Reading

Taste and See the Sweet Layers of Scripture

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My wife is an excellent maker of cakes. My favorite is the homemade chocolate cake she makes. What makes it so good? Well, the sweet, moist cake is a good starting place, but it moves from good to great when she adds the frosting, and it goes from great to ‘out of this world,’ when she makes a double-layered cake with a large portion of frosting in the middle.

Makes you hungry, doesn’t it?

Well, the richness of a double-layered, chocolate is not unlike the word of God, which the Psalmist described as sweeter than honey (Ps 19:10). If he had chocolate in his vocabulary, I bet he would have made that comparison, as well.

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The Bible: Literature’s Gold Standard

/ davidsschrock

The Bible is inspired, inerrant, sufficient, necessary, and authoritative, just to name a few of its divine qualities. It is also different than every other book ever written. Not just by degrees, either. It is categorically different.

In his insightful book about reading, Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books, Tony Reinke makes that case. In one category are the myriads of books written by human authors, and in the other category—with only one book checking in—is the Bible.

Concluding his chapter on the Bible’s uniqueness, he cites the ‘Prince of Preachers,’ Charles H. Spurgeon, who said of the Bible,

All other books might be heaped together in one pile and burned with less loss to the world than would be occasioned by the obliteration of a single page of the sacred volume [Scripture]. At their best, all other books are but as gold leaf, requiring acres to find one ounce of the precious metal. But the Bible is solid gold. It contains blocks of gold, mines, and whole caverns of priceless treasure. In the mental wealth of the wisest men there are no jewels like the truths of revelation. The thoughts of men are vanity, low, and groveling at their best. But he who has given us this book has said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9). Let it be to you and to me a settled matter that the word of the Lord shall be honored in our minds and enshrined in our hearts. Let others speak as they may. We could sooner part with all that is sublime and beautiful, or cheering and profitable, in human literature than lose a single syllable from the mouth of God (1881; repr., Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 27 [Pasadena, TX: Pilgrims, 1984], 124; citation from Reinke, Lit!, 27-28).

Amen!

As we read, may we remember that Scripture is in a class by itself. May that reality press us to put it at the top of our reading list, and to judge all other books by the gold standard of God’s Word.

Soli Deo Gloria, dss

A Case for Using Commentaries Earlier Rather Than Later

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In his lucid book on the doctrine of Scripture, Words of Life: Scripture as the Living and Active Word of God, Timothy Ward makes a helpful observation regarding the use of commentaries.

I have sometimes been encouraged by others, both as a preacher and as a Christian who reads Scripture for myself, only to turn to Bible commentaries as a very last resort, when, after much wrestling and searching for myself, I still could not make out the sense of a passage—or perhaps just to check that what I thought was its meaning was not entirely off-beat. There is certainly merit in not simply turning to learned books to find ‘the answers’, as a lazy short-cut to avoid wrestling with Scripture for myself. Yet increasingly, when reading Scripture, I find myself wanting to turn to a good Bible commentary sooner rather than later.

My reason is this: a good commentary will give me an insight into the consensus view on the meaning of each passage held by the generations of believers who have come before me. Working within that framework seems to be a sensible, humble and faithful place to start. For most Christians, who lack the time, resources and perhaps also the inclination to do the research themselves, good preaching will be a crucial means by which that historic consensus on Scripture’s meaning is conveyed to individual believers. For that, of course, the preacher needs to be, as he should be, well educated in biblical, historical and systematic theology (173).

Surely, prudence must be exercised with the use of commentaries and their non-use or delayed-use.  There can be a kind of latent pride associated with not using commentaries, but as Ward points out there can also be an unhealthy over dependence.

Either way, we cannot abandon the tradition of the church.  We must learn how to glean from the past without becoming enslaved by it.  His counsel, therefore, merits consideration and frees us who labor in the Word to turn to the commentators as we need, not just after we have merited their comments.  In the end, we must give a final account for our own interpretations (2 Tim 2:15), but since the church (and its ministerial tradition) exist as a pillar and buttress of the truth, it is good and right to read the Scripture with the Reformers, the Fathers, and others who help us see what Scripture is saying.

Soli Deo Gloria, dss

Lottie Moon: Further Reading

/ davidsschrock

For Further Reading

Much of the information, anecdotes, and theological considerations in these blog posts about Lottie Moon have come from Tom Nettles eminently helpful chapter on Lottie Moon. Fuller treatments can be found in Catherine Allen’s book and Keith Harper’s edited volume of Lottie’s personal letters and memoirs.  Daniel Akin also preached a sermon on Lottie Moon at SEBTS, and it has been transcribed in his little book, Five Who Changed the World.

