Cultural Background and the Gospel of John

Question:
Discuss the possible cultural background of the Gospel of John. Suggest what sort of historical-cultural situation John’s Gospel might have been originally intended to address.

Answer:
The Gospel of John differs from the Synoptic Gospels by “translating” certain elements when compared to the Synoptic Gospels in order to probably reach a different audience. For example, in the Gospel of John, it is mentioned that the presence of eternal life exists here and now . The New Testament speaks in a tone (in regards to eternal life) as an event to take place in the future and the Gospel of John speaks about eternal life as being already here which would be similar to the Synoptic Gospels phrase “the kingdom of God” being present now and to be fully realized in the future. This translated point that eternal life exists here and now suggests that the audience were not Jews and would not be familiar with the meaning of the phrase “the kingdom of God”. This would then suggest that the audience were Gentiles. The tradition of the Early Church holds the belief that the Gospel of John was written by either “John the Elder”, or “John the Apostle”. Even though it is uncertain who exactly wrote this Gospel, the consensus is that this Gospel was composed in Ephesus, Syria, or Alexandria . These three areas were predominately Gentile, or in the case of Alexandria, separated enough from Jewish influence that the audience would understand the changes that the Gospel of John speak of if compared to the Synoptic Gospels. When looking at the choice of words that the Gospel of John uses and in light of the historical information as to where this Gospel was composed, it is logical to suggest that the intended audience were Gentiles who would not understand Judaic concepts or beliefs.

Revelation and the People of God

Question:
In the book of Revelation, how do the people of God come to participate in the reign of God and the Lamb, what’s their role in conquering the bad guys? What are one or two implications for what we are called to as we follow Jesus today.


Answer:
The people of God come to participate in the reign of God and the Lamb by becoming a saint, being part of the first resurrection of Christ, or being one of the 144,000. The role they serve in conquering the bad guys is to offer praises to the Lord. The angels of the Lord battle with Satan and his minions...there is not a reference in Revelation that any of us actually "battle" anyone. One or two implications for what we are called to as we follow Jesus today is summarized well in Revelation 14:7: ..."Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Jesus in Hebrews

Question:
According to Hebrews, what is the significance of Jesus’ work for the everyday life of the people of God? How might this be applied to your contemporary context (is there something analogous to the struggles confronting the recipients of the letter)?

Answer:
Jesus was the final sacrifice for sin creating a New Covenant, which ushered in a new period for all the people of God who are ruled by faith and are being "assured" of what is hoped for and certain of what is not seen (Heb. 11:1).

In regards to the work of the every day life of the people of God, we need to: keep loving each other as brothers and sisters, entertain strangers (spread the gospel message), remember those in bondage, honor marriage, keep our lives free from this world, remember our leaders (apostles), test our faith being careful not to be led astray by strange teachings, continually offer God praise, do “God’s good works” and share these with others, and pray (Heb. 13).

Applying this to our context today, not much has changed, though more stress can be put on the author's call for perseverance. Faith requires action, which is proven in the many examples in chapter 11, and we need to "draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith" to follow the path God has laid out before us (Heb. 11:22).

Paul, God, and Ecclesiology

Question:

In Paul’s letters, who is God, which is to say, how is God’s identity shaped by the scriptures of Israel and the Christ event? Answer this question in one or two sentences. Then answer this: How does the identity of God, shaped as it is by the scriptures of Israel and the Christ event, impact an argument that Paul makes about who God’s people are (ecclesiology) or what they should do (ethics) in any one passage of your choosing (restricted to Romans through Thessalonians, not the Pastoral Epistles)?

Answer:

Paul brings the God of the Old Testament who was the God of the Hebrews into a new light to the rest of the world when Jesus was crucified and resurrected...Paul is bringing this same Hebrew God to the Gentiles as the Creator of all, the God of both Jew and Gentile, the God of all.

Paul's identity of God's people shaped by the scriptures of Israel and the Christ event is best summarized by the following passage:

(My statement is that the identification of God's people is the church...not a denomination...but the body of believers be it a converted Jew or converted Gentile...)

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (New International Version)

¹²The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. ¹³For we were all baptized by^a]">[a] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

¹⁴Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" ²²On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Thessalonians

If the only evidence you had of the existence of Christianity were 1 Thessalonians, how would you answer these questions: (1) What is the Christian message? (2) How would you know if someone you met was a Christian?

What is the Gospel message in Thessalonians?

