The Beauty/Glory of God.38

Transcription

1 The Beauty/Glory of God.38 John 1:47: In whom there is no deceit (ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστιν) Philosophy of Human Nature-5: The Emotional Life of our Lord 3/24/2013 1

2 Philosophical/Theological/Doctrinal/Spiritual Mental Framework Bible Doctrines (The True-Good-Beautiful!) Eschatology Thanatology Ecclesiology Israelology Dispensationalism Doxology Hodology Soteriology Hamartiology Natural Law Anthropology Angelology Pneumatology Christology Paterology Trinitarianism Cosmology Theology Proper Bibliology P.R Epistemology Metaphysics -11 (Trans. 42) Reality Logic 32, Truth 32 Any questions? 1) PR and Esse. My 30+ years in doctrinal learning and teaching included a great deal of perinoetic knowledge about the nature of God and creation. How PR, philosophy of being, enabled me to move into dianoetic understanding of God, transcendentals, and ultimate realities as taught in the Bible. The blessings of seeing these fantastic Biblical truths have been nothing short of absolute amazement. 2) PR and esse. We are now moving into philosophical psychology. I am already running into truths that have likewise been concealed by modern naturalism and perinoetic knowledge. This is life changing as well (cf., emotions, good, hylemorphic). 3) The problem was never with Bible doctrine or the languages or the ICE method. The problem is with the foundation of naturalism/platonism underlying our view of Truth. 4) If you find yourself uneasy about these changes, ask yourself: are we getting closer to the truths of the Bible? You are responsible for what you believe. Stage 3 Stage 2 Stage 1 Stage 3 Christian metaphysician = life of glory! The believer who becomes a Christian metaphysician has a totally new mindset with regard to the nature of Ehyeh/Esse and the transcendentals. Only in metaphysics can a believer really understand Bible, the attributes and glory of God Holy Spirit Stage 2 Christian doctrinal believer = life of doctrine! Through BD, this believer has gained a great deal of divine viewpoint in his soul regarding God and the spiritual life. However, he continues to have some pagan views about God s nature due to lack of metaphysical development. He is stable, but still very dependent on others for confidence in metaphysical truths. Holy Spirit Bible Doctrine Bible Doctrine Stage 1 Christian baby = life of ups and downs. All baby believers have a great deal of pagan views of God due to the problem of pagan horizon of meaning. All baby believers are tossed here and there by the kosmos, Eph 4:14. For baby believers it is all about pragmatism or personal encounter with truth. If it works or feels good, they think it must be true. 3/24/2013 2