If you know of other good resources, please let me know.

Books

Catherine B. Allen, The New Lottie Moon Story, 2nd Ed. (Birmingham, AL: Women’s Missionary Union, 1980).

Lottie Moon, Send the Light: Lottie Moon’s Letters and Other Writings, ed. Keith Harper (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2002)

Chapters

Daniel L. Akin, “The Power of a Consecrated Life: The Ministry of Lottie Moon” in Five Who Changed the World (Wake Forest, NC: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 57-80.

Tom Nettles, “Lottie Moon (1840-1912)” in The Baptists: Key People Involved In Forming a Baptist Identity, Vol. 2 (Ross-shire, UK: Mentor, 2005), 363-94.

 

Soli Deo Gloria, dss

Read the Bible with the Church: A Wise Word from Charles Hodge

/ davidsschrock

Protestant Christians have always believed in Sola Scriptura, but they have also read the Bible with the Church.  Until recently (since the American Revolution and the Enlightenment), the idea of “Me and My Bible” Christianity, or Solo Scriptura, has not been advocated.  Like the Jews who plugged their ears and stoned Stephen, when we read the Bible without listening to the men who have gone before us, we endanger ourselves of committing many errors and foolishly rehashing untold biblical-theological arguments.

In this vein–reading the Bible with the light of Church History–is helpfully represented by American theologian, Charles Hodge.

Protestants admit that as there has been an uninterrupted tradition of truth from the protevangelium [Genesis 3:15] to the close of the Apocalypse [Revelation 21-22], so there has been a stream of traditionary teaching flowing through the Christian Church from the day of Pentecost to the present time. This tradition is so far a rule of faith that nothing contrary to it can be true. Christians do not stand isolated, each holding his own creed. They constitute one body, having one common creed. Rejecting that creed, or any of its parts, is the rejection of the fellowship of Christians, incompatible with the communion of saints, or membership in the body of Christ. In other words, Protestants admit that there is a common faith of the Church, which no man is at liberty to reject, and which no man can reject and be a Christian (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 1:113–14).

To learn more about the value of Charles Hodge for today, read my review of  Paul Gutjahr’s recent biography, Charles Hodge: Guardian of American Orthodoxy.  Another fresh biography on Charles Hodge is Andrew Hoffecker’s Charles Hodge: The Pride of Princeton. 

Soli Deo Gloria, dss

(HT: J.T. English)

Sermon Notes: From Miscellanies to the Messiah

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These are a shadow of the things to come, 
but the substance belongs to Christ.
Colossians 2:17

Here is a PDF that I put together that gives a series of biblical texts that flesh out the Gospel-Positioning System I described yesterday.  They each start in the law of Moses (Exodus 30-31); they move through the prophets to Christ and the message of the gospel that is foreshadowed in the various elements described in Exodus.

Exodus 30-31: Miscellaneous Instructions That Shadow The Messiah

Soli Deo Gloria, dss

Through the Bible in 2010: Evidence of God’s Grace

/ davidsschrock

How important is Bible reading and interpretation?

Consider this: On the day that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead–arguably the most significant day in world history–Jesus spent 1/8, maybe 1/6, of the day interpreting Scripture to two wayward disciples on the way to Emmaus.  Over the course of a few hours, Jesus showed these disciples how all the Scriptures should be interpreted in the light of himself.  As he walked with the two runaway followers (Luke 24), he walked them through the Old Testament.  Beginning with Moses, he explained how he fulfilled the types, promises, and prefigurations found throughout the Old Testament (Luke 24:27).  In a word: All Scripture points to Jesus (John 5:39). The effect was to replace the disciple’s doubt and disappointment with burning hearts ignited by the Word of Christ and for the Christ of the Word.

Luke 24, from which this blog gets its name, is a powerful testimony for the importance of Christ-centered Bible interpretation and Bible reading.

This year, following our Savior’s example, I led our Wednesday night Bible study through the Scriptures with eyes towards Christ.  Last week, by God’s grace, we finished our year-long journey.  It was amazing to see how faithful God was to help us walk through the Scriptures in one year.  With the exception of 1-2 Chronicles and Lamentations, we surveyed every book in the Bible and how each book helps us know and love Christ.

For me, this course of study was rewarding and I would recommend it to anyone who pastors, teaches a Sunday School class, or leads a small group.  Those who attended were grateful for the 30,000 foot exposition of the Scriptures, and I was greatly stretched to better understand how all the books of the Bible point to Christ (Eph 1:10). Make no mistake, it was challenging and I grew weary in the process.  In fact, as I look back I realize that I probably bit off more than I could chew, but God was faithful and gave me time and grace to prepare lessons each week.  By his grace, we made it through the whole Bible. Here are the notes from the New Testament.  You can find all the handouts here.

