Finding Theological Themes in Gospel Narratives

"Analyzing a Gospel narrative’s plot and the way it presents characters shows us what a story is primarily about. This in turn points us toward the subject area in which we should expect its principal theological message to lie. A narrative’s theological themes generally correspond to its story themes, as these are revealed through its plot and character portrayal."

Timothy Wiarda, Interpreting Gospel Narratives: Scenes, People, and Theology (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010), 61.

The Pentateuch and Pipes

I am still slowly making my way through John Sailhamer's The Meaning of the Pentateuch. Here is some food for thought from his fourth chapter entitled "Finding the Big Idea in the Final Composition of the Text" (p. 149).

"I have argues that when speaking of the meaning of the ‘words’ (verba) of the Pentateuch, we should be careful to distinguish between the author’s meaning and the ‘things’ to which his words point, which as such have a meaning of their own. The Pentateuch is about real events, and its words point (literally or figuratively) to things in real life. One must keep in mind that the author’s words are not the things themselves. The words only point to those things. You cannot smoke the word pipe. The thing to which that word points, however, you can smoke.

"To illustrate a similar point, the Belgium artist Rent Magritte painted a realistic picture of a pipe. A caption on the painting reads, ‘This is not a pipe.’ Magritte’s point, of course, was that the pipe was a painting of a pipe and not the pipe itself.

When the Bible describes ‘things’ in the outside world, like pipes, it does so with words. The biblical authors did not draw pictures. They ‘wrote’ pictures using words, much like an artist uses paint and brush strokes. Each word is an author’s brush stroke. The Pentateuch is thus much like a verbal painting of historical events. Its words point to real events, and they tell us about those events. To experience the events, all we need to do is read the Bible. It is the next thing to being there. It is the closest we have to being there. To experience the biblical events as the author intended, one must keep a close eye on the author’s words. We would miss his point if we tried to find out about these events apart from his words.”

The Centrality of Acts 15

“Acts 15 is central to Luke’s story because it addresses the crucial question at the heart of the expansion of the church from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth: Will the Jerusalem church sanction unhindered outreach to the Gentiles? Paul and Barnabas had extended the frontiers of the church from Antioch to Cyprus and the province of Galatia (Acts 13–14). For continued growth, cultural questions had to be faced. Must new converts first become Jews, embracing a foreign lifestyle, and thereby blunt the force of the gospel? Or could converts remain culturally Gentiles, in full and unfettered contact with family and friends? The fate of the expansion of the church and its character lay in the balance as the church debated the question. The passage thus addresses whether the early impetus to the ends of the earth would be fulfilled or whether it would be checked. Luke’s primary purpose is to underscore the fact that the Jerusalem church embraced the Gentile mission, a decision that enabled the church to continue growing to the ends of the earth. In the process Luke prioritizes mission over cultural constraints.”

David K. Strong, “The Jerusalem Council: Some Implications for Contextualization,” in Mission in Acts: Ancient Narratives in Contemporary Context, American Society of Missiology Series 34, ed. Robert L. Gallagher and Paul Hertig (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2004), 197.

Bibliotheca Sacra 31-40

Rob Bradshaw at BiblicalStudies.org.uk continues to scan and post past volumes of Bibliotheca Sacra, the theological journal of Dallas Theological Seminary, online. Volumes 31-40 are now available. See here.

Lessons from Isaiah the Preacher

See this post on lessons from Isaiah the preacher.

Lessons from Isaiah the Preacher

See this post on lessons from Isaiah the preacher.

Mounce on the Biblical Languages in Life and Ministry

See Bill Mounce's post on the biblical languages in life and ministry here.

The Importance of Key Figures at the Jerusalem Council

One reason that I believe that the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 was such a significant event both literarily in Acts and historically in the early church is the presence of key figures, notably Peter and James and Paul and Barnabas. The former pair represents the Jewish mission and the Jerusalem church and the latter pair represents the Gentile mission outside of Jerusalem and Judea. The significance of Peter and James is noted by H. C. Kee who states:

“The author of Acts highlights the importance of the question [whether Gentile converts need to keep the Mosaic Law] by locating the discussion and resultant decrees within the context of the apostolic council in Jerusalem. The authority of the decisions reach by the council is emphasized by the fact that the two pronouncements are uttered by the leader of the original group of disciples, who was also the pioneer on outreach to the Gentiles – that is Peter – and then confirmed and specified by the new leader of the Jerusalem-based apostles – that is James.”

Howard Clark Kee, To Every Nation under Heaven: The Acts of the Apostles, New Testament in Context, ed. Howard Clark Kee and J. Andrew Overman (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1997), 180.

