Journal(of(Dispensational(Theology( JODT((ISSN%1947*9492)% Volume'20,'Number'60'(Summer/Fall'2016)' (formerly"the"conservative"theological"journal)!!

Transcription

1 Journal(of(Dispensational(Theology( JODT((ISSN%1947*9492)% Volume'20,'Number'60'(Summer/Fall'2016)' (formerly"the"conservative"theological"journal) Executive"Editor" " General"Editor" Patrick%E.%Belvill% % Ron%J.%Bigalke% % Associate"Editor" " Book"Review"Editor% Miriam%Hayes% % Gary%E.%Gilley% ' Editorial"Committee" Josh%Bailey% Christopher%Cone% David%E.%Olander%%%%Michael%Stallard% TheJournalofDispensationalTheologyispublishedthreetimesperyear(spring, summer/fall,winter)bythesocietyofdispensationaltheologyincooperationwith TyndaleTheologicalSeminaryasameansforconservativeevangelicalscholarship fromatraditionaldispensationalperspective.tyndale(theological(seminary,"its" administration," or" its" faculty" does" not" necessarily" endorse" all" the" interpretative"views"represented"by"each"of"the"respective"authors. Correspondence and manuscripts can be ed to editor@tyndale.edu. Please avoidformattingarticlesorusingnon@standardfonts.authorsareexpectedtouse TheChicagoManualofStyleandAManualforWriters(byKateL.Turabian)asthe style manuals. Wherein there are differences between Chicago and Turabian styles,potentialcontributorsareencouragedtoperusethemostrecentvolumesto observe submission guidelines or to view those specifics online(tyndale.edu)in thedocumententitled, JODTSubmissionGuidelines. Booksforreviewshouldbesenttothefollowingaddress: Editor,JODT 701W.PipelineRoad Hurst,TX76053 Change of address notification, subscriptions, and renewals can be submitted onlineatwww.tyndale.edu/journal.htmlorthroughwrittencommunicationtothe aboveaddress. SubscriptionRates UnitedStatesnon@Tyndalestudent:$25peryear Foreignnon@Tyndalestudent:$35peryear(includesCanadaandMexico) AllsubscriptionspayableinUnitedStatescurrency Copyright 2016 bytyndaletheologicalseminary.printedinthe U.S.A. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced without prior written permission.theeditorialcommitteereservestherighttorejectarticlesandadvertisements foranyreasonwhatsoever.

2

3 Volume20 Number60 JournalofDispensationalTheology Summer/Fall*2016* * Contents* Editorial TheSignofJonahtheProphet David&Olander TheDistinctiveSonshipSoteriologyofJesus inthefourthgospel,parti Don&Trest& Animal sallusionswithinmatthew sgospel James&J.&S.&Johnson& TheCreationAccount:AReviewArticle Jerry&M.&Hullinger& BookReviews

4 This page left intentionally blank.

5 This page left intentionally blank.

6 This page left intentionally blank.

7 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 117 ( * EDITORIAL* * Jim Elliot is a well-known Christian missionary. Nearly three years of jungleministry,inadditiontomanyhoursofplanningandpraying,ledhim toamomentousdayin1956.jimandfourcompanionswouldbeerecting campintheterritoryofadangerousanduncivilizedtribeinecuador,then knownastheaucas,forthepurposeofsharingthegospelofgod sgrace throughfaithinjesuschrist.eventhoughthemissionwasdangerous,jim knewtheaucasneededtoknowwhojesusis. While a student at Wheaton College, in 1948, he wrote a journal entryasfollows: Father,makeofmeacrisisman.BringthoseIcontactto decision.letmenotbeamilepostonasingleroad;makemeafork,that menmustturnonewayoranotheronfacingchristinme (ElisabethElliot, Shadow&of&the&Almighty[1958;reprint,Peabody,MA:Hendrickson,1989] 77). Although the initial meetings with the Aucas appeared friendly, the Aucawarriorseventuallyspearedtodeathallfivemissionaries. The yearning to make an eternal difference in the lives of others was abundantly answered. The deaths of the five young missionaries inspiredgenerationsofchristians.sixtyyearslater,thesacrificeofthefive missionarieswhodiedinanattempttosharethegospelwiththeaucashas resulted in reconciliation and transformation within the tribe. In their deaths,thefivemissionariesinspiredmorepeopletobecomemissionaries whowouldsharethegraceofgodinchristjesusthantheyevercouldhave inlife.inthepresenttime,theneedfordevotedfollowersofgodwhowill dedicatethemselvestomakinganeternaldifferenceinthelivesofothersis stillanurgenttask. Oneoftheattributesneededtohaveapositiveeffectinthelivesof othersiscourage.witnessingthevirtueofcourageinothersshouldinspire gratitudeforthosewhomakesacrificesforthebenefitofpeople.courage intermsofspiritualprioritiesiscertainlywhatcharacterizedtheprophet Elijah(cf.Acts4:13;2Tim1:7). The prophet Ezekiel ministered for God while the Lord s people were in exile. When the Lord commissioned Ezekiel to minister as his prophet,godinformedtheprophetthathewassendinghimtoahardened, rebellious, and stubborn nation. Ezekiel s message would not be well received, yet he was toserveasawatchman,whoseobligationwasto soundthealarm,andnottoberesponsiblefortheresponsetothealarm. AtonepointinEzekiel sministry,thelordgodlamented, Isearchedfora manamongthemwhowouldbuildupthewallandstandinthegapbefore

8 118( Editorial & Mefortheland,sothatIwouldnotdestroyit;butIfoundnoone (Ezek 22:30). The moral degradation was so rampant in Jerusalem that none couldbeidentifiedwhoadoptedaleadershiprole(cf.13:5).ezekiel srole wastointercedebeforegodasawatchman(cf.gen20:7;jer 37:3; Ezek 33:1-6). Being honest to examine our lives continually for the sake of determining whether we have become callous to our own sin and the offenses of our land is always urgent. Personal concerns are never valid reasonstopreventonefromheedingthewillofgod.elijahwasonewho discernedthespiritualneedinhisnation(andalmostentirelybyhimself), hewasboldforthesakeofthelordgod.althoughtheprophet sworldwas vastlydifferentthanours,thereasonswhyhedisplayedsuchcourageand convictionforthesakeofgodisasrelevantasever. David&Olander s&article& The&Sign&of&Jonah&the&Prophet isimportant not only for its emphasis upon biblical context, but also to encourage discernment regarding biblical signs, miracles, and wonders. By prioritizinghowgodauthenticatedandconfirmedthemessageandperson ofhisson,thefirstarticleleadsnaturallytodon&trest s&work&that&explains& The& Distinctive& Sonship& Soteriology& of& Jesus& in& the& Fourth& Gospel. Trest demonstrates how belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is the essential soteriologicalcontentrevealedinthejohanninegospel.hisworkishelpful inrespondingtomodernjohanninescholarswhodiscountthehistoricity of the biblical account, and consequently questiontheauthenticityof Scripture.James&J.&S.&Johnson&provided&a&unique&article&with&demonstrations& of& Animal& Allusions& within& Matthew s& Gospel, andparticularlyhowthey reinforcethedispensationalcontent.certainly,hisproficiencyincreation research has resulted in an interesting manner for reading the Matthean witness. Jerry& M.& Hullinger s& review& article& considers& essential& matters& of& hermeneutics&in&interpreting&the&creation&account.&thesubsequenttenbook reviews(fromseveralcontributors)assessprevalentworksencountering themodernchurch.asitwasinthedaysofelijah,soitistodaythatgod s peoplespeakwithbiblicalconviction.elijahhonoredgodwithassurance, and demonstrated that hesitating between opinions may be theoretically respectableandevenpoliticallycorrect,yetitisspirituallyunfeasibleand intellectually flawed. May the current Journal& of& Dispensational& Theology& provideencouragement,andstimulatebiblicalcourageandconvictionby God sgraceandforhisglory. (Ron(J.(Bigalke,(Ph.D.( editor@tyndale.edu

9 This page left intentionally blank.

10 This page left intentionally blank.

11 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 121 THE*SIGN*OF*JONAH*THE*PROPHET* * David*Olander* But He answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generationcravesforasign;andyet&nosignshallbegiventoitbut the sign of Jonah the prophet (Matt 12:39). And as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, this generation is a wicked generation;itseeksforasign,andyet&nosignshallbegiventoit butthesignofjonah (Luke11:29). ThequestioniswhatisthesignoftheprophetJonah?Themajorconcern withallbiblicalinterpretationisalwayscontext,context,context.thesign oftheprophetjonahisnoexception.therearetwocontextsthatmustbe explored concerning this sign. One is in Matthew and the other in Luke. There must also be discernment concerning biblical signs, miracles, and wonders. SIGNS,MIRACLES,ANDWONDERS Signs,miracles,andwonderswereusedfirstandforemosttoconfirmGod s messenger and his message. God had made it extremely clear from the beginninghowtotestfortruesigns,miracles,andwonders.theywereto be tested only according to God s standards,ashehasinstructedbyhis inerrant Word. 1 Eventhemessagesweretobethoroughlytested. 2 They *" David" Olander," Ph.D.," Th.D.," professor" of" biblical" languages," Tyndale" Theological" Seminary"and"Biblical"Institute" 1 Ifaprophetoradreamerofdreamsarisesamongyouandgivesyoua sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoketoyou,saying, Letusgoafterothergods(whomyouhavenotknown)and letusservethem, youshallnotlistentothewordsofthatprophetorthatdreamer of dreams; for the LORDyourGodistestingyoutofindoutifyoulovetheLORD yourgodwithallyourheartandwithallyoursoul. YoushallfollowtheLORDyour GodandfearHim;andyoushallkeepHiscommandments,listentoHisvoice,serve Him,andclingtoHim (Deut13:1-4) 2 AnditshallcomeaboutthatwhoeverwillnotlistentoMywordswhich heshallspeakinmyname,imyselfwillrequireit&ofhim. Buttheprophetwho shallspeakawordpresumptuouslyinmynamewhichihavenotcommandedhim tospeak,orwhichheshallspeakinthenameofothergods,thatprophetshalldie.

12 122( Sign(of(Jonah & weretobetestedtoconfirmallthatwasbeingpresentedwasfromhim.as a note, one doesnothavesignmiraclestodayinthechurchage(sign or revelationalgiftsinanysense)asgodhasalreadycompletedhisinerrant Wordormessagebyhismessengers. 3 Thereisnomorerevelationgivenby Godforallrevelationiscomplete 4 andnomoreauthenticatingsigns(this includesallsigns,miracles,andwonders)arenecessary. One must continually notethattheactualauthorofhis Word is GodtheHolySpirit.AsGodistheultimateAuthortherecanbenoerrorin any kind in his Word even though the Infinite used the finite. The Scripturesarecompleteandthereisnoneedforanyfurtherauthenticating signs. Andyoumaysayinyourheart, HowshallweknowthewordwhichtheLORDhas notspoken? WhenaprophetspeaksinthenameoftheLORD,ifthethingdoesnot come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORDhasnotspoken.The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him (Deut 18:19-22). 3 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard,lestwedriftawayfrom&it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,howshallweescapeifweneglectsogreatasalvation?afteritwasat thefirstspokenthroughthelord,itwasconfirmedtousbythosewhoheard,god also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miraclesandbygiftsoftheholyspiritaccordingtohisownwill (Heb2:1-4, emphasis added). The word of great salvation was first proclaimed by Christ Himself,thenbyhiscommissioneddisciples,asattestedbymiraculoussignsand giftsoftheholyspirit(1cor12).seemerrillfrederickunger, The&New&Unger s& Bible&Handbook,rev.ed.(Chicago:MoodyPublishers,2005)603. 4VeryfewrealizethatGodhassealedhisWordwithacurse.Therecanbe no more added revelation as it is all complete and without error for it is God s Word and He cannot err. I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecyofthisbook:ifanyoneaddstothem,godshalladdtohimtheplagues whicharewritteninthisbook;andifanyonetakesawayfromthewordsofthe bookofthisprophecy,godshalltakeawayhispartfromthetreeoflifeandfrom theholycity,whicharewritteninthisbook (Rev22:18-19).Thetestimonyisnot justareferencetothebookofrevelationbuttheentirerevelationasthisisaseal God has placed upon his Word as final and complete (i.e. nothing more can be added by anyone). No more authenticating signs are necessary. One must rememberthattherevelationcoverstheentirechurchage,thebeginningofthe dayofthelordwiththe1,000yearreignofchrist,andintotheeternalstatewhich is literally the new heavens and the new earth. The Revelation actually covers moretimethananyonebookinthetext.

13 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 123 However, Jesus had performed a great many signs, miracles, and wonders. 5 PetermadeitveryclearconcerningJesusandhissignmiracles. Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested [confirmed, proved, etc.] 6 toyoubygodwithmiraclesandwondersand signs which God performed through Him 7 inyourmidst,justasyou yourselvesknow (Acts2:22).GodconfirmedJesusasbothhiseternalSon and the sinless Son of man, who is the Lord s ultimateandperfect Messenger. GodclearlyconfirmedhisMessenger.Godwasspeakingtomen primarily Israel through the Son. God, after He spoke long ago to the fathersintheprophetsinmanyportionsandinmanyways,intheselast days has spoken to us in His& Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world 8 (Heb.1:1-2). All these sign miraclesweresimplyconfirmatory,authenticatingtheeternalson,quite literallythegod/manandhismessageofthecomingkingdom. 5 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they werewrittenindetail,isupposethateventheworlditselfwouldnotcontainthe bookswhichwerewritten (John21:25). 6 MenofIsrael,listentothesewords:JesustheNazarene,amanattested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signswhichgodperformed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know (Acts 2:22, emphasis added)(nasb). Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τούτους Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον,ἄνδραἀποδεδειγμένονἀπὸτοῦθεοῦεἰςὑμᾶςδυνάμεσικαὶτέρασι καὶσημείοιςοἷς ἐποίησεν δι αὐτοῦ ὁθεὸς ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν καθὼς αὐτοὶοἴδατε (NA27). Aποδεδειγμένον ἀποδείκνυμι...attest,commend;claim,proclaim; place, set forth; prove [UBS 4, lexicon); ἀποδείκνυμι... (1) as demonstrating approvalshow&clearly&to&be&genuine,&endorse&(acts2.22);(2)asdemonstratingby argumentprove,&show&to&be&true(timothyfriberg,etal.,analytical&lexicon&of&the& Greek&New&Testament[Victoria,BC:TraffordPublishing,2005]65).Signs,miracles, andwondersconfirmthemessageandthemessenger.lukemadethisveryclear inacts2:22. 7 Note very carefully with miracles and wonders and signs which God performedthroughhim, thatis,god performed. 8Πολυμερῶςκαὶπολυτρόπωςπάλαιὁθεὸςλαλήσαςτοῖςπατράσινἐντοῖς προφήταις ἐπ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκεν κληρονόμονπάντων,δι οὗκαὶἐποίησεντοὺςαἰῶνας Hemadetheages,whichis infinitely more than just creation of matter. Every possible second (and less) is fullyplannedandcreatedbyhim,whichinvolvesmatterandallelse.

14 124( Sign(of(Jonah & JESUS MESSAGE Jesus had one primary message and that was of his coming reign and kingdom. He was offering to Israel the covenanted Davidic kingdom because,astheircovenantedking,heisthetruedavidicheirapparentto thethroneofisrael.jesusisisrael smessiah;heisthetrueanointedoneto ruleondavid sthroneforever. 9 Now when Jesus came into the district ofcaesareaphilippi, He began&askinghisdisciples,saying,whodopeoplesaythattheson of Man is? And they said, Some say& John the Baptist; and others, Elijah;butstillothers,Jeremiah,oroneoftheprophets.Hesaidto them, but who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered andsaid,thouartthechrist,thesonofthelivinggod(matt16:13-16). Allthesigns,miracles,andwondersweredivineauthenticationor confirmation(exclusivelyauthenticatingsigns)provingexactlytheperson of Jesus and his message. One must believe that Jesus is the Christ,the eternal Son of God,inordertoknowHimandhaveeternallife. If one denieswhojesusis,thatis,theeternalson,godhasnotopenedtheheart to believe in Him. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. AndJesusansweredandsaid to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this&toyou,butmyfatherwhoisinheaven (Matt16:16-17). Manyother signsthereforejesusalsoperformedinthepresenceofthedisciples,which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believethatjesusisthechrist,thesonofgod;andthatbelievingyoumay havelifeinhisname (John20:30-31). He made this very clear to anyone listening to Him that He was doingtheworksofthefather. IfIdonotdotheworksofMyFather,do notbelieveme;butifidothem,thoughyoudonotbelieveme,believethe works,thatyoumayknowandunderstandthatthefatherisinme,andiin thefather (John10:37-38).HewasonlydoingtheworksoftheFather. 9 Jesus is the Christ (literally the Messiah, anointed) to sit on David s covenanted throne. He is also the eternal Son who took on a human nature not onlytoreigninthelineofdavidbutalsotodieforthesinsoftheworld. Whoever believesthatjesusisthechristisbornofgod;andwhoeverlovesthefatherloves thechild&bornofhim (1John5:1).

15 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 125 But if I cast out demons bythespiritofgod,thenthe kingdomofgodhascomeuponyou (Matt12:28, emphasis added). But if I cast out demons bythefingerofgod,thenthe kingdom of God has come upon you (Luke 11:20, emphasis added). Boththe ifclauses arefirstclassconditions, 10 andareassumedas true. One of the ultimate signs or miracles was that Jesus was fully in control, evenoversatan s demonic world empire. Jesus message was simple:thekingdomofgodhadcometoisraelinthepersonofdavid sson, thesonofman.hewasliterallyofferingthekingdomtothem(israel),yet theywouldhavetoreceive 11 Himtobegivenhiskingdom. Thearrivalofthekingdomwasonlyanoffer,yettheyrejectedthe Kingandhiskingdom.Therewasnostartorbeginningtohiskingdomin any manner at his first coming. Jesus made this very clear to them. ThereforeIsaytoyou,thekingdomofGodwillbetakenawayfromyou, andbegiventoanationproducingthefruitofit (Matt21:43). 12 However, 10εἰδὲἐνπνεύματιθεοῦἐγὼἐκβάλλωτὰδαιμόνια,ἄραἔφθασενἐφ ὑμᾶς ἡβασιλείατοῦθεοῦ(matt12:28); εἰδὲἐνδακτύλῳθεοῦ[ἐγὼ]ἐκβάλλωτὰδαιμόνια,ἄραἔφθασενἐφ ὑμᾶςἡ βασιλείατοῦθεοῦ(luke11:20) 11 HecametoHisown,andthosewhowereHisowndidnotreceiveHim (John1:11); AsyouthereforehavereceivedChristJesustheLord,so&walkinHim (Col.2:6).WhenonehastrustedChrist,orbelievedinHim,onehasreceivedHim. SalvationisreallyreceivingChrist.OneistrulytrustinginHim,thatis,whoHeis (i.e.theeternalsonofgod).hediedforoursinsandwasraisedonthethirdday(1 Cor15:1-4). 12OneshouldbeamazedbyhowmanybelieveHeisbuildingakingdomin thisageorthereisatasteofthekingdominthechurchage,whichisnotpossible in any sense. Just read the view of Christ of the seven churches. Sad howmany believeheisbuilding,orthechurchisbuildingakingdomtoday. ThereforeIsay toyou,thekingdomofgodwillbetakenawayfromyou,andbegiventoanation producing the fruit of it (Matt 21:43, emphasis added). διὰτοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἀρθήσεται ἀφ ὑμῶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ δοθήσεται ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς. The word for nation is easily translated people (and from classicalgreek[ls]ἔθνος,ἔθνος,εος,τό, a&number&of&people&accustomed&to&live& together,&a&company,&body&of&men,& 3.a&special&class&ofmen,a&caste,&tribe).&There isnothingatalltosuggestthatthecovenantedkingdomwasinanysensetaken fromnationalisraelandgiventosomeotherpeople(thisisnotpossiblebecause oftheeternal,unconditionalcovenantswithisrael).whilethekingdomwas taken

16 126( Sign(of(Jonah & theyallknewhecoulddothemiraculoussigns,andthesesignsconfirmed everytruthabouthim,forheistheabsolutetruth. Jesus &Miraculous&Signs&Were&Common&Knowledge&& & Most everyone who came into contact with Jesus (especially the leadership)knewjesuscoulddomiraculoussigns.nicodemuscameto Jesus and made this exceedingly accurate assessment, which speaks volumes. ThismancametoHimbynight,andsaidtoHim,Rabbi,weknow thatyouhavecomefromgodas&ateacher;fornoonecandothesesigns that You do unless God is with him (John 3:2). 13 Manyotherswerealso drawingthesameconclusion. ButmanyofthemultitudebelievedinHim; and they were saying, When the Christ shall come, He will not perform moresignsthanthosewhichthismanhas,willhe? (John7:31). However, there was also much disagreement and division concerninghisperson. ThereforesomeofthePhariseesweresaying,this man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath. But others weresaying,howcanamanwhoisasinnerperformsuchsigns?andthere wasadivisionamongthem (John9:16).TheconclusionofthePharisees wentsomethinglikethefollowing: HewasaccusedofnotkeepingtheSabbath; Hewasperformingsuchgreatsigns; Howcanasinnerperformsuchsigns;andthus, HeisnotfromGod. LeadersweresummonedtogetherconcerningHim,especiallyinregardto all his miraculous signs. Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convenedacouncil,andweresaying,whatarewedoing?forthismanis performingmanysigns (John11:47). During the various trials of Christ prior to his crucifixion, Pilate sentjesustoherod,forherodwasanxioustoseeasignperformed. But away bygodbecauseoftheirrejectionofchristandhiskingdom,itwillagainbe offeredtoisraelandacceptedbyhiscovenantedpeople,israel.christmadethis veryclear. 13 And a great multitude was following Him, because they were seeing the signs which He was performing on those who were sick (John 6:2). But thoughhehadperformedsomanysignsbeforethem,yet&theywerenotbelieving inhim (John12:37). ThereforethechiefpriestsandthePhariseesconveneda council,andweresaying, Whatarewedoing?Forthismanisperformingmany signs (John11:47).

