Expedition 44

Today Dr. Will Ryan and Dr. Matt dive into Isaiah 53 looking at the textual and message differences in the Septuagint (LXX) and the Masorectic Text (MTT). When read as pros (singular voice) these 2 texts disagree with each other and depict 2 different pictures of God. So, in this episode we examine the message of each (and imported doctrines) and see if they agree. The main points of this conversation are: Inerrancy, the character of God, and how this affects atonement theories. THE LXX TEXT 13 Look! My child will understand and be raised up and be magnified exceedingly. 14 ⌊Just as⌋ many will be impressed by you, so your appearance will be despised by people and your glory by the people, 15 Thus many nations will be impressed at him, and kings will shut their mouth, because those to whom it has not been declared concerning him will see, and those who have not heard will understand. 53 O Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 We proclaimed as a child before him, as a root in a thirsty land. He has no appearance or glory. And we saw him, and he had no appearance or beauty. 3 Instead, his appearance was dishonored and forsaken among the sons of men, a man who experiences misfortune and who knows how to bear sickness, for his face has been rejected; he was dishonored and was not esteemed. 4 This one carries our sins and suffers pain from us, and we regarded him as one who is in difficulty, misfortune, and affliction. 5 But he was wounded from our sins, and he became sick from our lawless acts. The discipline of our peace was upon him; by his bruise we were healed. 6 We all have been misled like sheep; each person was misled in his own path, and the Lord handed him over for our sins. 7 And because he was afflicted, he does not open his mouth; like a sheep is led to slaughter, and like a lamb is voiceless before the one who shears it, so he does not open his mouth. 8 His judgment was taken away in humiliation; who will describe his family? For his life was taken from the earth; he was led to death because of the lawless acts of my people. 9 And I will give the wicked in place of his tomb, and the wealthy in place of death, because he committed no lawlessness, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 The Lord is willing to cleanse/heal him of the injury. If you make a sin offering, our soul will see long-lived offspring, and the Lord is willing to remove him from the difficulty of his soul, 11 to show him the light, and to form him with understanding, to justify the righteous who serves many well; and he himself will carry their sins. 12 Because of this he will cause many to inherit, and he will apportion the spoils of the mighty, because his soul was given over to death, and he was reckoned among the lawless, and he himself bore the sins of many, and he was handed over due to their wickedness. __________________________ Visit www.expedition44.com for posted articles and more. If you have comments or questions please email us at: ryan@expedition44.com, matt@expedition44.com

In this episode Dr. Ryan and Dr. Matt interview Dr. John Walton on his new book The Lost World of the Prophets. Dr. John Walton is an emeritus professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College in Illinois and an editor and writer of Old Testament comparative studies and commentaries. Throughout his research, Walton has focused his attention on comparing the culture and literature of the Bible and the ancient Near East. He has published dozens of books, articles and translations, both as writer and editor, including his Lost World book series (6 books). Today we are going to be talking about his latest book The Lost World of the Prophets.  Buy the book: https://a.co/d/faPu90D __________ Check out www.expedition44.com for posted articles and more! If you have any questions or comments please email us at ryan@expedition44.com or matt@expedition44.com

Today Dr. Ryan and Dr. Matt interview Steve Gregg on his updated edition of the book Why Hell?: 3 Christian Views Critically Examined. Steve Gregg is a teacher, author, and international lecturer on the Bible, theology, and discipleship. He is the author of “Revelation: Four Views: A Parallel Commentary”(1997, 2013) and “All You Want to Know About Hell: Three Christian Views” (2013) and most recently his series on the kingdom of God “The Empire of the Risen Son. His talk show, “The Narrow Path,” broadcasts on stations across the USA and  you can find his teachings on the website and mobile app: thenarrowpath.com.  Buy the book: https://a.co/d/gaU0G26 ____________ Check out www.expedition44.com for posted articles and more. If you have any comments or questions please email ryan@expedition44.com and/or matt@expedition44.com

The discussion navigates the historical roots of Original Sin, critiquing Augustine's influence on early church theology. It tackles challenging concepts like Total Depravity, suggesting humans bear personal accountability rather than inherited guilt. The speakers delve into the complexities of Calvinism and free will, questioning how selective adherence can create inconsistencies in belief. They also explore nuanced interpretations of atonement and divine wrath, advocating for a rethinking of traditional views and their implications on contemporary issues.

Dive into the depths of Romans 5 as the speakers unravel original sin and concupiscence. They explore the cultural clashes between Jewish and Gentile believers and discuss the significance of Jesus as a mediator for redemption. The conversation emphasizes lived theology, highlighting its practicality in everyday life. By contrasting Adam's failings with Christ's grace, they challenge traditional interpretations and inspire listeners to reflect on their personal faith journeys. Juicy insights about gift-giving and the transformative power of grace make for a thought-provoking listen!

