by Bret Capranica | Dec 11, 2006 | Biblical Studies, Bookreviews, Uncategorized
I have recently been reading through Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning’s text Interpreting the New Testament Text. I am about half way through the book and have thoroughly enjoyed it. While not formally called a festschrift, the book is written in honor of long time New Testament professor Harold Hoehner. I will be writing a more lengthly and formal review of it later, but just to note, this looks like a very well-rounded, read and practically helpful text book on New Testament exegesis. I have thoroughly enjoyed the detail of chapters on the definition of exegesis, textual criticism and grammatical analysis. The chapter I have most benefited from and enjoyed thus far is that on “Sentence Diagramming, Clausal Layouts, and Exegetical Outlining: Tracing the Argument,” written by Jay Smith. In my experience over the past ten years, such diagramming (especially structural and block diagramming) is the single most important disciplines one can employ in finding and tracing the author’s main point and intention n a given NT text. I have also been reminded that exegesis is not really exegesis if one is not personally delving consistently and deeply into the Greek New Testament. The book has put me on a course to strengthen my Greek exegetical skills and pay closer attention in my weekly exegetical sessions in my sermon preparation. I can remember the days of using the word “exegesis” without any working knowledge of Greek or Hebrew. How foolish. I have been made even more aware of how foolish I can still be to throw the term around with even the small amount of training I...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 10, 2006 | Biblical Studies, Pauline Theology
From Schreiner: “Paul must explain in his gospel how Jesus Christ has accomplished redemption. Human beings are freed to honor and praise God because Jesus in his person and work has vindicated God’s honor. He has succeeded where Adam and Israel failed. He is the promised seed of Abraham and David, the Lord of heaven and earth, and he even shares in the divine nature. He fulfills the promises of the new covenant, and through him the promise made to Abraham that all nations would be blessed is inaugurated” (152). “The promises of salvation made to Israel were not yet fulfilled, and the nation continued to live under Roman control because of its sin. The pattern of sin that permeated Israel’s history demonstrated that the glorious promises of deliverance and salvation were not yet a reality. The history of Israel shows that for God’s promises to be fulfilled, a new humanity is necessary; and for a new humanity, we need a new Adam. Paul proclaims that Jesus the Messiah is the new Adam” (152). Schreiner notes that Israel had not seen the fulfillment of the OT prophecies regarding their ultimate salvation (159). He rightly sees that the promise to Israel in the Abrahamic Covenant is limited to the area of Palestine, but the whole of the Abrahamic promises makes Abraham the heir of the world (160), involving descendants that are broader than Israel as a nation (but not detrimental to the literal fulfillment of those promises to Israel either). “The lordship of Jesus cannot be confined to an initial decision where one submits to his lordship. Paul often appeals...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 10, 2006 | Bookreviews, Ecclesiology, Education, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Seeker-Sensitive, Theological Education
In my quiet time, I begin by reading from a book that will stimulate my mind and heart about sanctification or practical life in the church. Recently I have begun reading God in the Wasteland by David F. Wells. I want to share a few excerpts from his book that I noted during my fifteen minute-a-day reading time. On the current reactions against formal theological training: Noting the how the early colonial American trends in the mainline schools were producing polished institutions, there was a strong reactions against them. “This ambitious drive [among the intellectual schools of colonial America] produces some savage anti-clericalism but also because the insurgent leaders were “Ëintent on destroying the monopoly of classically educated and university trained clergymen.’ Their sermons were colloquial, “Ëemploying daring pulpit storytelling, no-holds-barred appeals, overt humor, strident attacks, graphic application, and intimate personal experience.’ The point of it all was to engage the audience. Charles Finney despised sermons that were formally delivered on the grounds that they put content ahead of communication, and, although both he and Dwight L. Moody had their own theologies, they both vigorously opposed “Ëthe formal study of divinity'” (65). “‘As the common man rose in power n the early republic,’ says Hatch, “Ëthe inevitable consequence was the displacement from power of the uncommon man, the man of ideas.’ Never again, he adds would America produce people of the caliber of Adams, Jefferson, and Madison in the realm of politics or of Jonathan Edwards in the realm of theology” (67). In light of some of what we have seen in the modern Seeker Sensitive and Emergent Church...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 9, 2006 | Biblical Studies, Pauline Theology
While I’ve fallen behind in posting on my reading from Tom Schreiner’s book, Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ, I’ve not really been behind in reading it. I’ll try to catch my posts up: Sin is a Power: Sin is . . . a tyrannical power that exercises its dominion over those in Adam. It enters the world through Adam’s sin and exercises its sway over all people (Rom 5:12-19). Sin manifests its reign in the domonion of death (Rom 5:21). Apart from Christ people are ‘slaves’ to sin (Rom 6:6), whereas believers have been freed from the sin that enslaved them and are now enslaved to righteousness (Rom 6:16-18, 20, 22). The image of slaver is not overstated since unbelievers cannot liberate themselves from sin’s grip. Sin exercises control over them so that they are in bondage to it (127-128). Under the rule of the pedagogue (Gal 3:24). The law as our tutor: Paul uses the illustration of the pedagogue for its temporal significance. That is, he does not appeal to the pedagogues because they functioned as teachers or curbed unsuitable behavior. He introduces the pedagogue for one reason only: pedagogues had charge over people during their minority years. Pedagogues are assigned to children, and when one becomes an adult a pedagogue is unnecessary. Thus, Paul uses the pedagogue as a metaphor for the law to make the point that the law was in force for only a certain period of salvation history. . . . Paul uses the illustration to describe the era in salvation history before the coming of Christ, when believers did not yet...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 8, 2006 | Time/Life Management
Here are a few helpful thoughts on group planning retreats. Don’t just “ËRetreat,’ PLAN –...