We have been chosen by God to turn away from our sinful lives in order to serve the one true God who sent His Son to rescue us from our sins; His Son died for us, was resurrected from the dead, and is now in heaven and continues to rescue us from the coming wrath.
This answer uses 1 Thessalonians 1:4, and 1:9-10.

How can you tell through Thessalonians who a Christian is? It is through their works of faith originated in the Holy Spirit, the way they toil in their works (or occupations) through the love for Christ, and their patience stemming from the hope in regards to the coming of the New Creation. (1 Thessalonians chapter one, chapter two, and chapter three in succession.)

Peter's Speech in Acts 2:14-41

Question:

Based only on Peter's speech on Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41) and the incident with Cornelius (Acts 10), answer these questions: What is the gospel message? What aspect of that message do the people in your context (church, work, neighborhood, etc.—pick one) most need to hear?


Answer:

One of the Hebrew prophets, Joel, prophesied that the Spirit would pour out on God's people. Who exactly are God's people? Jew? Gentile? Or both? The time is now, and now we are to heed the words that those who believe, repent, become baptized, and then whom the Spirit will "pour out" on, are God's people. God's people are no longer known by a particular tribe, race, social or political standing. It is available to all people regardless of their background and sin.

What is available to God's people? First, atonement from any and all sins, second, a heavenly promise of eternal life, third, a heavenly power that is sent by God to teach, guide, and protect His people at all times, and finally, become part of a new family. This is available here and now...right now...for those who fall under the "new" definition of God's people be it a converting Jew or a converting Gentile. By this new definition, all people are given this eternal opportunity. In these difficult economic times, many have questioned what the meaning of life is about. Some do not know where to turn and the Gospel message is to turn to Jesus.

The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus

Apollinarius, Nestorius, and Eutyches did not set out to invent unorthodox Christologies. On the contrary, they developed their views in response to what they considered to be unworthy beliefs about Jesus Christ. Remember that these three were church leaders, known for their piety. In the Church today, there are faithful people who might share some of their views.

Imagine that you are talking with a friend from church about salvation through Christ. This person says, “I believe that Jesus was completely God. How could he have done all those miracles and lived without sin if he wasn’t fully divine? But I have hard time seeing Jesus as relating to me, because he was so perfectly divine. How does he know what I go through? He was God, so everything must have come so easily for him.” How would you respond? Write a message to your friend, explaining your beliefs about the humanity and divinity of Jesus.

Answer:

I would start by confirming the fact that my friend who believes that Jesus was 100% God, is a huge hurdle to theologically overcome, but is essential for salvation. My congratulations would be extended in this revelation, and I would explain the issue of “I have a hard time seeing Jesus relating to me, because He was so perfectly Divine” in the following message:

Dear Brother / Sister,

Praise the Lord for revealing the Truth that indeed our Lord was 100% divine. Allow me to explain the Truth that He was also 100% Man and why this is so important…

There are two main reasons that I will point out that are important to reflect on:

1) Kinsman Redeemer
2) Jesus knows all things regarding the nature of mankind and can help in all issues pertaining to the flesh.

Point #1: Kinsman Redeemer

As in Levitical Law and as illustrated in the Book of Ruth…the rule is this:

If you became so poor that you had to sell yourself into slavery (like the slavery you sold yourself into by sinning), the only way that you can get out of bondage is:

1) Person must be of kin
2) Person must have the price
3) Person must pay the price

The Kinsman Redeemer act was fulfilled because:

1) Jesus was born of a woman and was thus born into mankind making him KIN…
2) Jesus lived a perfect life without sin, thus had the ability to NOT physically die
3) Jesus paid the price by being crucified and thus the world owes Him his life back.
Since the world cannot give Him his life back, the world owes Him life. This catch-22 means that He has conquered death in this world.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him (He shall give life to---authors added here) shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Point #2 He knows all things regarding Human Nature

Since we have established your Truth that Jesus is completely God…let us look at why it is so important to establish the Truth of what it means that he is also completely Man.

The Lord came and lived in a tent of flesh among us. 100% God became Man and thus is 100% God and 100% man. Jesus knows what it is to suffer, has personally witnessed what it is to have ailments, to become possessed, to cry, to laugh, to live in this world…look at what Jesus did in his time in this tent of flesh. You have a personal advocate with the Father who truly understands the condition of mankind! He understands everything that a man or woman can endure on their time on earth. An angel cannot claim this knowledge! The ascended Jesus can personally and thoroughly understand your petitions as both God and Man! There is no other point in the history of this world that this claim can be made. If you have any issues pertaining to the flesh, the humanity of Jesus KNOWS 100% what is needed for you! If you have any issues pertaining to the spirit, the divinity of Jesus KNOWS 100% what is needed for you!