Dr. Will Ryan and Dr. Matt tackle the complex relationship between the incarnation of Jesus and Original Sin. They question the necessity of Mary's immaculate conception, highlighting how Protestant and Catholic views diverge. The conversation delves into the hypostatic union, affirming Jesus’ dual nature but critiquing its misuse to support doctrines of Original Sin. They emphasize Jesus as fully human yet sinless, challenging traditional beliefs and encouraging deeper theological understanding.

The discussion dives into whether sin and guilt are transferable according to biblical scripture. It explores the state of infants, countering the belief in inherited guilt from Adam, arguing that they are innocent before God. The speakers challenge traditional concepts of original sin, emphasizing personal accountability for sin. The ties between parental actions and generational curses are examined, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of divine mercy and individual responsibility. This exploration has significant implications for current debates, including the pro-life perspective.

Dive into a thought-provoking exploration of original sin and its profound implications for humanity's connection to God. Discover the intricate theology of the tree of knowledge and the dual nature of good and evil. The discussion contrasts Jewish views of desire with Calvinist interpretations, challenging conventional notions of total depravity. Unpack the consequences of Eden's fall, including the promise of redemption, and examine the significance of divine separation. This engaging analysis reveals the complexities of human choice and moral responsibility.

Join two scholars as they uncover the origins of the Doctrine of Original Sin. Discover how this controversial concept, linked to Augustine, was never a consensus in early Christianity or Judaism. They challenge traditional views on inherited guilt and infant depravity, advocating for personal responsibility in sin. Dive into theological debates with players like Pelagius, and explore historical texts like the Didache. This enlightening discussion prompts listeners to rethink the nature of sin and their understanding of God’s character.

We started a series on the church back in July of 2022 and a year and a half later we are wrapping It up.  Today we’re going to recap where we’ve been.  The big idea is that the church is not an institution … it’s an organism (it’s organic)! ·      There was equality- No clergy/laity divide ·      The giftings of the entire body were active to display Jesus ·      They met face to face throughout the week in relationships 7 Churches of Revelation (Nationalism and Dispensationalism) The point of looking at these 7 churches is that it pointed out Jesus’ ideals in his Body. Much of the issues here deals with the World seeping into the church.  Leadership and Oversight the glaring question we need to ask is “Are these offices or simply people using their god given gifts?”  Positional thinking is hung up on nouns, while functional thinking stresses verbs.  The view of oversight in the NT church is about the whole body operating in their giftings and being discipled by those who are wise, mature, and have the character of Christ in them. This is what leadership and oversight looks like rather than the CEO structure that focuses on offices and hierarchy which hurts the church.  5-Fold Ministry Ephesians 4 describes these as “ascension gifts” not “ascension offices”.  This entire chapter focuses on unity in the body of Christ, not positions which divide clergy from laity.Reimagining GiftsSpiritual gifts are not about hierarchy but about building up the body of Christ. The church is a body- a mutual and co-equal body- that reflects Jesus. There is no hierarchy in giftings. These giftings don’t lead to an office, though some might lead or administrate in their gifting better than others based on maturity and humility- we should all mutually submit to each other.  Reimagining Community ·      Spiritually- We need to be together in spiritual friendship gathering around the Way of Jesus, studying scripture, breaking bread, praying for each other. DEVOTED- They devoted themselves to these things. ·      Physically- meeting the needs of the community, being generous and being available.  ·      Emotionally- This is about completeness and transformation- How is our mindset and focus? Is it singularly on Jesus or is there entanglement with the world? ·      Missionally- Do we live in unity or are there offenses and divisions among us that we have swept under the rug? Division and disunity kills the mission to be lights to the world.  Reimagining Giving The main ideals of giving in the New Covenant: ·      Give Cheerfully ·      Take care of fellow believers (and support the work of the Lord)·      Care for the least of these ·      Celebrate God (see communion and the love feast in 1 Cor 11) Whenever the church gathers together, its guiding and functioning principal is simply to incarnate Christ (1 Cor 12:12) The Edenic Ideal: We always take everything back to God’s ideals. The Bible begins and ends with Eden. New Creation has broken into the present through the resurrection, so the church should be living according to God’s ideals in our communities even if the world looks completely opposite. God’s eternal purpose was to have a people in relationship with him working in equality under God’s kingship. This is God’s ideal for his church too. Each of us bringing our gifts to the altar/table and using them to image him to creation.  ·      The western view of leadership connected to authority, hierarchy, control, and covering has handcuffed the bride of Christ - making her ineffective for the kingdom.  ·      We need to get back to the servant mindset rather than the CEO leader mindset in the church ·      We need more feet washing and less discussions about “who’s your covering”  ·      More mutual submission and less “human headship” ·      More family, less institution ·      More verbs, less nouns