Gentle Readers,
We are rapidly coming to the end of our study in Genesis and will continue to look at Exodus next, but first Joseph:
First in Genesis Chapter 37
In the first of our chapters upon Jacob we called attention to the fact that each of the great Israelitish patriarchs illustrated some basic spiritual truth and that the chronological order of their lives agrees with the doctrinal order of truth. In Abraham we have illustrated the doctrine of election, for he was singled out by God from all the heathen and chosen to be the head of the Jewish nation. In Isaac we have foreshadowed the doctrine of Divine sonship: Abram's firstborn, Ishmael, represents the man born after the flesh, the old nature; but Isaac, born by the miraculous power of God, tells of the new man, the spiritual nature. In Jacob we see exemplified the conflict between the two natures in the believer, and also God's gracious discipline which issued, slowly but surely, in the triumph of the spirit over the flesh. Joseph, typically, speaks to us of heirship preceded by "suffering," and points forward to the time when the sons and heirs shall reign together with Christ. There is thus a beautiful moral order in the several leading truths illustrated and personified by these men. And it should be observed that here, as in everything which pertains to God's Word, its orderliness evidences its Divine Authorship; everything is in its proper place.
Joseph, then, speaks of heirship and, as another has beautifully expressed it, "And consistently with this, in Joseph, we get suffering before glories . . . For while discipline attaches to us as children, sufferings go before us as heirs; and this gives us the distinction between Jacob and Joseph. It is discipline we see in Jacob, discipline leading him as a child, under the hand of the Father of his spirit, to a participation of God's holiness. It is sufferings, martyr-sufferings, sufferings for righteousness, we see in Joseph, marking his path to glories. And this is the crowning thing! and thus it comes as the closing thing, in this wondrous book of Genesis- after this manner perfect in its structure, as it is truthful in its records. One moral after another is studied, one secret after another is revealed, in the artless family scenes which constitute its materials, and in them we learn our calling, the sources and the issues of our history, from our election to our inheritance" (Mr. J. G. Bellett).
Joseph is the last of the saints which occupies a prominent position in Genesis. In all there are seven- Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. More space is devoted to the last of these seven than to any of the others. There are several reasons for this which appear on the surface. In the first place, the history of Joseph is the chief link which connects Exodus with Genesis; the earlier chapters of Exodus being unintelligible without the last ten chapters of Genesis. It is Joseph's life which explains the remarkable development of the Hebrews from a mere handful of wandering shepherds to a numerous and settled colony in Egypt. But no doubt the chief reason why the life of Joseph is described with such fullness of detail is because almost everything in it typified something in connection with Christ. But more of this later.
"Joseph was the elder son of Rachel (Gen. 30:24). Of his early life nothing is recorded. He could not have been more than five or six years old when his father left Mesopotamia. He was therefore the child of Jacob's later life, and escaped all the sad experiences associated with the earlier years at Haran. He comes before us in this chapter (Gen. 37) at the age of seventeen. His companions were his half-brothers, the grown-up sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. From all that we have hitherto seen of them they must have been utterly unfit companions for such a youth. Jacob's elder sons had, naturally, been affected by the life in Haran, by the jealousy at home, and by the scheming between Laban and Jacob. They had been brought up under the influence of the old Jacob, while Joseph had been the companion of the changed Jacob or ÔIsrael.' There are few people more unfitted for influence over younger brothers than elder brothers of bad character" (Dr. G. Thomas).
"These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph being seven. teen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him" (Gen. 37:2-4).
There are perhaps few portions of Holy Writ with which we are more familiar than the one now before us. From earliest childhood many of us have listened to this beautiful but pathetic narrative. The aged patriarch, his favorite son, the coat of many colors, Joseph's dreams, the envious brothers, their wicked conduct- all so true to life have been indelibly impressed upon our memories since we first learned them on our mother's knee, or from the lips of our Sunday School teacher. Many are the lessons which may be drawn, and pointed are the warnings which are found here. But we shall pass from these to something deeper and even more precious.
As we read thoughtfully the books of the Old Testament our study of them is but superficial if they fail to show us that in divers ways and by various means God was preparing the way for the coming of His Son. The central purpose in the Divine Incarnation, the great outstanding object in the life and death of the Lord Jesus, were prefigured beforehand, and ought to have been rendered familiar to the minds of men. Among the means thus used of God was the history of different persons through whom the life and character of Christ were to a remarkable degree made manifest beforehand. Thus Adam represented His Headship, Abel His Death, Noah His Work in providing a refuge for His people, Melchizedek pointed to Him as priest, Moses as prophet, David as King. But the fullest and most striking of all these typical personage was Joseph, for between his history and that of Christ we may trace fully a hundred points of analogy! Others before us have written upon this captivating theme, and from their writings we shall draw freely in the course of these papers on the typical significance of Joseph's history.
In the verses quoted above from Genesis 37 there are seven points in which Joseph prefigured Christ, each of which is worthy of our attention, namely, the meaning of his name, the nature of his occupation, his opposition to evil, his father's love, his relation to his father's age, his coat of many colors, and the hatred of his brethren. Let us consider each of these in turn:
1. The Meaning of his Name. It is most significant that our patriarch had two names- Joseph, and Zaphnath-paaneah (Gen. 41:45) which the rabbins translate "Revealer of secrets." This latter name was given to him by Pharaoh in acknowledgment of the Divine wisdom which was in him. Thus, Joseph may be said to be his human name and Zaphnath-paaneah his Divine name. So, also, the one whom Joseph foreshadowed has a double name- "Jesus" being His human name, "Christ" signifying "the Anointed" of God, or, again, we have his double name in "Son of Man" which speaks of His humanity, and "Son of God" which tells of His Deity. Let us note how the meaning of Joseph's names were typical in their significance.
"Joseph" means adding (see Genesis 30:24). The first Adam was the great subtractor, the last Adam is the great Adder: through the one, men became lost; by the other, all who believe are saved. Christ is the One who "adds" to Heaven's inhabitants. It was to this end that He came to this earth, tabernacled among men for more than thirty years, and then died on the Cross: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24).
The ultimate result of His Death will be "much fruit," and at His return this will be gathered into the Heavenly garner (John 14:3). But Joseph's second name means "Revealer of secrets." This was a most appropriate name. Revealer of secrets Joseph ever was, not merely as an interpreter of dreams, but in every scene of his life, in every relation he sustained- when with his brethren in Potiphar's household, in prison, or before Pharaoh- his words and his works ever tested those with whom he had to do, making manifest their secret condition. How strikingly this foreshadowed Christ, of whom it was said in the days of His infancy, "Behold this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against . . . that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed" (Luke 2:34, 35).
In the incident now before us Joseph is seen as the Revealer of secrets in a double way. First, he revealed his father's heart, for he is here seen as the special object on which Jacob's affections were centered. Second, he revealed the hearts of his brethren by making manifest their wicked "hatred." In like manner, our blessed Savior revealed the Father's heart, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1:18). And in like manner, the Lord Jesus also revealed what was in the hearts of men. One of the most striking and prominent features presented in the four Gospels is the fact that everywhere He went the Lord Jesus exposed all. He made manifest the secret condition of all with whom He came into contact. He was truly "the Light of the world," shining in "a dark place"- detecting, displaying, uncovering, bringing to light the hidden things of darkness. Well, then, was Joseph named the one who added, and the one that revealed.
2. By Occupation Joseph was a Shepherd, "feeding the flock." This is one of the prominent lines which is found running through several of the Old Testament typical personages. Abel, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, were each of them "shepherds," and a close study of what is recorded of each one in this particular relation will reveal that each pointed forward to some separate and distinctive aspect of our Lord's Shepherdhood. No figure of Christ is more beautiful than this: our favorite Psalm (the twenty-third) presents Him in this character. One of our earliest conceptions of the Savior, as children, was as the Good Shepherd. The figure suggests His watchful care, His unwearied devotion, His tender solicitude, His blessed patience, His protecting grace, His matchless love in giving His life for the sheep. Above, Joseph is seen "feeding the flock," pointing to the earthly ministry of Christ who, sent unto "the lost sheep of the House of Israel," spent Himself in tending the needs of others.
3. His Opposition to Evil. "And Joseph brought unto his father their evil report." It is truly pathetic to find how this action of Joseph has been made an occasion for debate, some arguing that in doing what he did Joseph acted wrongly; others defending him. But it is not as a tale bearer that Joseph is here viewed, rather is he seen as the truth-speaker. Not by cowardly silence would he be the accomplice of their evil-doing. And here too we may discern a clear foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will quote but one verse, but it is sufficient to establish the type: "The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil" (John 7:7).
4. His Father's Love. "Israel loved Joseph more than all his brethren." This is one of the lines which stands out most distinctly in this lovely Old Testament picture. How Jacob loved Joseph! His mark of special esteem in making for him the coat of many colors: his unconsolsble grief when he believed that Joseph had been devoured by beasts; his taking of that long journey into Egypt that he might again look upon his favorite son ere death overtook him- all tell out the deep love of Jacob for Joseph. And how all this speaks to us of the Father's love for His only begotten Son! Through Solomon the Spirit of prophecy, speaking of the relation which existed between the Father and the Son in a past eternity, said, "The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way before His works of old;" and again, "Then I was by Him, as One brought up with Him, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him" (Prov. 8:22, 30). How sweetly was this illustrated by Jacob's love for Joseph! Again, when the Son of God became incarnate, and was about to begin His public ministry, the heavens were opened and the Voice of the Father was heard saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). So, also, when His public ministry neared its close, once more the Father's Voice was heard, upon the Mount of Transfiguration, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him" (Matthew 17:5). The Son, too, affirmed the Father's love for Himself - "Therefore doth My Father love me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again" (John 10:17). And when the Son had finished the Work given Him to do, when He had laid down His life and had risen again from the dead, the Father displayed His love by removing Him from the scenes of His sufferings and shame, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:9). And not only did God highly exalt His blessed Son, but He also seated Him upon His own throne (Rev. 3:21), that during these centuries when the Church is being built Christ might be near to the Father!
5. His Relation to his father's Age. "He was the son of his old age." No line in this picture is without its own meaning- how could it be, when none other than the Spirit of God drew it! Every word here is profoundly significant. We quote from the words of another: "Old age, translated into spiritual language and applied to God, signifies Ôeternity.' Jesus Christ was the Son of God's eternity. From all eternity He was God's Son. He was not derived, He was eternally begotten; He is God of God, very God of very God, equal with, and of the same substance as, the Father." As the opening verse of John's Gospel declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." And again, in His high-priestly prayer the Lord Jesus said, "And now, O Father, glorify thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was" (John 17:5). The Lord Jesus Christ is no creature, He is Creator (John 1:3); He is no mere emanation of Deity, He is the One in whom dwelleth "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). He is far more than a manifestation of God, He is Himself "God manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). He is not a person who had His beginning in time, but is Eternal in His being; as the true rendering of Micah 5:2 declares, the One who was born in Bethlehem of Judea was none other than He "whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of Eternity." Christ then was, in the language of our type "the Son of (His Father's) old age"- the eternal Son of God.
6. His Coat of Many Colors. Thus far the interpreting of the type has been simple, but here, we encounter that which is not quite so easy. How gracious of God for providing us with help on this point! We are not left to our own imaginations to guess at the meaning of the many colored coat. No; guesswork is not only vain, but altogether needless in regard to God's blessed Word. Scripture is its own interpreter. In Judges 5:30, we read, "Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colors, a prey of divers colors of needlework, of divers colors on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?" Here we learn that such garments were to be worn as a mark of distinction. Again in 2 Samuel 13:18 we read, "And she had a garment of divers colors upon her: for with such robes were the King's daughters that were virgins appareled." Here again we get the same thought: This was the attire of unmarried princesses; it was a mark of honor, singling out the wearer as one of noble birth. This, no doubt, was Jacob's object to distinguish Joseph (born of Rachel) from his half brothers (born of the slave-wives).
How appropriate was this as an adumbration of Christ! He, too, was marked off from all His brethren according to the flesh, marked off as one of noble birth, marked off by outward signs of peculiar distinction and honor. It is blessed to behold what care and pains God took to manifest this coat of many colors, in connection with His blessed Son. The "virgin's" Babe was distinguished from all others born by the Angelic Song o'er Bethlehem's plains- none other was ever welcomed thus by the Heavenly hosts! So, too, the "star" that appeared to the wise men gave evidence of the Heavenly Origin of the new-born King. At His baptism we see again the many-colored coat: multitudes presented themselves to John at the river Jordan and were baptized of him; but when the Christ of God came up out of the waters, the Heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended upon Him in the form of a dove, thus distinguishing Christ from all others! Behold again the coat of many colors in John 12. In John 13 the feet of the disciples (pointing to their walk) are defiled, and need to be washed with water (type of Word); but in the previous chapter (for in all things Christ must have the pre-eminence) we see the feet of our blessed Lord, not washed with water (for there was no defilement in Him), but anointed with precious ointment, the fragrance of which filled the house, telling that the walk of Him (as well as His blessed person) was a sweet smelling savor to the Father. Thus again was Christ distinguished from and elevated above all others. So, too, at the Cross, the distinguishing coat of many colors may be seen. In death, as everywhere, His uniqueness was manifested. He died as none other ever died or could: He "laid down His life." And the uniqueness of His death was divinely attested in the supernatural phenomena that accompanied it: the three hours darkness, the quaking of the earth, and the rending of the veil. The "many colors" of the coat also speak to us of Christ's varied glories and infinite perfections.
