ROGER T. FORSTER and V. PAUL
STüN
By the same authors: That's a Goocl Question
TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHERS, INC. Wheaton, I11inois
Contents Biblc Versions 1)i
F oreword vii
At:knowledgmcnts viii
Cover photo: NASA Líbrary of Congress Catalog Card Nurnber 74-80'797 ISBN 8423-1080-0 cloth; 8423-1081-9 paper Copyright © R. T, Forster and V, P. Marston 1973 First published in Grcat Britain in 1973 by Send the Líght Trust, Brornloy, Kent. This Uníted States edition is published by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, lIJinois, by arrangerncnt with Scnd the Light Trust and the authnrs. Al! rights reserved. First printing, United States editioJJ, .Tune 1974 Prínted in the United States oi' !\rnerica
Part Que The Nature of the Conflict
1 Introdudion 3 2 Mnn a Battlefield-Job 6 3 Man a Combatant-Daniel 16 4 Weapons, !vlethous and Banners The Church 18
5 GoJ's Glory in the Battle-Jesus 23
6 Fight or Fakc? 26
Part Two The History of the Conflict
7 8 9 10 11
Part Three Key Concepts in the Conflict
HO\v War Was Dec1ared-Genesis 45
Israel ancl God's Plan-Abraham 48
Israel amI God's Plnn-Jacob and Esau 59
Israel ancl God\ Plan-Moses 63 Israel and God's Plan-Pharaoh 69 12 Objcctors and Vcsscls 79 13 The Prescnt Conflict 89 14 God's Grcat Projcct and the Final Battlc 100
15 16 17 18
Word Sttldies: Chosen ancl Eleet night(,~O\lsness
117
1,SO
Harden 155 Foreknowleclgc 178
Subject Studies; 19 Jcwish Ideas of Works anO
Highteousncss 208
20 Causes of Jewi~h Unbelicf 2.32 Apl?endix: Early Teaebing on God's and Man's Will 243
lndex of Verses of lnterest
296
BIBLE VERSIONS For a work like this, it seemed preferable to use a transla tion oE the Biblc whích fo11owad closely tbe structure of the original, rather than a free rendering. For this rcason it seemed best to adopt thc Revi,c;cd Vcrsion (R. v.) of 1881, and (unless otherwise stated) bold (Jrinl in this work always indicates direct quotatiou Crom too RV. It was decidccl, how ever, that in order to give the text a modern appearance, archaic word cndings would be clropped, "thcc" changcd to "you," etc. In the interest of eonsistency this has hecn done without changing word order or grammar. Where other versions have been citcd, the abbreviations used are as fo11ows: Authorized Version (AV) Revised Standard Version (RSV) New English Bible (NEB) Jerusalem Bible (.TD) J. B. Phillips-no abbreviation Scptllagint (LXX) The Scptllagint (LXX) is the Grcek translatíon of the He brcw Old Testament, completcd in thc scC'ond century D.C.. The LXX was the version in common use in apostolic times. The New Testamcnt writcrs sometimes quoted it, and it may heJp us to undcrstand somcthing of the implications of variolls Greek cxpressions used by tllem.
vi
FOREWORO It is a sigo of gracc on thc part of the authors of this book that thcy should invite no impenitent Augustinian and Calvinist to write a forcwor<1 for it. Thcre are several rca sons for my ready acceptance of their invitation, but there is onc which outweighs aH othcrs, and that is the thoroughly exegetical character of what they have writtcn. Thcro is a great clangcr, when once we have adhcred to one particular school of thought or adopted ono particular systcm of theology, of reading thc Bible in the light of that school or system and finding its distinctive features io what we rcad. Oné reader may tend to do less than justice to those texts which stress man's rcsponsibility; another wiU be inclined to modífy the force of those which emphasize eternal elcction. Thc remedy for this is to bear resolutely in mind that our systems of doctrine must be bascd on bíbli cal exegesis, not imposed upon it. The aothors of this \York bear this in mind, and make a special point of asking what the Scriptures rea11y sayo Tbey do this by means of a study of kcy words and key passag~'s ia contexto This is not to say that I am convinced by aU their argu VII
mento5j perhapo5 my heart, like Pharaoh's, has been "stwngthened"! That, however, io5 not importantj what i5 important ís that the rcader is provided with cvidencc on which he can form his own judgmcnt. study of the following pages will imprcss on thc re..'lder that the initíativc in saving grace rcsh ",ith GQdj that tb dcction of bclicvers is "in Christ"; amI thül (,kutio;n implies not that sorne are eleeted and the others ca.nsigned to perdition, bjlt that somo are eJcctcd so that others throllgh the. may receiw; tbc divine bIessing. F. F. llRUCE, M.A., D.D.
liylonds Professor of l3iblical riticism and Exegl?.\'i.l', Unil:crsity of ,\Janchester
ACKNOW
II,GME
s
Thc responsibility of anything said in this book rcmains that of tbe authors a.lone. 'Ve wonld, however, like to thank Dr. G. H. Beasley ~furray, MI'. Geoffre)' 13ull, Rev. A. Morgan Derham, MI'. T. lIarpur, Dr. and Mrs. A. Kinnear, Rcv. G. W. Kirby, Dr. Leon Monis, Mr. F. N. Martin, Dr. T. Martin, Canon Alan NCGéh, Rev. K. 1". vV. Prior, Dr. A. Skevington Wood, MI'. Alan Starkey, Dr. Stephen TI'avis, und many other fcllow Christians, for rcading aU or part of the manllscript and oHering encouragcment al' uscful criticism. "Ve thank especiaIJy four scholars who spared us time ta makc pcnetrating and constructivc críticism in detail: Professor F. F. Bruce, MI'. H. L. EIlison, Rev. Derek Kidner and Mr. D. F. Paync.
viii
PARrr ONE
Intr oduc ti THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK This is n stmly of what the Biblc says about God's strategy throug hout human hislory. It deals with the confliet bes 011 twe(~n good and evil, lmt it is not a series of homilie course, of , conflict A living. an how to struggle on in Christi has individual battles, but also maneuverings and campaigns that may go on over a considerable periodo It is this general sweep and stratcgy of God's action throug hout history which this book secks to portray from the Bible. Set in 5uch a context, a numbe r of topies that might otherwisc seem boring or mysterious become interesting and clear. What was God's purpose in his special dealings with Israel? What is his purpose in the church today? 15 there a meaning to history? This book looks at thes'e important topies in context. It contains a detailed interpretation of Romans 9-11, showing how groundless are sorne people's 3
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY
fears over this passage. It deals with "problem" subjects like predestillation, election, and foreknowlcdge-attempting to put thesc into their Biblical context of God's fnture plans. It attempts, in short, to explore a number of subjects al! too often overlooked today. Let us say at once that we find it tremendously exciting to be able to grasp a little uf God's purposes in history. It enables us to see the whole movement of which we are a tiny part, the whole history into which our lives fit. Day by day we begin to discover how our actions, sufferings, and attitudes have repcrcussions for eternity. We realize the great future destiny God has in store for his children. The authors are conscious that such pwfound subjects are dealt with aH too briefly. Nevertheless, it is to be hoped that the material presented may help the inquiring belicver in his own reflections and studies.
AN
OUTLINE OF THE BOOK This outline may serve as a guide to the reader as he progresses through the book, to help him to understand where it is going. First, in Part 1 \vc look at the nature of the spiritual conflict. VVhat are thc battlefields, the combatants, and the weapons uscd? ~Tithout these cIear in om minds it would be difficult to examine the history of the conflict and God's stratcgy in it. Wc ShOllld understand how man may be a battlefield and/or a combatant. We need to rcalize that God's weapons anel methods are different from ordinary methods of human conqllCst. We have to think, also, abollt jllst how real the conflict is. The second part moves on from thc nature of the spiritllal conflict to consider its whole history as it has affected hllmanity. In short, it considers "God's strategy in human history." This began, of course, with Adam. It was, howcver, in Abraham and the Hebrew nation that God's eoordi-
I 4
INTHODUCTION
nated plan of attack and rescue developed. The second part of the book, therefore, concerns itself wíth the history of Israel and the significance of God's dealings with them. Why did Gad choose Abraham? Why was Israel the chosen nation? What was their function in God's strategy and plan? The book develops their history with these questions in mínd, and goes on to look at the position of the Hebrew nation since Christ. Sorne lessons about God's foreknowledge, sovcreignty, and the general patterns of his dealings may be drawn at this poluto This second part of the book then finishes with an account of God's rcvealed strategy for the future. God's plan for Christ and the predestiny of the church are vitally connected with the future culmination of the conflict and the final overthrow of the forces of evil. God's nnal design for the human race is one of goodness and peacc in a universe to which harmony has been restored. The third part contains six studies of concepts vital to understanding God's methods. These studies may be read individually, either before or after reading the rest of the book, and it is intended that they should add color and background to it. Finany, an appendix contains a discussion of the historical arigins of many current ideas on God's wilI, man's wilI, and such topics. This is not strictly necessary to the theme, but it may help 11S to understand more c1earIy the inf:\uenccs that condition our thinking, and how they measure up to the Bible.
5
MAN A BATT.LEJi'IELD-JOB
Man a Battlefield-Job Spiritual warfare is the suhject of a well-known passage of Scripture, Epbcsians 6. 'Ve use this passage, thercfore, to gllide Our thoughts af the start (lf this and tbe two subseguent seetíons. To bcgÍl.l \Vitb, lct us nol(" the last part of v(;tse 11: Pul 0..0 the whoJe onnnr of God that you muy be ahle lo stan llgainst the wiles of the DeviJ.l 1'his gives us a cJue as to tbc id~ntity of tbe master mind bcbind tbose who take counse] against tbc Lord and his anointed, to throw off his rule. 2 1'his role of Satan is seen vcry clearly in the hook of Joh. This iSSlle turns on the devil's char~e that pcople love God solely bceause he has showll them some speeial favor: Does Job fear Cad for na1!1ght? Have you not J1I1ade a hedge about him, and about bis honse, and about aH thut he has on eve1'Y side?3 Satan is saying that God's kingdom is based on expedieney and that just as sOrne people worship Satan to gain power and favor, so others worship Cod because he is more powerful. Cad takes up this challenge of Satan, and a battle is dcclared-the battleground being the soul of faithful Job. 4 The most obvious temptation for Job is tbc temptation to revolt and godlessness-to renounee Cad and die," Job did not do this, and so Satan's prediction was confounded. 6 1'he 6
devil still has, however, a more subtle line of attack. How will Job stand up against un appcaI by his friends to seemingly orthodox b'nditions?7 Surely Job has heard tbat aman suffers only becallse of his own unfaithfulness?8 The fundamental assumption in aH the speee]¡es of Job's tbree comforters amI young Elibu is that it is God who binds up, wbo smites and healsf) and wbo enters into judgment,1° and even then he is punishing wiekeu Job less tban he deserves. l1 1'hey fail to understand tllat Job is not suffering beeause Cod wants to ehastC'11 bim 12 or because nf bis own sin, but because in tIle eonflict against Satan thc latter is aHowed to afIliet one of God's blameless and upright servants. 1'he comforters and young Elihu remain convineed tbat it is Cod wbo is affiicting Job, and that be is doing so because of Job's sin.1:I "Cod is so bol)'," they say, "that be does not even trust tbe allgeis;H ",hereas man is abominable and corrupt,lr. a mere wormYI Cod is so high that a man's rigbtcousness can never bring plcasure to bim."17 Notice how mislpd thesc four were, who imagined themselvps to he proclaiming Cod's truth, 1'bey believed that Cod was too exalted for Job's righteousness to be of any aeeol1nt with hil11. Th\.' Lord in .. !i*"I1S~ (tI) use a human analogy) sfahl1 bh TepuLIUou Ql1 Jul>; Rave you eonsidered my servm'l'l Joh'~ fo1' the1'e is none like him in the earth, a perfeet amI upright man, one that fears Cod and esehews evil; and he still holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him to dcstroy him without cause. 111 These wonls not onI)' ,how us (;od~ ple-asure illJ (;(' in Jol>, but tlw rcasons for Job's sufferings become cIearer. lt was not God but Satan wbo instigated and effectcd Job's l1Iisfortunes, It was Satan who first suggested that Job sufrer materially and physícal1y.lf) Furtber, although Satan suggcsted that Cod should "put forth bis hand" thcre is no indi<:al.ioll t.hat Cod did so. Cod says: you moved me against him to destroy him 1mt tbere is no indícation that he complied with the request. Ratber, he said: he is in your hand; only spa1'e his !ife, and it was Satan who destroyeo Job's possessions and hea1th. It is enlightening for us to see that Cod was in no sense, eitber 7
GOD'S STHATEGY IN
HU~'lAN
directly or via Satan, the cause of }ob's afHictions. Cod allowed Satan's actions uut this is another matter. We must he clcar exactly what we mean if \Ve say tbat Cad "could have stopped" }ob's suffering. We may indeed accept that he had the sheer power to stop 01' even destroy SataD. The problem ís that in this case, even as Satan sank under Cod's wrath and destruction, he would huve gone with a sneer on his lips as though to say, '110M )'OU so;" Sucb a "solution" would have lcftforID"PT unanswered S4tuD~ .uOClI!;{ltiCI1 that Cod's kingdom was bascd (like his own) on It \Vas not lack of power that prevented Cod from crushing Satan-it was a mnltct uf prll1qlle It is, perhaps, comparable to thc moral .rcstraint that makes it impossíbJe for Cod to líe,20 Sntan's accusations must be answered, and they cawlOt be truly answered by a force that erushes the accuser. They can only be fuUy ans\Vered by fhf;\ method Cod adopts., by allowing Satan to remove }ob's privileges, He must show that tbc servant in whom he tl'usts loves him for himsclf and not fOI" what he can get out of him. In this particular instance 21 it S~ems that Cad allowed Joh to be -affiicted ta prove to Satan that someone could love him without any rewarcl and even in the midst of misunclerstanding about him. Was Cod's confidence ü) Job vindieateeP Jf \Ve read through thebook \Ve 6nd thnt Job, likc his fríends, mjstakenl~T llStri1:H:d bis millortune to Codo Yct Job r('mainea certain of his own innocence amI criec1 out for an opportllnity to bring his case for tria!. He seems to have felt that somcthing had sOl1lewhere gone wrang. There hacl been an anomaly in the justicc of the universe. "Ve see, therefore, that Job did not IInderstnnd the situation he ",vas ín. Satan had ruined Job's fartunes and, through the comforters, had Dlultiplicd Job's doubt and confusion. \Voukl J()b, as Satan had prec1icted, renounce Cad to his face?22 Job, however, vindicatcd his master's trust. He said: though he slay me, yet wiU 1 wai.t for him: Nevertheless r wilJ maintain my ways before him o o o2~ Job would serve Cod, come what may. Cod showed, through him, that his
8
MAN A HATTL'I':I"ll<:l .u-
HISTORY
kingdom wa:¡ not based on the o1Jt.dience oí c:xpediency~ lmt the obedi~llI;,'e of }ove. It is instructiYC to set out in dctail a comparison ol what od says amI what is said by the comforters and YOllng ¡hu: in M,; s (a) Cn 'onside['(~d lU}T servant Job? for lhere God SClIJS: ttnve , is none likehim in toe earlh •.. (Job L8; 2:3) l3ut the comfort.cl's sa.!}: He puls nD lrust in bis servan: (Eliphaz in 4:18) Can a mnn be profltahle unto God? o .. b it any pleaslBe to the Almigllty t.bnt you are righteous? 01:' is it n gaio to him, that you mnke YOUI" waysperfect? (EIiphaz in 22: 2, 3) '.r whatreIf you are rightteous "..,ha': give yop bimI? ceives he of your hand? (Elihu in .'35:7) (b) JoL is pt'Yfm (i.c., complete) and llpright. Cad says: a pcrfect illld uprigJt,t man .. (J oh 1:8; 2:3) 13 lit the comforters SU!!: I'f yon were pura 3Ild upright surely nu'\\' be would awake fur )'0\1, nnd rnake lhe habitation of your I'Íghteousness l)rosp.e~so (DUdad in 8:6) Behold C..od will nol casi away a perfecl maQ. (BilJad in o
••
o
.'):20) Remember, I pra),' }'ou, who oyer pecishctlberng innu(:ent? Or where \Vere the lIprigbt cut off? (Eliph,lZ in 4:7) 1 have hcard the \'oic.e or your WQTds, sa)rihg, I nm clean without h'/l¡ft.o¡gt'ession; I am innocent Reilher is t:here miquity in me: . oo io this you .are Dol justo (Eli11ll in 33:8-12) What man is Hice Job, who drinks nI? scoming like w...te.r? Which goes in company wilh worker.s uf imquitJ ana wnlb with wicked meno (E1ihll ín 34: How then. can mIlO be ju.o;t ~v:íth Gm1? Or how cito' be he c1eall thal is born 01 a woman? (Bild;'lll :in 25:4) What is man that he should be etcan? And he whkh is boro of a woman that he !iboul.d. be i>ighteous? (Eliphaz in 15:14) For you say, My docbi-ne ¡,s pure, And 1 am cIenn in your eyes. But Oh tluil Cad ",ould speak o . . Know therefore
9
'S STRATEGY 1
MAN A BATTLEFIELD-JOB
STORY
yon less than your iniquily deserves.
(Job 1:8;
'l'ters sal!: Yea, you do
8W'J:Y
witb reo.r, and
r,
That h, YOllr wickedness quiües. (Eliphaz '00,
t
you were pure ond uprighl; VOB. And make the habitnJ
you Icss tllan vom'
notwilhstnndingm)' wound j,~ incurable tbough oh, ,...
liS, . . •
'o6tl
every man to hnd accordiDg to bis ways. (Elihu in 5-11) (e) Job's ami¡" T1Jc twth .¡S~ S the Lord, amI sm(tle ,Jol, with sore bow from rhe soIe of his foot unto his cr(twn. (.T ob 2:7) But the cornforters soy: Therefore despise not the cha,~ten-
10
ing of the Almighty. For he ma1<es sore, and binds up; He wounds and his hands ma1<e whole. (Eliphaz in 5:17, 18) Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves. (Zophar in 11:6) 1s it for fear of him that he reproves you, that he en ters with you into judgment? (Eliphaz in 22:4) Behold, Cad is mighty and despises not any . . . He preserves not the life oE the wicked; but gives to the af 8ieted their right. (Elihu in 36:'5, 6) Yea, he would have led you away out oE distress into a broad place, wh.ere there is no straitness; and that which is on your tahle should he fun of fatness. But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. (Elihu in 36: 16, 17) (f) Job's words are aeceptable to Codo Cod says: )'Iy wrath is kindled against you (Eliphaz) and against yoW'two friends: E01" you have nat spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has. (Joh 42:7) Hut the comforters say: And how long shall the words of your mou'lbbe fike a mighty wind? (Bildad in 8:2) Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should aman full of talk be justi6ed? (Zophar in 11:2) For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the erafty. (Eliphaz in 15:5) How long will you lay snares for words? (Bildad in 18:2) And 1 have heard the voiee of your words saying, 1 am cIean without transgression . . . in this you are not just. (E1ihu in 33:8-12) Job speaks without knowledge, alld his words are with out wisdom. Would that Job were tried unto the end be cause of his an~ering like wicked meno For he adds re bellion unto his sin. (Elihu in 34:35-37) Therefore does Job open his mouth in vanity; he multi plieswords without knowledge. (Elihu in 35:16) What lessons can we draw from the story of Job? It is lme that Cod sometimes allows sickness or catastrophe to come on somcone as a "ehastening," but not aH suffering is to bc thus explained. The comfortcrs seem to imagine that 24 Cod is determining everything that happens in the world. If they were right in this, then it wouId be Iogieal to ex 11
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUi\,fAN HISTORY pect suffering always to be either for punishment or for chastening, If everything happened as Cod willed, and if he is just, then the innocent c'QuId never suffer. "Who ever perishcd then being inllocent?" asked Eliphaz, and on his own presuppositions it would be difficult to disagree with him-Job must be gllilty, But in fact there is a hnltl involved, and thus it may oftcn happen that one of Cod's pcrfect and upright scrvants suflcrs. It \Vas not Cod but Satan who instigated the sufferings of Job. Nevertheless, Cod could lIse Job's sufferings to bring him to a cleeper rclationship with himself, The principIe is that "in everytmng Cod works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."25 Whatever c1isastcr may strike und howev,cr bad the situation may be, Cod wants to work in that situation for good. He wants his servants, moreover, to cooperate with him in doing this. 1t is therefore important that \Ve react rightly to situations of suffcring or tragedy. "Ve may rt'm(~mber the incidcnt,,;hen Jesus and his dí sciples saw the tragic sígbt of aman born blind. 2G Sin is the ultimate cause of uIl suHcring and síckness, ancl tbc discíples triec1 to raise the theologícal ([ucstion: Rabbi, who did sin, {his man ar bis parents, that he should be horn hlind? They wén' trying to um:avcl the causal chain linking suffering ultimately to sin. J esus' repIy indicated the futility of such (lucstions, The mmú blindness was not a result of his o",n 5ins and neither \Vas it a result of those of his parcnts. It \Vould have becn pointless lo have tried to unravel its causes, The real quesUol'l should not be: "What cansed thc suff8rín~?" but rathcr: URow ca.n 1 eoopcrate in daing the works of Cod in this situatian?" or in other words: "Ho\\' does God want in this instance to work for good with tbose who love hjm?"27 Cbrist did not see suffe,ring as an inteUectual chalIenge but as a need al1d opportunity to show tbc works of Cod in hcaling. Sometimes a person may he suffering bccause he has sinned. More csmmonly, ho\\'ever, the canses of sufIering ,u'~ loo camplex lo UID"a\,el. OUT task should be to seek to cooperate with Cod in al-
11.11
12
MAN A BATTLEFIELD-JOB villling it. We see, therefore, that OUT reactions to, suffe.r1111' art.l important. of importance is OUT attitude whcn we oUTselves 1111.-)'. If Job had "cursed Cod and died," be would neither IHI\'" received blessing himseIf nm been a channel of blessill!!, lo others. Job did not curse Cod and neither was he 'mll'lIt with pious platitudt'-s. Ht.' was real witb Cod in the lualioll, and therefore Cod commended bis words. Job • ullrossed his doubts, his confusion, and yet he knew he had rlnl done the wickedness his friends imagined, Cod comIIILm,]ed this, and then cammanded Job to play the man and Ill~\Ver his questions,28 It is important in times of trouble rcn w. to be open Jalé him lo reveal moro. of himself to uso \llIllY propIe, like Joh, have found a deeper experience of :ml through suffering, This does not mean that Cod neces¡rlly brings such sufferings, but that he is ready to exploit III.Y situation to bring in blessing. We read, further, that Ihll Lord turnedthe captivityof Job, when be prayed for bis IlIcnds .. .20 As Job turned from bis own needs to those .•1 olhers and began to cooperatc with Cod to bring in )Jo~~ing, he found that his bondage to despair began te:> lIl!, Thus it often happens tbat as a person becomes a ¡¡lulllncI for blessing, his own burdens seem Iightened. At I h.. vnd of the book Joh may have realized something of Ilw C'onRict that had been going on, far through prayer he 1LllIlSt'lf beca111e a participant in tbe battle. loh, thereforc, was a battlefield in which Cod proved to "',lliJll that his servants could love him for himself, and not 1111 '1('1y for what he could give them. Perhaps, as a resuIt ,.1 hio¡ experience, ].ob hegan himseH to realize what was la IJlpL!ning, and aetually partic.ipate, thraugh prayer, in the 111 [IH!ing in of blcssing. (I1'P:S 1. Ephesians (): 11 ~ Psalm 2 ,~_
Job 1 :9, 10
l.. from Job's point of view, of OOlHse. it was a struggle to maintaín
In, I..Hh in the face of incomprehensible circumstances. Dnring his
11"III,l,'~ he was. quite unawmc of Satan's role, Thís, perhaps, explains
13
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY why mnst of the book of Job omits .reference to Satan. It is only from the ili.vine stanclpoint of chapters 1-2 that we see Satan's aetivities. 5. Job 2:9 6. Job 2:5 7. Job 8:/j, 9; 15:10; 20:4 R. Job 4:7, 8i 8:/j-20; 20:4, etc. 9. Joh 5: 18 10. Job 2214., 5 ll. Job 11:6 12. Job 5:17 13. Joh 8:4-6; 11:5, 14; 15:5; 22:4; 25:4; 34:7-11, 37; 36:6, 7 14. )oh 4:18; 15:15 15. Job '.1:17; 15:16 16. )ob 25:6 17. Job 22:3. A verse that mal' come to mind at this point is Isaiah 64:6-"All oue righteousness is as filth)' rags." It is unfortunate that one often hem.'s tbls Ver,(' quoled withoul any regard for conlext, nn \Ve must b'l eareful here. 11105e in r~aiah who sal': "AlI our rightf'onS"TlC"S 15 ns filthy ragl' go on in tIte nm:t verse lo accuse Cod of bídill~ hill f:1(": fmm t!leID. Thi.5 1att!'!r ¡s, we.note, I::xplidtll' denied hy Cod 111 Isalllh 65: 1, 2 wbere he sa}'s that he 1$ nat hldmg hut rather 15 ofrcring himsl'lf ("tI thl'It1 (\V.c míght al;;o c-omparc Isaiah 03:17 wiLh 0;5: 12 wher" tlle Lord aIlirms lhat it \~s nol*his doill~ hut theír own chuicc lo rejcd his caU lInr1 go IlgnllL~t Lis w¡shes.) There is, dltlJ1. no ~son to SUppllSI'1 tbal üu~ LonJ cndnn;es thf<Se peup1c's l'xtn'Ir¡~ positÍCm over human sinfulrlf':$s H 15 Tlot eVCfJ B guarcl agaiust ~])irílual pridt:, fOl Cad nI.:CIIFe3 tltcsc '4lm~ [1t'ol1le oF a "holier thnn thol)" atUtude (65:5). None of thi.~ is lCI deny that salvalioll i$ "imt of w(JVks lest any man should bll:Lst," hut it j$ lo aJlinn thnt Cod'~ attiplCle to his sen'ants' rightcom]1.e~ is difIerent fmm thllt OftCll sU[lpOSCd. lIl. Job 2:3 19. Job 1:11; 2:5 20. iJebrews 6:18. To use a human analogy we might ask "Can a Christian l'cmmit fornication?" The answer lo this is Yes if we mean physieal abilitl', but No as far
14
MAN A BATTLEFIELD-JOn for ~ood with those who love him," The NEB renders: "in everythin&, as we know, [the Spirit] cooperates for good w¡th those who love Codo ' Síllcc the Spirit is also the subjeet in verses 26 and 27 this seems the most likely rendering of a11. (See also F. F. Bruee's commentary on Homans.) The word "work-together" (sunergeó) is not used much in the Ncw Testament, but there are sorne verses of interest in this contexto )n Mark 16:20 we find that as the disciples preached the Lord "worked logether" witn them. In 1 Corinthians 3:9 Paul sal's that "we are Cod's Il.now workers , , ." In 2 Corinthians 6:1 he again describes himself as "working-together" with Codo There are, there[ore, a number of points in favor of the RSV or N.:f1 rather than the AV or )\V: (a) There are early manuseripts that contain the extra word "Cod" to put it beyond doubt. (b) There is nothing eIsc in Scripture tu indica te that a11 thin§5 somehow \York for good, whereas the idea of Christians as Cod s "fe11ow-workers" is we11 attested. ( c) Thc prcceding two verses of the passage in Romans 8, speak p~ecisely of such a co-woTking in prayerful intereession between the Christians and the Holl' Spirit. This makes the lISV (or even more the NE:B) much more na,tural in deveIopment. On a practical level jt mal' often be a cause of doubt and despair for a Christian when tragedl' or disaster strikes, if hr. has to try to l"onvince hiinself that "lhiJJgs" are !omel>O\v w.ollYng for lüs best good. Thel' mal', indeed, not be, and Satan rather than Cod may be hehind them. Nevertheless, what any Christian can be SUTe of is that Cod will be then,-lIltUIñnll fr. wnrLto.."th~r wíth him llw:l with other helievers, to iJrlñg .guod JJut 26. John 9:1 27. ]ohn 9:3; compare Romans 8:28 RSV or NEB and see note 25 abuve, 28, Job 40:7 29. Job 42: lO
15
MAN A CO~A,TAl\1"f-DAN
al1 a LJombatant-Daniel Job was primllTily a battle:IMcL EphP5üms 6 e"phtins furthe:r 10w W8 mny he U!ortl than tlnwjtHng individual b~t- tleflclc1s. l~od W¡nlt" 11" to understalld t}1t1t we fonn part tlle largt:r b.ltlle, amI actually 6ght init: Far oW' wrestlin is noí u1!ainst fles1) and blood, but agaiust the principBlliies, powers. agairult the world ruleu oí litis darkness, l lbe spidmlll bOJlts oC wickedness 111 th.e heavcnly S.l
, Qf
f 'fES I
.';f"h¡'.l.im:l.S
G:]2
JJ,1l1iel 10 :~·12
s.~· "Iso part- tW(l ()f 11m book n.lJliel 10:21; 12: 1; Jnd() 9 J~l1llid 10: 13, 20 . [l. J J.H,id D:2~. 'I1\i~ prin~'€ mil>' be th¡. spirilLlld prrm-C' of Bom,',_ Tri II \\l~ tlle H.omaJJs ",ho d,eS'll'l1)'td JE'fTlsalcm in A.D. 70. nllllie17:21 D.lmieI7:23
" '1,,, Daniel 7:27
16
17
\\'EAPüNS, METHüDS, A
NERS-THE
,..eH
ImlLlc against the forces of eviJ, but as a part of the Cllitst is using Jesus' own armor. I lit, ¡(colllal weapons mentioned in Ephesiansti are we Il!" 11. llw girdltl of truth, the breastpIQte of righteousness .11. tlUlf"S of the preparation of the Good News of peace, tbe hi~Id CJj faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the I,il il OllIy one of these weapons i.s far attack, and it is parhlll,"lv important to note. Whut is the Christian',s sword? 1I0W that to huye a "shield of fuith" means that faith 1S 11I ",lilclcl, and om "helmet of salvation" is comprised of h jllinll. It seems, therefore, that to have a "sword oE the pirU" means that we use a sword comprised of spirit. The IJliJ'jll11 furthcr cIarifies this by adding that thís "spirit" (or liJo]¡dh") i5 the word of God. l The whole phrase in Fphe1', fU? might be lite rally rmdered: *tha breath 5 which Ilr slJying of God." Our sword i's the breat:h whích 1S the "mg of God. This may also be the bre.'1th with which 1" ¡q shall sIay thc wickoo: be shall smite the earlh witb Ull' ru.! of his mou~ apd wHb tbe br,cath (spirit) of bis iil'~ ..hWl he s)ay tbe 1\>\;cked.r. This i5 taken up in Reve1ai ';.11 hJ: 1.5: And 0111 oí: bis nUluth prnooeds a s'harp sword, 1111I1 wilh it he ShOilld smilc' Ihe bnliOllST nnd he shaD 1"U1e 11"'11I with a rod uf iron: and he trellds lhe winepress af the f1ilft.l·f1CSS of the wrath uf A~might.y God. The sharp sward7 ,'[Illll'" out of Christ's mouth, for his weapon is the truth he f";llt~ To us Christ's words are spirit and life,8 for the I'\'ill~ application of Christ's revelation in OUT lives brings Iill!, kr:ds, and cIeanses. n Buthis s:word of truth is two,11;1'11, and to the wicked it is c1estructive. \h' Juwe already seen how Satan used the weapon of 111 d~ through the mouths of Job's comforters. 1'wice at the 11(1 nI (he book of Joh the Lord judges them far their words 11I1 l'Ommcllds Job for his. Words are a weapoN, bu! how l,jl", SLltan use them? \oVe are told that he was a murderer /..,11I Ihe beginning, and stood not in the truth because llll'tt' is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of 1.1- Ilwn: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. 10 1~"~'1l at the beginning of human history the devil used a )", 11. the gm:den of Eden to seduce mankind into d.eath. hUl!'
hnd~ 411'
Weapons, Methods, and Banners-The Church Man is a combatant. In Ephesians 6 we also find how the saints fight aud with what armor: FinaUy, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of bis might. Put on the whole annor of Cod ...1 These words show tbat we fight in God's strength and God's armor. Paul goes on to compare various parts of Christian character with the difIerent sections of a soldicr's armor. It i5 instructive to our understanding of "the amlOr of God" to see the Old Tcstament stimulus of Paul's ideas 00 it; I5aiah 59 reads: And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: there· fore his own arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it upheld him. And he put on dghteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet ol salvation upon his head . . . And a redeemer shall come to Zion, and un~o them that turn from transgression in Jacob. 2 1'hi5 is the armar of God. It is God's armor because it í5 worn by the Messiah as he comes to bring redemptiolJ. It ís also the armor that should ll be worn today by the body of Christ on earth, the church. In the book of Daniel we saw how the saints entered into the battle, aod that when the kingdom was given it was gÉven both to the Messjah and to the saints. In Ephesiaos we find that the battles of the Messíah and of his body the church are tbe same, for we figbt in his armor and in the strength of his might. The ChristÉan soldier is not fighting a
19
18
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY
Yet though the devH uses words perverseIy, he is afraid to stand in the truta, which reveals him as he is. \Vords of truth are like light, in that both revc¡¡.l an object or person for what it or he is. Those whose deeds are evil are afraid to come ioto the light.n Through the weapons of truth and light Cbrjst will finally reveal e,,;l fOf whut it is, and in uoing so will desh'oy it. In the full revelaHon of what it i5, evil shrivels up and is uestroycd. Paul links líght with words of truth in bis expansion of Isaiah 11:4, a verse we huye already mentioned: And then shaH be revealed :the lawless one whom the Lord Jesus shaU consume with the spirit of his rnouth, and shall destroy with the brightnesli of his ooming. 12 The "sword oE the spirit" 1s given to uso as weH as to Christ, but how should the ordinary Christian uSe it? Paul says: And take ... the s\'Vord oE the spitit which is the wOl'd of Cod; with an prayer and supplication praying at aH seasons in the sptrit. n Throllgh praying in the Holy Spirit we learn how to llse the Spiritufd wcapon of the sayings of Codo We learn to praise, \Ve learn to usc the name of Jesus, \Ve learn when and how to speak God's message to a person, and how to apply a verse (lf Scripture in our lives. Tbere is, of course, no virtue in quoting Seriptw:e for the sake of the words themse1ves-for the deviJ bimseH did this in ternpting Christ. H It is not the words as sllch, but the illuminating power they have as \Ve apply them .correetly in our lives. Christ himself nsed a verse in this way as ihe replied to the Devil's "proof text." This is the power of Scripture, as the Holy Spirit applies it in lives. We see, therefore, tbat in Ephesians (as in naniel) prayer occupies a key place in the fight. Through prayer tIle Christian learns to use bis weapons. Through prayof \Ve support and intercede for eaeh other. 15 Yet Paul makcs it cIear that it should be prayer in ,tbe Spirit. We should Jet the Hol)" Spirít direet OUT prayers so that Cod may use us aeeording to his overall strategy. This bas givcn us sorne insight into the weapons of warfare. But can \Ve find out. more about these and the methods of fighting used by the forees of the Lord of Hosts?
I
20
WEAPOt\S. METHODS.
