William J. Webb, professor on New Testament at Heritage Seminary in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in Slaves, Women & Homosexuals divides his book into three parts. These three parts include “eighteen criteria for helping us determine what components within the biblical text have ongoing applicational significance and what components are limited in their application to the original audience only.”[1] Webb states his purpose when he identifies his method as ‘redemptive-movement hermeneutic’ which captures the most crucial component of the application process as it relates to cultural analysis, namely, the need to engage the redemptive spirit of the text in a way that moves the contemporary appropriation of the text beyond its original-application framing.”[2]
Read moreThe Original Creation and the New Creation
What was the raw material or the states of things when God began to create the original creation? The incomplete planet is described in Genesis 1:2 as useless or “without form” as a desert in Dt. 32:10 which is uninhabited. The earth was also lifeless. The planet at this stage was covered with darkness and water. So the planet in verse two was useless, lifeless, and covered in darkness. “Darkness” in Scripture does not always mean evil as here and in Psalm 104:19-24 where the darkness of night is seen as a blessing from God for which he is to be praised.
The planet at this stage is full of potential. How did God bring this raw material to its full potential? With this raw material, the great Potter formed the earth and then man out of the dust of the earth. First, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and then God spoke his first creative words in Gen. 1:3 and day by day for six days God removed the incompleteness and deficiencies of earth.
Paul draws an analogy between the incomplete earth and the sinner before salvation in 2 Cor.4:3-6. The sinner before salvation was also useless, lifeless (Eph. 2:1), and in darkness (Eph. 4:18). But then “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). How did God do this work in the sinner’s life? The same as He did with the useless, lifeless, and in darkness planet. The Spirit of God moved on the sinner’s life (John 16:8) when God’s Word was spoken or preached (Rom. 10:17).
Paul himself, as Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9, is an illustration. Saul, on the road to Damascus, in his spiritual uselessness, lifelessness, and darkness, was struck to the ground by a light that was brighter than the noon day sun. That light was Jesus Christ the Son of God who was and is the Light of the world. As you and I witness the Word of God to unregenerate sinners, God’s Spirit will work at opening satanically blinded eyes so the Creator of the universe can once again create a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
Helen Keller was both blind and deaf. Her world was only darkness and touch. Anne Sullivan, who was partially blind most of her life, began to tutor Helen Keller when she was seven years old. Anne would spell words in the palm of Helen’s hand and let her touch that object. For example, Anne spelled d-o-l-l in Helen’s palm while Helen felt the doll Anne had given her. Anne spelled w-a-t-e-r in Helen’s palm while her other hand was under a water spicket. At that moment as Kevin J. Vanhoozer noted, “the mystery of language was revealed.” Helen Keller wrote in her autobiography: “I knew then that ‘w-a-t-e-r’ meant the wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand. The living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free’” (The Story of My Life. New York, 1988, 18). Vanhoozer observed, “Helen’s teacher, a miracle worker like the Holy Spirit, ministered the word and brought understanding” (First Theology: God, Scripture, and Hermeneutics. Downers Grove: IVP, 123).
Who Is Your Favorite Theologian?
Like preachers, I have different theologian that I like and use for different reasons. Ryrie remarks that he did not write Basic Theology for the professional theologian. I find little that I disagree with in Ryrie’s Basic Theology. I know he is not as deep as other theologians but that was not his purpose in Basic Theology. He revealed his scholarship in other writings. He also helps me in communicating doctrines to my church members who also are not professional theologians.
Paul Enn’s The Moody Handbook of Theology is also good for my purposes but he covers Biblical, Historical, Systematic, Dogmatic, and Contemporary Theology, which cuts back on the Bible doctrine content.
I also like and use Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology to add depth to Ryrie. I like his coverage of the attributes of God. He also has a good argument for baptism by immersion.
I like to read Michael Horton’s Christian Faith for even more depth than Ryrie and Grudem. Horton in some of his writings has a strong defense of cessationism and actually refutes Grudem’s continuing gift of prophecy which is significant coming from a Reformed theologian.
I like Mike Stallard’s journal articles on dispensationalism, eschatology, and theological method.
