Bible wk 5
Chapter 5: THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF (The Christological Context, Part 1)
I. Introduction: The Landscape Metaphor (Maria Island, Australia)
The author reflects on unique natural phenomena observed in Tasmania during college.
A marine ecology trip included study on Maria Island.
Hiking Mount Maria provided a comprehensive view, showing how diverse geological features (like Riedle Bay, Oyster Bay, Fossil Cliffs, and Painted Cliffs) were connected, forming a single landscape.
Lesson for Hermeneutics:
The sixty-six books of the Bible, though individual and cohesive, aggregate like the features of Maria Island to portray the entire testimony of God's work in history for salvation.
The goal of the chapter is to provide a "large-scale biblical literacy" by viewing the entire Bible's contours, comparable to viewing Maria Island from above.
II. The Landscape of Redemptive History (Historical Overview of the Bible's Books)
The outline organizes the Bible's books to showcase their common themes and the progression of redemptive history.
A. The Creation of God's People (Genesis–Deuteronomy)
God creates a worshipping community.
The original creational purpose was for humanity to live in peace, bearing God's image and making culture (Gen 1:28).
The Fall introduced sin, separation from God's presence, and death.
The overall drama of the Bible is humanity's return to the presence of God by overcoming sin and death through the coming seed of the woman (Gen 3:15).
The narrative transitions from Abraham, through whom God will bless all peoples, to the formation of Israel, their escape from Egypt, receiving the law, and God dwelling in the tabernacle (climax of Exodus).
B. The Establishment of God's People (Joshua, Judges)
God places and preserves His people in the Promised Land.
Joshua provides a "semblance of that original creational experience" of rest in God's presence.
Judges illustrates the continuous cycle of sin and rebellion because "there was no king in Israel."
C. The Crowning of God's King (Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1–10)
Ruth establishes that the king will come through the line of Judah, culminating in David.
1 Samuel depicts David’s rise as the anointed seed, conquering Goliath.
2 Samuel 7 is crucial, promising David an eternal kingdom through his seed, who will build the temple and be called "God's son."
1 Kings 8–10: Solomon completes the temple, a place for God's presence, sacrifice, and blessing of the nations.
D. The Worship and Wisdom of God's King (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs)
These books illustrate the style of worship and wisdom a king should exhibit.
The Psalms, organized into five books, narrate the larger redemptive-historical drama, moving from David's triumphs and prophecies of eternal rule to the lamentation of the exile, and finally, hope for a renewed creation.
E. The Disobedience of God's King (1 Kings 11–2 Kings 25, Isaiah–Zephaniah)
The kings of David's line were predominantly disobedient, leading to God's judgment and the Babylonian exile.
The Davidic line appears ruined when King Zedekiah is captured and blinded.
The Prophets (Isaiah to Zephaniah) call for covenant faithfulness and anticipate future restoration through David's house, often predicting a second exodus led by a suffering servant.
F. The Disestablishment of God's People (Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel)
The exile results in the removal from the land, loss of priesthood, and temple destruction.
These texts document the lamentrous journey, while Daniel affirms God's eternal dominion.
Despite this failure, there is hope for restoration, including a new covenant and future temple rebuilding through David's house.
G. The Re-Creation of God's People (1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)
After seventy years of captivity, some individuals return to the land and rebuild a smaller temple.
This restoration remains incomplete and is described as merely "a little reviving," looking forward to the full coming of the kingdom under a new David.
H. God the Son Brings the Kingdom of God (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
The New Testament proclaims Jesus Christ as "the son of David, the son of Abraham."
Jesus leads humanity back to the original creational status within God's presence.
Through his atonement (sacrifice) and resurrection, Jesus resolves the issues of humanity regarding sin and death.
Jesus fulfills Old Testament expectations by being the Son of Abraham who blesses the nations, the Son of Judah, the atoning sacrifice, the temple of God, the head of the new creation, and the one who brings rest to the cosmos.
I. God the Spirit Spreads the Kingdom of God (Acts, Romans–3 John)
The Spirit is sent, creating an international worshipping community of Jews and Gentiles, marking the new Adam's success.
Gentiles become "heirs according to the promise to Abraham" (Gal 3:29).
J. God the Son Reigns over the Kingdom of God (Revelation)
Revelation outlines the current and eternal lordship of Jesus Christ.
The ultimate goal is the complete restoration of the cosmos to its original creational intent, where the people of God dwell with Him eternally.
III. Summary of the Biblical Trajectory
The Old Testament is christotelic, moving toward the telos, or end/goal, in Christ.
The New Testament is christocentric, revolving around Jesus' work and persona.
The entire Bible is christological.
Chapter 6: THROUGH THE TEXT (The Christological Context, Part 2)
I. Navigating the Christological Context
The Bible's content is described as a topographical map of redemptive history.