A~D
11ANNERS-THE CIlURCH
Another book in the Bible clearly pre5ents the picture of the battles, tllc 'Rcvelation. In Revelatian 4 anu .5 we read of a thronc from which come peals of thunder, lightning, etc. It is sel right in the micklle of thc cldcrs, the creatures of the earth, the angc1s, and every created tbing. Everyone is waiting fOl' a person who would be wOTthy to opcn the scroll concerning mmú d@stinyY¡ Then John hears that the "lían from the tribe or Judah" has overcome and is worthy. He looks around for this "overoomil1g líon," perh~~rs expeeting something like the cme in 1 Pctcr .5:8, only bigger! What hc in fa<:t se es 1S a HUle lamb (arni.on) whic.:h looks as if it has l)eel1 killed. Thi5 i5 t.he symbol of Cod's power apd armiC5 throu~hout the book of Revelation, anu the word is used in this wa)' 27 times. Can \Ve imagine any militant nation marching out to conquer under thc llanl1er of a lamb that looks as Hit has ueen kilIed? Yct tlüs i5 Cod's emblcm, anel b)' the end of Revc1a.tion the lamb 15 seen to he on thc same thronc as the f'ather himseif. If this i5 the leuder of Coe}"); armics. what can their weapons be likeP And there was wal' in heaven: Michael and his angels goin~ forth to \Var with the dmgon 11 and the dragon warred ahd' his angels; and they prevailed not ... fOl: the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accuses them before OUT God day and night. AmI fhey overcame ñim because of the blood of the lamb and because of the word of tbeir testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.l~ Tbroughout history the armies of thc worIcl have used wenpon5 of ever increasing powcr and violenee. Swords and 1.>o\\'s have heen replacecl by guns und napalm, The wcapons of Cod: trutb, martyrtlom, and the blood of his hmb, are of a totally differcnt order from any of thcsc. They do not destro)' by violence, but by revealing the depravity and UgliJ1CSS of evil for what it is-thus lead'ing to its destruction. So the hlood of the martyred saints antl prophets itseif becomes a wcapon: in drinking it the wicked become dnmk for their own dcstruction. 19 Time and again in Revelatíon therc is war bctween thc forees of good and the forces ol eviL for example, Revelation 17:14-Tbese shall war against t.he Larnh and the Lamb shall overcome them,
21
GOD'S STBATEGY Th' HUMAN HISTORY
GOIYS GLORY IN
for he is Lord of lords and King oí kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen ami faith· fuI. The conquerors are the Lamb and those who are callee and choseo and faithfuI. Thesc last are the faithflll saints, caBed and chosen in Christ. Wc remembel' that these sa.ints 6ght in the same armor as díd JeSllS the Messíah, for they fight in the armor of God ancl the strength oC his might. W ,vill later see how thciT chosenness also depends on being part of Christ's body, fOI they are chosen in him. (See sectiOD 15) 1'0 return to RevcIation, '.-ve find two great images ofeviI: thc Beast and thc Harlot,20 We may regard the Heast as perversion of the truIy masculíne, represcnting love of power for íts own sake, a "míght is right" phílosophy whích is tyrical of monsters. The Harlot represents perversion of the truly feminíne, a desire for material thíngs, a worship of pleasure, etc. God's answer to these things is a slain lamb. What can thís represent but i'nnocencc, sufFeríng, and death -und through them the victory? NOTES 1. Ephesians 6:10, 11; compare Philippians <1:13: 1 elln do aH things in him that stl"engthcns me. Only in the Lord do \Ve have strength. 2. Isajah .59; lfl-20 3. Compare lsaiah 59:16,17 amI Ephesians 6:13-17 4. The Creek \Vore! which in the phrasn "sworcl o( the spirit which is the word of Cod" is nauter. This sllggests that the phrase: "whiel! is the word of Cod" refers to the spirit. Tho spirit 1.1' the word of God. The cxpres.~i{)n "tJ1e word of Cod" should not he confusad with the title "Word of Cod" given to Christ (e.g., John 1:1, Revelation 19:13) for Christ i5 called by the Cl'eek t(;mn "lagos of Cod" whoreas in Ephesians the tC.rm is "rliema of Cad". There is no dislinct line be(wecn the meanings of these two Cmek terms, but it \V01I1<] seem that r/¡fima mean.> a saying, a11d. is included in the mQre philosophical teno
logos. 5. Breath
01' spirit; the Creek wonl pne!l1l1a, hkc the TIme/¡, can he translated as spírit, hreath, or wind.
Hebrew
The word is cornmonly taken in Ephcsians 6: 17 to me;ln the Holy Spirit, but nothing in the Grcek text \Vould Ilf)(:essitate this. In fud the language impfies that the "spirit" or "breath" in t!lis verse ís the .'worel of Cod." 6. Isaiah 11:4 7. See :lIso RevelaUoll 1; 16; 2;.12, 16
22
nm
BATTLE-JESt
8. John 6:63 8. Jolln 6:fi8,; Malt1lew 4:4; Ephe:;ians 5:26 10. Jobn R:44 11. John 3:1i 12. 2 Thcssaloni~ns 2:~, AV. WJ\ httve used lhe AV to pmphasixe I hat the word pruwmtr (:an mean ('ilher Im;¡th or spirjt, The: 'lo" ren·Iers it "spirit oE his rnoutll'> hul tbe llll, nsv, J B, nncI N1CB all ründ[::r it 'breath ni his rnrml"h." 11 ~t'()ws, m hct, to be the trlltll hr: soMJ",s which r'OIlS 1I mes tbe cvil. 1.'3. Ephc.~i~ll1s 6: 17, 18 14. Molt.hcw" :6, 15. Erh¡'~ians G: 18 Hi. Revdalion 5:3. 1i. I\uvE'lation ;'20:2 shnws thal tbis dragoll i.s SIl'ln... 1H. He\'dation 12:7-11 HJ. Revelatiol1 16:6; 17:f;; 18:24; 14:8 20. F. F. UrllC'C ¡¡:ave us the sllg~e.stion that, in vie';'i' of the baclcl~rOWJd of Lllli lime, tnl! n~"l.,t isthe R()m~lT1 pmpire in its military n'!thI('ssn"s~, tlw JIarlot is t.l!e crJty (11' Romc in Its cofIlHwrcial prosperit}..... perscC'util1g tlH' sainls In the boe gui!>e ClT lIJe other.
God's
ory
the Bat
-·esus
Thís is tIle marveloll.'i thing llhout God. It is at thc name ..f lcsus (wbich lTIt'ans Jehovah is Saviar) tbat every knee hall how. Thís is the name above every Dame.! The Ilmm~ of God does nol contain a roaring- liaD, hut a slain Illmb. F'ai.hug to understand this, many Chrjy;tíans have misIInderstood what is the gIory oí God. ~líphaz and his frjeilcls seem to spell out the greatne.<;s .lI)d gIory of God in lenus of bis supposed emotiD:nal dpl:whll1ent abl1ut human "rigbleOIll>""lles:>:' coupled with his ab23
,,, STRAT
IN Hll:dAN HTSTORY
olute soven.·Jgnty in bringing b¡;aling or sickness. Cou is so h.igh amI holy, says Eliphaz, and Job in (:omparison so wicked, that his "righteousllcss" r:ouldbnng Cad ]j[tle or lW pleasnrc.:J Morcover, be nc1ds, il is God wbo l11akes sore and bincls 11P. who wOllmls- anl] hcals.'; Thus. ~lcoording to Eliphaz, all ]ob"s prcsent suIfcrings ore fhe oUlworkings of Cod\ gToriolls l)()'wcr allu if h[;l I>'eckli Cad he will gel aU he wanls.~ (SlJch lnterpreLation,,'i tire nol coafined lo com· fotters 01' Job's day.) 'a.\ of tbe ghll") uf Cm1 llul.! b·' ove!" pt:ople, eXl"r<.:isc HuthOlit}', :lnd apI)('uT !~his,
thal nuu himspl e rncn'ly a biggcr vcrsion of a }¡eaL1wn dc-"pol-? VV!ll'f1 Ihll.s, Chrislians would surcly unitc in ooflr!('Juning Ihe no t!OIl as blasphemo\ls ralhor lhün glorious. Tlwm b a b'ugie conlcxt hl tln:se 'vvords 01' Jr'S11s abont lb killg~ 01' thu Gc-nli]¡:-s. \Vllilc 11l' is lhinkillg (')1' l.lis oomin sllflerillg and llw ('IIP Iw JlIllSl tlrillk,n )¡is clases! fric'ntis ar, arglling al>out wllid, of llu'm i¡¡ S"(·n!(><;1. M:lIIY grl'.ll lllJJ1IaJJ 1eadel"S rlligl¡l hav(' saieL "YClII 4'tlIl all stop ;.Il'gu.ing \1f'C'alls J rnysall' Um so in('(lrnpaJ'ahly grr'nll'r lItan :l11~' (JI' YOII." }t. sns <'lid. snnw1hillg lolall) dilrl'\"('JlI fmlll ·Ibis. lk Iril'd lo cx plain llwt UI Ihe kingdom of J.l'av/·n I'Wl)'lhin~ is llpsic1~ dO\\'ll-or ralh('1' right sidu up! '11w)' cal! hinl ~lm:te.1 lUId Lord CJuitc righlly, for so hf' iS,1 Iml iJl lhll kingtlorn nf heaven this !l1callS thal lte volunlarilv lllakes himsl·!I' the grealt'.sl scrvnnt of aH: .f('sus can\(' lo 1111HTI and klldl 1"0 wash lhvir ff·(>\". 'nlL' gn.:nllless· :md ,r:;lory uf Cocl is p)'(·e·.is¡;·jy lbal 11(' giV<'s ltimscH frccly to liS hiJo: crcul11l't's wbo are hut dllst-it is not in ]unling iL ovcr p
COD'S GLORY r\T THF. BATTLE-JESUS his glorification: The hour i5 omne, that tne ~on 01 mnn
should be glorilied, Verily, vedry 1 say uolo you, E:l:cept a
grain oC wheat CaJl ¡nto Ihe earlh aud die, it abides by itself
alone . , . ",hat shnll 1 sny? Fathel', save me from this .honr.
But for Urls cause carne 1 unto this how', Father, glor
youz' llf!me , .• 1, if 1 be lifted up from theearth, wiII draw
alJ roen tlJJto my.self ... n Whcn tbcrcfore he (Judas) had
gODe out., JesllS said, No\'\' is fhe Son of man gtorillcd, and
od jI; gloriGed in bim; and God ¡¡hall gforifyhim in himself,
and strnigMwD)' shan he glodfy hím •. ,111 JeSlls, facing the
cross. looked lo it as lhe time of his glorificaban. The glory
of lbe Lümb oE God is that he tS a "lamb as though SJaiJl"
and that he has conClllcf(-'el by lJecoming likc a grain of
wlwat '>vbid) dics lo ~ivc liEc. Let us never imagine that
11)(' glory (Jf Cod is anylhing like that of the rtI1crs oE the
Gellliks.
Fll1'llwr, Ihl' l\Yo hoob (Darl.ie1 and Reve1ation) most ohv"iollsly coneprnf'd wilh lhe glory and majcsty of GoJ, are tll(-' two in which lhe hatlles bctwecn good and cvil are .SI 'en thL' IDosl clt'arlv. Cod
2.5
GOD'S STllATECY IN HU\IA:'-j HISTORY
teous were to live even in times of trouble, and that the wÍcked would hum themselvC's out in judgmenl". This 1S Cod's way with evil. How ume;lrchable :qre his judgll1ents amI how insc:rutablc are his ways! GOl] docs not waft away the righteous from sllIIering, but is willing to he right there ",ith them in the midst of iI. NotES 1. Philippians 2:9, 10 2. S"'<1 also nnte' 17 In se'dion 2. 3. loh 5:17, 18 4. :rob 5:8 ct ,WJr{ 5. Yfatthüw 20:25-28; Mark lO:42-45; Lukn 22:24-27 6. Matthcw 20:22 7. lohn 13:13 8. flebl'cWS 1:3; lames 2:1 9. John 12:23, 24, 27, 2R, 32 10. 101111 13:3J, 32 ll. Arts 2:23 and 1 Peter 1:20 botb JtÍ\>'(j this thOll!lht, bu! m:lny vcrSiOllS ohscuro it in lhe blkl' vorsn. 'VI' lltl\lt: givclI T<'tISOlIS rOl' lll' IiC Villg 11.e [\\' lo Le corrcd 1" sedil". IH. pp. 103. 19'J • .12. Aels 2:2.3 13. Ibhakknkl:11 14. IJaIJakkuk 2:1
FIGHT OR FAKE?
basie idea is. the same. They may, for example, say that men are responsible for bl'eaking God's commandments but that nev·ertheless Wh[llevM' m~n d0 ¡g hi!\ wiII being enactecl. They may suy that Satan's revolt and the ensuing "conflict" are part of Cod's will und designo Somc would even go as far as to say thnt God. dclibcrate1y orcIains all the sllffering al1d sorrow in the world. They wOlllJ rejed tIle point made so well by C. S. Lewís: that suf[cring is the price that had to be paid for freedom and Iove to exist at aH.2 Were we to fiud uny support in Scrípture for such teach ings on Cod's "sovereígn will," what ís said i.n lhis book wOllld have to be eonsiderably modified. It is necessary, thereJore, to examine what exaetly the Bible says on these matters. 15 God's wil! always done? In the New Testament there are only two Greek roots from wh.i<:h comc the words for God's will and Cod's plan. One root í$ thdó. whieh mcal1S wish, wiB, or desiIc. The second root is 'houloma·¡', from whích come sllch words as counselor (boulelltes; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50); taking ad vice (houleuomai,' Luke 14:31); ancI plan or wish or would (boulc1 amI boulema; Luke 2,3:51; Acts 5:38; 27:42, 43; 17:20) etc.). The Bihle makcs it c1ear that both God's will and God'" plan cau be opposed and rejected by meno Let llS tal<e the words in turn and eXamine scriptural use of them.
GOD'S PLAN
REJECTED
(Greek root: boulomai)
Fight or Fake? This sccLion ma)', Lo sonw people, SC("Bl a paf("lIthesis) 1m! the Íssue it dcals with is vital to th<:: nH'anin~ of this hook. The prohkm arises hecausc there are Christians whose views amount to a beli@f that cverytlling that happens is God's direct \Vil! amI the whole C'onflict is tlwrf'forc a fake. 1 Thcir vicws may be cxpresseJ in variolls ways, Imt tho
26
'Ve discover that an individual can rejeet God's plan for him: Lllke 7:30-But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejeeted for themselves the counsel (boule) of God, being not bap tized of him. . . . Human beil1gs, of eourse, could not thwart Cod's ultimate plan for the world, but they both can and do thwart his plan that they, as individuals, should have a part in it. The Pharisces could 110t prevent God's ultimate plan from achieving its enel. The new heaven and new earth will come, whether they want it or not. In 27
GOD'S STRA'fEGY IN
1AN HfSTORY
this Sense we may well cry, "HaJlelujah, the Lord our Cad., tho r\lmight)", reignctb.'"';¡ But what tbey can do is 1'0 opt out personally of the new crc'ation loO come. Cad ordníns that tho new heaven und ll¡Uth will come. He c10tlS nol 01" which particular inah,¡dua1i will <\cccpt !lis plan for them to have a parl in it. How, UlUll....lTe \Ve t(J lak(~ Vel'.~e~ lik(¡:; "My C()IJn!'¡(~1 shaU stand, I will Jo my gooc1 pleasllre"?4 1f we \Vere 1'0 lak them 1'0 mean lhut cV4dry dotail of God's plan was alwil\'s ena<..:tecl tben they wOllld f1¡~tly (;onlradict Lnk must, therefot(~, tak~ lllem to rci(;r 1'0 1'he bronJ Olltlines ()f what \Viii be accomplished, BOl' 1'0 detaíls about \\'hat parl cnch individual wil1 play in il. l1ulIe seorns to be no other \Vay to inh~rpret Scriptllre cons'Ístetllly. \Ve musl now look brielly al a p,-lssage l.'Ontaining the mol bOlllomai, ovel" whicll tJlere has sQTI1etirne..~ hecn mis ullelerstamlftlg. 1ft is EpheshlJls I J)-12; , • . havJng maria kn8Wll unto liS tbe my~lery uf his wiU, ncrordjng lu his :QOd pleasurc wbicl. ho pllrpos~d in him unto o dispensalioll of the fulnesli 01 the tilDes, to :'jllm nI} nU things in Cbril't, tbings in the 11cavens, Imd the lhin~ l)pOn the 0llrth; in him,1 say, io whom also we wcrc mnde a hcritage, having heen íoreordained accordin~ ro tlle vurp().~e of lIim W 'works 3D things attc)' tbe cOWlS~1 (úuldl'tl) of his \Viii (tllclCmotos) lo lhe cnd thnt \\'0 should hc ... 1'his has somelimes becn lhonghl lo be silyin~ that :111 Soll1tely all eyunt,s are direclly (!ct&l'I11illed hy Cocl's \Vill. \oVe must, therG'fore, e.xamino il eareflllly. Let liS look first at th(~ worel in Ihis passagl' remh'reCl .lS "woTh" in thc I\\'. It l'OJl\('S frmn l1H" rpot nlcrg<11J, wlliclt w(". ma)' keep in milld hy mprt's(>lltin~ it with th~. littit:-lls(;l(1 English worel "enurgizo." It~ general scnsC' rna)' be ílIus lrated by James 5:H>-'Tho f'l1crgizing praYT'r of a righte011s man avai!:; mnch." It
28
VIGHT OR FAk'E?
of Him who energizcs in me in power ..." (Paul in Colos sians 1;29) (b) "The lawless une . . . wbosc comi.ng is aecording to the energizing o.f Satan, with aH power ..." (2 Thessalonians 2;9; seo also 2:7). The samc teaching is fOlll,ld in Ephesians: (c) "... lhe purpose of the One who energizes aH things after thc counse1 of His. wiIJ ... aneI what the exeeeding greatlles~ of I1is power to us-ward who believe, aceording to thc cncrgizing of the strength uf His míght, which He energized in Christ ... 1 \Vas madc a minister, according 'lo the gift of tlHlt grace of Cod wkit'h was given me aceording to the energizing of lIis power ... aeeording to the power that cnorgizes in us .. ." (Ephcsians 1:11, 19, 20; .3:7, 20) (d) "... sins; iJl which in time past yon walked accord ing to the COlme of this world, according to thc prince of the power oE the nir, of tbe spirit. who now encrgizes in Lhe SOl15 of uisobedience; . . ." (Ephesians 2:1, 2). Both Cod and Salan are energi,dng, and Christians must tmn un to th~ rip;ht enel'g'J. Thus Panl says: "\Vork out your own salvatioJl wilh fear and trembling for Cad is energízing in YOll bnth 1'0 will ancl to I':l1lBrgize for His good plt'a!,¡lln~:i;; Coo energizes in us, but \Ve ourselves mllst plllg in to the energy in arder to "vork out our own salvag ing proC'css. Thl~ connotahons of "energizing" in Ephesians 1:11 are not, pcrhap~, nllequatcly conveyed to tlS by trnnslations like tbe HSV; "who accomplislles all things according to thG counsd of his wm." \Ve must, tbcreforc, bear this in mind as we think further ahollt tbE~ vcrsc. Thc second thjng we mll~t eonsider in Ephesians 1: 11 is what the phrase ;'al! things" refers to. In verse 10 Paul 1'0 fers 1'0 the "ull things" (ta l>anta) wbich are to be headed up in Christ. He next clarines what these lhings are (thíngs in the hcavcns and on the earth). He th("11 refers (verse 11) to Cad ene·rgizing in the "aH things" (ta panta). Surely we mllst supposc that the all thing~s Cod energizes are the same as the all things to he headed up in Christ. It does not mean "all events" or "al! that happens" but "aH creation."
29
FIGHT OR FAKE?
GGD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY
The thought is similar to that in Colossians 1:16-20 whertl \\le find that thc "all things" werc creatcd and consist :In Christ, that Christ wiJl have preeminence in them, ano tha't aH things will be reconc:iled in him. Eventllally tbe al1' things wiII be reconciled l'mcl hended up in Christ, but in the menntime Cod encrgizes them according to his plan prcsumallly moving them in this dírcdi.on. This is what Ephcsians 1: 11 seeIDs to meau. There is oe.rUünly no rder enee to Cod llptermining aU events, and no indicl,\tioll thnt everY'nnc acts aecording to hi.-; ph1J1S. II There is, then, no inCOIl!listency btltween Ephcsians 1:11 nud the clear tcaching af Lukc 7:30 that an individual may reject God's plan for him. \Vhile Cod's pbns for the l1ni verse wilJ eel't::ünly succeerl, an individual may none th less rcjeet God's pJans for lhe par!: he hinmllJ play in ili~. . An individuaJ caJ1 rejecL Cocl's gooc1 p~ans for him, 11Iit cloes Cod (lVer deliberaLdy plan ¡hat a pCl'son should b lose \V(~ kilo\\', of C()mSI~, t]¡aL Chrisl is 1'1H: l'ropitiat'ipll no onl)' fol' OllT sins, lmt [or thOSI> flf tht~ ",hole wmld. 7 kno",' L11a( Cod docs nnt dldi¡2;ht in 1111' d(~alh 01 11H' wickl"d but wOllld rnther Iw rep'1nlecl." fL will lIO! surprisl' lIS, thereforr·, 1:0 find P(~ter saying of God's plan: 'rhe tord is not slack 'concernio~ hi~ pl'omisc, as sorne count slac.~kncssi but i5 long-snfferin/i to you-ward, not wishiug (/.)(lIIlolI/aí) that aoy should perish, but that all should c'Omc to l'cpco tance. 11 God's plan does not spceil'y tllnL parti~ular in
wm
GOD'SWILL
DEFIED
(Greek root: t'hel6)
\Ve also fino that God's will can bo, and is, defied by mano Thus we read: (a) MaUhew 23:37; Luke 13:,34-How oflen would 1
30
have gathered yóur children togetber, even as a hen gath ers her chickens under her wings and Yo'U would nol! (h) Maltlww 12:50; ro,lark 3:35-For whosoever shalI do the will of rny Father "ilich is in heaven, he is my bl'othcl', and sister, antl mother. (e) Matthew 7:21-Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, sh..n enter into the kingdom or hea'i"eIi'l; but he that Eloes lile will of my Father which ilO in beaven. (d) Joho 7: 17-lf auy linan wilb ro do bis "cill, he shaH know oC the teaching, wttetber it be of God, Of whethel' 1 spcak fmm mysclf. (e) 1 J(lhn 2:17-And rhe wodd pass-es R\Vay, and the Iust thercof; bol' he that does the 'vill oC Gocl abides for ever. From Lh(;,s(-· Ver.~es we can sec that not al! men do God's \Vin. If ev(',rYllTlC \\'(,'rc acting accordir¡g to Gocrs w.ill thcn pn.'slllllably rhe)t woulci un livc foreV15f amI enter Cod's kingdorn. This wOl¡]c1 amouot to univ(jT'salism, which \Ve know Lo be I.loseripturat Thus W0 must conc1ude' that men cau aud dll n::fusc Lo do God's ",ilL NoL 1)i11v unhelif'w"rs bul abó Chrislians mav, on occasion, rejed thn ',vill of Cm1 ¡.tS well as his commancÍments: (f) 1 Thessalouiam 4;3-Fol this il\ the will oí God, even your sanclificatlon., thul you lJ.hí.fm.1l from forniCJItion. (Scc 'lIso] ['I-'LI-'r 2:15. Ildlrews 10:36). g) 1 Thesd mlians 5:17 -l9-Pray witbout ,ceasing; in everytbing gil/e Ihlllnks: for ~hiJ¡ i~ the will of Gas in Christ JeS\ls to you-waTd. Qucnch nm- tbc SI)irit ... Chrisrians 111" sometimos cll!lench the Spil'it. Some mcn ac1"nally fight' ap;,linst tbe Spirit. God, who wills that men shonld be saved, und come to thc knowlcdge of the tmth,l/J semis his Spirit to convict their hearts,)l but they Teject his phm for t1lem, \2 and resist the Spirit's urgings .lo repent. SQriptl\f(~ says oI them: (h) Acts 7:51- You stiffnecked péople and uncircumcised in henrt and ears, you do aJways resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers
an
31
FIGHT OR FAKE?
GOD'S STRATEGY n\ HUMAN HISTORY note that those accusec.l here by St"<~phen of "resisting the oly Spirit," aJthough "cut lo the heart," promptly mur~ dercu him. Histar)' shows, moreover, tha! many ()f tbis council stayed unrepnntnnt n]] tlH'ir lives. Their resístancl' to the 1I0ly Spírit nnd rejectic)ll of Godos plan fol' themsdves was n permanenl lhillg, 1t is clcar, thereforl'. thot whiclwver '\lOfi "plan" \Ve consider, thp.re are SeriptllTes shmvin will cnn be. and is, ddicd by ml1n. Ji1 NoLbin~ in Seripl11T snggests that ther{] ís sorne kind of 'xill 01' plan of Gcx1 whkh js inviolable. Sorne Christian writc'rs sP.em to hav~ been lll\üblc to ac cept this, ancl have thcl'eforc founu tllemsclvns hcin~ a diIfiéult problcm, ]f, as lhc)' belicvf!, evcl'yl1ling thal l13p !wns is Gocl's ",ill, then Hw lInr('pcHt:llICJ.J ~IIJ(l pl'J'isTling of tlw wiek('cT n111st also I>e~ Go<.1's wiíl. Yel God bitnsclf ,~ays it is not his will-so llOW l'ilTl tJll")/ rt'cOII<.:ilc dli~rH '1'11<' !l1(')sl' ohviolls approach is 1'01' llwm lo try (-n di~linAllish \Iw two dilr<'n'nl S('IISI'S 01' thp wnrd ,,-j[{, Consid(lJ' "11' follow;n<1 passnge I'mlll a w('\I-known cOIrllllelllnry llll !\omans;
It i.s lruc" Cod woulc1 not TlH'n s\¡cmkl pl'l'ish as louc}¡ing l-lis'i¡.'.lIijiud r¡;ill, rol' [Il' oll('l'l'l\ unto 11I;1I1 u la\\', prolllisl's, lliJ'l~a\L'llillgs. ;IIICI ('(JlIIIScb, ",hid. thiTI¡.';S. if he I¡¡¡el cmbmced, lll' klCl SlIrt'ly live·d. But, ir w(' Illl\le 1'(~SIlt'ct 1I11to lhal Illi.L';hl\' and c·rrl·( tnal \Vill. ¡}ollhll('s.s ~\'e cannill Ck'lI y'. hul Cocl Wllllld have IlH'Il tll lwrish. The p!mlsu "sigllifktl will" pn'slllllahly nltc';UIS hen' jjJifl.. lIs-rev(wled-lo-11I(1/l, allo ttl<: phras,-' "efh:chtal
will"
TI1C;\lIS
Thc ar~\lInelJl in lhis passagl" th('rl'fllre. is tbat V(TSC'S likc "Cocl is nol wi11ing that iJny s!lOulc1 1)(,l'ish" show liS God's '\vil1-as·"H'\'(·alp<.1 ..to-man" but the fad thar Illnny' do !wrish shows lI.~ CocIs "will-as-t'arricd· intll-eff('ct." V/e are tlllls prcsenlec1 wilh a. ~lIpp()s('d "~i~Jli ficd \Vill" whit'h is tJw cOTllpl('1I' oppositc· of his Sllppllscxl "dIcctllaT will." lIis "signifi(·d will" is thal 11(' "wollld not lIIell shol1ld perish"; his "dle<:ll1al will" is lhat he~ "woI11c1 have men to perish." No", as far as we; can seo t]ww "'01110 ¡¡;il!-({s-(;{}1Tied-illto-e/Jccl.
32
he llnly two possihilities if this view \Vere correcto One w01l1d bc· that Gon h Iying: be lells liS (or "signifles") tlmt he "':ll1t, to savC:' ~\'cr)'one but in fact hAS no slIch wisIt. The other would he tJwt Cod really does at the same time acth'cly want to s¡wc thcm and not to savo tbCl11 , In short, either Gutl wOllld be a deeciver nr he \Vould he a God of contra lliction and dlaos, Ncítber of theso ('onc1usions would be acccptahle to allY Christian, but therc would seem to be no othel' possibiJities the commentalY we quoted were cor rcel. B1It is thtrre. in fad, lhe slightl'st basis in Scripturnl lan guag<' for distiuguishillg in this rnannér between a signified aml an e!fceLual \VilJ? W" can discover oothÍ11g in Scripture wh'i<:b shows lhaf Cod has an effcclual or finy other kind of \Viii lhat me:¡1 shonld stay unrepcntant and so perish. If one is prppalTtl to abamlnn any presupposition that God's will is always donc, ancl accept the simple 13ible tnacbing thot a Hlllll )ll'rishes because he rejel:ts God's plan for him and ooos 110\ do L1J(' Fal"her's \Vill, then tbc whole elaborate ar parnll1s nf si¡!nifietl and d[ectual wills'G hecomes llnneces sar)', At this point it mighl he he1pful to mention n rathe,r dif fcrl'lll cliStillClioJl of two tylwS or ilspects of the wiU of God: this dislingllishe~ his "perrnissivl: \'vil!" and his "active wiU." lt is often snid, fnr exampk, that it is only GOll'S pennissive will th~lt peopl~ shoull! suU:l:r. Cou1d this distinction be ap plil'd to L(¡c ]Jrcscnt problfun? Conld \Ve say thnt it is only God's pcrmissivc wilJ that nWIl !ihoultl perish, but his active \ViII to savc lhemP lt is tlifJicult to comment on this sug gestiono for íl is Uüt c1ear ella.ctJy what it rneans. If we speak of Gou's pcnnis'Í\'(· will, then he is presumably per mittiug sOUlelhing. "'hat exaclly is it? Is it thnt he pl'nnits men lo contilllH-' on thc foud to ht'll whl!l1 be could trans fer lhem to ¡he ro.ld lo life? 1s it rathl'"r thnt he permits them to ebllOSe which rOlto l.hey wanl and permit$ that choiCt' to slaml'!' Or is il that he permi~ the world to carry on whcn he could annihilate itP The first of these inter pretations \Vould agaiJl be contrndicted by God's repeated statements thnt he ooes not want people ta perish. One of
ir
33
FIGHT OH FAKE?
GOD'S STTIATECY lX I-IUM ..\ N I-lISTüRY lhe otbcr t\Vo vcrsions might he better, but oue could wish fol' a c1earer stat'Grneílt uf what exactly is meant. Lel US, lherefon" ConsicJer whether the Scriphlrcs {hem sdves give ti. hint uf lwo órlslwcls lo God.'s will-aull iE so, what lb(;lY crre.\Vt" kIlo\\' lh.lt one deaJ' aspeel of God's will is his unwillingoess thut any shonlil perish ano bis desire thnt al] mel] (~v~ywherC' sbould rep(iTll and c'Omc to a knowkdge of tbe t1'11th. Is llwre anothcr aspcd? A goocl due may be hmml in themoving \Vord s of l~salm 32. David begins by saying: B!essed is he ,,-,hose 1:tansgression ti¡ toro gh'en, whose sin is coverc:c:t .• , 1 said, 1 confess my t:ransgresliiom; nnro fhe Lord; .nnd yoo. Jorguve the iniquity f m,· sin ... 1'he Lord repli~s in V(Jrsc 8: 1 will inst-rut' ~'llIp Davúl from sin lling in the fir~l' p]¡H~l:r "Vas il God's P¡·l'lIli.ssIV(' wiJ! lo tdlo\\' him to sill') \Vdl, in ;l s('me, yeso Hut tL.-. r":\SOI1 wus lh:)1 God cines llót \\'i1.ut mttll'-TiI,L' sL·n'uol.. w!lo ha,,!' jr) 11(' forccd to ohey him ,lll t]lr' time' nc' \'Ill.IlJI· Ih!l~c' wllll wiH fn·(·lyU¡ aCl'cpt his instrlldion .md (·olln:sd. 11(' w:.Irils noJaliol1sJ.ips oC mlltllal affi'dion and 10\'1', Jillt t!tose has('(l 011 S¡WIW kind 01' force. GoJ curtid hridll' llllhdi~'n:.rs, lillh'f witll tlll'iT wills and hearts, allcl lUrJI tlwtn llllo alllOlHilb.l. ((lr Il"UI1t-S), so that tlwy have lo do what !J(o! says. I,\ut il: Iw did lhis it wnuhl still not achic'v!' hi.s pllrpoS<' 01' r1cvdnping free rrb tiollships such as Iw clcsimil wilh David. We eOl1lel, then, set out t",o aspects of his \ViII as: (a) He wants al! 1l1r'1I to bu saved and lo come to a knowledgc (lf tl1l' trlllh. (b) He doeso't want a set (11' Ilri(lIed mlllc's; hc~ Wa1¡ts, thcrdorf', to 1cave 1lH'l1 f rce lo acc~~pl 01' rio:Jns(' his plan lo givp them the frep gíf't 01' salvation. This, h()wL'v~'r, Illight stiJI h(~ mis]eadillg. Thes(-: two "as pects" aro rcall)' part of tllP sal11Co' wil1. Gqd "",ants meu
will
an
34
to repent and ente-r a free love-relationship with himself. But, if he "foreed" men to repent, tben tbcir allegianee would not be freely givcn-they wouId no longcr be trul)' men but muTes. He would not bave "saved" men, but made ml1les out 01' them. God l;reated man in his own imagc and desires roen to be conformed to tbe image of his son. 17 This divine wish wiU be unfulfllled in those who perish tbrough unrepentance, but it would be no beUer flllflUed in them íf lIle)' were transfemned into mures. There is a sense in which transformation into mules is just another \Vay 01 pl'rishing. Cod prefers to endure with much long su1fcring those fit oul)' for destruction, for at least there is t11C11 the 0ppoTtuuity for sorne to respond to bis call to re ceive m~'r(JY aml enter a ]ove-relatinnship with him. 18 Thus the fact lhat' somo perish is quite consistent with Cod's de siro that alI shoulcl be saved. l11ey are eompleme¡;¡tary ex pressiolls 01' a single wHl lo Silve meno The rcason, we discovcr, for Cod not s3\"ing aH men is not that he doesxt't l'l?lIny 'Na~t too It is not a great mystcry; it is not part of his "insr:mtal,le wilL" Tt is SiBll)ly that if he were to fOlTt~ tJJPm. thcy wouId Jl(l longeli be meno He would have failcd lo adlicv~ anything of his purpose. There is !lO con tradü::tioll, 01' even paradox, betwcen tne rerishing of men amI (;(1(1\ d~sin: to SHve them. They are both necessary expressim1s (lf oi1\:' anel :the sarne wiIJ to form relatíonships oí love, sharing, and understallding with meno This is t1)e on1y conclusion \Ve can seo that reconcilcs ScriptUf0s. Jn :iny avent, thera are Sl;ríptures that make it c1ear that both Cod's '\vil!" and Bis "plan?' can be defied by indivídoals. Yet because of varíous infIuenecs, these Scrip turos sometimes get Ilégleetecl. What are these influences? Ono may be the emotion
3,5
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY the batt1e a fakc in which Cod dirccts both sides. Otbcr vcnions than tlw AV (e.g" tbe NR13) do sometimes use the word sovereign, In the 01d TC'stalllcul, ho\vever, lhere ~eeJ1lS to be no Hebrew \Vord th(lt might bt.: strict1y translatcd "all mighty" or "omní-poteut"; lhe ncarest tire pcrhaps Yallwel, Sahaoth (Lord of Hosts) and El Cilibol' (Mighty Cad). Only in the l'\ew Testament is lLene' I.l w(~rrl lJ(rrltokmtlil' that might be strictly translated tiS ull-fJOwerful, E\'cn this "'orel is lIsec1 only a total oí ten t.imes, ninc of which come in tll~s lhat· Lhev ,11'1' 2
BOt.