Coming back to Charles Ryrie, in his Dispensationalism in 1995, he gives a scholarly reply to progressive dispensationalism. In his Dispensationalism Today in 1965, he responded to Covenant Theology. Ryrie wrote 32 books which have sold over 1.5 million copies. His study Bible has sold 2.6 million copies. The Ryrie Study Bible, Balancing the Christian Life, and Basic Theology have been best sellers. I mention these facts to show the influence of Ryrie was not only in Academia but among rank and file Christians who have benefited from his writings put on their level. Of course, he impacted Bible scholars from teaching Systematic theology and serving as dean of doctoral studies at DTS. His influence was board and lasting.
Is there a theological consequence to life on other planets?
I was actually asked this question by a pastoral search committee once. The question was “How would I respond to the church if it was reported by the news media that life had been discovered on Mars?” Recently this issue was brought up by National Geographic Magazine on September 14th. The article title was “Possible sign of life on Venus stirs up heated debate” by Nadia Drake. She wrote: "Something deadly might be wafting through the clouds shrouding Venus: a smelly, flammable gas called phosphine that annihilates life-forms reliant on oxygen for survival. Ironically though, the scientists who today announced of this noxious gas in the Venusian atmosphere say it could be tantalizing, if controversial, evidence of life on the planet next door."
Read moreSermon Evaluation Form
Here is a sermon evaluation form that can be used in internships and preaching classes.
Preacher Sermon Title Scripture
__________________ Date ________
I. Textual Faithfulness 1 2 3 4
A. Overall, was the sermon faithful to the text?
B. What was the MPS of the sermon?
C. What was the main divisions that developed the MPS?
II. Instruction 1 2 3 4
A. How did this sermon engage your mind?
B. Were you persuaded by the sermon’s MPS?
C. Was the passage adequately explained?
III. Communication 1 2 3 4
A. Movement
1. Introduction got my attention
2. Introduction laid foundation for the sermon
3. Did sermon have clear outline?
4. Sense of momentum?
B. Order and Unity
1. Main divisions developed
2. Organized progression to sermon
3. Illustrations subservient to truth
4. Transitions were clear
5. Was the sermon unified?
6. Length of sermon
IV. Delivery
A. Language and vocabulary
B. Voice inflection/volume/clarity
C. Eye contact
D. Pulpit presence
Take sermon notes at bottom to finish statements & questions below
1. Mention one positive
2. Mention one area of improvement
Key Words and Markers in Mark
The following connectors help students and preachers of God’s Word know where the author is changing from one scene and theme to the next.
1. “again” πάλιν
10:32 Mark uses πάλιν (temporal adverb) mostly to simply express repetition as “again.” Decker notes, however, there is a discourse use of πάλιν which provides textual cohesion at the discourse level when it links different episodes as in Mark 10:32. Decker states that πάλιν “marks a seam between two periscopes and, along with the geographical notation, serves to introduce the second.” In Mark 10:32, the geographic location is Mark’s first reference to Jerusalem in the second section and along with πάλιν introduces Jesus’ third prediction.
Read moreReview of Markan Sandwiches: The Significance of Interpolations in Markan Narratives in Novum Testamentum XXXI. 3(1989) 193-216 by James R. Edwards
Inclusios differ from intercalations. While inclusios “bookend” episodes, intercalations interrupt and “sandwich” a single episode. (Mark L. Strauss. Mark: Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 47). Inclusios differ from intercalations.
Bookends in Mark
The healing of the blind man (8:22-26) is in two stages or through repeated touches. In the first stage, the blind man has his sight partially restored. In the second stage, his sight is completely restored. Jesus repeatedly teaches His disciples who He is because of their spiritual blindness. The myopic disciples are like the blind man in stage one. They are only partially seeing who Jesus is.
Conclusion to the inclusio: The healing of blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52) at Jericho, which is only seventeen miles north of Jerusalem. They are almost at the end of their six months journey to Jerusalem and discipleship and still the disciples do not see orunderstand who Jesus is or who they are as disciples.
