Matt Lynch – Flood and Fury (on Old Testament Violence)
Sep 6, 2023
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Matt Lynch, Expert on Old Testament violence, joins Chris Tilling to discuss approaches to dealing with Old Testament violence. They explore Marcion's rejection of the Old Testament, the divine command theory, the progressive revelation model, and the view of the cross as the ultimate revelation of God. Plus, they engage in lighthearted conversations about a playful night in college, comparing Canada and the UK, book recommendations, and the significance of the Hill of Foreskins and Joshua's encounter with the sword-wielding man.
The conquest of Canaan in the Old Testament was a defensive action against military superior kings, rather than an unprovoked attack on innocent villagers.
The Old Testament conquest narratives depict a slow and gradual process of occupation, with emphasis on spiritual dimensions such as battles against giants and the importance of worship.
Reading the Old Testament retrospectively in light of Jesus allows for a better understanding of God's character and the hopeful movement towards Christ in the narrative.
Deep dives
The Conquest of Canaan: A Completion of the Exodus
The podcast episode explores the idea that the conquest of Canaan was a completion of the Exodus rather than an unprovoked attack on simple village folk. It argues that the battles were primarily defensive against military superior kings and that Israel was still emerging from under the power of Egypt. The episode highlights the importance of reading the Old Testament with scriptural fluency to better understand the themes and threads throughout. It emphasizes the character of God as merciful and compassionate, and how reading towards Jesus in a Trinitarian manner can provide insight into difficult passages.
Wrestling with Violence and God's Character
The episode delves into the problem of violence in the Old Testament, particularly focusing on the conquest narratives. It discusses the majority and minority reports of the conquest, highlighting the slow and gradual nature of the conquest as opposed to total annihilation of the Canaanites. The episode also explores the significance of key stories and characters in understanding the complex portrait of God's character in the Old Testament. It stresses the importance of engaging in scriptural fluent reading and recognizing the central importance of God's mercy and faithfulness.
Exploring the Defence and Spirituality in the Conquest
The podcast episode examines the defensive nature of the conquest battles against military superior kings in walled cities. It discusses the spiritual aspects of these narratives, such as battles against giants and the importance of worship. The episode suggests that these stories may be read as symbolic representations of spiritual battles and the centrality of worship in Israel's relationship with God. It encourages readers to navigate these difficult narratives by engaging in scriptural fluency and recognizing the spiritual dimensions within the text.
Reading the Old Testament in Light of Christ
The episode addresses the challenge of difficult passages in the Old Testament by considering the role of Christology in interpretation. It cautions against using Christology as a cop-out to avoid engaging with the text or to dismiss it outright. Instead, it suggests reading the Old Testament retrospectively in light of Jesus, recognizing the hopeful contours and the forward movement towards Christ in the narrative. It emphasizes the importance of scriptural fluency and recognizing the complexities of understanding God's character and the problem of violence in the Old Testament.
Emphasizing the Character of God and Scriptural Fluency
The podcast episode highlights the significance of understanding the character of God and developing scriptural fluency when grappling with the challenging passages in the Old Testament. It underscores the centrality of God's mercy, compassion, and faithfulness as portrayed in Exodus 34:6-7. The episode encourages readers to approach the conquest narratives with a nuanced understanding, recognizing the historical context and the spiritual dimensions at play. It invites listeners to engage in scripturally fluent reading, embracing the complexity and mystery of understanding God's character throughout the Old Testament.
Episode: Chris Tilling talks with Matt Lynch about Old Testament violence. They take a deep dive into … the flood story in Genesis then traverse the Promised Land to consider the […]
