Spurgeon's Sotierology

Found this article about Spurgeon and his view of sotierology. I found it on faithalone.org which is the home to the Grace Evangelical Society, a group that promotes the no-lordship view of salvation. The article was written by Jerry Harmon, who currently pastors a Reformed Baptist church in Bartlett.

The article is very evenhanded and I was surprised to find it on the GES website. Perhaps they posted it because the writer covers Spurgeon's explanation of human responsibility.

Here is the article.

Great Darkness and Earthquakes, Early Evidence

George the Syncellus was a Byzantine historian, bishop and the syncellus (literally same-cell) to the patriarch of Constantinople, he died around 810 AD. He is best known for his work "The Chronography" which was an annotated time line of sorts that chronicled world history from creation to the beginning of Diocletian's reign 284 AD.

In his book "The Chronography" George quotes a 3rd century historian Julius Africanus (whose writings are lost to us). It appears there was some debate on how to explain the darkness that came over the Earth during our Lord's crucifixion.

Julius argues that the darkness cannot be explained as a solar eclipse, an explanation that Thallus, a 1st-2nd century Greek historian offers in his work "Histories". Because the crucification happened the day before passover when the moon and sun are in opposition.

from George's "Chronography" quoting Africanus:
"In the third book of his Histories, Thallos dismisses this darkness as a solar eclipse. In my opinion, this is nonsense. For the Hebrews celebrate the Passover on Luna 14, and what happened to the Saviour occurred one day before the Passover. But an eclipse of the sun takes place when the moon passes under the sun. The only time when this can happen is in the interval between the first day of the new moon and the last day of the old moon, when they are in conjunction. How then could one believe an eclipse took place when the moon was almost in opposition to the sun? So be it. Let what had happened beguile the masses, and let this wonderful sign to the world be considered a solar eclipse through an optical (illusion)."

Origen in "Against Celsus" bk2 ch33 also mentions the debate between Christians and pagans on the cause of the "eclipse" during Tiberius' riegn

" And with regard to the eclipse in the time of Tiberius Cæsar, in whose reign Jesus appears to have been crucified, and the great earthquakes which then took place, Phlegon too, I think, has written in the thirteenth or fourteenth book of his Chronicles."

It seems that whether Jesus existed or not never entered the debate but rather the debate centered on how to explain the events that were associated with Christ's crucifixion.

That is what we can tell from what little fragments of history we have from that time period. It is an interesting glimpse in to early apologetics. It's also interesting to see how well the ancients understood astronomy.

Michael Card

The Pentecostal Dog

Luke, and the Cultural transition of the Gospel

Sir William Ramsay quotes a commentator on Luke as saying he "can be as Hebraistic as the Septuagint and as free from Hebraisms as Plutarch" and that Luke can be Greek when describing Greek society and Hebrew when describing Hebrew society.

Relate those comments with Andrew Walls' theory that the Gospel transitioned cultural mileu at specific times in history. It seems to me that in Luke we are seeing an early example of the transition of the Gospel to Greek culture.

Luke then stands out as unique among the New Testament writers, as someone fully Greek but with a firm understanding of the Hebrew culture.

Worldview Presentation Assignment

Find three people and ask them the following questions about what they believe. They can be relatives, parents, friends, or fellow church members. Refrain from sharing your own views until they have given their responses. This will prevent you from influencing their answers.

1. Does God exist? If so, what is He is like and how do you know?
2. What is real? Is reality merely matter, an illusion, some combination, or something else?
3. What is the origin of life and the universe?
4. Are human beings special? Are we just animals? Do we have souls? Are we basically good or basically bad or something else?
5. What is right and wrong? How do we know?

The Six Better Questions

When Jesus was asked a question often He would answer with a better question. Here are six better questions you can ask when defending your faith before skeptics.

1. What do you mean by that?
2. How do you know that's true?
3. Where did you get your information?
4. What happens if you're wrong?
5, How did you come to that conclusion?
6. Have you ever considered this?

Helpful rules
1. Listen first, answer second
2. Win the person not the argument
3. Argue don't quarrel
4. Realize its a long term investment
5. Use your resources
a. "I don't know but I'll get back with you"

h/t goes to Summit.org

El Jefe

Swear by the Genius of Ceaser

The original article can be found at Solomon's Portico



The Cave of Letters, located near the Dead Sea, was the last refuge of Bar-Kochba and his followers. Within the cave were found numerous artifacts and scrolls.

more infohttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/scrolls/

Some of these scrolls belonged to a woman named Babtha, a Jewish widow who lived in Nabatea.