Journal for the Study of the New Testament 32:4‏

Articles (links are to abstracts):

Going Hungry for a Purpose: On Gos. Thom. 69.2 and a Neglected Parallel in Origen
Stephan Witetschek
Journal for the Study of the New Testament 2010;32 379-393

Seeing God ‘in a riddle’ or ‘face to face’: An Analysis of 1 Corinthians 13.12
Harm W. Hollander
Journal for the Study of the New Testament 2010;32 395-403

Paul and the Law: What he Does not Say
Brian S. Rosner
Journal for the Study of the New Testament 2010;32 405-419

Susannah Heschel’s The Aryan Jesus: A Response
Peter Head
Journal for the Study of the New Testament 2010;32 421-430

Susannah Heschel’s Aryan Grundmann
Robert Morgan
Journal for the Study of the New Testament 2010;32 431-494

The Value of a Theology Degree

According to this Yahoo article, theology degrees are the third worst paying degrees. We come in just ahead of elementary education and social work. Of course Yahoo's article only addresses compensation in this age and not the age to come.

Biblical Archaeology Flash Cards

Stephen Smuts has noted that there are 67 flashcards available from Quizlet on Biblical Archaeology here.

Gospel-Centered Preaching

Trevin Wax has some interesting thoughts on what gospel-centered preaching is and is not.

Academic Papers by John Huehnergard

Those interested in Semitic languages might be interested to know that sixty-seven academic papers authored by John Huehnergard are available here.

HT: Charles Halton

Michael Reeves on Adam and Eve

Michael Reeve has a good post drawn from his book Should Christians Embrace Evolution? on the issue of the historicity of Adam and Eve. Read it here.

Christian Book Buying

Tim Challies has an interesting post detailing a recent survey that he conducted on the book buying inclinations of the readers of his blog. Read it here.

Why Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15?

"Since the positions taken on these two issues by Judean Messianists run counter to the experience of Paul, Barnabas, and the church at Antioch (11:19–30), the matter needs to be settled in Jerusalem. The assumption is that Jerusalem has the authority to decide the issue. Why Jerusalem? Whereas for ancient Greeks Delphi was the center of the world, for Jews Jerusalem was (Ezek 5:5; 38:12; Jubilees 8:19; 1 Enoch 26:1; Rev 20:8–9; b Sanhedrin 37a). To it Jews came on pilgrimage; to it they sent offerings. From it letters went out to the Diaspora to give guidance (2 Macc 1:1–10a; 1:l0b–2:18). Acts notes the links between Jerusalem and the developing mission (8:14–15; 9:27; 9:32–11:18; 11:22–29; 12:25; 15:4). The Twelve are tied to Jerusalem (8:1). It is, therefore, the center of the true tradition of the Messianists."

Charles H. Talbert, Reading Acts: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, rev. ed. (Macon, GA: Smith & Helwys, 2005), 129.

Five Questions with Dr. Timothy Wiarda

Dr. Timothy Wiarda graciously agreed to answer five questions about his new book Interpreting Gospel Narratives (see this post). Dr. Wiarda is professor of New Testament Studies at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California. Prior to that he taught for fifteen years at Singapore Bible College and has also been a tentmaker in Algeria and pastor of a church for international workers in the Arab country of Oman. He holds degrees from Wheaton College (B.A., M.A.) and London School of Theology (Ph.D.).

Question: How did Interpreting Gospel Narratives come about?

I became interested in the way Gospel narratives work while doing doctoral research on Peter in the Gospels, and also through teaching courses on the Gospels. I wanted to put together in an organized way some of what I was seeing in Gospel narratives.

Question: Why did you write Interpreting Gospel Narratives?

I was hoping to help interpreters better understand and appreciate the richness of the Gospel’s narrative material.

Question: What is the main thesis of the book?

The book has several mini-theses. These include that Gospel writers take pains to portray individual characters in meaningful ways, that narrative design and theological purpose work together in Gospel narratives, and that the Holy Spirit bears testimony to Christ in and through the intended messages of the Gospel writers.

Question: Who do you think should read this book?

I have two audiences in mind; first, those who preach and teach the Gospels, but then also scholars who continue to investigate the nature and meaning of the narrative material in the Gospels.

Question: What do you hope to accomplish through this book?

I hope to raise awareness of some neglected or underappreciated aspects of the Gospels.

How to Fail as a Christian Teacher

Jonathan Moorhead has a post that every Christian teacher should read.

