19-30
• Acts 10:38
• Romans 8:12 – 16
• I Corinthians 11:17 – 22
• Ephesians 5:21 – 33
• Philippians 2:5-11
• I Timothy 2:8 – 15
• I Timothy 3:8 – 13
• I Timothy 5:1 –16

In thinking about  living selflessly like Jesus did...

fill in this blank:
The Scripture suggests that Jesus was able to do miracles, and have 


supernatural knowledge, because he was ___________.

If you answered "God" ...
and not 'human"...read on:
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Some theologians call this "Spirit Christology" or "kenosis",  whether or not  this proposed theology is consistently true. If it is, it would almost move this question into the realm of "essential" doctrines, because it then provides the very key to how we are to live in relation to daily Christian life, walking in the power and possibilities of the Spirit; doing the "greater works than Jesus" that Jesus flatly and unapologetically predicted we would do. Now, not every proponent of "Spirit Christology" or "kenosis theology" is biblical or orthodox, so hear me when I say that I know I don't agree with everyone using these categories. The basic argument would be this; to put it bluntly, as one preacher did for shock value:

"Jesus did nothing on earth as God! "

Wow, better unpack that! Now, that statement doesn't have to imply He was not God.. He was, is and always will be fully God in my Book! It's just that He didn't. during His earthly ministry, anyway..do anything out of His innate, inherent and intrinsic Godhood. He voluntarily surrendered the rights to use and access His God hood's attributes... such as omniscience, or power to do mighty miracles. Several
Scriptures come into play: John 5:19 and 30 offer that Jesus did nothing in and of Himself, but only did what the Father and Spirit told/led/empowered Him to do. Philippians 2:6-11 asserts that Jesus didn't take advantage of, or even access of the rights and power of His Godhood, which would be "robbery," and a violation of the whole point of His incarnation; His coming to earth. Instead of functioning out of His eternal power and prerogative as Almighty God, He "emptied Himself". A by-product of this, is as Hebrews affirms "Jesus know every temptation we have endured by His own experience" (2:18 and 4:15). I also love to shock congregations by asking "When Jesus did miracles on earth, how was He able to do those miracles?" Well-trained evangelicals of course automatically answer, "Because He was God!" When actually, that may be the wrong answer all together. Of course He was God, no debate. But the only Scriptural answer to "How did He do those miracles?" is "in the power of the Spirit". And witness Matt. 12:28: He cast out demons; not because He was God and could do so, but as a human "by the power of the Spirit." Thus, that is the "key" key, crucial catch, and ancient but overlooked secret as to how we, mere humans, are to do the same works He did, even greater. (Jesus said that, not me. Blame Him: John 14:12) 

Answer: We do them through "checking in" with the same Father Jesus checked in with while on earth; and trusting,...radically; to the point where the supernatural almost becomes natural and norm... the same Spirit Jesus trusted. (Note Jesus, a few sentences later, suggests that is His secret, and ours. He simply passes the torch to us, but not without the sharing the same equipping Holy Spirit: verses 16-17).Such deep trust and dependency doesn't make us Jesus, of course, but they do position us to trust the timing and voice of the Father, and prompting and power of the Spirit, as radically as Jesus did...with similar and "even greater" results! If JESUS never did anything in and of Himself (John 5:19 and 30), who do we think WE are?

When Jesus asked, in Mark 5:30, "Who touched me?," did He mean it, or was this a test? If "Spirit Christology" is true, one could answer the former, without sacrificing an iota of essential, foundational evangelical theology. When Jesus said even He (Matthew 24:36) did not know the day or hour of His return, was that a lie?. No, and this "lack of knowledge" on the part of a member of the all-knowing Trinity poses no problem. I would propose that He knows now, but He chose not to know on earth. This was all part of His modeling a complete self-emptying. This, though, is core to my third question:" How consistent and complete is this theology.? Did Jesus ever do anything 'on earth as God', even though He was God? And Lord, is this profound truth so profound that to miss it allows us to miss the 'normal' life you have intended for us?"

Whatever the ultimate answer to this question the Lord would give me, the bottom line question I keep hearing in the meantime. and "real time" is haunting: "Have I yet trusted as completely and recklessly as I could in the leading of the Father and the power of the Sprit? I almost don't even care if I do a greater work or not, I just want to be found faithful, and be an answer to Jesus' wild and waiting prophecy of John 14:12. 

I love Dwight Edwards' penetrating, "must-be- wrestled- with" self-questions :

1. What have I done recently that could not be duplicated by an unbeliever, no matter how hard they tried?

2.What blatant evidence of the supernatural God has leaked out of my life?

Questions indeed! (link)

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Don't forget to bring magazines for our project tonight..,


BONUS: Do not click this next link to read the secret about the magazine project we did tonight..  Seriously, it will ruin the project for you...only click to read this after we are done with our magazine project. 


