Restitutio

Although later Christianity interpreted the handful of texts that call Jesus God as evidence that he shared the same rank, substance, and age as the Father, a more Hebrew-sensitive reading of these same verses yields more organic fruit.  Instead of bringing in complex Greek philosophy to distinguish person from being and divine from human natures, the bible provides clear precedents for the idea that Jesus as God’s agent can be called God because he represents him.  Thus, we do not have two Gods, but one God and his representatives, whether human judges, angelic beings, prophets, or the messiah himself.  Suddenly centuries of harebrained distinctions and intellectual confusions dissipate like so much fog in the morning sun and we are left with Jesus of Nazareth, God’s man to announce and enact the good news.  Texts discussed in this episode include Isaiah 9.6 (by Daniel Calcagno), Matthew 1.23, Psalm 82.1, 6, John 10.34ff, Psalm 45.6, Hebrews 1.8, Exodus 21.5-6, 22.8-9, John 20.28, and John 1.8.  To follow along with this class, please download this handout as I refer to it repeatedly. —— Notes —— State the Doctrine Simply Because Jesus is God’s supreme agent, people can call him “God” in the same sense that God called the judges “Gods” and Israelite kings could be called “God.”  He is at once subordinate to God and he bears the divine authority and name as his representative. Texts that Support This Teaching Jn 5.19, 30; 8.28; 12.49-50; 14.10, 28; 1 Cor 11.3; 15.28 Difficult Texts Although we worked through shaky texts last time where the bible might call Jesus God, now we want to work on the remaining key texts, including Hebrews 1.8, John 20.28, and John 1.18. The word “God” is more flexible than you think. Principle of Agency angels            prophets       judges            kings Ex 3.3-6          Ex 4.14-16     Ex 21.5-6        Ps 45.1-7 Ex 20.1-3        Ex 7.1-2          Ex 22.8-9        Is 9.6 Psalm 8.5       Joel 3.16-17   Ps 82.1-8? (Heb 2.7)   Isaiah 9.6   For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The Messiah is prophesied to be called “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father.”  First of all, Trinitarians do not believe that Jesus is the Eternal Father; they believe he is the Eternal Son.  So they too would argue that this name should not to be taken in a strict literal sense.  Furthermore, there are many others who bore names that included the word God (Heb. El or Yah).  Eliab means “My God Father”; Jehoram means “Yahweh Exalted”; Ithiel means “God with Me”; Isaiah means “Salvation of Yahweh.”  Having a name doesn’t necessarily describe you it may describe your God.  Also, it is possible to call a human being “God” if he represents God to the people.  For example, Solomon (or whoever is in mind in Psalm 45) is called God (Ps 45.6-7).  The judges of Israel are called Gods (Ps 82.6), a fact which Jesus played upon when he was accused of calling himself God (John 10.33-36).  Jesus is called “Mighty God” because he represents the Mighty God.  He is called “Eternal Father” because through him the Eternal Father discloses truth (John 14.10).   John 10.27-39 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  30

Last time we considered Jesus’ identity as God’s messiah.  Today, we’ll look at a number of texts that are sometimes misunderstood to teach that Jesus is God. We’ll go through three classifications of verses: (1) those with manuscript issues, (2) those with translation issues, and (3) those with interpretation issues.  Here is the breakdown. Manuscript Issues: 1 Timothy 3.16, 1 John 5.7-8 Translation Issues: Acts 20.28, Romans 9.5, Titus 2.13, 2 Thessalonians 1.12, 2 Peter 1.1 Interpretation Issues: John 5.18, John 10.30, 1 John 5.20, Colossians 2.9 See below for links to the various handouts mentioned in this episode. —— Notes —— State the Doctrine Simply Jesus is God’s human messiah—a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst (Acts 2.22). Texts that Support This Teaching Ex 8.10; 19.16-20; 20.1-6; Deut 4.35-39; 5.1-7; 6.4-5; 7.9-10; 10.17-21; 32.12, 39; 1 Sam 2.2; 2 Sam 7.22-24;  1 Kings 8.60; 2 Kings 19.15, 19; 1 Chron 17.20; Neh. 9.6; Ps. 83.18; 86.9-10; 135.5; Is 37.16, 20; 41.4; 42.5-8; 