HT: Todd Bolen

Beyond the New Perspective

While some are just now getting up to speed on the new perspective on Paul, some scholars have already moved beyond it (Should we call this the newer perspective?). Magnus Zetterholm suggests that those who have moved beyond the new perspective of Sanders-Dunn-Wright are characterized by four shifts of focus. The four are:

1. The traditional idea that Paul addressed the whole of humanity has been heavily challenged. Within the radical new perspective, it is quite clear that Paul addresses non-Jews.
2. The assumption that Paul turned to non-Jews has led scholars to the conclusion that his major theological problem concerned non-Jews, not Jews.
3. While traditional scholarship and the new perspective often have argued that Paul created a new group, free from ethnic boundaries, these scholars maintain that the Jesus movement did not represent for Paul a "third race," but remained within Judaism, with new ideas about the appropriate ways to identify and instruct the non-Jewish members.
4. A common trait among the radical new perspective scholars is the ambition not to let contemporary Christian normative theology influence their interpretations.

Magnus Zetterholm, Approaches to Paul: A Student’s Guide to Recent Scholarship (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2009), 161–2.

Westminster Sale on Ecclesiastes Books

Westminster Bookstore is offering a 45% off sale (ONE WEEK ONLY, ends May 13) on two new books on Ecclesiastes.

Philip Graham Ryken, Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters – $18.69 Sale price

Sidney Greidanus, Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes: Foundations for Expository Sermons – $14.30 Sale price

Other titles by Sidney Greidanus are also on sale at 40% off

Moses' Preaching in Deuteronomy

See this post discussing Moses' preaching in Deuteronomy.

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews that may be of interest from a Bible Exposition perspective include:

Bogdan Gabriel Bucur
Angelomorphic Pneumatology: Clement of Alexandria and Other Early Christian Witnesses
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7286
Reviewed by James F. McGrath

David Flusser
Judaism of the Second Temple Period: Volume 2: The Jewish Sages and Their Literature
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7280
Reviewed by Peter J. Tomson

Florentino García Martínez, ed.
Echoes from the Caves: Qumran and the New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7287
Reviewed by Anders Klostergaard Petersen

Mark K. George
Israel's Tabernacle as Social Space
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7233
Reviewed by Frank H. Polak

Thomas J. King
The Realignment of the Priestly Literature: The Priestly Narrative in Genesis and Its Relation to Priestly Legislation and the Holiness School
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7128
Reviewed by Bill T. Arnold

Nancy C. Lee and Carleen Mandolfo, eds.
Lamentations in Ancient and Contemporary Cultural Contexts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6710
Reviewed by Douglas Watson

Henri de Lubac
Medieval Exegesis, Volume 3: The Four Senses of Scripture
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7270
Reviewed by John F. A. Sawyer

Samuel A. Meier
Themes and Transformations in Old Testament Prophecy
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7170
Reviewed by David G. Firth

John H. Walton, ed.
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Old Testament (5 vols.)
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7297
Reviewed by Trent C. Butler

Some Free Preaching Resources

SermonCentral.com is offering some free preaching resources.

Go to SermonCentral.com/FreePreachersPack to get:

20 Free Premium PowerPoints

Free Video Illustration

Free Book, D. L. Moody's Anecdotes & Illustrations

Advice on Reading Noteworthy Theological Chapters, Articles and Sermons

Nicholas Batzig has good advice for all of us who have too much to read and too little time. He offers the following ten suggestions (note: my numbering is a bit different than than the author's).

1. Read every chapter, article or sermon recommended by professors, pastors and theologians that you hold in high esteem.
2. Make the level of your reading to vary.
3. Don’t neglect the footnotes or endnotes (they will always uncover useful books, articles or chapters).
4. Ask friends what they are reading and what they have found most helpful.
5. Read those chapters that appear to be most closely related to the subject you are currently studying.
6. Read chapters that are relevant to a particular theological issue with which you are wrestling. 7. Find compilation volumes and familiarize yourself with the contributors and chapter titles.
8. Find and read doctoral dissertations.
9. Guard your heart and mind from intellectual pride.
10. Whatever you read, be fervent in reading your Bible.

Read the entire post here.

Interpreting Gospel Narratives

One weakness that I think many Bible teachers and preachers have is how to properly handle narratives. For this reason I am excited about Timothy Wiarda's new book Interpreting Gospel Narratives: Scenes, People, and Theology (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010). Although I have just started reading the book I thought I would share a bit about it.

Publisher's Description:

The night of his arrest, Jesus spoke to his close followers about two testimonies that would focus on Him: the work of the Holy Spirit and their own personal accounts. Interpreting Gospel Narratives looks exclusively at the testimony given in the Gospels, exploring several ways to enrich our Gospel exegesis so that we may see Christ as clearly as possible.Timothy Wiarda’s book is primarily how-to, discussing questions of exegetical method that will help interpreters and expositors work with Gospel texts. He also discusses methodological questions relating specifically to the narrative material in the Gospels and focuses in on other fine details—the portrayal of individual characters, descriptive elements, the relation between theology and story, and more.

Here is a link to the table of contents and chapter one.

Much thanks to Jim Baird at B&H for the review copy.