The goal of reading Scripture is to navigate through the Bible's terrain (literary and historical context) toward the gospel.
Biblical hermeneutics utilizes the literary context (left rail) and historical context (right rail) to maintain the christological journey on proper tracks, avoiding allegorical misinterpretations, steering towards the gospel.
Every pericope holds a "first level meaning" (literary) and a "second level meaning" (historical), which function symbiotically toward a "climactic meaning" in Christ.
II. Five Ways the Terrain Leads to the Gospel
A. Through Old Testament Quotations, Echoes, and Allusions in the New Testament
Quotations (Intertexture): New Testament authors reference Old Testament texts, necessitating readers to explore the original context to grasp the larger theological significance.
Echoes: New Testament authors incorporate Old Testament language without formal indication, requiring determination through keyword and thematic resonance.
Allusions: Indirect references pointing to an Old Testament context without using specific language.
B. Through Prophecy
Near-and-Far Dynamic (Prophetic Telescoping): Prophets describe a single future event that unfolds across multiple horizons of fulfillment, with increments intensifying toward the conclusive fulfillment in Christ.
Contextual Nature: New Testament fulfillment claims (e.g., Matt 1:23) must be investigated within the broader literary and historical framework of the original prophecy (e.g., Isaiah 7:1-13).
C. Through Typology
Definition: The study of God's sovereignty illustrated in Old Testament figures, institutions, and events that prefigure Christ's person and mission.
The Old Testament type represents the historical element, while the antitype corresponds to Christ’s corresponding person or work, delivering the climatic meaning.
Examples of types include Adam, Moses (as the ultimate prophet), Old Testament monarchs (like David), priesthoods, temple structures, Passover, and Sabbath.
D. Through Major Recurring Biblical Themes
Recurring themes evolve throughout redemptive history and heighten in the gospel.
The Exodus serves as a paradigm for subsequent salvation narratives employed by various biblical authors.
Other significant themes encompass creation/re-creation, judgment, sacrifice, temple, seed, blessing, and the sin-judgment-grace cycle, all of which point dramatically to the cross.
E. Through Whole-Book Contexts
To interpret any verse or pericope, one must understand its contribution to the book's overarching meta-theology.
The whole-book context is essential for identifying a pericope’s place in redemptive history and its christological significance.
III. Conclusion
The entirety of the Bible is christological, unified by the logic of the gospel.
The christological context can be likened to a locomotive, with literary and historical contexts serving as the guiding tracks that steer the interpretation through the Bible’s topography towards its redemptive-historical purpose: the gospel.
Chapter 5: THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF (The Christological Context, Part 1)
The author starts by thinking about amazing natural sights, like those seen in Tasmania during college. On a trip to study ocean life on Maria Island, hiking Mount Maria revealed how all the different parts of the island, like bays and cliffs, connected to form one complete picture. This helps us understand the Bible. The 66 books of the Bible, though unique on their own, fit together like the features of Maria Island to tell the full story of God's work to save humanity. This chapter aims to give a broad understanding of the Bible, like seeing Maria Island from above.
II. The Landscape of Redemptive History (Historical Overview of the Bible's Books)
This part arranges the Bible's books to show their common ideas and how God's rescue plan unfolds over time.
A. The Creation of God's People (Genesis–Deuteronomy)
God created a community meant to worship Him. His original plan was for people to live peacefully, be like Him, and develop the world. But then sin entered, causing separation from God and death. The main story of the Bible is about humanity finding its way back to God's presence by overcoming sin and death through the special child, or "seed of the woman," promised in Genesis 3:15. The story then moves to Abraham, through whom God promised to bless everyone, and continues with the forming of Israel, their escape from Egypt, receiving God's laws, and God living among them in the tabernacle, which is the high point of the book of Exodus.
B. The Establishment of God's People (Joshua, Judges)
God places His people safely in the Promised Land and keeps them there. Joshua shows a little bit of that original peaceful time in God's presence. Judges, however, shows how humans kept sinning and rebelling because "there was no king in Israel" to lead them.
C. The Crowning of God's King (Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1–10)
The book of Ruth explains that the special king would come from the family of Judah, eventually leading to David. 1 Samuel tells of David becoming God's chosen king, even defeating Goliath. A very important promise in 2 Samuel 7 says that David's family will rule forever through his descendant, who will build a temple and be called "God's son." In 1 Kings 8–10, Solomon finishes the temple, a place where God lives, where sacrifices are made, and where God blesses all nations.
D. The Worship and Wisdom of God's King (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs)
These books show what kind of worship and smart choices a king should have. The Psalms, split into five sections, tell the bigger story of God's rescue plan, from King David's wins and promises of eternal rule to the sadness of being sent away from their land, and finally, hope for a new world.