7. The Hatred of his Brethren. "They hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." It was Jacob's love which brought out the heart's enmity of these men. Joseph then, made manifest both his father's love and his brethren's hatred. So when Christ came to the earth He did these two things. He revealed the Father's heart and He exposed man's enmity. And one of two things always followed: either men hated Him for exposing them, or they accepted such exposure and took refuge in the Grace which He revealed. When Christ exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees they hated Him; but when He exposed to the woman at the well her sinful life and condition, she welcomed it, and availed herself of God's grace. So it is now: those who hear the truth of God faithfully preached, the lost and guilty condition of the natural man fearlessly proclaimed, either they hate it, and seek to hide behind the filthy rags of their own self-righteousness, or they come out into the light, bow to God's verdict, and casting themselves in the dust before Him as Hell-deserving sinners, believe in the Savior which the Gospel makes known. In which class are you found, dear reader? Are you, like the brethren of Joseph who hated the son of the father's love, "despising and rejecting" Christ? Friend, make no mistake here. You either love or you hate the Lord Jesus Christ! and it is written, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed" (1 Cor. 16:22). O heed now this solemn admonition of God, "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him" (Ps. 2:12).
Before we turn to consider the special subject of this study we must first notice three or four points in the first eleven verses of Genesis 37.
"And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood around about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed! Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying" (vv. 5-11). Continuing our numeration we may note:
8. Joseph is hated because of his Words. There are two lines which are, perhaps, made more prominent than others in this first typical picture: the love of Jacob for his son, and the hatred of the brethren. Three times over within the compass of these few verses reference is made to the "hatred" of Joseph's brethren. In verse 4 we read, "they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him." Again, in verse 5 we are told, "and they hated him yet the more." And again in verse 8: "And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words." It will be seen from these references there was a twofold occasion for their wicked enmity. First, they hated Joseph's person, because of Jacob's special love for him; second, they hated him because of "his words." They hated him because of what he was, and also because of what he said. Thus it was, too, with the One whom Joseph typified.
As we turn to the four Gospels it will be found that those who were our Lord's brethren according to the flesh hated Him in this same twofold way. They hated Him because He was the beloved Son of the Father, and they also hated Him because of His teaching. As illustrations of the former we may note the following passages: "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God" (John 5:18). "The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said, I am the Bread which came down from heaven" (John 6:41). "I and My Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him" (John 10:30, 31). Such was their wicked hostility against His person. And it was just the same, too, in regard to His teaching: "And all they in the synagogue when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might east Him down headlong" (Luke 4:28, 29). "The world cannot hate you: but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil" (John 7:7). "But now ye seek to kill Me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God" (John 8:40).
9. Joseph was to enjoy a remarkable future. These dreams of Joseph intimated that this favored son of Jacob was the subject of high destinies: they were Divine announcements of his future exaltation. There can be little doubt that Jacob and his sons perceived that these dreams were prophetic, otherwise the brethren would have regarded them as "idle tales," instead of being angered by them. Note, too, that "his father observed the saying" (v. 11).
So, too, of the Antitype. A remarkable future was promised to the One who first appeared in lowliness and shame. Concerning the Child that was to be born unto Israel, the Son given, it was pre-announced: "The government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end" (Isa. 9:6, 7). To his mother the angel declared, "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever: and of His kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:31-33). That Joseph's Antitype was to enjoy a remarkable future was thus intimated beforehand.
10. Joseph foretold his future Sovereignty. It is worthy of notice that the two recorded dreams of Joseph contemplated a double sovereignty: the first dream concerned "the field," which pointed to the earthly dominion of our Lord; but the second dream was occupied with the sun, the moon and the stars, and tells, in type, of the Heavenly dominion of Christ, for all power (or authority) has been given to Him in heaven and on earth.
Joseph's announcement of his future exaltation only served to fan the fires of enmity, and gave intensity to his brethren's hatred. And so it was with the Savior. The more our Lord unfolded the glory of His person, the more He spoke of His future exaltation, the more did the Jews- His brethren according to the flesh- hate Him. The climax of this is to be seen in Matthew 26:64: "Nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Here was the announcement of His future sovereignty, and mark the immediate effects of His words on those that heard Him: "Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy."
11. Joseph was envied by his brethren. "When his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him" (verse 4). In these words are found the key to what followed. That which was the prime cause of the brethren's hatred was envy: as verse 11 tells us, "And his brethren envied him." They were jealous of the partiality shown by Jacob to their half-brother. This is a sin which has characterized human nature all down the ages: the difference between envy and covetousness is this- we envy persons, we covet things.
Here, too the type holds good. Christ was "envied" by those who were His brethren, according to the flesh. This comes out in His parable of the Wicked Husbandman, "Having yet therefore one son, His well-beloved, He sent Him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence My Son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him, and the inheritance shall be ours" (Mark 12:6, 7). Again, "For this cause the people also met Him, for that they heard that He had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after Him" (John 12:18, 19). How that utterance manifested the jealousy of their hearts! But even plainer is the testimony of Matthew 27:17, 18, for there the very word "envy" is found, "Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered Him." In our next study we shall consider, Joseph betrayed by his brethren.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
"Doc Notes" Lesson 2 Part 16
Dear Gentle reader,
It been some time since we have visited together we are concluding what has been a interesting time in Genesis, and while I would be the first to point out we have just skimmed the surface there is much more that could be written and commented upon. We must at some point move on.
We have been looking at 7 outstanding men (I did not purposely leave out the women perhaps someone will address that issue at another time and place)
I wish to address now the post-Flood patriachs, and to save space we will group them together, though there is much we could say and would like to have said about them separately. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, these four following the typifying of regeneration, in Noah, exhibit, in a typical manner the qualities and characteristics of the regerate life. They show us those forms of life which are known after regeneration.
In Abraham we see the life of faith. He stands out as the supreme exemplar of the faith life. For we find it written 4 times in scripture “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:17) In him we see the man of faith going forward, trusting in Divine guidance (lapses in trusting not withstanding -See Gen. 17:17, 20:2, ff. ), believing the Divine blessing, undergoing sharp testings and- despite occasional failures -being “accounted righteous” through faith, and being called “the friend of God.” Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (2Ch 20:7)
In Isaac we see the life of sonship. The Genesis account clearly puts the emphasis upon Isaac’s unique sonship. He is the son of special promise, of special birth, of special preciousness, the only son of his mother and the only heir of his father, the son at whose weaning a great feast is made, and through whom the promises are to be realized, and for whom a special bride must be chosen. In Isaac then, dwelling in the land of inheritance, biding by the wells of water, with many joys and few conflicts we see the typified privileges of son ship [Now think of the Lord Christ Jesus, His life and what He left to bring us all to Himself, (not as a Bride as some would teach, for that privilege belongs to only the Nation of Israel) but as members, part and parcel of His Body].
In Jacob we see the life of service. Jacob is that life which (as at his birth) And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. (Gen 25:26) Jacob a worker throughout, busy with his hands, untiring service- busy yes, mistakes yes, the methods and manner wrong yes, yet there is a blessing at heart the motive will be found. When at last the struggle is over and God touches his servants thigh and teaches him and when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. (Gen 32:25-30) Jacob struggles with (perhaps himself) to be more than he was - to be prince in prayer. Jacob will become spiritual at heart, within him was the godliness, struggling to come out as all his words show. Esau will give up the birthright for meat. Jacob will give up his meat for the birthright, if by any means he might obtain the inheritance. Here then in Jacob, is eager activity, work service.
Our last study in Genesis will be devoted to Joseph, as I pointed out previously these studies are not by any means complete but are provided for your edification and a jumping off place for your own studies.
To be continued...
It been some time since we have visited together we are concluding what has been a interesting time in Genesis, and while I would be the first to point out we have just skimmed the surface there is much more that could be written and commented upon. We must at some point move on.
We have been looking at 7 outstanding men (I did not purposely leave out the women perhaps someone will address that issue at another time and place)
I wish to address now the post-Flood patriachs, and to save space we will group them together, though there is much we could say and would like to have said about them separately. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, these four following the typifying of regeneration, in Noah, exhibit, in a typical manner the qualities and characteristics of the regerate life. They show us those forms of life which are known after regeneration.
In Abraham we see the life of faith. He stands out as the supreme exemplar of the faith life. For we find it written 4 times in scripture “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:17) In him we see the man of faith going forward, trusting in Divine guidance (lapses in trusting not withstanding -See Gen. 17:17, 20:2, ff. ), believing the Divine blessing, undergoing sharp testings and- despite occasional failures -being “accounted righteous” through faith, and being called “the friend of God.” Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (2Ch 20:7)
In Isaac we see the life of sonship. The Genesis account clearly puts the emphasis upon Isaac’s unique sonship. He is the son of special promise, of special birth, of special preciousness, the only son of his mother and the only heir of his father, the son at whose weaning a great feast is made, and through whom the promises are to be realized, and for whom a special bride must be chosen. In Isaac then, dwelling in the land of inheritance, biding by the wells of water, with many joys and few conflicts we see the typified privileges of son ship [Now think of the Lord Christ Jesus, His life and what He left to bring us all to Himself, (not as a Bride as some would teach, for that privilege belongs to only the Nation of Israel) but as members, part and parcel of His Body].
In Jacob we see the life of service. Jacob is that life which (as at his birth) And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. (Gen 25:26) Jacob a worker throughout, busy with his hands, untiring service- busy yes, mistakes yes, the methods and manner wrong yes, yet there is a blessing at heart the motive will be found. When at last the struggle is over and God touches his servants thigh and teaches him and when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. (Gen 32:25-30) Jacob struggles with (perhaps himself) to be more than he was - to be prince in prayer. Jacob will become spiritual at heart, within him was the godliness, struggling to come out as all his words show. Esau will give up the birthright for meat. Jacob will give up his meat for the birthright, if by any means he might obtain the inheritance. Here then in Jacob, is eager activity, work service.
Our last study in Genesis will be devoted to Joseph, as I pointed out previously these studies are not by any means complete but are provided for your edification and a jumping off place for your own studies.
To be continued...
Thursday, September 02, 2010
"Doc Notes" Lesson 2 part 15 "Noah"
Dear Gentle Readers,
Thank you for being patient with me as I took a wee sabbatical, Marti’s mother is doing as well as someone with Cancer can be expected to do, She is holding her own, and we thank you for all of your prayers.
In the mean time we were looking Last time we mentioned seven great men of Genesis, and now comes Noah. As a type figure among the seven outstanding men of Genesis, the special significance attaching to Noah is unmistakable. From the New Testament we learn that Noah’s experience of being “saved through water” is a typical anticipation of what we theologians call regeneration of what the Christian “baptism is a symbol “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”: (1Pe 3:21)
Note:The water saved Noah and his family from perishing in the flood; to wit, by bearing up the ark. Baptism, in the proper sense of the term, as above explained, where the water used is a symbol, in like manner now saves us; that is, the water is an emblem of that purifying by which we are saved. It may be said to save us, not as the meritorious cause, but as the indispensable condition of salvation. No man can be saved without that regenerated and purified heart of which baptism is the appropriate symbol, and when it would be proper to administer that ordinance. The apostle cannot have meant that water saves us in the same way in which it saved Noah, because that cannot be true. It is neither the same in quantity, nor is it applied in the same way, nor is it efficacious in the same manner. It is indeed connected with our salvation in its own proper way, as an emblem of that purifying of the heart by which we are saved. Thus, it corresponds with the salvation of Noah by water, and is the (ἀ?τί?υπον antitupon) “antitype” of that. Nor does it mean that the salvation of Noah by water was designed to be a type of Christian baptism. There is not the least evidence of that; and it should not be affirmed without proof. The apostle saw a resemblance in some respects between the one and the other; such a resemblance that the one naturally suggested the other to his mind, and the resemblance was so important as to make it the proper ground of remark.
(But if Noah’s preservation in the ark, be the type of that salvation of which baptism is the emblem, who shall say it was not so designed of God? Must we indeed regard the resemblance between Noah’s deliverance and ours, as a happy coincidence merely?
