Think Wink.

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of John Piper. His teachings as well as the theologians he has pointed me to have done much to help shape my theology and view of Scripture. Honestly, I can’t thank God enough for raising up John Piper and connecting me to his ministry. If there are two books that lay the bedrock of Piper’s theology of “Christian Hedonism” they are The Justification of God: An Exegetical and Theological Survey of Romans 9:1-23 and Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. The former book is, as you can see in the title, an exegetical foundation that he wrote back when he taught seminary. The latter is a book that outlines his basic theology that wrote soon afterwards as a pastor. I have read Justification a couple of times, as my knowledge of the Greek has improved and increased my understanding of the book. I have never read Desiring God which is kinda sad because all of the other books of his that I have read, save Justification, point back to this book. So for my twenty-third birthday (this past Tuesday) I bought Desiring God and will read it as soon as I can get a chance. Finally I will be able to see in all of the other books of his that I have read what he was pointing back to. Yeah I am kinda sad that I haven’t read the most foundational book of my greatest “hero.”

Transformers: The Movie

A Good Day Today

Half

Today is one of the worst days in American history. Somehow one person has managed to eclipse the horrors of the Columbine shootings that turn 8 years old on Friday. This morning, a lone gunman shot several people, killing two, at around 7:15 am. Within two hours of the 911 call and the police investigating these shootings, the engineering building reported a gunman attacking students there. By the end of the attack, 32 students and teachers are dead and the gunman took his own life. For more information, go to foxnews.com or cnn.com or your local news station. For an time line released to Foxnews.com by V-Tech, click here.

DesiringGod ministries has posted a wonderful post in which they offer 21 ways to minister to the families of this massacre.

Many people will ask Christians, “Why did a ‘loving’ God do this? How could a loving God allow this to happen?” The link above gives answers to this question. But there is a text in Luke 13:1-5 in which Jesus was asked the same thing. His answer is not the “loving” answer that we might expect him to give. He tells us that what should amaze us is not that all of those people in the tower of Siloam and Galileans died in a horrible fashion. Jesus says that we should be amazed that we who are just as guilty of sin as they who died did not perish. The point being that the grace of God was given to us who were not the victims of the massacre in that we were kept from the attack.

Let us hold on to that grace and remember that grace. Let us respond to that grace with repentance for we deserve death as we are all sinners, we have all rejected the glory God in our lives. That is what Jesus never wants us to forget. We get so caught up in the horror of the tragedy that we miss a vital opportunity to see the truth: we should have perished too. Let us share the grace of God that preserved us with those around us when asked about this tragic, sinful massacre. Let us use this opportunity to preach the gospel.

BCS Rankings

Iron Man Review (Spoilers Abound) Part 1

Many a day over this last year at MBTS have I been engaged in a debate over Reformed theology and the precious doctrines of Grace. I am often asked about texts like 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; Matthew 23:37. It is this last verse I want to speak of in this post for something happens that is an exegetical blunder that those who wish to debate me may not realize they make, or do make but are so intent on refuting Reformed theology that omit certain parts of Scripture.

Jesus says in Matthew 23:37-39, “37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” As I have stated this verse is quoted to me often in refutation of election and effectual grace (TULIP). When cited they say see, Jesus wants to gather Jerusalem up but Jerusalem refuses to be gathered. It is possible to resist God’s call to salvation. And upon a quick glance, you might be inclined to take that position.

However, read Matthew 23:37 again, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” The italicized portion of this verse is very key. First of all, it is often omitted by those who opposed the doctrines of Grace. Written, edited, and published works by contemporary scholars (cough-Norman Geisler-cough!) leave out the Greek phrase ta tekna sou, literally translated as “the children of-you”, which the ESV translates as “your children.” This is irresponsible hermeneutics on their part. For what this text says is that those who Jesus wants to gather are not being gathered because someone else is in their way of Jesus. The children aren’t rejecting Christ, someone else is in between Christ and the children. Thus this text isn’t the quite so clear cut refutation of the Reformed doctrines.