Gospels-Acts
Matthew: The King and His Kingdom (September 22, 2010)
Mark: Seeing the Christ of the Cross (September 29, 2010)
Luke: The Messiah Must Go To Mount Zion (October 6, 2010)
Acts: Taking the Gospel From Zion to Zimbabwe (October 13, 2010)
John: Jesus, The Son of God, The Messiah of Israel, and The Savior of the World (October 20 & 27, 2010)

The Letters and Revelation
Paul (1): The Apostle to the Gentiles (November 3 & 10, 2010)
Paul (2): The Prison Epistles and Philemon (November 17, 2010) — compiled by David Crater
Hebrews: Believe and Draw Near, For Jesus Christ is Greater Still (December 8, 2010)
General Epistles: James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude (December 15, 2010)
Revelation: The Revelation of Jesus Christ (December 22, 2010)

Tomorrow, I will post a few thoughts on tips and tools for anyone who has thought or is thinking about teaching through the Bible in a year.

Soli Deo Gloria, dss

Eyes To See Him

/ davidsschrock

Starting this week, a bunch of friends from Southern Seminary started a new Twitter account, and I hope it will be one worth ‘following.’

EyesToSeeHim is a Twitter venture designed to help others read the Bible better.  In particular, it is designed to help see the glory of Christ in every page of the Bible, 140 characters at a time.

Each of the guys who contribute to this “hermeneutical ministry” have a commitment to reading the Bible with Christ in view–some call this “Christocentric,” others call it “Christotelic.”  Either way, the aim is read Scripture with ‘Eyes To See Him.’

We read the Bible this way because this is how Jesus taught us to read the Scriptures (John 5:39; Luke 24:27).  It is the way that the Apostles read the Bible (Acts 28:23; Col 2:17).  And it is the way that most of us were assisted to the read the Bible while we studied at Southern Seminary.  I think it is fair to say that each of us did not arrive at this method of interpretation on our own–we were  helped immensely by our professors and teachers who themselves were taught.

In truth, none of us read the Bible well by ourselves.  The Spirit leads us into all truth (1 John 2:27), but he does so through the means of gifted teachers (Eph 4:11-16).  Left to our own devices we will put ourselves into the story of the Bible in the wrong places, and will be tempted to “moralize” the Scripture instead of believing the gospel message of the Bible and then responding with obedient faith.  Too many pulpits and Christian bookstores fail to put Christ in his proper place, as the telos of the Bible, and thus my hope is that we might help others read the Bible better, so that the gospel of Jesus Christ might grip the hearts of more and more Christians.  This is not an esoteric reading of the Bible, but one that reads each page in light of the full revelation of Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-3).

I hope you will benefit from this Twitter ministry and that it will help you read the Bible better.  Here are some of the contributors. I love these guys and am thankful for their ministry of the word. I would encourage you to keep up with them at their respective Twitter accounts, blogs, and/or ministries as they model Christ-centered ministry that renounces moralism and exalts the Messiah.

Phillip Bethancourt is a doctoral student at Southern Seminary working on the theme of warrior in Scripture.  He also works at the seminary and preaches regularly.

Jedidiah Coppenger is doctoral student at Southeastern Seminary who is working on a dissertation in area of gender studies and the church.  He also works for LifeWay and helps lead Baptist21.

Chip Dean is the hyper-active young pastor at Capshaw Baptist Church (near Huntsville, AL).  His youth ministry is a model for anyone wanting to bring biblical and systematic theology to local church ministry at the student level.

Sam Emadi is a Masters student at Southern Seminary and the youth pastor at Calvary Baptist Church (Seymour, IN).

Grant Gaines is a doctoral student at Southern Seminary who is researching local church ecclesiology.  He pastors Brushey Fork Baptist Church (Canaan, IN).

Trent Hunter is a graduate of Southern Seminary (M. Div.) who now works as a pastoral assistant to Ryan Kelly at the Desert Springs Church (Albuquerque, NM).

Robbie Sagers is a doctoral student at Southern Seminary researching the area of the Church and the Kingdom of Christ.  He is special assistant to Russell Moore at SBTS.

Justin Sampler is a graduate of Southern Seminary and a gifted preacher.  If you know of a good church in need of a good pastor, Justin is your guy.

Luke Stamps is a doctoral student at Southern Seminary researching the person of Christ.

The most important thing about each of these guys is their love for Christ, His Word, and their families–their wives and children, as well as, the family of God gathered in their local churches.   I have benefitted immensely from their insights into the Scriptures and their friendships and I hope others will too.

Soli Deo Gloria, dss