Of Noah, as well as of Enoch it is written that “he walked with God”, but the type-emphasis is shifted a further stage forward in the account of Noah, so that now, consequent upon the spiritual choice indicated in the words “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (Gen 6:9) we see spiritual renewal, typified in Noah’s passing through the waters of the Flood. First in Chapter 6, we see Noah , the man of spiritual choice still on the ground of the old world. Then in Chapter 7, we see him separated from the old world, in the ark (a type of Christ- sealed inside, as we a sealed by the Spirit of promise), and by the water (regeneration). Then in Chapters 8 & 9 we see him going forth into a new life in a new world-which speaks of newness of life through regeneration. Thus we see in Noah, typically, spiritual renewal.
To be continued....
Thank you for being patient with me as I took a wee sabbatical, Marti’s mother is doing as well as someone with Cancer can be expected to do, She is holding her own, and we thank you for all of your prayers.
In the mean time we were looking Last time we mentioned seven great men of Genesis, and now comes Noah. As a type figure among the seven outstanding men of Genesis, the special significance attaching to Noah is unmistakable. From the New Testament we learn that Noah’s experience of being “saved through water” is a typical anticipation of what we theologians call regeneration of what the Christian “baptism is a symbol “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”: (1Pe 3:21)
Note:The water saved Noah and his family from perishing in the flood; to wit, by bearing up the ark. Baptism, in the proper sense of the term, as above explained, where the water used is a symbol, in like manner now saves us; that is, the water is an emblem of that purifying by which we are saved. It may be said to save us, not as the meritorious cause, but as the indispensable condition of salvation. No man can be saved without that regenerated and purified heart of which baptism is the appropriate symbol, and when it would be proper to administer that ordinance. The apostle cannot have meant that water saves us in the same way in which it saved Noah, because that cannot be true. It is neither the same in quantity, nor is it applied in the same way, nor is it efficacious in the same manner. It is indeed connected with our salvation in its own proper way, as an emblem of that purifying of the heart by which we are saved. Thus, it corresponds with the salvation of Noah by water, and is the (ἀ?τί?υπον antitupon) “antitype” of that. Nor does it mean that the salvation of Noah by water was designed to be a type of Christian baptism. There is not the least evidence of that; and it should not be affirmed without proof. The apostle saw a resemblance in some respects between the one and the other; such a resemblance that the one naturally suggested the other to his mind, and the resemblance was so important as to make it the proper ground of remark.
(But if Noah’s preservation in the ark, be the type of that salvation of which baptism is the emblem, who shall say it was not so designed of God? Must we indeed regard the resemblance between Noah’s deliverance and ours, as a happy coincidence merely?
Of Noah, as well as of Enoch it is written that “he walked with God”, but the type-emphasis is shifted a further stage forward in the account of Noah, so that now, consequent upon the spiritual choice indicated in the words “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (Gen 6:9) we see spiritual renewal, typified in Noah’s passing through the waters of the Flood. First in Chapter 6, we see Noah , the man of spiritual choice still on the ground of the old world. Then in Chapter 7, we see him separated from the old world, in the ark (a type of Christ- sealed inside, as we a sealed by the Spirit of promise), and by the water (regeneration). Then in Chapters 8 & 9 we see him going forth into a new life in a new world-which speaks of newness of life through regeneration. Thus we see in Noah, typically, spiritual renewal.
To be continued....
Monday, July 26, 2010
Lesson 2 part 14 "Doc Notes" Enoch
Dear Gentle Reader,
I do hope that you haven’t been waiting too long for this next study of Genesis.
We are considering the seven most preemement men (to me) in this the first book of the English Bible.
Enoch: What is the distinguishing characteristic here? Enoch is forever immortalized as the man who “walked with God” could we ever aspire to such a lofty reputation? But what is the inner meaning of his walk with God? There was no compulsion about it. There was no need for him to walk with God, whether he wished to do so or not. The inner truth is that behind the walk was the will. There was a blending of Enoch’s will with the will of God. It was this that made the walk possible. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Enoch put from himself all controversy with the will of God, nd accepted it in preference to his own.
But if behind the walk was the will, behind the will was the activity of that strange and vital faculty in human nature which we call choice. While it is true that God and Enoch walked together in a wonderful fellowship, yet the basic truth is not that ‘Enoch walked with God’. It was not God going Enoch’s way, but Enoch going God’s way. Behind this walk with God was the full and final choice of God’s will and way.
Enoch is the man who choses God’s way the man of spiritual desire. Enoch "initiated, dedicated, disciplined") is a Hebrew name.
Hanoch is related to the Hebrew word "chinuch", meaning: enlightenment, wisdom, spirituality.
Enoch appears briefly in the Old and New Testament. He is also represented in the Book of Enoch, which formed part of the Dead Sea Scrolls collection and presents itself as being written by Enoch himself.
Notably, as the great grandfather of Noah, Enoch is said through the Book of Enoch to have known of the coming of the great flood and hence Noah's knowledge of its coming. Enoch is noted as one of two humans (the other being Elijah) who, according to Christian tradition, did not die.
The Book of Enoch
Genesis 5:18-24 [18] Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch. [19] After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters. [20] So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died. [21] Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. [22] After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. [23] So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. [24] And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Jude 1:14-15 [14] Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, [15] to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
We first learn of Enoch in Genesis 5 but it leaves us with questions. Hebrews 11 has the answers and Jude quotes Enoch! How did Jude come to know the words of Enoch? They are not in the Bible. The answer of course, is The Book of Enoch. A book which is actually quoted by Jude in the New Testament. What is the Book of Enoch and where did it come from?
Enoch was the great-grandfather of Noah. The Book of Enoch chapter 68:1 "And after that my great-grandfather Enoch gave me all the secrets in the book and in the parables which had been given to him, and he put them together for me in the words of the book of the parables."
The Book of Enoch was extant centuries before the birth of Christ and yet is considered by many to be more Christian in its theology than Jewish. It was considered scripture by many early Christians. The earliest literature of the so-called "Church Fathers" is filled with references to this mysterious book. The early second century "Epistle of Barnabus" makes much use of the Book of Enoch. Second and Third Century "Church Fathers" like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origin and Clement of Alexandria all make use of the Book of Enoch. Tertullian (160-230 C.E) even called the Book of Enoch "Holy Scripture". The Ethiopic Church even added the Book of Enoch to its official canon. It was widely known and read the first three centuries after Christ. This and many other books became discredited after the Council of Laodicea. And being under ban of the authorities, afterwards it gradually passed out of circulation.
At about the time of the Protestant Reformation, there came to be a renewed interest in the Book of Enoch which had long since been lost to the modern world. By the late 1400's rumors began to spread that somewhere a copy of the long lost Book of Enoch might still exist. During this time many books arose claiming to be the long lost book and were later found to be forgeries.
The return of the long lost Book of Enoch to the modern western world is credited to the famous explorer James Bruce, who in 1773 returned from six years in Abyssinia with three Ethiopic copies of the lost book. In 1821 Richard Laurence published the first English translation. The famous R.H. Charles edition was published in 1912. In the following years several portions of the Greek text surfaced. Then with the discovery of cave 4 of the Dead Sea Scrolls, seven fragmentary copies of the Aramaic text were discovered.
There are scholars who believe the Book of Enoch was published before the Christian era by some great unknown of Semetic race, who believing himself to be inspired in a post-prophetic age, borrowed the name of an antediluvian patriarch to authenticate his own enthusiastic forcast of the coming Messiah. The Book of Enoch is divided into five basic parts, but it is the The Book of Parables (37-71) which gives scholars the most trouble for it is primarily concerned with a figure called "the messiah"; "the righteous one"; "the chosen one" and "the son of man."
The Book of Enoch Chapter 46:1-2 [1] There I beheld the Ancient of days whose head was like white wool, and with him another, whose countenance resembled that of a man. His countenance was full of grace, like that of one of the holy angels. Then I inquired of one of the angels, who went with me, and who showed me every secret thing, concerning this Son of man; who he was; whence he was; and why he accompanied the Ancient of days. [2] He answered and said to me, This is the Son of man, to whom righteousness belongs; with whom righteousness has dwealt; and who will reveal all the treasures of that which is concealed: for the Lord of spirits has chosen him; and his portion has surpassed all before the Lord of spirits in everlasting uprightness."
1 Enoch
Discovery of the "Lost Text"
"The Greek word pseudepigrapha is a Greek word meaning 'falsely superscribed,' or what we moderns might call writing under a pen name. The classification, 'OT Pseudepigrapha,' is a label that scholars have given to these writings."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 22
"The Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphical work (a work that claims to be by a biblical character). The Book of Enoch was not included in either the Hebrew or most Christian biblical canons, but could have been considered a sacred text by the sectarians."
- Milik, Jazef. T., ed. The Books of Enoch: Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4
The Book of Enoch is "an ancient composition known from two sets of versions, an Ethiopic one that scholars identify as '1 Enoch', and a Slavonic version that is identified as '2 Enoch', and which is also known as The Book of the Secrets of Enoch. Both versions, of which copied manuscripts have been found mostly in Greek and Latin translations, are based on early sources that enlarged on the short biblical mention that Enoch, the seventh Patriarch after Adam, did not die because, at age 365, 'he walked with God' - taken heavenward to join the deity."
- Zecharia Sitchin, When Time Began
"I Enoch, also known as the Ethiopic Apocalypse of Enoch, is the oldest of the three pseudepigraphal books attributed to Enoch, the man who apparently did not die, but was taken up to heaven (Gen 5:24). The book was originally written in either Hebrew or Aramaic, perhaps both, but it survives in complete form only in Ethiopic (Ge'ez), and in fragmentary form in Aramaic, Greek (1:1-32:6; 6:1-10:14; 15:8-16:1; 89:42-49; 97:6-104), and Latin (106:1-18)."
"The materials in I Enoch range in date from 200 B.C.E. to 50 C.E. I Enoch contributes much to intertestamental views of angels, heaven, judgment, resurrection, and the Messiah. This book has left its stamp upon many of the NT writers, especially the author of Revelation."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 23
"Prior to the eighteenth century, scholars had believed the Book of Enoch to be irretrievably lost: composed long before the birth of Christ, and considered to be one of the most important pieces of Jewish mystical literature, it was only known from fragments and from references to it in other texts. James Bruce changed all this by procuring several copies of the missing work during his stay in Ethiopia. These were the first complete editions of the Book of Enoch ever to be seen in Europe."
- Graham Hancock, The Sign and the Seal
"The Book of Enoch remained in darkness until 1821, when the long years of dedicated work by a professor of Hebrew at the University of Oxford were finally rewarded with the publication of the first ever English translation of the Book of Enoch. The Reverend Richard Laurence, Archbishop of Cashel, had labored for many hundreds of hours over the faded manuscript in the hands of the Bodleian Library, carefully substituting English words and expressions for the original Geez, while comparing the results with known extracts, such as the few brief chapters preserved in Greek by Syncellus during the ninth century."
- Andrew Collins, From the Ashes of Angels - The Forbidden Legacy of a Fallen Race (1996) p. 21
"The original Aramaic version was lost until the Dead Sea fragments were discovered."
"The original language of most of this work was, in all likelihood, Aramaic (an early Semitic language). Although the original version was lost in antiquity, portions of a Greek translation were discovered in Egypt and quotations were known from the Church Fathers. The discovery of the texts from Qumran Cave 4 has finally provided parts of the Aramaic original. ...Humankind is called on to observe how unchanging nature follows God's will."
- Milik, Jazef. T., ed. The Books of Enoch: Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4
Composition
"1 Enoch, preserved in a full, 108-chapter form in Ethiopic, consists of five parts and one appended chapter. It originated in Aramaic (perhaps Hebrew for chaps. 37-71), was translated into Greek, and from Greek into Ethiopic."
- James C. Vanderkam (Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at the University of Notre Dame)
"The Aramaic Book of Enoch...very considerably influenced the idiom of the New Testament and patristic literature, more so in fact than any other writing of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha."
- Norman Golb, Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?, (1995) p. 366
"As it now stands, I Enoch appears to consist of the following five major divisions:
(1) The Book of the Watchers (chaps. 1-36);
(2) The Book of the Similitudes (chaps. 37-7l)-,
(3) The Book of Astronomical Writings (chaps. 72-82);
(4) The Book of Dream Visions (chaps. 83-90); and
(5) The Book of the Epistle of Enoch (chaps. 91-107)."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 23
"Chaps. 1-36 The Book of the Watchers may date from the third century BCE. Parts of its text have been identified on several copies from Qumran cave 4; the earliest fragmentary manuscript (4QEnocha) dates, according to the editor J.T. Milk, to between 200 and 150 BCE. All Qumran copies are in the Aramaic language."
- James C. Vanderkam
"James Vanderkam divides the first part of 1 Enoch into five sections:
1-5 a theophany followed by an eschatological admonition
6-11 the angel story (stories)
12-16 Enoch and the failed petition of the angels who descended,
17-19 Enoch's first journey,
20-36 Enoch's second journey (chap. 20 is a list of angels who are connected with the journeys)."