Fnrt}lCr light on the \\Ion} pantokrat'(jl' o\' (llnríghf.y lila)' be shcd by I kbrf'\\'s 2: H, Tlwn.: the P()\'\'<'I' (hatos) of death is Sol id Lo llave hccn in llw possessioll uf l1H': ue;:vil, Jt was, it jlllp]je,~, a ('('ntm1 parl 01' UJe greal war lllat Cllrisl hirnself had lo die OH tlll' eross Lo ",rest powl'r fmm Salan's grip, vVhateVt'r \Ve unc.1ersland, llwrdorc. hy "llll-pow(')' fuJ," it cannol he nndiscl'rningly laken Lo impl), lllat ttH'Hl nre no po\Vers 11l1t God in his lIniv(~rsc, Cod's rightfnl (1mniJrion 1 \1 is obviously lhe who1r: nnhr('rsl-', hnl parts al' il are, ÍJ) prac tice, usurlwd by other agellls to whnm he has giwu som inrlcpemkncc of \ViIl and dl'!egatcc1
36
FlGlT
R FAKE?
in the totalitarian \Vay lhey imagine' they must believe that Cod is wiUirig l'verything, Surdy thougb, if Cod rea11y is c1etennining cVNything, and yet ehildren are starving and being hombed with napalm, then a11 that \Ve b:we learned hom Jesus ahout Cad's love for tbe world is piolls de1nsioll. For cxampk, it wouJd then be the Father's wil! tha·l many oí these linle oncs shonld perish,~l) "Ve must admit that \Ve fiud ít strange that an)'onc sho1l1d be un happy lhat God cloe-s not act in tllis \Vay. We shoulc1 expect al1yoll~ rat.1wr to he llnhappy in hdir.ving that be did. A thinl inflnl"nce is tbe appeal that Cod's glory would he denied j( it \\'Cnl pussrnlc for something lo happen eao~ trary tu las will. Yet as we hnve already seen, Christ taught us thal 111(' glnry of Ctlcl do(;~ not c(Jnsj~t in lorchng it OVe peorll" 11111 in his 0"'1l sacTifice,~t If \Ve really gtasped ChrisCs rcvdaholl that Cod's glory is tbe cross, and om selVl"-S lesl'ncd to glory in it>~~ tben thc glory of Cod cuu}d neve!' ngain ))(' collfnsed wiLtl tbe glory sought by tlle natu ral minds of tlle rulers 01' the CClltiles, or, indeed, by the "worJll 1'1111"1'" himself. A fourth inHl.lencc lHay be lhe ofh'n mad0 nccllsation that those WllO do Ilot helic\lC' Cod's ~overe.¡gnty to be of this absollltl:' folm are tc
37
FIGIIT OR FAKE'?
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY as of graco, but as of debt."2-3 The suggestion that it is "works" to accept an undescrved afIer must surel)' be rejected. A more sllbtle forOl of this argmncnt is thc appeal to tke Christian's own practico, TllC questian m.1Y be asked: "To ,vhom do yon give lhe credit for yonr conversiol1-yourself ar Cod'?" But again, to use OlJr auaIogy, it "'ouId be .Q. foolish man who wouJd strut about patting himseH on the hack simply for accopting an offer to pay bis debt. Bis attention would surely not be focused on bis acceptance o( the offc-r, but on the olfer i!s,plf amI UD tho ]ove that leads tIle offeror to fulilll it if he aecepts. \~'e, Qf course, thnnk and prai,<¡e Cod for his Lave, for his olIer, anel for hi~ fulfifuwIlt of that offer to uso The fact that olllE~rs have mfused srmíbr uf[ers doe.s Hot make our o\Vn less precious, M'oreovCl:. aH this talk of "er.cclit" is not Christ-like. A sheph~~rcJ girl offewd lh heart and love of SOIOITlOH '''o\lld b", too takc.n np \vith wander amI love fo think uf ·'eredit." Tlw heavenly bri will be gazing on Christ, nol wo.ndcring if sbe oughí to cdve ercdil far ncc:epling his amaJ',ing ofle!' of I'ovc. A <::011cern wit]¡ credil 'Nould unly be the c:onct'l'n o¡: suc.h as those "rulcrs of lhe gent.ilcs" oE ",hlc;h Cbl'ist spokc. It may remind us of tlial rtmriscc who was cardul lo ascri\>e al] lhe credit to Cad: "Cod, Z tlltl'1lk thce lhat 1 am not as other Inen." Christ's kingdom of 10ve is one in which lhe grflBtf'st is the servant of all. Tt is fOllllclPll through and l-llJ'(lIlgh 011 love and not on flatte)')' or J(>sire for crGdit. Yel an appe(ll to such tlüngs has sometime.s inflnencerl the lhil1king of uven the most spiritllal men. Ho,\' curdlll we musl be to leave asido emotionaJ qucstions ami look to lhe Bihk for tcuch1ng on God's sovereignty, The last inI1uence we mighl mention is another appeal to the Christian's' own practícé: "Don't )Ion pray that peoplc will be convcrled? This means thnt you reco!;oize in your heart that they will be converted onJy ir Cod wil1s it." This is sllbtle, 1mt not convincing, We pray thnt the UoIy Spirit will powerfully convict people of their own nced, of Cod's love and ¡udgment. We do not pray that be will override
38
tlwir OWIl decision processes anel force them to believe. OlJViously ChrisLians be1ieve that other people's decisions mav be affcctcd bv their OWll actions-otherwi.se wJ]V should the}' preach? No 'marl lives in a vaCUUffi; tbis is t;uc both in the ph:rsicar alld in the spiritual-psychie realms. 21 As \Ve pral' \Ve ask the Holy Spirit to urilize and interpret onr prayel's.::~ and lhus \Ve ¡oin the battle against tbe principalitif's anrl powers in the fight to inflliencl~ meno God's ('onvictiol1 ()f a ¡nall's heart can powerfully stimulatl:". him to a dc('isiml fal' rcpuntancC'-but the Bihl:e nowhcr,e indicatcs thitl God negalc,<; a man's o\Vn choice. 2 r. On tlle contri1J'Y, Cod is [H'Cf)frH'd {-el say: \lVh<en 1 called. yon did nol answeq when I spoke~ you diduol hear;bbt yon did that whioh WIL'I ¡nrrf rn rny oyes" and chose thllt whereill 1 dclighted not.~7 God le
"S
3.
I{p"d"tioll H): (i
4. haiah
'JJj: 10. I.X,X I¡SeS
!Joule :\IJd !JouleuoTna;,
Philil'l'iatls 2: 1:3; lIw ((\. r('"ds: "fol' iL is Cod wbieh wOl'k, in you to ",ill ancJ lo \York, far his good pleasul'e." The ",,11 thin~s" of V('1"SI' 11 t:annot l'del' eilhcr to "0111 cvcnts" "ull pC<.Jple." Ji il l'delTco lo an events then Vf:'fSO 10 ",ouId. be saying lhat aH evcnts will be "headecl up" (or "uníted" as RSV) in .'), hotb 6. Ol' tu
39
GOD'S STRATEGY IN
IIU~IAN
Chúst~whieh means
nnthing, If il rderrecl to all people then \Ve mt1st .', "roan is Tespollsihlc. lH1L 011 llw nI h(;r hnntl Gc¡rl i'¡ soveret and det"TJl1ines everyLhing thu'l happeIIS:' \Ve must he earl'fltf h~·r('. First kt lIS note in whut fOlm lhe COIl' tra.s! is usnal.ly st.i.lll"l. Alnugsidu (;"tl', slJpr~ ,1dl'rll1in"lion ,,1' IIU cv('nts i.< sd "man', r~'.<ponsjl¡i.lily'" al' prdlaps "num's OWII viow d[ }Ii~ eonversioil," Now t1m Bihln IIWIOlll,kdly tlOliS ímply lIl'l11I's rl'sl'cinsihility bllt jt i" not the: pr'itne Jifficull;' J..:re. TI!a polill i.> tJll1t CLJll himsdf "1)"S Ill~ll: m!IJ'l 1'1111 Ü-'f'TTDUlleJIlly,il rojtJc1 hl~ will iln,) pldn for hinl. IlJId wIuS" (o Iollow it. Goíl "C1't". nul ~::lV 1.I1urr]\, lhal rtlLll1 Ibinkg he !;,MI do tbi.s, 1111t tha! h~ ('{In Illld doas do ~o, "rhl;s ¡r "'e an' In sel' np "1\0\'0 sitks tu the tnllh" thm'l tlw re,,1 antilJwl>~ mllst !J,': (a) Man C<111 and doe.> reject God's will and p18n rOl' him. (J,) Cqtl dctt'rminps al! ,w<JnL, "mI his will ¡s :,IWil\" d..n,·. This ,is plafll l:onlradictiOIJ, am} if ",e are lo :lllo\\' S'lI~.1 c.üJl,lradi<.:UmB in on!' tJlinking then alnlosl any doctrine can bn rt:ad into the Bíbl" on l.he hasi~ of fsoh¡kc.l vmses-Iwing I'lemld('(l a~ :1 TIC'''' ",ide Lo lhn truth." In :l rcuunt IV!' hook ATguillg ,\¡Vi/h God, Hngh Silvestcr WL,lI snys: "Once the Chri.,tian aclmfts Iha". .hera is a real :11)(1 mmplcte wntra(Iiction in his lhink¡ug hf' "an give IIp his daim lo t~llk sen.se al1d may 10}fca11y maki:: ~ill)' ~talt'ITlcnt he dltJoses. hO\\·('''(,T. nlll'rageOlJs:' (p. 41). Yet, In ,pite of lhu mauy Il~eflll f(,alures of hls lmolí. lt IS not dear tbat "'!r. Silvc'stcr himsclf rse,lpus the cr¡tidsm.Ltllcr on he te]], u< tha! "a t.hor(llIgh €\,n.lljnaliun Lhe' B;LI~' l.I-,uall~· filli~I1L" np wflb t\Vo apparentl)" irrecOIlcilable statemenls: 1. Man is !'esponsihlc f()J' bis aclions. 2. God orders or orcl"ins u11 tJlings" (p. 71). Even if ¡'hi,~ is not contrac1ietion (which is dchabble), ,t,ltement 2 is certainl)' in plain eontracliction to Cod's own assertion in (he Scriptll1'GS tllat man can amI do es dcfy his wiII aud plan. for l\'1r. Silvestcr te go
nr
40
FIGIIT OR {cAKE?
1l1StORY
on to tcll I.1S thélt "OH a pr,lc:tical level there is no tliillculty" I(;u\'~ as much t:onlratlidion as eyt,r. The choice, in fad" i.S simple. '\v,c must eilher gf'l'O up fin)' lorrn of renson [tnci acecrl pbil1 C"ontraclietilJW> [lS "sieles to l.rutn," or ei lI.J1d do wl1at is impo:lSibl.e to man; Inlt the woros ··f0roc n mlln ló [red}' do Cod\ wil.l" do not statta an impossibility. Tbey do not, in fact. ,tate lIuylhin{; ;It aH, rtlf tbey -ate :t m.eaningless wo[d serí(l~, amI Ihe adrlitiOll 01' UGocl can" in froJll of rhem Clocs nrit J'riflove lhd.r m""ulingle"'SY1<':s", Uugh Silvcster wcJl 5'l)IS: "GoJ is ;ill powf'.lfnl bUI thill doccs uot mean lfl[lt He- cnn do nnYihirlg. He l.-onrml: Dl¡l'w 2 2. - 5 ~md He CflITnc¡l make ~t raillin~ ane! not raining in (he 5lIIDe JnOLllC'll'\ llt the sClIne pl~~-e . . . WllCn we say Gncl is ulf-powE'r,f1l1 "" me.m J1~ ca.,' uo al! things tllal cmn he dctnc, Wllich douhtJns.> itldlld~, mall)' tb,ings lh •• l 111'(', irl.1p~)~ibtr tI) m,ul. But \.Ve do nol mean lhlll U call ,[(ive [l by,lrogen atom Itrld 11 heliuIn atom ¡he same atumiv ¡¡lrut:turc. F.\.'t'TI Cmlf'OulJ not cri:'ale fw.:e m.uJ.I withoul ate the smne tim(: vrÜ4t!J.lj.\ mpn whn were ¡tible to robel." (Argui.llg W.¡JTI Cocl p. 60, 61) Set' nlilt) SlCdíOfJ lB which conlains fu[tht'r comment on tlüs.
or
coa
+
11, J!lum;ms 8:2 IS. Compare HomllllS 9:22 "['he würel kru/os in th" ND\\' TeshlO:l[mt s('eros lo illlply "dominio1l" in :1 liIliljmity nf rderenoe'>, e.g., 1 l'ete.r hIl, S: 11; Jude 2.5; RC\'úll1'tiQf¡ 1 :6. T)Cnni¡UOIl is as.cribGd 'lo ChrisL ¡¡nd God., wllos~ right 1t )9 ..
ig, lo Tllk.
20. Milltlww 18:14
21. SlIC: abnve PI'. 24, 25, [lnc1 MattlH'\V 20:25.,2,H; ~,bTk 1O:4'2-i5; LuJC<-l ~2:24-27; Jolm 13:12. 22. Calatians (.): 14 23. Homuns ,1 :4; seu also sc;Gtlon 20 which &10\\" the importancp nf llm!c-'rslamlulg !lle rabhjnica.l iue:ls wlJich Paúl is horc attaekinr!. 2,1. Sec also Stll.[ord Wrigh'l in What lli Mem.: 25, Romans 8:26 2(j,. Ev(:n íll revivals on\J hpa[s o'f many who are can\'icted and smittclI by Cod's Spirit,hllt laler lapse back in unbeUef. 27. }saiah 65:12 2H. Tl]e carly dlllrch leadó!'s am} teachers coined !he ternl "fTecwill" (o repl\éSient lhe Hible's teaching that Cod atlows man a choice of whether or l10t tn ohcy him. In the nppendix \Ve hnvo shown the apparently unanimoQs t0aching among el!lrly ehureh lt:aders for the nrsl 300 ycars lh-at llJan had TJCCIl givcn this "free-will." lt is important to note that the arguID.ents which \vo haye presenku in this sedion :IrQ
41
D'S STHA'I'EGY üJ llUMJ\N IlIS'rOHY by JlO men.r.J$ novel or ncw, IJUt coincide with sorne of tbe earliest lrcnaens (c. 130200 A.l>. J, fOl' Gxample, dteel M"ttlll1w 23:37 jusl as \\'1" !lave done, lo demonstratc to his conlcmpotarle.s thdt God h¡¡~ givcn man "po,,"cJ' of (·hoke." Chrj~tiuD nrgllmeJlt~ against heretics of tho.~c days.
42
PART TWO
How War \Vas Declared-Genesis We huve scen that God's wiII and plan are not always oheycd in this world; a resístance movement is working against them. How did this resistance movement bcgin, and in what way was Cod's plan Hrst violated? Tho Bible is God's message to hurnanity, and it begins at tbe creation of thc world and oí its human inhabítants. It would seem that oven befare this creation Satan had arisen as a spiritua\ opponent t to Con, hut Httle is said as to how Or why Satan fell. We may, perhaps, surmisc that Cod created spiritual beings to set up love-relatíonships with hirnself. Love, by Hs very nature, seems to require that ability to choosc that is part oí bcing a "person." Satan was free to love or to reject Cod. In choosing the latter path he crcated !lis own evil whcrc none had existed before. 2 Capacity to 10ve is nlso eapa'City to ha te and rebe} against the Lord and his anointed. The Bible tells us little about Satan and his fall, but he appears at thé outset of human history as the corrupter of mankínd. Cod's message to humanity telIs us only such facts about Sataa as are relevant to our own history, and with this we must be content. Our
45
GOD'S STRATEGY Ji\;
HU~AN
HISTORY
question, thcrefo re, must concern the entry of ovil into our worId rather tban into thc universo as a whole, and of this Cad has told uso Howev cr figurativcly anyone may takc sorne feature~ of Cenesi~ 2, it is clear that the Loro ilJtencled us to unders tand that a choice ' ....as fadng the first mano In the idyllic situation in which man was placcd, he couIel eat of ¡my fruit includi ng that of the tree of life, bnt he must not cat of the tree of the knowle dge of good and evil. Somüone would presum ahl)' he attracte d by the tree of the knowJodge of good and evil becaus e of a Iust for power tl1TOUgh knowledge. He would have a ~eJfisll desire ro set himso1f up as a go<:P and so be índcpe ndent oí Cad. Tbi'i wouId lead to alife centere d on sel f ancl not on God, who is Love. the day in which Adam ohose snoh a liJe hl;: (in reality) chose death.'¡ Jt is cIear that h<:' couJd Bot c1l005e the wa.y of tleath and nI su ohooso to eal of tlHO: Iree Qf life. JTI choosíng the one he lost the opporh mity lo cut of the otber. Cod's eomma nd, which was surely also h:is purpos 6. \'\I'US that Adam ShOllld cat of thc tree of Ufe. Adam disobeyecl and rejeetecl Coer:> plan fol' him. Ncvürthelcss, Cod's uItimate plan wiII finally be reülized, fol' we find the tree of Jife and other fcature s oí Cencsi s rcappe arillg in JkveJa tion 22. In Revehllion those whose robes have ueen washcd havo n part in it.~ It is fol' IIw hoaJíng of aH, WhCo'll there shall be no curse any morE'.G ·W(~ sce that finany all wiII h restorc d to tho harmon y with himse1f whieh Goll intcnde and his scrvant s wilJ live in adornti on of the self-.m(;rifieinp; "Httle Iamh" and the Father who are thcir ljght. Hacl Adam graspe d the nature of this Cad of the Larnb, he could never have accepte d the uevil's caricat ure of God, implid t in the sugges tion that a power lust could make anyonc resemb le him. 7 Tronically, Cod did illtcnll man to he in his tnm image, and in becomi ng sons of Cad we partake of him and become like mm. Nothin g in the Bible hints that Adam's wrong choice might have been the will of Cod. lt is true that Cod could have preven ted Adam's sin by removi ng his freedom to choose. The troublc with this would have been that a robot
46
HOW WAR \V AS DECLARED-CEN'~
or a compu ter cannot show love; onJya free being with a indepe ndent wiB can lave. Jf love was to be a meaningfllI thing, AdaIl1 had to be aIlowe d some form of free ehoice. ll Cod allo\vcd AdaIl1 tIle frecdom to choose wrongl)', blll nothing indicates that he wanted him to do so. ti the scrpcnt Satan had becn doing Gocl's will, then we might have expecte d him to reeeive congra tulation s and eternal Iik0 Instcad his rebellio us activities brollgh t a curse and a dcclara tion oí war,lO for Cod's will was not that Adnm should falI. Of course, when Aclam did sin, Cod \Vas not taken hy sllrpríse. The divine rcdeml}tion through the hlnod of the Lamb was forekno wn indeed before the founda tíon of .he world,' 1 nnd cven in Gcnesis ~ the op,c1aration of ",al' is followeu by a referen ce to the erushin g of the sel'ppnl's llead. Sat:m wauld brlJi.se t.he hcel of the Messiah, 1m! wouM hiJnsdf he crushed by the conflicto
In the rernainclcl' of the perioo befare Abraha m, Cod dealt 'Nith righleo us and pcrfect men in their generat ions likC' Enoch and Noah,l~ yet there seems to be no sign of any l;()ordinlltcd plan of campai~n. Wc may, howeve r, find some hints of God's iJlÍl'l.ltions. As ear1y as Conesi~ 4 Ih(. accepla hle sacrificc oí AbeI was a Iamb-C od's battle emhlem . In maJ)y primiti vc societies one mayfin d vestiges of this symbol of Gnd's wnrfare , which is a warfar e waged through self-sacrifice. In sorne places roen have misund erstood and pervert ed ils rocanin g as thcy have suppos ed it lo he rol' thc placatio n of the blood-lllst of a vindict ive lyranl 01' tyrants. Yet perhap s others hetwce n Abe! and Abraha m grasped a revelat ion from Cod of its significanee: Cod will providc himself thc Iamb for a burnt offerin gY Abraha m rejoicetl to see the day of the Lamb of God 14-perhaps ít was as he himsclf raisecl the knife over his son on Monnt Moriah . Years later, in this same area of Mount 47
D'S
o;:'"l"'l'I'" 'I"'T,"
IN
y
ISlV\..E l, AJ.'\1':> GOf)'S
Moríah,1¡j nt a plaee CltUed Ca]v
poilltl'l<1 roJe fur
"In Lhe MQuI.1t of tbe Lord in (( nru clJ. uee¡¡er Sf111se..
PLA~-ABR..~HAM
lhj~
,!, "l'lDrDli'llfl ;; n~lIl1er" j Ot'
wilh words J[nd ~s.. Satan nCCllSi"'.s God mnn to God (Job :t: 11 ). f our hoolt Tlllft'" fl Gaod Quest-i.....
,\? is
Tlw E'rahreltl
t
11,
QDd
"UI,"
hook
relwnte<1, llave
f~lilh,
and aro cight une! ('T his sIlow that ~a(Jii
sra
'''lnd
,
group.. ~
Jilving the oracle.... tiOtl i.s tbe greateT
Da s
\fost of m reali;-.e ÜllIt i\hraham, and with him his ele:icL:I'ldants, OCCllPY SOlllt' ~I'~'d:l! place in God's h~lttle strategy in hiS'tory. ]'h1t what 8xactly ¡sit? Whal was God's a]J-
48
4~)
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY
salvatíon is indvpenrlcnt of\\·li~!~.he is a Jew flf i:I G811üle, what theuis tht' signffiL1Ull.:t:l uI lsrncl ueing tlle "dlOspn nation( In answcring this important question the apostlc outlines a history of Israel, uuring wllich 11e explains threu things about God's choice of them (Le., a1>ollt their electi.on). He shows: (a) The basis 01 God's chala:. 111is 'ovas not bCC'allSe of "worh" sílice it prcdateu ao)'tbing Israel did. (h) Tu effect- O/l indi,vidulIls. God's choice of Israel afft't:tt'tl in sornu way the variolls imliv.iduaJs (both J('w and Centile) concerned in the natiorú history, (') !ts allegorical significollce. Gnd's actions had vnriou¡; symoolíC'al and typalogical meanings. rc1eVi"U1t to tian of wha should h(~ saved. ('I1le opost\!"" hnd oh tiol"lcd thesG in Galatíans .;l.. TIomans 8 may thcff'forc .~étV(l as <111 aclmirahlte1 fr;.Il11l:WOnfol' our pr('s('lIl stmly of Israd':Ij plll(,(' in histnry. It will how(~\!er. he nccessar)' al varimls Jloints lo fill in fl lot of :.\ckgrouncl infnrmatioll. This infol'111alion wOllld have hCCl1 aJlliliar al finl hantl lo ralll'¡;; n:oL!crs :ill lb..: first-l'ontlll"\' ('hur<:h at ROIl\(". Tliey hac1 illllTll.:cliatc f'ollt'act w.ilh IJ~ brew lhollgh't, \."her(':ls wc: do not'o
SRA.EL STILL eHOS Pa)]1 ]legins Homans ~) hy rc'it'prat'in~ his ()WIl pers()J);¡1 :It1~\Chmuut to llis peopl(·. They aru Tsraeli[(··s, ITI tlwlll bnlong tbe auoption, thc glory, tlle ('OH·lIanls. t'lle giving nI' law, the s(~rVitT.R and lhe prnn'¡'ses, Thcirs are t1'H' atriarehs amI from t'lwm ('aH1e t'llnM,C'ssiah as far as (:'art11ly (lesc::cnt was c:oneerrt('(1. As a nntion lhl;~Y l'cccivcd sonslip ,n the glory,lO th<:: cov<:nanls,l1 tIJe La\v,í~ amI the ccrcmonies of scrviceYl As a nation they paved the way for the Mcssiah Savior of the wor1c1. llu[ if thle: is '/(1, i$ it th.tl SO l1HIII}' "f tTu;. illtli"itltwJ, in lhal natiott Imve rcjectcd thp'ir \1essiul.? This is whal the apostlc has lo cxplain, amI so he introduces the theme for the whole chapler: 'The word of Cod has not come to nothing, his prom-
50
ISRAEL AND GOD'S PLAN-ABHAHAM
ises have not heen brokeD, for they are not aH 'perseverers with God' [Israel] who are descended from the 'Perseverer with God' [Israel]."14 In other \Voros, not n11 Israpliteá lh'c up to-U18ir..nnme an havc 11 persOlllll rd:ltions1Jip with Cod 115 JIlCOb did. To explain th1S, Pan] goes hack to the start oí Israel's history, to tho patriareh Abraham. We may best bcgin our own study in the same way, and so ret\1m now to the story of Abraham.
COD SPEAKS TO ABRAHAM The slory opens witb thc first recorded words of God to Abrahum: Get rou out of your country, and from your kindred, and from Y0UT father's house, unto the land that 1 will show you; and 1 wiU make of you a great nation, and 1 will bless you and makc your name great; and be you a hlessiug; and 1 wil1 bless them that bless you, alid him that curses you 1 will CUTSC; and in you shall aH the families of the earth be hlessed. 1á 1::11 is Cocl's purpose hcre? What he is certainly nvt <1oing i~ ('hnosing ,'\brululID lo rea:i\'1! persona] redemption aud I('a\'~ lht." n-sl In IN"rtsh, For one thing it would seem lhal A11raham already kucw God, for the Lord simply be~ins to speak to him withotlt any introduction. More imporlilllt, there wero at that time other righteous men such as Lot, who were upset by the wickedness of people arounu them. 11l Some, like tbat "King of Righteousness" Mekhizeclek seem even greater tban Abraham 17 and were holy enough to be described as like unto the one who was tmly perfect,lI; The Lord is, in fact, more concerned right from the hegil1ning with the nation than with Abraham as suéh. Ahrahum is chosen as lb,· h Moreover, the purpose of the choice is not simply to give Israel a gaod timo. The Lord makes his purpose olear: . . , be yon a blessing ... in you shaIl aIl the faroilies of the carth be blessed. Gou's design is not merely that Israel should be blessed, but that they should he a blessing to
51
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HU~JA"K HISTOR Y
others. It is a part of God's strateg y in the conflict, which is a battle to bless mankin d. In his nrst words to Ahraha m, God is anticip ating th time when he will justi.fy the Gentile s tlrrough faith, for frOTll Israel carne Jesus thc Messia h in wllom al! Ilations were to receive blessing,HI How cxactly wouJd this bless-ing be achieve d? God bad aJready spoken oE this in the garden of Eden, as he lookcd forwarcl to a Messia h who.'Se hoel would be bruised . It \\'ould be in tbe Cl'OSS of ChristJ th focal point of history aIlcl tbe battle, Celltur ies latero Paul saw thnt Christ becaml;t a curso fOI US: tLat upon the Gen. liles might come the blessin g of Abraha m, in Chrisl Jesuli, that we might receivc the promise of thc spirit throu{!h
failh.
20
It is vital to OUT whole underst allding nf tbe special pIaC(~ of Israel in Cod's plan, that \Ve should grasp rhis poilll riglil from the start. Tllt' choice of A brnhnJII am] Isr:wl \Vas not merely for thcir own b(?'l1vfit; it was not a gua.roJllcc Ibol al! Jews wouId he sllved; il \VAS !'lO IMt CuLl L
ABRAHAM'S RESP ONSE We havc seen how Cad bcr~lln lo ueal wjlh Abl'aha m. no\\' dio Ahraha m reac:t? In Ccoesi s 12 Ahraha m nllC'yed Gocl's commancl and in fnith wc.:.nt out to lhe Jaml nf ]¡is inheri c tance,~1 In Genesi s 13, thc Lord made thc p;rl'at prnmis he the At danls. (l~scen m's ,'lbout the l1umbers of Abraha ginning of Genesi s 15, thc promis e was repealc d. When Abraha m pointcd out that he still did l)ot have
"
t:l_ ....
ISHAEL AND GOD'S PLAN- ARRA
,1
God's pmmis e had not come truc, so he himself tried to make it come true. It was nt that time fairly cornmo n prac tice to takc Ihe wifc's maid as a concub ine und so Abraha m did this. This union with Hagar resulte d in the birth of Ishmo.el. It was not, howeve r, a part of Cod's plan, for he intclldc d Abraha m to have a legitim ate son as heif. Only la ter, in Gem'si s 21, did Abraha m's true wife give birth to Isaac. 'fhis took pIaoe in spite of her great age and appar ent Joss of capac:íty to bear childrc ll. The hirth of Isaac \Vas a divjnel y wrough t miracle . He "vas the son who ful filled Gcxl's promis e to Abraha m.
THE DISTI NCTI O BETW EEN ISHMAE AND ISAAC 'Vhat lhen. is lhe distinct ion lwtwee n lshmfl«-l We discove r Ihat this 15 in keepin g with fOHm] ahoul tbo first caJl of Abraha m: the grp..nt illlc1 dislinct inn lis thul from haae.: w'lUld spring thl' nalinn Wht,)5e ber .M(~.~si!th wOflld hrin~ W'orlowid.. blessmg , 'Ve remcm llals individ the , dlOsml that al.though onJ~' ALraha'!!.....-wl~ Lot and >.r~khizcdp.k WnT' al~u rígbr wíth God, Similarly, 011])' ha.I(· was choscm, hllt th(;]"e is every reason lo bclícve that. as an individ ual as distinc t from as nn heir. Ishmae I mny .11'10 llllve bC("n .1f't'Cplllh1c lo (;cxl, lshmae l was tho son, such sccd~~ o~ Abra]lu m, and sharecl in the dutics of a ed, concern was life al person as bmi;.Ll rilcSY'1 As fur as his 1ad.~5 tLc \\;th was Corl that the ScriplllJ'C dearly tclls lIS Not (111)' was God presen t in his IHe, hut his destiny was assurec1; the nngcl of the covena nt who stnyed Abraha m's ham]
53
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HJSTORY
nation because he is your seed,"2R Both Ishmael and Isaac were Abraham's seed, but "in lsaa(; shaH a seod to yon be named" (this is the literal meaning of the LXX and Romans 9:7). PanI l1lakes it denr in Galatians 3,: 14-16 that the "seed named to Abraham" was ¡esus Clrr,ist, and the bless ing which carne through Abntham to fue nations was in 2V Christ This i5 the grcal dilftlrW1Ce betweell Ishmac1and Isaac; from Isaac sprang toe natíon roto wbidl Jesus was born. This also expbins th~ dimax of Va'lll's J,ist Jo Romans 9;4, 5 of the distinctive charac:teristícs of Israel: "... of their mee, according to the f1esh, is the Christ. Cod who is over aH be hlessed for eVef. Amen'" (nsv). \Ve find, thercfore, that GOfl'S choice (lf Isaac ruthe. tJum Ishmael reIated to his plllce in God's battle slnH'cgy. There was somelhing that Cod wanted to do througb Israel for the worId. 1'h0ir chosenncss did not autom,üicn:]Jv save thom anc1 damn aH others.
THE ALLEGORY
OF ISHMAEL
AND ISAAC
Before we return to Iook explíC'illy at Homans 9 an impor tunt aUegorical lesson is to h~ lcarncd from lhe slory of Isaac and Ishmad. PauI rdcrs lo l!lis in Gu'lalians 4:21-31. Gocl had made a great promisc lo Abraham, which hac1 no appal'ent likclihood oE h(dug fllltilhx]. Abraham Wl'llt ahcad WithOllt Cod's guíe:lance ancl trlcd to fuIfilI lll(' promiliC by a device of hi.~ own, the rcsult of w!li('h was IsbJ1tad. Ishmacl, therefore, represcnled Ahraham's "works" in un efFort to produce ])y his own initinlivc what Cod hae] promisccl. In this senSe Jshmae1 was a "cJlild of th<; Uesh" (GalaUans 4:23, 29). \Vhen it cam(~ to Isaae, Abrahnm could on]y consíder the womb of Sarah which was then as good as dead, and yet have faith that God wou]d work a miracle.:1O Isaac, therefore, was, a u chilc1 of the promise," a rcsult sheerly of Cod's POWC1 and Ahraham's faíth.~l Cod has a]so made a great prornise to US, él promise of eternal life. If we go ahend in OUT own strength anc1 try to earo lt or
54
ISRAEL
GOD'S PLAN-AnRANAM
makc it come true, thr=.n this too would he "works" of a kind comparable with tLosc of Abraham. Tf wo did tbis, wc míght (llke lhe Camtians to whom PllU] wrotc) become ensbved lo a series of pelty regubtioos, producing in us n l.wf!llt í'llJlrllctt'1' Tntb"r thnn ..1 hn1r eme. Paul compares this to ll)(J son oI' a sIav<;:, th€l ~nn that Abraharn prodllced in his own sLr('ngth amI "works." If, on tbe other hand, wo have tlw I'aith thal Cod wíll work the miracIc of rebirth am] l'CllltiIIlH', tO lJring elerna] Jife to 118, we hecome chilclren of Ihe prOlnisc. 1'3u1 S(WS both AtJl~all8ñ1's situation and 1:": im'olving a choi(;e bclwccn two diffcr.ent path waV1i W toI10\".~~ 'nn~se are: ) IprOl11ise--'\\'Ül'ks-shlV{'ry as a chil<1 of the flesh (11) PWlllisc-faith-God's pnwer brillgs ]ife as a child of thl' prolllisc. . ThlS ís lhe ::tllf'gorir·al meanillg of lbe story, and it teaches IhaL faíth amI not works is lhe melhod of Codo The paralld wa~ nol, 01' C:OUl'se, meant to be taken too faro For one t]¡íllg 1he prorllisu c:onccrning haac \Vas made to Abraham, wlwroas lile pl'ornisC' cOJl(;eming us is macle to ourselves. S(,C'ollll, tl1t' rlron1ísl! Lu .\brnh.an¡ implit:'d nothing nbout ar'l~!oIH'\ illd¡vídlJlll ~·L(.:.rn¡11 ~kslinat-j~m; the lnumise lo us ('('rlatld)' does klvc s\lch impli('r1ttons. .I\..~ with his other allalngic.s:::: l!lis alkgmy of Paurs is helpful only if not lm'~!wcl lo l·xtJ'(~me ddail. "Vil·hin the context int('nded, Paul lISC':'i H in ~I mastcrTv wüy.
PAUL
RELATES TlIIS
TO ISRAEL
\OVilh lhes(-' tlm±to· trains (lf lhoughL: (a) 'file basis 01' God's cboico of ]5rae] (b) Ils dEccLs on inrlividuals (ro) lis al1egori('al sígníncance we are nnw in a pnsitioll to return to thc tcxt of Romans 9. V/e remember how Pmü stated that they are Dot aU per sC'vcrors wilb Cad cven though they ore descended froro thc Pcrs()vurel' w¡th Cmp· He thcn went back to the start
55
GOD'S STHATEGY lN HUMA1\" IllSTOHY
ISRAEL AN
OD'S PI..tlli-ADRAI-IAM
cy are A.bl'aham's
your ~eed be -esb that ar 'e
111 out
Q
th
to b <:hild whaJ it is tbl;l pl"orrüse tha US,. t:oday. his rneaninl'!: ,all
c¡E thoir work,,"
IJ,
n¡j ""huse Isaac, aiJll t'IJc: l'hllri-
N(JTF.~
1. S,-'C' '11S0 i'oCCUOf) .19. 2. Al'ls 22:2~
.1. Ál"ts 10:3·1. 35
4. SC(~ also "<,ctinll 18. 5. ROIU.IllS 3 (i. R('l1lJaI1S 3:21-4:22 7. Rrmlans 4:22-('h. 13 8. Tbe Grel'k hüre mPilns "priestly servit:c" nr "T('mplc, worship" NEU) .