Now I want to examine the parallel text in Matthew 23:13-15 that further illuminates Matthew 23:37-39 and ta tekna sou. Jesus says in Matthew 23:13-15, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” Jesus is giving the Seven Woe’s Discourse that leads into the Olivet Discourse. Seven woes he pronounces upon the Pharisees and Scribes of his day. (An interesting side note pertaining to the Olivet Discourse is that Jesus gives woes upon the Pharisees and then in th next chapter he explains the fall of their precious temple; an interesting context for the Olivet Discourse that many dispensationalists don’t notice) One of the woes Jesus casts upon the Pharisees is for their treatment of those who seek the kingdom: they oppose them from entering in. They shut the door of the kingdom shut in their faces and make them twice as much a child of hell as they themselves are. It is very interesting that Jesus tells the Pharisees that there is a group of people that is seeking the kingdom but are denied by the Pharisees. Then he tells Jerusalem that she denies the her children from coming to Jesus. But we must note that there is an elect people that Christ has chosen and the rest, namely the Pharisees and Scribes, he has rejected (cf Matthew 21:43; Matthew 23:1-36).

The question begs to be answered, how is it that the Pharisees are able to lead these people astray and interfere with the sovereign hand of Jesus Christ to call to himself, as a hen gathers her chicks, his elect people? I turn to two places for the answer. First look at Acts 4:27-28 where Luke records this prayer concerning the Pharisees that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 23, “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” The sovereign hand of God had predetermined, predestined, foreordained that the Pharisees would not accept Jesus and reject him. But not only them, “the peoples of Israel” also were with the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes. The Pharisees and Sadducees were predestined by God to lead Israel in rejecting her Messiah. Jesus was stayed by God’s sovereign plan to gathering his children. Jerusalem had the ability because it was given to her by God himself, not because of her own “free” and “libertarian” will.

Again turn to Matthew 11:25-27, “25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Who are the wise and understanding of Jesus day but the Pharisees and Sadducees and the Scribes/Teachers of the Law of Moses? God has not revealed it to them but to babes, infants, children. It was the Father’s good pleasure to do this and we see Jesus rejoices in this (cf. Luke 10:21). Thus we can almost see Jesus rejoicing in what he saw in Matthew 23 as much as we can see his sorrow and disappointment. He was sorrowful for he was denied in his desire to gather those whom he has chosen but rejoicing in the fact that the will of his Father in heaven is being carried out.

Thus the reason for Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37 and the Pharisees and Scribes’ ability to stop Jesus from calling his children is because it was the sovereignty of God, not the will of man, that prevented him from doing so. God had determined that the Pharisees be able to convince the crowds, the masses of people to reject her Messiah according to his sovereign will. Otherwise Jesus would have gathered them for it was to them that Jesus is pleased to reveal the Father.

It is my hope that if someone would like to discuss the doctrines of Grace that they would indeed bring texts like Matthew 23:37-39 to the table. However, it is my greater desire to see both sides of the issues read the whole text and not omit certain parts of the texts to fit their theology. Truth is not seen and thus the Father not glorified by such “tactics.” Let us rigorously debate in a way that displays the glory of Jesus Christ.

Hosea 11:1-11 in the LXX

Matthew vs Mark

An Informative Review

Continuing in my series in the preterist arguments in the reading of New Testament prophecy as found in R. C. Sproul’s book, The Last Days According to Jesus, I will now consider probably the source of the whole crisis of eschatology: the “parousia-delay” of the words “this generation.” Jesus says in Matthew 24:34-39,

“34 Truly, I say to you, this generation [he genea] will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Before getting into the actual arguments of the preterist camp, I will address some alternative interpretations of he genea and the “coming” of the Son of Man as discussed in chapter 2 of the book. WARNING! This will be a lengthy post. Make sure that you have some time to read.