17 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 127 whenpilateheardit,heaskedwhetherthemanwasagalilean.andwhen helearnedthathebelongedtoherod'sjurisdiction,hesenthimtoherod, whohimselfalsowasinjerusalematthattime.nowherodwasveryglad whenhesawjesus;forhehadwantedtoseehimforalongtime,because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performedbyhim (Luke22:6-8). Nevertheless,evenwithalltheconfirmingsignmiraclesHehad done, there were very few turning to Him from the nation Israel. But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet& they were not believinginhim (John12:37).Justbecausemanyfollowersandleaders, suchasthephariseesandsadducees,andliterallyallhisenemies(etal.) acknowledged the miraculous signs does not mean they were turning to HimandbelievinginHim.Indeed,allthesemiraculousworkswillhavea finalconclusionbythepharisees,andthosewiththem,thatwas: thisman is/wasnotfromgod. They&Were&Seeking&to&Kill&Him& ForthiscausethereforetheJewswereseekingallthemoretokillHim, becausehenotonlywasbreakingthesabbath,butalsowascallinggodhis ownfather,makinghimselfequalwithgod (John5:18). IfIdonotdothe worksofmyfather,donotbelieveme;butifidothem,thoughyoudonot believeme,believetheworks,thatyoumayknowandunderstandthatthe FatherisinMe,andIintheFather (John10:37-38). Thereforetheywere seekingagaintoseizehim,andheeludedtheirgrasp (John10:39).They did not believe his message and they were denying his signs were from God.TheydidnotbelieveHim,soalltheywantedtodowasdestroythis supposedsonofgod.nonetheless,allthesigns,miracles,andwonders(all hisworks)provedpreciselywhohewas. 14 Immediate&Context&of&Matthew&12:39& & ThePhariseeswereaccusingChristandhisdisciplesofdoingthatwhich was notlawfulonthesabbath(matt 12:1-8). 15 Theleaderscouldnot 14 Apparently, many studentsofhisworddonotrealizethetrue purpose(s)ofsigns,miracles,orwonders(i.e.hisworks). HecametoHisown,and thosewhowerehisowndidnotreceivehim (John1:11). 15 AtthattimeJesuswentontheSabbaththroughthegrainfields,andHis disciplesbecamehungryandbegantopicktheheadsof&grain&andeat.butwhen thephariseessawit,theysaidtohim, Behold,Yourdisciplesdowhatisnotlawful todoonasabbath.buthesaidtothem,haveyounotreadwhatdaviddid,when

18 128( Sign(of(Jonah & condemn Jesus and his disciples enough over every superfluous and imagined violation of the law. They had one agenda and that was to destroy Him,andeveryoneandeverythingaroundHim. Anddeparting from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there& was& a man withawitheredhand.andtheyquestionedhim,saying,isitlawfultoheal onthesabbath?inorderthattheymightaccusehim (Matt12:9-10). JesusmadeitapointtoprovethatHewasnotbreakingtheSabbath in any manner but He was demonstrating compassion for there was a genuine mercy displayed by the law. 16 Bothmanandanimalshavebasic needs(evenforsurvival)andassuchcompassionshouldbedemonstrated pertainingsimplytotheneedsof life. 17 AndHesaidtothem,Whatman shalltherebeamongyou,whoshallhaveonesheep,andifitfallsintoapit onthesabbath,willhenottakeholdofit,andliftitout?ofhowmuchmore valuethenisamanthanasheepsothen,itislawfultodogoodonthe Sabbath (Matt12:11-12). Theleadershadestablishedtheirownlaw(s)byviolatingwhatwas thetrueintentofthelaw,thatis,tolovegodandyourneighbor. 18 Indeed, hebecamehungry,heandhiscompanions;howheenteredthehouseofgod,and theyatetheconsecratedbread,whichwasnotlawfulforhimtoeat,norforthose withhim,butforthepriestsalone?orhaveyounotreadinthelaw,thatonthe SabbaththepriestsinthetemplebreaktheSabbath,andareinnocent?ButIsayto you,thatsomethinggreaterthanthetempleishere.butifyouhadknownwhat this means, I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice, you would not have condemnedtheinnocent.forthesonofmanislordofthesabbath (Matt12:1-8). 16 AndHesaidtothem, Whatmanshalltherebeamongyou,whoshall haveonesheep,andifitfallsintoapitonthesabbath,willhenottakeholdofit, andliftitout? OfhowmuchmorevaluethenisamanthanasheepSothen,itis lawfultodogoodonthesabbath (Matt12:11-12,emphasisadded).πόσῳοὖν διαφέρειἄνθρωποςπροβάτου.ὥστεἔξεστιντοῖςσάββασινκαλῶςποιεῖν.note the present active infinitive used in regards to doing good continually on the Sabbath.Therewasneveraprobleminjustdoingthatwhichisgoodorbeneficial (esp.towardssomeone slife).christwasendorsingdoinggoodonthesabbath.he onlydidthatwhichwasgoodandbeneficial. 17 AndHesaidtothem, Whichoneofyoushallhaveasonoranoxfall intoawell,andwillnotimmediatelypullhimoutonasabbathday?(luke14:5). Whenyouenteryourneighbor svineyard,thenyoumayeatgrapesuntilyouare fully satisfied, but you shall not put any in your basket. When you enter your neighbor sstandinggrain,thenyoumayplucktheheadswithyourhand,butyou shallnotwieldasickleinyourneighbor sstandinggrain (Deut23:24-25). 18 Teacher,whichisthegreatcommandmentintheLaw? AndHesaidto him, YoushalllovetheLORDyourGodwithallyourheart,andwithallyoursoul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The

19 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 129 love for God and neighbors were more important than sacrifice (Mark 12:29-33). 19 Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them,forthisisthelawandtheprophets (Matt7:12). Healing&of&First&Man&& Christ demonstrated to everyone(especially the Pharisees) that doing goodanytimewaslawful. ThenHesaidtotheman,stretchoutyourhand Andhestretcheditout,anditwasrestoredtonormal,liketheother (Matt 12:13).TheresponsebythePhariseeswasonlytoopredictable. Butthe Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as& to& how they mightdestroyhim (v.14).thecontextofmatthew12:39getssadderand morebizarrewitheachadditionaljotandtittle. 20 Healing&of&Second&Man&and&Spirit&Blasphemy&& Then there was brought to Him a demon-possessed man who&was&blind anddumb,andhehealedhim,sothatthedumbmanspokeandsaw.and allthemultitudeswereamazed,andbegan&tosay, Thisman&cannotbethe SonofDavid,canhe? ButwhenthePhariseesheardit,theysaid, Thisman castsoutdemonsonlybybeelzebultherulerofthedemons (Matt12:22-24).TheresponseofthePhariseesisbiblicallyknownastheblasphemyof second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandmentsdependthewholelawandtheprophets (Matt22:36-40). 19Jesusanswered, Theforemostis, Hear,OIsraelTheLordourGodis onelord;andyoushalllovethelordyourgodwithallyourheart,andwithall yoursoul,andwithallyourmind,andwithallyourstrength. Thesecondisthis, Youshallloveyourneighborasyourself. Thereisnoothercommandmentgreater thanthese. AndthescribesaidtoHim, Right,Teacher,Youhavetrulystatedthat HeisOne;andthereisnooneelsebesidesHim;andtoloveHimwithalltheheart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one s neighborashimself,ismuchmorethanallburntofferingsandsacrifices (Mark 12:29-33). 20 ButJesus,awareofthis,withdrewfromthere.AndmanyfollowedHim, andhehealedthemall,andwarnedthemnottomakehimknown,inorderthat whatwasspokenthroughisaiahtheprophet,mightbefulfilled,saying, Behold, MyServantwhomIhavechosen;MyBelovedinwhomMysouliswell-pleased;I willputmyspirituponhim,andheshallproclaimjusticetothegentiles. Hewill notquarrel,norcryout;norwillanyonehearhisvoiceinthestreets. Abattered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leadsjusticetovictory. AndinHisnametheGentileswillhope (Matt12:15-21).

20 130( Sign(of(Jonah & theholyspirit,orblasphemyofgodtheholyspirit.thephariseeswent muchtoofarintheirunholyassessmentofchristjesus.torejecthimis onethingbuttoattributetheworkofgodtheholyspirittobeelzebul(or Satan) is completely blasphemous. There would be no forgiveness concerning this sin. Jesus made this very clear to these leaders. And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgivenhim,eitherinthisage,orintheage&tocome (Matt12:32). Jesus&Could&Not&Be&Doing&All&This&in&the&Power&of&Satan& & JesusmadeallthisveryclearthatHecouldnotbecontinuallydoingthisin Satan s power for this would be eroding Satan s kingdom. And knowing theirthoughtshesaidtothem, Anykingdomdividedagainstitselfislaid waste;andanycityorhousedividedagainstitselfshallnotstand.andif Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdomstand? (Matt12:25-26).Jesusmadeitabsolutelyclearwhatis beingsaid.ifheweredoingthesethingsinthepowerofsatan,thedevil s kingdomwouldfailandfinallyfall.justasanenemymightshootoneofhis own to prove an allegiance (although a deception), one could not keep shootinghisownfortherewouldbenoneremaining.christcouldnotkeep doing this if He were oftheenemyorsatan spower.hecouldnotkeep releasingthoseinsatan spowerorbondage,orsatan shousewouldfall. AndifIbyBeelzebulcastoutdemons,bywhomdoyoursonscast them out? Consequently they shall be your judges (Matt 12:27). The statementisalmostlikeariddleyetsoprofound.therewasthesenseof known demon possession at that time. They should have recognized the reality of all that Christ was doing,especiallyincomparisontoothers. Whatfollowsissoobvious. ButifIcastoutdemonsbytheSpiritofGod, thenthekingdomofgodhascomeuponyou.orhowcananyoneenterthe strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strongman?andthenhewillplunderhishouse.hewhoisnotwithmeis againstme;andhewhodoesnotgatherwithmescatters (Matt12:28-30). TheyshouldknowexactlywhatChristwasdoing.Theywereeitherwith HimoragainstHim. Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men,butblasphemyagainstthespiritshallnotbeforgiven.andwhoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, eitherinthisage,orintheage&tocome (Matt12:31-32).WhattheLord saidisexactlywhattheyweredoing(i.e.attributingtheworksofgodthe

21 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 131 HolySpirittoSatan).Effectively,theywereaccusingChristofbeingdemon possessedandthusbeinginleaguewithsatan.asanote,onecouldnotdo thistodayinthesame manner for these people actually witnessed his miracles and actuallysawhis works. They could not deny his many miracles. The leaders had to have an answer for the people concerning howthesemiraclesorsignscouldoccur.theirconclusionwas: thismanis associatedwithsatan. Jesus response to these accusations was: Eithermakethetree good,anditsfruitgood;ormakethetreebad,anditsfruitbad;forthetree isknownbyitsfruit.youbroodofvipers,howcanyou,beingevil,speak whatisgood?forthemouthspeaksoutofthatwhichfillstheheart.the goodmanoutofhis&goodtreasurebringsforthwhatisgood;andtheevil manoutofhis&eviltreasurebringsforthwhatisevil.andisaytoyou,that everycarelesswordthatmenshallspeak,theyshallrenderaccountforit intheday of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned (Matt12:33-37). Their own words wouldcomebackonthem,confirmingtheircondemnation. Herein is the context of Matthew 12:39. Jesus did two wonderful miraclesbyhealingtwomen,andtheresponsewastheaccusation, Jesus, you are demon possessed. However, with all the signs they were given, they foolishly asked a simple yet completely irrational question. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, Teacher, we wanttoseeasignfromyou (Matt12:38).Theyreallydidnotwantasign ormiracle.theyjustwantedtotraphimoncemore,butthesnarefailed with Christ s very words. They were approaching Jesus with complete contemptandhatred,andalltheysoughtwashistotaldestruction.they committedtheblasphemyoftheholyspirit.thesignhegivesthemdoes notspeakwellforthem. ThecontextofLukeissimilarandpossiblyidentical. Butsomeof themsaid, HecastsoutdemonsbyBeelzebul,therulerofthedemons.And others, to test Him, were demanding ofhimasignfromheaven.buthe knewtheirthoughts,andsaidtothem,anykingdomdividedagainstitself is laid waste; and a house divided& against itself falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? For you say that I castoutdemonsbybeelzebul.andifibybeelzebulcastoutdemons,by whomdoyoursonscastthemout?consequentlytheyshallbeyourjudges. ButifIcastoutdemonsbythefingerofGod,thenthekingdomofGodhas comeuponyou (Luke11:15-20). Mark spoke ofthephariseesseekingsignsbutthecontextis different. And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seekingfromhimasignfromheaven,totesthim.andsighingdeeplyin

22 132( Sign(of(Jonah & Hisspirit,Hesaid,whydoesthisgenerationseekforasign?TrulyIsayto you,nosignshallbegiventothisgeneration (Mark8:11-12). THESIGNOFTHEPROPHETJONAHINMATTHEWANDLUKE Matthew But He answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet& no sign shall be given toitbutthesignofjonahthe prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nightsinthebellyofthesea monster,soshallthesonof Manbethreedaysandthree nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemn it because theyrepentedatthepreaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here, The& Queen of the& South shall rise up with this generation at the judgment andshallcondemnit,because shecamefromtheendsofthe earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomonishere. (Matt12:39-42) Luke And as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, andyet&nosignshallbegivento it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a signto theninevites,soshallthesonof Manbetothisgeneration. The QueenoftheSouthshallriseup with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them,becauseshecamefromthe ends of the earth to hear the wisdomofsolomon;andbehold, somethinggreaterthansolomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greaterthanjonahishere. (Luke11:29-32) NotetheslightdifferencesbetweenMatthewandLuke.InMatthew,Christ said, an evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and,inluke, this generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign. As has been discussed,christhaddonemanysigns,andhehadbeenaccusedofbeing demon possessed or doing these signs in the power of Satan, yet they askedhimforanothersign.

23 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 133 Thesignbeinggiventhatgenerationisnotoneofblessing,which canbeunderstoodquitereadilybyhisdescribingthatgenerationasevil, wicked, and adulterous. He also made it very clear that the men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. Jesusalso made itveryclearthatsomethinggreaterthanjonahwas there. The implication isalsoveryclearthatthefirstcenturygenerationwouldnot repentasninevehdid.hethengavethemthesignoftheprophetjonah. Matthew: and yet& no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and threenightsinthebellyoftheseamonster,soshalltheson ofmanbethreedaysandthreenightsintheheartofthe earth. Luke:andyet&nosignshallbegiventoitbutthesignofJonah. ForjustasJonahbecameasigntotheNinevites,soshallthe SonofManbetothisgeneration.. Jesuswasnotgivingthemthegospel,asHedidtohisownorhis disciples.thesignoftheprophetjonahwasandisnotthegospelofjesus Christ (1 Cor15:1-4). Note from the previous(thesignoftheprophet Jonah) there is nothing about his death, burial, or resurrection of Jesus Christ. Asthethreedaysandthreenightsofincarcerationintheheartof theearthstressthetimesequence,hewasnotsayinganythingabouthis deathandhisresurrection.notethefollowingversesandtherearemany morewhichstresshisdeathandhisresurrectiononthethirdday. From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the eldersandchiefpriestsandscribes,andbekilled,andberaised uponthethirdday (Matt16:21). AndwhiletheyweregatheringtogetherinGalilee,Jesussaid tothem, TheSonofManisgoingtobedeliveredintothehands ofmen;andtheywillkillhim,andhewillberaisedonthethird day. Andtheyweredeeplygrieved (Matt17:22-23). Behold,wearegoinguptoJerusalem;andtheSonofManwill be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemnhimtodeath,andwilldeliverhimtothegentilesto

24 134( Sign(of(Jonah & mockandscourgeandcrucifyhim,andonthethirddayhewill beraisedup (Matt20:18-19). But He warned them, and instructed them& not to tell this to anyone,saying,thesonofmanmustsuffermanythings,andbe rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,andberaiseduponthethirdday (Luke9:21-22). Jesusansweredandsaidtothem, Destroythistemple,andin three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said, It took forty-sixyearstobuildthistemple,andwillyouraiseitupin three days? But He was speaking of the temple of His body. When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples rememberedthathesaidthis;andtheybelievedthescripture, andthewordwhichjesushadspoken (John2:19-22). ThesignoftheprophetJonahincludesthethreedaysandthreenightsin Matthew,whereinLukeJonahbecomesthesign.Thesignoftheprophet Jonah and the gospel of Jesus Christ are not identical. One cannot just assumetheyarethesamebecauseofthethreedaysandthreenights.todo thisonehastobelievejonahdied,butdidhe? DIDJONAHDIE? Many assume the prophet Jonah died and was raised on the third day. CoulditbetruethatJonahdied?Onehastoprovethattheprophettruly died.whensomeonediesinthetext,thebibleisveryclearthattheydied. TheScripturesleavenoguessinggameandtheywillmakeitveryobvious that that person died. One needs to perusetheold Testament(Hebrew Text) and there will be no doubt concerning a person s death, whichis evenclearerifgodputthepersontodeath(assomebelievewithjonah). EvenmoreapparentisifGodraisessomeonefromthedead.IfJonahwere raised from the dead, God would make this even more evident. There is nothing like this in the Text, and it is not necessary for the sign of the prophetjonah. There is also the problem of Jonah himself almost prayingfor death.certainly,itwouldbealmostcrueltoraisehimfromthedeadifhe wantedtodieorwasalreadydead.heneverwantedtogotonineveh,and eventotheendhemusthavetrulyhatedthesepeople. Thereforenow,OLORD,pleasetakemylifefromme,fordeath isbettertomethanlife (Jon4:3).

25 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 135 AnditcameaboutwhenthesuncameupthatGodappointeda scorchingeastwind,andthesunbeatdownonjonah'sheadso thathebecamefaintandbeggedwithall&hissoultodie,saying, deathisbettertomethanlife (v.8). ThenGodsaidtoJonah,Doyouhavegoodreasontobeangry abouttheplant?andhesaid,ihavegoodreasontobeangry, eventodeath (v.9). Jonah was truly concerned about the plant, but not the people of Nineveh. Consequently, it seemsasifhewouldratherdiethanhave compassionuponthepeople.god,however,demonstratedhiscompassion forthepeoplebysendingandpreservingjonah.forgodsaid, Andshould InothavecompassiononNineveh,thegreatcityinwhichtherearemore than120,000personswhodonotknowthe&difference&betweentheirright andlefthand,aswellasmanyanimals? (Jon4:11).Jonahhadnoneofthat compassion,butwedolearnmuchfromjonah.godcontinuallydisplayshis wondrousgracenotonlytoninevehbutalsototheprophethimself. Would it not be better to understand that Jonah came close to death (or the grave) butgoddeliveredhimsupernaturally? Water encompassedmetothepointofdeath.thegreatdeepengulfedme,weeds were wrapped around my head (Jon 2:5).Woulditnotbemore miraculous that Jonah was delivered by this great fish and kept safe? Jonah s deliverancemighthavebeenagreatermiracle,fortheninevites would not know ofjonah sdeathand resurrection, but they would have knownhewasdeliveredsafelybyafish. 21 SomebelieveJonahgaveaprayerofthanksgivingfromthefishfor delivering him. This prayer by Jonah was not a plea for deliverance for therewerenopetitionsinit.theprayerisapsalmofthanksgiving(v.9)to Godforusingthefishtosavehimfromdrowning.Theprayerwasmade whilejonahwasinthefish sstomach(v.1)butitwaswrittenofcourse afterhewasexpelledfromthefish sstomach.sensingthatthegreatfish was God s means of delivering him, Jonah worshiped God for His unfathomable mercies. Jonah praised God for delivering him from death 21Thereisanexcellentworktitled TheSignofJonah (Journal& of& the& Evangelical&Theological&Society&23[March1980]:23-30)byEugeneH.Merrill.He drew great attention to the fish cult that was at Nineveh and this sign of being preserved by a fish confirmed Jonah to them. They then repented at the sign of Jonah.Thethreedaysandnightspreservedinthefishwasthesign,andthenJonah becamethesign.

26 136( Sign(of(Jonah & (cf.ps.30:3)inawaterygrave. 22 Again,thereisabsolutelynoproofJonah diedinthewaterorinthefish.jesuswasnotdependantuponjonahforhis coming death,burial,andresurrection(as a type or kind); this was not needed,butthetimesequencewasgivenandiscritical. The&Essential&Comparisons&of&Jonah&and&Jesus& & JesusmadethisverydistinctassociationaspartofthesignofJonah(Matt 12:39-40). And yet& no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; forjustasjonahwasthreedaysandthreenightsinthebelly oftheseamonster, soshallthesonofmanbethreedaysandthreenightsinthe heartoftheearth. Notethesigndoesnotconsistofthedeath,burial,andresurrectionbutofa confinement for three days and three nights. The latter isthekeyfor understanding the sign of the prophet Jonah. The three days and three nightsareintheaccusativecaseingreeksothiswouldbecontinuousin time, 23 whichdoesnotmeanithastobeexactlyseventy-twohoursforitis not. As Jonah would disappear for a time,hewouldreappearjust after threedaysandthreenights.theprophet sreemergenceiscrucialtothis partofthesign. Jesus also made thiscomparison(luke11:29-30). And as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, this generation is a wicked generation;itseeksforasign,andyet&nosignshallbegiventoitbutthe signofjonah; 22 JohnD.Hannah, Jonah, inthe& Bible& Knowledge& Commentary:& An& Exposition&of&the&Scriptures,eds.JohnF.WalvoordandRoyB.Zuck(Wheaton,IL: VictorBooks,1985) ButHeansweredandsaidtothem,Anevilandadulterousgeneration craves for a sign; and yet& no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;forjustasjonahwasthreedaysandthreenightsinthebellyofthesea monster,soshallthesonofmanbethreedaysandthreenightsintheheartofthe earth (Matt 12:39-40, emphasis added). ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶςσημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεταιαὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖονἰωνᾶτοῦπροφήτου. ὥσπεργὰρἦνἰωνᾶςἐντῇκοιλίᾳτοῦκήτουςτρεῖς ἡμέραςκαὶτρεῖςνύκτας,οὕτωςἔσταιὁυἱὸςτοῦἀνθρώπουἐντῇκαρδίᾳτῆςγῆς τρεῖςἡμέραςκαὶτρεῖςνύκτας.

27 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 137 forjustasjonahbecameasigntotheninevites, soshallthesonofmanbetothisgeneration. Consequently, the signs have to be put together for it was shown that bothcontextareaboutidenticalforthissigntobegiven.thefirstcentury generationhadeffectivelycommittedtheblasphemyoftheholyspirit,and they wanted afurthersignfromjesustoconfirmhewas from God. Nevertheless,thissignisexactlythat,butnotforblessingbutforaproofof theircondemnation. ForjustasJonahwasthreedaysandthreenightsinthebelly oftheseamonster, soshallthesonofmanbethreedaysandthreenightsinthe heartoftheearth. ForjustasJonahbecameasigntotheNinevites, soshallthesonofmanbetothisgeneration. Justafterthethreedaysandthreenights,Jonahhimselfbecamea sign totheninevites. They recognized Jonah was sent from a powerful God and the true God. They believed Jonah and his message and they repented. In a similar and contrasting manner, Jesuswouldreappear from the grave and would become the sign asjonahhadbeento Nineveh.However,theyrepentedatthesignofJonah.Thegenerationto whomjesusspokedidnot.thissignsecuredtheircondemnation. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, Teacher, we want to see a sign from You. But He answered and saidtothem,anevilandadulterousgenerationcravesforasign; and yet& no sign shall be given to it but thesignofjonahthe prophet;forjustasjonahwasthreedaysandthreenightsinthe bellyoftheseamonster,soshallthesonofmanbethreedaysand threenightsintheheartoftheearth.themenofninevehshall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemnitbecausetheyrepentedatthepreachingofjonah; andbehold,somethinggreaterthanjonahishere (Matt12:38-41). And as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet& no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah becameasigntotheninevites,soshallthesonofmanbeto thisgeneration.thequeenofthesouthshallriseupwiththe men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them,

28 138( Sign(of(Jonah & becauseshecamefromtheendsoftheearthtohearthewisdomof Solomon;andbehold,somethinggreaterthanSolomonishere.The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preachingofjonah;andbehold,somethinggreaterthanjonah ishere (Luke11:29-32). Asafinalnote,Matthew12:41andLuke11:32areidenticalinthe GreekNewTestament.Thetranslationsmaynotbethesamebutthe originalis. The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here (Matt12:41). The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgmentandcondemnit,becausetheyrepentedatthepreaching ofjonah;andbehold,somethinggreaterthanjonahishere (Luke 11:32). ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇκρίσει μετὰτῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν, ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμαἰωνᾶ,καὶἰδοὺπλεῖονἰωνᾶὧδε(matt12:41). ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇκρίσει μετὰτῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμαἰωνᾶ,καὶἰδοὺπλεῖονἰωνᾶὧδε(luke11:32). CONCLUSION EvenwithallthesignmiraclesJesuspresentedtothenation,theyrepented notorsimplydidnotbelievehim.didjesusgivethemafinalsigntoprove HewasofGod?Hesurelydid.ThefinalsignoftheprophetJonah,thatis, hisreappearanceafterthreedaysandthreenightsnotonlyfullyconfirmed Him,butalsothissignguaranteedtheireternalcondemnation. Bynotbelieving,oneisfinallysayingheorshedoesnottrustthe LordorhisWord.GodcallsuponallmentobelieveinJesusforHediedfor allmen.allonehastodoisbelieve.nothingisaddedtofaithbecauseone is savedonlybyhisgrace,andfaithistheconduitforreceivingthisfree gift.faithissimplytakinggodathisword.withouthisword,faithdoes notexist

29 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 139 Thegospelconsistsoftwoessentialsandbothconcernexclusively thepersonandworkofchrist.onemustbelievejesusistheeternalsonof GodforHeistheOnewhodiedforsinnersandwasraisedonthethirdday accordingtothescriptures(1cor15:1-4).thegoodnewsofjesuschrist concerningeternallifeisallabouthim.abelievermakesnopromisesor commitmentsforthiswouldbeofthefleshandisafalsegospel.eternallife isafreegiftprovidedbytheinfinitetothefinite.anythingmancandofor eternallifeisabysmallyfiniteandsinful,evenpromisesorcommitments. Salvation is a completely free gift. If it is not free but laden with commitments, promises, prayer, literally anything but belief(whichis trust) itissimplyafalsegospel. ThegospelisonlyaboutChristJesusandhisfinishedworkatthe cross; itishis literal blood which accurately makes genuineatonement, andnothingelsescriptureisveryclearconcerningthis.anythingaddedto who He is and what He did is a false gospel. The gospel of salvation includesonlythefollowing: onesimplybelievesortrusts whothelordjesusis and& whathedid. Salvation is completely a free gift. One does nothing but believe. Anything else is a false gospel. Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;butthesehavebeenwrittenthatyoumaybelievethatjesusisthe Christ,theSonofGod;andthatbelievingyoumayhavelifeinHisname (John20:30-31). Theonlywayonecanknow&for&certainthatheorshehaseternal lifeisthatonehasbelievedwhathasbeenwrittenconcerningtheperson ofthesonofgod. ThesethingsIhavewrittentoyouwhobelieveinthe nameofthesonofgod,inorderthatyoumayknowthatyouhaveeternal life (1 John 5:13). The message is so easy anyone can believe by taking GodathisWordandbelievingallistrueabouthisWordandhisSon Allsigns,miracles,andwonderswereprovingwhoHeis,thatis,the eternalsonofgod.scriptureisveryclearthatheistheeternalson,andtodeny thisistodenywhoheis.onecannotbeabelieveranddenytheeternalsonship.