3 History of Metaphysics Theology, Philosophy, and Science through the Ages Biblical/ Ehyeh metaphysics: Ex. 3:14; Jn. 1:3; Psa. 19:1-3; Rm. 1:18-32; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Rev. 4:11 The Ancient Period (624 B.C. A.D. 135): Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Pythagoras, Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Anaxagoras, Empedocles, Zeno the Eleatic, Protagoras, Gorgias, Socrates, Democritus, Leucippus, Epicurus, Plato, Aristotle, Pyrrho, Epicurus, Lucretius, Zeno the Stoic, Epictetus. The Classical Christian (Esse) period ( ): Jesus Christ, Apostles, Aristides (A.D. 110 ), Plotinus, Patristics, Augustine, Boethius, John Scotus Erigena, Avicenna, Anselm, Al-Ghazali, Peter Abelard, Averroes, Maimonides, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, Eckhart, John Duns Scotus, William of Ockham. The Modern Period ( ): Erasmus, Copernicus, Luther, Bacon, Galileo, Hobbes, Descartes, Pascal, Spinoza, John Locke ( ), Newton, Leibniz, Berkeley, Voltaire, Rousseau, David Hume ( ), Kant, Schelling, Fichte, Hegel, Marx, Bentham, Comte, Mill, Darwin, Kierkegaard, Marx, Engles, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche. The Contemporary Period (1900-): Charles S. Peirce, James, Freud, Husserl, Bergson, Dewey, Whitehead, Russell, Einstein, Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Carnap, Ryle, Jean-Paul Sartre, Beauvoir, Quine, Ayer, Austin, Kuhn, Foucault, Derrida, Richard Rorty. All truths of the Word of God presuppose the foundation of philosophical realism the philosophy of being. The two titans of philosophical realism are Aristotle ( B.C.) and Thomas Aquinas ( ). Aristotle literally wrote the book on logic, metaphysics, transcendentals, philosophical psychology. He was the only one that solved the Parmenidean problem of change with act-potential. Aristotle knew more about the nature of truth, the need for logic, and metaphysics, than almost every modern Christian whose Bibles are filled with these truths. He is known for saying all men by nature desire to know, surely this is true of Christians. He started with absolute starting point of being and what is undeniable and self-evident about being. He taught that we must have a sure starting point being and self-evident, the indubitable starting points. Where else could one start regarding truth not specifically defined in the Word of God? The other titan was Thomas Aquinas, perhaps the greatest genius of all time, at least in metaphysics. He is the one who had the insight to see the esse/essence distinction (what a thing is versus that a thing is), He opened up Exod. 3:14 on the nature of God. He had an extremely high view of Scripture. As a teenager he was attracted to a life of studying and teaching. However, his parents had other plans so they had his brothers abduct him and put him under house arrest for about a year. During that time, he committed the entire Bible to memory plause four volumes of Peter Lombard s theology. His brothers sent a prostitute in room but he chased her out. Ultimate reality of Being and beings Monism, Pluralism Atomism, Humanism, Pantheism, Platonism Aristotelanism Essentialism Rationalism Radical Empiricism Thomism, Nominalism Humanism, Scientism Agnosticism, Skepticism Secularism, Deism Idealism, Romanticism Marxism, Antiintellectualism Evolutionism, Atheism Existentialism, Pragmatism, Hedonism, Positivism Post-modernism, Relativism, Functionalism, Coherentism Phenomenology Existentialism, Psychologism, Nihilism. 3

4 The Transcendentals-42 (The Existence of Beauty: Poetry) 1. The true, good, and beauty resonate with three aspects of man s intellective and appetitive powers his mind, will, and emotions. I confess that before working through the metaphysics of the transcendentals, I would never have been able to really appreciate beauty as an objective entity in the Bible or all around me. There is nothing in the original languages that would enable a person to move into dianoetic understanding of beauty. Note how this opens up beauty in the Bible (cf., Psalm 19; Romans 1, and Matthew 6). BTW, does it matter if the field of beautiful flowers Jesus spoke of were owned by believer or reversionist? Beauty in music (Ex. 15; Rev. 5). Beauty in paintings cf., Jesus s appreciation of the beauty of nature. Beauty in dancing Ecc. 3:4. Beauty in poetry cf. Psalms, SOS, Proverbs. Beauty and utility in architecture cf. Rev Beauty in statuary/artifacts cf., the tabernacle. Beauty of the theatre cf., drama in Song of Solomon. 3/24/2013 4

5 Christian song - Live Like That Congratulations Kate Spencer We have noted the metaphysics of the beauty of dance. We congratulate Kate Spencer and her dance troupe for winning first place for best show in a recent competition. Congratulations Kate! You are loved and appreciated! True, good, and beautiful! Kate performed as part of a group number that took top honors. They won highest points scored in the competitive category, meaning when compared to other group performances in competitive category, the judges scored them the highest. They also received a diamond elite for their performance as they scored in the highest range. 3/24/2013 5

