THE KEY TO THE BIBLE, INSTRUCTOR - 2nd SESSION
GET ACQUAINTED - Ask each participant to describe what he does
for a living and what he enjoys most about it.
Last
time we saw that the New Testament reveals Christ at the center of all revelation.
What insights did you bring to share?
History is
really "His story." The
difficulty in finding Him in the Old Testament is explained by the old
expression, "Christ is in the Old Testament concealed and in the
New revealed." His life is
portrayed in the movie, "The Greatest Story Ever Told." His work in
accomplishing redemption is the pervasive theme of the Bible. The
history of redemption has recovery and restoration of the
creation as its ultimate goal.
8. When,
where and how was redemption accomplished?
At
the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, "having accomplished the work You gave Me to do" (Jn.17:4) > "It is
finished" (Jn.19:28-30)
Rom.4:25 “Jesus our lord was delivered up for our
trespasses and raised for our justification.”
2 Cor.5:21 "It was for our sake that He [God] made Him [Christ] to
be sin for us [in our place, substitution] that in Him we might become the righteousness
of God"
Explain the dilemma of
how God can remain righteous and forgive sin.
Rom.1:16-17 "In the Gospel,
the righteousness of God has been revealed." 3:9-26 "But now the righteousness
of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the
prophets bear witness to it - the righteousness of God through faith in
Jesus Christ for all who believe. For
there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God, being justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that
is in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be
received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness [not mercy], because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins."
Paul is arguing not only that God
delayed judgment of Old Testament believers by leaving previously committed
sins unpunished,* but also that He transferred their sins to Jesus where they were
punished and thus righteousness upheld.
That is the core of what the discussion of Abraham's justification in Rom.4
is about.
"It was to show
His righteousness [not
graciousness] at the present time,
so that He might be just [not
merciful] and the justifier
of the one who has faith in Jesus." (v.21-26) "so that grace might rein through
righteousness." (5:21) When John expressed his reservation to baptize Jesus, Jesus answered
"Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness."
(Mt.3:13-15)
Explain
how God resolves the tension between judging sin and forgiving the sinner. 2 Pt.1:1 "To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by
the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" [we expect the word "grace" instead of "righteousness"] > 1 Jn.1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." [we expect "faithful and gracious"
rather than "faithful and just"]
-----------------------------
*
This is not the same thing as described in Acts 17 where Paul addresses
unbelievers who have wrongly conceptualized God as "an image formed by the
art and imagination of man" (v.29).
Here, "God overlooked the times of ignorance" (v.30) refers to
God's mercy in delaying final judgment,
postponing sins' disastrous consequences.
Notice that the certainty of judgment is set in which "He will
judge the world in righteousness" (v.31, see Ps.96:11-13; 98:7-9).
Last time we also practiced a method of study to help us see the
passage clearer.
PRACTICE EXERCISE - Write on board [without brackets] and ask class to
insert comments.
Lk.4:18-19, 21 [context: Jesus is in synagogue in
{Ask, "Can anyone guess what the purpose of
exercise 9 is?" It
gives us a fuller, more complete picture of Christ's accomplishment, like
facets of a diamond.
9. Besides redeeming enslaved
people, glean from the verses below other things God has done for us through
Christ. Define the terms, using a
dictionary where needed. Try to find examples
illustrating the idea of each term in the Old Testament.
The use of paraphrases such as The New Living Translation is not
recommended for this exercise. (see appendix F)
a. Col.1:20-22 "He reconciled
all things to Himself by [Christ] having made peace [implies conflict] through the blood of His
cross"
2 Cor.5:19 "God reconciled the world [us] to himself"
Reconcile - to make peace between two parties at odds with each
other Reconciliation -
restoration of a broken or strained relationship.
Anyone bring an Old Testament example of
reconciliation?
Peace
offering (Lev.3:1 NIV note; Beg. at Mos. p.287)
What happened when we were reconciled to God? Our alienation from God was ended by
removing the cause - our sin, guilt, condemnation,
{Rom.5:1, "we have peace
with god" Rom.5:10,
"we were reconciled to God while we were enemies"}
b.
Mk.10:45 "The Son of man … [came] to give His life a ransom
for many" 1 Tim.2:6
"He gave Himself a ransom for all" (NLT - purchase freedom)
Ransom - to pay the price necessary to secure the release of a
captive Ask, “Who pays the Ransom”? the Redeemer
Old Testament example
of ransom?
At the Exodus, God judged everyone and
bought the firstborn males (representatives of the whole family and God's claim
on all) by taking the lamb in their place [substitution]. This was a demonstration of God's sovereignty
- that judgment falls upon all, Egyptians and Israelites, and that mercy was
available to all. Ex.30:11-16,
"when you take a census…each shall give a ransom [lit. atonement] for his
life to the Lord (v.12) the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall
not give less" (v.15). The
lesson of the Passover was that the sentence of death upon the firstborn was
put off [atonement - covered over for the time
being, a temporary measure until actual redemption was accomplished at the
cross] through the acceptance of a specific sacrifice is
now expanded to apply to the whole community.