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Here are some notes the faculty has put together to help summarize the class and themes:

Community: is created, stories are foundational, laws/norms provide boundaries and guidelines, relational concept of righteousness/guidelines, power and authority are present but look different in community of believers, worship as something which forms and nurtures community, challenge of dealing with the realities of status within community and the different way status and relationships are to be grounded in the community of faith, the challenge of living lives that are connected, of allowing others to challenge and test our preconceptions about how the world works and who God is. Community as process and shared journey.

Skills: You know more about how to read and interpret the Bible than you did 6 weeks ago. We have noticed that there are different kinds of writing in scripture, and we have to work at reading and interpreting those different kinds of texts differently. We have realized that we bring who we are to the text, and must be aware of our own biases. We have recognized that sometimes we come asking questions the text is not trying to answer. We have to work at hearing the text and taking it on its own terms, developing ourselves as good listening partners. The work of hearing the text has meant we've asked many different kinds of questions of the texts themselves. What are the underlying assumptions about how the world works, who God is, how the community should be—these make up the historical world. They require investigative work and thought by us. They may reveal differences between assumptions of our day and the day of the texts were written. We have asked questions about the way in which the things we were reading were put together. Biblical writers have lots of material and are making choices about what is told and the way in which it is told. We learn what is important to them by the way they construct the story they tell. This is the literary world. And finally, tonight, we have especially asked questions about how the text impacts the people hearing or reading it. What are the biblical writers trying to encourage or cajole or command their hearers/readers to do? What is happening in the encounter that happens in front of the text as reader and text interact? This the contemporary world includes both the first readers and us, as readers now. How is the text influencing us? How are we responding?

The hope is that our time together, spent getting to know these different worlds, has enhanced your skills and joy for reading scripture. 

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Here is the syllabus for your next Bible Class: 300B..  IMPORTANT: ALL WORK IS DONE AHEAD OF CLASS, INCLUDING A  SERVICE PROJECT AND CHURCH VISIT..

It might help nto take this  survey  (by Paul Hiebert) ahead of class, to think about gospel, church and culture (click here for printable version):

Gospel and Culture
By Paul Hiebert, from “Anthropological Insights for Missionaries”
This exercise is intended to help you test your own theological consistency on a
number of issues that Protestants in various denominations have felt important. As a
Christian in a cross-cultural setting, you will need to learn the differences between
those elements essential to the church in every culture, and those elements which are
not.
Part One
Separate all the items that follow into two categories, based on these definitions:
Essential: These items (commands, practices, customs) are essential to the church in
every age and place  [Mark these. “E” on the list.]
Negotiable. These items (commands, practices, customs) may or may not be valid
for the church in any given place or time. [Mark these “N” on the list.]
1. Greet each other with a holy kiss.
2. Do not go to court to settle issues between Christians.
3. Do not eat meat used in pagan ceremonies.
4. Women in the assembly should be veiled when praying or speaking.
5. Wash feet at the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist).
6. Lay on hands for ordination.
7. Sing without musical accompaniment.
8. Abstain from eating blood.
9. Abstain from fornication.
10. Share the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist).
11. Use only real wine and unleavened bread for your Eucharist meals.
12. Use only grape juice for Eucharist meals.
13. Anoint with oil for healing.
14. Women are not to teach men.
15. Women are not to wear braided hair, gold, or pearls.
16. Men are not to have long hair.
17. Do not drink wine at all.
18. Slavery is permissible if you treat slaves well.
19. Remain single.
20. Seek the gift of tongues.
21. Seek the gift of healing.
22. Lift your hands when you pray.
23. People who don’t work don’t eat.
24. Have a private “devotional time” every day.
25. Say Amen at the end of prayers.
26. Appoint elders and deacons in every congregation.
27. Elect the leaders.
28. Confess sins one to another.
29. Confess sins privately to God.
30. Give at least ten percent of your income/goods/crops to God.
31. Construct a building for worship.
32. Confess Christ publicly by means of baptism.
33. Be baptized by immersion.
34. Be baptized as an adult.
35. Be baptized as a child/infant.
36. Do not be a polygamist.
37. Do not divorce your spouse for any reason.
38. Do not divorce your spouse except for adultery.

Part Two
Reflect on the process by which you distinguished the “essential” from the
“negotiable” items. What principle or principles governed your decision? Write out the
method you used, in a simple, concise statement. Be completely honest with yourself
and accurately describe how you arrived at your decisions. Your principle(s) should
account for every decision.
Part Three
Review your decisions again, and answer the following questions:
Are your “essential” items so important to you that you could not associate with a
group that did not practice all of them?
Are there some “essential” items that are a little more “essential” than others?
Are there any items that have nothing explicitly to do with Scripture at all?

-Paul Hiebert