.'56
57
IlTI;:CY' IN HmlA:"J
STORY
(S
\'01.
135-13 15.
Hi. 17.
18. 19. 20.
I:If lb
al! '\Ved
Isra
d God S Plan and Esau J
COD CHOSE A NATI' IN EMBRYO
1],'1 'lu(1miNo,' -¡.ll" ni thi'
.58
In lhe llcxt parl of Homans 9 lhe llpostle pm~ses on to the nexl poinl in the lJistory of Israel: ... nol only so; but Re· becc[l abo hnving conceived by one, even by our father Isaac..--for 1 being not yet born, neither having done any thing good 01' hüd, that the purpose of God according to elcetioll might stand. not of works hut of him that cal.ls, it was said unto bel", Thc dder shall serve the younger, even as it is wr¡tlen, JllIl'Ob lloved; hut Esau 1 hated. 2 P(,I)(l1o oFten LíilIo uoclcrstnnd that in lhi.. wIlol, the ,upU'Stl~ í~ lfilkin~ aboulnn.tio.ns anCl Tle'L aboul lm1.1VJu tlals.:: Tmning llt> ll](,: passago hnwcd himself down to lhe ground be fore Esa 11;' nddr<:'ssíng him as "my Lord"r. and caIling hiro· seJf Esall's servant; 7 Jacob bcggcd Esau to accept his gifts 8 for Esau's faec seemed like the face of God 'lo hirn. n Esau the individual ccrtainly did llot serve Jacob, it was the na tion ES
59
JS1L'\,I~L
IISTORY
strntel!Y·
LOVED 1ACOn BUT ..•ul's ncxll(llolatioli: JRcob llave 1 lo\'cd bul ESfiU have 1 l13ted comes, as IJ. C. ~iloulo pointcd out, "from the proph ct's nWSS;.L~e ;¡ rJlil1<-nnilllll Ialtlr," Ti'. F. Eruc(~ comoH'uls lhal tJH~ quol-atioú j.~: "fmm \fal:.lc11i 1;2f, wherl' a~;¡in t}le conlc:·;l illc1i.cates it js lltt.: llabOlLS of Jsrad al1fl E'(~nlTl r~lth('r than thdr individual ance~lOrs Jacol,und r~a'l, 1.11:'!.1 an' 111 vie..." ," Th~ Ll)rJ hJ.:i lu\tfTlllw !l;tlic~rr nf llmlT"llm~ har, jjl)ll ,)f Eu( Sinc.:e Co(l bas l1sf'd tlwsC' wmrh 101m find Iwtt: in this \Vay, \VI" Jllnsl ask whcllwr 111-: nnvw11,crt, jlldicllles: what hl' U1Hflns 1>v llll:m. i\ ('lnc ('oRles firsl .' Jacob ilsell': And SiC' WCnl in llt..O UJll>
nlso nElchol mm'c tilan Leal., a.mI s
llter y~ur5, And lhe Ltml SRW l~t Tlle tC)(l ils(,]f SI't'IIIS lo ill(liC;ltl' lh:¡k hnft"fl Iwrt' m\.:uns "lo\l'd 1M':' lhun." Banles say:'?: uf, \Vas enllllllllll alllLlllg thu rc~\\'s tn ll~l' lhe lonns 10\'(' :.11"1(1 halw(1 in lllÍs <'0111p:1r
60
AND GOn's PLAN-JACOB AND ESAU
olhc.:r rd('fcJ)ces, and "re must suppose it to be so Ul Malachi 1 :2, The verse do~s not mean tbat in a literal batred of ES
[01'
Edom,"Ir.
Tlw conl('ltl oE Malachi 1:2 io also important for our un dpl's,[¡mding of the meaning of PallrS C}uotatíon. God sai ¡-hal l)(~ hau showll speC'ial favor lo Israel (~1alacht 1:2) and whl'JI lbey askt"d in ",hat wa}' this \Vas so (M alnchi 1:2), ll)(' prophct pninteel out how allslcrdy the Lnrd deall wilh (he natioIl nf Edo¡n compared with Israel (Malachi 1: 2, 3). Yl!t lhe Israelites, the pl'Ophet compIllined, were lJC'1luving \/(TY sinfllI1y C\"(,II in spite: of lhis speciaJ privilegc
(Malachi l:G-14), 'Hu'l IllaV \V('11 hav<' had this context in min ll\(' C¡lIotalioJl in lo Hllmalls 9:1.'3. JI lli. hr mll sal!,iJ \\'Iw"... r-1k rlí1"I'llJla!1.' of I."!'Dí'l f~ <;I,,¡¡~cl-ijJ:"tliC'lttQ!!~lI
61
COJ)'S STHATECY IN UUMAf\ 1:I1S'füHY NOTES
a-e
1. The italicized words in RV "the cllildren" are l10ticcaWy olllilled by Pau! (rom (he Cl't'f'k lt:xt nf HOlll ans \:J: 10; ¡TI in("rpolatillt\ lhem, the lransJalors obscure his argumento 2. Rornans \1:11-13 3. Tbe point has, howevor, beell !!mphaticrllI)' reitewtea IJ)' rnany famous cornml'nt:lries uf \IIKlisPI¡f,ed sclLti!JtrslIlp anrl aUll1oJit)'. sllch as Barnes, Eruce, Brunner, Doddl'idge, DUl'rImelCiw, IUlison. Crrrvie, Citrorcl, (;ol'e, CrilUlJ"I-T.hnfllas, Jmnitide-. al1d Sanclft.}, :111d J Ilr.llll;uIJ; S"" espec:ially Sar¡day and Headlam, amI Corl'. ' 4. Cenesh 2.5:23
5. Cunesis 3.3::3 (i. Cenesis 33: 8, 1.3 7. CCnesIB.33;:) 8. GCl1esi.s .33:11
\:J. C:cneSJS 3.3:10
10. Hum:ms lJ:Il !j'lluling- Gcn~'si.s ~5:23
J 1. Cel;l.ll~¡s 2lJo:30, 31. 'rho l\\'o J-lebrew wlfrrh for InVl' imd hal'
((JlwÍJ i1uc1 _~(IIw) are lh e samc liS in Mnl.lch¡ 1: 2 allC! t'rov"rl J~ 1J;2.j, T¡le Sl'plUB.gillt abo lISeu t!w ,same (:n-ek wort!s (lg,qJ(/{; aHd lIH!SCO) in al] lhn~ of the~e pa~SQges, TIlO Now 'l'~~l;lmt'lDt U~iiS rh" s¡¡mro tWI] Cre-d: wurds (agal'ocJ ¡¡mi mcS{'i~) in al! lhe Verw¡ which cnnl't\ill this ¡mm uf c:ompari.,ol'!, (i.,~., MUltJ)cw (U'>'é!; LHlle J .l:2lc¡¡ I(3:J 3; aud Jlolllalls ¡jo 13). TI ":n-' GJIJ IJl' lift,/.; dnllbt" tlicr'cfMl', tJull [hü fom'l oi l'ompar/SOI' \\'ollld ha\'" VI!\.'II WI',JJ klliJWII lo Ihc J"""' ;.., an idinm-bolb ;11 th~: Hd,"'c'w aoc! in Ihe G~k.
12. See also Crilfilh-TlJolllas l/oly tl/llel J01lllCS Nt1i! r\'mnrkccl
:HU] ()lJll"-'J.
IJI
J.:lJurYc/({!l Uf". in file
sim.i1ar lIeb. uw l.igun: of -'[><"""1,, "In (jvc:r so mallY. plllc"s. tll<' 11l'b"t0'(' '1101' follo:\',~1 by 'hllt' .loes r".J~ deuv al al!; and nol thr.s l)ul Ir.,,! ~illllds /lIt HIllll'r tlHl1 1'1",111 tllls. Tll1;s Gud SilYs lo Sanllu·l. of ¡IHe "hilch,," uf Israd, '''''b.·y· fl'j"c1cd nol th"c. hnl II ... y n:¡"de'tI Ml',', "'hiell III11S[ 11I";111, 'T11\1) n'j(·(·t<-d' M., rathl.'r t'hall n)(,~,.' rol' Ihey ¡f¡d \I.t'ry dl'finil:f'ly rl'íL'd' S"mll"l, lln tll(: grolllll'¡ lhal !t(', WilS ald :llId his .SllJi1l w,'re 1101 walkilJ.i~ in hi,s \Va)'s. \Vlwn Jowph n:wgllanilllollsly snid, lo "on1Ímr his 111'011","" 'JI W:I.S lwl you thal S<'II! mí' he'",-, hut (;lId'; hís w(lrds l'!ll1ld lllliy /Ile~tn, 'H W:¡S 011 :,1
ratJl~r Cod than vnll,' clc."
13. Lukl' 14:2'0
H. Sql' also Proverb-s .l3:2·1; l\.faltIJc\\·
hale: iN such ('{)Jnparis(]u.~.
('i::H
for orher uses of ]ovel
1.5, S:mday a1HJ II"a(llarn Wl'r.·, iu r!-l/.s illSt.llll:". 'l"oting (:01''' in Struli!l ¡¡¡Mica iii p. 1'J.
lG. Sec scdiou HJ.
oses PAUL'S OPfONENTS Ir m¡ly imagine
bc~
difficult for liS in the twentíeth century to type of argurnents and opponents Fatll had C;O)ltlnuaU>, lo deal with, For this reas()n we inelude in sec lion ] 9 a more detailed ou.t1ine of early rabbinical and pharisaical leachil1gs. MaIlY of tha 1:'lmri~s anc1 rabbis \vete com.pletely bOllnd ut> in the idea of '\vorks,"l T lhought iliat Israel W21l lhe chelStUl natinn IwL'SIWW thc\' had l -
th~
-
h<,;(.·nme
They llH' ex-Ph"
of Le v\" tnfTltc-d privilege as he thought Lest would provoke -in tlwm l'n(o; immcc1ia!e J:eaction: "ls there lhen unrighteous m'ss with Cod?" Panl answcrs "No!" He then gocs on in Hamans !':l:IFí. l6 lo poínl out that uVen M05(':'¡ Te~veJ spedal rÜ.. . Uf her.'tJ.II... · C¡.a ),-n.ew lrc-~ h I
.'
U
U
,t
lo
~-
::..
".
igll-
MOSES TESTED The inciclent to which Pau] refers in Romans 9':15, 16 is in Exodus 33;19, and the ",hale background of it is important.
62
6.3
.OD'S STR..>\TEGY IN
1I.IAN
TOR
ISRAEL
that
GOD'S PLAN-MOSES
Moses to plaY lhal Cad ",,"ould blat ok of life i1 lsracI were condemued, than it was for Paul to wish to be acclTrsed to saYo them,O lt is ose Wl10 sin who are blotteJ out-and that, nrltwlth standing cllat lhe Lord, as well .as ?o.'loses, "has no delight in llw d(-;ath oí ilie "ricked,"LD Thc Lord s<.Úd tltaL the IsraeUtes were a stubbom pe 0 plc, amI he couh} Jlot go in the midst of tDem. His purity oulr1 (~Ollsurne tbem.l1 In reply Mostc'.S rcminded God oI !l1 piL';l wnrus al ~lir(;:chnll <1m' his instruoticms to kad up '-hill llanO'tlP Wmdd th(~ Ll1ru lherefore r~t~aJ llimsclf so th¡lt Mosus might r~ceivt: grnet' and CClllsic1cr that the (admiU('cUy sinflll) Isnlelítcs wp.re reilly c1lOsen?¡¡: The :Lord l"cplierl thalhe wauld ~() ",iIll !lijases and give rest to hilO,11 'r\'(oscs rcplicd lhat on'y íf the l.ord. wenl ,vith Ih"ID (un) \\,ou]J il 1)(: kl10vvn that both he and the peo ¡/rolr. Jultl fOWld grac.'f' in his sight. l1w Lote1 Ulen agr~ed to ...llOW him his glory.'ti Bul he m t() ",hom 1 will he graeiollS, .. wW show In • 11 this? It is impossi111e to (WeT,
no
A~D
melt'O US'1l fUf
,oru gavf.' seem
pmpostJly
auage. Nt¡;v~rlhdl"SS an eX~ pblllltioll ma.y he Sllggeste-~l JI WId noticf' that the Lord cOlllilluülly n~pJjcd in lhe sÍn~,lílw.' (thC'e) to Moses alone, wlll'll'llS Moses 'lTwtl)i/i tricd lo h1-,,'oIve the 'whok nation in ¡In' Idcsslllg.17 ~I()s(;s wRnlec! lhe LOí:ll to go up in the mi(1sl uf llltl n3lionl~ bul the Loro Cúukl not. lest h<" cousmue llJ(~1l1'. y,pL, in a wny. thcLpru did go IIp in tl1eir miust. To ~·Io).(·~' n']'1call'cl p1c'I.\B lhl' Lord ma(lt~ a promisc that ht' wOlll<1 do I1lHrv('I~ I>cfun: ~'lose"i' peop.le, etc:. "Vhen ?'!¡loses Ginll' c!mYTI lIle TTi01JUt1ÚI1 []w tnrc1 dicl i.11l1eed go jntn theIr 1I11d~~t for the: tace of }Yloses himsdf shonc and the glory of Cad wns in him,::o 'nlis, iu ils conlc~, til,lgge.st.iJ the me
6.')
GOD'S STTIATEGY IN J-IUtlIAN lJJSTORY
understand his battJe sITcüeg)'. Tbe Lord was sJwping the destinv of Israel. Thev WE:re indeed the chosen dcscen ¡ danls oE Abraham-hut tbis shaping was to be don~ through oses and not iD the more direct- fás!:únD that the humhle ~<10s8s would bave vvished. 1'his can he greal encourage menl to liS. Sornclitfles we may not llnd(~rstalld Co(]'s stratcf.,'Y. We ma)' (likc Moses or Jo\braham) btt pleadiu); with him to do thi.l1gs tha! he himself ,,,,ouId like lo do, huI: wbich ,u'e impossible b~C<\tlse af peopl,(~'~ .\iin, Nevert.!'atless, if nur hearts are righL wilb hirn anll ir our motiv~ Uf(- pum, t!len we rtppros pan: Sodom ¡¡: ten rigbtenus ú1l:n could be found tbere) Enr Ihcn righleoll~~ LOI wou!tI aIso hav(>. per ished, Cad aI1Sw~red instelld Ihe desirc.s of' Abraham's hearl, aud
D (01)'S PLÁ.I'J-MOSES
ISHAE
~
Lhun.nmg-slL What Pau! actually says bears no rr.seJftl:>lal1C'c lo sllch a thonghl; his is a deeper and more consistf'nt ollt!ook. With Ihe H(~brew background in m/ud tlJ(' irnplicatíolls of his wonls bccorne man: dear. He js sayin¡; lo ()pponcnt~ al that time: "Of course there is no unrighloollsncss wilh Gocl! l\'loses fOllnd jI' difficult to see why thr~ T.orrl was ,lCting as he \'Vas, amI the Lord had lo explaill lhat he knew lwsl Lbe way to distrilmte his favor. TI' is 11M ¡¡ mattcr uf what YOIl \\'ollld like-for even Mases tlicln'l geL hís wishes-it is a maller of God-dctermined stralegy" 1f YOII ol)jcc! lo tlJe. way in which God is dealíng wilh Isnl<:,l lhjs ouly shows yom misunderstanding of the prillc.ipl<.:s 011 which Cod worb. Cod's dealings with Israel at thel tinH: ofl\loSHs wr.re e~rbin!v not c1eeic1ed hv Ismel's supposed m(~nls :llld works, fUf lhey \Vere v{~ry sruful. the n1t'ril'li uf rigbtt."O~ Mos.es~ did not enable him t Cad':; clealings. Cad att~ :lCCordinl! to bis whol for his plan in history. Thi j
l1YWl'lf,"
-
vVe
hl~ve arriverl at" the trllth thal
Cod is graciolJs to \Vhom Eor ou!)' he knows the overall slralegy. ,¡JlmiOll he) mul.¡,;s lo lhi..\ incidenl
.'
-
-
¿'
promi~e híll jl1!'iriee in tUl)' WllY, CUT Glld snys ciple o¡: individIIltI dmiUl :llll] T~pl'nslliilit, Whosoever hus siunea agalll,st me, him will 1
book.":!·l It would be foolish 1'0 slIppose that Cod's stratcgy would
66
67
ISRAEL AND GOD'S PLAi'J-PHAI\A
GOD'S STUATEGY IK HU\IAN IHS'TORY 20. 2i.
j~ :l
favnril(' OJlr' with Pan!; s('" 1 2:16.; Calatians 2:l; 5:7, and d.
aule throl\~h prffYer.
ght Le· Jf Cod'~
'ES
lli
l'.lItl
1
fU!' 1m .1./ wlth .fw Cfjj r:¡],!llnr, ltl" L¡¡\~. 01'1/1'
whid,
rond.
2. Ce.llcsis ]8,20, 2.1 3. F.zi'kir-J :tJ:1J JO, soe ,,\so J¡¡;~w, Sec aho s,·(·tinFl líi llf (Jltr hnok TI",!,. ti C(md (lln:"'I;"'1 fOf SOl1w snggeslions :l!loul 11,0 stl'atügl ill\fo!v(·,1. .5. Ei~lJdns :32: 12-1·1
G. E~udus 32,,34 7. Hehrf'\\'s 3: 19 O. Il:'wllus 3.2.: 1
9. E:todu!í 32:32; H()m~lIs 9:3
lO. Exodm :Q:3,'~: ~~ekj,,1 3:]
11. Exodlls :33:5; nole.; tha' in \'CrM'I. 7-11 it is s)w~iCicd lh"t ti .. lcut alld pillar nI' C'lnnd w['rl' ",,'Hhmll lhe Ül)l'np.'· ()u'ly r.·r(1~e"s :111r\ Joshll:l \\"~ll.l tu
1l. 12. Jo:mdns 11:12
13. Exodus, 3:3:13 14. l':;;;o(lns 3.'3;14; The warll IQlldered ",,,co" (HV, AV) in ¡his V(:rs(', is singular ill t·llt: JI,'hTC'w-lhongh this Lid is 'lrlforl!lnateJy lost ill lhe rnoclem. versiOlls ",ll¡eh te.;lll:kr "vou." 15. Ewc![]s :~3: 1(; . 16. Exo<1us 3.3;17-18 n. Exor!lIs 33:13,14, 1.'5,1(;,17; 3·1:9, C'[O.
18. Exoc1us 34:8 Exodus 3,1:9, lO
19.
68
Israel and
d
lan-Pharaoh
Al tbe t¡TIlle: of the birlh aL Israel as a natíÓJl there \Vere t\\"o great Figun::s: Moses and Pharaoh. Pan] continucs his olllline of kl:y pOillls in IsraeTs history hy taking a brief look at lhe slol''y' of Pha.raoh. ~"[oses' heart \Vas in tune with the h<"
says untoPbarlloh, For this ver y purpose did 1 raise you 69
LSRAEL A['\D GOIYS PLAN PH
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAr.; mSTORY up. tbnt 1 lnight !>how in you my POWC1', ~md. th.at InY nnme might he publisfmd ~broad ir. all the elldhi Sensitive hcarts have oftcn bccfl dísh'escsed hy misumler. slnndings of this pnssage, whích arisc froDJ failllre to stucly in dctnil whnt the SC'ripturc teaches about the "hardcning" of PIlaraoh's heart. To grasp what Pau! inlcndcd to convey to the recipients of his epistlo, w(' must llll
thlls ",1)('11 i t
.oH
the mast common e thlc' \\lord stl \VP
the
P HARDENS HIS HEA.RT ses' mission, the l.ord poop10 go only if
Three dislincl Hebrew -words an' Ilscd in J':XOlJlIS in con· lwclion with lbe "han.lcning" uf f'haraoh\ hear!: (a) qaslwh: FrOln lhis n:rI) (!JI' rool) are (1eriVC'
70
71
ISRAEL A
he Lord ha.d spQken unto .. l,ready prophe:;ied m Exo"
to !lhow
Y0l!
GOD'S PLAN-PHARAO)
my power, Iffid
:clf
ích he woul.d act would lrn, a~ graduallv lhe hand
lo carry
p ti The Lord's
a soll'l'I1o hav~~
r bl
Ilt
i5 ,k
bis own van
72
ID
73
GOD'S
ATF;GY IN lW~rA.~ l1lSTOFlY rSHAEL AND
..L8a.1l.JJ1i1...IUU~t! __ \'J..JU'
D'S PLAl':-PH
T
'-JO\.,....
n.
IlITa gc::tn:eal~t,ou l ~!':.I~ Jt''1 i~.:us Ill~, ti 11 , iliIl'DTcilcu..lll..u\Vt.·flfl~l.I- \\i
,
" thnn,~TJ rour Thc fact rdusc to lilwrate GO(l's peoplc IHay ha\'!' madI' it easicr ror hirn lo rcfuse again, c'ven WIHlII hi,~ gllilt l'wcame !llore ohviollS. In this S(T11S~ God's a cti 01 I Illay llave inclirectly c'ncouraged Pharaob along a paU. lhat li'd lo more ~lIilt. This ís certainly u pos~lhility thouglJ th(' pl\l'asc "jllllicial hanlf~lIillg" cIoes not secm no altogt'lhel' slIil',<1l\(, \Vay of d!'s<.:rihing it. fiut evcn if G()ds at:tiollS ly his NigTli> and hring lb forl!l 111 gn'al ac.:ts, so Ihat thc Egyptians ShOllM know that \t(' was rlH: lrlll' f:otl (Exoc1us 7:3, 4; 11 :8; ]4:4, 17, 18). (d) That bis \)Ill
1
ilt
Lh(~
S:11l11 Il'I
Wlllll,;
mighL be declarcc1 not only in E.gypt
wbo\co ('urlh (Ex:oclus f.J:I;j.lB; Joshua 2,:10, 11;
KH;
!<:X0c111S
],'):13-18).
sRAEL'S
LACE
A~
GOD'
EMBLEr"fS
1'1](' Aposllc: ]Jau1 bríngs top:ether in Romans 9:14-18 God's c1t-aliltgs wilb Pharaoh anc1 .spccial favor shown to Mases, f Cml L'Ul1ccrm. IJJ(' uesl!uWs. o '\uJ~ nol-mncamctf wUh s
crnal des and Pharaoh 11ll'tiOTI And dll.. ¡ tiny uf th~ nalion of Israel Gocl's al.'tions do, of COUl'SC, afFect the tw
í/l 75
lSHAEL A:'IlD COD'S PLAN- PHA
, ']\ HU?\JAN IlISTO RY
indávidunls conccru ed, l.Jl1t do not alter their eternal and person al des(inic s. 'nI(' latter arto' not the conccr n of this passag(: . ..nI'
Unw of Isracl's hirth as a natiOD. In the final and conc1usiv plague , any housld lhal' murb~cl itsclf with the blood o God's s)'mbo ] of the slain lamu useaper l lhe wralh, At this, tbe omergf'I H;;¡; of the natitm, thc Lord was loo1-ing forwurd í Lo lhat grCtlter vic:tory
pas sec1 1./1J'otU!,h thc S:lllle Red S('[I.1Q J (ere God ""as show ill~ lhat lhe wl\Y uf escape from the forces of cvi1 15 tlr:trlJugh
s 1 nI tnl' fllltinJl I JI b1\ICJ, Tlll' js il,
pl'l'par alioll for 111111 S"l-d nI' Ahfllhum who \Vas lo Olllll
lo n'{kf'11l llH' world.
Thl! (1'1('StiOll
01' l'¡¡nl's (,I'ilie: "h IIH'I'f' Ihen U1Jí'i~J¡toollS
..o¡. Tt Wflt¡Jd r.lf"Ss wilh Godr"lq is /l1llS s!loW" (o h<.' SL'tlSI']c's ('fr"'t~ llin"l"t ll\\n hi~ h\ ("lUlrt lw foojü;J¡ In ~.'(rc·ct thui mnl! alld I~I1f''iS n¡ghl<'Ol d', \u-aL"ID" m 1i1\IOc) ;s simpJy do not ('nter! hc' c¡uesl'ioll, flll il C'Oulrl 0111)' conc\!j" ,ah»' htJ "unhlil' '' if lhrnllg;h IrIIHl)i allr1 "works " a eO(]'s ;,¡dinns as TIl[ln coulcl he(.'omc us well :lbk (o dire'C:I IIno,""s th J.1cmL' Gnel [har ; ::;00 ]¡iIl1sdff Bul il is olwiom as h, m~n nI' ~JTLtir; th,' JJI nl best wnv fa,- ¡ti"l 111 inlt'fV(' Israel, of origlll 'f'lle n. sah·alio ~p{;ks to cxknrl !lis plall CO(l'~ e1eL'tioll of (hcm in Jacoh, ¡¡lid lhf' oy"m(s surrolln dín tJlcir ClllC'rgencc as a nation: llwsc ;111 (kmons lratl.l tlll. prilJC:ipJe lJ( Cml-de :tennirl f'd Slrnl['gy-t1wre is no trnc(~ of a prinC'iplc of "works .'· :ran, the point of vicw of lhis book wc mi~ht aIso notic~~ thl:l emblem s of Cod's warfare that appenr agaill al' the
or
76
"hl,lptis lll"-wlJ icll \Ve kno\\' represe nts thc path of S11 illg. detltll, alld n~;mn'ectionYfl l1le sulferin g nnd atoning dC"ath or Cltrist, ¡¡nd tlH' sllH'ill'iI1g and dcath of tbL J)1aftyrs, will lilially 1)(' too l1111eh f,)r the forc('s of p.viL The horse y ;lntl his ,..irler will he thro"'l1 in lo tbis "Sf'a." Gocfs sttalcg todar is similar tu lhell. In tlw dlllH:h tIC is readúu g liS (likl.l Moscs) lo stallcl, lhat we may ser thf' saJvati on of out" Cod.:':' TlJe cll1lrch is moving toward tlw "(Jvl.l day" In thf' hallh.. 01 lhe Lord. In lhis da}1 Wlo: mnst willlshll1cl. amI ha\'illg UOlle all lllllSI stand . . . 22_ ns though trnppcd bc com 1\\,C(¿il I'llnr;¡o1t ;Ifld tlw R(~cJ Sen. Throug h this will powcr, his and Salan of 'ion cxhausl
mI
walers cOYt'r llll' s('a.~
NOTES I\lllnall, ,!):J7 Pl:lul¡ lt "I·(.'l.llS lO ns I]lIitl' \\'rOllg lo SIII(¡(e!>t, lIS ,,[¡nll' h.. "I', II¡,I! oJ thei ult'rl'I)' sltln¡,¡illg Il;Jgl.'lhl.'r "proof lexts" 'wilh IlO thollght uri~m.tl I'ontrxt allll \\'l,kh bil to AIIS\\'(!T tlll' fJllt'stion ilJJ)'WOV, Pllltl rn(Jl.Ilhpi~cc PI' thll Hol~' \VIIS nnt SlJIIlI.' 1110."1'1' 'll1ibilHn g fflhhl, bl1t 1l11' S.'¡ril 0\1,,1 lhe :\ulhuriz l:,l mp~~lI~cr (llpostk ) 01' Christ.
l. 2.
3. Ex()(1IL~:3: l!
·1. Exod'h 5:2
5. Exo,ll1s 7:13, H mCf1Il O. Exmllls \J:] 5-] /:l: the l1ehn,," "maria lo stand" clmltl 'lIso SalJ(lay lineo lhis lakus (I!..'lx) inl "a\l()",("] to stand:' anc1 tl", SI"jllllag chnnged the allc\ 1kurlLlTll POillt Ollt, hOVoiuver, tha! Panl pnrposc. ly np ffiCu raising Cod for lIscd es somctim is LXX won1 lo ¡molher whil:h ;u; .Iere minh nml uatinns 011 the stngl: of history (as J.xx Ilabakkl lk 1
sensl:'.) 2í Al: compare JlltlgCS 3: 12 whcre r.'1tazdl/ is llsed in similar points out \Ve a('('('pl, tllf'Tl.fnrr.; lhe ](v rendctin g aS givcn. Ci!Ion1
77
(;UI rs STHATEGY IN I-Im1AN HISTORY lhat Palll made another ehange in the LXX to PllIpllasiZt, th:lt Corl\ pllrpose in showing his power is secondary. 7. Exodus 9:27 8. ExodllS 9:20 9. Exodl1s 9:30 10. Exodus 9:34, 35
11. This is, incidentalJy, the sole reference in Exodus to a spedfic ael of God in hardel1ill~. It con)(:5 aIler J>haraoh has eIQarly lnadl'! !Jis OWIl choice. This may, perhllps, m' eme of the rensnns wllY Youllg in his literal translalion rendcred it: "1 llave dee!:lI'PC] Il;IreJ . , ."-thol1gh see also secUon 17.
12. Exodus 10:20; 10:27; JI :10; 14:1; l·h"; 14:17; we Jlave:., in cidentally. adoptc'e1 the trariilional viPW lUakiug Cod 11'1' lid ivt' ¡¡~('11l in strengthcning Pharaoh\ heart. 1'bcro is, however, Dn arnhiV"o.llence ju the I-Icbrew pid l'onjugali(l[l (S('l' tlw J/"hrew Crnrnular.s 01' (:es"llÍns cd. Kaut:lsch, tramo Cowley, p. 141; ana rJavidson, 24th edn lUSG, p.. 92) and it t'Ouk! Illean somdhillg lik" Cocl alkm'pd 01' l~II:ntexl WI' h,l>\'(.' nol adopted il. 13. Matthcw 5:28 14. Nmnhers 13-14 1.5. Exodlls 15: 15; nahab rernl'lnberccl it fealfllllv ov<:r ¡ater (JoshulI 2:9, 10). - . Hi. As So!olllon hilltl\d in 1 K ings 8
17. Roman., 9:18
lI:l. Hnmans D: 14
19. 1 Corinthians 10: 1, 2 20. Homans
n.
l·be. emblclll.s CJ... iSl Id'l
J ,orel's supper (i.o., thu mmmunion
101'
SCIViC'C)
TIH.'se are rc:mindcI's for liS, jllst a.s 111,,1'<" wr-ru the methocIs by which Cod work.,. 21. Exocllls 14: 13 22. Ephesians (i:13 23. Isaiah Il:9; Hahákkuk 2:14
"i,
dllll('"
fort~.
Cllri~li:lIl J'(·rni!lci"rs rol'
alld
\'C;jrs
• '
1111' l¡al'tisTn. Tsrael, 01'
\\'('1'('
Objectors and Vessels PAUL
DEALS \VITH A
QUIBBLINC
OBTECTOR We remcmber how Paul had been dealing with the sub j~et ()f God's choice of Abraham, IS3ac, and Jacob, ami with tbe putriarchlll agc. He imagines tbe question being thrown up at him: "Is there thun unrighteousness with God?" He ,1llSW(~rS No, for Cod explained to Moses tbat he knew best the way in which bis special favor should be distributed. IJ he had ¡i.nswered Moses' request in the way he expected, the natioJl would have 1>een consumed. Similarly the story of Pharauh shows that it is not man's will but Cod's stratcgy that ultimately sbapcs history, and in this instance thc Scriptllre even clarifies for us tbe Lord's motives and pur po~(;'s in his actions. Paul's aIlusions here, however, although full of meaníng, would hardly silcncc tbe critic who was casuistic enQugh to slIggcst that Paul's message was: let us do evit, thot good may come.! The same sort of critie could be relied upon here to throw up tbe objection: why does he still fin fault, for who withstands his will?2 It is important for liS to realize the natllre of the question amI C}ucstioner at this point. The sincere questíonings God's ways that c.:ome from aman like Habakkuk~ do nol
78 79
D'') STR
RY
VESSELS
quiN. Thc
011
tion of
\VI
CiJAY God ís Ll"illg his chosPrJ nation Israel to demoI1strale his tnIlh" lo llw work1. He has ]JOW fu]ly ]'evealcd his wiB to sIlO\\' l\\'o things in parlkular Uu'ough them. Ono part of the nal inll he \.vill shapf' luto a vessel unto honor and t110 other parl illto ,{ ves.sel unto wsbon01".
1t is l111forlllUI1Lc lh;t! the falalislic ünage brcmght to OUT wcshm.l 1I11m!s by {his lOetaphor of tlw pottt>ris almosl the
nO
RI
GOD'S STHATEGY JN l'f'l'lTI'se
MAN lIlSTORY
oI 'wlut ..vmdd occur to a Hehrew mind knowing th
b~lckground of the Old Testament. Paul's \Varas are coJored by the pal'ah]p of th~ potter in Jcremiah 18. Tbrough Jere
miah the l.
f the Lord promisps to "pluck tlp, break dOWll, and destroy" a Hngdom, and íf after this they repenl, then he will fé-' pent of tr.tl evil he would have done to them. lf he prom. ises to bllild IIp a Datíon and t.hen they tllm ¡¡way from him, he will dcstro)' them. The heme lump tbat fOTlns a natiOl1 will f!itlH.:r be built up 01' h¡'okcn clown by tbe Lord, de ¡Jending cm tlwir Ol~n m01'lJl reSrJ011RC, lf a nation c]Ck., rcpcnt lll1d God lmikls Ibl'll1 up, thün it is for him afone to ('dcle how the finished vessel will fit ,inlo his plan-and wbether or not it wil! haY!' handles! Cod aloRo .d~lermin lhe spedal privi]eges of a nution. N(~venllGJess il is tilo aclions 01 tb~; nation ils~ílf l'hat del(;rrniu~ whetherit sbillJ Le hnilt T1p into sorne typc of "vcsse;d unto honor," or broken dO\iYU and c1cstroyed. Paul's adversar)' in lloman.'> 0:19 is, as \Ve llave obsorvf:d, a I·kbrew. As sud1 he WOllld aCGcpt the prophefs picturc oC GC)(] Imil(]ing up or hreaking clown the fllmp óf cIay forming a llation. Panl, lherefore, fll1'l'her asks: has nol lhe polter a right over the clay, from lhe smne lump to makc olll! part !l vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? jocl o!Jvlrmsly has lhe right lo rnake from thl:l nation of ~rael h ...·o vessels rather tban une, jusI as a pollcr Can di·· vic1t: one lump aud makc two pols. 1'hi's i5, in fact, what Cod has done. Thc unrepentnnt portion of Israel has. l)<;: COITI,e a vesse1 unto dishonor, amI the bithItll partl~ a vcssel unto honor.