- Tom Simms (CrossTalk)
"Chaps. 37-71 The Book of Parables (or the Similitudes of Enoch) may have been composed in the late first century BCE; a number of scholars prefer to place it in the first or even the second century CE. Milik assigns it to the late third century CE. No fragments of these chapters have been found at Qumran, and some think their original language was Hebrew, not Aramaic."
- James C. Vanderkam
"Chaps. 72-82 The Astronomical Book, like the Book of Watchers, may date from the third century BCE; the oldest copy of it seems to have been made not long after 200 BCE. Sizable portions of the text are preserved on four copies, written in Aramaic, from Qumran cave 4. The Aramaic original appears to have been much different and much longer than the Ethiopic text, adding far more astronomical details."
- James C. Vanderkam
Authorship
"A world view so encyclopaediac that it embraced the geography of heaven and earth, astronomy, meteorology, medicine was no part of Jewish tradition - but was familiar to educated Greeks, but attempting to emulate and surpass Greek wisdom, by having an integrating divine plan for destiny, elaborated through an angelic host with which Enoch is in communication through his mystical travels."
- Chris King, "The Apocalyptic Tradition"
Although the Book of Enoch is considered as apocryphal, it was clearly known to early Christian writers as the following quote from 1 Enoch 1:9 indicates:
"In the seventh (generation) from Adam Enoch also prophesied these things, saying: 'Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners spoke against him'."
- Jude 14-15
2 Enoch
"2 Enoch, or the Slavonic Apocalypse of Enoch, was written late first century C.E. in Egypt by a Jew. It survives only in late Old Slavonic manuscripts. It may have been composed originally in Aramaic or Hebrew, later being translated into Greek, and later still being translated into Old Slavonic. It is an amplification of Gen 5:21-32 (from Enoch to the Flood). Major theological themes include:
(1) God created the world out of nothing (24:2);
(2) seven heavens (30:2-3) and angelic hosts;
(3) God created the souls of men before the foundation of the earth (23:5);
(4) abodes of heaven and hell are already prepared for righteous and sinners; and
(5) ethical teachings, which at times parallel those of the NT and Proverbs."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 23
.
.
I do hope that you haven’t been waiting too long for this next study of Genesis.
We are considering the seven most preemement men (to me) in this the first book of the English Bible.
Enoch: What is the distinguishing characteristic here? Enoch is forever immortalized as the man who “walked with God” could we ever aspire to such a lofty reputation? But what is the inner meaning of his walk with God? There was no compulsion about it. There was no need for him to walk with God, whether he wished to do so or not. The inner truth is that behind the walk was the will. There was a blending of Enoch’s will with the will of God. It was this that made the walk possible. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Enoch put from himself all controversy with the will of God, nd accepted it in preference to his own.
But if behind the walk was the will, behind the will was the activity of that strange and vital faculty in human nature which we call choice. While it is true that God and Enoch walked together in a wonderful fellowship, yet the basic truth is not that ‘Enoch walked with God’. It was not God going Enoch’s way, but Enoch going God’s way. Behind this walk with God was the full and final choice of God’s will and way.
Enoch is the man who choses God’s way the man of spiritual desire. Enoch "initiated, dedicated, disciplined") is a Hebrew name.
Hanoch is related to the Hebrew word "chinuch", meaning: enlightenment, wisdom, spirituality.
Enoch appears briefly in the Old and New Testament. He is also represented in the Book of Enoch, which formed part of the Dead Sea Scrolls collection and presents itself as being written by Enoch himself.
Notably, as the great grandfather of Noah, Enoch is said through the Book of Enoch to have known of the coming of the great flood and hence Noah's knowledge of its coming. Enoch is noted as one of two humans (the other being Elijah) who, according to Christian tradition, did not die.
The Book of Enoch
Genesis 5:18-24 [18] Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch. [19] After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters. [20] So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died. [21] Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. [22] After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. [23] So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. [24] And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Jude 1:14-15 [14] Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, [15] to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
We first learn of Enoch in Genesis 5 but it leaves us with questions. Hebrews 11 has the answers and Jude quotes Enoch! How did Jude come to know the words of Enoch? They are not in the Bible. The answer of course, is The Book of Enoch. A book which is actually quoted by Jude in the New Testament. What is the Book of Enoch and where did it come from?
Enoch was the great-grandfather of Noah. The Book of Enoch chapter 68:1 "And after that my great-grandfather Enoch gave me all the secrets in the book and in the parables which had been given to him, and he put them together for me in the words of the book of the parables."
The Book of Enoch was extant centuries before the birth of Christ and yet is considered by many to be more Christian in its theology than Jewish. It was considered scripture by many early Christians. The earliest literature of the so-called "Church Fathers" is filled with references to this mysterious book. The early second century "Epistle of Barnabus" makes much use of the Book of Enoch. Second and Third Century "Church Fathers" like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origin and Clement of Alexandria all make use of the Book of Enoch. Tertullian (160-230 C.E) even called the Book of Enoch "Holy Scripture". The Ethiopic Church even added the Book of Enoch to its official canon. It was widely known and read the first three centuries after Christ. This and many other books became discredited after the Council of Laodicea. And being under ban of the authorities, afterwards it gradually passed out of circulation.
At about the time of the Protestant Reformation, there came to be a renewed interest in the Book of Enoch which had long since been lost to the modern world. By the late 1400's rumors began to spread that somewhere a copy of the long lost Book of Enoch might still exist. During this time many books arose claiming to be the long lost book and were later found to be forgeries.
The return of the long lost Book of Enoch to the modern western world is credited to the famous explorer James Bruce, who in 1773 returned from six years in Abyssinia with three Ethiopic copies of the lost book. In 1821 Richard Laurence published the first English translation. The famous R.H. Charles edition was published in 1912. In the following years several portions of the Greek text surfaced. Then with the discovery of cave 4 of the Dead Sea Scrolls, seven fragmentary copies of the Aramaic text were discovered.
There are scholars who believe the Book of Enoch was published before the Christian era by some great unknown of Semetic race, who believing himself to be inspired in a post-prophetic age, borrowed the name of an antediluvian patriarch to authenticate his own enthusiastic forcast of the coming Messiah. The Book of Enoch is divided into five basic parts, but it is the The Book of Parables (37-71) which gives scholars the most trouble for it is primarily concerned with a figure called "the messiah"; "the righteous one"; "the chosen one" and "the son of man."
The Book of Enoch Chapter 46:1-2 [1] There I beheld the Ancient of days whose head was like white wool, and with him another, whose countenance resembled that of a man. His countenance was full of grace, like that of one of the holy angels. Then I inquired of one of the angels, who went with me, and who showed me every secret thing, concerning this Son of man; who he was; whence he was; and why he accompanied the Ancient of days. [2] He answered and said to me, This is the Son of man, to whom righteousness belongs; with whom righteousness has dwealt; and who will reveal all the treasures of that which is concealed: for the Lord of spirits has chosen him; and his portion has surpassed all before the Lord of spirits in everlasting uprightness."
1 Enoch
Discovery of the "Lost Text"
"The Greek word pseudepigrapha is a Greek word meaning 'falsely superscribed,' or what we moderns might call writing under a pen name. The classification, 'OT Pseudepigrapha,' is a label that scholars have given to these writings."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 22
"The Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphical work (a work that claims to be by a biblical character). The Book of Enoch was not included in either the Hebrew or most Christian biblical canons, but could have been considered a sacred text by the sectarians."
- Milik, Jazef. T., ed. The Books of Enoch: Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4
The Book of Enoch is "an ancient composition known from two sets of versions, an Ethiopic one that scholars identify as '1 Enoch', and a Slavonic version that is identified as '2 Enoch', and which is also known as The Book of the Secrets of Enoch. Both versions, of which copied manuscripts have been found mostly in Greek and Latin translations, are based on early sources that enlarged on the short biblical mention that Enoch, the seventh Patriarch after Adam, did not die because, at age 365, 'he walked with God' - taken heavenward to join the deity."
- Zecharia Sitchin, When Time Began
"I Enoch, also known as the Ethiopic Apocalypse of Enoch, is the oldest of the three pseudepigraphal books attributed to Enoch, the man who apparently did not die, but was taken up to heaven (Gen 5:24). The book was originally written in either Hebrew or Aramaic, perhaps both, but it survives in complete form only in Ethiopic (Ge'ez), and in fragmentary form in Aramaic, Greek (1:1-32:6; 6:1-10:14; 15:8-16:1; 89:42-49; 97:6-104), and Latin (106:1-18)."
"The materials in I Enoch range in date from 200 B.C.E. to 50 C.E. I Enoch contributes much to intertestamental views of angels, heaven, judgment, resurrection, and the Messiah. This book has left its stamp upon many of the NT writers, especially the author of Revelation."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 23
"Prior to the eighteenth century, scholars had believed the Book of Enoch to be irretrievably lost: composed long before the birth of Christ, and considered to be one of the most important pieces of Jewish mystical literature, it was only known from fragments and from references to it in other texts. James Bruce changed all this by procuring several copies of the missing work during his stay in Ethiopia. These were the first complete editions of the Book of Enoch ever to be seen in Europe."
- Graham Hancock, The Sign and the Seal
"The Book of Enoch remained in darkness until 1821, when the long years of dedicated work by a professor of Hebrew at the University of Oxford were finally rewarded with the publication of the first ever English translation of the Book of Enoch. The Reverend Richard Laurence, Archbishop of Cashel, had labored for many hundreds of hours over the faded manuscript in the hands of the Bodleian Library, carefully substituting English words and expressions for the original Geez, while comparing the results with known extracts, such as the few brief chapters preserved in Greek by Syncellus during the ninth century."
- Andrew Collins, From the Ashes of Angels - The Forbidden Legacy of a Fallen Race (1996) p. 21
"The original Aramaic version was lost until the Dead Sea fragments were discovered."
"The original language of most of this work was, in all likelihood, Aramaic (an early Semitic language). Although the original version was lost in antiquity, portions of a Greek translation were discovered in Egypt and quotations were known from the Church Fathers. The discovery of the texts from Qumran Cave 4 has finally provided parts of the Aramaic original. ...Humankind is called on to observe how unchanging nature follows God's will."
- Milik, Jazef. T., ed. The Books of Enoch: Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4
Composition
"1 Enoch, preserved in a full, 108-chapter form in Ethiopic, consists of five parts and one appended chapter. It originated in Aramaic (perhaps Hebrew for chaps. 37-71), was translated into Greek, and from Greek into Ethiopic."
- James C. Vanderkam (Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at the University of Notre Dame)
"The Aramaic Book of Enoch...very considerably influenced the idiom of the New Testament and patristic literature, more so in fact than any other writing of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha."
- Norman Golb, Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?, (1995) p. 366
"As it now stands, I Enoch appears to consist of the following five major divisions:
(1) The Book of the Watchers (chaps. 1-36);
(2) The Book of the Similitudes (chaps. 37-7l)-,
(3) The Book of Astronomical Writings (chaps. 72-82);
(4) The Book of Dream Visions (chaps. 83-90); and
(5) The Book of the Epistle of Enoch (chaps. 91-107)."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 23
"Chaps. 1-36 The Book of the Watchers may date from the third century BCE. Parts of its text have been identified on several copies from Qumran cave 4; the earliest fragmentary manuscript (4QEnocha) dates, according to the editor J.T. Milk, to between 200 and 150 BCE. All Qumran copies are in the Aramaic language."
- James C. Vanderkam
"James Vanderkam divides the first part of 1 Enoch into five sections:
1-5 a theophany followed by an eschatological admonition
6-11 the angel story (stories)
12-16 Enoch and the failed petition of the angels who descended,
17-19 Enoch's first journey,
20-36 Enoch's second journey (chap. 20 is a list of angels who are connected with the journeys)."
- Tom Simms (CrossTalk)
"Chaps. 37-71 The Book of Parables (or the Similitudes of Enoch) may have been composed in the late first century BCE; a number of scholars prefer to place it in the first or even the second century CE. Milik assigns it to the late third century CE. No fragments of these chapters have been found at Qumran, and some think their original language was Hebrew, not Aramaic."
- James C. Vanderkam
"Chaps. 72-82 The Astronomical Book, like the Book of Watchers, may date from the third century BCE; the oldest copy of it seems to have been made not long after 200 BCE. Sizable portions of the text are preserved on four copies, written in Aramaic, from Qumran cave 4. The Aramaic original appears to have been much different and much longer than the Ethiopic text, adding far more astronomical details."
- James C. Vanderkam
Authorship
"A world view so encyclopaediac that it embraced the geography of heaven and earth, astronomy, meteorology, medicine was no part of Jewish tradition - but was familiar to educated Greeks, but attempting to emulate and surpass Greek wisdom, by having an integrating divine plan for destiny, elaborated through an angelic host with which Enoch is in communication through his mystical travels."