Later, God took the Levites in place of the firstborn of
Hosea's wife (Hos.3:1-2)
served as an illustration of unfaithful
Discussion: What was the price
and how was payment made? Death
as the punishment for sin.
1
Pt.1:18-19 "You were not ransomed with perishable things such as
silver and gold…but with the precious blood [life] of Christ [by His death], like that of a lamb without blemish or spot [pure]." 1 Pt.2:22-24 "Christ suffered
for us [how?]…[He] bore our sins in His
own body on the tree…" [substitution] {Lev.1:4, laying hands on the sacrificial
animal portrayed personal identification with the one taking the penalty for
your sin.
Isa.53:5, "with His stripes [welts], we are healed"}
c.
Heb.2:17 "He had to be made like his brethren in all things in order
to become a merciful and faithful high priest … to make propitiation for
the sins of the people" NIV - atonement NLT - a sacrifice that would take away
1 Jn.4:9-10 "the love of God was manifest in
that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live
through him. God loved us and
sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins"
Propitiation - describes the satisfaction of God's
justice and appeasement of his anger; means whereby sin is covered and
remitted
Old Testament example
of propitiation?
Blood
sprinkled on Mercy seat [lid covering ark, lit. place of satisfaction] postponed God's wrath.
The
2 goats (sacrificial goat, Beg. at Mos. p.291)
Lk.18:10-13 “be propitious [not merciful] to me, the sinner”
Expiation - Propitiation guarantees expiation, the removal
of the guilt resulting from sin (scapegoat Beg. at Mos. p.291). {Ps.38:4 "My guilt has
overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear" NIV
Mt.11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor [how?] and are heavy laden [with what?], and I will give you
rest."}
d. Titus
2:11
"for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for
all people" Acts 28:28
"this salvation from God is available to the Gentiles" Salvation - describes our rescue,
our deliverance from sin and its consequence, eternal damnation
{What do we need to be saved from? 1 Thes.1:10 the
wrath to come 1 Thes.5:9, "God has not
destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation [contrast] through our Lord Jesus
Christ."}
Old Testament example of
salvation?
Ex.14:30; 15:2, (after God destroyed Pharaoh's army in the sea) "The
Lord … has become my salvation"
e. Acts 13:38 "forgiveness
of sins is preached through this man."
Col.2:13-14 "He made you who were dead in
your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh alive
together with Him, having forgiven all trespasses, having wiped out
the handwriting of requirements that was against us [ESV, canceling the record of debt], which was contrary to us.
And He has taken it out of the way [ESV, set it aside], having nailed it to the cross."
{Heb.8:12
"I will remember their sins no more"}
Forgiveness - remission of a debt or offense; a grant of free pardon
Old Testament example
of forgiveness?
Pictured by the scapegoat sent out into the wilderness.
Micah 7:18-19" … pardoning iniquity … passing over transgressions …
He will tread our iniquities under foot.
You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."
f. Rom.5:1 "having been justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" ["through whom we
have gained access into this grace in which we stand" v.2] Titus 3:7a "having been justified by His grace"
[NLT - He declared us
not guilty] "we might become heirs having
the hope of eternal life" v.7b
Rom.3:24 "[all] are justified fully by His grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God set forth as a propitiation
by his blood" v.25
Justified - declared to be righteous
Anyone bring an Old Testament example of
justification?
Zech.3:1-4, a courtroom scene where Satan accuses Joshua the high
priest of unworthiness for the priesthood.
g. Titus 3:5 "He saved us
according to His mercy by the washing of regeneration…"
2 Cor.5:17 the one who is in Christ is a new
creation
Col.2:13 He made us alive with Christ having forgiven
us all our trespasses
{1
Cor.15:50 flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God [it is spiritual in
nature], Jn.1:12-13 "to all who received
Him, who believed in His name [explanation], He gave the right to become children of God,
who were not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will
of man, but [by
the will] of
God." Jn.3:1-8 "you must be [indicative dei – it is necessary, stating a fact rather than in the
imperative mood] born again"
Jas.1:18 "He brought us forth [gave birth to us] of His own will that we
should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures" 1 Pt.1:3 "According to His
great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"}
Regeneration - rebirth; the work of God that makes us new
creatures, alive to God
Old Testament example?
Ezek.36:26, "I will give you a new heart, and a new
spirit I will put within you." Ezek.37:1-4
- valley of dry bones - read 37:4 note, ESV
Fill in the blanks with the words faith and regeneration. Regeneration
precedes faith. Explain your answer. The
dead cannot believe.
{Col.2:11-12
"You were circumcised in Him with a circumcision made without
hands by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of
Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also
raised with Him…"
Circumcision - cutting away of sin; undergoing a change of
heart; separated to the household of faith}
·
Ask someone to go over the instructor notes for "Christ in
the Covenants" in class for session 4.
