P.S. don't be intimidated by what Wright says. Begin reading small portions, maybe even begin with a single verse in Hebrew and a single verse in Greek a day and build from there.
BD
I was in the library yesterday and was asked how I keep up with my Greek if I keep up with it at all. Well, that's a question that demands honesty and one that can honestly make one go into a deep bout with introspection (dare I say depression). Sadly (and I mean that in the sadist terms possible), I have not been proactive when it comes to maintaining my Greek, as I have been with my Hebrew, other than perusing through the passage used in the Sunday sermon or lesson. However, such a great question deserves an equally great response. So here's one from NT Wright. In the video, Wright answers the question: Do you follow a plan for your own bible reading? His answer may be the key to maintaining both one's Hebrew and Greek once Mounce and Van Pelt, Wallace and Waltke begin to collect the proverbial dust.
P.S. don't be intimidated by what Wright says. Begin reading small portions, maybe even begin with a single verse in Hebrew and a single verse in Greek a day and build from there. BD
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I am currently working on helping my students understand the multifaceted nature of the cross: that it goes infinitely beyond “just” Jesus died for my sins. One of these facets is found in Galatians 3.10-14. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
When studying for this unit, I was reminded of a lecture/sermon that R.C. Sproul presented at T4G ’08. You can access the lecture here. I mention the lecture because I wanted to write a few words this afternoon about Christ becoming a curse for us, and more than likely my thoughts will be rooted in that afternoon 6 years ago. Bless and Curse. Two polar opposites everyone that has walked the earth is all too familiar with. This is no mere quaint comparison between a recitation after a sneeze, “bless you,” and a hex placed on an enemy. No. These are two realities that overshadow humanity. One the result of a choice. The other—the result of a choice. Both from the hand of the creator. One deserved. The other undeserved. The cultures and philosophies of today though have misunderstood and believe that the blessing is deserved and the curse is undeserved. “God is a god that blesses—never one that curses. We deserve to be blessed.” In the beginning the creator chose blessing. But, the creation rebelled and received what it deserved—curse. We have received what we deserve. Curse for Adam’s family—death. Curse for all of creation—flood. Curse for the inhabitants of the earth—Babel. But, God made a choice—mercy. “Through you (Abram) all nations of the earth will be blessed.” The story of Israel is a window for beholding the beauty of blessing as well as the horrors of the curse of God. The end of Numbers 6 sums up well the blessing of God. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Blessing :: Experiencing the grace and peace of God and beholding his face. The longing of the people of God has always been and will always be to behold the face of their God. In his lecture, Sproul presented the opposite of the benediction, which I believe captures the curse of God as seen unfolded many times throughout the story of scripture. “May the Lord curse you and abandon you. May the Lord keep you in darkness and give you only judgment without grace. May the Lord turn his back upon you and remove his peace from you forever.” Curse :: To hear YHWH say “God damn you.” On the cross, that is exactly what Jesus experienced. “All of creation groans…” under the curse, but “He comes to make his blessings known as far as the curse is found.” How? He became a curse. JC The Biblical Language Center will concurrently run Beginning Biblical Hebrew and Beginning Koine Greek courses this summer at Mid-Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City, NC. Check out the details here. These courses are design to immerse you in the language in order to gain oral fluency . . . check out the video below for an overview. A week or so ago, Wes commented on a post I did concerning the ancient practice of Lectio Divina. In his comment, Wes asked for my thoughts on a statement I quoted of David Benner from his book Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer. So I thought it would be best to give some thoughts here to keep the conversation going.