- Chris King, "The Apocalyptic Tradition"
Although the Book of Enoch is considered as apocryphal, it was clearly known to early Christian writers as the following quote from 1 Enoch 1:9 indicates:
"In the seventh (generation) from Adam Enoch also prophesied these things, saying: 'Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners spoke against him'."
- Jude 14-15
2 Enoch
"2 Enoch, or the Slavonic Apocalypse of Enoch, was written late first century C.E. in Egypt by a Jew. It survives only in late Old Slavonic manuscripts. It may have been composed originally in Aramaic or Hebrew, later being translated into Greek, and later still being translated into Old Slavonic. It is an amplification of Gen 5:21-32 (from Enoch to the Flood). Major theological themes include:
(1) God created the world out of nothing (24:2);
(2) seven heavens (30:2-3) and angelic hosts;
(3) God created the souls of men before the foundation of the earth (23:5);
(4) abodes of heaven and hell are already prepared for righteous and sinners; and
(5) ethical teachings, which at times parallel those of the NT and Proverbs."
- Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation, (1992) p. 23
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Wednesday, July 14, 2010
"Doc Notes" Lesson 2 Part 13
The Magnificent Seven
Gentle Reader,
My “vacation” is being spent in study Not a vacation for some but for me with nothing on my hands but time (see my study on time) it is “relaxing and rewarding”. As you should already know I like titles so this next few studies that we are considering of the seven most preeminent men to be found in the book of Genesis (there be more but these are my choices) Now to begin with lets consider why I would choose only seven.
SEVEN: Spiritual perfection and fullness or completion. It is the number of Covenant and of the Holy Spirit. 7 is the second perfect number.
In Hebrew 7 is shevah (shebah) from the root shava (shaba or sheba), to be full.
God rested on the seventh day (Saturday) after creation [Genesis 2:2]
To swear an oath in Hebrew is "to seven oneself"
There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (CCC#1831; Isaiah 11:1)
The sacred Menorah has 7 branches, six on each side of a central shaft, and 7 cup shaped lamps for the olive oil
There were 7 classes of furniture in the Tabernacle: Bronze Altar, Bronze Laver, Golden Menorah, Golden Table of the Bread of the Presence, Golden Altar of Incense, Ark of the Covenant, and the Seat of Atonement
The Tabernacle was built in 6 days and dedicated on the 7th [Exodus 40:17]
It took Solomon 7 years to build the Temple in Jerusalem. [ 1 Kings 6:37-38]
There are 7 holy annual feast days in the Sinai Covenant [Leviticus 23:1-44]
The Feast of Passover is the 1st month of the liturgical year but the 7th month of the civil year. [Exodus 12:1-2]
The Feast of Tabernacles completes the cycle of Holy Days on the 7th month of the liturgical year.[Leviticus 23:33-43]
There are multiple sevens in the Book of Revelation including
seven Spirits of God [ Revelation 4:5]
seven Seals [ Revelation 5:1]
seven Angels with Seven Chalices [ Revelation 15:5-7]
mammals and birds have a gestation of multiples of 7:
mouse: 21 days (3 x 7) cat 56 (8 x 7) Sheep 147 (21 x 7)
hare and rat, 28 ( 4x7 ) dog 63 (9 x 7) hen 21 (3 x 7)
humans 280 days ( 40 x 7) lion 98 (14 x 7) duck 42 (6 x 7)
With insects the ova are hatched in seven half-days (the wasp, bee, etc). But with other insects it is seven whole days. The majority of insects require from 14 (2x7) to 42 (6x7) days and the same applies to the larva state.
Man's pulse beats on the seven-day principle. For six days out of seven it beats faster in the morning than in the evening while on the seventh day it beats slower. The seventh day is the day of rest!
7 days in a week
7 colors in the spectrum'the seven colored rainbow was the sign of the covenant with Noah
There are 168 hours in a week = 7 x 24
So Gentle reader, I have determined to use the number seven hence the title of The Magnificent Seven, for the seven prominent men in Genesis.
1. Abel
And she again bare his brother Abel (Gen 4:2) - Literally, She added to bear (ותסף ללדת vattoseph laledeth) his brother. From the very face of this account it appears evident that Cain and Abel were twins. In most cases where a subject of this kind is introduced in the Holy Scriptures, and the successive births of children of the same parents are noted, the acts of conceiving and bringing forth are mentioned in reference to each child; here it is not said that she conceived and brought forth Abel, but simply she added to bring forth Abel his brother; that is, as I understand it, Cain was the first-born, Abel, his twin brother (?), came next.
Abel was a keeper of sheep - Adam was originally a gardener, Abel a shepherd, and Cain an agriculturist or farmer. These were the three primitive employments, and, I may add, the most rational, and consequently the best calculated to prevent strife and an immoderate love of the world.
What was the marked characteristic of Abel? His Name, his choice of occupation, his sacrifice, and the reflective comments of the New Testament concerning him, together mark him out as being distincitively and representatively the man of spiritual desire.
Cain the man of earthly desire is the first-born. Abel, the man of spiritual desire comes afterwards. The order is ever thus. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. (1Co 15:46) The name “Cain” means possession, pointing, as did Cains life, to hopes fixed on earthly things. Cain Literally possession; a spear.
The first-born son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 4). He became a tiller of the ground, as his brother Abel followed the pursuits of pastoral life. He was “a sullen, selfwilled, haughty, vindictive man; wanting the religious element in his character, and defiant even in his attitude towards God.” It came to pass “in process of time” (marg. “at the end of days”), i.e., probably on the Sabbath, that the two brothers presented their offerings to the Lord. Abel's offering was of the “firstlings of his flock and of the fat,” while Cain's was “of the fruit of the ground.” Abel's sacrifice was “more excellent” (Heb.11:4) than Cain's, and was accepted by God. On this account Cain was “very wroth,” and cherished feelings of murderous hatred against his brother, and was at length guilty of the desperate outrage of putting him to death (1John 3:12). For this crime he was expelled from Eden, and henceforth led the life of an exile, bearing upon him some mark which God had set upon him in answer to his own cry for mercy, so that thereby he might be protected from the wrath of his fellow-men; or it may be that God only gave him some sign to assure him that he would not be slain (Gen. 4:15). Doomed to be a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth, he went forth into the “land of Nod”, i.e., the land of “exile”, which is said to have been in the “east of Eden,” and there he builded a city, the first we read of, and called it after his son's name, Enoch. His descendants are enumerated to the sixth generation. They gradually degenerated in their moral and spiritual condition till they became wholly corrupt before God. This corruption prevailed, and at length the Deluge was sent by God to prevent the final triumph of evil.
The name “Abel” means exhalation (or vapour), speaking of ascent to higher regions. Cain a tiller of the ground, Abel a keeper of the sheep (perhaps a type of Christ) -the tent dwelling pilgrin, desiring something beyond. Cain goes “out from the presence of the Lord,” and busies himself with “cites” and with works “in brass and iron.” Abel reaches for better things But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6), seeking rest in God; suffering and dying in hope of the “better resurrection.” Cain ignoring what had transpired with his parents is all for a religion of self-culture, offering the fruit of that which is under the curse And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; (Gen 3:17)
Abel, the man of spiritual aspiration, offers a sacrifice which is at once an acknowledgment of his inability to hit the mark of the “holiness” of the Lord, and the expression of that strong desire for fellowship with God on the ground of forgiveness through sacrifice and faith. Abel, is the man of spiritual desire.
Next time we will consider Enoch...
To be continued......
.
*Note: something to think about
Gentle Reader,
My “vacation” is being spent in study Not a vacation for some but for me with nothing on my hands but time (see my study on time) it is “relaxing and rewarding”. As you should already know I like titles so this next few studies that we are considering of the seven most preeminent men to be found in the book of Genesis (there be more but these are my choices) Now to begin with lets consider why I would choose only seven.
SEVEN: Spiritual perfection and fullness or completion. It is the number of Covenant and of the Holy Spirit. 7 is the second perfect number.
In Hebrew 7 is shevah (shebah) from the root shava (shaba or sheba), to be full.
God rested on the seventh day (Saturday) after creation [Genesis 2:2]
To swear an oath in Hebrew is "to seven oneself"
There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (CCC#1831; Isaiah 11:1)
The sacred Menorah has 7 branches, six on each side of a central shaft, and 7 cup shaped lamps for the olive oil
There were 7 classes of furniture in the Tabernacle: Bronze Altar, Bronze Laver, Golden Menorah, Golden Table of the Bread of the Presence, Golden Altar of Incense, Ark of the Covenant, and the Seat of Atonement
The Tabernacle was built in 6 days and dedicated on the 7th [Exodus 40:17]
It took Solomon 7 years to build the Temple in Jerusalem. [ 1 Kings 6:37-38]
There are 7 holy annual feast days in the Sinai Covenant [Leviticus 23:1-44]
The Feast of Passover is the 1st month of the liturgical year but the 7th month of the civil year. [Exodus 12:1-2]
The Feast of Tabernacles completes the cycle of Holy Days on the 7th month of the liturgical year.[Leviticus 23:33-43]
There are multiple sevens in the Book of Revelation including
seven Spirits of God [ Revelation 4:5]
seven Seals [ Revelation 5:1]
seven Angels with Seven Chalices [ Revelation 15:5-7]
mammals and birds have a gestation of multiples of 7:
mouse: 21 days (3 x 7) cat 56 (8 x 7) Sheep 147 (21 x 7)
hare and rat, 28 ( 4x7 ) dog 63 (9 x 7) hen 21 (3 x 7)
humans 280 days ( 40 x 7) lion 98 (14 x 7) duck 42 (6 x 7)
With insects the ova are hatched in seven half-days (the wasp, bee, etc). But with other insects it is seven whole days. The majority of insects require from 14 (2x7) to 42 (6x7) days and the same applies to the larva state.
Man's pulse beats on the seven-day principle. For six days out of seven it beats faster in the morning than in the evening while on the seventh day it beats slower. The seventh day is the day of rest!
7 days in a week
7 colors in the spectrum'the seven colored rainbow was the sign of the covenant with Noah
There are 168 hours in a week = 7 x 24
So Gentle reader, I have determined to use the number seven hence the title of The Magnificent Seven, for the seven prominent men in Genesis.
1. Abel
And she again bare his brother Abel (Gen 4:2) - Literally, She added to bear (ותסף ללדת vattoseph laledeth) his brother. From the very face of this account it appears evident that Cain and Abel were twins. In most cases where a subject of this kind is introduced in the Holy Scriptures, and the successive births of children of the same parents are noted, the acts of conceiving and bringing forth are mentioned in reference to each child; here it is not said that she conceived and brought forth Abel, but simply she added to bring forth Abel his brother; that is, as I understand it, Cain was the first-born, Abel, his twin brother (?), came next.
Abel was a keeper of sheep - Adam was originally a gardener, Abel a shepherd, and Cain an agriculturist or farmer. These were the three primitive employments, and, I may add, the most rational, and consequently the best calculated to prevent strife and an immoderate love of the world.
What was the marked characteristic of Abel? His Name, his choice of occupation, his sacrifice, and the reflective comments of the New Testament concerning him, together mark him out as being distincitively and representatively the man of spiritual desire.
Cain the man of earthly desire is the first-born. Abel, the man of spiritual desire comes afterwards. The order is ever thus. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. (1Co 15:46) The name “Cain” means possession, pointing, as did Cains life, to hopes fixed on earthly things. Cain Literally possession; a spear.
The first-born son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 4). He became a tiller of the ground, as his brother Abel followed the pursuits of pastoral life. He was “a sullen, selfwilled, haughty, vindictive man; wanting the religious element in his character, and defiant even in his attitude towards God.” It came to pass “in process of time” (marg. “at the end of days”), i.e., probably on the Sabbath, that the two brothers presented their offerings to the Lord. Abel's offering was of the “firstlings of his flock and of the fat,” while Cain's was “of the fruit of the ground.” Abel's sacrifice was “more excellent” (Heb.11:4) than Cain's, and was accepted by God. On this account Cain was “very wroth,” and cherished feelings of murderous hatred against his brother, and was at length guilty of the desperate outrage of putting him to death (1John 3:12). For this crime he was expelled from Eden, and henceforth led the life of an exile, bearing upon him some mark which God had set upon him in answer to his own cry for mercy, so that thereby he might be protected from the wrath of his fellow-men; or it may be that God only gave him some sign to assure him that he would not be slain (Gen. 4:15). Doomed to be a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth, he went forth into the “land of Nod”, i.e., the land of “exile”, which is said to have been in the “east of Eden,” and there he builded a city, the first we read of, and called it after his son's name, Enoch. His descendants are enumerated to the sixth generation. They gradually degenerated in their moral and spiritual condition till they became wholly corrupt before God. This corruption prevailed, and at length the Deluge was sent by God to prevent the final triumph of evil.