Rest in this fact!

I depart with the following Scripture passage:

2 Corinthians 5:19

“that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation."

Pelagius and Romans Chapter 5

Augustine’s argument against Pelagius was based on Romans 5. Read Romans 5 for yourself and construct your own understanding of salvation. Can you see the basis for Augustine’s argument? Can you think of passages in Scripture that might support Pelagius? How would you describe a theology of sin and salvation to a person who was exploring the Christian faith?

Answer:


I wanted to illustrate two points: first, what my idea of salvation is in regards to Romans 5...and second, to bring this topic to current understanding within the whole Church...Protestant and Roman Catholic/Orthodox:

First, in regards to Romans 5, I agree that physical death entered into this world through Adam (Romans 5:17). It is a fact that all men and women physically die from Adam till now. Is this a physical or spiritual death? Or both? Sin is passed through the father's seed, hence another reason why the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in Mary's womb and Joseph had to "adopt" Jesus. We all agree that Jesus was "sinless" and thus, the Original Sin problem is conquered through the conception of the Holy Spirit in Mary.

Before the Law, one must asked the question if sin was reconcilable. I believe that in the times before the Law, judgement was personal according to how one lived...listening to the Lord or choosing the word of Satan.
When the Law was received through Moses, it served as a means to reconcile, if followed correctly. Who followed this correctly? For all men and women have died? Paul states in Romans 5:12 that "all have sinned" and thus all will die. There is a question mark on the destination of the soul or where their soul goes...heaven or hell.

Forwarding through to the New Testament...the first sin is the sin that kills you...and there is a need for salvation. The Law serves as a mirror to realize the imperfection and need for salvation through Jesus....all men and women physically die...but NOT spiritually and this is the "fulfillment of the Law" through the act of Jesus conquering death of the body and soul by His crucifixion. Original sin exists for all of us, and thus is fulfilled through physical death...but there is still the concern of the soul...does this die with the body or lives eternally? This is the reason for why Christ had to die...in order for us to be justified through faith so that we do not die spiritually...Satan does not receive our body AND soul, Satan can keep the body, but the soul is Christ's ....because of the original sin of Adam...we must die physically until the "New Heaven and New Earth".

Now to the second point....
I have attended through the years, a Bible study where one of my friends attended Dallas Theological Seminary and Golden Gate Baptist Seminary. If you would like to confront the question of "original sin" and the differences in belief today in the Church between Augustine and Pelagius...all you need to ask is the following question...

If a baby who is 2 months old dies, and is not baptized, will it go to heaven or hell?

First, allow me to expound on Orthodox and Roman Catholic views...they would state that this is the reason for the belief in "Limbo" or Purgatory. Second, if the baby was baptized...it would go to heaven. Third, if the baby was not baptized, it would possibly go to Purgatory or hell depending on the sins of the father. (This was explained to me by a Christian Brother when I attended Catholic high-school).

My friend in this Bible Study explained his beliefs through the following statements...he refuses to believe in a "punishing" God and thus does not believe in "Original Sin". His beliefs are that the human will must become developed so that one can consciously choose to break the Law...until that happens...the baby goes to heaven. The question is when does a conscious human will develop? Five, six or seven years old, or before? Until one is aware of God's Law and is aware of choosing between the Commandments and sin...it is wrong to condemn a baby or child. Hence, if one is not aware of why they are being baptized by water...there is no point.

The differences in doctrine of Original Sin still exist today...some of the Protestant community do not believe in this doctrine and those of the Orthodox./Roman Catholic denomination adhere to the teaching of Augustine.

I personally do believe in both Original Sin and condemnation through the deliberate breaking of the Law requiring then faith in the Creator, who lived in a tent of flesh and was crucified for the promise of Salvation. The condemnation of Original Sin is fulfilled through the fact that all men and women physically die...and justification for the eternal life of the soul comes through Christ who will thus bring a New Heaven and New Earth just as it was supposed to be with Adam and Eve once again through the resurrection of the dead " physical bodies". Our soul is Christ's and not under Satan's ownership... however, Satan does take ownership of our physical bodies upon our death and Christ will fulfill the promise that we live eternally when the New Heaven and New Earth is fulfilled as in John 's Revelation.

