Thoughts on Mark Snoeberger’s “‘Received’ Laws of Language” and Dispensational Hermeneutics
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
5d ago
In the last couple of posts I’ve interacted with Roy Beacham’s argument for a literal hermeneutic. I indicated that while I share Beacham’s concerns about approaches to Old Testament interpretation that re-interpret the text contrary to authorial intent, I think that the approach he advocates makes it difficult to understand numerous New Testament interpretations and fulfillments of Old Testament passages. A few years back I raised a similar concern regarding Mark Snoeberger’s contribution to Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies: Four Views. [Traditional dispensationalists] often begin by ..read more
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Roy Beacham, “Literalism and the Prophets”: Case Study: Joel 2 and Acts 2
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
1w ago
In yesterday’s post I looked at Beacham’s chapter in defense of literal interpretation of the prophets. Despite being somewhat critical of the chapter, I should acknowledge my appreciation of Beacham’s scholarship. My engagement with it here due to the fact that I find myself challenged by his arguments and helpful to work through a response to them. Beacham’s article commendably makes its case directly from Scripture. However, I would have appreciated some engagement with how the New Testament interprets Old Testament prophecy. In footnote 54 Beacham does give a hint of his approach. He argue ..read more
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Roy E. Beacham, “Literalism and the Prophets: The Case for a Unified Hermeneutic,” in Dispensationalism Revisited
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
1w ago
Central Baptist Theological Seminary just published Dispensationalism Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Restatement. This book is a Festschrift for Charles Hauser, Jr. that is comprised of chapters by his former colleagues and students. The first three chapters focus on the classic sine qua nons of dispensationalism. This chapter by Roy Beacham defends literal interpretation as a sine qua non of dispensationalism. Beacham’s thesis is that dispensationalists are correct to insist that “God intended all prophetic foretelling in Scripture to be understood literally and only literally” (32; cf. 36 ..read more
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Thoughts on Exodus 15:22-27, the Mosaic Covenant, and the Gospel
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
2w ago
I had a very stimulating conversation with a co-worker this morning about Exodus 15:22-27, and what follows are reflections from that conversation. Exodus 15:1-21 marks the end of Israel’s redemption from Egypt. Exodus 15:22-27 thus marks the beginning of a transitional section between that redemption and the giving of the Mosaic covenant (a section that begins with chapter 19). This transitional section (15:22-18:27) begins with three pericopes in which the people are grumbling against Yhwh and against Moses regarding food and water. These three pericopes reveal that even though Israel was ph ..read more
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Douglas Brown, “The Glory of God and Dispensationalism: Revisiting the Sine Qua Nons of Dispensationalism”
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
2w ago
Central Baptist Theological Seminary just published Dispensationalism Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Restatement. This book is a Festschrift for Charles Hauser, Jr. that is comprised of chapters by his former colleagues and students. The first three chapters focus on the classic sine qua nons of dispensationalism. This chapter by Douglas Brown, dean of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary, investigates whether the glory of God is one of the sine qua nons of dispensationalism. Brown begins by noting that not all dispensationalists, especially progressive dispensationalists, agree that Ryrie’s ..read more
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Jeremiah 30-31: The New Covenant and the Land
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
3w ago
In this section of Jeremiah the phrase “The word that came to Jeremiah from Yhwh” (30:1) marks off the beginning of a major section. The same phrase occurs in 32:1, marking off the next major section.  Within Jeremiah 30:1-31:40 the phrase “Thus says Yhwh, the God of Israel” marks the beginning of the prologue (30:1) and epilogue (31:23). Between these are seven songs each marked out by the phrase “Thus says Yhwh.” After the Epilogue there are three promises each marked out by the phrase “Behold, the days are coming, declaration of Yhwh” (31:27, 31, 38). After the second promise, there ar ..read more
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The Interpretation of Isaiah 11:6-9
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
1M ago
Isaiah 11:6-9 is the famous passage in which the wolf dwells with the lamb and the baby can play by hole of the cobra because these animals will no longer kill or devour. This has long been understood figuratively. The Puritan commentator Matthew Poole (Annotations, 2:354), for instance, wrote: But this is not to be understood literally, which is a gross and vain conceit of some Jews; but spiritually and metaphorically, as is evident. And the sense of the metaphor is this, Men of fierce, and cruel, and ungovernable dispositions, shall be so transformed by the preaching of the gospel, and by t ..read more
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Isaiah 10 as the Context of Isaiah 11
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
1M ago
Isaiah 11-12 is the conclusion of a major section of Isaiah that began in chapter 2. This section begins and ends with the eschatological reign of the King over Israel and the nations. In chapter 2 the king is identified as Yhwh; in chapter 11 he is identified as Davidic. In between Isaiah provides evidence that he is both God and man in one person. This major section can be divided into three sub-sections: 2-5, 6, 7-12. Isaiah 9:8-10:4 describe the judgment that God would bring on Israel and Judah through Assyria. Isaiah 10:5-19 then reveals that once God is finished using Assyria to judge Is ..read more
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Handouts for Survey of the Old Testament II
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
1M ago
In 2023 my church’s adult Sunday school classes surveyed the entire Old Testament. I was able to teach the Fall semester. Here is a link to the handouts I created for the class. These handouts cover all the prophetic books except Hosea, Amos, and Haggai. They also cover Lamentations and the post-exilic historical books. The shorter books tend to include sections on historical context, the place of the book within the canon, the internal structure of the book, Scripture’s use of Scripture in relation to that book, major themes, and a recommended resource ..read more
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Isaiah Survey: Outline of Isaiah
Exegesis and Theology
by Brian
1M ago
Here is a link to a Sunday School handout I created with an outline of Isaiah and an accessible resource on that book ..read more
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