Of interest to us is one of the scrolls found, a legal document showing possession of property that was certified by a Roman court. At the end of the document are these words...

"I Babtha daughter of Simon, swear by the genius of our lord Caesar that I have in good faith registered as has been written above."

Christians of this time period and later would die by refusing to say the words "I swear by the genius of our lord Caesar". A phrase that to everyone else was in common usage.

There are several examples of magistrates adjuring accused Christians to say these words. Most notably the account of the Scillitan Martyrs that were put to death around 180AD in the region of Numidia, North Africa.

From the account of the Scillitan Martyrs...

Saturninus the proconsul said: We too are religious, and our religion is simple, and we swear by the genius of our lord the Emperor, and pray for his welfare, as ye also ought to do.

Speratus said: If thou wilt peaceably lend me thine ears, I can tell thee the mystery of simplicity.

Saturninus said: I will not lend mine ears to thee, when thou beginnest to speak evil things of our sacred rites; but rather swear thou by the genius of our lord the Emperor.

Speratus said: The empire of this world I know not; but rather I serve that God, whom no man hath seen, nor with these eyes can see. I have committed no theft; but if I have bought anything I pay the tax; because I know my Lord, the King of kings and Emperor of all nations.

Of course these Christians were not slaughtered solely because they refused to swear by Caesar's genius, but it was their allegiance to Christ that brought them before the proconsul and prevented them from saying that phrase.

The Scillitan Martyrs were a group of Christians (probably a church congregation) that were tried and executed for their faith at around 180AD.

The group was from the town of Scillium near Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. (modern day Tunisia)

The document that tells us their story appears to be a legal document to record the proceedings of the trial.

An interesting exchange between the Roman proconsul and the Pastor deals with the letters the Christians had with them. They were Paul's epistles, giving us evidence (in my view) that they were considered scripture.

The exchange goes like this...
Saturninus the proconsul said: What are the things in your chest?

Speratus said: Books and epistles of Paul, a just man.

The text is located here

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/scillitan-mart.html

Hanged on a Tree

Feature Article from Solomon's Portico



Editor's note: Justin Martyr d. 165AD, was an early Christian apologist and Philosopher. His conversation with an Hellenistic Jew named Trypho is recorded in an ancient book called "Dialogue with Trypho". The book is fascinating in many respects not the least of which appears in the following article.

In "Dialogue with Trypho" Justin mentions Deu 21:23 as evidence that Jesus was the Messiah because he was crucified, therefore being accursed by God and bearing the curse that was due us.

Trypho doesn't argue the translation in this instance, but rather argues that death by crucifixion was an unworthy death for the Messiah. Trypho agrees that the the Messiah must suffer but not by crucifixion and so disagrees with Justin that Deu 21:23 (and Gal 3:13) speak of Jesus.

Trypho does disagree in some places on the differences in translation between the Hebrew text and the Septuagint, but not in this case.

In this way the cross has become a stumbling block for the Jews as mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians.

reference

Dialogue with Trypho ch 32
And when I had ceased, Trypho said, "These and such like Scriptures, sir, compel us to wait for Him who, as Son of man, receives from the Ancient of days the everlasting kingdom. But this so-called Christ of yours was dishonorable and inglorious, so much so that the last curse contained in the law of God fell on him, for he was crucified." (one thing that isn't debated is the existence of Christ)


Deu 21:23
"his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

Gal 3:13
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"."

1Cr 1:23
"but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, "

An interesting note, in the prologue to Dialogue with Trypho, the men who were with Trypho did not participate in the debate between Justin and Trypho. Rather they left to discuss the war in Judea at the time, this would have been the Bar-Khokba revolt.

Bar-Khokba in Aramaic "Son of a Star" was hailed as the Messiah by Jews of that period.

Luke and Greek Rhetoric in the Bible

Feature article from Solomon's Potico



"About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way"
Here Luke uses a "Litotes" which is a form of Greek rhetoric, which seeks to express something by stating the opposite.
The phrase "no little disturbance" actually means a great disturbance.
See also Acts 21:39 "a citizen of no mean city" another example of a litotes.
Some of the most popular English translations do not translate the litotes "no little disturbance" as it appears in the Greek but rather it's actual meaning is translated.

for example...

NKJV, And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way

NIV, About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way

Although no meaning is lost in these translations, it seems to me that some of the prose and character is lost by removing the Greek rhetoric from the verse. The original cultural character of the idiom is lost by translating it into plain English.

Another example of Greek rhetoric in Luke's Gospel is called an exordium, which is a form of introduction to a discourse or essay. An exordium lays out the purpose of a discourse and prepares the audience's frame of mind to receive the intended message.

some examples...