VESSELS UNTO
HONOR AND
NO-HONOR
OBJECTORS AND VESSELS cxactly the samc phrase in 2 Timothy 2:20, 21, and is surely not exhmting Timothy to. purge himself with a selfish mo tive of increasing his own honor. [rl tbose days gold and silvt'r vessels did not hring honor to themselves, but rather to [-he master of the home. 'Ve are to purge ourselves in order to become vessels bringing honor to our master, reacly for bim to use 1l¡S as a great man would utilize his xpcnsi\lC' vessck For the purpose of bringing honor, ves seb of woocl and earth are of no use whatever; this is the meanillg of Pau]', imagery here. Tbe individual faces a éhoicL', and Paul urges Timothy to "purge himseIf' and be come ti vt"ssel bringing glory to Codo The use of the same phrases "vpss(,ls lInto honor" and "vcssels unto no-honor" in Romnns 9:21 wou]cI seem to indicate a similar meaning. The two vessels made from Israpl bring honor or no-honor primarily to Cod ralher than to themselves. 1n addition to t.he evidence from 2 Timothy, we nütice l'alll's dl:'lihemte use of tlle diITerent prepositions. 20 Some (me lo ",110m Cad has sllown merey is called a "vessel of ml;;)'cy'" ancJ someone lo whol11 Cad has shown wratb is cal1ed a "v(~ssnl vf wrath." If God were to give honor to someone, jt woml seem llatLlnl1 to .caU him a "vessel of honor," hut, in fad, Paul <1cli!>enllely uses a different preposibon and says: "vess!'1 Tlllto honor" and "vesse1unto no-honor." Jt ,p('ms fair])' certain, tlH'refore, that the honor 01' no hOllor is hronght ()y the vPss<:,l unto God. Israel is known to be God's special people entrustcd with bis ameles, etc. 21 \"h('n people sce.: the repentant seeti(ln of Israel, living in harmony w·jth God's will ,md cxhihiting thl;) fruits of his Spiril~~ .it wi1l be just hke Iooking at a beautiful gold vase. CIor)' anc1 honor will then be brought to tbe master of the hO\ls('. \Vhen, ho\Vcver, anyone ]ooks at that section of Co¡]'s peoplc who are in rebellion against him, then no honor is likeIy to be given to Cad. Pcrhaps evcn the name of' Cad may be blaspherned among thc Gentiles because of them. 2a
\Ve rnust pause briefly here to explain why we believe it correcl to acce])t ElIison's translation1!l of "no-honor" rutber than the 1TI00'C common one of "dishQnor." First, Paul uses
82
83
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HU~1J.\N HISTORT'
OUJECTORS Al'\D VESSELS
v him Th0 v/:'ssel nnlo honor j~ madI:' IIp of yesse is" of iúdividnals lo whmn CotJ h:J.~ ~110~ IhCI1l God wt~ltt'~ to mo.ke known the rieLes of hif; g'ory.:l~ As we hflVü ¡¡!teu(ly secn, the glo:ry of God a.~ reveuJecl by 511S is in híi:i giving oE himscIf to his C'J"CaturGs. IIow hL'tter to make known slIch a glory than hinlself lo P¡¡y 'lhe pricc: oC showíng nll~rcy to undcserving lhough repenlant ,sinncrs? ;od's continllal lov<~ anc\ m~rey lo his unworllw scnrrmts joS a treml"ndOllS reve1aliulI 01' his gTOl)'. Thu vessel ~mlfl no-honor is maJe IIp of ves~eh Thosc 1srllclitellwho rcjf'ct('(l Cod's plan /'01' thpm 'm;e<1 to j'l'!)(nll. lIad tll(' wrath Illlmll' ll'PO" th uUetmtJsl:J~, tioon afler ll!is lilJll: the pll),sítal T!"mpl<4 \VII" es Lroye<1, Tbos(\ 01' lhu llalioll who h~l llar[ 01' lhe "('ssl'1 UUlll 1101101', :lIHl 00(1":. glory wou1s who werl:l unrlrr lhe \vrath 01' Goc1
ir
84
igltl make mereY. iJ
ose al
hnl lile good
aItcr ymu
elUiure 11]1 101' )'olIJsclf wrath in the duy of wr wonls (he says) npply cven more to the Jew !han to rm)'on ('be.::' Thc wrath of Cod is J'evealecl from hC3vcn against lhosé' who in unrighteoumess ignore the truth;j~ yet his l
IOl1gSllflerillg in llot dcstroy.illg tlwm immerliate1y is meant to !cad them to rcpenll1ncc, GocJ's slralegy ü¡ perfe""t. lt ís for lo c:hoClSf'l th
mm
shape al'
¡¡
vessd unto hOllor or Lhe shllrc of a vessel unt R:c'
G
's
STHATEGY 1:'-1 HUMAN 1USTORY
no-honor. Pharaoh ehose to rebel, and Cad decidcd to uSe him as a spccia] demO.llslr;üioll of his wrath. In this wa)' s()meone~ Iikc Rallub couk\ he' slimu]aten to repent and lhrollgh fa"Ílh h~oome right with Cod.r
I1}ECTORS .\1\ D VESSE N
.:,1
---' ~ Q
7:22-31; tind se Ij
liJes. 41
s In Homans 9:1-23 Pau] has be(~!l dp.Sl.Ting \\Iith lhe' Jewisl 4ucstion. Al this jllnetnre he br('ak..~ off lo poinl out lhal G{,f1tíl{~s ('an abo have a place. T1H' Vt'ssd~ of !ll('rc:y' ",hom ¡od ]HIS l'a]]ell"~ inc1llc1l' pt'opk not from tl&1: ]ew'l only, hut also from the Gentiles. Thc prophcl Hospa liad maflY y.·ars -pfc'viously olllline('('11 "nanwcl"'¡" il1cludL~ sorne whl1-as Gl'lIoliles-formerly clid nol hav(' a llan1(' as 11l'oplc-, oC Codo ,~rllal (Ihrongh Hosen) Gnd said 1le' cOllld elo for J'C'jectcll Israel. so in the time of Pan] he has llom: for re pentant Gcllhlc:'s. Gentiles. then, as \ve]] as J('ws, are eallc:d sons of lhe livin~ God. He hns showll tllBm merey. Thq are known lo be his and are part of the vcssd unto his honor.
86
B.
.. ,. ~'-1
-.;;-. Gil
á
eJ: .--:)
M7
GOO·S
ATEGY L""l
MAN
TH'E PRESENT CON1"LlCT
on.Y
h '11111
110,'
~t'lli1i\,' ir¡
ti",
23.
!!4
::s
2ft "'7,
,'" U. 37,
38. 39. 'H),
41.
88
'5.
no;,; 11:31; Jam[;s 2;2.
Pres
t
t
GOD'S STRATEGY IN f[
'HE PRESIi::NT CONFLICT
,"< HISTORY
re th ro lb
THE CHURCII
AND ISRAEL
Paul has progresscd from c1isclIssing j-he hist()rjC',lll?o~ition of Israel üllo discussing, lh~ fir.~l-century position. Many oí tb, Isradit0s had rejccted GO(]
90
'.\'
em¡,>:rge from God'" trcatmenl of Israel; undl:lJ"Stauiling of God's lllcthods in
ou~
¡ame Gad is al work today, in {he church col'lflict. 'Ve may draw (tut the~e prindples ns
as Sove'mígnty_
God's choice of Abraham ralbel than of
]'\'1elchiz·edek W3.~ 1lot becal1se of hís deeds, nor even,
nccessarily, becau5c oí his fait.h. It was becaus lhe best stralogy. Gro a]one dcoid,es whal slgn lo us in his!jreal plan for mankincL sQvcreign choire tlgain in uecic1ing tbat IsHLI lshmad shouJd be in tha line of deseenl 01 01'
')1
COD'S STHATEGY il"-: HUMAN HISTORY
Paul shows llSJ" that his choice was not mude w.ithout rca son-but none lhe less he ulOlle mnde tbe choÍ'Ce. "Ve are 1l0t exphcitly told the rcasons t'or Cotl's choice of Jacoh rathcr than Esau, lmt perhaps hints are given in tbc latcr histor)' of tbc illilividuals and thc>jr desccndants. Toda)' abo, GDd 3SS.ignll !Ji..... en'flnt~ ro diff, lUe:tionl'. 1t is ''DUl-OlH Lusln...s sf'ek t ]pgecl us. lU Failurp to accept gladly 111(' position that God has Hssigned to us in the body of Christ i.s one ~rcat SOIll"C. of spirilunl sterility amI failure.
God's Foreknowledge. God's sovereign and stratcgie assign ment of positioHS is madc in lhe fnU Ii¡!;ht of his foreknowl cclge. For one thing, Cod krlliw~ tb.. hl!lli"u u1 m..m un
how the)' wm reacL ttJ \\I1ml lll' 5n.¡.... Bf'fnre MoscoS C'ver 01:' un his task God kncw ¡l¡at the I."TLle1ites \O/auld lH'arkí-'n lo his voit."f'.n In lhe sarrw passag..' lw al~(J to1<1 M()sc~: J hal the king of Egypt wiIl Rol givc yon Icave lO go.lJI Tlw l,ord assigm posililms in the [nU k110Wlcd1!l~ of lho m:l.u, fm tlle Lord 100ks au tbCl hcnrL l!1 also foreknows the dislant fuluHl. This i,~ S~t.m in his pTophccy tu .Ahraham that a1l nations 5hall Le Llcs~ed h), the lattl':r's messianic sccd. Anothcr ('x anc1 Esau lhal one natioll would sprve tbe olher. God may today scnd lIS somcwhcrc or inspil'o us lo do somntbing for rcasons Wtl do not under,sti:md. Yel WbCll hu cIoes lhis we may he snre thal he kuo\vs what the rcplrrclIs!i.i.ons of OUJ' aetioJ1s will bt; -('ven far ínlo the fulure.
Cod Matlelll,;Gl'!i Good (lml Evi/.. Cad was abJe to lIS"~ the faith ,!lid obedience of his SCLrvants AIll':lham and ~'I oses, hut he \Vas also able to encompass evcn the hard beart of Pharaoh into his plan. Mo.se:s dwsu to ro]jow God's ano \Vas used beyon Cod's strategy. Ph:mu Cod ma.neU\icruU him ¡nto a posilion wherc the conse quenc(is of an l!vil heart were made cIear 1'0 aH, amI ít was
92
THE PRE5ENT CONFLIf:T
shown that Jehovnh was the true and living God. Snch a dcmonstrntinn cOlfld lYu usPd hy (;0(1 1'1' bri • nnd Iifo to rnany. Similar]y, wl1en part of Israel rejt>ctcd tbe Messiah and ycbelled against God tbey w~n'utied as se]s lO dctnonstl'ul. hü, wrülh. l'his again he utilizad to .stllnl1Jatc repentance ano to bring 1ife. Tlms we scc tbat Cod can use e-ven thc cvíl in the world lo lJring in bIessing. This is not to say that he ''''ills evíl himsclf, or oven thal hu willingIy allows it, but such .is his gn:atness that he can use it for goncl. Whell tbe enem)' hrings som~ disaster or failure into our Jives Wf' mllst re membcr this.:l l ) It may not be God's wiII that it should hap pon-any more than it \ovas Cod's \Viii that Pharaoh should rebel agaÍl1st him-yel neyertheIess Gou. is able to over <:0111f: and utilize it for his own ends. 'Ve Imow lhoL in everylhing God works for good with those who lo ve bim.2;l Wb~mever c1isastpr Or faílurc strikes, we know that Cod wiU he lhere, wa.ut.i.ng lIS to cooperaté wilh him to bring good fmm if. What secmed to be tllB greatest disaster ever, Christ's crucit1xion, was in fact used l)y Cod to hring untold blf1ssing to mankiml. O the depth o.f the ri tb om • d Hw knowledge of God! lI'(tw unsearch ls l\nd bis ways past tradng ut (Romans
rus
choice of W(' have beQn looking at God's strategy il'! Isracl. \Ve have Sl::ell how lhis, ano aH his actions in hu man history, were parl of a plan to prepare [or Jesus' com ing and dcath. Now \ove must pause lo consider more ex plicitly thc implieations of the cross for our theme. How does it fit ¡nto the pattern of Cod's dealillgs with his crea tures? 'vVe may disccrn lwo main fields of operatíon in which thc (;fOSS is efIcctua1. First, it cnablcd sinful man to be put into a right rclationship ""ith Cod, and so enter the spiritunl 9~
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HU~'!AN HISTORY battle. Seeond, it had diFect @ffeet on the spiritual forces themselves. These two n~peots lue brought out >veB in Colossians 2:14, 15: Having blotiOO out the Iland wrilten in or,dinances thal was agaiost US, whichwRS contraey to uS; andhe has taken it out of lile way~ nniIiDg it lo (he Cl"QSS; ving put olI from bimself the lnincip:nHties and die pow ers, he made 8 show of thcm openly~ triumphing over them
• lit. 22
We see, thereJore, tbat lhere ore two aspects oÍ lhe work of the 'CI'O!),.": th.eatonement for mnn and the v.i.etary over Satan. Both sbould be borne in mtnd as we look now at the setting Qf the CI(lSS in time ll.nd tn ete-rnity. eteurity dwells Gud wha is t:imelass. It seems, m,ore O""er, that th~ Il.tóncnmnt which ChriS1 brougM bctwecn th Gorl and thehuman mee OpéJ;atoo in eternity mth~ flum in time. In othor wl)rd", bGli¿v~ ID Old Testnlllerl less 11mn those:ln New, were redeemecl tllrough l IIp by JeslIs PD; lhe cr()~s.2B Thus dIe otonil.1g: eff, Cf"ss l'each backward as well ElS forwlUd fram tho date o" the crucjflxiun, loe atonement operntes ín etcrnity rather tban ID time. But, although tbis is t:rue, \Ve muf;f bcwarc oí Lrcatin eross as a ",;hoJ1y isolated 01: self-conrninc,tl (went. H also God's key movc in his aCLivity tllnll1ghout a \\7hol.. ohain of events III }mman histary. Right frOITl thf~ Iwginuin Cad looked onwal'd to the COIllillg One tbrough whom lh serpent's head would b(~ ('rushedY·' llis {IC'tiOlI in <:hoosing Abrahmn and the }(-"'V5 was, as wehnve seen, with liw pm pose of prepariDg the way fOl' Jesns the MQssiah.~n Throughout history Cod's aclíons pt'epnre f(lr thc eros.'!, anCl at key times his symbol of the sll1il1 lamb appears. lt ('úm(~s in the stol'Y of Abelatthe be¡.>;inniog oE hisloI'Y.~(; It ap pears at tbe ·start of Hebrew history, in tbe worc1s of Alrra ham.:n And it appeárs in tIlO pasSOVel: a~eIDony at the time of IsracYs birth as a nfl,tjollY~ Gm1 always points 011 ward to tbe eros!:. After the crucifixkm hall occurred, what then? God continued his action in human. affairs as the power and mes sage of the cross began to he applioo in human líves. Cnrist's
94
TI-IE PHESENT CONFLICT chusen aposties ;vere intendcd to carry this message to the ends of tbe earth. 29 Therc i5, then, a sense in whlch throllghout the periad before the crucillxion Cad is pre paring for il, and in the period after the crudfixion is work ing to appIy its po\ver in human Uves. We mal' therefore compare the eternal aneI temporal aspects of the cross fol' h.umatlity. On t:he one haud thc death of Cbrist was effective in eternity in bringing atone ment to anyonc at any time viho has faith in Cad. On the other hand, the eross has a piace as Oue link, albeit the vital one, in a whoIe coorclinated plan of Cad as he interven es in human llistory accordiug to his o\vn strategy. 'Ve mal' consider further the effeets of the eross on Satan's for<;es. The eross has, Qf oonrse, enablcd men to be used as Cod's agents. This ís impo.rta.l.lt sincc the reve1ation of those believers confanned to thc image of Christ wH1 cantIibute to the destruolion of S:'ltan's power. The eross is obviollsly bask to this part of Cod's plan. But tbere is also, as wc have said, a direct effect of the eros.s on Satan's forces. l'he historieaI date of the crucifixion Ji(1 í)(l\., of course, mark the time of Satan's final overthrow nnct destruction-for \VE: know lhat be is stilI very active loday.afl Wbat it did was to provide Christ and his follow ers with powerful \veapans nguinst Satan, and al5-o iusure his eventunl overthrow. It is like the key move in ~ game of chess, tb,e move tbat finany seals thB fa te of an opponent. ScriptlJTe teaehes that a 11m\' increase in Christ's powcr was mal'ked by his cleath and resmreetion. 31 Christ's servants aIso, who' figbt in his :;trmar, know the power of the bIood and name of Jesus in tbe.ir lives. 3 :? When Satan's force s make war in hcaven:l:i they are overcome by the blood of lhe Lamb and the revealing po\Ver of truth spoken by martyrs. Jt IS as the Lamb that Christ himself is pietured as 6ghnng the sat,míe forces in Reve1ation-it is because he was slain as un innocent .sacrifice that the sight of him 1S so terrible to the evil forces. !t is, in other words, through the cross that eventually the final overthrow of Satan will be made. 1'h1s completes, then, this brief autline of the setting of 95
.~
Sl'ruul!.v
UMAN HISTO-"
T
mI
t:lt~mity.
Thes
is clms<::u
NFL
11
ue lo IOl'lk botl
t'ulmiuation :mrl
m
or 6
1/7
"llE PRESENT CONFLICT
COD'S STHATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY
Pcler is not telling liS fo make SUTe that we don't go to he!
for the L'1l11ing and eIection are not primarily concemed
with l.his, He is conccrned that our personal characteristics
be slIch lhat \Ve (Ire n€'Jther barren nor unfruitful in aur knowleclge of Je.sus. that wc are flllly prepared to entejO rlcWy into lhe Lord Jesus' alerríal rpigll wmch 1$ ta come. Thus we find that the present TIlns on ínto tba future, for there is 1.:0 he an end lo thC:l present warfare in the he¡¡venly pInces.
Onc day Salan's power in the Uliliverse wiII be destroyed,
anel the chun~h is destined lo play ü pID.t in this, The Anal
plll"pose of Cod, ,¡tnd the role in this of thc cburch in Christ,
are the subjects of lhe llBxt section.
.~
26.
27.
:2
29.
ahove pp. 51, 52.
'c.-lmnes 4:7; Ephesians
'1u:islians who llave. dcall WitIl cvil
war arase after lhe cross,
orES l.
nrllTlllrlS
2. Se"
3.
"1!lO
ROnlrln:;
11:5 seeliofl J5 9:;31. (;t1l'l\p'ircl 10;20
-1. Ser;)' ahu Secticm W
5, Romtin.~ 0:30·.'33
6. HOIDUI1S JO:S-8 7. Homans 9:30·3:l
Ii. l~Om[IllS 10: 12
B. HOInnl1s 11: ]:3·24 ,1 n. (:'Hllmt:nl"loJ's c"P~ Ihis tr-xl !lav.' illler\'¡reled (hu "J'C)Cll" in ~ verse
16 11I dln úrent ways. Some rq'::lfU 11 :J,~ A lf:lham, nI heril as Chrisf,
:11)(! olbors ns lhe fir.st Christ'ans. Whif'htiv('J' uf lloc.se \VI' Jl('L:"pl.
1':llIl's me[\llill~ is clbviously lhat Cl'lJl.iIe Chrislians hel1dit fJ'tl11l tlw
hUJ'itagl' 01' COlr.S nwssil\liic progJ':Ull in lsJ'IJd.
11. SC~ 1111' COllJm"lIls ahov,· ,in sl'dir'll D. 12. ROI)lán.s 11:28
l3. Homans 11 ::30
J 4. Homalls 11 ::32
15. SI'I' ill)(w<: in sl'dicm Ii, pp..,)1, S:::;,
16, Tu put this strikillgly: \VIil'lI <":n,1 ¡lIlls u pal'li<:lIlar l:lsk llf'fol"\'
U.S. it .is 0111' J'cs[Jonsibilily lo rLlIl \\IItJl am! filli.Sl1 lhe mutse, (1 Cu
rinl!lialls D:'2-1; ¡i<,hrews l2: 1; 2 Till\othv 4:7), Bul as lo what COI.lrSe
Goel shall set lis, l!nt is not a rJlHltr'Y nf ;.•, willing nr l'ul1llill.g (Hmnans
9:1H) huI of Goc]'s stmtegy {Iud ml'rey.
17, Exodus 3:18 18. Exodus 3: 19 19. 1 Samuel 16:7 20. Al fint ¡"'!OS()S ,secmcd on!v to hay!) ronde mallors worse wilL
Pharanh CExoc1us 5:21. 22). 1-11; was dishcarlennd, hu! he took his
disappointul()nt lo lhe Lord whu ,clin:ded hirn ho", /'e .shollld t'(lIltimll'
in orckr lo oblain Iwclllnru blussing.
21. Rc)mans R:28 IlSV, The nsv or NEIl lmnslations seem lhe more
likely unes. See ahove, note 25 lo se<:lion 2.
98
ana SO(TlC
tiun iv iii "ce
26
inkr('~ling
and Div iv
99
GOD'S Gi\EAT PROJECT AND TI-fE F1N.U. HATTLE
Cad. Thi.s is, in fael, what Cod has ordained. Tnis is tbe great projeet of Cod for man, against wbich Salan wiH fight lo tbe onu. Yni Salan will Rnally fati, for Io:ven befare time hegan Cod foresaw the acbicvement of bis chosen c1estiny for man.
PREDESTINATIO
,
s
v
~~ij
au
Gou hilll S\:l'n 111 lO n~Vt'al tu ll~ his el up uU Ihrngs in Chrh;t, ~hc lhings in lhe he..ven.~ ami '1 th~ngs OptUl lhe cllrtli. 1 Gocl will, througl1 Christ, finally reC olll:ik lo hillls.eJf I.dl things in bi.:;lyen 1lI1tl on the emth ¡m¡] <111 tlw works of evil wi'l/ be clQsll'Qv('d.~ Christ: will have preeml'nenct:: 'ÍJ1 al! things, and lo hin; t.:vC'ry kn~c shail bow:' CbriSl has becn appoinled as hl.jr I)Vl'r 1111 thin,~S.4 \ H ís agninst tbis appointnwlIl lhal Salan is Íll rcbcllion, Isníah SCCms to refer ló S:H¡m as lhe "Day Slar" aud "Son "f ¡Vlonling" \V10 soughl to ¡'.1m It híIllSulf abo\'(' Goe] and w"s :ast c1ow,¡¡.'~¡ \oVo kuow, more'oV(~r, Chat hp ()fFered to giv t.1lrist nII enrthl)' killgdOInli if only IlU rníghl r(>.ef·ive the )reemincnce rol' whidl be luslpd. n Salan hates it tbnt Cbrist, and nol hilllSélf, s1Jould have preeminencC'. HE' hales od for d(~I("nnÍ11ing t:hat ít ShOllld so. He "ates thl' ehurch hecause it \Vil! hoth ~hare in Chrisl"s reigo aud be lIsed hy Cod to cslablish that reign. Hc.; hate.~ lhe church bec[\Use of the greal d<"slill)' that Cod inlends fm il. \;J¡lhnt, "ve migbt ask is the greatcst [Jossihle c!OStíllY lhat Cod could llave conceiveu for those \Vho bclievein him? Sumly it is thal tbev i~ Jreater than • ~hould tlE'al¡mc like \.him,. for , nothine: ~ r
ve
l'
1-""... Ir J
I,.~.·-_II
¡Mj in ,
Perhaps t}le most .ünportanl point to grasp abollt pl'edes
tinalion' i5 thal it conc~"'rns man's future destiny. n do.es
llot eonccrn who ShOllld, OI shollld not, become Chrlstians,
but ralhllr thoír destiny as Chrístiaos. The \Vord is u~d
ooly h)ur times wioth reference to lhe Chlll"cb, H t\Vice in Ro
man~ 8 ~mu t\Vice in Epbcs-ians 1,
~HC ¡,:AJtC'C:1:lltttl with HI(; fuh:¡re desUny JI
ehlll'ch. TT1f',Y 1m' nm amcam.cd wnll how
be"":l Chri:oolillIl.. _L<:t 1\S ('{)nsiJE~r thf'sC' passages iu delail:
'tllc 01'igill of P.,.edesti1wf:io'fl., Pmdestínatian was not 11 re
sllll 01: saIne arhitrary fiat. Tts origin is in thé es.scnUaUy
personal beillg of GOll. \Va)' back before thc foundQtioll of
lhe l'arl"h. bdorc lime hég~HI, God coulJ look ahead. He
fe)r\:'km'w l ' I.lll ahout ,tho..e wlw- wlJukt TlJpt:lJi.Jn l'i!~l~lJ
his ] loh, Sllíf'il JlDd ",,,'unld llut.1hj;jjr hn:ne for-ih:t. hl
(;hrÚlt, ,
They (~arned lJolhing by repenting and eould condell1ncu. Yol th(~ f'ssentíal being of Cad is Light l l anc ¡,()\lt'.1~ Bis dec~iuJ), therdorc, ref1ectecl bis cssential 11[1 lun:. Bis decision was maue "in love."!:) Seripture reL1ects 1l1i.s p¡utem oí Goel's decision; First, Cod for(c,kuew what we sllOuld do: l"or whom oc forc1mew, he aIso fOl'cordaincd , . . H His occisjon conccrncd lIS: WO' who had before hoped in Chrisl. H ¡ And he destined us in. love to be sonsY; The subjccts of Cod's decision and his motives for it are tlms made dear. It i5 those who are bOllnd IIp in CbTist who, hecatíse Cod is Love, were given a gIQrious future des-· tiny.
rus
Predestined to Sonshíp. Predesfinllt«
nn 101
COD'S S'rRATEGY IN Ji
N
GOD'S GlillAT PROJECT AND THE FINAL 13ATTLE
STORY
fonTled? Above aH things Christ was a servant-and a suf fering servant at that. He came not 'to be served but to serve ttnd to givc his life. 2R He saiu that the greatest Ül bis king dom woul.d he thl:' Que \Vho \Vas the servallt of aB, and he ciemonst:rated this by wllshing their fcet. 2n This was (as seen in sec.:tion 5) lbe "glory" of C!lrist. The "liherty of the glory";"" of those conformed to bis image must be similal". "Ve ¡(re to deliver thE' universe by becoming selvanf-Hke. 011])' n seIf-sacrific.ing attitude like -thut of Christ will meet the neecls of the uIliverse.
rile Glory oi Pl'Cdestination. We weTe, as \Ve have seen: foreordoined . . . lo the end that \Ve should be unto the pll'aise of his glory.:íl \Ve have becn sealed . . . until the redemptioIl oC t'he Imrchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.:l:': Our predestination to be revealed and placed aS~SOTlS in Our rcdecmed boches is for the praise of Cod's gIm:y.What muld be more glorifying to Cod than to have lH:llIY sons \vho reflect his glorious natme? Christ \Vill bring lnflny sons to gloryn .and Paul considers that the sufferings f this presenl time are Bot worthy lo be compal'ed with .• 10. glory that shall be revealed to us-ward.~4 Yet this gJory is ~lory as tHlIght to us by Christ.:1fi It is the type of glory that enhances both giver and receiver. It is to Cod's glol')l lhat we become glorjfied, for then we sha11 become Cw:ist-like and seH-sacrifi,eing in love. PUlJl places the whole process right outside of lime in Homans 8::30. Cod coneeived his great ptojeet fol' mnn be for~ lime bogan. Hl; then "callcel" Or "named" us-that is he gavp us a positíon before him. As be named us, so he jllsljfjed liS (that ¡s, declarcd th,ü we \Vere right with him). Finallv he \Viii glorify us-and FauÍ regareIs this as so cer tain lo be place~l in the past tense. (There can, oí comso, be Jiale meaning to tenses in this process, f(Jr the plan wns concci\'ed in the mind of Cod outsiJe of time.) For whom he foreknew he also foreordained ... and wholJl lite foreorc!ained them he also caBed; and whom he caJled, ,them he also justi6eo; ando whom he justiHed, tlitem he also glori6ed.:w
;5
102
103
COD'S S-.fRATEGY IN HUMAN mSl'OnY
GOD'S CREAT PROJECT AND THE FINAL BATTLE ionger a baby, and he can fulfil1 sorne of the functions of a son. Ncvertheless, milil h~ cornes of agc he does not have any' roal allthority ayer his inlJeritancc; l1e is not treated as ao ndult. Although he is aIread)' living in and enjoying his fal1Jer's hOllse, his "corning of age," as we would can it, is tho time when he really comes into bis inheritance. Jt has sOlUetimes bcen a puzzle to people that the Old Testament says little about the afterlife and kindred subjects. Paul's metaphor of family and sonship goes at least sorne \Vay towarc1 exp:1aining this. Before Christ carne, the ws wpro "children" in Goc!'s family but not yet f\lBy conscIol.Is "sOI1S.",1I They kncw Cod and they were his children, hut they did not fully I.Inderstand what sonship meant. TllOY k'TIev,! Iittk ahout thcir inheritance as fellowhdrs with Chrjst, amI littll' of thc fuhue tIay of coming of nge 01' son-placin¡:!; when they \Vould enter into that inherilance, A baby in Cod's family is an heir, but is under gllardiaus and stewan]s and is not conscious of his position ,1$ a son.·:: Thf' T.aw \Vas just 1ikf~ thc child-eondllctor who took ehilHl lo schooL1S 1'h<:' Law was intended to conuuct Cod's hilclrl'!'I to Christ. 14 nul whcn they fully under¡;tood faith in :hrist tho)' wen> past tllc stnge of being little children.'15 Now, Panl says to llwm, l"ou are aH sons of Cod, through 'nith, in Christ Jesus..w Now that they are in CIll"ist they rcali'l.e thcir inheritallcc anr1 huye become fully conscious sonso Parl 01" Ghrist's mission was to cnuble thcm to he put in Uuc f()J' lbis inherítn!1l:c. Christ was scnt so that fuey JI1igl1l rcccivc the placi.ng-as-sons, i.e., the rellemption of tht"ir IJ()llics:17 If ehrist had not come, thefe could never have bec:n a day when lhe SOTlS of Cad should be revealed. 1'h05(; who belicvp. in Christ are sonso Mareover, beeause wn an~ SOIlS: Gocl sent forlh lhe Spirit oE his Son ioto our henrts, crring~ Ahba, F~llher, So that YOIl are no longer a ondservl1nt, hut a son; amI if a son then an heir through ;Od,4S
lIr,
o
1
Faul tells his Jewish readers that they have left the baby stagl'. Thc: Law has conJuctecl thern lo Christ. A new era in Illankincrs educaban has arrived. Cbrist will he their teacher 105
'S S'fRA'l'ECY I
JMAN trlÚning fOl"
GOD'S CREAT PROJECT AND THE FINAL BATILE
man is declly:i:ng, yet ourinward man is renewed day by day.For oU!l" ligbt aftIiction, wbic1l isfor tbemoment, \V.orks for ns more and more exeeedingly nn eternal weight o( ; whiJc we look not al !he thjngs which are .seen, but lhings \\'hich are MI seen: fó.r the things wWcb p,re rtlI~; but tlm fbinf!s which are not seen are
THE LAST BATTLE Vvc may :!lee, therpfore, how lhe fnture deslin)' of manrred~tinalion-Í!ivitully conOf~cted wilh tbe snbjeet of God's slJ:;l'T'~Y in !listur),. "he final overthrow of eviJ and relensc f Lhu universe ""i11 come when God's $OnS are rcvealed and hl'Y fu IHU llieir destillY, God's strategy now, and his trainin!:} t)f Uf; t1Jrough suffC'rlng, look forward to tbat great day [Jf rlllCLlSe, IW ¡loes Salan n'lid to this projeet of Cod? We have ,Ureadj' IDClItioned that Satan hates the church because of \vhal iL is becorning. The ncarer the great projeet comes to fuH]lJ¡nf'nt, the more furious he becomes.'í6 Befare that day oí ~Idoption he will throw aD his forces juta a last desperate batlle, This will be a final showdown between God and Satatl, good anc1 evil, love and hate, sclf-sacrifice and powerlllst Satall's hatred of Con and his Son is heightoned by
De
107
GOD'S STRATEGY
I~
HUMAK HL.STORY
the thOllght of the tllliversc being overrnn by the u.ivine imnge in mano Throllghout the oook of thc Rcvchtion we see the battle l"aging. Again nnd again there is "war in the heavenly plaC€S" (e.g., 12:7). Tbe batde intensifies. Satan givcs aH his al.lthority to oelmmanizeu 1TI11s~ulinity personified in the Beast, anel the Ecast males war 00 tIle saints. Pervcrled fcmininity is personifieu 1n the Hadot, who rides the Beast. Insatiable in her lust for pleasure, the Hal'lot drinks tht:! LIood of the marlyrs (lf JeS\Js, thus acllllillist~ril'lg htlr (rwn jnlOxicating destruction. Assodaled \vilh the concept of the Hnr· Jot is that great cil)' ot commerce cCllled 13abyluJI. TIlis seeh to exploít ancl eJiminale the cllllrch througb economie pressure.~. Thc Beast, the llarlot, fLnd the cit-y are symbo.ls o[ the forces of Satan. Tile}'" reprcsúllt lusl ror llower. lust for plcasun;, anel grecd. Thcy are, irl 3 s~ns{J, Satnn's perverted eoulltcrfoit for Christ thu Li\rnb" God's p!'upk lb Bdde, and the hcavenJy cily of tll(' N'éW JCrtlSaJ~'t11. might, silllilnrly. Ihillk of Salan, l!t(· Bt'a~l, illlel llit' falsc proplwl as a clíaholieal l"ollnterfeil of th~ F'atlwr, SOll, une) Holy Spirit. Yel Cod's wa)' is self-sacrific.'('. Th¡; forcQS o¡: good givc glory lo onc anolhcr and bnild ear-h olhcr IIpyr 'fhe forces of evil carry the ~ceds of their o'>"n c1c-sll"llC'liOl., ano so the Heasl COnSUl¡H:iS th(~ Ilado! which is dI(: cjly.5~ Finally, Chri.~t and Ihe Bride are attaC'kec1 by lhe Beasl ilnd the false prophet with lheir arJllY. Whal weapons does lhe Lord use in IJ1is cClJ1nicl? "Ve can on1y suppose that thc)' are lhe W('npOllS 1I1('nliOlwl1 a]¡o\,e in sectiol1 4, \ovhich dcslroy ('vil by J"l'VI"aling ils llalHfl'. Tlw sword c0l11illg from Chrisl's mOllll.r,\1 rcprcscnls his wonl of lruth which rcveals evil in aH ils horror. The lighl ano brightness oI his preselle.e i11l1fninatc it. His bloo~l witncsses to the depths of its ugliness. In the fac:¡:> o( sllch rev('h!tion. evil can only sllrivf'! into ilsdf anu die. The Lord is not .-.:impJy meeting force with greatcr force. The weapon he wic.lc1s is different in kind from the hrutal ano oepraved weapons of evil. It is as thongh Goel finally alloweu the trenH;ndons heauty anc1 love of the Lamb of God to stauu forth in aH its glory."" It is as though this light sprcad through aH the llni-
108
GOD'S GREAT PROJECT AND THE FINAL BAITLE
verse, anu the eviJ simply shriveled and died. 61 The assault on Christ and the Bride is dofeated by the revelatíon of what he ¡s. Salan's forces are overthrown. Satan's final assault on the saints and the beloved city is overthrown by the fire o2 from Goc1 himself. Evil is destroyed and a new heaven and a new earth appear.(l~ God's final purpose is aceomplished.