30 This page left intentionally blank.

31 This page left intentionally blank.

32 This page left intentionally blank.

33 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 143 THE*DISTINCTIVE*SONSHIP*SOTERIOLOGY*OF*JESUS* IN*THE*FOURTH*GOSPEL,*PART*I* * Don*Trest* John,moresothanMatthew,Mark,andLuke,highlightedthecorrelation between believing in the Son and receiving eternal life from the Son. BelievingintheSontoreceiveeternallifefromtheSonisthesoteriological center inthefourthgospel,butnotsointhesynopticgospels.jesus proclaimedtohisaudiences(injohn sgospel), Forthisisthewillofmy Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day (6:40). 1 Truly, truly,isaytoyou,whoeverbelieveshaseternallife (v.47).thesonship depositionsreportedbyjohninthefourthgospelestablishsonshipasthe requisite elementinthemessianicclaimofjesustoisraelandconstitute thesoteriologicalunderpinningforthegospelinthechurchage. Martha(inherJohn11:25-27confessionoffaith)encapsulatedthe responsejesusrequiredofthejewishleadershipandthejewishpeopleto his messianic ministry, and consequently to people everywhere throughouttheworldinthechurchage.jesusmadeatwofoldstatementto Marthaandgavetwoimplications.HethenaskedMarthatobelievewhat He had said to her. Jesus said to Martha, I am the Resurrection and the Life; theimplications:1)theonewhobelievesinjesus,thoughhemaydie physically,heshalllive bodilyresurrectionfromthedeadintheageto come;and,2)theonewhophysicallylivesandbelievesinjesusshallnever die eternal life in this age and forever. In her response, Martha confessedtojesus, Yes,Lord;IbelievethatyouaretheChrist(Messiah) [inredemptiverelationshiptoisraelandmankindasthesavior],thesonof God[inessentialrelationshiptoGodastheeternalSonhavingthedivine prerogative of resurrection and life], who is [the One] coming into the world [sent by the Father into the world in fulfillment of the divine promises as recorded in the Bible and validated in the actual life and ministry of Jesus]. InJohn,the redemptive value of Christ s death and *" Don" Trest," M.B.S.," D.Min.," professor" of" Bible" &" theology," Tyndale" Theological" Seminary"and"Biblical"Institute" ( 1Unlessotherwisenoted,allScripturereferencesarefromtheEnglish StandardVersion.

34 144( Sonship(Soteriology & resurrectionisinproportiontotherelationshipofthesontothefather. Therefore,beliefinJesus thechrist,thesonofgod,sentbythefather intotheworld istheessentialsoteriologicalcontentrevealedinjohn. THE(SONSHIP(SOTERIOLOGY(OF(JESUS( Theologians of all persuasions observe the remarkable Christological disposition of the Fourth Gospel. Andrew Lincoln conveyedthepopular sentiment regarding the distinctive presentation of Jesus PersoninJohn overthatcontainedinthesynopticgospels: Thegreatestdifferencesare tobefoundinthefourthgospel sportrayalofjesus...wherethereisan explicit and full development ofhissonship in relation to the Father. 2 Andreas Köstenberger further noted, John is more overtly interested in the theologicalunderpinnings of Jesus s person and work than arethe Synoptics. 3 MerrillC.Tenneylikewisecontended, The Gospel of John is predominantlytheological.althoughallfourgospelspresentthepersonof Jesusfromatheologicalviewpoint,Johnemphasizesitmoststrongly. 4 TheFourthGospel sdistinctivechristologicalperspectiveisbased inthesonshipproclamationsreportedexclusivelybytheauthorofjohnin thetextofthefourthgospel.twoessentialaspectsofthesonshipofjesus arepresentedinthefourthgospel: 1) The Son exists in eternal affiliation to the Father (1:1-4, 18; 17:5) as the Son of God (1:34, 49; 3:18; 5:25; 11:4, 27; 19:7; 20:31)whowassentfromtheFatherintotheworld(5:36-38; 6:38-39; 7:33; 8:26-29; 11:42) to accomplish his [Father s] work (4:34); 2) The Son entered redemptive relationship to mankind as the SonofMan(1:51;3:13-14;5:27;6:27;8:28;9:35;12:23;13:31) throughtheincarnation(1:14,34,35),whichwassubsequently validatedinthelord sdeathandresurrection(2:19-22;11:25-2 AndrewT.Lincoln,The& Gospel& According& to& Saint& John (London: Continuum,2005)27. 3AndreasJ.Köstenberger,Encountering& John:& The& Gospel& in& Historical,& Literary,& and& Theological& Perspective, 2 nd ed.,ed.waltera.elwell(1999;grand Rapids:Baker,2013)23. 4 Merrill C. Tenney, The Gospel of John, in The& Expositor s& Bible& Commentary, gen. ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, )9:17.

35 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( ;20:24-29)as thelambofgodwhotakesawaythesinof theworld (1:29).( ( According to John, the Father sent the Son into the world to accomplish the work(s) the Father gave Himtodo.OncetheSonhad finishedthework(s),hereturnedtothefatherinheaven.jesusaffirmed thathis works establishedhimasthesonineternalrelationshiptothe Father: But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John[the Baptist]. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the veryworksthatiamdoing,bearwitnessaboutmethatthefatherhassent me (5:36). Jesus charged his Jewish listeners to believe that He was the Son sentfromthefather: IfGodwereyourFather,youwouldloveme,forI camefromgodandiamhere.icamenotofmyownaccord,buthesent me (7:28). IfIamnotdoingtheworksofmyFather,thendonotbelieve me;butifidothem,eventhoughyoudonotbelieveme,believetheworks, thatyoumayknowandunderstandthatthefatherisinmeandiaminthe Father (10:37-38).Jesusfurtherchargedhisdisciples: BelievemethatI aminthefatherandthefatherisinme,orelsebelieveonaccountofthe worksthemselves (14:11).Thus,theonewhobelievesinJesusastheOne sentfromthefathertodothework(s)ofthefatherandwhoreturnedto thefatheroncethework(s)wascompletedisgiveneternallifebytheson. Father...youhavegivenhim[theSon]authorityoverallflesh,togive eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that theyknowyoutheonlytruegod,andjesuschristwhomyouhavesent (17:1-3). THE(LIMITED(SYNOPTIC(SONSHIP(AFFIRMATIONS All Four Gospels show that the assertion of Sonshipwasthesupposed crime for which Jesus was tried and sentenced to death. However, John wastheonlygospelwritertoactuallyreportonthesonshipdiscoursesof Jesus as delivered in Jerusalem. Luke reported that the Jewish council indictedjesusonthechargethatheclaimedtobethesonofgod. Sothey allsaid, AreyoutheSonofGod,then? Andhesaidtothem, YousaythatI am. Thentheysaid, Whatfurthertestimonydoweneed?Wehaveheard itourselvesfromhisownlips (Luke22:70,71). MatthewwrotethatthehighpriestofIsraelenunciatedtheofficial chargeatthetrialofjesus,reminiscentoftheconfessionofmartha(john 11:25-27)andthepurposeJohngaveforhisGospel(20:30-31),

36 146( Sonship(Soteriology & Andthehighpriestsaidtohim, IadjureyoubythelivingGod,tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him, You havesaidso.butitellyou,fromnowonyouwillseethesonofman seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven Then the high priest tore his robes and said, He has utteredblasphemy.whatfurtherwitnessesdoweneed?youhave now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment? They answered, Hedeservesdeath (Matt26:63-66). Atthecrucifixion, thosewhopassedbyderidedhim...ifyouare thesonofgod,comedownfromthecross (Matt27:39-40).Followingthe deathofjesus, Whenthecenturionandthosewhowerewithhim,keeping watchoverjesus,sawtheearthquakeandwhatoccurred,theywerefilled withaweandsaid, TrulythiswastheSonofGod (v.54).apartfromthe Sonship accusationsatthetrialandcrucifixion of Jesus, the Synoptic GospelsarerelativelysilentinregardstotheuniquerelationshipofJesus tothefatherasthesonofgod,whichisemphasizedbyjohninthefourth Gospel. THE(BIYDIRECTIONAL(MESSIANIC(MISSION(OF(JESUS(TO(ISRAEL( The storyline and theological ideas in the Gospel attributed to John read quitedifferentlyfromthoseascribedtomatthew,mark,andluke.whereas the three Synoptic Gospels are similar in their accounts of the life and ministryofjesus,thefourthgospelisdissimilar asmuchasninety-two percentofthematerialinjohnisnotduplicatedinthesynoptics. 5 PaulN. Anderson considers this a great and puzzling fact of biblical studies... that John is very& different fromthe Synoptics. 6 Issues in the historicity, composition, and theology of John typically revolve around questions of whythejesusinthefourthgospelappearsdivergentfromthejesusinthe SynopticGospels inparticular,thejesusthatsaves. The stories reported by John are set principally in and around Jerusalemoveraperiodofseveralvisitscoveringthreeormoreyearsin the ministry of Jesus. Blomberg observed, John actually contains more& details& of& time& and& place inthecourseofjesus ministry than do the Synoptics. It is only from John that we are able to determine that Jesus 5Köstenberger,Encountering&John, PaulN.Anderson, WhyThisStudyIsNeeded,andWhyItIsNeeded Now, in John,& Jesus,& and& History,& Vol.& 1:& Critical& Appraisals& of& Critical& Views, eds. Paul N. Anderson, Felix Just, and Tom Hatcher (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature,2007)16.&

37 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 147 ministry spanned approximately a three-year period. 7 The stories highlight aspects of the messianic ministry of Jesus, and are directed principally to the Jewish leadership who assembled in Jerusalem during thepassoverandotherprescribedtimes. TheFourthGospel sdissimilaritytothesynopticgospelsisdue,in part,tothebi-directionalmessianicmissionofjesustoisrael. 1. TheFourthGospelaccentuatedtheinitialpresentationofJesus messianic claim to the Jerusalem leadership and the supervening refusal of the leadership to certify Jesus as the promised Messiah in the first and third periods. The focus in John is thesonship depositionsofjesusinjerusalem. The Fourth Gospel s distinctive soteriological perspective is based injesus SonshipproclamationsreportedbytheauthorofJohn inthetextofthefourthgospel.thesonshipassertionsfurther substantiatedjesus messianicclaimtothejewishleadership. 2. The Synoptic penmen documented the subsequent presentation of Jesus messianic credentials to the people of Israel located throughout the territories of Israel (Galilee, Judea, Decapolis, Perea, Phoenicia) in the second and third periods, upontherefusalofthejewishleadershiptoendorse Him as the Messiah. Matthew, Mark, and Luke reported samplings from the teachings, miracles, parables, and other aspects of Jesus ministry, undertaken principally in Israel s territories to certify Jesus messianic credentials to future generationsinisraelandinthechurch. Whereas John emphasized thesonship declarationsofjesus presentedbeforethejewishleadershipinjerusalem(inthefirstandthird periodsinthemessianicministryofjesustoisrael),thesynopticpenmen registeredthemessianiccredentialsofjesuspresentedbeforethepeople ofisraelinthepublicforumoftheterritoriesofisraelinthesecondand third periods. TheSynopticGospelsbypassedtheJohannine Sonship declarations given by Jesus to the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem. John likewise ignored the ministry of Jesus undertaken in the territories of IsraelreportedbytheSynopticpenmen.AlthoughtheSynopticwritersdo notreportthesamejohanninesonshipdiscoursesofjesusoranysonship discourseofjesus,theydoconcurwithjohnthatthesonshipassertionof 7CraigL.Blomberg,Jesus& and& the& Gospels(Nashville:B&HPublishing, 2009)182.

38 148( Sonship(Soteriology & Jesus wasthenecessarycomponentinthemessianicclaimpresentedto IsraelbyJesus. TheMessianicClaimofJesus DisallowedbytheJewishLeadershipinJerusalem & The focus in John is thesonship pronouncementspostedbyjesusin JerusaleminthefirstandthirdperiodsofhismessianicministrytoIsrael. The priests and the elders, along with their agents (the scribes and Pharisees),representedtheofficialleadershipthatactedonbehalfofthe Jewish nation before God. The Jewish leadership had the authority and responsibility under the Mosaic system to decide the merit of Jesus messianic claim. Instead of endorsing Jesus as the Messiah of the Jewish nation, Israel s leaders contested Jesus messianic assertions and eventually sentenced Him to death. During the Jerusalem visits recorded byjohn,thereligiousauthorities,timeandagain,refusedtoacknowledge and validate Jesus as the Messiah of Israel. The running battle with the Jews was the backdrop for thesonship assertionsreportedbyjohn. John sinterestwasindocumentingthecontinueddefianceofthejerusalem leadershiptothemessianicclaimofjesus. The Synoptic writers, on the other hand, reported the messianic credentials presented by Jesus in the public campaign to the people of Israel in the territories of Israel in the second and third periods in the messianic ministry of Jesus to Israel. Consequent totherefusalofthe Jewish leadership to endorse the messianic claim of Jesus, Jesus took his messianiccampaign ontheroad tothepeopleofisraelintheterritories of Israel to document his messianic credentials as a matter of public record.theunfavorableresponsebythejewishleadershipinjerusalem,as reported by John, necessitatedtheverypublicmessianic presentation undertakeningalileeinthesynopticgospels. TheMessianicCredentialsofJesus DisplayedintheTerritoriesofIsrael Themiracles,parables,andteachingsofJesuscataloguedbytheSynoptic writerstendedtocertifythemessianicauthorityofjesusastherightful claimanttothethroneofdavidinaccordwiththecovenantpromisesand propheciesgiventoisrael.thesynopticgospelsessentiallypreservedfor future generations in Israel and in the church a record ofthemessianic credentials of Jesus presented before the people of Israel. Themessianic credentials reported by the Synoptic penmen affirm the messianic

39 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 149 authorityofjesusasthesonofdavidtofuturegenerationsinaccordwith themessianicexpectationoftheprophetsofisrael. Johnacknowledgedthatmuchmorecouldhavebeenwrittenabout thelifeandtimesofjesusthemessiah,butintentionallylimitedthescope ofthematerialheincludedinhisgospel.johnstated, Nowtherearealso manyotherthingsthatjesusdid.wereeveryoneofthemtobewritten,i suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25).Tothisend,Johndeliberatelyselectedepisodes fromthelifeofjesusthatbestrepresentedtheexaltedchristologyofthe Person of Christ in relation to eternal life. Whereas the Synoptic writers focused on preserving the apostolic witness to the messianic credentials presentedbyjesusinthepublicforumoftheterritoriesofisrael,johngave thesonshipdeclarationsofjesusdeliveredinjerusalemandexplainedthe wholeworld soteriologicalimplicationsofthesonshipofjesus. THE(RESURRECTION (AND( THE(LIFE (IRREGULARITIES( Resurrection and life representcompanionideasinthesoteriologyof John. Jesus told Martha, I am the resurrection and the life (ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή). Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyonewholivesandbelievesinmeshallneverdie (John11:25-26).He then asked Martha, Do you believe this? (v. 26). Martha responded by professing, Yes,Lord;IbelievethatyouaretheChrist,theSonofGod,who is coming into the world (v. 27).JesusthenraisedherbrotherLazarus fromthedeadtosubstantiatethatclaim(vv.38-44). TheResurrection (ἩἈνάστασις)JohannineAmplification * JesusrevealedmoreaboutresurrectionintheFourthGospelthanhedidin thesynopticgospels,asshowninthethreeresurrectionvignettesinjohn 5:16-29, 6:35-51, and 11: The point made in these three resurrection discourses is that the Son shares equally with the Father (Sonship) the divine prerogatives of resurrection (ἀνάστασις) and life (ζωή). ForastheFatherraisesthedeadandgivesthemlife,soalsotheSon giveslifetowhomhewill...forasthefatherhaslifeinhimself,sohehas grantedthesonalsotohavelifeinhimself (5:21,26). AccordingtoJohn,therecanbenoresurrectionapartfromtheSon. The Son will raise from the grave the dead bodies of those who have believedinhim.jesussaid, ForthisisthewillofmyFather,thateveryone wholooksonthesonandbelievesinhimshouldhaveeternallife,andi willraisehimuponthelastday (6:40).InthesoteriologyofJohn,those

40 150( Sonship(Soteriology & believinginthesonhavetheexpectationthatjesuswillonedayraisetheir bodiesfromthedead. TheResurrection(ἩἈνάστασις)SynopticLimitation * TheSynopticGospelsaffirmaneschatologicalresurrectioninaccordwith theteachingsoftheoldtestamentprophets,especiallytheresurrectionof faithful Jews in Israel, but do not identify Jesus as the One who will resurrectfromthedeadthosebelievinginhim,asdidjohn.forexample, wheninvitedtothe houseofarulerofthepharisees (Luke14:1)todine onasabbathday,jesus toldaparable (v.7)whereinheadvisedthose present, Butwhenyougiveafeast,invitethepoor,thecrippled,thelame, theblind,andyouwillbeblessed,becausetheycannotrepayyou.foryou will be repaid at the resurrection (ἡ ἀνάστασις) of the just (v. 14). The emphasis in the parable is reimbursement in the afterlife for charitable deedsdoneforthepoorandneedy. Resurrection (ἀνάστασις), withandwithoutthearticle,appears onlytwelvetimesinthesynopticgospels.tenofthoseappearinreference toaquestionposedtojesus by the Sadduceesabouttheplausibilityofa future, eschalatological resurrection (Matt22:23,28,30,31;Mark12:18, 23;Luke20:27,33,35,36). The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question.... And as for the resurrectionofthedead,haveyounotreadwhatwassaidtoyou bygod: IamtheGodofAbraham,andtheGodofIsaac,andtheGod ofjacob?heisnotgodofthedead,butoftheliving. Andwhenthe crowdheardit,theywereastonishedathisteaching(matt22:23, 31-33). The other two Synoptic resurrection references also say nothing aboutthesongivingeternallifetothosewhobelieveinhim,norshowthat the Son in conjunction with the Father raises the dead. The Luke 14:14 reference, mentioned previously, addresses a future remuneration at the timeoftheresurrectionforgooddeedsdonetopoorpeople: andyouwill beblessed,becausetheycannotrepayyou.foryouwillberepaidatthe resurrection of the just (Luke14:14).TheotherreferenceinMatthew 27:53referstothosewhowereresurrectedatthetimeofthedeathand resurrectionofjesus: andcomingoutofthetombsafterhisresurrection theywentintotheholycityandappearedtomany. TheSynopticpenmen tell of the resurrection of Christ, the healing of sick people (including raising recently deceased individuals from the dead), and the future

41 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 151 (eschatological)resurrectionwhenallpeoplewillberaised,butaresilent inregardstothesharedrelationshipofthesonandthefatherinraising from the dead those who believe in the Son, as described in the Fourth Gospel. TheSynoptic EternalLife (ζωὴναἰώνιον)anomaly The Synoptic authors essentially bypassed the Johannine eternal life (ζωὴν αἰώνιον)and [the]life (ἡ ζωή)sayingsofjesuswiththeemphasis JohnplaceduponbelievingintheSontoreceiveeternallifefromtheSon. Jesus proclaimed to His audiences, Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes [in the Son] has eternal life (ζωὴν αἰώνιον) (John6:47).Jesus professedtohisdisciplesinhisjohn17prayerthatthefatherhad given him[theson]authorityoverallflesh,togiveeternallife(ζωὴν αἰώνιον)to allwhomyouhavegivenhim (John17:2).BelievingintheSontoreceive eternallifefromhimisthesoteriologicalcenterinjohn,butnotsointhe SynopticGospels. WhereasJohnshowedinhiswritingsthatἡ ζωή(thelife)residesin thepersonofjesusasanessentialaspectoftheuniquerelationshipofthe Son to the Father, the Synoptic writers merely emphasizedhowdeeds done in this life, good or bad, affect the quality of the afterlife to come, particularly in relation to Mosaic Law observance. And if your hand or yourfootcausesyoutosin,cutitoffandthrowitaway.itisbetterforyou toenterlifecrippledorlamethanwithtwohandsortwofeettobethrown intotheeternalfire (Matt18:8). Matthewreportedthree eternallife (ζωὴν αἰώνιον)sayingsfrom theministryofjesus(matt19:16-23;19:28-30;25:41-46).markessentially repreated the Matthew 19:16-23 sayingin10:17-23; in addition to the Matthew 19:28-30 saying in 10: Luke posted three eternal life (ζωὴν αἰώνιον) passages in his gospel. Two are questions about how to obtaineternallife,oneby alawyer (10:25-29)andtheotherby aruler (18:18-25),similartothe aman questionsreportedinmatthew19:16-23 andmark10:17-23.thethirdlukaneternallife(ζωὴν αἰώνιον)passageis in 18:28-30 and is essentially the same as Matthew 19:28-30 and Mark 10:28-31.Inaddition,theSynopticGospelsincludetwo [the]life (ἡ ζωή) sayings of Jesus Matthew 7:13-14 and 18:8-9. Mark repeated the Matthew18:7-9sayingin9:42-48.TheexclusiverelationshipofIsraelto Mosaic Law observance is at the forefront in each eternal life discussion reportedinthesynopticgospels. Only twice in the Synoptic Gospels didjesusaddressthetopicof howtoattaineternallife.inresponsetothequestionsputtojesusby a

42 152( Sonship(Soteriology & lawyerstooduptoputhimtothetest,saying, Teacher,whatshallIdoto inherit eternal life? (Luke10:25)and aruler [who] asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? (18:18), Jesus replied regarding the keeping of the Ten Commandments, Do this, and you will live (10:28); Youknowthecommandments... Onethingyoustilllack. Sellallthatyouhaveanddistributetothepoor,andyouwillhavetreasure in heaven; and come, follow me (18:22). Whereas the Synoptic writers placed Mosaic moral and ethical observances as criteria for experiencing eventual benefits of eternal life, in John, believing in the Son to receive eternallifefromthesonisthesoteriologicalfoundation. THE(APPARENT(DISCIPLESHIP( FOLLOW(ME (DISPARITY In the writings of John, discipleship of necessity begins at the moment eternallifeisgiventotheonewhobelievesinjesus(john6:66-69;10:27-30;12:25-26).ineffect,thecalltodiscipleshipinjohnisanadmonitionto thosewhohavebelievedinthesonandhavereceivedeternallifefromthe SontoproperlyaligntheirlivesinaccordwiththeirSonshipprofessionof Jesus. In the Synoptic writings, eternal life is apparently a reward of discipleshipwithcertainbenefitsbestowedintheafterlifeuponthosewho faithfully follow Jesus (Matt18:8;19:16-25, 29-30; Mark10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30). Whereas inthesynopticgospelsthecalltodiscipleshipisan importantaspectinaccreditingthemessianicclaimofjesustoisrael,inthe FourthGospeldiscipleship is the consequence of having received eternal lifefromtheson. * TheJohannineDiscipleshipPerspective: TheShepherdandHisSheep Those who have heard and recognized Jesus voice (believed in Him)receiveeternallifefromHimandfollowHim,assheepdoafaithful shepherdthatprotectsandcaresforhissheep. Hecallshisownsheepby nameandleadsthemout...thesheepfollowhim,fortheyknowhisvoice....mysheephearmyvoice,andiknowthem,andtheyfollowme (John 10:3,4,27). Notallhissheepfollowwell.Somearemoreconsistentthanothers. JesusencouragedhisdisciplestofollowHimwholly,andofferedincentive for those who serve Him. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and whereiam,therewillmyservantbealso.ifanyoneservesme,thefather willhonorhim (12:26).SomesheepfollowtheShepherdbaseduponlove anddevotiontohim.thefatherwillrewardthosewhodoso.othersare

43 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 153 conflictedbytheworld.tothosewhowouldbelessdiligent,jesuswarned, Whoeverloveshislifelosesit,andwhoeverhateshislifeinthisworldwill keepitforeternallife (v.25). Ashissheep,theyfollowtheLord,moreorless.Somelike Joseph ofarimathea,whowasadiscipleofjesus,butsecretlyforfearofthejews (19:38)maynotbeasboldordemonstrativeasotherdisciples.Others,like Peter,mayinonemomentconfidentlyprofess, Iwilllaydownmylifefor you (13:37);and,inthenextmomentdenythattheywereeveradisciple ofjesus. NowSimonPeterwasstandingandwarminghimself.Sotheysaid tohim, Youalsoarenotoneofhisdisciples,areyou? Hedeniedit andsaid, Iamnot. Oneoftheservantsofthehighpriest,arelative ofthemanwhoseearpeterhadcutoff,asked, DidInotseeyouin thegardenwithhim? Peteragaindeniedit,andatoncearooster crowed(18:25-26). After the failure of Peter to stand firm in his profession of Jesus, Jesus tenderly restored Peter to fellowship (21:15-17). The Lord encouragedpeterto followme (v.19)asacontinualdemonstrationof Peter sloveandaffectionforjesus.whenpeterfurtherquestionedjesusin regardstoanotherdisciple(v.21),jesusresponded, Ifitismywillthathe remainuntilicome,whatisthattoyou? Jesusthenpointedlyinstructed Peter, Youfollowme (v.22)insoinstructing,jesusshowedtheongoing relational aspect inthesonshipadmonitionto followme. Thosewho believeinthesonandhavereceivedeternallifefromhimhaveentered intovitalshepherd/sheeprelationswiththeson. TheUpperRoomDiscourseofJesus(chs.13 17)furtherexplains thespiritualdynamicsofdiscipleship,especiallyforthetimewhentheson returned to the Father and before He returns for the church. Jesus informedhisdisciplesthattheywouldbeprovidedfurtherinstructionand enlightenment through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, afterhehad returned to the Father (14:16-20; 16:7, 13-16). Jesus gave spiritual principles and precepts during the John Upper Room Discourse thatwasnotreportedbythesynopticpenmen.jesustoldhisdisciplesthat these principles would guide the disciples after He had returned to the Father. Later in the Epistles of John, the Apostlefurtherdescribedthe relationship of eternal life to discipleship. Whereas the Gospel of John chieflyrecountsthewaytoeternallifebybelievingintheson,theepistles ofjohndescribethewayeternallifefunctionsinthelifeofonewhohas believedintheson.