Sandwiches in Mark
The third section of Mark opens with an intercalation. Jesus enters Jerusalem but finds no spirituality (11:1-11). The cleansing of the temple is “sandwiched” with two episodes about the fig tree. He curses the fig tree that has no natural fruit (11:12-14). Next, Jesus cleanses the temple where is no spiritual fruit (11:15-18). The next day, Jesus and his disciples find the fig tree withered down to its roots (11:19-20). Rhoads and Michie call this “framing” which, like in movies, creates suspense. “Framing also provides commentary. The two related stories illuminate and enrich each other” (David Rhodes and Donald Michie. Mark As Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press) 1982, 51). The fig tree and the temple, both lacked fruit that Jesus expects from his disciples.
Read more“The NEW Factual Data” Sheet for the Gospel of Mark
The idea of “The Factual Data” sheet comes from reading that Warren W. Wiersbe’s homiletic teacher, Lloyd Perry who used a generic “Factual Data” sheet for sermon preparation. I have adapted “The Factual Data” sheet to the different genres (Narratives, Hebrew Poetry, the Epistles, and the Gospels) of Scripture instead of one-size fits all approach
Read moreSources for the Study and Preaching of Mark
Sources for Studying and Preaching the Gospel of Mark
Thomas Constable’s Commentaries at Lumina.bible.org (Commentary on all 66 books of the Bible)
Preceptaustin preceptaustin.org (32 commentaries and 17 sermon series)
Wisdom for the Heart (23 sermons by Stephen Davie)
Steven Cole sermons (Unfortunately, he did not do a series on Mark)
Annotated bibliography
Book
France, R. T. (2002). The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text (pp. 1–47). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.
R. T. France has an excellent introduction to Mark. He divides Mark into three Acts and follows the geographical divisions of Mark. France also sees the twofold theme of Mark including Christ and his disciples: “Discipleship is the proper outcome of a healthy Christology” (The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text. NIGTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002, 28)
Read moreMessianic Secret in the Gospel of Mark
The accusers and critics of Jesus did not all die in the first century. We want to answer a modern opponent of who Jesus was. In his discussion of the theology of Mark, Craig Evans notes that Mark’s theology is revealed in the Messianic Secret (see footnote 1). The Messianic Secret according to its originator, William Wrede, was first manifested in Jesus forbidding others to proclaim he was the Messiah (demons in 1:34; healed leper in 1:44), and second, the disciples’ failure to understand who Jesus claimed to be (in the three passion predictions in Mark 8, 9, 10)), and third, Jesus’ teaching, such as the parables (4:11-12), which meant to conceal. Wrede, contended that Jesus did not know he was the Messiah and no one recognized Jesus as the Messiah, until after his resurrection and that Mark had to create the Messianic Secret to show how no one recognized Jesus as the Messiah before the resurrection (see footnote 2). “These were all editoral and unhistorical…By inventing the ‘messianic secret’ Mark removed a source of embarrassment for the theology of the church by explaining why Jesus was not more generally recognized as Messiah during His lifetime” (see footnote 3).
Read moreHomiletical or Basic Sermon Outline
Here is a basic homiletical or sermon outline that many homileticians teach, such as Tony Merdia in his book Faithful Preaching. My version has argumentation whereas his does not.
Read moreReview of The Synoptic Problem by Daniel Wallace at Bible.org
Wallace notes that he is following Robert H. Stein’s The Synoptic Problem: An Introduction.
Wallace opens his thirty-page article stating that “Any serious discussion of the Synoptic Gospels must, sooner or later, involve a discussion of the literary interrelationships among Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This is essential in order to see how an author used his sources (both for reliability’s sake as well as for redactional criticism), as well as when he wrote.”
Robert H. Stein’s The Synoptic Problem: An Introduction1 summarizes well the issues involved in the synoptic problem—as well as its probable solution. For the most part, our discussion will follow his outline.
Read moreReview of Basics of Verbal Aspect in Biblical Greek by Constantine R. Campbell
The simplest way to define verbal aspect is viewpoint. An author views an action, event, or state from the outside of an action, event, or state is called perfective aspect. The helicopter view of beginning and end of the parade. Inside of an action, event, or state is called imperfective aspect. The street or inside view of the parade. Verbal aspect in Greek is called a synthetic semantic category because aspect is realized in the morphological forms of verbs. Verbal aspect represents a subjective choice (20).