They may want to read the pertinent section in Beginning at Moses
by Michael Barrett in preparation.
FURTHER STUDY: cassette - "The
Holiness of God" by R.C. Sproul; Justification
by Imputation http://pop.eradman.com/
APPENDIX - C
INTRODUCTION of RPCD http://pop.eradman.com/
The
search for TRUTH necessitates getting past appearances, moving through surface
impressions and images to the underlying realities and the substance
beneath. If truth is worth searching and
striving for, then it is worth pursuing in the right spirit and proper
way. The chief priests and Pharisees
were quite content in their prejudices; smug in their knowledge that no prophet
could arise out of
Chap.1 of
RPCD
THE BIBLE EXPRESSES
CENTRAL REALITIES IN EVERY DAY LANGUAGE
The Controlling Hermeneutic:
God speaks to the crux of what really matters.
Jesus
addresses the crowd's confusion about His earthly origin (Jn.7:27), not by correcting their misconceptions, but by speaking
of His divine origin and mission (v.28-29). Some recognized His divine authority because
of the signs He performed (v.31) and
the words He spoke (v.40-41a). By not clearing up the confusion over His
earthly lineage and origin (v.41b-43),
Jesus maintained the deception and assumed the stigma associated with being a
Galilean (v.52) and a Nazarene (an
insignificant village in Galilee nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament
synonymous with "despised" - Mt.2:23;
Jn.1:46).
The
Bible uses common physical language to cut to the chase, reveal the unseen
nature of reality, and speak to the heart.
For instance, John the Baptist heralds Messiah’s coming by addressing
the subject of an appropriate reception for Him (Lk.3:4-6). John uses the figurative language of road
construction to call people to repentance.
When Jesus said, “you must be born again,”
He meant that spiritual rebirth is required to change one’s actual status and
destiny from that of his natural life (Jn.3:3-21). Even the clearest and most detailed pictures
(Rev.21:10-27, description of the New Jerusalem) are not themselves
the realities, but are meant to convey understanding of those realities:
God dwelling with His people, the entire church (21:3). The whole Bible is like this.
Apocalyptic writings are known to have definite
characteristics, such as figurative language, imagery, numerology, hyperbole,
and the like. Such symbols are used much
in the same way a producer uses stage props and scenery. The important thing in watching a drama is
not the props, but the message they help to portray. Metaphorical and parabolic language are not
meant to be ends within themselves, but rather they are used as means to teach
spiritual lessons and reveal truth to God's people.1
The
Bible is very much like Magic Eyes (http://www.flash.net/~thinkman/articles/amill.htm) which is a printed computer generated repeating-design pattern
that deceives our sense of perspective.
The pattern hidden within cannot be seen by focusing on the surface of
the page. “The trick is to focus your
vision not on the surface of the page but at a focal point beyond, behind,
beneath the surface of the picture until the hidden picture emerges before your
eyes…The Magic Eye phenomenon provides a parable for Christian thinking about
the world. To see the pattern that
counts, you have to focus beyond the surface, to see the deep realities
not accessible to the casual observer.”2
--------------------
1. [Revelation Twenty -
Introduction - William E. Cox, http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/full.asp?ID=167. “An axiom of Bible study is that most sections
demand literal interpretation unless the context or other known
Scripture passages demand figurative or spiritual interpretation. In apocalyptic
literature the very opposite is true; here one must interpret
figuratively, unless literal interpretation is absolutely demanded. The nature of such books as Ezekiel, Daniel, and
Revelation makes understanding impossible apart from an appreciation of the
tools of the artist who painted the picture.”
[Cox;
see The Interpretation of Prophecy, 1993, Patrick Fairbairn,
point 4, p.53-57] Some teaching focuses on
the picture as if it were the reality [see Apdx.F; p.147 Fairbairn].
Two fundamental rules for interpreting natural symbols in prophecy
exemplify Cox’s statements.
A.
“The image must be contemplated in its broader and commoner
aspects.” [p.143 Fairbairn] Particulars and details
define categories that encompass the point of those descriptions, and
the spiritual realities are hidden within the statement of the categories.
B. Prophetic symbols must be applied in
“a consistent and uniform manner…not shifting from the symbolical to the
literal” without apparent textual or reasonable cause. [p.145 Fairbairn]
See
also booklet by Harold Camping [considered by many to be sound principles from
which Camping himself departed] entitled First
Principles of Bible Study, copyright 1986.
Chapter 3 elaborates on the principle that “the Bible ordinarily has
more than one level of meaning . . . the historical setting, the moral
or spiritual teaching, the salvation account (p.39).” The Gospel of grace and moral truths are
woven through the fabric of factual historical accounts.
2. See p.49-50, Triumph
of the Lamb by Dennis E. Johnson.
APPENDIX – F PARTIAL LIST OF ON-LINE RESOURCES
from Problems Defining
Biblical & Theological Terms http://pop.eradman.com/