44 154( Sonship(Soteriology & TheSynopticDiscipleshipPerspective: TheMessiahandHisMessengers JesussummonedtheoriginaldiscipleshipbandtoaccompanyHiminthe formalpresentationofhismessianiccredentialsintheterritoriesofisrael. Once the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem had officially refused to acknowledge the messianic claim of Jesus, the Lord called and commissionedthetwelvedisciplestoassisthiminthemessianiccampaign in the territories of Israel and to serve as apostolic witnesses to the messianiccredentialspresentedbeforethepeopleofisrael. And he said to them, Follow me, andiwillmakeyoufishersof men. Immediatelytheylefttheirnetsandfollowedhim.Andgoing onfromtherehesawtwootherbrothers,jamesthesonofzebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mendingtheirnets,andhecalledthem.immediatelytheyleftthe boatandtheirfatherandfollowedhim(matt4:19-22). AsJesuspassedonfromthere,hesawamancalledMatthewsittingatthe taxbooth,andhesaidtohim, Followme. Andheroseandfollowedhim (9:9). The messianic campaign of Jesus in the territories of Israel required that He present before the people of Israel certain messianic qualificationsauthenticatinghismessianicclaim.thewordsandworksof Jesus reported by the Synoptic writers constituted these credentials. He furtherauthenticatedhismessianicauthoritybyauthorizinghisdisciples totravelthroughoutisraelpresentingthesamecredentialsandpreaching thesamemessageexclusivelytothepeopleofisrael. ThesetwelveJesus sentout,instructingthem, GonowhereamongtheGentilesandenterno town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.Andproclaimasyougo,saying, Thekingdomofheavenisathand (10:5-7). Later in the messianic mission in the territories of Israel, Jesus commissionedanadditionalseventydisciplestotravelthroughouttheland ofisraelpresentinghismessianiccredentialstothepeopleofisrael. After thisthelordappointedseventy-twoothersandsentthemonaheadofhim, twobytwo,intoeverytownandplacewherehehimselfwasabouttogo....healthesickinitandsaytothem, ThekingdomofGodhascomenearto you. (vv.1,9).oncetheseventyhadtraveledthroughoutthelandofisrael they returnedwithjoy,saying, Lord,eventhedemonsaresubjecttousin your name And he said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from

45 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 155 heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you (Luke10:17-19). Thecommissionofthetwelveandtheseventydiscipleswastogo tothepeopleofisraelintheterritoriesofisraelandpresentthemessianic credentials.byandlarge,thepeopleofisraelrefusedtoacknowledgethe messianic claimofjesus.jesusassessedtheresultsofthemessianic campaignintheterritoriesofisrael. Woe to you, Chorazin Woe to you, Bethsaida For if the mighty worksdoneinyouhadbeendoneintyreandsidon,theywould haverepentedlongago,sittinginsackclothandashes.butitwillbe more bearable in the judgmentfortyre and Sidon than for you. Andyou,Capernaum,willyoubeexaltedtoheaven?Youshallbe broughtdowntohades. Theonewhohearsyouhearsme,andthe onewhorejectsyourejectsme,andtheonewhorejectsmerejects himwhosentme (vv.13-16). Jesusconcludedthatinrejectinghismessianicclaims,thepeopleofIsrael had rejected him who sent me (10:16) which is in keeping with the JohannineSonshipemphasis. TheSynoptic calls todiscipleshipareinthecontextofthehistoric messianic mission to Israel. Those who follow Jesus were to forsake everything and identify with Jesus in his messianic ministry. Following JesuswasunderstoodbyhisaudiencesasimmediatelyaccompanyingJesus inhistravelsthroughouttheterritoriesofisrael. Andascribecameupandsaidtohim, Teacher,Iwillfollowyou wherever you go. And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birdsoftheairhavenests,butthesonofmanhasnowheretolay hishead. Anotherofthedisciplessaidtohim, Lord,letmefirstgo andburymyfather. AndJesussaidtohim, Followme,andleave thedeadtoburytheirowndead (Matt8:19-22). JesusfurtheredwarnedthoseunwillingtoaccompanyHiminhismessianic campaign throughout Israel because of perceived family responsibilities andloyalties. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthyofme.andwhoeverdoesnottakehiscrossandfollowme isnotworthyofme.whoeverfindshislifewillloseit,andwhoever loseshislifeformysakewillfindit.whoeverreceivesyoureceives

46 156( Sonship(Soteriology & me,andwhoeverreceivesmereceiveshimwhosentme (10:37-40). Jesusgavefurtherdiscipleshipprinciplesandpreceptsduringthe John Upper Room Discourse, also notreportedbythesynoptic penmen.jesusinformedhisdisciplesthattheywouldbeprovidedfurther instruction and enlightenment through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-20; 16:7, 13-16). The Spirit-given discipleship instructions would guide the disciples after He had returned to the Father (i.e. the church age). In his epistles, the Apostle John further described the relationship of eternal life to discipleship. Whereas the Gospel of John chieflyrecountsthewaytoeternallifebybelievingintheson,theepistles ofjohndescribethewayeternallifefunctionsinthelifeofonewhohas believedintheson. THE(POSTYAD(70(GENTILE(CHURCH(PROLIFERATIONS( AND(THE(JOHANNINE(CANON TheFourthGospel,thethreeEpistlesofJohn,andtheRevelationconstitute thepost-ad70corpusofthenewtestamenttraditionallyattributedtothe Apostle John, 8 asthelastsurvivingapostolicwitness to Christ s life and ministry. The Johannine literature in the New Testament represents a sizeable contribution to the theology of the church. Beyond this Gospel, Johnhasbeentraditionallyunderstoodtohavewrittenthethreeepistles bearinghisnameaswellasthebookofrevelation. 9 OnlyPaulwrotemore books of the New Testament than did the writer of the five Johannine volumes. The Luke-Acts companion volumes represent an important literarycontributionbyasingleauthorandarecomparableinsizetothe Johannine canon. John published his literature after the destruction of JerusalemandtheJewishTempleinAD70,incontrasttootherwritersof thenewtestamentwhoreportedlywroteintheapproximatelyforty-year periodpriortothejerusalemdestruction. 8 Defendersofthecommonauthorshipofallfivedocuments(whetherby the apostle or by the elder) can still be found, but this is very much a minority viewinrecentscholarship,whichpreferstoexplainsimilaritiesanddifferencesby positing that the writings come from the group of teachers associated with the originalbeloveddisciple,sometimeslooselycalleda Johannineschool,orfroma common church context in Asia Minor (Lincoln, Gospel& According& to& Saint& John, 55). 9JamesEmeryWhite, John, inholman& Concise& Bible& Commentary, ed. DavidS.Dockery(Nashville:Broadman&HolmanPublishers,1998)463.

47 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 157 TheJohannine-Synopticdissimilaritymaybeexplained,inpart,by thepassageoftime,fromanearlierapostolicperiodcharacterizedbythe messianicmissiontonationalisrael,toalaterecclesiasticalperiodwiththe establishmentofapredominatelygentilechurch.thead70destructionof Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple brought to definitive conclusion the initialmessianicenterprisetonationalisrael.thethreesynopticgospels werewritteninthepreviouscontextofjewishmessianicexpectationthat characterized the pre-ad 70 church, while the literature of John was compiledafterad70inaneraofextensivemissionaryactivityamongthe GentilepeoplesoftheRomanworld.Johnconveyedaspectsofthestoryof Jesus that best represented the Person of Jesus in relation to the missionaryinitiativeofthegentilechurch,followingthead70destruction ofjerusalem. AndreasJ.Köstenbergertheorized, Itseemslikelythisgospelwas writtenafterthedestructionofthetempleinjerusalem...john spurpose inemphasizingjesus replacementofthetempleandjewishfestivalswas probably to exploit the temple s destruction evangelistically The Templehadtremendousimpactupon the social, religious, and political milieu of the Jewish and Christian readers of the Fourth Gospel. KöstenbergerfurtherconjecturedthatthejudgmentuponJerusalemand the destruction of the Jewish Temple was the principle setting for the writingofthefourthgospel. The destruction of the second temple in A.D. 70 provides an importantcontemporaryhistoricaldatumthatlikelyimpactedthe composition of the Fourth Gospel, and that reading the gospel in lightofthisthen-recenteventmakesexcellentsenseespeciallyof the gospel s treatment of the temple and related Jewish festival symbolismasfulfilledinjesusthemessiah. 11 * TheRiseofTheologicalYDevotional(Allegorical)Hermeneutics ThechurchbecameincreasinglyGentileinaffiliationinthelastquarterof thefirstcentury,withfewerandfewerpeopleofjewishdescentidentifying withchristianityandthechurch.nationalisraelandthejewishpeoplehad presumably experienced the hand of God s judgment with the AD 70 RomandestructionofJerusalem,andthesystematicruinanddesolationof 10Köstenberger,Encountering&John,8. 11AndreasJ.Köstenberger, The Destruction of the Second Temple and thecompositionofthefourthgospel, Trinity&Journal26(2005):241.

48 158( Sonship(Soteriology & the land, people, and culture of the Hebrew people. Israel s messianic expectationandeschatologicalhope,basedinthepromisesandprophesies oftheoldtestamentscriptures,wereallbutextinguishedinthegenocide andculturaldevastationbroughtuponthejewishpeople,beginningwith theromanassaultonjerusaleminad70andcontinuingthroughthetime ofthehadrianholocaustofad By the time of Origen (AD ),thechurch had become a predominately Gentile institution while the nation of Israel became increasingly a people and land in desolation. The literal grammaticalhistoricalunderstandingofthecovenantpromisesandpropheciesmadeto Israelseemednolongerviableinthemindsoftheologianswritingduring this period. The church adopted the theological-devotional (allegorical) hermeneutic oforigentosupportup-and-coming theological claims because literal grammatical-historical hermeneutics simply could not sustain many of the theological developments of thesecond century and beyond. The theological-devotional reading of the biblical text was the basis for error in doctrine and practice that plagued the church into the Middle Ages and beyond (influencing the methodologies of supposedly enlightenedjohanninescholarsofthemodernage). With the advent of Constantine in the fourth century and the ascendency of the Roman Church, church leaders were increasingly dependent upon the theological-devotional manipulation of the biblical text to support political and social agendas. The literal grammaticalhistoricalreadingofthebiblicaltextwaslargelyreplacedbytheologicaldevotional hermeneutic methodologies in order to support the practices andprogramsofclergyandkingalike.therefore,theologicaldebrisinthe form of theological dogma and church tradition accumulated over successivegenerations. TheResurgenceofLiteralHermeneutics " The Reformation eliminated some of the more offensive religiousand political ideas derived from non-literal theological-devotional methodologies collectedoverthecenturies.regrettably,theallegorical hermeneuticoforigen stheological-devotionalreadingofthebiblicaltext continued to dominate the theological landscape, which allowed for theological ideas and creeds based upon theological-devotional hermeneutic principles. Initially Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and other early reformers nudged the pendulum back toward sola& Scriptura, thereby sanctioning a partial return to literal grammatical-historical hermeneutic

49 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 159 methods,andrediscoveryofthesoteriologicalteachingsofjustificationby faithinthepaulineepistlesofgalatiansandromans.nevertheless,john s writings hisgospel,histhreeepistles, and the Revelation didnot receivethesameattentionbythereformersasdidthesoteriologyofthe Pauline Epistles, nor did the Reformers explain the soteriological dissimilaritybetweenthesynopticgospelsandthepaulineepistles. ThePrevalenceofTheologicalYDevotionalHermeneutics The theological-devotional approachassumesthefourthgospelisa literarycompositionbasedincoresayingsandhappeningsfromjesus life collectedbytheearlychurchduringtheapostolicperiod.accordingtothis view,thestoriesinjohnwereshapedandadaptedbythetheologicaland practical interests of the Johannine community in the late/post-apostolic period. In contrast to the literal-grammatical-historical reading of the biblical text, theological-devotional hermeneutic methodology does not require Jesus to have actually said the things about Himself that John attributed tojesus.sincethe stories convey important spiritual truths aboutjesus,astheargumentgoes,thestoriesdonothavetobehistorical oraccurateineverydetail. In accordance with theological-devotional presupposition,the storyofjesusinjohnistheartfulrecastingofthehistoricaljesustomeet the developing Christology of a Johannine community that existed in the last quarter of the first century, and not the composition of an actual eyewitness. In this view, the Fourth Gospel is a composite of oral and written traditions concerning Jesus that was available to the Johannine community and customized by them in the late and/or post apostolic period. Johannine scholars who embrace theological-devotional hermeneuticsarenotnecessarilyanti-supernatural.manyinthisgroupof Johannineresearchersbelieveintheincarnation,death,andresurrection ofjesus,divineinspiration,authorityofscripture,andmiraclesperformed by Jesus. However, a theological-devotional hermeneuticpredisposition invariablyinfluencesparticularexplanationsofthesecardinaldoctrinesof thechristianfaithandallowsforperiodicchangesinmeaning.theologicaldevotional theologians also employ literal-grammatical-historical hermeneuticprincipleswheninterpretingthetextbutplacegreatervalue upon the theological-devotional interpretation(s), especially when the literal-grammatical-historical meaning in the text does not support the interpreter sparticulartheologicalideas.

50 160( Sonship(Soteriology & Whereastheliteral-grammatical-historicalhermeneuticprovidesa measure of objectivity in the process of interpretation, theologicaldevotional hermeneutics are subject to doctrinal crosswinds and theological climate changes in contemporary Johannine studies. Theological-devotional scholarsenvisionthefourthgospelasbeinga dynamicparadigmof faithandpractice thatcanbeadjustedtosuitthe theologicalandpracticalneedsofchristiancommunitiesatstrategicpoints inchurchhistory. CONCLUSION( Theage-oldscholarlyconcernof hasgodreallysaid continuestopreface biblicalresearchfromgenesistorevelation.theissueisespeciallyevident in the problem of dissimilarity and consequent historicity issues in Johannineresearch.Theprospectof knowing thedivineperspectiveon thehumanconditionof goodandevil drivesthescholarlyquesttodecide the historicity of the biblical story, and consequently, conclusions regardingtheauthenticityofthebiblicalrecordasdivinerevelation.fresh inquiry, based in literal grammatical-historical hermeneutic values, is required to explain the distinctive soteriological material in the Fourth Gospel in relation to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, in response to contemporaryjohanninescholarswhoemploynon-historicalhermeneutic approaches in the problem of dissimilarity and the question of the historicityofthefourthgospel. TheLazarusPortfolio:FactorFiction is thenextinstallmentintheseries, TheSonshipSoteriologyofJesusinthe FourthGospel.

51 This page left intentionally blank.

52 & This page left intentionally blank.

53 This page left intentionally blank.

54 & This page left intentionally blank.

55 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 165 * ANIMAL*ALLUSIONS*WITHIN*MATTHEW S*GOSPEL* * James*J.*S.*Johnson* IntheOldTestament,God steachingsareoftenenhancedbyillustrations thatrefertoanimals,suchasthefollowing: Gototheant,thousluggard (Prov 6:6). The New Testament does likewise. 1 BeingtheCreatorofall animals, God is perfectly qualified to know which animal illustrations wouldbestaccentuatewhatheisteachinghumans,wheneverheinforms themaboutavarietyofimportanttopics. The largest nature sermon in Scripture is God s message to the patriarchjob,recordedinchapters38 41,mostofwhich(i.e.Job38:39 41:34) focuses upon God s role as Creator and Sustainer of various animals.ifjobwasconfrontedbygodtheson(injob38:1andfollowing), that lengthy nature sermon could be included in a study of how Christ taught using animal illustrations. However, that sermon will not be analyzedhere,becausethisstudyislimitedtotheteachingsofchristasthe incarnategod,asreportedbytheapostlematthew. 2 Christ sfirst(albeitinformal)teachingallusiontoananimal,as reportedbymatthew,isthelord shistoriccalltotwofishermenbrothers, Andrew and Peter, which call necessarily painted a word picture of fish being harvested: Follow Me, and I will make youfishersofmen (Matt 4:19). The importance of fish, in Matthew s Gospel, is revisited in the following. *"James"J."S."Johnson,"J.D.,"Th.D.,"associate"professor"of"apologetics"and"chief"academic" officer,"institute"for"creation"research,"dallas,"texas" 1NotonlydidtheLordJesusChristteachwithanimalillustrations,sodid othersinthenewtestament(e.g.johnthebaptistmentioned vipers inmatt3:7; James3:7referredtothetamingofallkindsofanimals;Luke13:15and14:5refer tobovines,etc.). 2Matthew sgospelisdominatedbychrist steachings: Whilethedidactic character of the book (of Matthew] is displayed primarily by the groupings of material,itisalsoshownbyitsemphasisonthediscourses (StanleyD.Toussaint, Behold&the&King:&A&Study&of&Matthew(GrandRapids:Kregel,1980)22.

56 166( Animal(Allusions & MIRACLES(AND(THE(SERMON(ON(THE(MOUNT( TheSermonontheMountisthefirstmajordiscourseofChrist,reportedin Matthew s Gospel; it is freighted with dispensational theology about Christ skingdom,accordingtotoussaint(seefn.2).neitherthebeatitudes (5:3-12)northeSimilitudes(vv.13-16)alludetoanyanimals.Christ s yehave-heard-it-said critique of the then-popular Jewish legal traditions (Matt 5:17 6:18) likewise omits mentioning any animals. Christ s first reference to an animal, in his Sermon on the Mount (as reported by Matthew),ishiswarningthat moths (sēs)routinelycorruptearthlygoods (6:19-20).(AsimilarpassageappearsinLuke12:33,andspecificreference tomoth-eatenclothingappearsinjas5:2.) While still teaching axiological contrasts between earthly and heavenlytreasures,christreferredto thefowls[peteinon]oftheair (Matt 6:26). The general allusionistopasserines(i.e.perchingbirds),without specifying a particular variety. Later, after Christ critiqued judgmental hypocrisies (Matt 7:1-5), He warned against actuallyprohibited giving thatwhichisholyuntothedogs (kuōn)andcastingpearlsbefore swine (choiros),anothercommandthatrequiresaxiologicaljudgmentin application. Subsequently,ChristtaughtaboutGod sdependablecareforthose whobelongtohim.providingmemorablewordpictures,christcontrasted a fish (ichthus) with a serpent (ophis), emphasizing that even sinful human fathers routinely provide edible food to their own children, and Christ compared that to God s perfect and providential care of his (redemptively adopted) children. (The more general term herpeton, reptile, usedinjas3:7,isnotusedhere.) SoonfollowingwasoneoftheLord smostmemorablemetaphors: falseprophetsdeceptivelycoming insheep sclothing,butinwardlythey areraveningwolves (Matt7:15).Theword sheep hereisprobaton(this wordisused40timesfor sheep inthenewtestament),andtheword wolves translatesthepluralof lukos(thesamewordusedfor wolf in Matt10:16;Luke10:3;John10:12;Acts20:29). What kind of teaching did the Lord Jesus provide? The people wereastonishedathisdoctrine,forhetaughtthemashavingauthority, and not as the scribes (Matt 7:28-29). When Immanuel teaches, his doctrineisauthoritative absolutely.moreover,whenteaching,thelord Jesussometimeschosetoenhancethecommunicationprocessbyreferring toanimalsthathisaudienceknew. AftertheSermonoftheMount,theLordJesushealedaJewishleper (8:1-4)andaGentileservant(vv.5-13),thenChristhealedPeter smother-

57 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 167 in-law(vv.14-17).subsequently, acertainscribe whoprofessedadesire tofollowchristapproachedthelord(vv.18-19).thelord sreplyalluded to the home building and home abiding habits of two animals, foxes and birds asacontrasttochrist stransientministrycareer: thefoxes (alōpex)haveholes,andthebirds(peteinon)nest,butthesonofmanhath notwheretolayhishead (quotingfrommatt8:20;seealsoluke9:58). The contrast clashed with the scribe s family ties (Matt 8:21) which he prioritized over following Christ, an axiological flaw with which Christ disagreed(v.21). Matthew then reported the miraculous calming of the storm (vv )asademonstrationofChrist spowerovercreation,asimmanuel, thecreatoronearth hisowncreation(seejohn1:3).eventhoughthe Lord was in the world that He Himself made, his own people failed to appreciatethatfact(seejohn1:10-11),andmatthew snextmiraclereport regardingdemonscastintoswine demonstratedthisfailureofthe Jewish people. The occasion is not usually regarded as Christ teaching, yet the Lord taught by both words and deeds, and his miracles in the country ofthegergesenes (Matt 8:28-34) qualify as a lesson taught by deeds,andthisteaching-by-conductinvolvedthedestructionofaherdof many swine (choiros)asabyproductofchristrescuingthesoulsoftwo demonpossessedmenthere. Matthew reported a series of miracles (and parenthetically recorded his own calling as a disciple of Jesus see9:9),after the Gergesene swine miracles, thenhecommandedhisdisciplestoprayfor Godto sendforthlaborersintohisharvest (v.38).whatpromptedthis compassion-motivatedexhortationbychrist?matthewinformsthereader, bytheholyspirit sinspiration,howjesuswas movedwithcompassionon them[i.e.themultitudes],becausetheyfainted,andwerescatteredaboard, as sheep (probaton) having no shepherd (v. 36). 3 Althoughthis sheep similewasnotaspokenteachingofchrist,itdoesreflectthetruthabout howchristvaluedandcaredforhis sheep (seealsops23andjohn10). SHEEP(AND(THE(SHEPHERD( ChristiansareoftenfamiliarwiththeBible steachingsaboutsheep.onthe negative side, the believer s predisposition to stray is compared to that imprudent behavior of sheep (Isa 53:6). On the positive side, sheep are 3Sheepwithoutashepherdarefamousforself-destruction.Obviously,the metaphor corresponds well to humanistic humanity. See, for accord, Francis A. Schaeffer,How&Should&We&Then&Live?&(Wheaton,IL:Crossway,1976)226.

58 168( Animal(Allusions & knowntorecognizethevoiceoftheirshepherd(john10:3-16).although theygenerallypreferlightedplacestodarkones,sheepareknowntomove in the dark toward the voice of their shepherd, and often they vocally respond to his or her voice. Sheep usually (although not always) tend to stay together, whether they are where they should be or where they shouldnotbe(luke15:4-7).suchgregariousbehaviorcanbeeithergood orbad.sheeparetrustinganimals(isa53:7). 4 Indeed, one perceives the sheep metaphor in Matthew s next chapter,whenchristcommissionedhisdisciples then apostles (Matt 10:1-2, documenting how the apprenticed learners are now special missionaries) toavoidpreachingtogentilesandsamaritans,asthey go rathertothelostsheep[probaton]ofthehouseofisrael (v.6).thespecial commissioning, which Toussaint would say is freighted with dispensationalsignificance, includedmoreallusionstoanimals: Behold,I send you forth as sheep [probaton] in the midst of wolves [lukos]; be ye therefore wise as serpents [ophis], and harmless as doves [peristera, correspondingtothehebrewnounyōnah] (v.16). Sheep, inthiscontext,referstoredeemedhumanswhobelongto God sflock(i.e.god s foreverfamily, thankstojesus). Wolves, inthis context, refers to Satan s human servants who prey on God s flock. Serpents, in this context, are noted as an animal wise (phronimos samewordasappearsinmatt7:24)(i.e.prudentintakingdecisiveaction that produces useful consequences). Doves, in this context, illustrate harmlessness noonefearsanattackbythem(perhapsthemost ubiquitousmemberofthe dove family,inamerica,isthe pigeon, also knownasa rockdove; surelynooneistrulyharmedbypigeonsorthose closecousins,themourningdovesthatmoaninglycoofromtheirnestingplaces, sounding almost like owls.) Furthermore, this commissioning includedmentionofanotheranimal, sparrows (strouthion),inmatthew 10:29-31(andinLuke12:4-7).Sparrowsaresuchsupposedly ordinary birds that most of them flit and fly about, near people, unnoticed and unappreciated. However, God values them more than one can truly imagine.thelessonintheselyricsisquitebiblical,actually: Isingbecause I mhappy,isingbecausei mfree,hiseyeisonthesparrow,andiknowhe watchesme 5 4 James J. S. Johnson, A Christmas Carol in Four-Part Harmony, Acts& && Facts40(December2011):8-10(articleonline](InstituteforCreationResearch, accessed 24 March 2016) available from 5CivillaMartin, HisEyeIsOntheSparrow, 1905.