The name “Abel” means exhalation (or vapour), speaking of ascent to higher regions. Cain a tiller of the ground, Abel a keeper of the sheep (perhaps a type of Christ) -the tent dwelling pilgrin, desiring something beyond. Cain goes “out from the presence of the Lord,” and busies himself with “cites” and with works “in brass and iron.” Abel reaches for better things But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6), seeking rest in God; suffering and dying in hope of the “better resurrection.” Cain ignoring what had transpired with his parents is all for a religion of self-culture, offering the fruit of that which is under the curse And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; (Gen 3:17)
Abel, the man of spiritual aspiration, offers a sacrifice which is at once an acknowledgment of his inability to hit the mark of the “holiness” of the Lord, and the expression of that strong desire for fellowship with God on the ground of forgiveness through sacrifice and faith. Abel, is the man of spiritual desire.
Next time we will consider Enoch...
To be continued......
.
*Note: something to think about
Monday, June 28, 2010
"Doc Notes" Lesson 2 Part 12
The Genesis Project Last studies
Gentle reader,
Last time we mentioned seven great men of Genesis. If we want to know the awful capabilities of the potential for evil which can be seen in the Adamic human nature, we need only to look at and trace the Cain line through its culture, earthly-mindedness vanity, violence and rebellion against God. Cain whose name means
kayn (ין, ḳayin, “spear” or “smith,” resembling in sound the root kanah, “get,” “acquire,” Gen_4:1 the Revised Version, margin, but not necessarily derived from that root; Septuagint Kain):
A possession; a spear.
The first-born son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 4). He became a tiller of the ground, as his brother Abel followed the pursuits of pastoral life. He was “a sullen, selfwilled, haughty, vindictive man; wanting the religious element in his character, and defiant even in his attitude towards God.” It came to pass “in process of time” (marg. “at the end of days”), i.e., probably on the Sabbath, that the two brothers presented their offerings to the Lord. Abel's offering was of the “firstlings of his flock and of the fat,” while Cain's was “of the fruit of the ground.” Abel's sacrifice was “more excellent” (Heb_11:4) than Cain's, and was accepted by God. On this account Cain was “very wroth,” and cherished feelings of murderous hatred against his brother, and was at length guilty of the desperate outrage of putting him to death (1Jo_3:12). For this crime he was expelled from Eden, and henceforth led the life of an exile, bearing upon him some mark which God had set upon him in answer to his own cry for mercy, so that thereby he might be protected from the wrath of his fellow-men; or it may be that God only gave him some sign to assure him that he would not be slain (Gen_4:15). Doomed to be a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth, he went forth into the “land of Nod”, i.e., the land of “exile”, which is said to have been in the “east of Eden,” and there he builded a city, the first we read of, and called it after his son's name, Enoch. His descendants are enumerated to the sixth generation. They gradually degenerated in their moral and spiritual condition till they became wholly corrupt before God. This corruption prevailed, and at length the Deluge was sent by God to prevent the final triumph of evil.
If we would know what can come from the same human natureand material when under the renewing and transforming power of Divine Grace, we need to follow the line of the men of faith.
There are seven such men in Genesis standing out in unmistakable prominence. They are able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. That these seven do indeed have a peculiar prominence and significance is indicated by the fact that, under the guidance of the inspiring of the the breath of God, the writer of this epistle to the Hebrews picks them out, as distinct from all others, for inclusion in that classic New testament catalogue of Old Testament worthies.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: (Heb 11:4-9). By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. (Heb 11:21-22)
Next time we will note the outstanding characteristics of these men.
To be continued...
Gentle reader,
Last time we mentioned seven great men of Genesis. If we want to know the awful capabilities of the potential for evil which can be seen in the Adamic human nature, we need only to look at and trace the Cain line through its culture, earthly-mindedness vanity, violence and rebellion against God. Cain whose name means
kayn (ין, ḳayin, “spear” or “smith,” resembling in sound the root kanah, “get,” “acquire,” Gen_4:1 the Revised Version, margin, but not necessarily derived from that root; Septuagint Kain):
A possession; a spear.
The first-born son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 4). He became a tiller of the ground, as his brother Abel followed the pursuits of pastoral life. He was “a sullen, selfwilled, haughty, vindictive man; wanting the religious element in his character, and defiant even in his attitude towards God.” It came to pass “in process of time” (marg. “at the end of days”), i.e., probably on the Sabbath, that the two brothers presented their offerings to the Lord. Abel's offering was of the “firstlings of his flock and of the fat,” while Cain's was “of the fruit of the ground.” Abel's sacrifice was “more excellent” (Heb_11:4) than Cain's, and was accepted by God. On this account Cain was “very wroth,” and cherished feelings of murderous hatred against his brother, and was at length guilty of the desperate outrage of putting him to death (1Jo_3:12). For this crime he was expelled from Eden, and henceforth led the life of an exile, bearing upon him some mark which God had set upon him in answer to his own cry for mercy, so that thereby he might be protected from the wrath of his fellow-men; or it may be that God only gave him some sign to assure him that he would not be slain (Gen_4:15). Doomed to be a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth, he went forth into the “land of Nod”, i.e., the land of “exile”, which is said to have been in the “east of Eden,” and there he builded a city, the first we read of, and called it after his son's name, Enoch. His descendants are enumerated to the sixth generation. They gradually degenerated in their moral and spiritual condition till they became wholly corrupt before God. This corruption prevailed, and at length the Deluge was sent by God to prevent the final triumph of evil.
If we would know what can come from the same human natureand material when under the renewing and transforming power of Divine Grace, we need to follow the line of the men of faith.
There are seven such men in Genesis standing out in unmistakable prominence. They are able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. That these seven do indeed have a peculiar prominence and significance is indicated by the fact that, under the guidance of the inspiring of the the breath of God, the writer of this epistle to the Hebrews picks them out, as distinct from all others, for inclusion in that classic New testament catalogue of Old Testament worthies.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: (Heb 11:4-9). By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. (Heb 11:21-22)
Next time we will note the outstanding characteristics of these men.
To be continued...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Doc Notes Lesson 2 Part 11
Last studies in Genesis
Gentle Readers,
Well as you might imagine we have been busy changing over to our “new” scriptural studies site! I told Marti that I wasn’t going to move any more but after more moves that Bobby Fischer (the World’s Chess Champion) I had enough! (But if the right offer came along....
At any rate we are going to look at Genesis one more time. Some have ask me why I don’t go into any depth that what I have especially with my background. The answer is to be quite frank, simple, most can’t understand what we are saying anyway, and the purpose is to educate those wanting to grow in their understanding, not those looking for quick answers to fit into their particular doctrinarian position.
After this study we (Marti and I will take a sabbatical our last for me anyway was in 1996 a very good year).
Thus far we have not given separate consideration to the four pivotal persons-Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, around whom the whole of the narrative revolves in the second part of the Book of Genesis Chapters 12-50. But in this present study they come under review, though as part of a larger theme. I will give here some final examples of the type-teaching in Genesis, and them make certain closing suggestions about the further study of the Book, along with your first set of questions for your personal study.
The principal personalities which are brought successively before us in the Book of Genesis all have a typical significance. That is so clearly shown by New Testament references such as that in which Paul speaks of Ishmael and Isaac as representing the two covenants “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband”. (Gal 4:22-27), and at the same time representing two natures “that which is after the flesh” and that which is after the spirit” (Gal 4:29). The priestking Melchizedek is another example (Heb. 7); and the first man of all, Adam, is declared to be a “figure (type) of Him that was to come. (Rom. 5:14).
Turning then, to the main figures in Genesis, we observe, that not only are some of them types of persons ( as for example Isaac and Juoseph are a types of Christ), but when viewed collectively they typify progressive stages of spiritual experience.
The first man, Adam, besides being (in his relationships) a type of Christ, is (in his fallen state) a type of natural man, or might we we say of unregenerate human nature. He is referred to again and again in the New Testament (Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Rom 6:6) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Eph 4:22) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Col 3:9). Now one of the leading purports of Genesis seems to be that all which springs from the first Adam-all that which can spring from him, both good and ill, both by nature and through the influence of Divine grace. So we come to the matter of what has been called by Augustine “original sin”! Which to Augustine was the deliberate fall of man. But in reality was the deception of Satan. Adam and eve were actually duped to believe that Satan was helping them when in fact it was a test of God. Would God rescue His own creation. The Word was given. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Gen 2:16-17)
Here too the man was to commence his own spiritual development. To this end God had planted two trees in the midst of the garden of Eden; the one to train his spirit through the exercise of obedience to the word of God, the other to transform his earthly nature into the spiritual essence of eternal life. These trees received their names from their relation to man, that is to say, from the effect which the eating of their fruit was destined to produce upon human life and its development. The fruit of the tree of life conferred the power of eternal, immortal life; and the tree of knowledge was planted, to lead men to the knowledge of good and evil. The knowledge of good and evil was no mere experience of good and ill, but a moral element in that spiritual development, through which the man created in the image of God was to attain to the filling out of that nature, which had already been planned in the likeness of God. For not to know what good and evil are, is a sign of either the immaturity of infancy (Deu: 1:39), or the imbecility of age (2Sam: 19:35); whereas the power to distinguish good and evil is commended as the gift of a king (1Kings 3:9) and the wisdom of angels (2Sam: 14:17), and in the highest sense is ascribed to God Himself
Why then did God prohibit man from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with the threat that, as soon as he ate thereof, he would surely die? (The inf. abs. before the finite verb intensifies the latter: ). Are we to regard the tree as poisonous, and suppose that some fatal property resided in the fruit? A supposition which so completely ignores the ethical nature of sin is neither warranted by the antithesis, nor by what is said in Gen: 3:22 of the tree of life, nor by the fact that the eating of the forbidden fruit was actually the cause of death. Even in the case of the tree of life, the power is not to be sought in the physical character of the fruit. No earthly fruit possesses the power to give immortality to the life which it helps to sustain. Life is not rooted in man's corporeal nature; it was in his spiritual nature that it had its origin, and from this it derives its stability and permanence also. It may, indeed, be brought to an end through the destruction of the body; but it cannot be exalted to perpetual duration, i.e., to immortality, through its preservation and sustenance. And this applies quite as much to the original nature of man, as to man after the fall. A body formed from earthly materials could not be essentially immortal: it would of necessity either be turned to earth, and fall into dust again, or be transformed by the spirit into the immortality of the soul. The power which transforms corporeality into immortality is spiritual in its nature, and could only be imparted to the earthly tree or its fruit through the word of God, through a special operation of the Spirit of God, an operation which we can only picture to ourselves as sacramental in its character, rendering earthly elements the receptacles and vehicles of celestial powers. God had given such a sacramental nature and significance to the two trees in the midst of the garden, that their fruit could and would produce supersensual, mental, and spiritual effects upon the nature of the first human pair. The tree of life was to impart the power of transformation into eternal life. The tree of knowledge was to lead man to the knowledge of good and evil; and, according to the divine intention, this was to be attained through his not eating of its fruit. This end was to be accomplished, not only by his discerning in the limit imposed by the prohibition the difference between that which accorded with the will of God and that which opposed it, but also by his coming eventually, through obedience to the prohibition, to recognise the fact that all that is opposed to the will of God is an evil to be avoided, and, through voluntary resistance to such evil, to the full development of the freedom of choice originally imparted to him into the actual freedom of a deliberate and self-conscious choice of good. By obedience to the divine will he would have attained to a godlike knowledge of good and evil, i.e., to one in accordance with his own likeness to God. He would have detected the evil in the approaching tempter; but instead of yielding to it, he would have resisted it, and thus have made good his own property acquired with consciousness and of his own free-will, and in this way by proper self-determination would gradually have advanced to the possession of the truest liberty. But as he failed to keep this divinely appointed way, and ate the forbidden fruit in opposition to the command of God, the power imparted by God to the fruit was manifested in a different way. He learned the difference between good and evil from his own guilty experience, and by receiving the evil into his own soul, fell a victim to the threatened death. Thus through his own fault the tree, which should have helped him to attain true freedom, brought nothing but the sham liberty of sin, and with it death, and that without any demoniacal power of destruction being conjured into the tree itself, or any fatal poison being hidden in its fruit.
To Be continued....
Note: Judaism holds no concept of original sin. According to Christian belief, all human beings are born into the world with a sinful nature because of the transgression of Adam (Romans 5:12-21). Judaism's emphasis is not on original sin but original virtue and righteousness. Although Judaism acknowledges that man does commit acts of sin, there is not a sense of man being totally depraved or unworthy as is found in Christian theology.
Gentle Readers,
Well as you might imagine we have been busy changing over to our “new” scriptural studies site! I told Marti that I wasn’t going to move any more but after more moves that Bobby Fischer (the World’s Chess Champion) I had enough! (But if the right offer came along....