Luke 1
Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

Against Apion, Josephus
I Suppose that by my books of the Antiquity of the Jews, most
excellent Epaphroditus, have made it evident to those who
peruse them, that our Jewish nation is of very great antiquity,
and had a distinct subsistence of its own originally; as also, I
have therein declared how we came to inhabit this country wherein
we now live.

Both Luke and Josephus use the same rhetorical vehicle in setting the tone for their discourses.

The Zumbudu Cartographer

The fertile crescent is neither fertile nor crescent shaped.....discuss

The Zumbudu Reads....

"A Short History of Byzantium" (John Julius Norwich), this is a great comprehensive history covering the Roman Empire from Constantine to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. My interest lies chiefly in the period where the Turks invaded through Asia Minor, the time line and events, also what drove the Turks? In my mind I see this movement of the Turks much like Alexander's drive through Persia. We are all aware of the prophecies telling Daniel of Alexander's war with Persia. It seems to me God used Alexander for His purpose, and in my view was one of the events that leads to the Messiah's arrival. Just look at the chain of events that occurred after Alexander conquered Persia, without Alexander there would have been no Ptolemy II Philadelphus, no Antiochus IV Epiphanes, no Maccabean Revolt and no eventual Roman Rule. It is apparent here that God's sovereignty governs human events.

So where does the Turkish(Muslim) invasion of Christian land fall? I'll let you know when I'm done reading.

On Stinging Reprisals

Excuse my long absence Dear Erasmus.....Yeah, been away a long time. I've been busy, travelling and lastly sick (haven't been that sick since 1997!). I did read a bit more "The Bondage of the Will" while I was traveling. I have to say I wouldn't want to get on Luther's bad side! Though after reading some of his "stinging reprisals" I long for such wit myself. An example...."You ooze Lucian from every pore; you swill Epicurius by the gallon". This he wrote to Erasmus. Look here for an idea who Lucian was and here for an idea of who Epicurius was.

Too harsh of language? Perhaps not, I havent' read Erasmus' treatise. This question comes too mind...who is the Luther of today? Who do you know issues such strong reprisals against those who seek to undermine the Christian faith? I know of none. So let's remember Luther in this way, the next time you come across a Lucian or Epicurian let him have it after the fashion of Martin!

After Shiloh, We Never Smiled

Alas, there is hope....recently I celebrated my 40th year on this earth. An event celebrated by some and almost wholly ignored by its benefacter.

The Zumbudu continues to read "The Bondage of the Will". Indeed it does appear that modern Protestants have lost their grasp of Christian Doctrine through lack of knowledge and instead chase after the latest "movement" or self ascribed prophet that comes along. It has been my own experience that it was only enough to seek the emotional experience of Salvation. What then when the emotions ebb? It is only seven days to the next Sunday or even a Wednesday service to see you through. Without a foundation of doctrine or knowledge of the Gospel and how it came to us can a Christian know who he his and where he stands before God.

It is not my assertion that Christ's fulfillment is lacking, that is certainly not true. I do maintain that a knowledge of how the Gospel came to us and of those who went before needs to be attained by those who God's Grace has allowed to be his children.

From the Journal of the Princess....

This from a recent entry from my daughter's school Journal.....

The question,
Education is important because....Explain why education is important.

The answer,
What is a education because I never heard that word before I think I heard that word before. I always have to ask what that means.


Simple, yet profound.

The Zumbudu Reads....

"The Bondage of the Will" by Martin Luther. Just wading through the introduction so far. Apparently a treatise written by Luther in response to Erasmus' letter against Luther's activities. I wonder why no one writes like this anymore. Maybe I'll start using the same kind of language and by example change the way everyone speaks...Wouldn't that be something?

More to follow as I continue wading....

There But for the Grace of God Go I

These words first spoken by the martyr John Bradford in 1555. I had first heard these words when they were spoken by my mother. She had seen a lone hitch-hiker at a gas station in our little home town of Lordsburg in the northern part of the Sonoran desert. That hitch-hiker had the look of being on the road for several days and was now 150 miles from the next city looking for a ride, a lonelier situation would be hard to imagine.

Those words meaning were lost to me at the time (I was 13). Now (almost 40) their meaning has become clear when in my own experience I saw an example of what my mother saw so many years ago. It is God's Grace that keeps us just one step away from disaster, having been on both sides I can see how little of a distance it is to travel there.

Is it to be said then about those who are less fortunate have been removed from God's Grace? I think not but only that His Grace is magnified by such.