NEvV
HEAVEN ANDNEW EARTH So, God's plan is finally achieved; his great project is accomplished. God has tbrec things in the glorified church. H(~ has a bride to reciprocate his love. o4 He has a "taberIladó" or "cíty" in which to dwell.&r. And he has many sons with whom he can share his life> and character.&& \Ve find that things are restored to something like the situar/on in the garden of Edcn.o' There is a river, but now it proc(>eds out oí the throne of God and contains water of lif(>."~ ThH tree of life is there, but now its 1caves may be llseu for the healing or the uations. IlQ The precious thing s wllich \Vere faW materin1s in Eden have been built up into sornet'hing oeantíful rUld everlasting.'o They have been built into a owel.ling place for God, so that the intennittent ommunion he had with man in the garden of Eden is exchanged fol' continuous and olear communion. 71 There is ]lO mention oí the trec of the knowlerlge of good and evil, fOI" those who dwell iJ¡ the new worlu have the Lamb of Cocl to enlighten them.'~ No one needs to lust to "become Iih gods" for they sec what the God of the Lamb is really like-aml the)' themselves are already in his image. 13 There is no serpent there, for llothing undean may enter H and so therc is 1\0 curse.;;' Those who overcame in the battle have inheritecl these things,,(l and shall reign wilh the Lamb for ever anu ever. 7 ' Hallelujah the Lord Omnipotent reigns, and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be for everrnore!
109
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTOHY NOTES 1. Ephesians 1: 10 2. Colossians 1 :20 3. Colossians 1: 18; Philippiaos 2: 10 1. Hehrew5 1:2 5. Is::üah 14:12, 1.1; Isaiah's words Ulótt>n<¡ibly refer to tbe evil kill~ of Babylnn, but ultimately may be lJllDliet1 to the lalter's satanic ro:l.'iter himseJf. 6. Matlhew 4:9, etc;:. 7. predestiTwtíOfl is the wrltd lIIied in lhe AV; (llhc'r \'crsiOl1s (e.g., Ihe llV) USe forc:orclaírlNI. 8. Thl:' worJ is ul;!:d allogether si'( limUSin the New Teslll.mcnt. Four times it rder~ to tb" dlUn.:\¡, YI1Cl: il conccniJi Coel ddiVt;ring uf! Christ to die (Ads 4:28; !>ce nJ50 Acts 2:2:3), nllcl once il is IIsed U~n erally of Cod's eternal plijn fuI' 1\S (1. Corinlhialls 2:7). 9. Humans 8:20; see abo s.~di[)n lS, rp. lOO, 205. 10. Ephe:iiaus 1: 12 11. 1 Juhn 1:.'í 12. 1 }ulm 4:8, J(-i, fohn Bla.n cOllt BanrlP'" of 'l'mlh book, Rig',t possesses love aS one of His 'Iualiti Cm1 exercises, Lut rat lwl' RIs v~ry G.'Í.~
love .160\'(':1'11$ THs cvery
110
COD'S CREAT PROJECT Mm ;:'!lli l"IN,\:'" ~.4.."!',,!,~~ Smith adds, "To his minel, the Christian \Vas the onl)' person with tlll' right to he called 'Cnostic' (the Knowing One), beciluse only the otthodox Christian had access to the tme knowloJge of Cod" (Frol/l chrísl to Constan Hile, p. 112). Str(lmata, Bk. vi, ch. 9 may he slrietly rendered: "For it were no longcr seemly tha:! thc fricnd of God, wl10m 'Cod ha,; foreordaioed before thc foundatioi1 of the world' to he cnrülled iu lhe hi¡.:hcst 'nduptiuu: ,houlo faH iulo pleasures ur fears, Hnd be occ\lpied in the repression of the pnssions. For 1 venture to nssert lhat as he is prcdestinated through what he shal1 do ¡¡nd whnt he shall oLlnÍtl, so also he has predestillated himself by reason of wbom he klle\\' amI wholJl he loved. ]l;ot havin¡¡; the future indistinct, as lhe multituoe livc conícduring it, but hnvin!{ grnsp,ed by [true Christian) knowing faith whnt ís hielden from others.' Lct u> Ilote: ( 11) i'redestinatioll is linked with "adoption" Wb1Ch eoncerns "what h(: shan do ane! what he shnll ohtain." Clement is arguin¡; thM with this futuro destiny in slore it would be straoge for n man to be occu¡>íed in n'prcssiog passious. (b) Clernent is making a play on the Greek word d'ia, which is first lI.'ied w¡th the genitive (renc1ered "througb") and second used with lhe ::u~t'lJsativc (fCndcrcd "by teason or'), Thc first givüs the immcdi¡¡l.e CI\USC of a rnan's predestiny as that he has a God-gíven task to do IIml ti Ctld-~ivEm heritage, \\lhen the Sons of Cod are revf:'aled in the (by [.lf their ¡l(.1option th~rl ther~, ¡"S sometl~ing th~y will. do (.liherate lhe cf('atllm) ulld sornethmg wbleh they Wlll oht:\ln (thClr lwntage as co-hcin¡ wilh Christ). liut. 011 the other h:md, Cleu1Cnt "ventures lo a5sMt" tha! Ül ont: sense the Christian has received this prcoestiny IJII nWsofl of W1IOM Hit KNOWS AND WIlOM HE LOVES. Clcmcnt hímseU gives a further clue to !lis meaning bere when (earliel' in too sl'dion) he refefs lo the Chrislian: "now that he assm:intcs through lo\\'e wilh lhe Delóved Oue, to whom he is allier1 by free cboice:" CI('m('ut wonlcl noto uf l:l)IITSe, have snggested that
.al
GOD'S CREAT PRO;lECT AND rIlE FINAL BATTLE
GOD'S STRATECY IN HUMAN BIsrORY Ephesians 1: 13, 14; AY Hcbrew~ 2:10 Romans 8:18 See aboye, section 5. Romans 8:29 EphesiaIls 1: 13, 14; see uIso 2. Corinthiaos 1:22; 5: 5 EphcsiaIls 4: 30 Romans 8;23 Romaos 8: 15-17 Galatians 4:3 Galatians ·4:3 Gfdatians 3;24; the words tldoT (J'IV, NED) Imrl school· (AV) are rnisleadillg for they do not I:on'i's)' the meaning uf the GreeK. nsv translates jt better as clIstoclían and YOlmg giVI;S its reu' mcnning: child-conductur. 44. Galatians 3:24 45. Galatians 3:25 ·16. Galalians 3:26 47. Galatians ·1:5; Rom, 40. Calati:ms 4:6, 7; d. the 11.I1ll!u:ll!e 01 Romans 8:15·17 abt}\'e. 49. 2 Corinlhians 3: 18 50. IIehrews 2: lO 51. PhilippiallS 3: 10-14 52. Colossians 1:24 53. 2 CorinthiallS 4: 16-18 54. Romans 5: 3-05 nsv SS. ROllmns 8:38, 39 56. Rcvclatioll 12: 12 57. e.g., John 7:18; 8:50; 17:22; 13:.'l~; 1'1:.13; W:l<\; 17:1 58. RevclatiOlJ 17: 16 59. Rev(,latioll ] :16; 2:12; 19:15-21 60. 'fhe "sons of G()d" who are C'onformed to Ch.üsú im::! al);o to be "revealcd," alid lheir hrighln~.!;~ will IItld (ti his. \ R 8:19,29) 61. haiah 1.1: 1-9 i¡; a passage hringhlg IIlany of LhcslJ ideM tugether. In verse 4 lhere is refercflC'c to t1w W'eilpon of lrutl'¡ful word~ comillg frmn Chrisl's mouth. V~rses '6··9 e!!:'Sl'ril.>t-: [be iLlyllicpeac whidl b to come:, and vcr~e 9 expla-insmorG hQW this wiIJ b ;\chieyed. "They shall not hurt Ilor tkstrqy," lu.:causc th" eiJrlh wl11 he fille,l wilh lhc kuowledge of Güd as lh.., wale.rs ~o\'er die sen. 'j'hc knowledge of the beaul)' of Chri~t will sl.'T,:ad out lhrnugh thc universe, r(:'vealing evil and tl.His destroying iL 62. 1'0 the ;,tndent worle! a Ijght would have been ::t llame, amI so fire amI lighl are assoclatctl. 00c mighl lhe.refore cotlsiller wch verses as: 1 Corinthians 3:10-1.5; 2: ThessllloniallS 2:8.; 1 JOhll 1 :,'3; Rcvulatioll 20:9-10; 21:23; to be a.%ociateu. As the hr::ht of what Gnu is, spre.ads tbroughout tllc univcrslJ, it clcstrnys Gvil -amI pnrges helieve[s. 1'hen God's soos may Hvc iil lhe light of him. 63. Revc1ation 21; 1 64. Revelation 21:2 65. Revelation 21:3, 10 66. Revelation 21:7 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43.
112
67. See aboye section 7, p. 4(-). TIcvelation 22: 1;' Genesis 2: 10 (j9. lh:vclat.ion 22:2; Genesis2:9; 3:22 70. Genesi" 2: J 1, 12; Revelabon 21: 18·21 71. Cenesis 3:1) 72. Re~'eJation 21:23 73. Revcbtion 22:4 7-'1. l-\.evelat!on 21 :27 75. RBvobttion 22:2 76. Revdat.íou 21: 7 77. Re"!llatiOIl 22:5 ()H.
113
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Word Study-Chosen and Elect The 5ubjeet uf this study is ti)€, Greek word eklektos, which is translated in our vefs.ions eithcr as "chosen" or "eleet." This i5 useJ in six different contexts: 1 (1) Of Cl/l'i,vl: Luke 9:35( 23:35;\ 1 Peter 2:4; 2:6; (lsaiah 42:1) (2) Of the clwrchin Chríst: Romans 8:33; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians .3:12; 1 Tbessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:10; Tih.ls 1: 1; 1 Peter 1:2; 2:9; 5: 13; 2 Peter 1: 10; Revelaban 17: 14. (]\,fatthew 24:22-31; Mark 13:2Ú·27; Lllke 18:7?) (3) Of tlle 1U1tion of Israel: Acts~,:Romans 9:11; 11:28 (1saiab 45:4; Deuteronomy 7:T ( 4 ) Of belíevers wíthin tlre nation of Israel: Romans 11: 5,7. (5) 0lthe tu:elve disciples: Luk~3; John 6:70; 13:18; 15:16, 19; Acts 1:2, 24,25. (6) 01 Patll: Panl oCl'upied a spedal position as an "apostlc of Christ" with the others, and is thus ca11ed a "choscm yessel" in Ac:ts 9: 15. See a1so Acts 22: !14; 1 Corinthians 9: 1, 15; etc. 117
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HJSTOIW
WORD STUDY-CHOSEN
Tpstament writers mean to cODvey Tlw primary idea in tbe aboye cases
for
ELECT of tbe
iX a
T
Some of the aspects of Lhis muy he sct out :\s folJows: (a) JCStlS chasc twol\"c frollJ ul1 his folIow(~rs. . . . be wcnt out into the ll:}()\Intnin lo pTny¡ alld be conlinuoo aU night in prayer to God. And ""hen it was dl.ly. he caUcd his disciples: and he chose [mm lhe:m twelve, ~",'hom 111 he named apostles. (Lukc 6: 12, L3; th~ word alJOst{¡; mt"f u messcnger" ) And he goes IIp into the moWlt.a.íu, and c.alls m~lo l1i whom he himself would: and the}' \",'t!nt un appointed twelve, that they might he with him, ami tilat he might send them forth to preach, ... (Mnrk 3: 13, 14) (1)) AH twelve were chosen-Judas too. Jesus a.nswered them, Did 1 not choose you the twelve, and one of YO\l is a devil? Now he spake of Judas the son of Simml .l!scariot,
118
119
\VORD STUDY-CUOSEN AND .ELECT
cOD'S STHATEcy JN Hm'lAN HISTORY
(
Ibus, for exampl0, the words 'Ton have not chosen me but I have chosen you" have been roade into the assertion about Cad sele<.:ting who shou1cI be saven.:1 This is unjustifialJlc, for the wl01e passage is addressed spccifically to the nposThe choice Jesus menbons is linked specincaHy tb their "appointrnent," ic., (o Hpostolic offiec. lvf(ueoyc:r, Jndas himseU WAS clílW'n wilh lhe o!her t'h:"'~ll. bUl j~ offir.-e." 'rhis is vety important. Jesas says: "Did choose YOil the twelvc, nnd one of JOu is a deviP" John goes on to emphasize that Jndas \Vas "one of the twdvc." Jesus does not say: "1 have chosen eleven of you but th other is a devil." Tbe cJection oí Judas \Vas no difFercnt from tbat of the otbl"rs. Pet~r d(¡l.'~ 1m! ~y lbUl Jlldn.s w neyer [C'1l1l;' Ull .lpulltlc, hu Sll}lS Úlal 1u' "le]] ¡¡way Íl'Clm th apostobe millistq. Tho point is th,lt thís ('Ip'climd.lfJ.J ing to do wtl'h w!Jqt}¡1otT .1 1"M"Thml \\'l"nL lu J.n:i1\':l..1! it was the beslnW'll DI .tu olE.l. arul A tn~k. 'flww are lwo aspects 01' sl1<:h a hlJstowül; ovar orw a man's \Vil! has ('ontrol and ové..r the otht'r JI rlO1;'S I\Ot. • clisciples' ~n whhes could 111)1 dd~ill~ Jl!.'sm' e apostles, nor cOllld they appoint themsulves lo the offjr,;e. J esus savs: ")'OH have I10t chosen Jn\j but Jhave ('ho~én vou." They did not chooso lo have tbe callillg (ornallling) appliecl to them; that choice \Vas made in Cod's hee strategy. lt was hased 011 his foreknowledge, but \Vas Tlot dírected by any hwnan wilt Ihe office, calling, all(l lask lo fulfil1, were onlair1C'cl by Cod al Whal Coi! dJil UCll OI:dain w~:liow thc)' wnuIJ 'IJl 111' tu lhl: lalil he hall .tllottffi lhrm, Elevell of t1wm chosc to fulfin thcir caHing throllgh the power of the Spirit. Not, of <;,omse, that tbey couId do anylhing in tlwir own slTeuglh. "\Vithout me," saiel Christ, "yo1l ('~m do nothing."¡¡ 1t is (in.!y possible to wagc Christ's wartare if olle is figbtillg in him ancl in Ihe strep~lh of his might. \~e cnnnot l1chieve tl1f. task Cod ~i\"cs us withoul his aid. (J-le cloes 1I0t cxpect 11S to.) There is, howevcr, somt1thin~ on which his 1\; comlitional. Lel us note earefuIlv }Jaul's worcls in l\omans 7: "in me, that is, in m)' l1esh, dwells no gOCld thill¡(: 1vlnn is bouncl lo sin, sold undcr sin, carnal, hopekss, impotent. tles.~
•
120
J
,
Bnt, after tlti::; most complete statement tlf humaD depr.rvity Panl goes 011: "J can will wLat is right but 1 cannot do H. (verse lB; nsv) Cad wants us to have a willingrw$s lo perform the task; he suppbes tbe means. In the elev~J'l fa.itlJ. flll apostles, athough the "l:lesh \vas weak," the "spirlt was wi.llil1g."¡; This was w'1Jat Cad wElntccI of tbem, "... iHingo6ss, aud llP wOllld uoL force iL on .them. Bul althou~h the elev~n
\VC:'re \.villing 'lo pl"r-fonn thell' task through Guc1's p(~wer,
Juoas WHS not. H~ had receivec1 !he samú (la.l.liug. he hElel bcen ('hosen ami appoi.nlud to tbe same office , he had sh in tIw minislry of tbat office, bul he fell away from i., Peter cloes not say that God nmcle Judas faJl 'l\',!ay. he siTn pI), says that he did fall away. It ,vas Ms own choic,"-, was n01 rlHJ1. h" 1;'0111" !mmdLO\\' UfH,h,[lOStel: lDl·L.J1 hÍJI\seU, {al' -bolh CHlliJlg ~llld,..lroction wrore JtJs~u>· dedsjon. Whll Judas COllld (amI did) do was to fnlI ;l'i istry he been given, Hncl so eoutel h¡¡.ve bwnght and enjoyed. 'r'lle electiol1 of thc aposlles wns Wllnerited. It 'waS -an officlo' nOlW of them hacl ew:n~d, aOO none had taken fUI himself. J t \Vas an unmel'ited pri\'ill<'ge, lJUt (as always in Cod's (h~1IHllgS) it üwolved rebponsihility of like propoTtion.. Reing mlmed as an apostl.e brougbt the great oppottullity lo he b1.lilt hy Cad into ~he fOllndations of theehurch of Christ.· But 'to lbat one who fell from this ministry, his privilege turncd to great conocJ'rmation and cru.'\hing guilt at the enormity of hü; sin. Privilegc fmm Goc1 ís an opportu" nity for blcssil1g, but also fol' üondeml1ation. The san1e principIe applic3s (below) to the election of Israel. N(ll only salvalion but alsu üondemnutioll came "Hrst to the Jew and nlso to the Gentile."~ El('('lliJII ~ .un offiec. ti r~~JJoD~lhi1itv, a privj]egn. J t í'i "!:!!:L <111 ir.H~u.lllik ~-;;l,.,rli bl~ .. il1g, . --Cod, of eourse, assigns eallings aceorcling to bis foreknowlellge. But although Jesus ma)' have kU.own the beBTts and react.ions 01' those he chosü, lHwertheJ.ess his ch()Íl.:~ of Judas \Vas no different hom his choice of .lobn. :He sáicl that he knew a disciplc would betra)' hirn, Imt ho Jicl nol: cause Judas to fall.
mio
121
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY
THE ELECTIÜN üF THE NATIüN üF ISRAEL Th~ eleetioll of Israel shows many similarities lo tlw eleetiou of the apostles. SOIll(' of the<>c may be snmmarizoclintQ seclions similar lo those llsed for l·he aposlles:
(a) Cod cllO!W tl1em a.lone from all the nalions. (b) The \\'llok IlJ.I.1lDn W[I'i chosen. (e) Goc1 kUl'~\f in utl'lJUnce whal lhl"ir r el) TIH'ir tal'k was In prf<par to h1f"';~ thl'" wnrJ (e) 901111' fdl ; Other sirnilaritics Israd, likc thal 01 Ule )' W('lIt lo lll'.l strongly alia",ks in HOrllalls ec:lection "'m. !l pJ...ugc nf flUllUll" 1 .:..li\'.lL.lo conceri1pc! lhe oHice amI fUIH:Lioll In whieh tIle Ila! ion \Vas canec1 Ul this ('arthly life. Its only COIIJIC';CI'iOIl with lile' issue oE heavcll and hall was that lhe gre(lICr n:sponsibjlity it brollght wou 1<1 ~ivc grcalcr opportnnily for bh·'ssing if L1lG)' re]1tl.nted and grcalcr condcmnalion H tlw!, rejcdcd God's plan for themsdvos. Bolh sa IV(lUon amI conc.1('lllnalioJl carn" to the Jew first and also lo lh~ C(·nlilu.
Liko the eleeUon of the aposlks, tlw elcction of Isracl was lInmeritec1 and unearnccl, Jc.:SIlS saic1: "You have nol chosen me bllt 1 have chosen YOIl"; Paul said o[ lhe ehoicf\ of Israel: ult is not of hin) lhat wilb, nor of hirn that nll1s, but of Cac1 thal has merey." Cod's choic(~ of IswcI was declarcd whiTe Israel amI Edom \Vcn: hoth still in rhe' samo womh. 11 was uot camed, c.:ithl'r hy worh or hy forcs(,;('n works. Tlwir eleeUon was not somelhing lhey took for lhemse1ws. Tt \Vas a choice ma(lf' in Cod's free slratcgy. This is 1I0t to say that it was arbitrary, for Cad dOllhlless forckncw, whon he made it, what Jaco!>'s (anc1 Tsrael's) reactio\1 woukI he. lt may oven be that we can discern somcthin¡:!; in Lhc altitudes of 122
WORD STUDY-CHOSEN AND ELECT Jacob anc1 Esau tIlat cxplains the choice (though it eertainly is lIot "works," for Jaeob's behavior \Vas far from cxempIary). Thongh Israel's eleclioTl by Cod was free, unmerited, and uncarned, the prjvikge it broughl \Vas aceompanied by great J·csponsíbilily. Cod had put bis name npon tbe sons of lsl'llcl 1l1 anc1 they had to live up to lhis calling (or naming). Some of tbem were reprobate ancl fai1eo in lnis. Therefore the name oí Cod was hlasphemed aDlong the Gentilcs because of it. l1 Jews who dic1 not live up to the task tbat was implir'd llY their chose.nncss lost the bl(l~<;ing Cod intended. In Pillll'S day this was tl'1l(~ of th05tl who tailed lo iJTísr" lmeI Lale as Goci inlended whcn the great Jight of Jesus came to thCIll.l~ 11' 111ey rcfUSf'd In fep..m and hectlme nart O goWen 'lictl!ol-h} ~h;nc forth J.íingl ,1 11(1 bl~
-
'usctl .
12), Thc grcal rün..kIID\' It'l.lgl", to rnaJw
¡m. Thus.
11"1
nltholl~h Jndas re-
jeetcd him, Goel w,ed Ihis rF.j(~ction to set in motíon the evcnts !l'¡ldiug to Christ-'s aloning lIeath. Similarly, althollgh .'iOme lsroelites fdl away, God lIscd them lo stimulate otbcr-s lo rcpelllance. lll 1'11('rc is onc important difFercncc bel,v<"cn the c1cction of lhe; 1wdvc disciples amI that of Israel: the lattcr, llnlike the former, had a strong corporatc aspect. It was the nation whid¡ \\fl.!\ tho l'lect Ullhcr than the individnah in it who were electo Cod obviollsly did not choose to make certain pl::'opl(~ jnlo Jacoh's desecndants. Hather, il was bf>cnuse they \v('fe <;Beh /k <;t.'C'1.o:mh th.d lhty '"ere p-Ject. Bcing bOfll into tlw llabOll, they were born into its eIeetion. But this was not the ooly way for a person to enlCI" thc e1ectíon of the natiol1. Huth is un cxample uf somconc who c1id not enlel' lhis d('r:tTnn hj' hn1.h. 1mf by clj()tN~. To Naomi she said: yemr peoplc shal1 "be roy pcop!e, and yom Gad my God. H Tt \Vas cJear1y her own choice to become a proselytc to the J cwish natioll and faith. In entering the natían shc entc'l'f'rl aI~rrits dc('lioo. We see tbis cJearly from tbe faet that sho \Vas the gn'
123
GOD'S STRATEGY IN IllTMAN II1STORY
that l11c ""hole e1ectioll of the natioa, ,as al'lnounced to Al1raham, ,,'as with Ihe object of preparillg for a secd (Chl'ist) lhrough whorn aU natiolls would be blcssed. Bllth, althongh shc cl:1tered lhe elcclian of the 'Iation by choice and not by hijlh, partonk nf that cleetian so compktcly as to bccomc part af the IÜle of descent lo that secd. Hulh was not ChOSUIJ to ]wco\He part of the nation of hrad; rath jn 1JrcOJ ninl! Uill:l 01 thul naUul1,¡J¡lJ. l.'nt~n~d ir.> t'hns
\VOHD STUDY-f:HOS&'1
-no Puul
\Vl\ mnst !lo\\! a1so ('oJlSider a slightly dil:fl¡crcIll llSe' J')aul lIIaktls of thc word electo No! on\y uoes h(~ l"('gal'cl lb!'! ",hale naliou (lf Israel as L'!I'Cl, bul he ajsn Slll'~,ks o r¡'I1IIlant withi.n lbe Ilalil'm who are <'e1ed aCL'oJ'dillg lo
'raCe. "rl; "Vhnt does he llle,mÍ" 'Ve sllonlJ l.)(?~lr in miJJu cC'ltaill feallll'C's of (1)1' cpistlc to Uw Uomalls. Tlw firsl 1S itl'l mpcateL! ¡'oIllenlion l¡Jal wfthin hnu.:l, nI) lrss lJ1aIl iu (~llll'l" natinm:, lben:! has always huen
a IJtJjevilJ~ nmi
ID unlll,'IJ¡o\iTlg ,s1.;t.:t1bll,"'" Thc ~ncond is lhal, ill ilomans, Pau] COrltl'nsls "works'" wilh "failh" untl '\.vórh" with "gran~," hul nuver "bilh" with "I!.n1cc.'· To him, f:tjlh-~J':lcc WL'n~ inseparable. Homnns 1:2-tJ rc¡)eb: For ir AbraJuun WIU jUllllfied by works, he ha~ whereof lO ~lory; ut not toward God. Foy what sa)'~ rhe Scriplurc'P And
Abrabllln had failh in Cod ancl il was rcclruned unlo him ror righteou~nes_'i. Now lohim tlwL works, lhe rcwMcl is not reckotlcc1llli o{ ~raee, bul as oí dcbl. BuL lo him Ihal works t, huI has faitb in hilO lbnl rll'ililles the ungodly, his faith réckoned fOl' rlf!hteo\L'iJlcss, r:;"cu as D:wid (lIso pro(he ml~n, unto w110m God rccKons \Yorks . , ,IR Pau! is herc conlrasting tlw ('()IJccpt oI Cod (in bis ¡;rael~ wckoning raith as righlstanding) with th(~ Jt'wish rahbilli('aJ cOlll'epl- (righl-.süllJuing ('(Jrned tllrough wClrks uf the Law-sl'e S('~clion 20). U l' tlocs llot, 01' coursc, meall t-IHll God gavc Abraham ]JO ('hoicc'
124
125
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HU~'fAr\ HlSTORY
take of the election of graec. í!'l give.n o "OO's w..a,. uf fll 'rhis 111 a:' be seen in Pau)'s c1eveIolnuent in thes~ chaptors of the "remnant" idea in the üld Testament. In chapt("r 9 he uses various nllegories to show that not all oí Israel a're living up lo what tbeir name, heritage, anu election signiJ)'. In Romans 9:21 b~ affirms that 1.11tllwlgh, in 1l?r~ll1JuWs rmrnbl o{ 4lw ¡mtter, -Cad tr"als Jl~hOll~~ as nml'i. he hfls now uh'iclcd the lumr nf T'\1'(H,1 hl mu).¡f' flL'D VO!i.Scl.s. PauI lhen makcs a uigression (Jealing with Gentiles, and returns to denl with Israel in Romans 9:27-29: And lsaiahcries (\oncerning 1srael, Ir the number of lhe childrcn of Israel be QI!l the sand of the sea, it is tl:ie remnant that shaU be saved: for tbe Lor will execnte his w·ord on lhe earlh, finishing il ano 4:utting it short. And, as Isaiall has sait! before, Except lbs Lord of Sahaoth had Idt ns a seed, 'Ve bad UeCÓlrle as Sodmn, :mt! had been made like Im~o GOIDoHab. This c¡nOlfllioJl is from thp very Brst chapleT of Isaiah, whcTe lit", l,orr! adcls: If YOll are wimng ~md ohedient yon ShllH ,ent Ihe good of the l:md; but if you refuse and rcbcT, yuu shall be devoured by tlw sword; . . . Zion shnll he rccleerncd hy j,IIStice, and those in her who I'cpent, hy righteoUSlte,'ls. Bul rehels llnd sinners shaH be dcstroyeu logethcr, and those ",ho forsakc lhe Lord shall be conslJmcd. (tsaiah 1:] 9, 20, I'f'pt'(1L and are bltflrlll \\' 27, 28 HSV) Ouly UH'r.., form tI rumwmf lo rclñ¡iltl 1.11,· !tallon, Thus he lalpr snys: And it shaJl come lo pass in lhat day, tha!' tlw l'ernnant uf Israel, and lhey th:\t are escapecl of ('he house of J:\Coh, shaIl no more again stay lIpon him lhat smole lhem; hut shall stay lIpon the Lord, the Holy One of Ismel, in trulh. A remnant shall retum, oven the remnaut of Jaco!), ,mto the mighty God, For thollgh your people IsnHlI he as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of thcm shall rcll.lm,25 lf the Lord had not lel the faithfnl rcmnwH live, then llw nalion \Vould have ceased to cxist-jnst as did Sodom. Thesc passages of lsniah cerlainIy vinclil'atc Paul's assertioJl lhat lhere has aJways becn a 1)(:Iieving amI a1l Ill1bcJiC'v'iJlg part withill 1srael. Turning to Paul'.s othpr refnencc \Ve find in I Kings 19: ~("('k it ill
,um
126
WORD STUDY-CHOSEN AND ELECT
17, 18: him that escapes from the sword of Hazacl shall Jehu slay: and him thal escapes (roro the sword of JehlJ shan Elisha slay. y,el will 1 leave me seven thousand in Israel, aH lhe knees which huye not bowed unto Baal. Strictly IiteraIJy, the Hebrew in holb thGse verses is in the past tense, bllt hoth verses cIearly refer to future evcnts. 26 The meanfng is that in lhe coming cívi'¡ \Var, amid ulI the earnage, God will preserve seven thollsand men who have slayed faithful to him. As, is eommon in Hebrew, the coming events promised hy God are regarded as so certain as to be put in the past tense. Paul himseIf recogni.zed this pra<.;líC'~21 ,m<1 musl sm(~ly have nnuerstood its usage in Kings; aIthough Í11 Romans HA he translates tbc Hebrew HteralI)': 1 bave left for myself seven thousand rnen who huve nol bowcd the knee lo HaaI. PauJ's ('¡laUon nI lhis particnhr incident may relleet some o[ t)w P(-·r.~onal angnish he fell for Israel. Although so many of the Isra<'lites h~lve rejected his gospeI, his heart yearns for his people. As a lrue Httbrew his whole bcing revoIts at the idea that Cod has cást oír his people.~·~ So he turns to comidor the time;) when, as lar as Elijah v,,'as concerneu., thillgS lookccl even blacker. Elijah thQught that he nlone was IeEt; Cod mus! now have givell them up. Yet Cod could say tllill se-ven thousand men were st.í1l faithful to him and \\'0\11<1 be sparcd in the coming judgment meted oul by his 1\..,0 anoinled kings ano his prophet. The story, th<:l1, illllstrates two things. Jt shows that there has always been ,1 failJlful alH] an unfaithful scction in Israel. It shows Ihat cveJl in lhe blaekest periods 111<1n)' have remained fnilhfnI. nnl .1 /I1llJ1 \\í1~ pa remnontr h¡.lÍHh hac1 tesli6ed that much of the Law was kept even by tbose whom Cod condemneu.:w Elijah says that the altars and methods of ful6I1ing the Law have been deslro)'ctl, and sincc tIle seven thousand lived in the northcm kingdom they
OO'S
y
WORD STUDY-CIIOSEN A.ND
e
)1' Chrtst sho\\'s dilTercn('('S as welJ as sirni.
o..~
Y°l!
n,m
12S 129
GOD'S STBATEGY IN HU!\'lAN HlSTORY
legmenos): hcar you him.~9 Wc thus see that when the word elect or chosen is applied to Christ, its primaty mean ing is not one oE se\ecLion, Lut on(~ of belovedness, The point may also be illw;trated from Matthew's rendering oE Isaiah 42:1. The Hcbww of lsaiah reails: Bchotd my ser vant, whom 1 uphold; m~r cllo~en... in whDm m)' sonl de Iights. The LXX '111itc ut1Lnrally l"eDdl'l-rs the word chosen by the Creck c:klektos, but Mattlww does not follow the LXX in this instance, lnstcad Iw renc1ers the l-lebrew nsing the Creek word ag(Jl)(!tos (beloved), t-hns: Bchold my ser vant \",'hom 1 have chose.l; My helovecl (agapetos) in wli,om my soul as wen plca,<,'Cd. 141 MaUbe"" therdorC', uses tl1l' word l¡(Jlm:~rf It!l ti Sil bHituLe for t]1C, wónl rhos(:tl in tJiis mntext. This typo of interprl'tatioll 01 thc word (:hQsen i~ not unlike that of thu LXX itself when ir speaks of eh, ,¡Ü""Jr H "r deserihes a heautiflllglrl 'liS "('hoiee ~ tlil.! snn:'~~ '111C cmphüsis is not On sdediOll, hnt on thtt value set on th~ ohjed descriocu, Only tlm!c oth(-,I" versos in the Naw T.e.stamcnt refer c1iJ'("cti y to Chl'ist's ehosenncss, In two of t'lcm th(~ con Hechon wilh j¡(-'lovcc1ness is markGoYI 'fhus in 1 Peter 2:4 we find lhat ]¡(: is: "a living .stone , , , wit}¡ Cod clect, pr<' ('¡ous" anc1 in 1 Pcter 2:6 lhal' Iw is "a diÍef C'OJTlC)'slOJ1l', elecl, prec:iolls.'· The double li..u.k"Í11~ uf ILtí elt!t~tíóll 01' Christ tu liis J1rcdOWiJ1US~ lu Gou shows 1:I'S llw COllllolat.j¡m of the term, \'Ve musl, UJ(~rd()I't', beal' this link in miud \\lIIf'J1 WC;:: COIl sidor tlw cledion 01' Christ. Sin('p als0 lbe chnrch is cJeot in Chl'ist W(' v"ill HlH.l that the s::lme link is .ítnportant to the Tlf'Xt seclion,
THE ELECTlüN üF THE CHUHCH The central idea in tlw eIcclion of the chnrch nK1Y be Seen lrom Ephesians 1:4: it Is tllUt wc' are dHlllPII lu C1lrl:·;t. The churuh i~ l'ln't L~L:a111Ot' It h lu Clttist anu he is e!ect. There is, morc()wl', .C!itiJ;:YlVúlV'éd in the election. The previaus
130
waHD STUDY-CIlOSEN AND ELECT verse of Ephesiaus slatC's that we have bcen "blessec1 with every spirituul blGS's.illg in the heavcnlies in Christ." This is, indc~d, a hlessing, but it is abo u uall to battlc. ft is in the IW lhal we u.rc lo fJ¡:;ht in .Ih..J .¡,nnor whiclJ be ~\'a:rl' .IJ.5 t\ftll>siub, lhe anuor of God.Jr, T11is is OHr caHiJlg, our vocation, and Gou's chosen task for liS in Chri~t, \V{:' have alnludy sef'n how lh(' worus of lsaiah 49 apply to tbe Messiah, cJescribing his task as to "hriJlg bnck fsra!:.]," and 1'00 aet as "a light to the Gentiles," \¡Ve know that lhe chun:h abo h;,¡s to uC'l as th.., "llght cf Iltl worla" jWit a.s Christ is the "lighl of lhe world.'"jl; \Ve wiU not, Lherefort!. l)(~ sUJ-prised lo lind Pan1 and Earnahas ap p1ying Lbe words of Jsaiah 49 (abollt bcing a light of the GeJllilt:1s) to t-lHür OWIl task as part of Christ's oody the <:hlJl'ch.~' 'rhe)' have takeH up the task of thc chasen Ono o/ Cod, Jor thev are p.lT1 nE hÍII UOU\' ancl share in his I chosullues,:;. \Ve also finel that Gnd's descriplion of the Mes siah in isaiah 49:,3 as One "in ",hom 1 wil! be glorificd" may be exlcnrkd Lo Lhe church in Chrisl. Thus in Ephesians 3: 21: nnta him be the g!ory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto al1 generations ... LlIh'r in l'he eburclú hislory ralher dif-ferent iueas m;ose
eoncernillg the e1f'diOlI 01' the bclievers, perhaps l)t:<:ause
tbe N(-~w TcslamE'l1t ])1enliollS it on!y a fe\V times, Sinee
lh!" ("arly fi''fth t'l"llluf)' a rnosl common iden uonccrníng
clection is that il determines wlm should hUWH1t' Cluís
lians, j,c., wLo shonld rc¡wnt.l!J Tbus GOll \Vas pictured as
sclel'tíng sorne to llt, made to repent, ancl passing over
olhers ",hom he ('{luId r~rluaHy well have se1ectcd had he so
50
wished. Tlüs icIea, surc]y, has no Scriptural fonnuation. Thc Bihll' dO(!5 mil say Llll1l wc nJe dlOlwn to bl" rJl
Christ, hllt lTI,tl we Wl"'1'e ("h
no! scpaTate [rom his l~
eledion was l'ertainly not that he shonlu repent, and sincc
it is this same el
be (l1lythirtg" lO t\o ytith wllY wc repl'llted? We may well
be!ievf' that God, in his grace, placed us in Christ (to
shm'e his clection) lJecal/se we repenteu; hut it is an in 131
\íVünD STUDY-CHOSEN·\},ID ELECT
OD'S STRATEG't JN H1. "-'IAN I:lISTORY
(a) 1:.'3; 2:6~"re have lwen bles.~ed with aD spíritual blessing nnd made to sit in tbc lwavenlics in Cllrist (1) ) 1:4 -\Ve have lwen choscn in Gh,-ist (e) 1:6-\-\'1..' have !leen favorcd wit1 Goel's graee in
C1Jrist (el) 1:7-we havp rf'('eivcd redcmplion nml forgiveness 'Íll Chl'ist (1:') 1: 11; 1: 13-\Vc have rcceived an inh~ritanC'e and a gUllrantcc al' that inheritance in Christ (f) 2: 1:3-tlw JCws and Gentiles have recoivcd a unily of r(:'concilia.tion in Cllris (g) 3: 12-\\'<, now llave holdncss and access to coa with ('(mfkknev in Christ second majar pllinl: hom tllC passa~e is tbe nssoC'intion of Ollr position ano heritagt· jn Chri.~t with ¡¡ tasI", In 1: amI 2:f3 \Ve find that we a.J'l' Sf':IIl't1 in rhrlsl in thc hC:lven· li('s, w!líeh Ís when' ll¡(' hlrttTt· is ~Ü IlT(.·sl'l11 IlIcing ((:J:12). In 11:5 \\'(' find that it i5 Í1l artd thrcmglt Christ that , H'C<'ivcd our destiny of "adoplion." As we saw in secticm tllis ucloption rcfers to our fnturu rcvl~latiol1 as sonl> of God w!Jo have becn eonformeo to the lniilgt:' of his Son, which rcvclatjon i!i lo releas~ lhe crcation from íts prespnt h01ll1agc. In 1:11 this pTHucstiny is quite naturaUy linkec '>villt lhe iHh(~ritance \Ve have recei"cd ilJ Christ: thal as co-hcirs ",ilb him W(' shall hav(; IhE' lask of rdgning Witl1 him.":! "Ve havf' nlso (1 :14) rcceivecl a guarantc.e or senl of this inll.l;lritancc in the form pf t11t; Bol)' Spirit or Snirit o adoptlon.1í1 ~cillJl:f dU:'L\/.:,DIJI.·".!o um I1ft'~il1:HjnT1 C".tllU'
\0- L;-c::Cli!iifL1J..... :mJ.:::task 1U Christ.
prC!St!IH J:l0~itir)n
P.rcde~tinati()n C'OTl
ecl'l1S OUT future wk am} inhcritance with amI tbrough him. \Ve Ilote OHe lasl- point frum tbis passage, a hint ruther than aJl (;xplicit teücbing. Wc have seen how the chosen ness of Christ cmphasizcd beloveclncss rather than seIec tioll. The prescnt passagc shows the connection incidentally in 1:6: his ,grace, which he fIeely bestowcd upon us in the Bclovecl: The grnc:e rcceived in the Bdoved is thus placed in closc juxtnposition with Ollr sharing in h1S chosenness 01' belovedness.