At any rate we are going to look at Genesis one more time. Some have ask me why I don’t go into any depth that what I have especially with my background. The answer is to be quite frank, simple, most can’t understand what we are saying anyway, and the purpose is to educate those wanting to grow in their understanding, not those looking for quick answers to fit into their particular doctrinarian position.
After this study we (Marti and I will take a sabbatical our last for me anyway was in 1996 a very good year).
Thus far we have not given separate consideration to the four pivotal persons-Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, around whom the whole of the narrative revolves in the second part of the Book of Genesis Chapters 12-50. But in this present study they come under review, though as part of a larger theme. I will give here some final examples of the type-teaching in Genesis, and them make certain closing suggestions about the further study of the Book, along with your first set of questions for your personal study.
The principal personalities which are brought successively before us in the Book of Genesis all have a typical significance. That is so clearly shown by New Testament references such as that in which Paul speaks of Ishmael and Isaac as representing the two covenants “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband”. (Gal 4:22-27), and at the same time representing two natures “that which is after the flesh” and that which is after the spirit” (Gal 4:29). The priestking Melchizedek is another example (Heb. 7); and the first man of all, Adam, is declared to be a “figure (type) of Him that was to come. (Rom. 5:14).
Turning then, to the main figures in Genesis, we observe, that not only are some of them types of persons ( as for example Isaac and Juoseph are a types of Christ), but when viewed collectively they typify progressive stages of spiritual experience.
The first man, Adam, besides being (in his relationships) a type of Christ, is (in his fallen state) a type of natural man, or might we we say of unregenerate human nature. He is referred to again and again in the New Testament (Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Rom 6:6) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Eph 4:22) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Col 3:9). Now one of the leading purports of Genesis seems to be that all which springs from the first Adam-all that which can spring from him, both good and ill, both by nature and through the influence of Divine grace. So we come to the matter of what has been called by Augustine “original sin”! Which to Augustine was the deliberate fall of man. But in reality was the deception of Satan. Adam and eve were actually duped to believe that Satan was helping them when in fact it was a test of God. Would God rescue His own creation. The Word was given. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Gen 2:16-17)
Here too the man was to commence his own spiritual development. To this end God had planted two trees in the midst of the garden of Eden; the one to train his spirit through the exercise of obedience to the word of God, the other to transform his earthly nature into the spiritual essence of eternal life. These trees received their names from their relation to man, that is to say, from the effect which the eating of their fruit was destined to produce upon human life and its development. The fruit of the tree of life conferred the power of eternal, immortal life; and the tree of knowledge was planted, to lead men to the knowledge of good and evil. The knowledge of good and evil was no mere experience of good and ill, but a moral element in that spiritual development, through which the man created in the image of God was to attain to the filling out of that nature, which had already been planned in the likeness of God. For not to know what good and evil are, is a sign of either the immaturity of infancy (Deu: 1:39), or the imbecility of age (2Sam: 19:35); whereas the power to distinguish good and evil is commended as the gift of a king (1Kings 3:9) and the wisdom of angels (2Sam: 14:17), and in the highest sense is ascribed to God Himself
Why then did God prohibit man from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with the threat that, as soon as he ate thereof, he would surely die? (The inf. abs. before the finite verb intensifies the latter: ). Are we to regard the tree as poisonous, and suppose that some fatal property resided in the fruit? A supposition which so completely ignores the ethical nature of sin is neither warranted by the antithesis, nor by what is said in Gen: 3:22 of the tree of life, nor by the fact that the eating of the forbidden fruit was actually the cause of death. Even in the case of the tree of life, the power is not to be sought in the physical character of the fruit. No earthly fruit possesses the power to give immortality to the life which it helps to sustain. Life is not rooted in man's corporeal nature; it was in his spiritual nature that it had its origin, and from this it derives its stability and permanence also. It may, indeed, be brought to an end through the destruction of the body; but it cannot be exalted to perpetual duration, i.e., to immortality, through its preservation and sustenance. And this applies quite as much to the original nature of man, as to man after the fall. A body formed from earthly materials could not be essentially immortal: it would of necessity either be turned to earth, and fall into dust again, or be transformed by the spirit into the immortality of the soul. The power which transforms corporeality into immortality is spiritual in its nature, and could only be imparted to the earthly tree or its fruit through the word of God, through a special operation of the Spirit of God, an operation which we can only picture to ourselves as sacramental in its character, rendering earthly elements the receptacles and vehicles of celestial powers. God had given such a sacramental nature and significance to the two trees in the midst of the garden, that their fruit could and would produce supersensual, mental, and spiritual effects upon the nature of the first human pair. The tree of life was to impart the power of transformation into eternal life. The tree of knowledge was to lead man to the knowledge of good and evil; and, according to the divine intention, this was to be attained through his not eating of its fruit. This end was to be accomplished, not only by his discerning in the limit imposed by the prohibition the difference between that which accorded with the will of God and that which opposed it, but also by his coming eventually, through obedience to the prohibition, to recognise the fact that all that is opposed to the will of God is an evil to be avoided, and, through voluntary resistance to such evil, to the full development of the freedom of choice originally imparted to him into the actual freedom of a deliberate and self-conscious choice of good. By obedience to the divine will he would have attained to a godlike knowledge of good and evil, i.e., to one in accordance with his own likeness to God. He would have detected the evil in the approaching tempter; but instead of yielding to it, he would have resisted it, and thus have made good his own property acquired with consciousness and of his own free-will, and in this way by proper self-determination would gradually have advanced to the possession of the truest liberty. But as he failed to keep this divinely appointed way, and ate the forbidden fruit in opposition to the command of God, the power imparted by God to the fruit was manifested in a different way. He learned the difference between good and evil from his own guilty experience, and by receiving the evil into his own soul, fell a victim to the threatened death. Thus through his own fault the tree, which should have helped him to attain true freedom, brought nothing but the sham liberty of sin, and with it death, and that without any demoniacal power of destruction being conjured into the tree itself, or any fatal poison being hidden in its fruit.
To Be continued....
Note: Judaism holds no concept of original sin. According to Christian belief, all human beings are born into the world with a sinful nature because of the transgression of Adam (Romans 5:12-21). Judaism's emphasis is not on original sin but original virtue and righteousness. Although Judaism acknowledges that man does commit acts of sin, there is not a sense of man being totally depraved or unworthy as is found in Christian theology.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Sabbatical
A message to all members of Scripture Studies
Gentle Readers,
We are on extended sabbatical . Sorry that we can not respond to your urgent emails, you may contact one of the other at scripture Institute. Or you may leave messages with Rabbi Del and Rifkah, Plumber, Dr. Ley or Minister Donna Dixon at http://scripturestudies.spruz.com ("Where scholarship and study meet". A study and social network an outreach of Scripture Institute). Sabbatical or a sabbatical (from Latin sabbaticus, from Greek sabbatikos, from Hebrew shabbat, i.e., Sabbath, literally a "ceasing") is a rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year. The concept of sabbatical has a source in shmita, described several places in the Bible (Leviticus 25, for example, where there is a commandment to desist from working the fields in the seventh year). In the strict sense, therefore, sabbatical lasts a year.
Cheers,
Dr's Denis and Marti O'Callaghan
Gentle Readers,
We are on extended sabbatical . Sorry that we can not respond to your urgent emails, you may contact one of the other at scripture Institute. Or you may leave messages with Rabbi Del and Rifkah, Plumber, Dr. Ley or Minister Donna Dixon at http://scripturestudies.spruz.com ("Where scholarship and study meet". A study and social network an outreach of Scripture Institute). Sabbatical or a sabbatical (from Latin sabbaticus, from Greek sabbatikos, from Hebrew shabbat, i.e., Sabbath, literally a "ceasing") is a rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year. The concept of sabbatical has a source in shmita, described several places in the Bible (Leviticus 25, for example, where there is a commandment to desist from working the fields in the seventh year). In the strict sense, therefore, sabbatical lasts a year.
Cheers,
Dr's Denis and Marti O'Callaghan
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Re: new web sites
Welcome to the new and improved Scriptural studies site.
http://scripturestudies.spruz.com ("Where scholarship and study meet". A study and social network an outreach of Scripture Institute)
Please take a few minutes to acquaint yourself with the changes that have been made and are being made as we grow. In order fully participate you will have to join the site with your own private password and then join the groups that you are interested. We will be combining some groups and deleting others.
Also you may want to note that at our library reading site there are other study groups that you'll want to check out http://scripturalstudies.webs.com. (Scripture Institute Library)
There are some groups and studies that you may not recognize but are or will be important to your walk with Him.
Christianity 101- This group page is primarly being used to teach through the Bible.The Bible is such an endless book and there are so many ways to study. One may study the books of the Bible spiritually, historically, typically, topically, prophetically, dispensationally, analytically, biographically, critically, devotionally to name just a few. The method I am to use is what I would call interpretative. That is to say we shall study the books of the Bible interpretatively. We shall seek to get hold of the controlling thought, the outstanding meaning and message of each book, and then see it in relation to the other books of Scripture. Each book contains within it a " KEY" that will provide the significance of what is written.
Pauline studies
Pauline studies is a sub-discipline within the larger framework of New Testament studies, which itself is in an even greater realm of the discipline of Biblical Studies (encompassing both the O.T. and N.T.). It involves many studies such as: The Pauline theology, What letters did Paul really write? What was Paul's theology Jewish or Christian ? Was there a center to his theology? What is the background to his letters and thought? What was his knowledge of Jesus?
For Thinking Christians A new group dedicated to the principle of study/thought similar to the Rabbinic talmudThe Talmud "instruction, learning", from a oot "teach, study") is a central text of mainstream Judaism, in the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law,ethics, philosophy, customs and history.
The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah (c. 200 CE), the first written compendium of Judaism's Oral Law; and theGemara (c. 500 CE), a discussion of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures onto other subjects and expounds broadly on the Tanakh.
The terms Talmud and Gemara are often used interchangeably. The Gemara is the basis for all codes of rabbinic law and is much quoted in other rabbinic literature . The whole Talmud is also traditionally referred to as Shas , a Hebrew abbreviation of shisha sedarim, the "six orders" of the Mishnah.
Some old favorites
Sunday Brunch with Denis and Marti:- Where we gather after your own fellowship at "church" to share a thought or two with hot steamimg Irish coffee and cream cheese muffins (my own recipe).
Recomended reading - Books on every subject from a biblical perspective- Philosophy, Psychology, Ethics, History, Bible study, Science, Education etc.
New Studies from the old and new testamentsJob, Ecclesiastes, Hosea, Song of Solomon, Psalms, Proverbs, Ruth, Esther etc.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, 1, 2, 3 John The Pauline epistles, etc.
Bible Difficulties Answered: There are no "real" difficulties just concepts not yet considered. What are you having difficultyunderstanding? Here you may find an answer to that question that has puzzled you.
Basic and advanced Theology : Theology is the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth a particular system or school of religious beliefs and teachings; "Jewish theology"; "Roman Catholic theology" the learned profession acquired by specialized courses in religion (usually taught at a college or seminary); "he studied theology at Oxford" All for free here!
Videos, groups, photos, humor, old friends and new, shout outs, Q&A, links and so much more.
Scriptural studies is the place to come and the Irish influence as well.
The Scripture Institute team
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Doc Notes: Gleanings from Genesis Lesson 2 Part 10 Types and meanings
Gentle reader,
It is our intention to understand how God speaks to us through His word and how the writers that He used, spoke, as Peter said "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2Pe 1:21) The whole Scripture, all the prophetic writings; so the Jews call the Scriptures הנבואה, "the prophecy" (g), by way of eminence, and from the subject matter of the sacred word: came not in old time by the will of man; was not brought into the world at first, or in any period of time, as and when man would, according to his pleasure, and as he thought fit: neither Moses, nor David, nor Isaiah, nor Jeremiah, nor Ezekiel, nor Daniel, nor any other of the prophets, prophesied when they pleased, but when it was the will of God they should; they were stirred up to prophesy, not by any human impulse, but by a divine influence: with this agrees what R. Sangari says,
"that the speech of the prophets, when the Holy Spirit clothed them, in all their words was directed by a divine influence, and the prophet could not speak in the choice of his own words,''
or according to his will:
but holy men of God; such as he sanctified by his Spirit, and separated from the rest of men to such peculiar service; and whom he employed as public ministers of his word: for so this phrase "men", or "man of God", often signifies, 1Sam 2:27. spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; who illuminated their minds, gave them a knowledge of divine things, and a foresight of future ones; dictated to them what they should say or write; and moved upon them strongly, and by a secret and powerful impulse stirred them up to deliver what they did, in the name and fear of God: which shows the authority of the Scriptures, that they are the word of God, and not of men; and as such should be attended to, and received with all affection and reverence; and that the Spirit is the best interpreter of them, who first dictated them; and that they are to be the rule of our faith and practice; nor are we to expect any other, until the second coming of Christ.
(g) R. Eliahu in Adderet apud Trigland. de Sect Karaeorum, c. 10. p. 153.