43.10-13; 44.6-8, 24; 45.5-7, 12, 18, 21-22; 46.9; Jer 10.7-10; Joel 2.27; Zech 14.9; Mat. 19.17; Mk 10.17-18; 12.28-33; Jn 5.44; 8.41; 17.3; 1 Cor 8.4-6; Gal 3.20; Eph 4.6; 1 Tim 2.5; Jam 2.19; Jud 25 Difficult Texts Before examining these texts, we should note how even Trinitarians have sometimes observed what a shaky foundation their belief in the deity of Christ rests: Christopher Kaiser: “Belief in the deity of Christ has traditionally been the keystone of the doctrine of the Trinity, yet explicit references to Jesus as ‘God” in the New Testament are very few, and even those few are generally plagued with uncertainties of either text or interpretation.”[1] William Barclay: “But we shall find that on almost every occasion in the New Testament on which Jesus seems to be called God there is a problem either of textual criticism or of translation.  In almost every case we have to discuss which of two readings is to be accepted or which of two possible translations is to be accepted.”[2]   Manuscript Issues 1 Timothy 3.16 [NKJ] 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. 1 Timothy 3.16  [ESV] 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. ὅς {A} The reading which, on the basis of external evidence and transcriptional probability, best explains the rise of the others is ὅς. It is supported by the earliest and best uncials (א* A*vid C* Ggr) as well as by 33 365 442 2127 syrhmg, pal goth ethpp Origenlat Epiphanius Jerome Theodore Eutheriusacc. to Theodoret Cyril Cyrilacc. to Ps-Oecumenius Liberatus. Furthermore, since the neuter relative pronoun ὅ must have arisen as a scribal correction of ὅς (to bring the relative into concord with μυστήριον), the witnesses that read ὅ (D* itd, g, 61. 86 vg Ambrosiaster Marius Victorinus Hilary Pelagius Augustine) also indirectly presuppose ὅς as the earlier reading. The Textus Receptus reads θεός, with אe (this corrector is of the twelfth century) A2 C2 Dc K L P Ψ 81 330 614 1739 Byz Lect Gregory-Nyssa Didymus Chrysostom Theodoret Euthalius and later Fathers. Thus, no uncial (in the first hand) earlier than the eighth or ninth century (Ψ) supports θεός all ancient versions presuppose ὅς or ὅ and no patristic writer prior to t

Have you joined the Restitutio facebook group?  The idea behind the group is that its a place where anyone can start topics for discussion.  So, please join if you’d like to see what’s going on. What is the defining title for Jesus of Nazareth?  Although he kept it mostly a secret during his ministry, Jesus’ role as messiah was and is the organizing center of his identity.  Join me as we work through the Gospels to understand Jesus by his own words and deeds. —— Notes —— Vocab: מָשַׁח meshach: anoint, spread a liquid. מָשִׁיחַ meshyach: anointed one. (for quiz, what does messiah mean? Χριστός = anointed one, messiah, christ Mashiack = Christos Messiah  =  Christ meaning anointed   Examples of anointing (prophet, priest, king) Moses anointing Aaron as high priest (ordination) Ex 30.22-33; Lev 8.1-12, so all the high priests were “messiahs” Samuel anointing Saul; David 1 Sam 9.27-10.1; 1 Sam 16.6-7, 11-13 David would not take revenge on Saul b/c he was the LORD’s anointed 1 Sam 24.8-10, so all the kings were “messiahs” Elijah anointing Elisha 1 Ki 19.14-17   THE messiah “The Hebrew word means literally ‘anointed one,’ hence in theory either a prophet, priest or king. In Greek this translates as Christos; ‘Christ’ in early Christianity was a title, and only gradually became an alternative proper name for Jesus.  In practice ‘Messiah’ is mostly restricted to the notion, which took various forms in ancient Judaism, of the coming king who would be David’s true heir, through whom YHWH would rescue Israel from pagan enemies.”[1]   messianic prophecies Gen 49.10 scepter will not depart from Judah 1 Chronicles 17.11-14: David’s son, God’s son Psalm 2: God’s son and world ruler Isaiah 11: supremely insightful and just ruler[2] Jer 23.5-6 God will raise up for David a righteous branch to reign as king[3] Zech 9.9-10 king comes on a donkey and cuts off weapons of war and rules from sea to sea   Jesus’ birth Luke 1.31-33 promised to set on throne of David and rule over Jacob Mat 2.2 where is he born king of the Jews?   