1.12
1.3.3
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMA1\" HISTORY
WORD STUDY-CHOSE:--l AND ELl'.
The connection is mut:h stronger in otner pl1ssages. '1 nus 00 therefore, as God's e]ect, bo]y be. loved, a heart oE ... We also readi kno.wing b)'\etbren~ be. Joved uf Cod, your elediOJ:l, how thJlt . . },,¡ TT1C link is evcn fOUlld when Paul uses anolher word for chosenl1ass: we are bound to ~jve thanl<s to Gnd alway fot you." brethreo be ]oved of theLord, for that Cod chose "ou From tt~.. ~& This is a r dlun 'h, HU I is ll.'it"tl [lf ehri!,! t lw i of ~,.fl'(·h(ln suggl.·~I.~ ¡t.s The e1l1phasis on OlJr chospnn cm ucJdecl in mosl 01' lhe c1evCl 1'0 the e1cctioJl of lhu chtll'(·/¡. In :2 Tin"Jl)L1~1 r.ead: Thercfore 1 endure all Uúngs f, thal they also muy obtain the snI'l1Itro Jesus, wilh ctemal glory. Fa ith fll I i~ dicd wilh him we shaJl aIsu Iive 'with bitn: JI" wc CU(fUre. w shall a!so rcign with him: TIlPs(~ VtlI"S¡;S are parallded in RnmallS IU7, lB. TIll'ir ml'allillg is l'hat tht· l'h:('t ;1ft: thosc' who ill Curist will achil'v(' tllt> hltorrt" saJvLllioll, l}w libcralioll of cr('alil)11 with eten1111 g-Iory, allrl the rcigllill~ 0\'(;1" it wilh Cbrisl. T11C Christ-cf'lltcrcdllt'ss (JI pluction j~ apparelll. Palll a1so lllf'lltiolls c·kL'l'ion illl\Orl1;lIl.~ R::12-34: lltl Ihal spnrcd not his own son, buL dclivcrcd Ilim up fOJ!' us aH, how sha 11 he not also with him frecTy ~ivc us all things? Who shalI lay anylh¡n~ to lhc charge of Go~ of God:' TIlm lite cllO.st:n ¡',t Chri..t, aml so are
\Ve rcad: Put
134
ana
free from mndemnation. The link may become even c1earer to us if \Ve consider Isaiah 50:6-9: 1 gave my back t
smiters and my cheelcs to them that p]ucked oH the ha.ir. 1 hid not my f
GOD'~ :jTHA'
y IN HU~JAN IllSTORY
WORD STUDY-CHOSEN AND ELECT
house ¡nto the ark; for you have 1 seen righteous me io tllis generation.ül) In a sensc, tbcreJorc, "T ~, .V(1'l' "('hO!'ffi in him." lt was nat that Cad Selec: amaly. Rather, beeause they waro. his-fmnily th6Y~}UlTed i l l lús election. Similarly \v(' might metaphorieally be said to share in the eleetion of Christ because We are joined with him as his family. We are ehosen in Christ. TllOse in tbe ear1y ehurch seem to have grasped much moro r¡;uuily than oursdves the conOflpt oI hclng chosc i~t. Ignatius, for examplc, wrote S0011 after thc apostolic age. I\t tlw beginning of his lctter to Ephesus, the eor poratc nalure of our eleetion and predestination comes out strongly. He writes: "Ignatius to the ehllrc:h at Ephesus , .. bcing hkssed throngh the greatness und fuIlncss of Cod the Fath~r, alld predestined hefore the \Vorld began, that it should be al",uys unto an enduring and unchangeablc glor)'; bt'ing Ilnitcd and choscn through Ilis true passion, according to lbe will of the Father . , ," We see here Igmtius' vision of lhe ('orporatc nalllfe of our ucstiny and cIernon. It is uot th¡.ll ~I~';lcd IodIú.dua1. h.I\'l" bet.l11 de!>fTned l oh 111' ch , 111lt Tather thnl the ('limeta ll~ a whnlc. as n 1 rc:C'f'ivc~l :& frrtrrn, !.W!ltfn)'. Simila1'ly \Ve notice that he does Ilot say "ChOSC11 lo he uniteu" 01' cven "chosen and unitcd." He says: '\mited ¡¡nel dlOsen through (Jeslls') true passion," The unity is put, logieally, before thc clcetion, and the elBclim1 is atlTibut()d to Christ's achievement as the eleet Ou"" Thc tC::lchin~s of lhe apostlcs are even more cIearly rep resenl('d in thE~ nrst epistlc of Clcment. This epistle is one of lhe earliest noncanonieal Christian \Vritings in existenee. It \V~ls never rcgardcd as inspired Seriptnre, but \Vas held in grcat rcspe<:t hy the early ehurch and even appears in onc of lhe thrcE' main oarIy eodiees of the BibIc, It is, in bct, a letter from the ehurch at Rome to the ehurch at Corilltli, tbough Clement is lIniversaUy aeeepted as one of thc leauC'lrs in Home who may have eompiled it. The writer is aceepted a,~ being ona of the immediate succcssors of the apostles, aud he shows good understanding of salvation by J36
137
D'S SUlATEGY IN l1UMA~ HISTORY
OSTSCR \~¡(Jnls from the Cn:('k \Von] group kli":t;(),\" kll7Ni. kalcomai"
and kl(isis are lIs11ally lranslatcd "e:alh1" o!' "('al1illg." Tlw as in Euglísh, Can UlÚClIl f!il1l.t'r "invilc'u" or "JlLl11wd." In lhe N~~\V TcstaJ11cnl lh ü hUcr 'nlC'aning SCPrTlS lo ],c tbe more usual: ('.g., hc should he <.'aI1otl a Na7.arcnc,ti~l' \Vilh the sp<'cial sigllincance of Jlall1(~S in HeLrew lj¡<mght, there was grcal Im'uning in lhe Lord's \.vords lo Pl'lb'r: You shall e called Cephns. This \Vas tJIU "calling" 01' Peler, alrnost .quiva1cut lo setling a vOl'ation. ] n similar vcin are lhp \Vords: Every maje that opeos thc womb shall hc cnl1ed holy to the Lord. M Likcwis{' Wt~ rcad lhat Panl \Vas "namcd an apostle"1l7 and that we are "nCUliGl.T sflinb" 'nnlJ "uametl children of GO(l.'·ti~ We are told, thercfore, to Ii~
WORD STUDY-CROSEN AND ELECT
"calling" or "vo,"átion."69 \Ve should make our ca]]ing and election sure,1'O for those \Vho overcorne with Christ are ca\led ..na chasen amI faithful. 71 Thero seems, then, to be little difference between being "chosen in Christ" and "called clüldren of Cad," other than that of emphasís,72 This ís what \Ve have assumed in the aboye section, For this reaSOll one can onl)' take Jesus' ,¡¡vords: "Many are caBed hut few are <'bosen" to be intended as a cryptic parndox sirnill'lf to his words "seeing they see not."H He SCl'IDS to bo plnying on lhe uouble meaning of kletos, in tending to convey; "Many are inviteu (called] hut few are naolt'd [called]." llJsh.:ad of using kletos for tbc second ad jcC'liv(', lile Lord sllbstitutcs th!" equivalent terro "chosen," lo sho\v bctLer his meaning. A fllrtheJl' point uf ¡nteresl is that the weuding guest, '. hose inv.ilalion hau becn quite germine, was cast out for nol w(~ariJlg a weJdinp; garment. This garrnent suro]y rep rl'senls [he ",ork of Chrisl in us and is therefore the mark (JI tlIOSI' wno an· "dlOsen in him." 'Perhaps Jesus means tha' mnny 1't1(,,(livu tll(;. nillllf' but- f,,'W ora--really ábWing and ('hOS~ll in Chrisl. There mar even h(~ a conm'ction with ]ohn 15:6, whieh pictmes the "casting out" of branches that do Ilol auid(~ in Christ. 1n any evunl this particll1ar saying nf .Je·slls does scem lo be rather c:ryplic, and one should hesitiltu before attemptiug to Le dogmatic abollt its mean illg. Th~ leSSOl1 fuI' liS, howcver, secms to be the same as thltL in :2 Fe[cor l:lO-give the more dili!-;ence' to mllke your callinl! and dcction sure.
\VOH!,
13S
NOTES
]. 'fhe list
givt:n inc1ur1cs Vf'..Tses c:onlainin¡?; the adjcctival or The verses "Mam' are ¡;al111d but fcw are choseD" are not listed, but are dcalt wilh 'al lhe ("IC.1 of lhe s(~t:tion. Thc only other uses of the worel c:lwkl? or e/ectioll :m~ in Lukc 10:42; 14:7; Acts 6:5; 15:7; 15:22; 15: 25; Human;;; 16:I:3; 1 Corinthians 1:27,28; 1 Timothy 5:21; James 2:5; 2 Jolln 13. r\one o[ these is important lo ,~)ur s~udX' . , . 2, \Ve are rdcrrlllg here, of enurse, to el()ctlon ID the rehglOus sense, flO! to jls IJolitjcal usage to describe a democratic process. In llH' religiollS St:use "dechon" is a choice made by Cod, though further aspt'cts o[ tlit-' word will be scen from the sludy. \'t~rlK,I fnml< 01' 111C ",onl, as wdl as the no un (eklektos).
!'
139
GOD'S STHATEGY IN HUMAj\' HISTORY
\'\'ORD
STUDY-CHOSE~ A~D
ELECT
L
a
[lIU 6 -
1
nI
U"fT'JI
plll'pll~i".
\Ve mllst try in Ollf thinking lo m:linl-:ülI dístindions hetln'en
"dndiollS" w]lerc tI", Bihll' mak"s sud,
dislindiom wltere it cloes lIOl.
4. In Johu 13:5 we Tl"¡1cI Lhnt Jcsus began to wash tlll'
140
by
.
,
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTOR y
WORD STUDY-GHOSEN AND ELEc.T
lI. 12. 13. 14. 15. of gr:wc"
(JI'
"gracc.cJection"; Ho-
],"W'
ll151in
an Isau ex-
"yOl~
slwll lcave in lsrad sl'ven tho\lsand
] :]()-17 and MaflJll'w 23:2.3, 24
14.2
tianed, e.g., 1 Chronidcs 16:13; Psalms 89:3; 89:19; 105:6; 105:42, 43; Isaíah 65:15 33. lsaiah 4.2:1 34. !saiah 49: 6; see also Luke 2:32 35. Sec also section 4. 3rl. The ncamst tbal the BibJe seems lo come to 5ueh an idea i5 in Isaiah, where the Lord says tha! he "Iooked but there was nane to hclp" anrl so his own righl aTm brougbt him victory. But this is far from a pa.ssing; by of otJler "candjdates"-it IS a lolal lack of Ibem! .37. Maltbew 17:5 311. Mark 9:7 39. Luke 9:35 4(). MattJlCw 12:18; English rcadcrs may find it strange that Mallhew has apparcntly rendered a Hebrew ward meamng "uphold" by a Creek word meaning "chosen." 11 may help us lo understand lhis if wcnole that lhe Creck ward whíeh Matlhew uses is nol the normal wurd fuI' "chosen," but a rarely used ,,"ord hairetizó, whíeh is from the samc 1'001 as haireú. The meaning of !he Iat!er is to "take" 01' lo "lake up," amI so \Ve can see that there is at least sorne conneetian even if MaUhew's rendering is a free oue. 41. Proverhs 8:19 42. Song af Salomon ~j: l~! the ,~xx ~ses e~!ektos in a free rendering of JI Jll'bmw word meanmg pure 01' clear. 41. The olher rdewncc ís Luke 2.3:35, wher·e Luke renders the Aramaic \Vards of r1Je crowcl as: let him save himsclf,. if this is the Chrisl 01' God, rus choscn, 'H. Ephesíans 6:12; seo also section 3. 4.'3. Ephesi:ms 6: 11; Isaiah 59: 17 46. ef. Maubew 5:]4 wilh John 8: 12 47. Acts 13:4.7 llllotes I}Je LXX of Isaiah 49:6 4R. It muy also he becanse rhe verv word chnsen has come to huve implicaÍions fOT US whíeh it did not have for early Creek writers. In IJotl: 24 aboye, \Ve noled Ihe phrase "lo partake of lIis election." Also 01' interesl is a sentence in the Shepherd nf Herm.as. Tbis is a ralher strange second-contnry book, but one oe1<.1 in hi~h esteem by lhn cad), ('bnrch. In Vision 2: 14 we read: "For the Lord has 5wom by Bis gIury eoncenLing lhe dect, having determíned this very time, lhal jf uny une shall even now sin, he shall not be saved." We may no! agre!: tbat salvation couJd be lost, hut thu [ad lhat Hermas could su writl' delJlOnstr:ltes thal lo UIC' ("lid)' dllTn'h tñr wnn1 ..ltlrlion carri4tI U\l I"lvc.l'tnnc4 ~.IÍ tbc: .lJ.cgAliol\ of dreUl\:.U- .lc::llpo.rulbttlty. 49. ,'ho spre:id DE this new system, introduecd by Augustine, is de:llt wjlh in our appendix. Augustine wrote: "Therefore Cod eJeded helievcrs; Imt 111: ¡;hQse Iham Ihat they míght be 50, no! beca use they were already so" (Predest,in(l(ion nf tila Saints, ehapter 34). Seo also note 3 ahove.) Several features of his analysis are unforlunale. The mast importanl of these is lhal he tcnds to speak as Ihough the only alternalive lu his o\Vn view \Vas that which he ¡¡scribes to the Pclagians. The Jatler h<1 stateS thus: "For lhey themsrlvf:s lhink thal 'havíng received (;od's commanrls "''' are made holy aod immaculate of ourse!ves by lhe choice of our frce-will in Hi~ sighl in lave; and sinee Cad fore-
GOD'S STRATEGY IN
HUMÁ.L~
knew that thjs would be the case: they say, 'He thereforG ehuse alld predestined liS in Christ befoTe tbe' fOll¿Jation uf the \\'or!J.''' (Pred. SaiTlts, chélpter 3B), But, in spite uf bi.'i ;:mUDlptioD, thcre is ;l lhire! possibility, The tlUL-.e If[PW~ might bt slImmal'izeil t.hIlS; (.1) Bccnuse of oU'r works nnd merits we have earoeo the riJ!bt to shure the e!edion of Christ (the }'clayian vic'...•J. Cod cbose us inclividunUy befare lhe \Vorld beg4tl t ll11d u
Wt> ¡He dUisen in
Mm ollllll IDa
AlIgusHne \Vlls righl tri comlcmn
problems ill his own new-io spile of its trilllIlor. i
tianit)', What, in his vie\\', is tht' sigl)ifiC'an(:(.
In F.phesians thf1 phrn.~ "in r.hrist" l1CC1I11i
OCCllrS 6 timl's allL! "in him" 1 lime.~-:¡]w.r
Ephesiuns 1 :,3 speaks of the hlE'ssingJl \\'¡~ 11
i.s u dircct ['ontilllration tu lIdc! lh:lt we I',/L'r¡' "hu di Augnstille were righ( lhfilJl ~ln\ll .~UI'dy nef>c!ed only ro sur: "lll'tlU aS he "hose \lS before tho f()unditllOI1 oC Iho \\'t;lrlJ ... " 'Bul PlIlI) in f¡\l.' SllYS; "evc'u as h" cl111se us ir¡ 1Iil1l '·¡p[Ort, lh" fUllllc\;.Iliun nf 1.1lb wor!J . , ." Wh~' should Paul h.1Ve jldd"cl lh!' phmsc "iu him" iJ il had lJO fllndinn~ As it is, ils (,,'Id·ilion o!>tll··m~ djr,~dh' 111 l'onlrru;liC'1 AII~lIstÍl1(''s v.j"w. SlIruly lo he ti "Gc.ti(j~·er" jn thi.s·· l'onll''l:t rnC':IIIS lIothin~ clse thnn lo he "in Chrisl," TIlias AllltlLst illl.'s wor..!'! 1l00',k\ lJ<;l rel1,ler('c! as: "He d'IOs" tlll'm Ihat lhuy tni~ht be 'ill Chris\: nol Le l'¡Il1S(~ thcy wvrc '1Ite.ld)' su." Bul l\¡,nl ~ .IlJ.ll L.I)' UIIlI 'oH' WCln eho lm 11. J,4.. plJt l/1I.. r-Jf/'fH 1>.. 1 ihl1t '\ l' l' ,'W ,,1"''''11 ¡" ell,.;",. l we wlITe dlmp.l' (íll eh""l), lhtorl MI",lv \Ve \\TH: .-110M·1I ¡'Cr'' Augllslm{,s appheal1un tu Ihl' rI..:dlulI 01 the 1)('11I'\'I':ls. uf (]lii'l<~l~ words to lhe apostles ill John .1 f): )(i. YI'! il is this VI.'i'St' whi<'b AlI~ll!> tille lIse
144
WOHD STUDY-CHOSEN AND ELECT
HlSTORY
Even il work of the .
lion .mrl lh;lt pc::rsona1 d"etion in the New Testamcnt is grounded
1.11'011 COtl's fore~ight lhat thc persoI1S dIOS en will respond to the
gnspcl of thC'msdvt...... The diJ[ieulties in this view seem to he: (1)
l!lls ll'-"ClÜ in e.IIl:d ele.ctiOll aecoreling to works amI desert, whereas
~cr¡vtllro asserts e.lEl<:t-ion to b~ {lf graec (Rom, ix.U; 2 Tim. i.9),
nrl ¡;J';lt:C exdll.des alJ reg:wl to what aman does for him!idf
t Rom, id); xi.o; Epb. iiBf.; Tit, iii5, lW); (2) if election is l1nto
fallh (2 The,ss. ji.l,'3) orld gooJ works (Eph. iUO) it eannot rest
UpOIl foresighl uf th~e things; (3) on this vicw l'auJ ollght to be
pninting, nnt to Cod's c1ectioll,but to the Christian's own faith as the
¡.:mulld
,Ji"."
lic\'(' (b) Il is Gwf lhllt glfl e'OlliUtl.{r~1t
J.: l2), 111 Ihis ~!'Inse OLlr ~lli1ring in rpsporLSlJ, 111lt it is rluitc 1.1ILtr:'1:1 feel" mcmlS c1edioll ac.l:onling to kunt."6 of Il free' gil!' does not mcan that lllld has either carned 01' dCS¡;lrvccl it. OJ tlu., two ve.rses cited: Homans 9: U refers to the llOtillna'! drc:lion of [!'>rael, not. to believcrs' e1edion; 2 Timolhy I:D (lo,'s indcecl rllle uut üworks" but makes it dear that die callillg, elc., was givel.l ns corporntely in Christ, (l') Gral" 41ma IlIlJ "~lud't' dU I'elronl (u ""Iul dllues "works," F;ml roa 'i'rJ"S, for wOTks earn whatever is
(.'ltcJ da. mle 01.\t "wmb:' b
c"í,'ine a """ ~i.fl i'lno! A wmk
(el) 2 Thlll1;sa!oll[;uls 1:13 does not say election is unto frzith (see nol!' :'>0). lt ,Iocs, ind('I'c1. not rest on foresight of good work~, 11111 (1]1 beillg In Christ (amI Ephesians 2:10 itself speaks of this); Ihis is not condib.onal on works, but on neceptancl" of a free oH{'r. (el) Our assllI'ancc is not based on our faith, but on the faet that we kn{lw that, l.aving n:pented, Cod hns pnt us in Christ, and we are cJ('d in Jlim, (f) S''fiptlll'c' nc\'er e{Juntes fOfcknowleclge with foreorc1ination, either in i\ds 2;2" DI' anYW]lcrc dsc, SO. As ma~ hl" ~m"Tl from the list givcn, the Ilpplication of eklel.:tos tu helíe""fs is nol fl'<,,~ucnl, Thurc is llD i.nwc..Ition in auy of t}lI' verses that cl,,¡'lI1I1l iDvolvcs a <¡¡vine deci'iiun .lhout who ,hould twliC've, 2 Thnssalnninns 2: 1:3 is sometímes dted as having sueh un implica tion, so it may be. llsefnl to consider this verse in some cletail. Il is, ín fact, t1ifHclllt to base very mueh 01l this verse for there are l\\'o l1i!rcrcnt f('nclurings of jt, hoth of whieh are well S1lpportcd. 0111'
145
WOHD STUDY-CHOSEN AND ELECT
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTOR y One of these is ap archas (fmm the begiJl:ning) and the alher is Both are w(JI altesled amI the cnnlcxt \Voulel allo\\' eilhel' mea.ning, so a final aecision seems impossible. \\'e !-lave, themCore, tricd lo consider the imj>lie.ition Df elleh of Ihe t\VQ ("(mcler ings in turno
aplll"chen (1fr,:l:fmils).
( 1) Ap archés (from Ihe beginning) The verse unaer cOllskleration Tel1ds: Andi lbe.n shall be rcvcaJel! the lawless one, ""hom the Lorcl Jesus sb.OlU' day with the breath 01' his rnouth, and bring to nought by the m'anif~statiou (lf his eoming, even he, whosc coming is according to the wurkilJ/!; (cDcrgi:r.;(n~) of Sallll1 wilb all powcr 'llnd sígns amI Iyiug wonders, lllld wjth .!tl de {'eít oE unrighteousness f:OT them thal firc peris'l'ling, bc(;allse ..he)' r(, eeived nol thc love oC lhe truth, that tbey luight be saved. And tor Ihis CllUSC God sends lhcm II workill"í of enor., ·that lhey should bdieve a He; thal they '111 might be judg.ed who hclie.\'cd Qot lile tTU.th, but had p.lellsure in unrighleousness, Bu.t w:c are bouml lo ~ivc .lllaill":~ to Cod alwa-y fnr YOll, brethren belo\lNI 01 t1il: .Lord, for IhA't (1,)d dIO~l' you from th!; heginning 'uuto salvat"iuu iu .~'luelific.-llt¡OIl -of llw Spirit ¡md helicf oC thc truth: whcre~1Il10 he caUed YOll throup;b our gospel, to lhe obt'llinilJ~ of lhe glory of Hur Lord .le.sus Christ. Sn Illl'll, bwth, ren, sland fast; aRd hold lhe 'traclilion~ whieh YOi.l Werc taught (2 Thessalonians 2:H-15) The phrase u]J ¡¡rches is llsad in lwo mah. l~lJl'ltf,xt". in t·h~ Naw Testament: (a) to _mean "from tJle hcgülnillg of crcalion"; Il.¡(., ~-Llllbuw .l!),4; 2 Peter 3:4; 1 .101m 3:8 (h) to mean frum lhe be~inJ)ing of SQlnething Luke 1 :2; 1 Johll 2:7 In which 01' thcsc' Sonscs shoHlrl we ll[ldt:J',slaflcl ~l Th~.:t1ü.l.l¡f\IlS 2: 13? lt is sometimes suggestcd that I'<ml's lhollght is siJ!lilar to th:(1 iu Ephesians 1:4 ("He ch()s~~ lIS, in him, bcforc the Collndatioll of t.1Jc world"), <1ud that hy "fmm lhe b",~jnni"g" 1,,· llW;LIlS tJI(' ]ll'gllllring n[ I.Teation. Therc ¡¡rc three IFlaill rCaSfll1S why tl,is stí'ms lo 1J~ tu hu trnlikely: FirsI, it is diCHcült lo S('(' w¡'y l?J\Il!i !>bulIld V\! sflid "beJom tlle creation" in Ephesialls allll ",[nI. lIJ" l'Jl:ulklJl" [u 'l1w3Sulunlll.llS. Second, he ,loes Ilot use t-he word ror "chllSL'n" lls,~d in Epheslll1l.S (eklektos) , but a dilIerenl word (h(liTI.'Of1lCli<). 'l"hird, lw LlSI'S t.¡'(~ word arché to imply a time in only two otlwr placcs-and ncithcr 0(' thern means "s.ince the beginning of t'wa(ion." TlII: firsl. (JI' ll""p places is in Acts 2ñ:4, wht're he roeans "sincc his ~'onth. up." Tl'ic second, the only use in Liw cpislles, is in I'hllipPIIIIl' ·1, 15, 16~ Ami yon .your-scl\'t!s pIso know, yoÍ! Philippians, UlJd In ttw. b~J!:fnl1 lbe-&ll'lopd, ",hen I. deported !'rorn MacedllIlia, no dmrch IIlul rcTlow. ship with Ine in thc mat'tcr of ~iving lIud reeeivill~, but you only; for even in. 'Fhessaloniea yon senl onl;e IIml again IInto rny need, Thi.s is very significant sinee Pau!'s !irst Journcy to Thessaloniea is sp(,cifie'll1y mentioned as Ihe "beginning of the goSpeL" Tlllls whell he tdls the Thessalonians: "Cod. ~ :rOli froro ,tw IwgirmhJg" il. wonld seem obvio\ls that he m!~)m'i (he 1J1'~illnlUJt' ibe- WJ"'pel ,Ve must also eonslder the me:\mrtg of Ihe \'lInouS otller lerrus Pan! uses: "salvation," "saneti!ication," "bclicf of the truth," and "chosen."
no
or
146
The wor(1 sa7wtioll mnst be seen in ¡he light of ¡he great interest in thl' Thess:'¡jemÍ
wm
t-~lnCf..t
1,,· phrase "belic'( of IhE' truth" ('mphasizes the comparison be twP('!'l Ih(' lrus Chri.sl'ians alllJ lhe false. The false received nol lhc I.ove of thctrulh, Ihat they rnight 1)(' savea for lhey belíeved nol the truth huI h:ld plcasure in um:ighleousness, The tn.1<;; Christians \Viii be 5ilvccl hy hclid' of the trulh, for Ihe\' rcceÍv('cl the \',Ionl of lhe tmth whkh ~\¡nrks in them (d.' 1 Tlws~alonians l:()~ 2:l3), The [alse Cll1'islians wil1 not ohlain salvalion, bul this is not bf'cause Cou docs Ilfl[ wallf llmm lo, for God "wil\s thal al! rnen shollhl he savcd anu "f)II'lP lo tl-H' kfl mvl 1.' (1 gc, o[ tlw tmlh," lt is rather because lhey them ""lves P¡"'JG'm,d U1Hig],t<:;oUSI1C"S to Irllth-and so C:od hm allowcd Ih,·", lo Iw<'olllt· <1ecpjrved 'by the pretended wonders o[ thc false pr()phGl,~ wloo work nccorcling lo the í:mergizing of Satan. Tlw \\'ore! for "chosen" i.5 not th(· llsual eHektos bnt haireonwi. Tl,is .is used in only two othcr places in t,hc Ne\\' Tcstamcnl-Hcbrews 11:25 ,md Philippiuns 1:22. Both of these imlir.:atp. a person taking 011" 01' lll'o paths to follow or grollps lo align witn, allll do not seem iJl)lUcdial"dy h"lpfnl lo OHr lInde.rst¡mding of the passagc \vc are con ,icll'rillg. TIl"TU is. l.owcvcr, a derivat.ive 71lliresis which is llsec1 rnor·e ohclI. ·This. is lhe· lI'ord [or ''sect''-a gmllp which is divil'!P.d of) from ni lwrs. Panl says th"t !lwre mllst he slIeh "divisions" in order Ihat Ihe genuillc Christla.ns m,,,)' be reeoguized (1 Corinthians 11: 19). Thc tme Christians in ThC'5alonica, then, hav(; henn '-divided off" hy Cnd I'rorn 11H)SI' \Vho follflw the encrgizing 01' Salan aml his pretende~1 sigu, ;lI~d wOllll,·rs. They "re, in a sense, a "seel"-hnt the), are the (Hit' lllll" .spl.:l \Vho \Viii ,,!>lain salvalion Ihrol1¡;h sandificatiol1 oí spiril amI lwlid of the truth. Goe! di'\·ided..tht:m oIf in lhis 'w~r tight fmul. Ih" hegilll1ing-also ,shnwing thal the)' were the trne ehosldn grDUp by t111' po\\,er (JI' 1111' Iloly Spiril working in thcm anu the trae ¡¡ssmance' llt;: IlI'l.lllghl (1 Thes.saloniall:> 1:'1, 5). As a group they had received tJw lrrl(~ m:nks of Cnc!'s approv;lL Anolher woro asslleiatec! wíth t1JC' same WOI'(] grnllp is lwr,reó (to takc). Pcrhat)s thcle is a hinl of God "lakillg tllem" or """paraling thern" as a group, to achie\'e his pur
147
\VORD STüDY-CHOsEN AND ELECT
COO'S STRNfEGY IN HUMAN HTSTORY
:24l-J, 250
n
(nh~)\'c) 11,
wilJl
1m 1I1i~ nl1]"
hc
gin;s ;1
148
ai
149
WOHD STUDY-HIGHTEOlJSNESS
\Vord Study ud 7#!"lIteOlU> which {Ir,
'rial i~ drnWJ1 frOTn Lhat VC'I'Y wor\]¡whiI0 study book by Dr. L('nn Monis, T'/¡lJ Apo.~~ tolir: ]"'eflching ni the Gros.\'. ()nl' Rim ']WHe i.s \lol In /'('!stnto 1\1orri:;\ ¡¡TgllTnb:l¡ls, 1m\. simply to olll1illl' 'lflmr' of h.i'l (,)on~ dnsíons. 1'0 \1('lp l'hml(~ wllO wish to :;llld} fmthpl', pa I1llrnl')('rs are given \vith dI!' (jll()tatim)~ fnllH hh \)(.Iok. mC:)TIin~ uf tIlO \Vord ¡lIst·;!!} 'Morris con~ c\ud('s: ""Vhen wn llll'll to lhcse passngcs wll<;re tlw verh 'lo justify' OC(:UTS, tJ¡p,n: can he no rlOllht tJ¡at lhe lTIeaníng is to declare righteous rath(~r lha11 lo l.Oakc righlcolls" (p. 259).
JlIstifu. On the
Rightr.olls. üf thís word Morris writes: "lll tillo, Scriptures docs nol llave ("xaclly the saJ11e meaning as
'righteollsnc.~s'
it has ('onll' to have in w{~slcl'n civilization of the twentidh ccntnry" (p. 260). He gocs 011 lo explaín how touay \Ve mean hy a "rightt'olls" man someonc \Vho lives up to a cer tain code of eonduct. 1'0 liS, a p{~rf(;ctly righteolls mall would he {)nc who livcd completdy Decording to ccrtain moral Iaws. Tbis Illcans thal w an ",'lhkal trTm. f.~tl{;l~Lh
of ethics. In this the ancient Greeks were similar to US, tar t1w)' vicwcd a Inan as "righteous" if, fol' e.lamplc, he hihitcd thp. four cardinal virt:ues. YVht"'D, on fue otiler hunO., a I1ehre,,,, used t]18 wOTd right(;(}us his primary cmphasis in meal1ing\.vl1s not the .~ame as ours. Morris writes; "Tbe chrev.· eoucept is not graspcd hy making a faciIc cquatíon with thu Gn~ek ... 01' tbe English 'ríghteousness'; it is not all elllical tenn hut a religious" (p. 260). It is a religious [-crm bccause to tbe Hcbre riIllmilv thata maD W~'i righl 1I1d only sccooCl~ril";' lh~;t he woul<1 behave . dlÍs pasition. '.\forrís writcs: "The righteous l{;{}wttuJ .tl Lhr '''IItr (lf Gnd'" JlI~ti(."'C, iU"ld Tlghln>usne~~ .is the Sl¡llldillg of tllOSP so ,H:(luitted" (p. 260), He adds: "This sort 01' lhinking \Vas dcvelopcc1 and pIaborated by the rabbis, ,[,br)' pictl1fecl a great assize wbere all nwn wOllld he trÍe,el hdorc God. Some wOll!:cl be acceptcd as rightcotls, vv'hile othcl'S \;\"olllc1 he l'ond('mn('c1 as wic:kcc1. It is from minds l1CClIstomoo \0 this \Vay of reganlíng righteollsness that 1110 Npw Tcslamclll tenninology is d(~rived. l3a.sica.lly thp. righlcous lllan is the one \Vho is acccptcd beforf" God, the onc who confonns 'lo Bis wa:/' (p. 269). This (~'l"taJnl)' (lid not mean that the Hcbrows bclievcd tJ1at God was unintcl'csteu in ethics and morality. It di nol in'pl}' that OIW's standing befare Cad was nnconnectcd witb (lne's elhíC's amI moral standards. Someonc who was in u ri¡::,;hl fclaUonship wrlh God w01l1d he cxpcctcc1 to havc S(JIIJ(' killll of exacting ethical slandul'ds. The point, how (~V<:'r, is lhis: In OU1' wcstern tradition ,,ve? tenc1 to put it that ir a mr\n kCpl lh~ moral law perfcctly lhcn he would, by l1dillilion, be "rightcollS," am] CmI woulcl AC'ccpt him bc cause he was rightcOlls. To the lIchrcw, however, being rightcous meant, I1Y primary definitíon, being "right with God"-and a man\ ethical hehavior was cxpectcd to be a r<>s1l It anrI reflt'ction of this. A1thongh moral ovcrtones may havo hcC'n implied by lhe ward 1'ighteolls they dic1 not con stitutc íts basic meanin~. Monis pnts it: "It is, of coursc, tflle that 'righteous' comes to have an ethical meaning and in many p1ac('s this is to be strcss~d. But this me,ming clc
151
GOD'S STRATEGY L'J HUMAN mSTOHY vclops natural1y out of the forensie idea and we need not doubt that lhe legal idea is UlC basic oue" (p. 261).
