OLDT 5020: Discussion Posts
Week 2 Discussion
Briefly talk about the relevance of the Old Testament for Christians today.
The importance of the Old Testament for Christians today is commonly understated. In my experience, many Christians quote the word of the Lord: “I did not come to destroy [the Law or the Prophets] but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17) and then struggle to clearly define what is meant by “fulfill” making it instead, a practical "abolishment." Those who wish to combat the teachings about homosexuality, tattooing, customary impurity, 40/80-day period after birth, etc. simply say “that’s from the OT” as if it is null. But the OT is the inspired Word of God; relevant, applicable and profitable, to modern Christians in more than one way. I will illustrate the below points using Genesis, though any book can be used.
Theology: God reveals Himself in His Creation. He reveals Himself as the Lover of Mankind when He gives opportunities for repentance to Adam, Eve, Cain, Judah, Abraham, Jacob, Esau, the brothers of Joseph, etc. (some who accepted, some who did not). He reveals Himself as Almighty in the Flood of Noah. He reveals Himself as good in the story of Joseph (when the evil action of his brothers is used by God for good). And much more.
Ethics: Besides the actual Law of Moses (including the Ten Commandments, the Statutes, etc.) which provided an ethical foundation that is still applicable for us, the OT is full of ethical examples. St Gregory of Nyssa writes “On the Life of Moses” to explain the verse “be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” We can learn obedience from Noah, hospitality from Abraham, humility from Jacob (who bowed before his brother Esau upon returning from Laban), repentance from Judah, and forgiveness from Joseph.
Messianism: From the “Seed of the woman” in Genesis 3 to the sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22 to the “Scepter departing from Judah when Shiloh comes” in Genesis 49, Messianism is clear through prophecy, typology, and other foreshadowing.
Liturgy: The whole economy of our salvation starts in Genesis as the father the priest proclaims: “Holy O Lord our God who formed us, created us, and placed us in the Paradise of joy; when we disobeyed Your commandment by the deception of the serpent, we fell from eternal life and were exiled from the Paradise of joy.” (Liturgy of St Basil). Our Liturgical life is tied to our salvation which is tied to the OT.
Week 3 Discussion
In 250-350 words, please summarize the information provided by the video lecture with respect to the two notions “revelation” and “inspiration.”
Revelation is God’s disclosure of Himself through various means. One way is through natural means: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalms 19:1) and “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (Romans 1:20). The other way, which is the focus of our material, is the supernatural; of which one example is Inspiration.
The notion of Inspiration is that the Books of the Bible are sacred and canonical, written by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, authored by God. The word “inspire” itself comes from “the breathing into.” The Scripture are the breath of God.
Regarding the Inspiration of the Old Testament, it is a belief that is supported first and foremost by the apostles who authored the New Testament (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21). It is also supported internally in certain books and passages where the author records God telling him to write (cf. Exodus 17:14, Isaiah 30:8, Jeremiah, Habakkuk), and by the late Old Testament terminology (cf. 1 Maccabees 12:9). It is supported by the early Jewish historians Philo and Josephus in their writings (Philo having adopted the Greek word for “inspire” very early on) and by the Babylonian Talmud. Finally, it is supported by the Church Fathers including St Clement of Alexandria, Origen, St Gregory the Theologian and others.
There are three formulae for inspiration. On the one hand, some supported Dictation – that God dictated the specific words to be written down in the Scripture. On the other hand, some support a more liberal “God, the Author” – that God is the sole author of the Scripture without any human intervention save for the pen to the page. A more balanced view is one first championed by St John Chrysostom – “Condescension.” That the Scriptures are written by human authors who heard the murmurs of the Lord (as Elijah did in 1 Kings 19), interpreted them and wrote them down. They expressed their thoughts and experiences in text, metaphors, images, analogies, and symbols, being guided by the Holy Spirit. It is a synergetic process in which God and man co-author the Scripture.
Week 4 Discussion