Interchangeable terms son of God Luke 4.41 demons rebuked for saying “You are the son of God” b/c they knew he was the Christ John 11.27 Martha believes Jesus is “the Christ, the son of God, who is coming into the world” John 20.31 purpose of Gosp. Jn to believe Jesus is the Christ, the son of God Mat 26.63-64 Messiah, son of God, and Son of Man son of David Mat 12.22-23 this can’t be the son of David, can it? Mat 22.42 whose son is the Christ? they said, ‘the son of David’ king of Israel John 1.49 Nathanael says “you are the son of God! you are the king of Israel!” Mat 27.42-43 if he is king of Israel let him come down from cross; he said, I am the son of God   Messianic secret and the son of man Mark 3.11 demons told to keep quiet about him being the son of God Mat 16.13-20 Jesus strictly charge disciples not to tell anyone he was the Messiah “We know of several other Jewish movements, messianic movements, prophetic movements, during the one or two centuries either side of Jesus’ public career. Routinely they e

How many is God?  Although the ancient Shema (recorded in Deuteronomy 6) teaches that God is one, Christian theologians have put forward a number of reasons arguing for a plurality within God.  We will examine a number of these words, texts, and reasonings in an effort to agree with Jesus who wholeheartedly affirmed the Jewish Shema as his own greatest commandment. —— Notes —— State the Doctrine Simply God is one. Texts that Support This Teaching The Shema! שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה׀ אֶחָֽד׃ וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ Deuteronomy 6.4-9 4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.   story of Akiva Roman commander, Turnus Rufus: “Have you no feeling of pain? Are you a sorcerer?” Akiva: “I am no sorcerer; but I rejoice at the opportunity now given to me to love my God ‘with all my life,’ seeing that I have hitherto been able to love him only ‘with all my means’ and ‘with all my might,’” and with the word “one” he expired”[1] Akiva set a precedent for dying, especially in persecution from the persecution of the Romans that Akiva faced to the forced conversions and subsequent burning at the stake by the Spanish Inquisition of the middle ages to the murmur of Jewish voices in the Nazi gas chambers to the victims of Hamas today this people repeats the words of the Shema in the manner of Akiva over and over and die with it on their lips what a legacy!   Isaac Peretz: “The Hebrew language… is the only glue which holds together our scattered bones. It also holds together the rings in the chain of time…. It binds us to those who built pyramids, to those who shed their blood on the ramparts of Jerusalem, and to those who, at the burning stakes, cried Shema Yisrael!”[2]   Rabbi Shraga Simmons: “Seth Mandel, the father of 13-year-old Koby Mandel who was bludgeoned to death in a cave by Arab terrorists, spoke at the massive pro-Israel rally in Washington DC in April 2002. He told the following story: In the Sbarro Pizza bombing which killed 15 people in Jerusalem, five members of a Dutch family were killed. One was a 4-year-old boy named Avraham Yitzhak. As he was lying on the ground – bleeding, burning and dying – he said to his father, “Abba, please help me. Save me.” His father reached over and held his hand. Together they said the words of the Shema. Seth Mandel told the DC crowd: “My son Koby died alone. I didn’t have the chance to say the Shema with him. So now I want you to help me say the Shema for the hundreds of Jews who have been killed in Mideast violence. Say the Shema with me in the merit of the boy in Sbarro’s. And say the Shema with me in the merit of my son Koby.” He then led the crowd of 250,000 in reciting the Shema together. [3]   Talmud: “Jerusalem was only destroyed because its inhabitants desecrated the Shabbat, they refrained from reciting the Morning and Evening Shema…” (Talmud, Shabbat 119b)