Here’s Wes’ comment: “When you get the chance I'd love to hear your interpretation of Benner's statement which you quoted above: "[Scripture is] a living Word--always alive and active, always fresh and new." Particularly I'm curious in what you understand Scripture to be "always fresh and new." "Alive and active" makes good sense in light of Hebrews 4.12, but the second set of descriptors seems almost to posit a discontinuity or disjunction between what Scripture "meant" and what it might now "mean." I have a couple of ideas forming, but I'd appreciate your comments.” Benner unfortunately doesn't expand his thoughts explicitly concerning the “living Word” as “always fresh and new” and doesn’t come anywhere near the conversation concerning “what it meant” and “what it means.” Here are some thoughts of my own . . . so take them for what their worth. I think “what it meant” and “what it means” is an unfortunate dichotomy introduced or at least popularized, I believe, by Gabler in the 18th Century when he distinguished biblical theology (biblical studies) as a descriptive and historical discipline from Dogmatics (systematic theology) as a didactic discipline. There are several reasons I think the distinction is unfortunate. 1) Latter biblical writers in the OT and the NT use in new and fresh ways portions of the Scriptures that, if we’re being technical, were not addressed to them i.e., they we’re not the original recipients. This is clearly seen in the OT prophets’ use of the Torah. In fact, the laws God gave Moses and Israel on Mt Sinai in Exodus are re-given and re-contextualized in Deuteronomy. The Torah of God is dynamic, not static. It is always as new and as fresh as the situations which confront the people governed by Torah are new and fresh. 2) I think speech-act theory helps immensely. For those not familiar at all or are a bit rusty on speech-act theory, it in essence notes that an author uses locutions (words, sentences, rhetorical structures, genres) to embody an illocution (his intention to do something with that locution—bless, promise, instruct, assert) with a perlocution that anticipates a certain sort of response from the reader (obedience, trust, belief). I think the intention of a text at the illocutionary level transcends time and cultural boundaries and is not strictly bound by its locution (the historical and cultural manners and techniques ancient Hebrew and Greek speaking authors of Scripture used to initially communicate God’s message). In that way the illocution (the message) will have new and fresh perlocutionary force. It will do something new and fresh with every reader because it was not intended solely for its original audience. Each new reader of the Text stands in a different time and place from every other reader and thus understands the perlocutionary force of the Text’s illocution in new and fresh ways. In this way the Text means what it has always meant, however, the response from readers will differ and vary according to the particular contexts, struggles, and joys that face them. Don't take me wrong: faith will always be faith, trust will always be trust, obedience will always be obedience, but they will take on different shapes and forms with every new reader or community or generation of readers. I’m still working through this and I know there are some things to be cautious about, so I'd greatly appreciate any pushback. BD This morning I've been reading through portions of James Stewart's A Man in Christ in preparing for teaching on "Paul: His Life and Theology." Mike Osborne (the inimitable) recommended the book to me back in my college days, and whenever I get a chance to talk about Paul's conception of union with Christ it's one of the first works I pull out to piece through. Much has changed in Pauline studies since Stewart wrote the book in 1935, but the practical and theologically-sensitive manner in which he unpacks the doctrine warms and enlivens my soul. One element which has struck me this go-around is Stewart's skillful articulation of the way in which being "in Christ" not only summons us to a particular way of living, but also equips us to carry it out. In other words, Jesus is indeed the Christian's example; but he is also the Christian's benefactor without whom she/he would be lost in despair (in the present) and doomed to banishment (for eternity). What follows is a lengthy quote from Stewart. I hope you'll find it as encouraging worship-instigating as I have. [Paul reminds us] that the example of Christ is only a part...of the redeeming Gospel. Were there no more than this, the contemplation of the perfect holiness of Jesus could only breed despair. No shining example, cold and remote as the stars, can cleanse the conscience that has been defiled, or break the octopus grip which sin gets upon the soul. The evangel of an ethical example is a devastating thing. It makes religion the most grievous of burdens. Perhaps this is the real reason why, even among professing Christians, there are so many strained faces and weary hearts and captive, unreleased spirits. They have listened to Jesus' teaching, they have meditated on Jesus' character; and then they have risen up, and tried to drive their own lives along Jesus' royal way . . . The great example [of Jesus] has been a deadweight beating them down, bearing them to the ground, bowing their hopeless souls in the dust . . . [BUT for Paul,] 'Christ in me' means something quite different from the weight of an impossible ideal, something far more glorious than the oppression of a pattern forever beyond imitation. 'Christ in me' means Christ bearing me along from within, Christ the motive-power that carries me on, Christ giving my whole life a wonderful poise and lift, and turning every burden into wings. All this is in it when the apostle speaks of 'Christ in you, the hope of glory' . . . To be 'in Christ,' to have Christ within, to realise your creed not as something you have to bear but as something by which you are borne, this is Christianity. It is more: it is release and liberty, life with an endless song at its heart. It means feeling within you, as long as life here lasts, the carrying power of Love Almighty; and underneath you, when you come to die, the touch of everlasting arms. (169-70) Wd Back by popular demand with a new webpage is The Lent Experience (TLE). Watch the promotional video here or on their webpage here.