59 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 169 THE(LORD S(TEACHING( After the timeframe that implemented a special commissioning, Jesus the Master Teacher departedthence to teach and to preach in their cities (Matt11:1).MatthewreportedhowJohntheBaptistwasrejectedby the Israelite leadership, and was persecuted (to the point of political imprisonment that eventually ended in John being murdered). The holy callingandworkofjohnthebaptistispositivelyevaluatedbychrist(vv.1-19), followed by Christ s negative evaluations of the Israelite cities that refused to accept hismessiahship and messianic message (vv ). Christ then added, in a thankful prayer to God the Father, that the acceptanceofspiritualtruthisindispensablygod swork(vv.25-26),and Heemphasizedthiswonderfultruthtohisdisciples(vv.27-30).Withinthis informal teaching (10:29-30), Christ made metaphoric reference to believersacceptinghis yoke (zugos),whichisperfectlydesignedforeach believertofit andtoyokethechristiantochrist.theillustrationisa zoömorphicmetaphor,actually,becausethediscipleswouldhaveimagined the kinds of yokes harnessed to oxen (or other domestic beasts) in agriculturalsettings. Matthew s Gospel continues with its documentation of Christ s teachings, with the next theme being Sabbath-keeping, in order to demonstrate the true role of the Sabbath, including the theological truth thatjesuswasthen(andisnow) LordoftheSabbath (justasheis Lord of sabaoth, see Jas 5:4). In Matthew 12:11-12, by teaching truth in conjunctionwithamiraculoushealing,christused sheep (probaton)as an illustration of how the Sabbath isatimefordoinggood,notbeing enslaved to Pharisaic traditions (as well as for reminding believers that they are more valuable than sheep, see Matt 12:12). However, the Pharisees rejected Christ s teachings, unforgivably choosing then to blasphemetheholyspirit. Christ blasted the Pharisees outrageous blasphemy (against the Holy Spirit, as well as against Himself) (vv ). In the process of condemningthesepharisaicblasphemies,whichrepresentedthemajority ofjewsthenliving,thelordjesuscalledthesehardheartedunbelieversa generationofvipers (echidna),aclassofsnakesfamousfortheirdeadly venom.zoölogistgeorgecansdalesuggestedthattheechidnaofthenew Testament likely means the ovoviviparous (i.e. live-bearing, due to eggs hatching inside the maternal viper) Palestinian viper, Vipera& palestina, whichroutinelylivesnearhumansandisfamousfordumpingitsabundant

60 170( Animal(Allusions & hatchlings(1to4dozenperbatch),allofwhichemergefromtheirmother, readytokilltheirprey 6 The destructive venom in the Pharisees teachings matches the descriptionoftheungodlytongue, fullofdeadlypoison (Jas3:7),whichis afire,aworldofiniquity...defilingthewholebody,...settingonfirethe courseofnature,anditissetonfireofhell (v.6).falseteachingsshould beabhorredjustlikevenomousvipersthenextreference(inmatthew s Gospel)toananimal,bytheLordJesus,istrulyamazing. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generationseekethafterasign;andthereshallnosignbegivento it,butthesignoftheprophetjonah.forasjonaswasthreedays and three nights in the whale s belly; so shall the Son of man be threedaysandthreenightsintheheartoftheearth.themenof Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemnit:becausetheyrepentedatthepreachingofjonas;and, behold,agreaterthanjonasishere. (Quoting Matt 12:39-41) Ryrie insightfully noted that Christ s reference to the deadly-yet-miraculous experience of Jonah 7 isitselfa didacticdemonstration,inthelifeofthelord,ofhimglorifyinggod,byhis own personal knowledge and usage of the Holy Scriptures, when He compared his own soon-coming death and resurrection to the historic experience of Jonah with the great fish (v. 40), which the King James Version translates as whale (kētos). 8 Matthewnextreportedamajor discourseofchrist steachings:theparables.thediscoursebeginswiththe Parable of the Soils (13:1-23), which includedanegativereferenceto fowls (peteinon)thatdevouredtheseedsfallen bythewayside (v.4). Theparableislaterexplained(vv.18-19),withtheseedsnatching fowls representing the wicked one (i.e. the devil and/or any demon working therefore)who catchesawaythat(word)whichwassowninhisheart. AftertheParableoftheWheatandTares(13:24-30,36-43),Christ taughttheparableofthemustardseed(13:31-32),alludingto thebirds [peteinon]oftheair aspasserinesthatlodgeinafull-grown(i.e.tree-tall, 6 George S. Cansdale, All& the& Animals& of& the& Bible& Lands(GrandRapids: Zondervan,1976) ActuallytherepentanceoftheNinevites,atthepreachingofJonah,isa greater miracle than Jonah s experience in the great fish. See Paul Ferguson, Nineveh s Impossible Repentance, Bible&and&Spade27(Spring2014): Charles C. Ryrie, Transformed& by& His& Glory(Wheaton,IL:Victor,1990) 68-69(esp.seep.69,citingMatt12:40).

61 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 171 meaningman-high)mustardplant.matthewthenreportedtheparableof theleaven(v.33),theparableofthehiddentreasure(v.44),theparable ofthepearlofgreatprice(vv.45-46),theparableofthedragnet(vv.47-50), and the Parable of the Householder (vv ). Of these teaching points, only the Parable of the Dragnet involves animals, and no specific fish or shellfishareidentifiedinthisparable.however, the net s catch is qualitativelydescribedasamixof thegood and thebad. TheLordJesusafterwardemployedtwo fish (ichthus),withfive loaves, and taught (by miraculous demonstration) his own deity to an outdoorcrowdof5000menpluswomenandchildren(matt14:13-21 seeesp.v.17).matthewchronicledmoremiracles,includingchristwalking onthestormysea(vv.22-33)andvarioushealings(vv.34-36). 9 Matthew reported another discourse condemning Pharisaic traditions (15:1-20), onceagaindocumentinghisthemethatthejewishpeoplewereunwilling toacceptjesusforwhohereallyis.therejectionleadstoanotherpreview ofgod soutreachtonon-jewishpeople(asaresultofwhatpaulcalledthe blindness ofisrael sunbelief seerom11:25).christ snextaudienceis quitesurprising,becausejesusamazinglyvisitedthegentilecitiesoftyre andsidon(matt15:21).therethelordencounteredagentilewoman,to whom He gave miraculous mercy, but only after He clarified some dispensational truth concerning the distinction between Israel and the Gentiles(vv.21-28). In the process of his informal teaching, Christ used a canine wordplay avocabularydistinction,actually tocontrastwilddogs (kuōn) with tame dogs (i.e. small pet dogs [kunarion]). Wild dogs (kuōn) aredeemedvileinscripture(matt7:6;phil3:2;2pet2:22;rev22:15 see also Luke 16:21), whereas the small pet dogs (kunarion) are treated likepartofthefamily(matt15:26-27;mark7:27-28).asworldhistoryhas repeatedlyshown,membersofthecanine family canoftenbeeffectively usedtoservebiblicalpriorities,sometimessavinghumanlives. 10 9Christ smiraclesoftenprovedhisauthorityovercreation,validatinghis claimofbeingthecreatorincarnate(heb2:3-4).christ screatorshipisnotjusta historicfact,itispersonal Infact,yourveryexistenceisproofofhowpersonally God loves you. It doesn t get any more personal than God making you as the uniquepersonthatyouare (JamesJ.S.Johnson, OnlyBiblicalCreationProves God Love You Personally, in Creation& Basics& && Beyond:& An& In[Depth& Look& at& Science,&Origins,&and&Evolution&(Dallas:InstituteforCreation,2013)98. 10JamesJ.S.Johnson, SiberianHuskiesandtheDominionMandate, Acts& && Facts42(June2013):18-19 (article online] (Institute for Creation Research, accessed 24 March 2016) available from

62 172( Animal(Allusions & ILLUSTRATIONS(FROM(THE(SEA( HavingblessedtheGentilelady,Jesuscontinuedperformingmiracles(Matt 15:29-31).Christagainemployedfish(v.34),thistime afewlittlefishes (ichthudion),withsevenloaves,tofeedthousandsofpeople,miraculously (vv ). The crowd was constituted of 4000 men, plus woman and children. (Interestingly, the leftovers were gathered in large hamper-like baskets [spuris 11 ]thatdifferedfromthesmaller baskets (kophinos)that wereusedforleftoverswhenthe5000menweremiraculouslyfed.) Christlaterdiscussedthesemiracles,asHetaughthisdisciplesto trust God s providence for daily food (Matt 16:7-10).Unsurprisingly,fish areoneofthemostnutritiousandpracticalformsoffoodeatenallaround theworld. 12 First,considerhowfishhaveprovidedwaterbornetestimony of God s providence ever since they were created on the fifth day of creation.furthermore,accordingtogod skinddesign,fishhaveprovideda providentialservice,for6,000years,asoneofthemostnutritiousfoodsfor humans. Fish are often mentioned in the Bible. Christ demonstrated his divineauthorityoverhisphysicalcreation andoverthelawsofphysics that He Himself had instituted byworkingmiracleswithlittlefish (feedingcrowdsofthousandsonaleasttwodifferentoccasions;seematt 14:15-21;15:32-38;16:8-10).Christwasknowntoperformfish-catching miracles (Luke 5:4-9), so much so that He was recognized after his resurrection by that kind of miracle (John 21:4-8), and He even used a coin-carrying fish to pay taxes for Himself and Peter (Matt 17:24-27) Additionally, subsequent to Christ s resurrection, more than once He shared fish with his disciples (Luke 24:42, broiled fish with honeycomb; John21:12-13,fishandbread). 13 MiraclesauthenticatedGod sultimatemessenger thelordjesus Christ andhismessageofsavingredemption(john20:30-31;heb2:3-11alargehamper-likebasketwasusedtoenablepaultoescapedamascus (cf.acts9:25). 12JamesJ.S.Johnson, FulfillingtheGenesisMandateWhileHelpingthe Poor, Acts&&&Facts42(December2013):19(articleonline](InstituteforCreation Research, accessed 24 March 2016) available from fulfilling-genesis-mandate-while-helping. 13JamesJ.S.Johnson, AChristmasCarolinFour-PartHarmony, Acts&&& Facts,40(December2011):8-10(articleonline](InstituteforCreationResearch, accessed 24 March 2016) available from

63 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 173 4). Many distractedly misunderstood or otherwise rejected that theanthropic Messenger and his message, but not Peter By God s grace, Peter, on behalf of the disciples, testified that he knew that Jesus is the Christ,theSonofthelivingGod(cf.Matt16:16withvv.17-18). PROVIDENCE(AND(NEEDS( The next animal related teaching by Christ (as reported in Matthew s Gospel)istaughtinconjunctionwithanothermiracle,thetributemoney foundinsideafish(17:24-27). Thefish(ichthus)thatfirstcomesup after PetercastafishhookintotheseaisanotherdemonstrationofbothChrist s divinepowerovercreationandhisprovidenceforhisdisciples immediate (andnotsoimmediate)needs. TheLordJesusprovidedsometeachingsabouthumilityandtrust, using children asrolemodels(matt18:1-10). Matthew s version of the Parable of the Lost Sheep is the next animal related lesson in Matthew s Gospel (vv ). The sheep (probaton) in this parable signify individual humans, some from Israel and some from another fold(john 10:16),who will one day be recognized as God s redeemed elect (cf. Rev 5:9).TherelationshipofChristtohischosenpeopleisoftencomparedto thatofagoodshepherdandhissheep(seejohn10,esp.v.14,andps23). Oneoftheeasytorememberformsofthistheologicaltruthisfoundwithin Handel s Messiah, where the composer s musical score (especially the many syllables musically imputed to the word astray ) resembles the erraticwanderingofanerrantsheep,asisaiah53:6propheticallydepicts humanity ssinfulmeanderings. 14 Indeed,besidesthePsalmsthemselves,itwouldbedifficulttofind morechristglorifyingmusicthanhandel s Messiah, thatsummarizesthe PersonandredemptiveworkofChristJesus,includinghisfutureworkas the reigning Messiah-King, than that of the orchestral composition of George Frideric Handel s unrivaled oratorio The Messiah (which textually features the Scripture-backboned libretto lyrics authored by 14SeeJohnC.Whitcomb,Christ&our&Savior:&The&Greatest&Prophecy& &Isaiah& 53(Indianapolis:WhitcombMinistries,2014)46-48.ThesheepdepictedinIsaiah 53:6 are an entire flock that has gone astray, signifying the waywardness of Adam sentirerace,whichfitstheuniversalityofsinthatpaulanalyzedinromans 5:12-21.

64 174( Animal(Allusions & theologian-librettist Charles Jennens). 15 InJennens theologically logical presentation of the life of Christ, which Handel set to his unforgettable music scores, one perceives Jesus fulfilling one Messianic prophecy after another (some of which prophecies are from the Old Testament, while otherpropheciesarefromthenewtestament): Messiah scomingheralded (Isa40:1-5); Messiah sbirthpredicted (Isa7:14;Hag2:6-7;Mal3:1-3); Messiah sgloryforetold (Isa9:2;9:6;40:9;60:1-3); Messiah sbirthannounced (Luke2:8-14); Messiah smissionrevealed (Isa35:5-6;40:11;Zech9:9-10;Matt11:28-30); Messiahbearinghumanity ssin (Isa50:6;53:3-6;John1:29); Messiahenduringhumanity sdeath (Ps22:7-8;69:20;Lam1:12;Isa53:8); Messiahrisingfromthedead (Ps16:10;24:7-10;68:18;Heb1:5-6); Messiahproclaimed(totheworld) (Ps68:11;Rom10:15,18); Messiahrepulsed(bymany,andChristjudiciallypunishesthem) (Ps2:1-4,9); thehallelujahoftheredeemed (Rev11:15;19:6,16); theexpectationoftheredeemed (Job19:25-26;1Cor15:20-22); thetransformationoftheredeemed (1Cor15:51-52,54-57); thesecurityoftheredeemed (Rom8:31,33-34);and, thenewsongoftheredeemed (Rev5:9,12-13). 15 For an excellent work on Handel s Messiah, see N. A. Woychuck, Messiah& A& New& Look& at& the& Composer,& the& Music,& and& the& Message(St.Louis: ScriptureMemoryFellowship,1995).

65 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 175 Thoughhumanbeingsdoerrlikestrayingsheep,andevenalltoo often (1 John 1:6-9,esp.v.8),humanityhasbeengraciouslyselectedto hear the divine Shepherd s voice (John 10:27), so one may eventually followhim(v.27)insavingfaith,sothatheorshecannotperish(vv.28-29).thelordnextteachestruthsregardinghumanrelationshipprinciples (Matt18:15;19:1-15).A richyoungruler visitschrist,anda kingdomof heaven discussion follows (19:16-30), reminding the disciples that heavenlytreasuresareroutinelyatoddswithearthlytreasures. The kingdom discussion includes the word picture of a camel (kamēlos) going through the eye of a needle (Matt 19:24). Camels were well known animals of Israel, then, yet the disciples did not know microbiology, nor did they know how a camel embryo could be fitted throughtheeyeofaneedle.asthecamel screator,however,christknew quite well how to fit a camel through the eye of a needle, because every cameleverconceived(sincedaysixwhenchristinventedthecamelkind) coulddojustthat,attheembryonicstage.withmankindmanythingsare impossible, regardless of modern technological advances. However, all suchthingsarepossibleforthelordjesuschrist,asthecreator-god(john 1:3),whomadeandcontrolsallcreation. TEACHABLE(MOMENTS( MatthewcontinuedtorecordtheteachingsoftheLordJesus.Matthewnext reported the Parable of the Laborers (Matt 20:1-16), followed by a prediction of Christ s messianic death (by crucifixion) and subsequent resurrection(vv.17-19).thepredictionofchrist sultimateexaltation athisresurrection iscontrastinglyfollowedbyteachingsaboutselfish ambition(vv.20-28). Christnextdemonstratedhisuniquepowertohealtheeyesightof blind men (Matt 20:29-34). Much more than a mere teacher, Christ has (andused)divinepowerstoproperlyconnecteyeballstotheinformational processesofthebrain,toproduceeyesthatfunctionproperly.nohuman everdidthatpriortochrist(seejohn9:32),andnoonesincehasdonea similarmiracle,withtheexceptionthatgodenablesananiastoparticipate ingod shealingofthetemporaryblindness 16 ofsauloftarsus(acts9:20, 16Theexperiencesomewhatprefiguresthejudicialblindnessofthenation Israel, which the nation now experiences as a temporary blindness due to its corporate unbelief (Rom 11:25). A clearer typological microcosm of Israel s temporary blindness is seen in the sorcerer/false prophet Bar-jesus Elymas of Paphos(inCyprus),theChristrejectingtroublemakerwhowasrebukedbyPaul (Acts13:6-12).

66 176( Animal(Allusions & esp.vv.17-18).whatmiraculousteachingschristgave,openingbothblind eyesandhearts After opening the eyesight of the two blind men, en route from JerichotoJerusalem,theLordJesusapproachedamuchmoreseriousform ofblindness:thespiritualsightlessnessofthejewishpeople,especiallythe Jewish leaders, as Christ officially presented and offered Himself as the Messiah,fulfillingaprophecyofZechariahthatinvolvedtheusageoftwo animals, an adult donkey (onos) and its colt (pōlos), plus a lot of palm branches(seematt21:1-11withzech9:9).the ass (Matt21:2,5,7)was awell-knownanimalinisrael,then,anditsfamouslystubborndisposition (the rationale for the English adjective asinine ) indicates that Christ s triumphalentry,intojerusalem,wasaprovidentialmiracle, 17 becausehe rodeuponadonkeythathadneverpreviouslybeenridden(luke19:30) andthus should havestubbornlyrefusedtocooperate. The donkey, biogenetically speaking, is a member of the horse family kind (i.e.theequid family that includes all varieties of horses, ponies, donkeys, burros, mules, zebras, and all cross-breeds thereof), so bothofchrist scomingstoearthinvolvehimridingequids:meeklyupona donkey when He first offered Himself as Messiah to Israel, and later returningtoisraeluponawarhorse(rev19:11-21). 18 TheLordJesusChristseizeda teachablemoment, usingawhip,as He fulfilled messianic prophecy by cleansing the Temple of religious fraudfeasors (cf. Matt 21:12-17 and Luke 19:45-48 with Isa 56:7 and Jer 17 Although peacefully riding a donkey that had never previously been riddenisitselfaprovidentialmiracle,theattendingcrowdweremorecognizant, then, of the uniquely supernatural miracle Christ had recently performed in BethanywhenHeraisedLazarusfromthedead(cf.John12:12-22,esp.vv.17-18). 18 Most of the old hymn-writers had defective (i.e. non-dispensational) eschatologies,butthegloriousreturnofthelordjesuschrist,ridingonawhite warhorse,ismusicallyportrayedbythegrouppetra,inthelyricsofanenergetic songthatanticipateschrist sarrivalatthecloseoftheseven-yeartribulation.bob Hartmansings, On&a&great&white&horse&the&King& will&come&riding/he stheone theycallfaithfulandtrue/withhiseyesoffireandblooddippedclothing/he had a name nobody else knew / And by his side rode the armies of heaven / Dressed in linen clean and white as the snow / Riding down to earth with a vengeancesoholy/foraone-daybattlethatwilltrampletheirfoe/andwhen thedustandthesmokedisappears/thekingwillreignforathousandyears/ Whenthelionlaysdownwiththelamb/There llbepeaceinthelandofabraham /Theywillbeattheirswordsintoplows/Wheneverytonguedeclaresandevery knee bows (Petra, All the King s Horses, This& Means& War (Starsong,1989) (emphasisadded]).

67 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 177 7:11). The money-changers and dove vendors (ecclesiastical parasites masquerading as religious ministry professionals a professional traditionthatcontinuestoday)weretaughtrelevanttruth thehardway, as bystanders learned that the Jerusalem Temple was supposed to be a house of prayer, not a den of thieves. Of course, escaping doves (peristera) were part of this didactic drama (Matt 21:12), to the disappointmentofthegreedydovevendors.theviolentjudgmentofthe Templefraudfeasorsisaverysmallpreviewofthecomingpunishmentof Jerusalem, in AD 70, for the Jews unbelief, when the entire city s population (minus those who obey Christ s warning to flee 19 ) is encompassedbyhermilitaryenemies seeluke21:20-24).thejewish unbelief is further taught, in picture form, when Christ cursed the unproductive fig tree (Matt 21:18-22), a miracle of judgment that is followed by the unbelief spawned interview of Christ by the Jewish presbyters and chief priests (vv ), which interview includes the Parable of the Two Sons (vv ) and the Parable of the Vineyard PlantingHouseholder(vv.33-44). Afterwards, the Lord Jesus continued parable-based teaching, further condemning the Jewish leaders unbelief, with the Parable of the Marriage Feast (Matt 22:1-14). The parable included mention of animals (v. 14), served as feast-food, oxen (tauros) and fatlings (sitistos). Beefsteak,eventodayinseveralregions,isoftenused as a feast-food on specialoccasions,suchasoutdoorcookoutswhensomethingorsomeone isbeingcelebratedofgod CONCLUSION( The primary intent of this article is to document how animals are mentioned in Matthew s Gospel (with brief mention of their theological significance, in context), yet because Matthew is such a dispensationally important book, even animal illustrations buttress the dispensational content. For example, the temporary denial of Christ, by Peter (which featuredacrowingrooster),canbecomparedtothetemporarydenialof Jesus(astheMessiah)bytheJewishnation(predictedinRom11:15).Of course,matthew sgospelisnottheendforthereisahappyendingthatall believers await, especially those who are eschatologically somber. 19 The specific prophecy has been analyzed very carefully, with the buttressingevidenceofbiblicalarchaeology,inthedvdtitled TheFulfillmentof Jesus FinalProphecy, featuringscottstripling(akron,pa:associatesforbiblical Research,2014).

68 178( Animal(Allusions & Nevertheless, the predicted thrice crowing of the rooster is not the last animallessoninchrist scosmiccurriculum.whilebelieversservethelord dailybyhisgrace theyknowandawaitthatgloriousdaywhenhewill returntohisowncreation,notmeeklyridinguponacolt,buttriumphantly andpowerfullygalloping onawhite horse (hippos) toearthaskingof kingsandlordoflords(rev19:11-16).

69 This page left intentionally blank.

70 & This page left intentionally blank.

71 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 181 THE*CREATION*ACCOUNT:*A*REVIEW*ARTICLE* * Jerry*M.*Hullinger,*Piedmont*University,*North*Carolina* * IntheBeginning...WeMisunderstood:InterpretingGenesis1inIts OriginalContextby(Johnny(V.(Miller(and(John(M.(Soden.(Grand(Rapids:( Kregel,(2012.(220(pp.,(paper,($13.20.( Should Genesis 1 be interpreted in light of science, or should science be interpretedinlightofgenesis1?theconclusionoftheauthorsis:neither. CanagodlyChristianwhobelievesintheabsoluteauthorityofScripture holdtoanoldearthinwhichthedaysofgenesis1arenotinterpretedas 24-hourdays?Theconclusionoftheauthorsis:yes.BothMillerandSoden holdterminal,academicdegreesfromdallastheologicalseminaryandare thusqualifiedtodealwiththeoldtestamenttext.thebookisdividedinto threemajorsections. Part 1: Past and Present Issues in Interpreting the Creation Account(chs.1-6). Part2:TheCreationAccountinLightofItsAncientHistorical andculturalcontext,(chs.7-11). Part 3: The Significance of the Creation Account for Theology Today(chs.12-15). The right question in this discussion is examined in the first chapter because (in that section) thewritersestablishedthebasic hermeneuticalprinciplethattheinitialconcerninstudyingapassageisto determinewhattheoriginalauthorintendedwhenhewrotethepassage. WhenitcomestoGenesis1,was MosesacquaintedwithCharlesDarwin?OrHenryMorris?OrHugh Ross?Washewritingtodiscreditanymoderntheoryofevolution? Werehisreaderstroubledbycalculationsofthespeedoflightand the distance of the galaxies from earth? Were they puzzling over thesignificanceofdna?weretheydebatingayoungearthversus an old earth? Would they have any inkling about a modern scientific worldview? If you agree that the answer to these questionsisobviouslyno,thenthelogicalquestionis,whatwason theirminds?howwouldtheyhaveunderstoodgenesis1[p.21]?