Today we’ll tackle the biggest question of all: who is God?  We’ll take a journey through scripture together to discover what God is like, stopping at key moments to consider what this or that interaction tells us about him. —— Notes —— theology: one’s understanding of God Ontology vs. Functionality ontology: understanding something based on what it is (it’s essence) tendency to define God based on what he is (omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent) perfect being theology: reasons from perfection to generate characteristics that God must have independent from what he reveals about himself in the bible bible tends to define God based on what he’s done and his relationship w/ people Creator desiring trusting relationships creation Adam and Eve Limited participant in human affairs in time, with us, not aloof (we’ll get to predestination later) Cain and Able warns Cain does not force him or prevent him Lamech Heartbroken exception maker Nephilim Gen 6 Noah’s flood Preemptive preventer Babel the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob the call (Gen 12.1-4) Yahweh is going to be Abraham’s God he’ll have his back bless those who bless curse those who curse he’s just looking for someone to believe him, to trust him, to do what he says three tests of trust leave your land circumcise yourself and all your men the Akedah (binding of Isaac) with Abraham and Sarah we find the opposite of Adam and Eve believed God’s promises left their native land to be with God in promised land trusted God to perform the impossible over time grew more faithful died trusting God by the end of all of this, God irreversibly yoke’s himself to this family through covenants covenant faithfulness and chesed henceforth, God’s dealings w/ Abraham affect how he PRIMARILY refers to himself I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Powerful liberator and god-mocker burning bush how does God introduce himself to Moses? the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the name Pharaoh’s question (Ex 5.1) 10 plagues as God telling Egypt and the world who he is vis-à-vis the Egyptian gods he is the God above all other gods Passover meal memorializes the historical event of God liberating Israel this is how God intends to imprint faith on each generation (festivals) Exclusive moralist ten commandments begin w/ several statements of exclusivity singular pronouns! whenever anyone ever uses a pronoun for God in the bible it is singular: he, him, his, you (sg.) basic moral code 8 attributes of God Exodus 34.6-7 6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” chesed (חֶסֶד) John Goldingay: “It is sometimes described as covenant love, though in the OT it rarely appears in the company of the word “covenant.” It is used in two connections: when someone makes an act of commitment for which there is no reason in terms of prior relatio

Today we’ll take a look at a number of confusing scriptures that seem to indicate that hell is a place where the wicked are consciously tormented forever.  We’ll look at texts that talk about weeping and gnashing of teeth as well as the how the worm will not die nor the fire be quenched.  We’ll consider biblical phrases like “eternal punishment,” “eternal fire,” and “everlasting contempt.”  Last of all we’ll analyze two verses in Revelation that use the language of eternal torment to describe the final punishment. —— Notes —— State the Doctrine Simply The biblical punishment for the wicked is destruction not an eternal life of torture.  This is why we find scores of text that use words like perish, cut off, and death to describe the fate of the wicked. Texts that Support This Teaching Gen 2.17; 3.19, 22-23; 5.5; Ps 37.2, 9, 10, 20, 22, 27, 28, 34, 36; Mal 4.1-3; Mt 3.12; 7.13-14; 10.28; 18.8-9; Jn 3.16; Rom 6.23; Gal 6.8; 1 Tim 1.17; 2 Tim 1.9-10; Heb 10.26-27; 2 Pet 2.6; 3.6-7; 1 Jn 5.11-12; Jud 1.6-7 Logical Arguments that Support This Teaching If Jesus paid our penalty for sin and the penalty for sin is eternal conscious torment, then Jesus had to suffer eternal conscious torment. However, Jesus suffered temporary torture followed by death. What does it say about God that he set up our world to be such that those who refuse him must suffer day and night forever and ever without relief? How is he a God of love? Justice is proportional so if a man sins for 80 years, he should not suffer eternally. If God punishes people infinitely for a finite number of sins, then this is unjust. Difficult Texts[1] Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth in Fire/Outer Darkness Matthew 8.11-12 (cp. 13.42) 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,  12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” “weeping and gnashing of teeth” says nothing about the duration of a punishment. If someone faces judgement they are likely to weep and gnash, whether it is temporary or ongoing. “weeping” connotes grief and “gnashing of teeth” anger not suffering In the stoning of Stephen the mob got so angry that gnashed their teeth Acts 7.52-54 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”  54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. [NASB: “they began gnashing their teeth at him”] Acts 7.54 ἔβρυχον τοὺς ὀδόντας Matthew 8.12 ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων. Unquenchable Fire, Worm Does Not Die Matthew 3.11-12 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” unquenchable fire is a fire that cannot be put out it refers to the quality of the fire not to its duration have you ever seen a fire raging so hot, you could not put it out if you tried? think of forest fires in California; they are unquenchable Mark 9.47-48 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thr

What is the destiny of the unrighteous?  Christians over the centuries have put forward three major options: eternal conscious torment (traditionalism), temporary torment followed by salvation (universalism), temporary torment followed by destruction (annihilationism).  In this lecture we'll cover the main texts supporting the annihilation of the wicked as well as three logical problems with the traditional view. —— Notes —— Understanding Immortality Gen 2.17 what was the original consequence for sin that God promised? death! Gen 3.19, 22-23 expelled from tree of life Gen 5.5 Adam died from the beginning the punishment for sin was death  proof 1 only God is immortal by nature (1 Tim 1.17;15-16) 2 humans are by nature mortal (will not by default live forever) 3 God gives the saved immortality through the gospel (2 Tim 1.9-10) through resurrection (1 Cor 15.52-53) therefore damned will not be immortal (John 3.16; Rom 6.23[1]; 1 John 5.11-12) Biblical Language of Destruction Psalm 37 uses terms to describe the fate of the wicked v2 wither quickly like the grass v9 cut off v10 be no more v20 perish v20 vanish like smoke v22 cut off v27 reward for good is to live forever v28 cut off v34 cut off v36 passed away Mal 4.1-3 day is coming that will set them ablaze, they’ll be ashes under your feet Mat 3.12 burn up chaff [wicked] w/ unquenchable fire unquenchable = cannot be put out until it consumes the fuel Jer 7.20: God’s wrath is unquenchable, so he tells Jer to stop praying…but after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and carried the people into exile, his wrath ended Mat 7.13-14  narrow gate leads to life; broad way leads to destruction Mat 10.28  destroy body and soul in hell Hades = greek for Sheol = realm of dead (the grave) Gehenna = valley of Hinnom = burning garbage dump where they used to sacrifice children to Moloch that Jesus used as an analogy for the final judgment Mat 13.40-42 all law-breakers thrown into fiery furnace “weeping and gnashing of teeth” indicates anger not suffering see Luke 13.28: weeping & gnashing b/c you see Abr. Is. Jac. in kingdom but yourselves cast out Mat 18.8-9 better to enter life crippled than to be thrown into eternal fire (hell of fire) life contrasted with fire Mat 25.46 eternal punishment vs. eternal life punishment that lasts forever not that is experienced forever (death penalty is irreversible) Heb 5.9 eternal salvation: process of saving was finite but outcome lasts forever Heb 9.12 eternal redemption: process of redeeming was finite but outcome lasts forever Gal 6.8 sow to the flesh -> reap corruption sow to the spirit -> reap eternal life Heb 10.26-27 those who go on sinning will get a fury of fire that will consume 2 Peter 2.6 Sodom&Gomorrah condemned to extinction as example of what happens to ungodly 2 Peter 3.6-7 future destruction is like Noah's flood Jud 1.6-7  Sodom & Gomorrah are an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire inhabitants of S&G were violently slain by fire Atonement Romans 5.6 “Christ died for the ungodly”