What's TLE? TLE "is designed to help a wide variety of people to participate in the amazing season of the year that leads up to Easter. Lent is a time for people to discover or rediscover the realities of God, Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, what our lives are all about, and how it all fits together. Maybe you grew up observing Lent, but need to get back in touch with the meaning behind it. Maybe you've heard of Lent, but have no idea what it is. Maybe you're new to Christianity or are still trying to figure out who Jesus is and why He matters. TLE is for you! We hope you join us for the journey." Ashley and I are going to take advantage of this awesome resource in order to connect with the global church through a collective practice and to train ourselves to imitate Christ's cruciform example by embodying his narrative in daily life. I hope you can join us in this journey. BD Perfect Light of revelation,
as you shone in the life of Jesus, whose epiphany we celebrate, so shine in us and through us, that we may become beacons of truth and compassion, enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy, and leading others along the path of discipleship. Amen. Wes and I have spoken here and elsewhere of the struggles we've experienced (i.e., those nasty duldrums) in our "spiritual" lives. I think the struggles revolve around the idea of "encounter." Why is it so difficult at times to encounter God in a manner in which I'm tangibly enlivened? And especially, why does it seem so difficult to encounter him in scripture as I read? Reflecting on this matter, I asked the question: How should we read? Is there a way to read that fosters communion (encounter) with God? In response to these questions I mentioned that the ancient practice of Lectio Divina may help us encounter God. So, what in the world is Lectio Divina? Lectio Divina is literally divine reading or spiritual reading. It is a way of prayfully engaging with Scripture in order to hear God. David Benner writes, Although it is often treated as a technique, lectio divina is not really a procedure or even a method—at least not a single method. It is more an approach and an expectation. It arises out of a desire to not simply hear the words of Scriptures but also encounter the Word behind the words. At other times and in other ways of engaging with Scriptures we may seek insights, eternal truths and precepts for living. But in lectio divina what we seek is not information or motivation but communion and union. We seek nothing less than God. We attend to the Word as a way of opening ourselves to God and listen for God’s living word to us. The purpose for Lectio Divina is to encounter the Word in the word, to commune with God. Okay . . . that sounds good. So what's the secret? Well, there's no real secret, but Lectio Divina begins with a particular view of the nature of Scripture. It views Scripture "not as a text to be studied or a set of truths to be grasped, but as a living Word--always alive and active, always fresh and new." This is just another way of saying Scripture is God-breathed, or better yet God-enlivened. This understanding of the nature of Scripture (or Scripture's ontology) will need to be fleshed out in the future, but for now it will serve as an incipient response to Wes' statement that the nature of Scripture would be a good place to begin, for as he stated, "What we find is always constrained by what we're looking for." Lectio Divina at its core is prayer. Its prayer in, under, and through the word whereby we hear from the Word. It primarily consists of two elements: silence and the Word. These elements are experienced through four movements: 1) lectio/reading ("prayer as attending") . . . in it we attend to the word . . . reading it in silent anticipation of hearing it the Word and the Spirit speaking to our spirit. 2) meditatio/meditation ("prayer as pondering") . . . is thinking in the sense of pondering over what has been read with both mind and heart in a way that is not restricted to rational, analytic thoughts. 3) oratio/speaking ("prayer as responding") . . . is our response to God once our hearts have been touch and stirred by the pondering of what has been read. 4) contemplatio/contemplation ("prayer as being") . . . "is a prayer of presence. It is prayer as being—a gift of being in and with God that allows our subsequent and very important doing to flow from this quite still center. It is the movement from conversation to communion. Benner safeguards Lectio Divina from the human compulsion to make things into strict and static structures by noting that one can engage in Lectio Divina through even one or a combination of two or more of the movements. In addition, he offers a helpful path to practice if one desires to walk through all four movements. If I were guiding you through the process, I might say something like the following: Notice the two primary elements of silence and the Word throughout. I find silence to be the hardest to cultivate and weave into my reading and/or praying. It may be as Benner remarks that "sometimes we offer prayers to invoke God’s presence or get God’s attention. Other prayers are designed to produce divine favors. And because we are not really convinced that prayer is communion, our prayer language involves endless chatter. We fear that if we are silent, all will be silent. Words protect us from that potentially horrendous discovery."