72 182( Creation(Account & ThewritersassertthatGenesisisnotconcernedwith21 st century inquiry,butwiththecharacterandruleoftheonewhocreated,andthis understandingdoesnotrequirea seven-day,twenty-fourhour answerto our modern question since this is not the purpose of the text (p. 22). Therefore, importantly, the burden of the book is neither to change Scripture to accommodate science, nor to accommodate science (or Darwinism)tofitScripture.Fromanexistentialpointofview,thisliberates the individual from thinking they must side with Scripture or science. Indeed,thechoicebetweenscienceandamisinterpretationofScripture,or between Scripture and erroneous science are not the only options availableifmosesisunderstoodinhishistorical/culturalcontext. Chaptertwo( we vebeenherebefore )challengestheassumption that if one does not hold to a young earth and twenty-four hour day creation,thentheonlyotherpositionistobeanaturalisticevolutionist(p. 25).Oneofthecrucialstatementsinthischapteristhat thelatestscience isn t always right, but neither is the church s interpretation of the Bible always correct (p. 26). This point is illustrated by recalling the time of GalileoGalilei.Thechurch,atthistime,heldtheAristotelianviewthatthe earth was the center of the universe,aviewpointbasedinparton seeminglyclearscripturessuchasjoshua10:13,psalm19:6,psalm93:1, and Ecclesiastes 1:5. However, as Galileo looked into space on his improvedtelescope,heconfirmedtheviewofcopernicusandkeplerthat the earth moved around the sun. He published his findings in Dialogue& Concerning& the& Two& Chief& World& Systems,& which puthim on a collision coursewiththetheologicalandacademicpowersoftheday(p.28).most young earth creationists today have accepted Galileo s findings and understoodthepreviouslycitedpassagesnotliterallyorscientifically,but asfigurativeandobservational(p.30).theconclusionofthechapteristo questiontheassumptionthatthescientificwayofinterpretinggenesis1is correct. The third chapter addresses the subject as to whether Genesis 1 agrees with modern science, and discusses the concordist view of interpretation, a methodology asserting that a passage should be read in agreement with the reader s scientific worldview (p. 35). The authors cautionaboutreadingone sscientificunderstandingintoscripturenoting thatthiscanbedonebybothyoungandoldearthcreationists.theformer readsgenesis1withtheassumptionthatitispresentingtheoriginofthe universe and therefore is science. They believe that the text teaches a recent creation that occurred over a period of six twenty-four days and thatthiswilleventuallybeseenbyscience(p.37).thelatterreadsgenesis 1 with the modern scientific viewpoint which asserts that each day

73 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 183 represents an immense period of time. Both views believe in a supernaturalcreation,butsignificantly,neitherisreadingthetextthrough theworldviewofanancientisraelite.furthermore,ifgenesis1istobein concordwithscience,itwouldbenecessarytoask,withwhosescience(p. 37)? The question creates the tension with theconcordism position: scienceconsistentlychanges.thepositionoftheauthorsisreiteratedthat the purpose of Genesis 1 was not written to givescientificanswersto twenty-first century questions. Therefore, science does not need a reference from Scripture to prove it.... Neither does Scripture need evidencefromsciencetoproveittrue (p.40). Should Genesis 1 be read literally? The question is the topic of chapter four, and the inquiry for which many readers will have been waiting (though the preceding chapters are indispensable and of the utmostimportancebeforecomingtothisquestion).followingadiscussion offigurativelanguageinthebible,whatcouldbecalledathesissentiment ofthechapterisgiven. WebelievethatthereareindicationsinGenesis1thatthetextis nottobetakenliterally...webelievethatunderstandinggenesis 1initsoriginallanguageandsettingleadsustoconcludethatitisa broadlyfigurativepresentationofliteraltruths;itishighlystylized andhighlyselective.itdoesnotreporthistoryasajournalistmight do(pp.47-48). Thechapterconcludeswithfiveindicatorsthattheoriginalreaderswould haveunderstoodgenesis1inthewaysuggested. 1. IndefiniteDays1Y5.DefiniteDay6. Though not reflected in most English translations (with the exception of thenasb),thehebrewtextlacksthearticle the ondays1through5but then includes it when describing day 6. Accordingly the NASB has and therewaseveningandtherewasmorning,oneday (v.5); andtherewas eveningandtherewasmorning,asecondday (v.8),etc.thenasbthen translates1:31 andtherewaseveningandtherewasmorning,thesixth day. The NASB way of putting it is unusual because the normal way of indicating the first of anything is with the Hebrew word for first (the ordinal)andnotthehebrewwordfor one. TheHebrewphraseusedhere isalmostalwaystranslatedandunderstoodtomean oneday initsother usesinthehebrewbible (p.49).whywouldtheaccountbewritteninan unusual way if it were to be taken as a consecutive twenty-four hour periodwiththesixthandseventhdaysbeingsetapartfromtheprevious

74 184( Creation(Account & five days? The writers conclude that Moses was not intending a linear chronology;rather,hewaspurposefullyarrangingeachdaylikephotoson awall.theintentisnotwhenthepicturesweretaken,butthemeaningof thedisplay.theuniquepresentationwouldsuggesttotheoriginalreaders thatsomethingotherthanasimpleweekisbeingputforward(p.51). 2. EveningandMorningBeforetheCreationoftheSun Scientifically,thepresenceoflightanddarknesswouldindicatetheearth rotating on its axis with evening and morning being the result of that rotation.however,thefactthatgenesis1presents eveningandmorning threedaysbeforethecreationofthesunsuggeststhatthetextmaynotbe presentingliteraldaysandstagesofcreation(p.52). 3. God sunendingsabbath Sincethereisnostatedendtotheseventhday,thisindicatesthatitisnot tobeunderstoodasatwenty-fourhourperiod,andthiswouldbuttressthe ideathattheotherdaysintheaccountarenottobetakenliterallyeither. 4. Exodus31:17,the Refreshment ofgod & FrequentlyitisarguedfromExodus31:17and23:12thatthesixdaywork week and one day of rest supports a literal seven day creation week. However, logic would dictate that if the week is a literal seven days for God,thenitwouldalsohavetobeliterallytruethatGodbecametiredand refreshedafterhisrest(p.53).consequently,itissuggestedthatgodwas drawing an analogy rather than an equation describinghis figurative workweekinamannerthatcouldcorrespondtohumanexperience(p.54). 5. TheRelationshipofGenesis2toGenesis1 ThefifthindicatorgivenbytheauthorsthatGenesis1isnottobetaken literallyfocusesonthedifferencesbetweengenesis1and2.forexample, inchapter2themaniscreatedfromclaybeforethegardenisplantedand beforetheanimalsarecreated.whilesomehavetranslatedthecreationof theanimalsasapastperfect(esv),thehebrewdoesnotindicatepast,asit is the same form used in the rest of the narrative and allchapter 1. Consequently,ifonewereonlyreadingchapter2,thenaturalassumption wouldbethatachronologicaltimeframeisbeinggivenforcreation(p.55).

75 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 185 Moreover, chapter 2 implies only one creative day without reference to other days (v. 4). Significantly, those whohold to a young earth view harmonize these two chapters by saying that chapter 2 is not in chronological order to make a theological point. However, if chapter 2 is outofchronologicalordertomakeatheologicalpoint,whycanchapter1 notbeunderstoodinthesameway?thebottomlineisthatbothgenesis1 and2cannotbetaken literally withoutcreatingacontradictionbetween thetwoaccounts(p.56).thepassagesarenotconcernedwiththeprocess ofcreationbutassertingthefactthatgodiscreator(p.57). AfterdiscussingthepurposeofthebookofGenesisinchapterfive, theauthorspresentedaguidetoproperinterpretationinchaptersix.the sixth chapter stresses that the more one knows about the ancient Near East,themoreheorshewillbefamiliarwiththeperspectiveoftheoriginal audience. Broadly, the question needs to be asked: what& did& the& account& mean&to&the&israelites&coming&out&of&egypt?subsumedunderthisbroader questionaremorenarrowquestionssuchas,howdidtheisraelitesrelate this narrative to what they already knew as a result of growing up in Egypt? How did the narrative impact their expectation for following God throughout the Sinai Peninsula and into Canaan? How did Genesis 1 preparetheisraelitesforthetheologyandreligiousactivitiestheywould encounterincanaan,includingthosethatcamefrommesopotamia?how didthecreationaccountimpacttheworldviewinwhichtheisraeliteswere immersed and by which they were certainly influenced as citizens of the ancientneareast?whathistoricalandculturalbackgroundinformsone s understanding?hasoneassumedamodern(scientific?)contextwithhisor her own experience? (pp ). The next five chapters of the book attempttoanswerthosequestions. AstheIsraeliteswereabouttogointoCanaan,Joshuatoldthemto putawaythegodsthatyourfathersservedbeyondtheriverandinegypt, andservethelord (Josh24:14). What,then,mightIsraelhavelearned (andbelieved)fromtheegyptiansaboutcreation,andhowwoulditrelate to what Moses wrote in Genesis (p. 77)? Chapter seven compares the EgyptiancontextwithGenesis1,andchaptereightcontraststheEgyptian context with Genesis 1. The following table summarizes the authors discussion of the parallels between the biblical and Egyptian creation accounts(p.96).

76 186( Creation(Account & Genesis1:1 2:3 EgyptianSources Formless,void,darkness,deep Watery,unlimited,darkness, (1:2) imperceptibility TheSpiritofGodwashovering Thegodofwind/breathonthe overthefaceofthewaters (1:2) waters Godcreatedbydivinecommand Atum(orPtah)speakscreation (1:3,6,9,11,14-15,20,24) intoexistence Lightcreatedbeforethesunisin Lightiscreatedbeforethesunrises place(1:3) initsplace Godcreatedbyseparatingthe Thegodscreatedbyseparatingthe waterstoformanatmosphere waterstoformanatmosphere (1:6-7) Godcreatedbyseparatingthe landfromthewaters(1:9) Initiallyincreation,thefirstlittle hillockofland(primordialmound) roseoutofthewater Godcreatedplants(1:11-12) Godcreatedthesun(day4)after Thesunrisesonthefirstday thelight(day1)(1:14-18) Godcreatedfish,birds,andanimal Thegodscreateplants,fish,birds, life(1:20-25) andanimallife Godcreatedmankindinhisimage Thegodscreatemanintheir (1:26-28) image,formedoutofclay Aftercompletingcreation,God Ptahrestedaftercompletinghis rested(2:1-3) workofcreation Outofdesolate,empty,dark Outofunlimited,imperceptible, waters,godcreatedlight, darkwaters,thegodcreated atmosphere,land,plants,the himself(includinglight), luminariesintheheavens, atmosphere,land,andluminaries creatures,andman,andthenhe intheheavens(thesunrises), rested(1:2 2:3) followedbyplants,creatures,and GodasCreatorclaimed sovereigntyoverallcreationand soallnations(1:2 2:3) man;andthenherested Thecreatorgodclaimssovereign ruleofstate MillerandSodenmadeitplainthattheseparallelsdonotmeanthatMoses wassimplyborrowinghisaccountofcreationfromtheegyptians;rather, he was starting with the Egyptian perception of the universe in order to challengetheirtheology(p.97).therefore,moses accountisnotacopying butrecastingtheeventsofcreationtoformapolemicleadingtoapositive, accurate description of the God of Israel. Put differently, Moses was not

77 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 187 confronting cosmology, but a false theology which accompanied the Egyptian perception of reality (p. 98), and this leads to the following conclusions(pp ). Godexistsindependentlyofcreation Godtranscendscreation Godissovereignoverallcreation Godaloneisdeity Mankindhasgreatsignificance IsraelwastocelebratetheruleoftheirGodbyimitatingtheir Creatorinworkandresteachweek TheancientNearEastwasaregioninwhichbeliefsflowedfreely between peoples much as philosophy is exchanged between higher educationcommunitiesintheunitedstatestoday (p.113).theassertion means that, in addition to the Egyptian influence on Israel, the Mesopotamian influence also needs to be examined. Following the same format as in the chapters on Egypt (7 and 8), the next two chapters compare/contrast the Mesopotamian accounts with the biblical account. The comparisons can be seen in the tablebelowwhichsimplyaddsa Mesopotamiancolumntothechartpreviouslygiven(pp ). Genesis1:1r2:3 EgyptianSources Mesopotamianaccounts Formless,void, darkness,deep(1:2) TheSpiritofGodwas hoveringovertheface ofthewaters (1:2) Godcreatedbydivine command(1:3,6,9, 11,14-15,20,24) Lightcreatedbefore thesunisinplace (1:3) Godcreatedby separatingthewaters toforman atmosphere(1:6-7) Watery,unlimited, darkness, imperceptibility Thegodof wind/breathonthe waters Atum(orPtah)spoke creationinto existence Lightwascreated beforethesunrose initsplace Thegodscreatedby separatingthe waterstoforman atmosphere Infinite(?)waterychaos, (darkness?) Mardukdestroyedand restoredaconstellation withhisword;creation wasdonebycrafting Light,day,andnightexist beforetheluminaries werecreated Thegodscreatedby separatingthewatersto formanatmosphere

78 188( Creation(Account & Genesis1:1r2:3 EgyptianSources Mesopotamianaccounts Godcreatedby separatingtheland fromthewaters(1:9) Initiallyincreation, thefirstlittlehillock ofland(primordial mound)roseoutof thewater Godcreatedplants (1:11-12) Godcreatedthesun (day4)afterthelight (day1)(1:14-18) Thesunroseonthe firstday Thegodscreatedsun, moon,andstarsforsigns, seasons,days,andyears, andtogivelight Godcreatedfish, birds,andanimallife (1:20-25) Thegodscreated plants,fish,birds, andanimallife Godcreatedmankind inhisimage(1:26-28) Thegodscreated manintheirimage, formedoutofclay Thegodsformedman fromclay(andbloodofa god)todotheirwork Aftercompleting creation,godrested (2:1-3) Ptahrestedafter completinghiswork ofcreation Thegodsrestedafterman wascreated,andgods typicallyrestintemples theybuild Outofdesolate, empty,darkwaters, Godcreatedlight, atmosphere,land, plants,theluminaries intheheavens, creatures,andman, andthenherested (1:2-2:3) Outofunlimited, imperceptible,dark waters,thegod createdhimself (includinglight), atmosphere,land, andluminariesinthe heavens(thesun rose),followedby plants,creatures,and man;andthenhe rested Fromprimevalwatersthe godscreatedatmosphere, land,luminariesinthe heavens,creatures,and man,andthentheyrested GodasCreator claimedsovereignty overallcreationand soallnations(1:2-2:3) Thecreatorgod claimedsovereign ruleofstate Thegodsclaimed authorityovertheirrealm ofcreating

79 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 189 ThecontrastswiththeMesopotamianliterature,whicharethenexamined in chapter eleven, lead to the same general conclusions as with the Egyptiantexts. Chapter eleven concludes the second part of the book, and examinesthecreationaccountinlightofitsancientneareasterncontext. LessisknownaboutCanaanitecosmologythanEgyptianorMesopotamian; however,theirbeliefwouldbecomesignificantforisraelforthecenturies tocomeastheyenteredthepromisedland(p.139).whatisknownisthat thecanaaniteswerepolytheisticjustasotherpeoplesintheancientworld. The polemic against Egypt and Mesopotamia would be equally effective againstcanaan(p.144). The final part of the book is helpful in clarifying the authors position by answering anticipated objections. Chapter 12 tackles five questions. 1. How can someone trust the Bible if it does not mean what it says? 2. If one claims that Genesis 1 used erroneous ancient views to challengeisrael sbeliefingod, does that not undermine the doctrineofinspirationandinerrancy? 3. WoulditnotbemisleadingforGodtosaycreationoccurredin sevendaysifitreally didnot? 4. If God changed the order of events from the Egyptian description, should that not lead one to believe He was correctingawrongorder? 5. ShouldonenotassumethatGenesis1issosimilartotheother accounts,particularlythe Egyptian material, because all the accounts came from Noah by oral tradition, and Genesis tells the true account, while the others mix it with idolatry and corruptit? Chapter13abandonsthequestion/answerformatbutcontinuesto deal with objections. The first matter has to do with the use of the term day. Whileallscholarsagreethatthetermyom&hasmultipleuses,young earthcreationistsinsistthatitmustcarrytheuseofa24-hourperiodin Genesis 1. The conclusion is based upon two observations: a) when the word day is used with a specific number, it always refers to 24-hours; and,b)therepetitionofthephrase morningandevening. Miller/Soden respondedtothefirstobservationbysayingthatcontextmustalwaysbe thedeterminativefactor,andthereareenoughindicatorsingenesisthat wouldargueforthefigurativemeaning(pp ). They responded to

80 190( Creation(Account & the second observation by noting that Daniel used evening and morning figuratively (Dan 8:14). However, more argumentation is neededtoshowthatthisisavalidinterpretationofdaniel. Themoreconvincinganswer,giventhethrustofthebook,isthatin Egyptianthoughttherewasanighttimebattleofthe sun god with chaos and his enemies (p. 165). The function of the morning and evening phrasethenwouldbetoshowgodincompletecontrolandvictoryastime moves toward its goal (ibid.). The second matter has to do with death beforeadamandeve.whilethewriters viewofgenesis1doesnotrequire anoldearth(sincegenesis1isnotdealingwiththeageoftheuniverseat all),iftheearthisold,thenthiswouldimplythattherewasdeathbefore Adam and Eve. Granting that Adam and Eve were historical people, the BibleneveractuallysaystherewasnodeathuntilAdam ssin(p.169).the threatofdeathgivenbygodisthatwhichwouldpassontomankindnotto nature.toprovethispoint,keypassagesarediscussedlikeromans5:12; 8:20-21;and1Corinthians15:21-22.Whilenaturechangedafterthecurse (itwassubjectedtofutility),thisdoesnotnecessarilyimplythattherewas nodeathbeforethecursesincemanwasgivencreationforhisusage. Many will not be convinced of Miller andsoden s position by readingthisbook.otherswillfinditrefreshingasanefforttoapplytoa debatedchapterinthebiblethemostbasicofhermeneuticalprinciples what did the text mean to the original audience? Regardless of what the readerconcludesafterdigestingthisvolume,itisrecommendedasasolid work on the figurative view of the creation account. Anyone who is seriously intent on understanding Genesis 1 must be willing to grapple withthefollowingstatement:if&genesis&1&is&intended&to&be&read&as&science,& then&it&does&need&to&be&understood&that&way.&if&it&is&not&intended&to&be&read&as& science,&then&it&is&misreading&it&to&understand&it&that&way&(p.189).

81 This page left intentionally blank.

82 This page left intentionally blank.

83 Volume20 Summer/Fall2016 Number60 JournalofDispensationalTheology( * BOOK*REVIEWS* * DeYoung,Kevin. What&Does&the&Bible&Really&Say&about&Homosexuality?. 204 DiTizio,VincentJustino. The&Apocalypse&Within. 195 Greer,PeterandChrisHorst. Mission&Drift Johnson,DennisE. Him&We&Proclaim.213 Keller,Timothy. Generous&Justice Klingbeil,GeraldA. The&Genesis&Creation&Account& and&its&reverberations&in&the&old&testament Olander,David. The&Greatness&of&His&Blood&and&the&New&Covenant Shade,Bill. Dispensationalism&in&a&PostSModern&World..199 Stanton,GlennT. Loving&My&(LGBT)&Neighbor..205 Stauffer,DouglasD.andAndrewB.Ray. Reviving&the&Blessed&Hope&of&Thessalonians &

84 Book(Reviews( 194 ( BOOK*REVIEWS* ( ( RevivingtheBlessedHopeofThessaloniansby(Douglas(D.(Stauffer(and( Andrew(B.(Ray.Knoxville:(McCowen(Mills(Publishers(&(LTB(Publications,( 2016.xvi(+(176(pp.,(paper,($ Andrew Ray is the pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Douglas Stauffer is a member of the church and an internationally recognized authority in the field of Bible history, apologetics,andprophecy. Rayhaswrittenoneotherbook;Staufferhas written six others, and the two have co-authored three, including their newestbook,reviving&the&blessed&hope&of&thessalonians,whichisfurther describedas TheRaptureCommentarySeriesVolume1. Reviving&the&Blessed&Hope&of&Thessaloniansisnotacommentaryon 1 & 2 Thessalonians; it is primarily a commentary on the prophetic passages in 1 & 2 Thessalonians, of which the authors recognize many. Theyseereferencestotheraptureineverychapterof1&2Thessalonians, andreferencestodaniel sseventiethweekorthedayofthelordinfour chapters, whichisagoodapproach.manylarge,scholarlycommentaries on 1 & 2 Thessalonians are good resources in many respects except for much of the prophetic portions because dispensational premillennialists did notwritethem.theauthorsofthisbookarebothunapologetic, dispensational premillennialists who believe in the Blessed Hope which consistsofapersonal,premillennial,imminentreturnofthelordforhis body,thechurch (p.ix). After a brief preface and introduction to the book, Reviving& the& Blessed& Hope& of& Thessalonianshasachapteroneachdivisionof1&2 Thessalonians,plusanintroductiontoeachoftheThessalonianlettersand concludingthoughts,makingelevenchaptersinall.thelongestchapters, naturally,aretheoneson1thessalonians4(20pp.)and2thessalonians2 (25 pp.). An afterword, a conclusion, six appendixes, an index, and a Scriptureindexfollowthechapters.Thereisnobibliography.Twenty-five veryhelpfulcharts,mostofthemoccupyingafullpage,enhancethebook. Unfortunately,thepagenumbersforeighteenofthemarewronginthelist of illustrations in the front of the book. In addition to the unnecessary spaces between paragraphs, practically every page contains a quote (in larger type and enclosed by brackets) of one or two sentences from the page.eachofthesefeaturescombinestomakethebookseemlongerthan it is. There are also some places where the opening text on a right-hand pageappearsinunformattedformatthebottomofthepreviouspage.

85 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 195 Nevertheless, the content of Reviving& the& Blessed& Hope& of& Thessalonians& is superb. The authors are very careful to distinguish the rapture fromthesecond advent, especially since Paul transitioned from one event to the other, at times with no forewarning (p.23).theyalso carefullydistinguishedbetweenisraelandthechurch,matthew24andthe PaulineEpistles,thesavedandthelost,theDayofChristandtheDayofthe Lord,spiritualsalvationandphysicalsalvation,andthelastdaysforIsrael andthelastdaysforthechurch. Somehighpointsofthebookincludediscussionsofthe gathering inmatthew24beingthelordsending HisangelstogathertogetherHis electforsupernaturalprotectionupontheearth (p.50),thedaysofnoah and Lot not being pictures for the Church, but of those alive at the inceptionofthedayofthelord (p.53), KingdomExclusion (pp.55-57), parentheticalpassages(pp.71-78),the fallingaway (pp.84-88),michael the archangel as the restrainer (pp.93-94, ), and Daniel s 70 Weeks (pp ). Reviving& the& Blessed& Hope& of& Thessaloniansiseminentlybiblical. There is no conjecture, presuppositions, or speculation. The authors maintainthat wemustinsurethatourdoctrineconcerningbibleprophecy originateswiththelordandhisword (p.115),andarenotbasedonmen likegaebelein,scofield,torrey,ironside,andchafer.however,onething missing from the book is direct interaction with other commentaries or prophetic works that reject the pretribulational rapture or premillennialism. The book only contains about 30 footnotes, none of which reference any prophetic works or other commentaries on 1 & 2 Thessalonians.Nevertheless,Reviving&the&Blessed&Hope&of&Thessaloniansisa refreshing look at eschatology inthethessalonian letters and is highly recommended. (Laurence(M.(Vance( Vance(Publications((Orlando,(FL)( The Apocalypse Within: The Inner Meaning of the Revelation( by( Vincent(Justino(DiTizio.(Maitland,(FL:(Xulon(Press,(2015.(145(pp.,(paper,( $13.99.( Vincent Justino DiTizo claims to be a self-taught Bible scholar. The book coveradds, Notbeingrestrainedbytheparticulartheologyofanydivinity schoolhasgivenhimagreatdealoffreedominthestudyofchristianity.