E. The Disobedience of God's King (1 Kings 11–2 Kings 25, Isaiah–Zephaniah)
Most kings from David's family did not obey God, which led to God punishing them and sending them away to Babylon. It seemed like David's family line was destroyed when King Zedekiah was captured and blinded. The prophets (Isaiah to Zephaniah) bravely called for people to be faithful to God's promises and looked forward to a time when David's family would be restored, often predicting a new escape (like the first exodus) led by a suffering servant.
F. The Disestablishment of God's People (Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel)
Being sent away from their land meant losing their home, their priests, and the destruction of their temple. These books document the sad journey. However, Daniel confirms that God still rules everything, forever. Despite their failures, there was still hope for things to be restored, including a new agreement with God and a future temple rebuilt through David's family.
G. The Re-Creation of God's People (1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)
After 70 years of being held captive, some people returned to their land and rebuilt a smaller temple. But this restoration wasn't complete; it was just "a little reviving." They still looked forward to the full coming of God's kingdom under a new leader like David.
H. God the Son Brings the Kingdom of God (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
The New Testament announces that Jesus Christ is "the son of David, the son of Abraham." Jesus leads humanity back to how they were meant to be with God. Through his death on the cross and coming back to life, Jesus solves humanity's problems of sin and death. Jesus fulfills all the old promises by being the Son of Abraham who blesses everyone, the Son of Judah, the perfect sacrifice, the temple where God lives, the head of a new creation, and the one who brings peace to the whole universe.
I. God the Spirit Spreads the Kingdom of God (Acts, Romans–3 John)
The Holy Spirit is sent, creating a worldwide community of worshipers, both Jews and non-Jews. This shows that the "new Adam" (Jesus) was successful. People who aren't Jewish now become "heirs according to the promise to Abraham."
J. God the Son Reigns over the Kingdom of God (Revelation)
The book of Revelation describes how Jesus Christ rules now and will rule forever. The main goal is for the entire universe to be perfectly restored to how it was created, with God's people living with Him forever.
III. Summary of the Biblical Trajectory
The Old Testament is like a road trip leading towards Jesus, its main purpose or goal. The New Testament is all about Jesus, focusing on his life and actions. The entire Bible, from beginning to end, tells us about Jesus.
Chapter 6: THROUGH THE TEXT (The Christological Context, Part 2)
I. Navigating the Christological Context
The Bible's content is like a map of how God has saved people throughout history. The purpose of reading the Bible is to follow this map—understanding its stories and history—to reach the good news, or gospel. To understand the Bible correctly, we use literary context (what the words mean in their stories) and historical context (what was happening at the time). These two things act like train tracks, keeping our understanding on the right path towards Jesus, helping us avoid wrong interpretations. Every part of the Bible has a first meaning (what the words say) and a second meaning (its historical background), both working together to give us the most important meaning found in Christ.
II. Five Ways the Terrain Leads to the Gospel
A. Through Old Testament Quotations, Echoes, and Allusions in the New Testament
Sometimes, writers of the New Testament quote parts of the Old Testament. To truly understand these quotes, readers need to look back at the original Old Testament passage. Other times, New Testament writers use Old Testament language without directly quoting it; these are called "echoes." And sometimes, they just hint at an Old Testament story or idea, which are called "allusions."
B. Through Prophecy
Prophets often described future events that would happen in stages, getting closer to their full meaning in Christ. This is like looking far away and seeing one mountain peak, but as you get closer, you realize it's a range of peaks. When the New Testament says an Old Testament prophecy is fulfilled (for example, in Matthew 1:23), we must check the bigger picture of the original prophecy (like Isaiah 7:1-13).
C. Through Typology
Typology is the study of how God planned for certain Old Testament people, events, or institutions to point forward to Jesus. The Old Testament "type" is the historical example, and the "antitype" is Jesus or his work, which reveals the complete meaning. Examples include Adam, Moses (as a great leader), kings like David, priests, the temple, Passover, and the Sabbath. They all were like shadows of Jesus.
D. Through Major Recurring Biblical Themes
Many important ideas come up again and again in the Bible, and they become even clearer and more powerful in the gospel. The Exodus story, where God saved Israel from Egypt, is a key example that shows up in many other salvation stories. Other big themes include creation and re-creation, judgment, sacrifice, the temple, the promise of a special descendant, blessing, and the cycle of sin, punishment, and grace. All these themes ultimately point to Jesus' death on the cross.
E. Through Whole-Book Contexts
To understand any small part of the Bible, you need to know how it fits into the main message of the whole book it's in. Understanding the entire book helps us see where that small part fits in God's plan through history and what it tells us about Jesus.
III. Conclusion
The entire Bible is about Jesus, and everything in it makes sense because of the good news. Think of the idea that the Bible is about Jesus like a train engine, with the literary and historical contexts as the tracks. These tracks guide our understanding through the Bible's landscape towards its main goal: the gospel, the good news of salvation through Jesus.