In our last episode, we examined the broad scope of scripture, stopping at many texts along the way that teach about a future kingdom when Jesus returns.  In this session, we’ll take a look at a number of sometimes misunderstood texts that seem to imply the kingdom is either already present or in heaven. Here is the picture of the Greek manuscript known as Codex Vaticanus on Luke 23.43 with an arrow pointing to the alleged comma: And here is Codex Sinaiaticus on 1 Timothy 3.16, with the hand of a later scribe “correcting” ος to θς, changing “who” to “God.” —— Notes —— State the Doctrine Simply The kingdom is the age when Jesus rules over the world from the throne of David in Jerusalem.  It is present in that the sense that his followers already recognize him as king and submit to his kingdom way.  (It’s been inaugurated but not consummated.)  When it arrives, it will fill the earth. Texts that Support This Teaching Gen 1.28; Ps 2.6-9; 37.9-11, 22, 29, 34; 110; Is 11.1-9; 25.6-9; 35; Dan 2.44; 7.13-14, 18, 22, 27; Mic 4.1-8; Am 9.11-15; Zeph 3.8-20; 45.18; Mt 5.5; 6.9-10; 13.24-30, 36-43; 19.27-28; 25.31-46; Lk 1.31-33; 13.23-30; Acts 1.3-8; 3.19-21; 1 Cor 6.1-3; 15.24-28; 2 Tim 2.11-13; Rev 2.26-27; 5.10; 11.15-18 Difficult Texts: Kingdom Is Already Here (Either as Spiritual Reality or Came on Pentecost) Luke 10.9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ Luke 11.20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. these two clearly imply the kingdom is not future but present in the ministry of Jesus we don’t have to take an “either or” hermeneutic; we can take a “both and” position Luke 17.20-31 20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,  21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”  22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them.  24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.  25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot– they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,  29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all–  30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Albert Nolan: “Many Christians have been misled for centuries about the nature of God’s kingdom by the well-known mistranslation of Lk 17:21: “The kingdom of God is within” Today all serious scholars and translators agree that the text should be read: “The kingdom

We now begin a series of four lectures on the eternal destiny of the righteous and the wicked, including the kingdom and the judgement.  For today we are going to focus on what God promises for his own people in the age to come.  We’ll cruise through the entire bible (right from Genesis to Revelation), making key stops along the way to understand the golden thread, woven throughout scripture of the kingdom. —— Notes —— eschatology understanding of the last things or end times destiny of the righteous: kingdom destiny of the wicked: hell 3 dimensions to kingdom hope gospel way we are just talking about hope right now creation theology the first book of the bible begins with a poem, detailing God’s creation of universe Genesis 1 what repeats? And God said let there be and God saw that it was good and there was evening and there was morning—the ?? day every stanza begins with, “And God said” and “let there be” every stanza ends with, “and God saw that it was good” and “it was evening and morning” more patterns God creates heavens on day 1 God populates heavens on day 4 God creates the waters on day 2 God populates waters on day 5 God creates the land on day 3 God populates the land on day 6 Gen 1.26: The poem climaxes at the creation of humanity first time God brings others into creation the first thing he says about humans is for them to have dominion over everything else on earth Gen 1.27: God made us in his own image we are similar to him in some way also similar to the angels (cf. v26) he does not say the animals are in his image Gen 1.28: first commands God gives reproduce rule the world Gen 1.29: God gives his people food (vegetables, grains, & fruits) robust creation theology is the foundation for eschatology example of Gnostics who believed the physical universe was an accident people generally believe God will get in