I know this was a lengthy post, yet I hope it gave you a brief synopsis of Lectio Divina. I hope to have several more posts highlighting the different movements mentioned above with more thoughts from David Benner's Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer. BD I'm working through David Crump's Encountering Jesus, Encountering Scripture: Reading the Bible Critically in Faith and have been struck by his definition and discussion of "Christian faith." According to him, faith amounts to "a personal decision to orient one's life to trust of and obedience to Jesus Christ" as a result of a direct encounter with him. The "personal" or "subjective" component suggests two things: (1) "Christian faith is never a deduction from logical argument alone," and (2) "Christian faith requires the believer to enter a new realm of life that will never be completely grasped rationally" (13). Though his study takes a Kierkegaardian turn which I'm still sorting through, his insistence that following Jesus is inexpressibly risky and counter-cultural has been timely for me. Chapter 2, "Offended by Uncertainty," analyzes the nature and composition of authentic faith through the lens of a negative example, 'the Rich Young Ruler' (Mark 10). Crump's summary as to why the initially-eager man of privilege ultimately refuses Jesus's overture is particularly keen. Here it is--fodder for meditation: Christian faith is an either-or, an all or nothing, a yes or no to God right now. It is based on a decision that can only be rendered by the single individual and is not a collective act. Such passionate, individualized commitment to Jesus does not flourish under the homogenizing regimen of popular opinion. Rather, such passion is typically drowned out by the monotonous voice of the crowd. The collective tends to insist with the persistence of a rabid rat-terrier that all community members obligingly submit to convention. But faith requires that we part company with the crowd, trust that an absolute relationship with Jesus is more important than a relative relationship with the relatives. The rich man was challenged to step out for himself, to act, to choose, to believe individually as an individual--regardless of the offense inevitably created for others (including significant others) in his life. In the end, it was a call he would not obey, and so he stepped away from Jesus and melted again into the crowd (60). Faith is a death sentence, and we aren't allowed to redefine it for it to be more comfortable or culturally acceptable or less costly. May we not step away from Jesus and melt again into the crowd.
Wd The myth, the man, the legendary eyebrows himself, Dr. Rowan Williams will be delivering the Dunning Lectures on April 3 at 7:30 pm at the Ecumenical Institute of Theology, St Mary's Seminary and University (Baltimore). If you're in the area you should check it out. Williams is one of the more interesting people in the global theological and ecclesial scene. Here's the official statement from the website of the Ecumenical Institute:
The Ecumenical Institute of Theology will host Dr. Rowan Williams, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury and Master of Magdalene College, for its annual Dunning Lecture on Thursday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. The lecture, "Theology as a Way of Life: the Frontiers of Theology and Prayer," is free and open to the public. Tickets are required and can be procured only online at www.RWatEI.eventbrite.com. |