Read more

Calvin and Original Sin: Part 4

Evangelical Training

The Nature of Prophecy

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Sir Henry the Portable of Londinium-le-Thames Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

[HT: Noel Heikkinen]

Another look into euaggelion

Two Good Articles

A Hermenuetical Question

I posted on my idea that Sunday School should be used to teach the original languages back in January. Recently I was listening to Piper’s biography on Martin Luther at his pastors’ conference back in 1996. One of the points that Piper stresses of Luther for pastors in their study is Luther’s view on studying Greek and Hebrew. I want to show you what Luther said.

Without languages we could not have received the gospel. Languages are the scabbard that contains the sword of the Spirit; they are the casket which contains the priceless jewels of antique thought; they are the vessel that holds the wine; and as the gospel says, they are the baskets in which the loaves and fishes are kept to feed the multitude.

If we neglect the literature we shall eventually lose the gospel … No sooner did men cease to cultivate the languages than Christendom declined, even until it fell under the undisputed dominion of the pope. But no sooner was this torch relighted, than this papal owl fled with a shriek into congenial gloom … In former times the fathers were frequently mistaken, because they were ignorant of the languages and in our days there are some who, like the Waldenses, do not think the languages of any use; but although their doctrine is good, they have often erred i the real meaning of the sacred text; they are without arms against error, and I fear much that their faith will not remain pure.

It is a sin and shame not to know our own book or to understand the speech and words of our God; it is a still greater sin and loss that we do not study languages, especially in these days when God is offering and giving us men and books and every facility and inducement to this study, and desires his Bible to be an open book. O how happy the dear fathers would have been if they had our opportunity to study the languages and come thus prepared to the Holy Scriptures! What great toil and effort it cost them to gather up a few crumbs, while we with half the labor— yes, almost without any labor at all—can acquire the whole loaf! O how their effort puts our indolence to shame

I cannot help but be moved to study my Greek more diligently and to study my Hebrew so that I might not loose the Gospel. This also convinces me that churches should be emphasizing the biblical languages in all teaching. The very Good News of Jesus Christ is at stake. I like the challenge that Piper issues in light of these statements,

Now that is a discouraging overstatement for many pastors who have lost their Greek and Hebrew. What I would say is that knowing the languages can make any devoted preacher a better preacher—more fresh, more faithful, more confident, more penetrating. But it is possible to preach faithfully without them—at least for a season. The test of our faithfulness to the Word, is we have lost our languages, is this: do we have a large enough concern for the church of Christ to promote their preservation and widespread teaching and use in the churches? Or do we, out of self-protection, minimize their importance because to do otherwise stings too badly?

If anyone ever thinks Piper is perfect…

Translation Issues

Martin Luther and the Dead Sea Scrolls

If you know me, then you will know that I have been totally excited for this new Transformers movie coming out 7-4-07. I have loved them for as long as I can remember. Of course, so are many who will read this post. However, I saw these stills at Yahoo Movies and I have only one comment to make. I love the new look of the Transformers. I might have to collect new actions figures…okay maybe I’m not that big of a kid. But I do love these stills.

Next Summer’s Mega Hit

Transformers Tonight!

Transformers…Dang!

In line with my recent posts, I was pondering Mark’s account of the Olivet Discourse in Mark 13. One thing that stood out to me is Jesus statement in Mark 13:26, “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” This is a direct allusion to Daniel 7:13-14 where the prophet writes, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Now the title of “Son of Man” is extremely prominent in Mark’s Gospel account, Jesus refers to himself by this title thirteen times. But the question that is mulling around in my head right now is: does Jesus understand “Son of Man” as Daniel does when he applies the title to himself?

Before I get into this I want to say that these are only preliminary thoughts.
Read more

The Newest Imler

sane’, Malachi, and Paul Pt 2

That Was Then This Is Now

In this post, I would like to give a summary of the Olivet Discourse, the teaching found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21:5ff.
Read more

Jesus and AD 70

“Son of Man” and Jesus

“Your Children” and Matthew 23:37