A type may be said to be any person, object, event, act, or institution divinely adapted to represent some spiritual reality, or to prefigure some person or truth to be later revealed.
An antitype is one that is foreshadowed by or identified with an earlier symbol or type, such as a figure in the New Testament who has a counterpart in the Old Testament. An opposite or contrasting type.
It is well in this early stages of these studies that we should have a clear idea of the presence and purpose of type; and the Book of Genesis which we are now studying is singularly rich in types.
In our interpretation and application of types there are two precautions which should always be born in mind. First: no doctrine or theory should ever be built on a type ot types independently of direct teaching elsewhere in Scripture. Types are meant to amplify and vivify doctrine, but not to originate it. They are illuminative but not foundational. Their purpose is it illustrate, not to formulate. This should be obvious in the very nature of the case, for they are types, then they are not originals, but representations of things other than themselves; and unless the realities which they typify existed, the types themselves could not exist. Thus, types are dependent, and must not be used independently to authenticate doctrine.
Second: The parallelism between type and antitype should not be pressed to fanciful extremes . Types it would seem, are not meant to be exact replicas of those things which they typify, but to enrich and illumine our understanding of more essential features in the antitype. When the interpretation of types is carried into insignificant minutiae it degenerates into imaginative allegorizing, which has many dangers.
Values of typology
For example we are told that Joseph is a type of Christ, yet who can read that wonderful Old Testament record in the light of New Testament history without recognizing in Joseph -beloved, humiliated, exalted (not to mention the variety of contributory details)- one of the clearest and fullest types of Christ anywhere in the Scriptures? We hold the writers of the New Testament, like those of the Old, were men inspired by the spirit of God; and because of this their word has a unique authority with us. It has been said the New Testament is but a commentary to the Old. Studied with good sense and a careful eye to New testament teaching, the typology of the Old Testament is a priceless treasure mine to the Bible student, and should on no account be neglected.
Below are just a few of types in Genesis that one would do well to study out for himself/herself.
Adam - type of Christ
Cain and Abel - carnal vs spiritual
Enoch - The coming Translation
Flood survivors - the Church
Lot - type of worldly believer
Melchizedek - type of Christ
all of these and many more are deep wells of truth; truth which, when it is brought to the surface, is clear and fresh as it is deep and hidden.
We will close for now, but if the student is interested we could recommend:
The typology of Scripture: viewed in connection with the whole series of the divine dispensations by Patrick Fairbairn
Next time Gentle Reader we will close our study of Genesis with consideration of four pivotal persons. And move on the the Book of Exodus.
Love,
Denis
Friday, April 02, 2010
"Doc Notes" types in Genesis Lesson 2 part 9
Gentle reader,
It’s time to separate the children from the adults, which sounds harsh but in fact you will be better served if as a professor once said in Graduate school, "Look to your left and to your right, two of you will not be here next time" Which one will remain? We are going to take a breather, but in saying that what I mean is we are going to go a wee bit deeper that your average Bible study, or Seminary or Bible course. We want to comprehend how God teaches and to do that we will consider the subject of Interpretation or better known to Bible scholars as the science of Hermeneutics. Which means basically "the art or science of interpretation, as of literary or religious texts" Now before you go to sleep, think about this anyone and everyone who reads anything interprets! Even if you only read the comics, if you read comics! Every one reading the Bible brings with them certain preconceived notions of what the Scripture is saying to them. Honest Bible students, of which I want to be-and so do you I believe, want to know first of all what Scripture says and then we can safely apply the meaning to that question that we may have.
To understand anything, one would have to know the history of the subject matter, the mind of the writer, the circumstances in which he writes. Not all are skilled linguists, however able to read the Hebrew scriptures in the original language or the New Testament in Greek, and then to supplement those linguistic skills with an array of Theological, historical, philosophical, philogical and analytical skills such as will make us masters of the fields of translation and interpretation. Few clergy, and alas even fewer laity, now possess sufficient of these skills to be reliant upon themselves alone.
The Bible is divine yet it has come to us in human form. The commands of God are absolute, yet the historic context of the writings appears to relativize certain elements. The divine message must be clear, yet many passages seem ambiguous. We are dependent only on the Spirit for instruction, yet scholarship is surely necessary. The Scriptures seem to presuppose a literal and historical reading, yet we are confronted by the figurative and non historical, e.g. parables. In other words simply put, many of us are not willing to see that God writes, by His Spirit, the same way human authors do, with figures of speech, illustrations, examples, and last but not least types. The objectivity of the message of Scripture is essential, yet our presuppositions seem to inject a degree of subjectivity into the interpretive process.
These issues reflect the history of the interpretation of the Bible. Hermeneutics is the technical term for the discipline of interpretation, and the history of interpretation is how people in various ages and from various traditions have come to terms with the complexities that these assumptions and concerns represent. If we are to understand how God speaks to His people in every age and guide them from the First Century through the middle ages to the twenty-first century. Then we need to understand the Bible "as it is" we are going to have to make an effort to understand how it came to be "as it is."
The Bible furnishes abundant evidence of the presence of types and of typical instruction in the Sacred Word. The New Testament attests this fact. It takes up a large number of persons and things and events of former dispensations, and it treats them as adumbrations and prophecies of the future. A generation ago a widespread interest in the study of typology prevailed; latterly the interest has largely subsided, chiefly because of the vagaries and extravagances which attended its treatment on the part of not a few writers. Pressing the typical teaching of Scripture so far as to imperil the historical validity of God's word is both dangerous and certain to be followed by reaction and neglect of the subject.
1. Definition of Type
The word "type" is derived from a Greek term tupoV (tupos), which occurs 16 times in the New Testament. It is variously translated in the King James Version, e.g. twice "print" (John 20:25); twice "figure" (Acts 7:43; Romans 5:14); twice "pattern" (Titus 2:7; Hebrews 8:5); once "fashion" (Acts 7:44); once "manner" (Acts 23:25); once "form" (Romans 6:17); and seven times "example" (1 Corinthians 10:6,11; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 5:3). It is clear from these texts that the New Testament writers use the word "type" with some degree of latitude; yet one general idea is common to all, namely, "likeness." A person, event or thing is so fashioned or appointed as to resemble another; the one is made to answer to the other in some essential feature; in some particulars the one matches the other. The two are called type and antitype; and the link which binds them together is the correspondence, the similarity, of the one with the other.
Three other words in the New Testament express the same general idea. One is "shadow" (skia, skia, Hebrews 10:1), "For the law having a shadow of the good things to come"--as if the substance or reality that was still future cast its shadow backward into the old economy. "Shadow" implies dimness and transitoriness; but it also implies a measure of resemblance between the one and the other.
The second term is "parable" (parabolh, parabole, Hebrews 9:9); the tabernacle with its services was an acted parable for the time then present, adumbrating thus the blessed reality which was to come.
The third term is "copy" or "pattern" (upodeigma, hupodeigma), a word that denotes a sketch or draft of something future, invisible (Hebrews 9:23); the tabernacle and its furniture and services were copies, outlines of heavenly things.
Types are pictures, object-lessons, by which God taught His people concerning His grace and saving power. The Mosaic system was a sort of kindergarten in which God's people were trained in divine things, by which also they were led to look for better things to come. An old writer thus expresses it: "God in the types of the last dispensation was teaching His children their letters. In this dispensation He is teaching them to put the letters together, and they find that the letters, arrange them as they will, spell Christ, and nothing but Christ."
In creation the Lord uses one thing for many purposes. One simple instrument meets many ends. For how many ends does water serve! And the atmosphere: it supplies the lungs, conveys sound, diffuses odors, drives ships, supports fire, gives rain, fulfills besides one knows not how many other purposes. And God's Word is like His work, is His work, and, like creation, is inexhaustible. Whatever God touches, be it a mighty sun or an insect's wing, a vast prophecy or a little type, He perfects for the place and the purpose He has in mind.
2. Distinctive Features
What are the distinctive features of a type? A type, to be such in reality, must possess three well-defined qualities. (1) It must be a true picture of the person or the thing it represents or prefigures. A type is a draft or sketch of some well-defined feature of redemption, and therefore it must in some distinct way resemble its antitype, e.g. Aaron as high priest is a rough figure of Christ the Great High Priest, and the Day of Atonement in Israel (Leviticus 16) must be a true picture of the atoning work of Christ. (2) The type must be of divine appointment. In its institution it is designed to bear a likeness to the antitype. Both type and antitype are preordained as constituent parts of the scheme of redemption. As centuries sometimes lie between the type and its accomplishment in the antitype, of course infinite wisdom alone can ordain the one to be the picture of the other. Only God can make types. (3) A type always prefigures something future. A Scriptural type and predictive prophecy are in substance the same, differing only in form. This fact distinguishes between a symbol and a type. A symbol may represent a thing of the present or of the past as well as of the future, e.g. the symbols in the Lord's Supper. A type always looks to the future; an element of prediction must necessarily be in it.
3. Classification of Types
Another thing in the study of types should be borne in mind, namely, that a thing in itself evil cannot be the type of what is good and pure. It is somewhat difficult to give a satisfactory classification of Biblical types, but broadly they may be distributed under three heads: (1) Personal types, by which are meant those personages of Scripture whose lives and experiences illustrate some principle or truth of redemption. Such are Adam, who is expressly described as the "figure of him that was to come" (Romans 5:14), Melchizedek, Abraham, Aaron, Joseph, Jonah, etc. (2) Historical types, in which are included the great historical events that under Providence became striking foreshadowing of good things to come, e.g. the Deliverance from the Bondage of Egypt; the Wilderness Journey; the Conquest of Canaan; the Call of Abraham; Deliverances by the Judges, etc. (3) Ritual types, such as the Altar, the Offerings, the Priesthood, the Tabernacle and its furniture. There are typical persons, places, times, things, actions, in the Old Testament, and a reverent study of them leads into a thorough acquaintance with the fullness and the blessedness of the word of God.
4. How Much of the Old Testament Is Typical?
How much of the Old Testament is to be regarded as typical is a question not easily answered. Two extremes, however, should be avoided. First, The extravagance of some of the early Fathers, as Origen, Ambrose, Jerome (revived in our time by Andrew Jukes and his imitators). They sought for types, and of course found them, in every incident and event, however trivial, recorded in Scripture. Even the most simple and commonplace circumstance was thought to conceal within itself the most recondite truth. Mystery and mysticism were seen everywhere, in the cords and pins of the tabernacle, in the yield of herds, in the death of one, in the marriage of another, even in the number of fish caught by the disciples on the night the risen Saviour appeared to them--how much some have tried to make of that number, 153! The very serious objection to this method is, that it wrests Scripture out of the sphere of the natural and the historical and locates it in that of the arbitrary and the fanciful; it tends to destroy the validity and trustworthiness of the record
Second, the undue contraction of the typical element. "Professor Moses Stuart expresses this view as follows: "Just so much of the Old Testament is to be accounted typical as the New Testament affirms to be so, and no more." This opinion assumes that the New Testament writers have exhausted the types of the Old Testament, while the fact is that those found in the later Scripture are but samples taken from the storehouse where many more are found. If they are not, then nothing is more arbitrary than the New Testament use of types, for there is nothing to distinguish them from a multitude of others of the same class. Further, the view assumes that divine authority alone can determine the reality and import of types--a view that applies with equal force against prophecy. This rule may be safely followed: wherever the three characteristics of types are found which have been already mentioned, there is the type.
Weighty are the words of one equally eminent for his piety as for his learning: "That the Old Testament is rich in types, or rather forms in its totality one type, of the New Testament, follows necessarily from the entirely unique position which belongs to Christ as the center of the history of the world and of revelation. As we constantly see the principle embodied in the vegetable and animal kingdoms, that the higher species are already typified in a lower stage of development, so do we find, in the domain of saving revelation, the highest not only prepared for, but also shadowed forth, by that which precedes in the lower spheres" (Van Oosterzee).
Type teaching of Genesis
Old Testament Types in general
It is a fact that in no little degree the Hebrew Scriptures are permeated by latent typical meanings. Instances of their typical content are cited again and again in the New testament, the following a a few specimens:
Persons:
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure (tupos=type) of him that was to come. (Rom 5:14)
Melchizedek. . . Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto( aphomoioo=made to resemble) the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Heb 7:3)
Objects:
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that(of which the Israelites drank:see Exodus 17) Rock was Christ. (1Co 10:4)
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure (parabole= a parable or comparison) for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (Heb 9:8-9)
Events:
Noah...saved by water: The like figure (anti-tupos= antitype )whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: (1Pe 3:21)
Abraham... Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him( Isaac) in a figure. (Parabole=a simile) (Heb 11:19)
But besides these and other similar instances, in which particular persons, objects, and events are said to be types, or figures, there are passages in the New Testament which equally clearly assert the general presence of types and symbols in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Which we will take up further next time.
Love,
Denis
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