Read moreReview of Advances in The Study of Greek: New Insights for Reading The New Testament by Constantine R. Campbell
“Insofar as we love the gospel, to that same extent, let us study the ancient tongues”----Martin Luther
Constantine Campbell answers questions about his book.
1. What is this book about? “The issues of contention, development, and even revolution are the focus here” (21). The topic concerns Koine Greek and not ancient.
2. How is this book unique? Over the past thirty there has been a paradigm shift and Campbell discusses these shifts such as the rise of discourse analysis and verbal aspect.
3. Why is this book needed? Advances in Greek linguistics can lead to insights into text and correct long term errors (23).
4. Why include these topics? Campbell answers this question by giving a preview of his coming chapters.
5. How should this book be used? It should be used for both personal study and classroom work because these are his classroom notes converted into a book (26).
6. What is the intended outcome of this book? Campbell gives eight outcomes he desires to result from the reading of his book.
Read moreReview of Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek: A Survey of Basic Concepts and Applications by David Alan Black (Grand Rapids: Baker Books) Second Edition, 1995
Why Study Linguistics? The most important reason is to help us understand “the meaning of the New Testament.” (3).
What is a Linguist? “The linguisit’s work is understanding and describing the nature of language.
What is Linguistics? “Linguistics is the science that attempts to understand language from the point of view of its ‘inner workings’---what linguists call internal structure.” (5).
How Do Linguists Go About Their Work? They use two approaches. First, there is descriptive linguistics. The grammar of a language is the chief concern of a descriptive linguistic.
Read moreReview of The Face of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research (Editors: Scot McKnight and Grant R. Osborne.
I am only reviewing chapter 19 which is Mark’s Gospel by Peter G. Bolt. Bolt traces the history of the study of Mark beginning with the
The Early Period
“This history has been characterized as one of long-standing neglect and recent rediscovery” (391). Augustine’s statement contributed to this neglect: “Mark follows [Matthew] closely and looks as if he were his servant and epitomist” (De consensus evangelistarum 1.2[4]).
Read moreReview of Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect by Rodney J. Decker
“One of Porter’s major arguments is that Greek does not grammaticalize time in the form of the verb, but relies on deictic indicators to signal temporal relationships. The significant semantic factor connected with the form of the verb is not time but aspect” (1). In a footnote, Decker writes: “In this work reference will be made to verb forms rather than to verb tenses to avoid the (often unconscious) association of temporal reference with the morphological categories of present, aorist, perfect, etc. (159). Decker examined Porter’s view on verbal aspect and agreed that Porter’s view on verbal aspect is the true view.
Read moreBook Review of The Limits of Functional Equivalence in Bible Translation and other Limits, Too (D. A. Carson in 2003).
Carson addresses three areas of concern in the area of dynamic or functional equivalence. The areas of translation theory are what Eugene Nida called Dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence. D.A. Carson is focusing on dynamic equivalence or functional equivalence.
Read moreReview of One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal? By Dave Brunn
Dave Brunn states that the church is divided over which standard is right in Bible translations. Should the translation be “Word for Word” or “Thought for Thought”? For example, a literal, word for word translation of 2 Timothy 2:5 is “is not crowned” in the NKJV and ESV. A thought for thought translation is “does not win the prize” in the NASB which is considered a literal translation. Brunn provides a chart with 93 examples where the NASB gives a “thought for thought” translation and the NKJV, ESV, NIV, and HCSB give a “word for word” translation. This is surprising because the NASB has been called the “Most Literal.”
Read moreThe Model Disciple in Mark 10:46-52
Today, we will go visit my dad’s grave. This is the first Father’s Day after his death. At dad’s funeral I said, “Dad was not perfect, but he was forgiven.” That thought reminds me of the twelve disciples, Jesus is training. Jesus gives them their last object lesson before their six month crash course in Discipleship is complete. The healing of the blind beggar Bartimaeus is Jesus last miracle before entering Jerusalem in 11:1
Read more