86 196 Book(Reviews( Hisonlyreportededucationisthirtyyearsofreadingwhileworkingasa doormanonanightshift.theassertion,initself,iscommendableforany ChristiandesiringtoincreasehisunderstandingofGod sword.freedomin any study is valuable, too, but it should have some restraints, not by a theological school so much as by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Unfortunately,theauthordoesnotdemonstratehisscholarshipwhenhe attemptedtodevelopthesubjectofthisbook. Hebeganhisworkcommendably,noting, OurabilitytohaveGod s Wordisafantasticblessing (p.1),thenheendedthefirstchapterwitha valuablewordofadvice.quoting1thessalonians5:21,hechallengedhis readers to Proveallthings.... However,whenthereadertakesthe author s advice to prove all things, hefindshimselfunableto prove manyoftheclaimsofthe&apocalypse&within.forexample,didjohngiveus principlesforchristianlivingordidhewritewithregardtoeventsofthe endtimes?whydidheincludesomanyimages?theauthorofthisbook does not really answer these questions. Before getting very far into the book,itemafteritemcanbefoundthatconflictswithhistoricchristianity, withlegitimatehermeneutics,withbiblicaleschatology,andwithscripture itself. First, consider DiTizio s stated sources. The author indicates that heusedonlytworeferencesforhisentirestudyofthe innermeaning of Revelation. The first, the King JamesVersionofthe Bible, is a good reference; it is one of the most literal translations; and if the reader is willingtoexpendtheefforttolearntheelizabethanmeaningsofitswords, thekingjamesversionisausefultranslation.amorecontemporaryliteral translation, such as, the New American Standard Bible or even the New King James Version would be valuable for deriving the meaning of Scripture. On the other hand, most scholars would question the other reference:holy&bible&from&the&ancient&eastern&text,translatedbygeorgem. Lamsa. Since the New Testament was largely, if not entirely, written in GreeknotAramaic,thistranslationfailstocommenditself. Second, consider the message of the book of Revelation. On page xiii, the author of The& Apocalypse& Within claimed, one of the original messagesofthebookofrevelationwasthatallthestrugglesinthebook happeninsidetheself.allofthebeastsandthedestructionarepartsofour sinful nature which will be destroyed as we get closer to God (p.xiii). Significantly, the author offered nosupportforthose statements from eitherthescripturesthemselvesorotherbiblicalscholars,contemporary orhistorical.hemerelytoldthereadertokeepthethoughtinmind.onthe other hand, the book of Revelation itself challenges this statement. In Revelation1:1(NASB),readersaretoldthebookisanunveilingofJesus

87 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 197 Christ which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things whichmustsoontakeplace;andhesentandcommunicateditbyhisangel tohisbond-servantjohn. In1:19(NASB),theangelcommandedJohnto writethethingswhichyouhaveseen,andthethingswhichare,andthe& things& which& will& take& place& after& these& things (emphasisadded).from those verses alone, it is clear that the message of revelation is prophetic andeschatologicalratherthanspiritual,experiential,ormystical. Third, consider the author s dependence on the Aramaic translation. He spenttheentiresecondchapterdefendingtheuseofthe Aramaictranslationandthen,perhapsunwittingly,illustratedaweakness in it. For example, he noted, there are Aramaic words with multiple meanings (p.3).ofcourse,thisistrueofmanylanguages.oneexample theauthorgavetoillustratethispointcomesfromacts1,thereferenceto theascensionofjesus: WhenJesusascendstoheavenandacloudreceives him,thewordforheavenandcloudarethesame.onlythewaythatitis usedinasentencetellsyouitsmeaning (p.3).theauthoriscorrectthat often the reader must observe how a word is used inasentenceto determineitsmeaning,butitisalsotruethatthereaderneedstoknowhe isusingthecorrectwordaswell.whattheauthorsaysofacts1:9-11here maybetrueoflamsa stranslation,oreventhearamaicusedinthetexthe translated,butitisnottrueofthegreektextpennedbyluke.lukeused nephalē forcloud,meaning cloud, andouranos forheaven,meaning either heaven or sky. Whileitmaynotsignificantlychangethemeaning of the text in this case,itdoes keepthereaderpinnedtothetextand encouragesaccuracyinunderstandingthetext. Fourth,considerthehermeneuticusedinthisbookwhichbasically is an implied hermeneutic rather than a stated one. The author didnot declare a specific hermeneutical method perhaps because it may impose restrictionsfromwhichhehasessentiallydeclaredfreedom.hedidclaim touseamethodknownasmidrash,ajewishformofcommentary,which he defined asmeaning search andwhich isdescribedas a way of interpreting any scripture as a message that is personal& to& you (p.4, emphasisadded).certainly,thisconformstotheauthor sintenttodevelop the inner meaning of Revelation. Themethod, as DiTizio definedit,is essentially the reader-response hermeneutic which disregards biblical principles and linguistic guidelines. The reader-response method is only concerned with what the text means whether or not the meaning corresponds to the biblical author s intent or corresponds to the actual meaningofthewordsusedinthetext. Ironically, the author s definition is not what Midrash actually means. According to Rabbi Isador Epstein, one method for teaching the

88 198 Book(Reviews( oraltorahwastoteachit intheformofanexpositionofthebiblicaltext. This was themidrash method a term derived from the Hebrew root meaning toteach,toinvestigate (IsadorEpstein,Judaism:&An&Introduction [Baltimore,MD:PenguinBooks,1959]114).EpsteindidrelateMidrashto the Jewish spiritual life, butnotin the way this book suggests; it is primarily an exegetical method for understanding and teaching God s WordmuchlikeEzrainNehemiah8:8(KJV): Sotheyreadinthebookin the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understandthereading. Thebookfurthernotesthattraditionally Revelationhashadfour major interpretations. (p.6)however,noneofthefouridentified correspondtothefourtraditionalmethodsofinterpretationscholarshave developed extensively. The traditional methods have focused on chronologyandfallundertheheadingsofpreterist,historicist,futurist,and idealist. All these methods are designed to address the eschatological messageofthetext.foradiscussionandexplanationoftheseterms,see MerrillC.Tenney,Interpreting&Revelation(GrandRapids:Eerdmans,1957) Ofthefourmethodsitidentified,The&Apocalypse&Withinusesthe onethatconcernswhathappensinsidesomeonewhenheorshereceives Christintotheirlives.Whilethismethodfocusesuponthethemethatthe author attempted todevelop,itclearlydeniesthestatedthemeofthe RevelationaspreviouslynotedfromthetextofRevelation1:19. DiTizo sbookmakesanumberofotherclaimsthatdepartfrom traditional interpretations not only of the Revelation but also other eschatological issues as well, such as, the rapture of the saints and the second coming of Christ. For example, quoting the great commission of Matthew 28:20, the author stated, based on the above passage [the EasternAramaic-speakingchurches]say,Jesusneverleft,sowhywouldhe needtoreturn (p.118)?apparently,ditizioagreeswiththisconclusion. Henotedfurtherandcorrectlythat world inmatthew28:20meansage. However, he failedtounderstandageinitsbiblicalcontext.instead,he referredtothe templeage (p.116)andthe ageofconquest (p.119).on the other hand, the Bible identifies only this present evil age (Gal 1:4) andtheagetocome(matt12:32).jesusreferredtobothagesinthislast passage.thedoctrineoftwoagesaccordswithjewishteachingconcerning thisworld(age)andtheworld(age)tocomeandisdiscussedindetailin most books on Jewish apocalyptic literature. Furthermore, based upon John14:16-17,theHolySpiritdescribedbyJesusas anotherhelper, took Jesus placeafterhisdeath.asaresult,jesusiswithbelieverstodayinthe Person of the Holy Spirit. At the end of this present age, Jesus will come againtotakehisplaceasthemessianicruleroftheworld.

89 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 199 Ineachcaseofdeparturefromtradition,theauthorofferslittleor nosupportforhisalternativeviews.heexpendedhiseffortsexpounding theexperientialinterpretationofthesymbolsofthebiblicaltextwithout considerationoftheeffortsofscholarsforgenerations.manyscholarshave devotedagreatdealoftimeexaminingapocalypticliteratureasaunique genre, but this book appears to have disregarded the work of these scholarsinfavorofitsowninterpretationofthesymbols,aninterpretation forwhichtheauthoroffersnobasis. Although much more could be said regarding this attempt at a totally new and mystical interpretation of Revelation, enough has been said to caution the sincere inquirer into biblical truth to the dangers of disregarding years of scholarship without thorough examination. If the readerfeelstheneedforabiblicalstudyofthe inner life,thisreviewer recommends the following: Lewis Sperry Chafer, He& That& Is& Spiritual (Findlay, OH: Dunham, 1918);or,CharlesCaldwellRyrie,Balancing& the& Christian&Life(Chicago:MoodyPress,1969). ForagoodstudyofthebookofRevelationforwhatitactuallyis an eschatological book on last things, this reviewer recommends the following: John F. Walvoord, Revelation, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 2011);or,RobertL.Thomas,Revelation:&An&Exegetical&Commentary,2vols. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992). Regrettably, based on the above analysis andmuchmore,thisreviewercannotrecommendthe&apocalypse&within tothechristianseekinganunderstandingofgod swordorguidancefor applyingittohischristianlife. (Kenneth(R.(Cooper( (Tyndale(Theological(Seminary((Hurst,(TX)( DispensationalisminaPostYModernWorld*by(Bill(Shade.(CreateSpace,( 2015.(xii(+(215(pp.,(paper,($14.99.( Booksondispensationalismaresomewhatraretofind,andthisisonesuch book.shade sburdenisnotonlytoteachorpreachfromadispensational perspective but to recall the why behindthissystemoftheology.he desires the basis of dispensationalism be proclaimed and taught rather thanjusttheoutworkingsofit(p.ix).theauthorremindedthereaderthat postmodernismdeniesthatthereareanyabsolutesand,moretothepoint, there is no metanarrative, that is, history is a jumble of unrelated (and usuallyunfortunate)events(p.1).

90 200 Book(Reviews( Thevolumeisdividedintothreesections.Thefirstprimarilydeals with the definition of terms. The second goes into detail explaining each dispensation. Shade holds to seven of them. Each one is described by a wordwhichbeginswiththeletter R. Theyare,inorder:Responsibility, Restriction, Relationship, Ruination, Reckoning, and Remedy. He gavea passageorpassagestodefineeachterm.ahelpfulchartisprovidedatthe endofthebooksummarizingtheoverallpicture. The third section is entitled: Additional Issues and Considerations. Hediscussed severalmatterssuchasdispensational distinctions, salvation in dispensationalism, covenant theology, and dispensational transitions to name a few. Those wanting a basic understandingofdispensationalismshouldconsiderthiswork. (Charles(H.(Ray( SpiritAndTruth.org((Coppell,(TX)( ( The Genesis Creation Account and Its Reverberations in the Old Testament( edited( by( Gerald( A.( Klingbeil.( Berrien( Springs,( MI:( Andrews( University(Press,(2015.(395(pp.,(paper,($18.49.( Klingbeil sbook,acollectionoftenarticlesoncreationtheologiesinthe OldTestamentbySeventh-dayAdventistscholars,usesabiblicaltheology approachtodemonstratethatthegenesis1and2accountisuniqueand literal. The authors were asked to interact particularly with one key question: What is the relationship of Genesis 1 and 2 and its inherent creationtheologytoothertextsandtextualgenresinthehebrewbible? (p.2).theirunitedanswerisunequivocal: TheweightofthetextualdataoftheOldTestamentclearlyargues for an overarching understanding and theology of creation that permeateseverybiblicalgenreandbook.creationbyfiat,inseven literaltwenty-fourhourdays,andthroughgod sdivineword,was a given in biblical times and represented the framework for a biblicalanthropology,cosmology,and ultimately soteriology (p.4). Intertextual studies, engagement of the Hebrew language, analysis of Hebrewpoetry,comparisonstoancientNearEasternliterature,andover one thousand footnotes are used in arguing for an overarching Old

91 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 201 Testamentcreationtheology.ThemajorheterodoxbeliefsofSeventh-day Adventists,suchasinvestigativejudgment,arenotpartofthiswork. The articles are organized into three sections. The first section, Biblical Cosmology, hastwoarticles.thefirstarticleeffectivelyargues the unique cosmology of Genesis 1 versus ancient Near Eastern and Egyptianmythicalcosmologies.Theotherarticledisprovesthattheancient Hebrewsunderstoodthe sky (Heb.raqia&inGen1)tobeasolidheavenly dome. Thearticlehasaninformativehistoryoftheoriginsofthecharge that the ancient Hebrews believed in a solid dome laying on a flat earth, andaddressesthelinguisticarguments(pp.41-45,47-55). The next section, Creation Accounts and Creation Theology, contains six articles. The first article examines the when, who, how, and whatofthe Genesis account of origins; it has a compelling review of the evidence for a literal interpretation of the creation account (pp.73-87). Thepassivegaptheoryisheld,definedasolduniverse(includingearth), young life on earth (p. 93). Ten lines of textual evidence supporting this view are given, which canberespected,evenif one disagrees with the theory(pp ).otherpointsofpotentialdisagreementreceivebrief mentions, such as humans resembling God in outward form, man and woman without hierarchy beforethefall, and the Garden of Eden as a temple(pp.82,97,128). Theremainingarticlesinthissectionaddresscreationtheologyin the Pentateuch, Psalms, Wisdom Literature, and the Prophets. A perhaps unfamiliar triad ideaisusedmainlyintheprophetsarticle.creationin thepropheticliteratureisoftenseenby acontinuouscontextualizationof thetopicviathetriad:creation,de-creation,andrecreation (p.289).decreation is the reversal of creation and invokes the idea of judgment (pp.272,279).re-creationusuallyreferstoeschatologicalrestoration(pp. 271,273,275,278,281,284,288). Jeremiah 4:23-26 presents possibly the most faithful account of de-creation, or the reversal of creation, when compared to Genesis 1:2-2:4a (p.279).thejeremiahpassageexample,whichhaslinguisticmarkers togenesis1notshownhere,ispre[creation:formlessandempty,4:23;first& day:nolight,4:23;second&day:heavens,4:23;third&day:earth:mountains quaking and hills swaying, 4:23, 24; fourth& day: no Genesis parallel; fifth& day: birds had fled, 4:25; sixth& day: no people, 4:25;and seventh& day: his fierceanger,4:26,vs.thesabbath(p.279). Whether de-creation is an entirely accurate description is questionable.eventhestrongestexampleprovidedinjeremiahisnotan exactreversalofthegenesisaccount.destructionandrestorationseem

92 202 Book(Reviews( moreprecisetermsthande-creationandre-creation(e.g.gen.6:7;19:13; Exod12:13;Deut7:23;Isa1:26;Joel2:25). Thefinalsection, Creation,Evolution,andDeath, hastwoarticles. One is another article that establishes the uniqueness of the biblical creationaccount,thisonebyexploringancientneareasternevolutionary ideas. The last article argues that death was not a part of the original plan, inoppositiontoevolution steachingthatdeathisapartoflife(p. 329).Theconclusionthatdeathwasnotapartoftheoriginalcreationis valid,butstatementsthat deathwasnotplanned areperplexinginlight ofthesovereigntyofgod(pp.329,337). While not every assertion will be agreed with, individuals interestedinanacademicstudyofcreationwillfindvalueinthiswork.a second volume looking at creation theology in the New Testament is planned. Additional scholarship that upholds the Genesis cosmology as literallytrueandexalted,asthisvolumedoes,iswelcome. (Patricia(Serak( Tyndale(Biblical(Institute((Caledonia,(WI)( ( The Greatness of His Blood and the New Covenant(by(David( Olander.( Ft.(Worth,(TX:(Tyndale(Seminary(Press,(2015.(198(pp.,(paper,($21.00.( David Olander serves as a professor of biblical languages at Tyndale TheologicalSeminary&BiblicalInstituteinFortWorth,Texas.Inhisbook The& Greatness& of& His& Blood& and& the& New& Covenant, Olander purposedto show the significance of the blood of Christ, especially in regards to the New Covenant (Jer31:31)andtheredemptionofman.Hestated in the introduction, It must be kept in focus that God established literal blood atonementforhispeople,thenationisrael (p.10).hethenlistedverses thatrefertojesus literalbloodandtheatonementpurchasedbyhisblood. On the next page,hewrote, This eternal blood atonement can only be attainedthroughthebloodofthenewcovenantfortheforgivenessofsins (p.11). Throughoutthisgreatwork,Olanderfocusedprimarilyonthetext intheoriginallanguages.hewenttogreatlengthstoshowtheimportance of using a literal, grammatical, historical hermeneutic to grasp what the author meantbywhathesaid. Olanderonlyquotedotherauthorsinhis footnotes when it served tohelpexplainmorethoroughlythetextin

93 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 203 question. What the reader will primarily find in the footnotes is an explanationoftheoriginalgreekorhebrewofthetext. At the outset of the book, Olander shows the importance of the bloodfortheatonementofman.leviticus17:11servesashiskeyverse, Forthelifeofthefleshisintheblood,andIhavegivenittoyouonthe altartomakeatonementforyoursouls;foritisthebloodbyreasonofthe lifethatmakesatonement. Olandersaid, Godrequiredandstillrequires literalbloodforatonementforahuman (p.22).thebloodspokenofisthe bloodofjesuschrist.olandershowedthatthisisliteralbloodandisnota figureofspeechinanyway.theimportanceofwhattheauthoristeaching atthispointcannotbeoverstated. NotonlydidOlanderbringtotheforefronttheimportanceofthe blood of Christ, but he also addressedtheissueofthebloodofthenew Covenant.RecentlytherehasbeenalotofdiscussionsurroundingtheNew CovenantandtheplacethatthechurchholdswithintheNewCovenant,if anyatall.whileitiscertainlynotolander sintentiontocombatthosewho holdtoa NoNewCovenant viewinregardsto the church,hecertainly putthoseargumentstorestwithhisoutstandingexegeticalworkinthe passagesconcerningthenewcovenant.thosewhoholdtothe NoNew Covenant viewsaythatthechurchhasnopart,notevenpartakingofthe blessings of the New Covenant mentioned in Jeremiah 31:31. Olander rightlystated, ThiscovenantcanonlybefulfilledbyGodwiththehouseof Israel and the house of Judah (pg.43).fulfillmentiscertainlynotin questionhere.whatolanderarguedfromromans11ishowthegentiles may be grafted in as wild branches without,inanysense,replacing Israel s covenanted position with God. He stated, Only the natural branchesarethelegalnaturalheirstothecovenants.yetblessingsflowto allthebranchesinthetree (pg.133).theunderstandingherecaneasily beseenfromthecovenantmadewithabrahamingenesis12:1-3. At the close of the book, Olander providedtwoappendices.one covers the covenants with Israel, and the second gives an overview of dispensationalism. Thesecondappendixhelpsthereadertounderstand the distinction between Israel and the church. At the end of the book, Olander provided Greek block diagrams of verses that were used throughoutthebook. Olander sbookisashortread,butitispackedwithvaluableinsight into the blood of Christ and the New Covenant. The opinion of this reviewer isthatthereisnomoreusefulbookonthesubjectthanthe& Greatness&of&His&Blood&and&the&New&Covenant.Olanderhasdoneafantastic job of using the literal, grammatical, historical hermeneutic in exegeting the passages in question and presenting the information in an

94 204 Book(Reviews( understandableandusefulway.olander sbookishighlyrecommendedfor anyone wanting to gain a better understanding of the significance of the NewCovenant. (Justin(Watkins( Student,(Tyndale(Theological(Seminary( What Does the Bible Really Say about Homosexuality?( by( Kevin( DeYoung.(Wheaton:(Crossway,(2015.(158(pp.,(paper,($12.99.( KevinDeYounghaswrittenthisbooktoprovideabiblicaldefenseofthe traditional understanding of homosexuality by Christians for 2000 years (p.15).thebookseekstoanswerthefollowingquestion: Ishomosexual activityasinthatmustberepentedof,forsaken,andforgiven,or,giventhe right context and commitment, can we consider same-sex intimacy a blessingworthcelebratingandsolemnizing (p.15)? Inresponse,thebookisdividedintotwoparts.Thefirstdealswith thefivemostdebatedandrelevantbiblicaltextsrelatedtohomosexuality (p. 19), which are: Genesis 1 2, God s design for marriage; Genesis 13, Sodom and Gomorrah; Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, concerning the Old Testament scondemnationofhomosexualpractices;romans1:18-32,the New Testament s prohibition of homosexual behavior; and, specific meaningofgreekwordsusedforhomosexualityinthebible. Part two addresses seven of the most common objections to the traditional view of sexual morality. First, the Bible seldom speaks of homosexuality; and,second,whenitdoesitisnotdealingwithitinits modernforms.third,othersins,suchasgluttonyanddivorce,areworse. Fourth,thechurchshouldwelcomehomosexuals.Fifth,socialvalueshave changed. Sixth, it is not fair to single outhomosexual behavior as sinful becausethehomosexualpersoncannothelpbeingwhatheis.finally,god islove,thereforechristiansshouldtoleratethosewhoarehomosexual. Thebookconcludeswithappendicesonsamesexmarriage,same sexattraction,andtencommitmentsforhowchurchesshouldinteractwith homosexuals and the homosexual agenda. DeYoung has written a very helpful little volume. His tone is gracious but firm. He handled the pertinentbiblicaltextsverywell,andheaddressedthepressingquestion on homosexuality with balance. What& Does& the& Bible& Really& Teach& about& Homosexuality? is an excellent primer on the subject and it provides a

95 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 205 patternforhowchristians,whodesiretobeobedienttogod swordand yetlovingtohomosexuals,shouldliveandthink. (Gary(E.(Gilley( Southern(View(Chapel((Springfield,(IL)( ( LovingMy(LGBT)Neighbor:BeingFriendsinGrace&Truthby(Glenn(T.( Stanton.(Chicago:(Moody(Publishers,(2014.(200(pp.,(paper,($14.99.( ( Glenn Stanton is on staff with Focus on the Family and, as part of his ministry,conductslecturesanddebatesongenderandsexuality.heiswell equipped,bothdoctrinallyandpractically,tointellectuallywriteabookon homosexualityandthechurch.he,aswellasfocusonthefamily,istotally committed to the biblical view of sexuality (pp ). The question is: howdoesoneremainfaithfultoscriptureanddealtruthfullyandlovingly with those who believe that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle and should be condoned by the church? Stanton providedmuchtoconsider beginningwithsixfundamentaltruths: 1. Everybodyisahumanperson.No&exceptions. 2. Every human person is of inestimable worth and value, none morethananother.no&exceptions. 3. Everyone is deeply and passionately loved by God. No& exceptions. 4. Unfortunatelyeveryoneisburdenedwithaterminalillness:sin. No&exceptions. 5. All,aschildrenofAdam,aretragicallyseparatedfromGod,but this does not diminish God s boundless love for humanity. Nevertheless, it does devastatingly hinder the sinner s relationshipwithgod.all&humanity,&no&exceptions. 6. Therefore, everyone is in desperate need of repentance, healing, and a new life that comes only in surrender and submissiontochrist.no&exceptions&(pp.15-16). The author spends time with those in the LGBT community and considersmanyhisfriends,whomheadmiresandesteems(pp.17-20).he, nevertheless,doesnotcompromisehisbiblicalconvictions,andpublically and privately debates the issues with his LGBT friends in a gracious

96 206 Book(Reviews( manner.asonewhohaslookeddeeplyintothisissue,theauthorprovided muchgoodinformation. Hegaveabriefhistoryofhomosexuality,showingthatitwasnot until the 1960s that anyone identified as gay (pp , 42-44). He also explainedtherecognizedmeaningofeachletterinlgbtqiaap(pp.36-41) anddemonstratedthedifferencebetweensamesexattraction,orientation, and identity (pp ). Clear teaching was givenfromscriptureon sexuality and marriage (pp , 74) and why Jesus never mentioned homosexuality(pp.58-60).theauthorchallengedtherevisionist sviewof Sodom and Romans 1:26-27 (pp ). Stanton also providedcurrent scientific discussion on the origin of same sex attraction (pp ). Defenseisgivenforthepositionthatsamesexattractionisnotsinful;itis actingonthesedesiresthatis(pp.64,102-03).theauthordemonstrated that no mature relationship demands total acceptance, and therefore, believers should not be intimidated by the LGBT community which demandssuch(pp.84,144-46). Stantonalsoprovidedhisthoughtsconcerningpracticalquestions forchristiansandthechurch,suchaswhatachristianshoulddoifinvited to a gay wedding (pp ). He believes the answer depends on the relationshipandwhetheritisacivilorreligiousceremony.healsoshared his thoughts on children who are LGBT. Christians shouldtreattheir significant others with love. The believers establishestherulesathome, and determineswhethertoallowovernight visits. The author offereda numberofreallifeexamplesofthosewhohaveshowntherightbalance (pp ). Whileheiscorrectthatbelieversaretoloveeveryone,hisviewof howfriendly,admiring,andesteemingchristiansshouldbeisnotwithout problems.howfaristhebelievertotakethis?forexample,isthechristian todevelopcozyfriendshipswithpedophiles,murderers,racists,neo-nazi, or terrorists? The LBGT philosophy is not merely an intellectual football thatonecanpassaroundwithoutimplications.theagendaisundermining the moral fabric ofsociety,andinmanyways,isdoingmoreharmthan thosepreviouslymentioned.esteemingandadmiringlbgtsseemstobe morethanexpectedinthecommandtolovethem. Stantonalsoaddressedmanyquestionsthechurchwillencounter (pp ). He believes LGBTs belong in the church and should be allowedtoministerinnon-teaching,non-leadershiproles.theapproachis problematiconanumberoflevels.whatisachurch,andwhoistominister tothebody?iflgbtsinthechurchclaimtobechristians,thenhowcan their unrepentant lifestyle be ignored? What is the Christiantodowith scriptures,suchas1corinthians5,whichdoesnotallowopenimmorality