6 The Beauty (Glory) of God-38 : The Road to understanding God s Beauty Introduction of glory in creation, Christ, and God: Genesis 1-2; 3:6; 6:2; 12:11; Exod. 2:2; 25:8, 22; 29:43-46; 33:18-22; 40:34-38; Rev. 21:1-22:5; Psa. 19:1-2; Isa 5:20-21; 6:1-8; 42:18-20; Jer. 7:24-26; 13:13-14; Gal. 3:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; ; Matt. 5:8; 11:25-30; Rom. 1:18-32; Heb. 1:1-3; Philip. 2:5-11; 1 John 1:1-4; Prov. 6; 1 Peter. 3:1-5. Effulgence of God s beauty/glory manifested in the incarnation: John 1; 2:11, 16; 3:13, 16-17; 4:6, 10, 14-18, 31-34; 5:17-27, 30, 36-37, 44; 6:33-48; 7:18, 28-30, 37-38; 8:12-14, 28, 31-42, 50, 58-59; 10:7-11, 14-18, 28-30, 38, 12:27-28, 32-50; 13:1-34; 14:6-31; 15:1-6, 8-19, 24-26; 16:7-15; 17:6, 24; 19:23-30; 20:28-31; 21:19. Old Testament Glory: Job 38-42; creation, Garden, Abel, Abraham, Moses, David, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the throne of Glory, lost glory (Psa 27:4; 32:1-11; 34:8; 145:8-17; Prov. 4:5-9; 2 Chron. 26; Isa. 3:18 48:4; 64:6; 53; Jer 6:22-23; 15:12-14; 27:36). New Testament Glory: Luke 1-2; 4:6-13; 21:5; Acts 3:2; 17:26-27; 20:28; Rom 3:9-19, 21-26; 5:1-2, 6-11; 10:15; 1 Cor 1:18, 23-31; 2:8-9; 2 Cor 3:6-4:6; 8:9; Gal 3:13-14; 4:4-5; Eph. 1:6; 2:10; 5:25-32; Col. 2:9, 13-14; 3:10-14; 3:13-14; 4:4-8; Titus 3:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:8; 2:21-25; 2 Pet. 3:16; Heb 2:11-18; 5:5; James 1:11, 17; 1 John; 2:1-2; 3:2-3, 16; 4:9-10, 20; Rev. 5:9-14; 12:3, 7, 9. Conclusion: the beatific vision: Rev. 21:1-22:5. 3/24/2013 6

7 The Emotional life of our Lord-1 1. There is a great need to remove modern methodological naturalistic and reductionistic presuppositions in our view of God, the Bible, and human beings. We need to stop inserting reductionism into the Bible so we can see its truths in its full realistic philosophical context. BTW, anti-intellectualism is a major byproduct of methodological naturalism. 3/24/2013 7

8 2. Due to methodological naturalism, most Christians are in the dark about the nature of a soul, man s soul, substance and subsistence of human being, two orders of volitions and wills, intellection, appetition, emotions, etc. - All of these are revealed by undeniable metaphysics of being. We are not going to study all 17 natural powers of human beings (nutrition, growth, reproduction, locomotion, 5 external senses, the 4 internal senses [central sense, sense memory, imagination, cogitative]. Their actions reveal their nature. - We will look at the key areas which have profound influence on the spiritual life. You will not see yourself, human beings, or the Lord Jesus Christ the same way when we are finished. - The modern view of emotions is heavily influenced by naturalism: that emotions are only physical and not important. This view is in stark contrast to the Bible and the metaphysics of being, hylemorphism. 3/24/2013 8

9 3. Since this is the Passion Week of our Lord, and we are in the midst of studying human emotions, we are going to examine the emotional life of the Lord Jesus Christ for the next several classes. Matthew 21:5: Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass. 3/24/2013 9

10 4. Matthew 26: This is where we left off in our last Bible class. The two orders of volitions and wills. Note the horror and pain as Jesus contemplated being identified with every sinner who ever lived or would ever live. He would feel all of the guilt, pain, and punishment. Note the source of the Lord s emotions they are from His soul (περίλυπός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή μου ἕως θανάτου), 38. Note how His emotions affected His body. Note the hylemorphism. The change of emotions with the change of the will (1 st order strengthened) Note the effect of disciples thinking on their emotional makeup which then caused lethargy. 3/24/

11 5. Palm Sunday, Matthew 21:1-17. A look at some emotional issues. Our Lord s thinking that led to actions prompted by feelings (emotions). The crowd s thinking that led to their emotional actions. Was the problem in their emotions or their thinking that led to emotions? Or can one separate one s thinking and mental attitude from emotions? Consider how inadequate it is to think that the problem with these people is that they let their emotions get the best of them. Is that the real problem? What is the solution? Consider the connection between the Lord s thinking and emotions of anger expressed in His actions in verse 12. 3/24/

12 6. Overview of basics on emotions. - Emotion is from the Latin motus meaning motion, to move. This is the essential understanding of emotions. - An emotion is any movement of a sense appetite which is in potency before it is moved. Emotion itself is not knowledge. - The movement is of the sense (5 senses) and/or intellective appetites. Appetite is from the Latin meaning to + seek. There are natural appetites and elicited appetites determined by form of a being. Both sense and intellective appetites seek goods. - By sensitive or intellective cognition you know things, by appetition you seek them, you desire them. 3/24/

13 - Emotions are formally psychic but materially organic. - It is tempting to think that when you deal with emotion that you are just talking about a physiological response. Especially with empirical psychologists describing them in terms of secretion of glands. It is easy to think of emotional responses as just being some physical or mechanical reaction. There is a lurking Cartesianism here. - Don t forget we are hylemorphic creatures. The emotions are primarily reaction or action or movement of the sensitive psychic faculties of the soul. - Only in a secondary way does it entail the physiological response which we tend to take as being the whole psychological or emotional realm. 3/24/

14 - It is the soul that moves the body. The sensitive reactions of the soul, like fear, moves the body to produce adrenaline for flight or fight. - It is the cognition of fear in the soul that causes the physiological fear. However, it is not just a physiological thing. We are not just physiological things we are hylemorphic compositions of soul and body, form and matter. - You cannot change one part of us without simultaneously changing the other. We are form and matter constituting one living substance. So that these psychic reactions is a reaction of the whole being. One in which there is a corresponding interaction between form and matter, material and immaterial. Again, it is never just a bodily reaction. The body is secondary. But it can go the other way as well, the body affects the soul. 3/24/

15 - The emotion is primarily psychic or formal. It is an act of the soul. Secondarily it is material. We tend to think of it only in terms of material action. - Emotion is a psychic movement toward a sensible good or away from a sensible evil elicited by sense knowledge with an organic change simultaneously preparing the person or animal for some action. It is accompanied with organ change. - Emotion is always a movement of the sensible appetite. There is always movement toward or away from something. - All men are moved by intellectual and sensible goods and evils. 3/24/

16 7. It is through man s intellective nature that he can control and governance over his emotions, Eph. 4:17-32; Col. 3: The biblical view regarding emotions is both cognitive as well as somatic. Our intellects are always to control the emotions. Emotions are a response to sense and intellectual appetites regarding sense good and evils. At regeneration we have new capacity for spiritual intellective appetites. Cognitive emotions: basic desire/appetite to good and bad objects Love Hate (simple tendency) Desire Aversion (movement) Joy/Delight-Sorrow/Distress (repose) Cognitive emotions: irascible emotions in difficulties associated with good/bad Hope-Despair Confidence-Fear Anger 3/24/

17 8. Jesus Christ in His humanity was subject to all sinless human emotions. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize (συμπαθῆσαι) with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. - The gospels provide a vast array of emotions. - Jesus Christ continues to have all human emotions in heaven in His resurrected body. - He is the only Person of the Trinity with human emotions. 3/24/

18 9. Historically there have been two opposite tendencies regarding the emotional life of Jesus Christ. a. Stoicism with their ethics of ἀπάθεια wished to make Christ a perfect man who they viewed as the ideal ἀπάθεια man. These people project their own apatheia on the Lord. They make Christ cold and distant, not able to empathize with us, but note Hebrews 2:14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. b. Emotionalists who tend to make Him into an extremely emotional creature. Emotionalists are in liberal and some conservative camps. They project their emotions on the Lord. 3/24/

19 10. A look at the emotional life of our Lord. It is important to remember that the trait that stands out most clearly about Jesus Christ is His love. Love is the underlying principle behind of all of His emotions: pity, compassion, indignation, frustration, name-calling, anger, distress, et al. His experience of emotional pain was because His primary characteristic was love. He practiced love everywhere He went. It was His thought, will, and action. He fulfills love before asking others to love. All of Jesus s acts are love, they have no purpose but to help. Love is the source and foundation of His compassion. In the synoptics, His love is only mentioned once. In the gospel of John compassion is never mentioned of Christ. In John love is the foundation for all He does for the Father and for mankind. 3/24/