Should the Bible contain 66 books?

The professor has recommended including the Old Testament Apocrypha in your devotional reading. If you have never read these works, find a copy of the Bible that includes them and peruse one or more books. What themes, language, and theology in the Apocrypha are similar to those in the Old Testament canon? If you were at the Council of Carthage, what stand would you have taken on these works? Do you find texts in the Apocrypha that would cause you to doubt whether they should be included in the canon?


Answer:
When I read Macabees, I couldn't help but think that this book was written in a similar style as Judges, Kings, and Samuel. This book would fall under the category of "history" and I see nothing in it that is historically incorrect or misleading. The only statement I could make about it in a negative way is that God is not speaking in this book, it is a man who is writing down these events.

Esdras was a very interesting work. I cannot help but see similarities between the book of Daniel and Esdras. I would categorize these book as definitely prophetic. The three headed eagle in II Esdras 11:1, captured my attention and thoughts for a while! I see nothing wrong with Esdras and feel that they are prophetically inspired!

I do have a question... Where is the Book of Enoch in this list? The Ethiopian bible still has this book as the very first work in place of Genesis. I studied the history of this book a while ago, and can only remember that (and I am paraphrasing here) it was "too scary" for the public.

Here is a link to this work: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/

If I was at the Council of Carthage, I would have agreed that these works were to remain as part of devotional reading and would agree that they should be incorporated into the study of Scripture. The only reason I would not include some of them would be based off of what is being told and by whom...God or man?

Church Governance

Question:

Do some first-hand research on different forms of church governance. You may want to interview a minister, priest, or lay-member from a Christian tradition different from yours—Protestant, Orthodox, or Catholic. How do you understand authority in the church? Where does authority reside to decide between conflicting understandings of Scripture or theology? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of being ruled by a bishop who is empowered to make a final decision? Compare this to a congregational or representative form of government. What can you learn from this different perspective that will enhance your appreciation for the variety of ways that the church governs itself?

I recently attended an Episcopal Church and talked with the priest. He was Anglican and was now in charge in an Episcopal church. One striking difference was that this was a "Protestant" church but still provided a communion and a Sunday "Eucharist". I asked the priest about this and he told me that since he was an ordained Angelican priest he could claim Apostolic succession. Since he could claim Apostolic succession, he could properly and rightfully provide the "Eucharist". Since I attended Roman Catholic high school (I am non-denominational) I knew that even this supposed close tie to Apostolic succession was not recognized in the Roman Catholic Church. As far as my education went, when England split from Rome, all Apostolic succession ended when that split occurred and thus all other churches and denominations were "anathema" or not recognized. A bishop still approves decision in this denomination and thus still tries to follow the succession of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox church. It was interesting that titles were more important than what was taught through sermons or bible study. To me the authority resides in the Holy Spirit and those who obviously have the Spirit and teach through Scripture. Authority seems to reside in the top hierarchy of the particular denomination such as Episcopal, and individual priest do not have the ability to teach as the Spirit shows them but only as the the governing councils have agreed to. The advantages of such a form of governance is that off the wall and "unorthodox" biblical teaching would be eliminated and that the sermons stayed the same as they have for hundred of years. The disadvantages included the inability to grow with changing times and a type of close mindedness when it came to biblical exegesis. This form of governance is like a pyramid and is a popular business management model that is still in use today. The pope or bishop is at the top and like a triangle or pyramid, all lower levels of management are influenced and in the control of the levels above them. In college, we used to use the Roman Catholic church as an effective management hierarchy because something works well if it has worked for 2000 years. However, that is not how the Holy Spirit works...it may work well as a business management model but my experience proves that the Spirit cannot be confined to a "model". What I can learn from this perspective is that even a Protestant denomination like the Anglican and Episcopal churches, find the Apostolic succession to be very important and crucial in church authority and doctrine.

People of the Early Church vs. People of Today's Church

One of the reasons we study Church history is to meet our relatives. Who have you met so far that you admire? How do you see a family similarity between this person and people in the Church today? Have you met a relative in our study so far that you didn’t like? How do you picture that person's impact on today’s Church?

One person I admire is Polycarp. Here was a man who was the last to know Jesus and stated a very important Truth; "Since Christ is a living Lord you do not need to know someone who knew Him when He was alive". Here once again was a group of people who looked for something in the physical world to link to the spiritual...they had to have a "link", they saw importance in a physical person knowing Jesus and not getting to the Truth...Jesus is the Son of God who is alive and present even after His death, resurrection, and ascension. He is Our Lord who hears every thought and sees every action as He watches over His flock.
I see a link between Polycarp and those in the Church today who have an obvious and fulfilling relationship with Our Lord. There is a big difference between those who speak about faith and those who have a living faith. This faith is present in their face, actions, words, and speech. There are those who know Christ and those who claim to know Him.
There were several relatives that I did not like. I will choose a small quote to emphasize one example...the textbook "Women in Early Church History" stated on page 18, that Jerome believed that the parable of the sower was speaking about the "one hundred fold harvest" as pertaining to the greater blessing of virginity to be twisted. Some of these "Early Church Father's" spoke with such authority that history was influenced greatly by them. I understand some of the points between celibacy and working hard at fulfilling the Lord's will, but to take one of the parables of Jesus and speak about it as if it was pertaining to virginity, widowhood, and marriage to be a teacher who can lead their flocks astray. Yes, parables have "layered meaning", but I cannot help but notice an agenda by some of the early Church Fathers that spun around some "logic" or "rational deduction".
This is true today too! I hear a "prosperity" gospel out there that emphasizes material wealth using twists of Christ's words in order to make the sermon seem that Jesus Himself spoke it. There are wolves in sheep's clothing out there...thank the Lord that we have the Son of God through the Holy Spirit protecting, watching, and helping us uncover the Truth.

Statement of Faith by my seminary

My Seminary: Statement of Faith

Under God, and subject to biblical authority, the faculty, managers/administrators, and trustees of (name purposefully hidden from those who do not have decent intentions) Theological Seminary bear concerted witness to the following articles, to which they subscribe, which they hold to be essential to their ministry, and which are the foundation upon which the seminary is based.

I. God has revealed himself to be the living and true God, perfect in love and righteous in all his ways, one in essence, existing eternally in the three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

II. God, who discloses himself to mankind through his creation, has savingly spoken in the words and events of redemptive history. This history is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, who is made known to us by the Holy Spirit in sacred Scripture.

III. Scripture is an essential part and trustworthy record of this divine self-disclosure. All the books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, are the written word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice. They are to be interpreted according to their context and purpose and in reverent obedience to the Lord who speaks through them in living power.

IV. God, by his word and for his glory, freely created the world of nothing. He made man and woman in his own image, as the crown of creation, that they might have fellowship with him. Tempted by Satan, they rebelled against God. Being estranged from their Maker, yet responsible to him, they became subject to divine wrath, inwardly depraved and, apart from grace, incapable of returning to God.

V. The only mediator between God and humankind is Christ Jesus our Lord, God's eternal son, who, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, fully shared and fulfilled our humanity in a life of perfect obedience. By his death in our stead, he revealed the divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our guilt and reconciling us to God. Having redeemed us from sin, the third day he rose bodily from the grave, victorious over death and the powers of darkness. He ascended into heaven where, at God's right hand, he intercedes for his people and rules as Lord over all.

VI. The Holy Spirit, through the proclamation of the gospel, renews our hearts, persuading us to repent of our sins and confess Jesus as Lord. By the same Spirit we are led to trust in divine mercy, whereby we are forgiven all our sins, justified by faith alone through the merit of Christ our Savior, and granted the free gift of eternal life.

VII. God graciously adopts us into his family and enables us to call him Father. As we are led by the Spirit, we grow in the knowledge of the Lord, freely keeping his commandments and endeavoring so to live in the world that all may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.

VIII. God, by his Word and Spirit creates the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, calling sinners out of the whole human race into the fellowship of Christ's Body. By the same Word and Spirit, he guides and preserves for eternity that new, redeemed humanity, which, being formed in every culture, is spiritually one with the people of God in all ages.

IX. The Church is summoned by Christ to offer acceptable worship to God and to serve him by preaching the gospel and making disciples of all nations, by tending the flock through the ministry of the word and sacraments and through daily pastoral care, by striving for social justice, and by relieving human distress and need.

X. God's redemptive purpose will be consummated by the return of Christ to raise the dead, to judge all people according to the deeds done in the Body, and to establish his glorious kingdom. The wicked shall be separated from God's presence, but the righteous, in glorious bodies, shall live and reign with him forever. Then shall the eager expectation of the creation be fulfilled and the whole earth shall proclaim the glory of God who makes all things new.