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

In 250-350 words, how would you describe briefly the relationship between Scripture and Tradition from an Orthodox perspective?

There are three distinct ways of looking at Scripture and Tradition across Christendom: The more Catholic view of "Scripture and Tradition" as two sources of God's Revelation; the Protestant view of "Scripture alone"; and the more traditional, patristic and apostolic view of "Scripture within Tradition" which is representative of the Orthodox perspective.

To me, it seems appropriate to describe the relationship between Scripture and Tradition as a Symbiotic Relationship. The Church Tradition has been formed and informed by the Scripture since the beginning, And the Scripture breathes life into the Church and Her members to keep the Tradition alive.

The Tradition of the Church includes the Scripture and its Interpretation, the Liturgies and Sacraments; the Iconography, art, music and hymnology; the Councils and Canons; the Patristic tradition and the Ascetic tradition; and other modes of grace. All of these are rooted in the teachings first proclaimed by the Apostles, and later codified by the Church.

We can consider the Scripture and Tradition relationship as a textbook-handout analogy, or as is more relatable to this course, an analogy of our course textbook to the video lectures. The textbook for this course ("The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition") contains quotes, references, academic jargon, arguments and discussions in each chapter. The video lecture is much shorter, serving to explain and outline the material in the relevant chapter. The lecture cannot stand alone, but depends on the textbook.

How much more for the Holy Scripture which is an "untamable" textbook, that can never be exhaustively elucidated from all angles?

Week 5 Discussion

In 250-350 words, write a brief summary of the biblical history concentrating on Iron Age (i.e., the period of monarchy in Israel—united and then divided).

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