97 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 207 tobepracticedamongthoseinthelocalchurchwhoclaimtobebelievers? Whatisdonewithregardtochurchdisciplinewhichtheauthordoesnot mention?stantonstumbledbadlyinthisarea.unsavedlgbtswhocause nodisruptionsshouldbewelcomedtoattendchurchestohearthegospel andthetruthofscripture,justlikeanysinner.however,thoseclaimingto be Christian yet living in immoral situations (gay or straight) must be confronted and ultimately removed, not invited to serve in unseen ministries. Loving&My&(LGBT)&Neighboraddressesthemajormoralchallengeof theday.christiansneedtobeinformedwithregardstowhatishappening in society and what Scripture teaches. Stanton sbookisquitehelpful in accomplishing both of these things. Stanton s firm but gracious tone and his call to truly love homosexual people are to be appreciated; but this reviewercannotagreewithsomeofhispracticalconclusions. (Gary(E.(Gilley( Southern(View(Chapel((Springfield,(IL)( Mission Drift: The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities, and Churchesby(Peter(Greer(and(Chris(Horst.(Minneapolis:(Bethany(House,( 2014.(219(pp.,(cloth,($ Mission&Driftdescribesthealltoocommondriftfromtheoriginalpurpose and mission that organizations (the authors are primarily focused on Christiannon-profitandchurches)experienceintime.Twodimensionsof driftaredescribed personalandinstitutional(p.12).theauthorsstated theirgoalas: WewanttonameandillustratethecausesofMissionDrift. We want to help you clarify the missions of the organizations you most love. And we want to equip you with the safeguards to reinforce and protectthem (p.30). GreerandHorstachievedtheirgoalthroughanumberofavenues. First, they providedexcellentstoriesoforganizationssuchastheymca (pp.11,68-69),harvarduniversity(pp.16-17,144-46),yaleuniversity(p. 18),Franciscans foodbanks(pp.19-20),christianchildren sfund(pp.24-26),childfund(p.41),pewtrust(pp.60-64)andveggietales(pp.98-99), who have drifted radically from their original purpose and mission. By contrast, examples of Mission True organizations are: InterVarsity (pp ),WorldVision(p.107),Chick-fil-A(pp.102,122),YouthforChrist (p.131),compassioninternational(p.26),tayloruniversity(p.28),young

98 208 Book(Reviews( Life(pp.28,72),CampusCrusade(pp.75-76),HenryCrowell strust(pp ),TheBillyGrahamOrganization(p.61),andBuckKnives(pp ). Mission drift is the natural course for organizations (pp ), partlybecauseitisnormallyagradual,evenunnoticedprocess(p.90)and partiallybecausethepassionandvisionofthestartersoforganizationsare rarelytransferredtothenextgeneration(pp ).theauthorsdonot think that drift is inevitable, however, and they detail a number of safeguards to prevent it (p. 65). The most important safeguard is maintainingboardmemberswhoarecompletelydedicatedtothemission of the organization (p. 79). If board members aren t bleeding for the mission,driftwillalwaystrickledown (p.84),and Itisnotyourenemies youhavetoworryabout,itisyoursupportersandemployeeswho almost havethevision.eatthewholeenchilada,orgosomewhereelse (p.101). Thereisnothingmoreimportantinavoidingmissiondriftthanrefusingto compromiseconcerningboardmembers. Closely following the importance of board members is the temptationtosoftenthemission of an organization because of money. A powerful illustration is given of how Andrew Carnegie s funding of teachers pensionsin1905radically changed many Christian educational institutions (pp ). His generous offer excluded anyinstitution which required an adherence to a statement of belief. As a result, many schools dropped their church affiliation and doctrinal requirements and secularism within the American educational system advanced rapidly. In order to resist such financial temptation, boards need to reject financial offersthatwouldevenslightlyaltertheirvision,anddonorsneedtorealize the power they have in their involvement and giving to Mission True organizations (pp ). Another safeguardforchristianministriesis recognizingthevitalroleofthelocalchurch(pp ). The authors are leaders of HOPE International, a worldwide nonprofit attempting to address physical and spiritualpovertythrough microfinance; it is encouraging, especially given the work of HOPE, that these men recognize upgrading the financial situation of the poor is not enough.withoutchrist,theybelieve,theproblemsofpovertyaremerely replacedbytheproblemsofprosperity(pp.35,37,80,92).thepoorneed more than additional money: theyneedchrist(pp.34-38). HOPE has refusedtodriftfromthiscommitment. Readers of the book might not be in complete agreement that all the organizations mentioned above as MissionTrue actuallyare.while allofthemhavemaintainedthecorevisionoftheirfounders,mostofthem havedriftedtocertaindegreesfromtheiroriginaltheologicalstance.some

99 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 209 Christianleaderstouted,suchas,BrennanManning(p.91),DallasWillard (p. 136),DanAllender (p. 218), and Henri Nouwen (pp. 216, 218)are questionableatbest.nevertheless,withthesethingsaside,mission&driftis an important book that would be well worth reading by all Christian leaders. (Gary(E.(Gilley( Southern(View(Chapel((Springfield,(IL)( Generous Justice: How God s Grace Makes Us Just by( Timothy( Keller.( New(York:(Dutton,(2010.(xxi(+(230(pp.,(cloth,($10.50." & In&Generous&Justice, Timothy Keller madeacaseforsocialjusticeasit relatestothecorporatechurchandtoindividualchristians.eachchapter beginswithacalltojusticefromthebible,whichshowsthefoundationofa just,generoushumancommunity(p.xvi)followedbytheauthor sbiblical andphilosophicaldefenseofthepropositionsfoundinthatchapter.keller saidthathewrotethisbookforfourkindsofpeople:youngbelieverswho respondwithjoytothecalltocarefortheneedy,thosewhoapproachthe subject of doing justice withsuspicion,youngerevangelicalswhohave expanded their mission toincludesocialjusticealongwithevangelism, andthosewhobelievethattheideathatthebibleisdevotedtojusticeis absurd(pp.x-xiv).kellerthinksallfourtypesofreaders failatsomelevel toseethatthebiblicalgospelofjesusnecessarilyandpowerfullyleadstoa passion for justice in the world (p.xiv).generous& Justiceiswrittento correct the views of these four groups and to present a case for the author sunderstandingofthesubject. Keller wrotewithbalanceandgraciousnessandsurelyconvinces allreadersthatgodandhischildrenshouldbeconcernedwithregardsto justice, the poor, and the needy; for that is clearly the picture presented throughoutthescriptures.attimes,hepressestoohard,suchasquoting JonathanEdwardsthatgivingtothepooristhestrongestofthecommands (p. xii). The assertionwouldbeimpossibletoprove,andjesusdidnot agree(accordingtomatt22:37-39).anothersuchexampleishisstatement thatalackofjusticeisasignthattheworshipper sheartisnotrightwith Godatall(p.50).However,thisisnotalwaystrue.Healsosaidthatsharing withthepooristherealproofthatonebelievesatonementtohavebeen madeforhisorhersins(p.96),yetnothinginscripturesaysthis.overall,

100 210 Book(Reviews( hispointiscorrect.christiansshouldbeconcernedregardinginjusticeand theneedsofthemarginalizedthroughouttheworld. However,theissuesarefarmorecomplicatedthanthat.First,how involved should the church be in social issues versus the involvement of individual Christians? Keller seems to vacillate on this. At times, he was clear that the church should focus on what it has been called to do, and whichonlyitcando evangelizeanddisciple(pp ,204,216).the churchasanentityshouldnotbedirectlyinvolvedinjusticeissues;rather, it would be better to start para-church organizations to handle such matters. However, at other times he promoted theinvolvementofthe churchinsocialagendas,andtheexampleofthechurchhepastorswould beexhibit A (obviously,thisleavesthereaderconfused). Kelleraskedanimportantquestion:ifChristiansaredrawingtheir directives fromthebible as theyshould,istheemphasisinscriptureon socialjusticethroughouttheworldoronlyamongbelievers?kellerlooks primarilytotheoldtestamentforhissupportthroughoutthebook,andhe admittedthattheoldtestamentlawsonsocialjusticefocusedonjustice and care among the community of Israel, who were called to be the followers of God, and not the broader world (pp. 23, 29-31, 77, 60-61). Nevertheless,mostofthebookdealswiththeinjusticesfoundthroughout theplanetandhowthechurchandchristiansshouldactivelybeinvolved in rectifying these problems. Upon what biblical bases is the New Testament church and the individual believer to be actively involved in social justice of the world at large? Keller offeredatleast three answers (pp ).First,allhumansaremadeintheimageofGod.Second,the Lordistheownerofeverything,andthebeliever sresourcesdonotbelong toselfbuttothelordandtothecommunity;and,third,sharingwiththe pooristheproofofone sunderstandingofgod sgrace. While these motivations seem legitimate, where in Scripture are believers taught to place emphasis on the poor and marginalized of the unbelievingworld?whilebelieversinbothtestamentsaretodogoodto all people, it is the community of believers to which Christians are consistently directed. There is scant evidence within the Bible that believers are to attempt to change society or solve social ills, something Kelleradmitted.EventhestandardOldTestamenttextsreferencedIsrael, nottheworld.theusualnewtestamentpassages,suchasmatthew25:31-46, even when divorced fromcontextaskellerdoes,speakofaidingthe brothers and sisters, not the unbeliever. For those reasons, Keller championedthestoryofthegoodsamaritanasthemostimportanttextto informbelieversoftheirsocialduties(pp.62-77,201).

101 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 211 Building an argument on a descriptive narrative, as opposed to developingitfromdirectbiblicalprescriptionandinstruction,isanalltoo common hermeneutical mistake and misunderstanding of Scripture. Ultimately,KellerquotedEdwardsthatbasedonthisstoryoneshould go outintotheworldlookingtohelpabsolutelyanyoneinneed (p.205).of course, the Samaritan did no such thing. He happened upon a wounded man and, with compassion, helped him. The Bible does not instruct believerstomakeittheirmissiontolookthroughouttheworldforpeople toaidphysicallyandsocially;itdoestellchristianstogothroughoutthe world making disciples (Matt 28:19), and it does teach believerstohelp those in need who come across the Christian spathway.theteachingof thenewtestamentisthatthechurchistobefocusedonthemissionthe Lord has given: to make disciples. Surely, believersaretocareforthe needyunbelieverwhenthelordbringsthemtoattention,butonewillbe hard pressed to find anything in Scripture describing the mission ofthe churchassocialjustice. At points, Keller admits all this, but he cannot resist returning to theideathatitisthechurchandthepeopleofgodwhoareresponsiblefor solving social problems in the world. When the author draws from philosophersandsocialscientists,heisonshakygroundatbest.whenhe quoted,withoutcaveat,thefatherofliberationtheology,gustavogutierrez (pp. 7, 194), he betrays his lack of discernment. When Keller turns to Scripture,itisnotmuchbetter.HetooksomanyScripturesoutofcontext, gavethemmeaningsthatcannotbejustified,andevenmisquotedsome,so thattoreadgenerous&justicewithoutanopenbibleandwithoutconstant referencechecksistobecertainofmisunderstandingwhatthescriptures areactuallyteachingonthesesubjects(pp.ix,99,123,184-85,187-89). Keller is correct when he confirmed, with D. A. Carson, that believers cannot redeem culture; but they canimproveit(p.162). Christianscandoso,heteaches,byhelpinganeighborhoodtobecomeselfsufficientthroughrelocation(movingintodisadvantagedneighborhoods), redistribution (training local leadership), and racial reconciliation (leadership must be multiethnic and interracial) (pp ). Nevertheless,buriedinfootnotes,Kelleradmittedhowcomplicated and evendestructivesomeofthesestepsare(pp ). Keller believes that the idea that the church needs to stick with preachingthegospelandbuildingdisciplesandnotbeinvolvedinsocial justice is naïve and wrong (p. 135, 141). He usedacts6,2corinthians 8:13-14,andGalatians2:10,aswellas1Timothy5:1-10andActs4:34,to trytomakeabiblicalcase.nevertheless,heignoredthateveryoneofthose textsdealsdirectlywithhowthechurchshouldministertothechurch,not

102 212 Book(Reviews( society,somethinghehasadmittedseveraltimesthroughoutthebook(p. 145) and in a number of footnotes. He is mistaken in his understanding that the gospel is two-pronged. The gospel, in Keller s thinking, drawing muchfrompeterwagner sconceptofthe wholegospel, isnotconcerning reconciliationwithgodbutalsosolvingsocialissues(pp ).hedoes notseethebiblicalgospelasidenticaltosocialjusticebutbelievestheyare in an asymmetrical, inseparable relationship (p. 139). Keller thinks that theyareconnectedintwoways.first,thegospelproducesaconcernfor the poor; and, secondly, that deeds of justice gain credibility for the preaching of the gospel(p.140).hewrote, someone must resist and changethelegal,political,andsocialsystems (p.130),andthatsomeone mustbethechurch: Youoryourchurchshouldbeginbydiscoveringthe needs in your locale. Are there disadvantaged children(abusedand neglected,physicallyormentallydisabled,failinginschool)whocoulduse help...? (p. 133). Keller s suggestion wouldbeagooddefinitionof missiondrift inwhichthechurchaddssolvingtheproblemsofsocietyto itsdivinemandateofmakingdisciples. That the people of God should be concerned with injustice and socialissuesoftheworldatlarge,andthattheyshouldbemodelcitizens who do good to those around them, is not the issue. The issue Keller is addressingisresistingandchangingthelegal,political,andsocialsystems; itisaddingtheculturalmandatetothegreatcommissionasthemissionof the church (p. 130), whichiskeller s argument, but he didnotmakehis case biblically. His choosing of random Scripture verses, mostly out of context,mightgivetheappearancethathehasprovedhisthesis;butthe vastteachingofscripturestandsagainsthisview.kellercorrectlyaffirmed that individual Christians working within para-church or even secular organizationsmightdevotetimetosocialissues,whileleavingthechurch todowhatonlythechurchcando.however,theauthorisnotconsistent throughoutthebookanddangerouslyconfusesthemissionofthechurch andgod speople. (Gary(E.(Gilley( Southern(View(Chapel((Springfield,(IL)(

103 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 213 Him We Proclaim by( Dennis( E.( Johnson.( Phillipsburg,( NJ:( P&R( Publishing,(2007.(493(pp.,(paper,($ Recognizing thatthesovereigngodoftheuniversechosetoredeem sinnerswiththepreciousbloodofhissonishumbling.adam sfallwasnot theendofman,butthebeginningthreadofarichredemptivetapestrythat wouldrevealthemessiah.christmustbeproclaimedfromthegospelsand Epistles, but the Law and Prophets look forward to his coming and proclaim Him as well (Luke24:27).WhatdoesitmeantopreachChrist from these? Him& We& ProclaimbyDennisJohnsonseekstoanswerthis questionbydrawingfromtheinsightsanddisciplinesoftheapostles(p.2). Rather than focus upon homiletics, the author provides a theology of preaching.sincegodissovereignoverhistoryandhiswordisaninspired unity, the author contends that preachers should emulate the Apostles doctrine and hermeneutics (often called redemptive-historic) in their preaching(p.9-11). Johnson is a professor of practical theology at Westminster Seminary in Escondido, California and an associate pastor at New Life Presbyterian Church. Firmly planted both in academia and pastoral ministry, he has provided a work worth consideration. Him& We& Proclaim should receive a warm reception among those who see great continuity throughout God s Word. For those, such as this reviewer, who see a bit morediscontinuitythanjohnson,hisworkmayraiseconcern. Him& We& Proclaim& is divided into two major parts starting with: The Case for Apostolic, Christocentric Preaching. Johnsonincludedan overviewofcontemporaryhomileticemphasesfollowedbyastudyofthe Apostle Paul s preaching. A survey of hermeneutic controversies throughouthistoryandanexaminationofobjectionscompletehiscase. Johnson submitted threepurposesforpreaching:toconvert,to edify,andtoinstruct(p.27).heobserved,inchaptertwo,thatpreachers tend toward one of these three purposes. For instance, Bill Hybels emphasizes preaching to convert, whereas Jay Adams preaches to edify. TheauthorofferedTimKellerasanexamplewhoseekstoconvert,edify, andinstruct(p.54-61). Chapterthreeanchorstheauthor scaseinanexcellentexegetical studyofcolossians1:24-2:7.paulpreachedtoconvert,edify,andinstruct. He knew the needs of his hearers as he proclaimed Christ. He sought to teach and admonish, knowing the price to be paid as a minister. His authorityandempowermentcamefromgod(p.64-65).johnsonprovides bullet points at the end of the chapter, observations that help define apostolicpreaching(p.95-96).

104 214 Book(Reviews( The author s outline of Paul s preaching is helpful and, on this basis,hesubmittedthatpreachersshouldexpoundapassage inrelation toitsintegratingcenter Christ (p.95).certainlythecenteroftheentire canonisjesuschrist,butcolossians1:24-2:7doesnotindicateexactlyhow to preach Christ. Johnson rightly went no further than the Text, but his overall work does go further. He believes Christ should be preached, in part,byrevealinghiddentypologicalmeaningsfromtheoldtestament(p ),andhisworkrestsuponaredemptive-historicalhermeneutic.By devoting much time to Paul s preaching and then proposing these other elements,helinkedthetwo,asifthecolossianspassagesupportsallofhis work,yetitdoesnot. The fourth chapter is a historical survey of the complications, chastening, rejection, and recovery of apostolic preaching. Johnson persuasivelyargued, thequestionofwhetherandhowtheoldtestament, in particular, bears witness to Christ turns on disagreement over the weighttobeaccordedtovariousconcentriccirclesofcontext (p.98-99). Should the immediate context determine a text s meaning? Should the broader context given by later revelation take precedence? The author surveyed the patristics, Protestant Reformers, and Enlightenment theologiansbeforepositinggeerhardusvosasamodel.hemaintainedthat Scripture as a whole is the context for any passage. Thus, the New TestamentshouldshedlightuponthemeaningoftheOldastheOldsheds lightuponthenew. At the end of Johnson s case for apostolic preaching is an apologetic: chapterfive.heoverviewed themisgivingsofapostolic preaching:misgivingsaboutbiblicalunity,interpretiveaccountability,and interpretivecredibility.theauthorunderstandsnotallwhoviewscripture withadegreeofdiscontinuityareliberaltheologians;some,forexample, are dispensationalists (p ). For these, a grammatical-historical approach to the Old Testament does not dismiss the Apostles useof a differenthermeneutic.manydispensationalistsbelievetheapostlescould interpretatexttypologicallybecauseoftheiruniquegiftingandinspiration oftheholyspirit.godrevealedtothemachristocentricpatternintheold Testament.Thequestionremains:DomorepatternsexistthatGoddidnot explicitlyreveal?ifso,isthemodernexpositorabletoseethem? Johnson contended thatpreacherstodayshouldemulatethe Apostles(p.167).Yet,ifthesemenwereuniquelygifted,andnonearealive today,whatarethelimitsofthenon-apostolicpreacher?ahelpfuladdition to Him& We& Proclaimmighthaveexaminedtheselimits,buttheauthor barelyconsideredthematter(p.141).tojohnson,theentiredebateisa

105 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 215 matterofcontext.toothers,suchasthisreviewer,itisamatterofspiritual gifting. ScriptureistheinspiredWord,Godsovereignlydirectshistory,the OldTestamentpointstotheChrist,andHeisthecontextofScripture(p. 151).Typologyrestsuponthesepillars,butonecouldlargelyagreewith each while maintaining a grammatical-historical hermeneutic. Johnson wenttoofarwhenhesaidthosewhodisagreefailtoseejesusasthe indispensablecontext ofscripture.asaresult,theyareasguiltyofbeing asreductionisticinonedirectionasorigenandhisallegoristsuccessors wereinanother (p.151).ifpreacherstodayarelimitedduetospiritual gifting,johnsonhaswidelymissedthemark. The second major part of Him& We& Proclaim& is: The Practice of Apostolic, Christocentric Preaching. Here the author examined the foundation in which Jesus and the apostles interpreted the Old Testament (p.164).hepresentedhebrewsasanexampleofapostolic preaching,followedbyanexaminationoftypologyandchristasthehead andmediatorofthenewcovenant.aseriesofcasestudiescomprisesthe finaltwochapters. Hebrewsreferstoitselfasa wordofexhortation whichisafirstcentury equivalent for sermon (p.172).johnsonbeautifullyexplained howthissermonpreacheschristfromtheoldtestament.hisinsightsand commentarymakethischapteragoodresource.chaptersevensurveysthe NewTestament stypologicalinterpretationsfromthemostexplicittothe mostsubtle.romans5:14isanexplicitexamplewhereadamisidentified as a type of Christ (p ). However, as Johnson s examples become increasinglysubtle,theyseemincreasinglyeisegetical. Atypeis a pattern thatpointstothecomingredemptiveevent andtotheredeemerwhowillaccomplishit (p.131).typesforeshadow thefuture;theyarepropheticpatterns(p.202).theauthorofferedahost ofoldtestamentallusionsheviewsastypes,butitremainsunclearwhen to interpret an allusion as no more than an allusion. Are allallusions prophetic?narrativeswithclearparallelssufferedfromthesamelackof clarity.johnsonposited Achanasa typological parallel forananiasand Sapphira (p. 213). The parallels are obvious, but if types are inherently Christocentric,isthisalegitimatetype?OneshouldalsoquestionJohnson s claimthatthetabernacleis typologicallyconnected tomary swomb(p. 213). Earlier in his work the author rightly criticized Origen and the abuses of Alexandrian allegorism (p. 106). The preacher who seeks to serve the Word submits his expository reflection to the restraining discipline of biblical texts originalcontextandtotheclearapostolic

106 216 Book(Reviews( warrantdefinedinthenewtestament (p.107).johnson srestraintsseem loose and the apostolic warrant for some of his alleged types seems unclearandshouldbeviewedcautiously. The author then examinedtheoldtestament s foundations for redemptive-historical hermeneutics. He saideventsandinstitutionsheld symbolic significance, used imagery to portray the coming Messiah, and testified to incompleteness (p. 219). Theobservationsarenecessaryfor understandingtypologyingeneral.johnsonbuiltuponthisandsubmitted that typology is the key to avoiding allegorism and moralism when preaching Christ from the Old Testament(p.230).Theassertionseems overstated,particularlyinlightoftheauthor sexpositionsinchapternine. Some,suchashisexpositionof2Samuel16:5-14,arealtogetherwithout types. Him&We&Proclaimturns,inchaptereight,tostudythemotifsofnew creationandnewcovenant,whichundergirdthewholeredemptiveagenda (p.242).johnsonrightlyconcludedfromephesians1:9-10that noevent ofhistoryisadequatelyinterpretedapartfromitsrelationtothiscosmic agenda of God (p.243).whenpreachingtheoldtestament,oneshould look to see how a particular event fits within the broad scope of redemptivehistory. Chapters nine and ten provide outlines with discussion for preachingapostolicallyineachgenreofscripture,oldtestamentandnew. After much discussion about the place of typology, it was ironic to find someofthesermonsproclaimingchristwithnotypologicalconnections. Second Samuel 16:5-14 is one example (p ). Johnson s sermon is structuredaroundthethreemainsubjects:shimei,abishai,anddavid.in light of this morally mottled portrait, whathopedoesthistextafford? Thus, the author addedtohisoutline: Christ the King, falsely accused, condemned and punished for the charge that was true of David (and of you) (p.288). Johnson studied the immediate context of the 2 Samuel passage, identified the fallen condition, and preached Christ as the solution. A similarapproachwasfollowedwithproverbs15:27(p ).inthese cases,onedoesnotneedaredemptive-historicalhermeneutictofollowin theauthor sfootsteps.thegrammatical-historicalissufficientforthetask. Other examples of preaching the Old Testament included Deuteronomy 6:20-25, Psalm 42 43, and Isaiah 43:1-7. Though Johnson proposed various typological connections, even those who disagree will appreciate muchofthediscussionandthehomileticaloutlinesheprovided. Moving into the New Testament, the author demonstrated apostolicpreachingusingthegenresofgospel,parable,epistolarydoctrine,

107 JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY( (Summer/Fall(2016( 217 epistolaryexhortation,wisdom,andprophecy.johnson shandlingofluke 16:1-13isanexcellentexampleforpreachingtheparables(p ).His exposition of Ephesians 4:25-5:2 is helpful for seeing how to preach imperativeswithoutfallingintothetrapofmoralism(p ). TheBibleisaunity,inspiredbyasovereignGodwhohasmadehis Son the focal point of revelation. Him& We& Proclaim& exhorts the reader to preachallgod srevelationwiththischrist-centeredfocus.thebookhasa logicalflowfromonechaptertothenext,makesagoodcaseforapostolic preaching,andiswell-researchedandpractical. Though most readers will embrace the Apostles doctrine,notall will be persuaded to emulate the Apostles hermeneutic.nonetheless, Christ must be preached and Johnson s work challenges all who take it seriouslytodoso.theexhortationtopreachchrististhebook sgreatest assetforexpositorypreaching. (Shaun(D.(Lewis( Civil(Servant(Ministries((Springfield,(IL)(

108 The Latest Offering in Dr. Dave Olander's "Greatness" Series. This book offers a solid explanation of the "New Covenant". Available through Amazon and Tyndale Theological Seminary Bookstore.

109 The First Book in Dr. Dave Olander's, "Greatness" Series. Available through Amazon or the Tyndale Bookstore

110 Constable's Notes on the Bible Vol. VIII, covering the Book of Acts and Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

111 The Lastest Volume of Dr. Thomas Constable's "Notes on the Bible". This Edition covers the Apostle Paul's Epistles to the Corinthians, Galatians and Ephesians. Available Now From Tyndale Seminary Press

112 Another Tyndale Seminary Press original publication.