the end what he wanted in the beginning Isaiah 45.18 God’s plan is not to evacuate but to have his world inhabited last book reflects the first book Genesis records the beginning Revelation records the end river flowing out of Eden river flowing from God’s throne tree of life in the garden tree of life on either side of the river gold, bdellium, and onyx a ton of different precious stones God walking in the garden God dwelling with his people (see his face) garden city probationary permanent satan deceives satan done away with God curses ground no more curse first marriage last marriage what God originally wanted in the beginning he will get in the end! typically people conceive of the end based on what they believe God originally wanted in the beginning Promise to Abraham Gen 17.4-8 father of a multitude of nations (not just Israel!) to be God to you and your offspring give you land Canaan as an everlasting possession Promise to David 1 Chronicles 17.11-14 raise up one of your sins he will build me a house I will establish his throne forever Psalms Psalm 2.6-9 Psalm 37.9-11, 22, 29, 34 Psalm 110

In our last episode we looked at what the scriptures teach about humanity, including creation, death, and resurrection.  I laid out a case for conditional immortality from several important texts.  This time, we will consider a number of challenges to this understanding including: Philippians 1.23 “depart and be with Christ” 1 Corinthians 5.8 “absent from the body…present with the Lord” Luke 23.43 “Today you will be with me in paradise” Revelation 6.9-10 “under the altar the souls…cried out” Luke 16.19ff Rich man and Lazarus 1 Samuel 28.7ff the witch of Endor —— Notes —— State the Doctrine Simply The dead are asleep—unconscious—until the resurrection when they are brought back to life at the return of Christ. Texts that Support This Teaching Gen 2.7; 1 Kings 2.10; 11.43; 14.20; Job 3.11-14; Ecc 9.5-10; Ps 6.4-5; 13.3; 115.17; 146.3-4; Dan 12.2; Jn 11.11-14;5.28-29; 6.39-40, 44, 54; Acts 2.29, 34; 7.60; 1 Cor 15.6, 21-23, 51-55; 1 Thes 4.13-17 Logical Arguments comfort to know loved one is just resting in peace (RIP) would be weird if they watched everything you do don’t need to pray for them a million times hoping to change God’s mind immortality of the soul opens the door for spiritualism Lev 20.6 people whoring after mediums and necromancers will be cut off Lev 20.27 any medium/necromancer will be put to death Deut 18.9-13 abominable practice, a reason why Canaanites were expelled derives from pagan sources Plato, Egyptians, Norse, Hindu, etc. creepy to think deceased loved ones are watching everything we do has led to church abuse, i.e. sale of indulgences Difficult Texts Hand out article by Matt Perman at Desiring God: The “intermediate state” is the time between the death and the resurrection. Some have held that during this time we are unconscious or possibly even go out of existence. We do not think that this is biblical. The biblical evidence is that our soul continues on after death and that we remain conscious in the intermediate state while awaiting our final destiny of resurrected existence in the new heavens and new earth. First, Paul spoke of having the desire “to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better” (Philippians 1:23). Notice first of all that Paul speaks of death as a departure (from the body) not into temporary nothingness or unconsciousness but to be with Christ. If we are with Christ once we have died, then we continue existing. Second, notice that Paul speaks of this state as “very much better” than the present state. It would be hard to say such a thing of a state of complete unconsciousness. Particularly when we consider that Paul’s passion was to know Christ, it would seem that the reason the state beyond death is better than this present life is because we are with Christ and know it. If we were suddenly unconscious at death until the resurrection, wouldn’t it be better to remain in this life because at least then we would have conscious fellowship with Christ? Second, Paul also said that “while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord” and that therefore he would “prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (