How many times does the New Testament quote, refer to, or allude to the Old Testament? For a quick look at some introductory answers to this question, click on any of the following links:
Quotations in New Testament Order
Table of Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament, in English
The Relationship of the Testaments: the NT View of the OT
Now, some questions: From looking at and thinking about such content (found at the above links), ...
1) What does this say of the modern views of the Old and New
... Testaments?
2) What does this say of the NT writers' views of the OT?
3) Most importantly, what does this say about knowing the Messiah?
... (Is He only to be found in the NT? Is He only occasionally found in
.... the OT?)
4) What then is the big difference between the OT and the NT?
5) How often does your pastor preach Christ from the OT?
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Friday, September 12, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A Character of Its Own
Have you ever heard a movie producer or director on the Special Features of a DVD say that the production sort of took on or became "a character of its own"? Or perhaps you've read an author saying that, in his novel, he had a particular character that was giving him trouble, that seemed to have a mind of his own, as if the author had some difficulty getting the character to do what the author wanted.
I think I understand what these are saying (at least generally, not necessarily from first-hand experience), which led me to wonder, "How is this phenomenon analogous to God's story-telling? Does God's story take on 'a character of its own'? Are there players in His story that don't play out their roles according to His direction?" Of course, your response to this probably depends upon how Calvinistic your perspectives are. Without having spent a lot of time on this, allow me to attempt some answers: It's not. No. Well, not really.
There are two reasons for which I say that such a phenomenon is not shared by God. 1) God is omniscient. 2) God is non-contradictory.
In the cases of the movie producer and the author, they are not omniscient. Although they are responsible for everything that goes into their projects, they don't really know every intricate detail of such projects. They do not possess infinite knowledge even on their very own subjects. -- God does.
The second reason that human authors have more trouble handling their characters than what God does (aside from God's omnipotence) is because of contradictions inherent in (likely all of) us humans. The less like God we are, the greater degree of contradiction in our lives. Human authors sometimes sense this contradiction (and thus reveal it by the afore-mentioned comments) because one part of them says that the nature of a particular character would lead that character to behave in a certain way and thus the book would not end as the author intends, but the desire of the author is to have the character enact a different behavior so that he can tell his story the way he wants. We may commend an author who acknowledges this challenge for exercising at least some honesty, even though he may proceed without appropriately resolving the contradiction. Perhaps this could best be clarified with an example.
Let's say an author writes a story where the main character is evil, executes monstrosities, retaliates against his victims' attempts for justice, and simply walks away at the end of the story. (I would bet such stories abound; my ignorance of a good example likely stems from my lack of enjoyment of such stories.) Sometimes it even seems that we are observing such depressing stories happening in real life right before our very eyes. Some of us even feel that we are experiencing such a story.
The Psalmist even acknowledges this: “I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. … Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. … When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; ….” – Psalm 73:3-9,12-14,16
So where is the inherent contradiction? Well, while the depressed author ends his story with the destroyer walking away, the Psalmist knows that this really isn't the end of the story. Notice that I didn't finish the last verse or chapter of the passage quoted above. Allow me to do so now: “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when Thou awakest, Thou shalt despise their image. … For, lo, they that are far from Thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from Thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Thy works.” – Psalm 73:16-20,27-28
God will vindicate and be vindicated. Justice will be served. Truth, beauty, goodness, love, and life will endure forever. -- Psalm 33:11, 117:2, 119:160, 135:13, 136:1-26, 145:13; I Peter 1:25
I think I understand what these are saying (at least generally, not necessarily from first-hand experience), which led me to wonder, "How is this phenomenon analogous to God's story-telling? Does God's story take on 'a character of its own'? Are there players in His story that don't play out their roles according to His direction?" Of course, your response to this probably depends upon how Calvinistic your perspectives are. Without having spent a lot of time on this, allow me to attempt some answers: It's not. No. Well, not really.
There are two reasons for which I say that such a phenomenon is not shared by God. 1) God is omniscient. 2) God is non-contradictory.
In the cases of the movie producer and the author, they are not omniscient. Although they are responsible for everything that goes into their projects, they don't really know every intricate detail of such projects. They do not possess infinite knowledge even on their very own subjects. -- God does.
The second reason that human authors have more trouble handling their characters than what God does (aside from God's omnipotence) is because of contradictions inherent in (likely all of) us humans. The less like God we are, the greater degree of contradiction in our lives. Human authors sometimes sense this contradiction (and thus reveal it by the afore-mentioned comments) because one part of them says that the nature of a particular character would lead that character to behave in a certain way and thus the book would not end as the author intends, but the desire of the author is to have the character enact a different behavior so that he can tell his story the way he wants. We may commend an author who acknowledges this challenge for exercising at least some honesty, even though he may proceed without appropriately resolving the contradiction. Perhaps this could best be clarified with an example.
Let's say an author writes a story where the main character is evil, executes monstrosities, retaliates against his victims' attempts for justice, and simply walks away at the end of the story. (I would bet such stories abound; my ignorance of a good example likely stems from my lack of enjoyment of such stories.) Sometimes it even seems that we are observing such depressing stories happening in real life right before our very eyes. Some of us even feel that we are experiencing such a story.
The Psalmist even acknowledges this: “I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. … Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. … When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; ….” – Psalm 73:3-9,12-14,16
So where is the inherent contradiction? Well, while the depressed author ends his story with the destroyer walking away, the Psalmist knows that this really isn't the end of the story. Notice that I didn't finish the last verse or chapter of the passage quoted above. Allow me to do so now: “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when Thou awakest, Thou shalt despise their image. … For, lo, they that are far from Thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from Thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Thy works.” – Psalm 73:16-20,27-28
God will vindicate and be vindicated. Justice will be served. Truth, beauty, goodness, love, and life will endure forever. -- Psalm 33:11, 117:2, 119:160, 135:13, 136:1-26, 145:13; I Peter 1:25
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