Gon's RIGHTEOUSNESS To sorne people it may be a puzzle !low God himself bc rightcolls if ,Ihe word means "ll ight with God." Th worel cloes, howevel', mean slightly more tban this, as Monis explains: '''fhe adjC'clivc . . . is applicd In Cod in five pas sages (Jn. 17:25; Rom. 3:26; 2 Tim. 4:~; 1 Jn. 1:9; Rev. 16:5). In the fi¡st of these the refurence i5 quite ~(me 'O righteous Fathor, tIlc world knüw thcG 1101'; hllt in t.he last of them the mcaning ch..nrly TlllS lo do with lile proccss (lf juclging, 'Righteolls art thull, whieb art amI wWch \'Iast, tholl Uoly 011(;, bceanse thou didst lhas jll(Jg(',' H('re lh!!]' can he no c!ouht Imt lhat Cocl is S]-¡OWII lc; b~ rlg}¡I('OW; by lh process of just jmlgnll'llt; aüd lhis acc~rc1s wilh 111f' €.Xpre.'i sio)] 'lhe Lord, lhe righkous judsc' (2 Tim. 4;R). ln t John Cod is spohn of as 'failhhll and righlf'llllS lo forgive us 0111' sins,' wllich \Ve may well Ull<.krslafld as indi<.'a\ing lhut God's forgiveness is in nccol'dancc wilh lhe bws 01' Ilis holy nature. The remaining pa::;sagc is thn.f iu w.hiC'i1 Saiut Paul suys tbat tbe propitialory death of .1 esus was '{or tlw show ing of [Cod's] righteoLlsness at lbb pr('sent· ,scason: thal he might himself he just, itnd the jllStificr of hilll thal halh . Jcsus... . ""( p. 27... 9) f m.tI 1 III
JOB AND RIGHTEOUSNESS 'oVe may understancl Ihe book of Joh mueh bettcr if w(~ grasp the Hehrew meaning of righteous. As Chrislians \Ve have secn the moral perfection of Chrisl, and sO our stan~ dards of ethie~ are very high. If thc word right,(ioUS were takcn in our western sense we should 1)e sllfl'risecl al tbe Bihlc ealJing any mere man rightcollS, for thc only ethicaJly perfect one \Vas Christ himself. If the won] mcant "etbica)Jy
152
\ó\/OR)) STUDY-RIGH rF.OUSNESS
ineproacbable" then men like Noah and Lot \:\o~ere mani~ festly not ríghteoLls (Genesis 7:1; 2 Peter 2:8; Genesis 9:21; 19:30-38). Síncc, hmvcvel', lhe WOl' mainIy that aman is in a right standing before may see why the word is applíed to them. The s also tIue of Job. The Loru himse]f lleclared Job blameless anJ upright. This c1id IlOt mean that Job had falllts, but lhat h.e \Vas in a fundamentally right standing hefore God. To out' we¡;,tern minds. tha \Vor<.1 righteous not only implL, ethieal perfcction; it tends also to have connotatlons of self righte(1l!s. TIlP.sC I;wo as,~ociations of ideas míght casily have led us to cOllcJeDm Job for eontinmtl1y protesting his imm C(
right ..rlmdín e . 1'11c Biblc dops not ncecssari1y eondemn thc c1aim of a
mall to he righteolls. ""Vhat is wrong is a e1aim tu he. to malee Oflt."IClf -~Wou~, -T.e,. te) l'tlTII COa~'i 110')
3
WORD STUDY-HARDEN
GOD'S STRATEGY IN lWMA..'J HISTORY
G
ss
noss is being used to denote a standing, a status, a verdict of ncquitta], and not nn ethical quality" (p. 275). In summary, therefore, severa} subjects clealt with in this book become clearer once we umlerstand what the He brcw meallt by n righleous mano Bis primar)' meaning \Vas nol aman \Vho l¡ved up to a perfeet moral standard, but one \\'bo hacI hcen aC(juitlcd in God's juclgment.
fl'fer tu
t)w
tbird ctlition, 19(;5. of this charactcristi-
Word Study-I-Iarden The Allthorized allel Hevisec1 Standard Versions of Elrodus h\Jll¡ n.:fer lo Gm] '~hardclling Pharaoh's heart." The object of lhis stllcly is lo lry lo clarify for the English reador the lfH'nning and implications of this phrase in the original He hrc\\', 'l'he English plmIM::~ llOHI-heaTted carries to many people ovcrlones of cruf'lly 01' umepentance. Thus "G()d harclcned Pharnolú hcart" could be taken to mean that God pre vClltl'tl him frOlll repenting. \Vc are no' saying that those wllO lrallslateu tbc AV, lW al.ld llSV intcndccl this, hut mtller
154
1.55
GOD'S STHATEGY 11" HUMAN HJSTOHY
thal lhe ordinary English r('aoer cOllld get this impn~ssion amI in OUT ('xlwriencc often uops! '1'hil; puz:.:les bim., for the Bibk dearJy te.'l('hes that God is not willíng that Clny shollld perish, but uesires all men lo 00 savecl and to ('oro<=.: to a knowledge of thc ttuth, Have J :my pleasure in the death the wickcd? liUY", Lbe Lord Cod= nnd Bot rnther that he shoufd return rrOln his WIIY slld U~,erl Cod. \Ve may be: snra, wlluld ralhcr lhut Pharnoh had repented tbatl porishe in tlw Red Sea, Wo (~'ln never know wh;,~t blessing Cod. wOllJel havo WH.JlIghf jf Pharaoh hnd repcnh:d, Ilor hflw wOllld havo wtought il" but tlouLlle.,;;" it couJd llave bceI1 a CVl'fl grealct blassiJlg lh:\n Will> brought out of' Pbunloh"s dculh, But, lbcs<' thing~ 11Plug so, how arf> W~ to ~Xplaill tlle' parauox of Coc1 wanlillg Phnraoh lo repent aml yet "hardening" him'~ lhe parauox l1elxl 110l arisc if w in olle Inngllnge shou lel nol be simpl)" phrasC' iu
156
\VanD STUDY-HARDEN
,:VI' notiee from tbe tahle that when the ohject of the verb is (dircdly or metaphorieally) personal, the rendering is ncarly alwllYs "strmgthen" or "make strong." Thc gen ral concept is onu of maling Erro, encouraging, etc. The eh!'!::\\' word should nol be simpl), cc]uated with any of l-Iwso ideAS, but the study rnay hclp the English rcadej" to ·'atch sorne of its tmdertoucs, There is, howcver, a furtl1er complication in that the plm.w~ is nol ~God. (chazaq) .I'>harao])" (as, c.g., in Daniel 10:18, 19), buL ('Cod (clwz.ae¡) Pharnoh's heart." lt is, of C()urs p , linguistically possible [O!' "( dwzaq) Pharnoh's heart" to contuin djfkrent t'.OIlll()t~tiOlls hom c1ww'1 when uscd on its OW1I. Are thl:'Ho any othl"r USl~S of tlw phra<;c as a whole in dw BlbJ(:',TIle Im<;wer to this is tbat tl1(~ phTaSt:! as such is llsed only twicc ollu;ide 01' Exodus. Onro is in }mJmfl 11:20, whtlre the Clllkxl IS 01 battk:, ond Con (dwz(/(!) lheir hearts to con limtu Gghlill~. Note that there is, of coursc, n.o r¡uestion of pl'lltcLnCt: or unrepclllance, Thc implicution is that. Cod Vf' l1Jern cpurage lo resist vvhen nll was lost and battle "c'f'Tll('d futile. Of itsel[, howevcr, tilo verse does not make tlw C")llno!nl ion.'> 01' t1m phl.'ase c1ear el1<1l1gh. The othe rd"relll:e; comes ilo)' Ezpkiel 2:4, whÍC'h l1gain is not, of it se1L Iil1llil'Íclltlv cipar. \Ve' rindo tí¡crefore, lhat Wtl llave to considel' similar 11JOIIg1J nol idc'ntic¡d pIirIiStlS, One such phrase is "a (U]¡U'Ü/(/) forehe.ad," {Ind it is linked to the "( c11azaq) hcarC in Ezekid 2:4 airead)' mcntioncd. The lnttcl' speaks of n (1/(lshol"/) forehead and a (c7wzaq) heart." Ezekiel :3:7 switchl'S t¡lis anu spcaks of "a (c;}w:WC{) forehead and a (11(J,<,.]lflh) heart." Thus lhe phrasc using "forchcad" s('clI1s similar to th~lt nsínp; "heart." Tlw fuI! lext of Ezckicl 3:7-9 is: But the house of Israel will not hcarkcll unto yoo; for they will not hearken unto me: for a1l the house of Israel arc of an hard (chazaq) forehead and a sL-iff (claslwh) heart. Behold~ J llave made YOllr face hurd (clwzo(¡) agninst their faces, and your fore hend haro (dwzClq) ng!lin¡¡t their foreheads. As nn ada mnnt harder than fIjnt have 1 made your forehead: fear h
157
(a) 4:21 0 9:12.° 10:20° 10:27°
Exodus
(e) make obstinate
(b) harden
(d) barden ake stubborn
(e)
11:10 0
Instances of the Piel formo of Chazaq
DcutLlTcnnorny
Josliua
JlldJ!)!~
J SiUDuel 2 Srrmuel 2 Kin
Kcy: (a)
l"l'(t'l"l:IH.:O
(h) AV nTllkritlg"
(e) ¡'¡~:fl rellllt'rjll~~ (el) .1U r¡'"r1f'rillg
1 Chnmicw~ 2 Chrouicles
3:28° 11:20° 3:12" 16:28"
eneourage
14
t,
n:pair
repair
upk give strengtb
reJ?aü help strengthen rcpair st.renA"lcn
(paraphr. ) lI;ivt: strength fortify make slrollg added slrength repair restore fortífy re:(Jair belp sln.:ngthen repair restore
encoUT3ge
(pamphr.)
IlISlst enoourage set ahont vigorol,lsly rcpnir gre~ter energy encourage (pamphr.) (parilphr. ) (paraphr. ) bold Erm
gi~'e assistanec !:J1(:ollrage (paraphr. ) re1111ir make stron¡¡er give strength urge OJ;l strongthen (paraphr. ) support
strcngth~n
slren~then
urge on fasten drive home set hard fas ten eneourage strcngthén
encourage fasten make firm se! hard
22:5.6 9R:27
:}2 11:11 1l:.12 11 ;},7
32:5 .3,\:R 3'1:10
Ezra NcJ'l'mi:)h
35:2° 1 :6° (i:22° ():!)O
¡''',,!rn.' Isaiah
·1::3 °
04:5° 147:13 22;21°
33:23 35:3° 41:7a" 41 :7b 51:2 jeremiah
Ezckiel
Daniel Hosca Nahum
slrenitthotl
mainlJl giYI!
th
fortiíy
malee strong strenR-tbcn repair moncl f01'tif)' rCJ?air
help rep;¡Jr
amena enCOllra;g strengtbcu
2: 1l:l°
.3: Jf)
Job
CllCUUra,g
11:25" 12:5, 6, 7, 8, 12.
han'!
2:3:1(j"
24:12, 2():!J 29:3 2H::J
rlilr"Tl'nl fmm "'\'. indicalt's t!.al LIt\· \Jhjt'l.'l ,,{ Ih\' verIJ is lill'r;¡}h' ()l' lJlI'taphori(':olh" persnn¡l'.
nCQllrage nt
cncourage
eneourage
eoeOl! obs'tinatc muse '¡v,o slrength ive c.:ouragc to tnkc heart
24:5
(l:) llV amI ",," rl:nlIN~¡II~' wJwn' o
14:4° :8° 14:17° :38"
;';3"
10:4 23:14" 13:22°
rcplljr
strenglhen cneourogí' stn:ngtben strengthen enc()urag fas ten strengthen mftkc harckr fasten strengthen
30:24° 34:4" 34: 1(3°
rc,?ait' fortijy
eneournge strengthen
LO: 18° la: 19°
7 15" 2 l° 3 14
.~tnmr:then
stllbhom ±Ve power over give strellgth cm;ourage
repair (nv) make strong (RSV)
repnir (¡w,
strengLhen
RSV)
(HV. H5V)
restore (RSV) aided (nsv) (RSV)
hold fast (RSV) bind on (RSV) ¡'old firm (RSV)
flx nbet cneourago strengthen make strong
encourage (RSV)
give strength make strong fortify
gíve strc ngth hrace yourselvcs strcngthcn
(pnraphr. ) strengthcn
ealled strength (RSV) strengthen (nv, nsv)
"H!
159
COO'S S1'RAT.EGY IN IlUMAN
EN
\vORO STUDY-li
'''108~'
at lbcir loo
Tht>
aro h:lt Cod 1 an)' plt'rlm
16
161
GOD'S STRATEGY lN HV:\'lAN HISTORY
WORD STUDY-HARDEN
t?
cJcl.:asioll Or ¡Ul lo lhe rdkdirw
tance; this c10mency on the part of Cod increascd PhnraoIú refraetorincss; it was to him a cause of prolongGd and renewcd resistnnce. Jf this is. as Kalisch implies, n Hebrew al' Scmitic trait, t!len il is Tittle to be wondered thnt a similar line of inter prcln'tion is adopted by th~~ great Hebrew-Chrislian scholar, Ur. EJershcim,HI who writes:
fl is indcc.d most true that "Cad has no pleasure in thc dcath of the wicked, but rnther that he be conv.erted umllivei" and that ,He '\vill have a1l men ome to tlH~ knowledge of the truth and be saved." Hul "h~ that beülg often reproved hardens his neek, Imll be> slltldenl}. dcstroyeu, and that without rem t;dr:' TI!!" saIne manifestntion of Cod whích to the Hevíng is "Cl savor of liJe unto life," is to those who re:Slsl il "o. S'IV()[ of dec'1th un:to dcath." As one has wrillcn, "the Su nligh't shiníng upon OUT enrth pro (luces opposhe results according to the nnture of the ,miL" fll Scriplure hnguagc: "the earth which drinks iu lhe rain that comes oft upon it, and hrings forth hcrbs mect for lhcm by whom it is uressed, reeeivC's hlessing frolll Cad: but thal whieh bears thorns and briar~ is H'jtlcled, and is nigh unto eursing; whose t'nu is lo he burlll.:d," 01', as a Cerman writer puts ll: "a is tllG c;ursl.~ of sin that it makcs ¡'he hal'O henrt ever har(ler agaiost lhe graeíous drawíng (lf the DiVlnC love, patienee, aml long-s1.lffering."ll 1'!H:se t\Vo Hebrew scholars, then, both take the implica lious of lhe words in Exodus to be along these lines, This, however. is often not realiz@u by the average English reader. He may also he unawarc that this is the earliest known Christian interprctation of the: story of Pharaoh, Origen (t:. 185-254 A,D.) is caBed hy A, M. Renwick "one of thc most hrilliant teaehers nnd writers ever known in lhE Christian Chureh."12 In the eady third eentury l1e wrote: But sillce , , . we
162
rregnrd
Cod] as one who is at
163
GOD'S STRATEGY iN
WORD STUDY-HARDEN
N IUSTORY l1sidcr how the
[proved1 the yielding of the mixed Egyptian mul tihlde who took thcir depnrture ",ith the Hebrews ... Ann it is nol absurd to soften dO\Vll such ex pressíons in accordancc with common usage: for gooc1 mastcrs often suy lo their ~laves ",hen spoílcd by thcir kinclncss and forhearancc, "1 have made you bad, atld 1 am lo blame for offenses of 5uch enormity." For we must attend to the chamcter and force of lhe phrasc, and not argue sophistícally, dis regarding thc rncaning of th~ flxprcssion. Paul ac cordingly, having exmnincd these pnints clenrly, suys to t:he sinner: "01' despise you the riches of !lis gooclness :md forbearanc:o, ancl longsuffcring: not know,ing that the gooducss of Cod Jcads you to re pcnlllm;c'~ bul, aftllr YOUI hardncss and impenitent hcal'~. lrea5W'C up unto yoursclf wrath against the day o·f wr:¡lh, alHl rcvehlion of the righteollS judg llIenl 01' God." Now, tet whal lhe aposlle su}'s to the sinncr be uddrcssed to l>haraoh, and then tbe an nounce.ITIl?nls mada to him ",ill be 1111tlerstood to hllVt' been madc witIl particular fitncss, as toone wlJ{l, accorc1ing to bis hardnf~ss and impellitcn henrL. \VtlS lH;asmilli!: up unlo himself wrath; sccing lhat !tis hanll1l:ss wonld nol have been proved nor m,ldc manifcst tLU1cs, miTades hnd heen performed, alld miT:ld~s, loo, of such magnitucle amI impor laJl~f;l.lll
EvclI I'arlier lhall Origen, was lrünacus, who Jived abatlt 1:10-200 A.D. Irenaells wrate: rol' nrH~ amI the same Cad [that blesses othcrs] innicts blinc1ness upan those who do llot heJieve, IHlI who sP.t Him al naught; jusI as the sun, whicb is a creahlre of His, [aels with regard] to those whn, by rcnson of any weakness of the eyes, cannot beholcl Bis ligh!; but lo those who bclicvc in Rim, and fullow Him, He givcs 11 fune)' illnminatiol1 of mind ... If thel'cfore, in the prc$ent lime aIso, Cod, foreknowing the lHlmDer of thoso who will not be
164
16.5
GOD'S STH,\TEGY 11\' HU:\>IAN mSTOH:Y
wúRD STUDY-HARDEN
lievc, sincc He forek.noyvs aH thíngs, has given them ove¡- to un!)eTid alla lurner1 awa)' Bis face from men of tllis stamp, leaving t11em irl the darkness which they have chosen for thclllsélves ... As th Word sp¡.tkl" lo ~Ioses from the IJush "'And 1 know thal l.hc ling oÍ Eg)llt w111 not give you l~ve to go unltlss cor"flpelJed 11)' n stnmg hand" (Exodus 3:lD) ... Ano for th~: l'e"lS(ln fllat the Lord Spllke in par ahles, and bnwght blillclness IJpOIl Israel, ,thnt seetn they lllígbt not Sce. SÍJ'ICfl He knew tlle [splrir of] lI11belief in thcl:n, for Lhe S:l1ne .reasoll djfl Ho harde PhaTaolú heml.H i.m o{ in
nglle." ln this case the meaning wOll!d have a cammon haS'is of "dun," OI "barel to mov~; 1.e., deaf (ears), llnro spnnslve (heart), slow (tongue). This is, perhaps, the most pl.allsible I:lxplanation-though we confess that we do not nd it absolutoly conclusive. Whatever íts rneaning, kabed is used of Pharaoh's heart (111)' once wil'h Cad as the agent. This is in Exodu$ 9:34, 35; lO~l-And when Pharaoh saw thBt the rain nod lhe hail ~md the tbunders \'Vere ceased, he sinned yet more, and enoo (k(l1JerJ) his: henrt, he and bis 5ervants. Aa he heart of Fbaraob W01ll sltong, nnd he did not Jet lb híldren nf Israel go, as the Lórd had spokeo by Mo-ses, el (he Lord said unto Mases, Go in unto Phoraob: for 1 hi)ve baTdeoed ( kJJ1:Jed) hi, 11C:lad, and the hOllrtof his 'Ser vants~ ~ut 1 might show lhesc roy siglL~ in the midsl oI
rhern. hn.raohhas recciv~d the so]emn waming of 9;17 :md has Ilevertheless "made heavy his heart" (9:,34). It is im nH.idinh:ly 'lfter Pbaraoh has rejectccl this last chance
hen: is a furthe.r nuanc:e ín the IIebrcw which is not oon vOYl'd by lhe English, Tht'l rneaning of the Iliph form of 1l1l1~t Il0W 11l1'1I (o locA at 11'1<: lI]l'aIJin~ nI' kll'Jed wll(Jn :lssoc.:ialed wil'll llJ" h¡·;lIt. Tlll-' roo! k{l1Jal is nlW of "wdgbl-," "tIJicklles<' 01' "11l':tvirH!s.s," fJIOllgh words fronl j[ are> llscd rOl" va¡-.ious: nl'her fnrnls of ·",[!;I'('::JflJe'is." Thf\ phrasl' "Jwavy (kfllJlxl) n!' l'H'art" is ohviotlsly :tn ic!¡omalíc IISC' 01' thc word. \Vhat clnes il ml.'al1~ \Ve IlJml., 01' cónrse, de liberatel)' ignore Ull' ElIglbh ¡diofll "Iwavy uf hearl," for it is mere coinciclenCt: tha[ lhis S('ems parallcl to tlw IIehrew. There js ahsollltdr no cOllllection !>(;lwc('n tfH'm. Thc evi denc(' about the IJehrcw icliolll i.~, IInfortullately, .~('anly. It Lo; lIsed Ollly 01' Plmraoh am! onc(-'l;' in a cnmpariSOIJ to Pbaraoh. SCline soho'Iars, however, see a paralle1 in the fol lowing verses: \Vl'
Zech. 7:11-"lmt tllPY made their cars heavy that they should not hea!''' (see also Isaiah 6:10; 59:1) Exodus 4: lO-"for 1 aro hc.mvy of spcPch Ilnd of a heavy 166
he verb" Iike ,the Piel, could ('onsíst of urging or causing othcrs 1.0 do something. It may often be represented by such phrnses as "t·o permit to," "to dec1an~ to," or "to help tO."'I; Thls, pcrh¡¡p.~, explains why Yonng in his literal transJatioll gives "I have declared hard" as the sense in ExoclllS lO:P' Fer'haps Young unelerstood by it that the Lord
Gon-s
mey
1
~IAr-\
HlSTORY
WORD STUDY-HARDEN
111il1k that in general one could te)) whether a speei.fie c.:ausalive vcrb was stTictly c.ausative or merely pennissive, lmt pcrhaps Bot nlways. The fad that with tbe vero chayah ("to live") hoth causatlve conjugations can be. used both in ths senso 01' giving l/fe and arso of preserving life sug gc.st> ('Q DW that the Hebre"" llmguage stTuctllre (lid not make it ['Hoy to draw it d5stinctiou between cClusatiol) ¡md l'ollO.rat'ion. Ex. 9,16 connnns IJ1Y jll(lSil1cllt ()1l this All tJlat 1 rouId personalIy deduce l1tcrefm'c Crom, <.:.,!-;., Ex. 10:] is thllt God activcly (Il'~rrl-'d aTId orguni::lccl HmTfloh\ obsUnacy, thnt He WllS "bcliind H," jf )-'<J\1 likc. and ~IHlt lile obstin was full~' Jlill't of Cod's plnn; T coula not howcver deduce [rOJll lllt: ¡;(alemOlll ll:sdf wh,,·t1!l'r Pharaoh hao au)' \!OULiOll il) tlll:1 ll1i1ttvr Ol' no!. 1 dOll't imag iJW il ulatterecl lo tlw nadk-nl uulhor wlWlhcr Gc;¡d luscd Pharauh lo !JU (')h~linnli' Or IJll~['e]y )1I1I'POSt'. IIll) lflll'r:Ht'd il. Olldg. :3: 12 ~el;:m,~ lo he a ralhcr siJ1¡jlarly alfllliv,t/enl SI;ltL'rfll'lll, which ('olliLI IIlCun t}¡al Glld aJlo\V('rl EgJon ro !lC('OIlIl' strong.) fllIl from tll(' stor)' IlO¡ a wlu)!l.: I \VouId ccrtaillly dc'duec, as YOII nn. lhal P)Jaraoh was far frolll lwing 1111 aulo rnilloll.
N IIIallS 9 l'a111 n.:h·rs to IJI!' slor)' nI Cad hanl(!ning J
I har.1l11l, lllJ(l wu rnllsl COIJSit1l'r hricJly w!Jdhel' Jlis wonls IH'T¡- .~llIlIdel an('el 0111' intcrprl'laliOIl oI ExodllS. Tllc Grcok "'01'(1 Panl II,Ses is skliJrrll/lí, This is Ihc' \Vord nsc:d In' tl)(:
rOl'
Sl'ptllagin' lo rl'nr1t-r all lhr(-'c' 01 llll; 1 [c!'J'('w w()r Did Pau) illlclld (o COIICJüJle tlle J'.Xi
hints that to bc sti.ffnecked is, in itself, abad thing. We do not consider it to bc a ver)' good rendering for the phrase "( clwzaq) bis heart" in Exodus, for the reasons already givcn. But, ~jnl'e tbe LXX was written 800-1,000 years after tbe eompilation of the Exodus text, it could not be ex pected a1ways to represent Hebrew nnances adequately. 1'hl~ Gret:k sklerunr"5, however, is clase in meaning ola the Hobrew qashall, and its use in Exodus 7:3 is mueh more appropriate since qashah (and not chazaq) is the word used tllere. J)aul, ill Romans 9 (v, 17, 18), introduces the subject of Pharaoh 'vvith the main idea in Exouus: For the Seripture says to Pharaoh, For tbis very purpose did 1 raise you up, that 1 might show in yon my power, and that my name might be publishcd abroad in aH the earth. After intro dlldJlg (he main conccpt in. this way, he wishes to draw togctbcr and compare in summary God's dealings with the l'NO hy (and reprcsentative) figures of Moses and Pharaoh, \-V'hal wOllld he do but use the word familiar to his l'l::tckr,~ as usad. tlu:oughout the LXX rendering of Exodus? TJIC eOlllcxt of jJ:wl's rcft'rcncc is, aftcr aH, tbat of God's genc'I"al c1('alings ("raisi:ug up" or "making to stand"), not 01' an)' s!:,ccific ud o[ Cad. Paul pcrhaps has in Jnind (ir nnythillg) tJl(~ general rdcrellcH of Exodus 7 :3. lIe ncither ('ondonl;.'s nur d('-nies th~ L:\X rcndt!ring of the p,tssage as a w)¡(lle. Thcm Sf:'e'ms no reason, therdore, for PallI's use of thc 'Exodus passage to alter any of thc ideas we have IIndcf' stooo fWJ"'11 it.
SUMMARY ThC' BiJ¡I~~ does not tcach that God made Pharaoh ume pcnlanl. Th~ maín \Von] üscd for the hardening of Phar aoh's hcart ís clwzaq, and it seems to mean that Cod r-ml)olc1cmxl 01' cncouraged Pharaoh's heart so that he had lhe stllbhorn l'Ouragl-; to stand evcn in the face pf ver)' fríghtcning mirades. Th~~ \'('rb qashah oceurs only t\Vice iu the context of the hardcnillg of Pharaoh's heart, and refers to the effccts of
169
COD'S STnATEGT IN HmXA:'>I HJSTOHY
WORD STUDY-HAHDEN
was it that Cod ful any sense what p in al the tg iJl{'arable of
:las
rlorUl~J
pro
er Im.weJlt'S all}/Oll(' from ny pleasure in the death al lhe wiClCe
nd mt talher
tJUlt
he libnuld re
Uve?
POSTSCRIPT
an
wi
III thc IJ1Isll, wilh emphasís. I1m1 \\'hi<~h h.lV~' lo 11I' (.'1I11.si<1f'TI'1.1 cnrrfully. Fa!' prohahly Jle) ~tlll<'fJll'ld 01' SC'riptlll'l' has 11x61ed f1P(CIT crilíl'isffl, mon° l'xllllalío,u of (lUl'· 11Ií<..~ ¡lIld pl'fpk'xjty of fril'n,ls, Ihan lhat tito Lln saiel. ") wil! hard(m PharanJú l1l'arl. aml he shall 11l>1 kl- th<>' penpl(' .l!:o," aJll! Ihal in ClInSl.'ll'H'JlCl· or lhis J )ivin(~ ud I'haraoh sinncd and Sll.fr(Tt'd, JlI!>1 'I>ct:an:se tlll-' words arl' sljlrl1ill~. ¡t is lInjllst lo lJUüll- thC10Jl wHlwuL c(ud"1l1 l'x~uníual:iotl pE lhe cOI1 h~xt, holl! iu 111c-' prl'r!idiOlI alla tl1<' flllfilll11l'nt. ,,'hel] all is \\'t'iglwc1. ('()InpaI'l'
whít'h
itrL' 1I0W I'(·pl..';lll.-,d
ir
170
? Wll1C thesc as ll15ÍJl1;cm <[nd futilc as v if one hade the avalandll": to pause which his own act had started down the' iel' slopes? "Vas Pharaoh as little respon .'i.íhle ror his pursuit of Israel ns his hurses were hdug, like tbelll, the hlinu ngents of a superior force? \\'e do oot finu it so. In the fifth chapter, \....hen a dl.~mand is made. without any snstaining llIirude, .~ímply appealing lo the C'onscicnce of thc I' u lcr, there is !lO mention of any such proccss, de spHu thc insults with whieh Pharao}¡ then assafls I>¡nll trlc rnessengefs and Jehovah liimself, \Vhom lle knows not. in thc sr've'nt)) C'haptcr thcre is dor <-'vilkm:e L1Jat 11Jt~ proc(~ss ís yd unal'complished; for, sl)("lkiug lli ~1I1 ad '>11Il fuI me, it declares, <'1 will J¡¡rrd('n Phar;loJú IH'art, ancl multipl)1 My signs and M}' WOllllef!l iu t-he land of Egypt" (vii. 3). And IJd.~ tl'rrible ,,"el is not C'onnected with the rcmon stranel's and \vanúug:;; of Cod, 1mt cntirely with the inCrl':1sing pressure of lb<~ miracles. 'fIJe cxad period is markell when the hancl of l!oO!1l c!osed Ilpon the tyrant. It is not where the Authorizcd Versioll plaees it. \Vhen thc magicians imitatcu Uw e-arlier signs of Moses, "his heart was stroug," huI the original dOt·s not hear out the as sertíon that at this time the Lord made it so by any juclkial aet of His (vii. 13). That only comes wit.h tlH' sixtlt plagm~; and the course of events may be traced. rairIy well, by the help of the margin of tlle Hevisccl \'ersion. AfteT the plague of blood "Pharaolú heart was strong" ("hardened"), amI this is distinetly as cribccl to his own aetion, because "he set rus heart ('ven to this" (vii. 22, 23).
171
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN lilSTORY
After the sccond plague, it was still he himself who "made his heart heavy" (vüi. 15). After the thirc1 plague the magieians warned hl' that the vcry RlIger of SOD1e goc1 was' lIpon lIim iw (lec'(]; t!l(.'ir rivalry, which hitherto might have b(~en sonwwhat of a pnlJiation for his obstirJ:tle)', was now cnclcd; Lut yct "his heart was strong" (viii. 19), Again, aft(~r tlw fourLh plague he "llIadc his heart h(mvy"; íUlU it "was heavy''' tlftar tbe fifth pl;:\(!ue (vifi. 32, ix, 7). Only thcllC'dorwan) (;OQ1l:q
upon }¡im who has r0so1u
hithcrto.
But whcn ove wamings a1IC! • tlwir force in vnin, ",lll'tl persona] in thf' plagUf' oí hoils, :ll1d lhu mngkis:T"JS in p, lar c'allllOI stalltl hefore him tbnJn~1. t1-wir pni.., would il llave lJCt'fl pmof o]" virl\lnl15 conb"jti,o]1 i had vj('kkd llle'JI'! Jf he hntl IlL;cckl1 (~vidcIlOO, it . i"ell to hinl IOIl~ bdof". SIt1J1J~IIU\V wonl IIl1'a 11 1 ll!laluHI.:U JllJl Jlt'jifttlill-'I'1:nnc1-tl Iml pnr,l¡*11i'f', nnl pr-nil TI(T;lUSC' \1(' hau l't'sislr'c1 avicI('IH:", \:;xlwri CllCI',
172
WORD STUDY-llARDEN
sire to evade danger and death. \Ve see clearly tlüs meaning in the phrase, when it is applied to his Ilrmy enterÍng the Red S(.'a; "1 will make strong thp. hcmts of lhe Egypti<ms, and the)' shall go in" (xiv. 17). lt necded no greater tnoral tnrpi tude to pur suc the Hebrews over tlle sands thnn on the sllore, hut it ('crtainly requircd more hardih()od. But the unpursued dcpartnre which the goocl-wilI of Egypt refosed. their' commO]1 sense was not aIlowed to ,lrlllt. Callou.sncss was fol1owcd by infatuation, as uvell the pagans felt that whorn Coa wills to ruin }TL' ¡rst drives mad. hmatíoH
nd
a.~
lar as the original langnage heJps us at all, Threc dífIerent ex pr('ssions have heen lJl1happily render('d hy ilie sume ~nt!;lish \Vord, to barden; 111lt tbcy llay be aíscrimi [Hlted thrcllIgllolll the narrativL' in Exodus, by the mnrgin (Jf the RIJvis(,'¡] V l'1'sion. e woru, wJ:¡icll cOIlllnonly appen.rs WitllOut :lll)' IIlUrgillaJ l·.\:pIan:ltioll, is lhe sume which ís emplo) ('lst'whL:.rc' al)Qlll "tl..Jc cause \vhieh is too harel for" rnimrr ju(lges (Deut. j, 17, d. xv. 18, etc.). Now, lhís wOl'(3 is found (vii. 13) in the seeond threat tlllll "1 will hardCJl flharaolú hcart," ¡¡nd in the ae COllnt which was to be gj"en to posterity nf huw "Phar;lOh banlened himsdf to Jet us go" (xiii. 15). 1\llcI it is said JikewiSG of Sihon, kíng of Heshbon, lhat he '\voüld not let liS pass by him, for the Lord thy ene] hardcned his spirit and made his hcart strong" (Deut. n. 30), But since it does not oecur nnywhcrc in aH tlw narrative of whnt Cod actually did with Pharaoh, it is on1)' just to interpret this phrase in the pn~didioll hy \vhat we read elscwhcre of the mauner of its flllBllmcnt. The se<:ond word is expJained in the margin as mcaning to make strong. Already Cod had em it decidlc'llly supports this víe\\'.
173
GOD'S STHATEGY IN HUMAN mSTORY ployed it wlwn hl'l'1:rt" Ov. 21). 6rst
10
EN
(.1 :\ lmInan beurl h)' GoJ, For one uf the two phrases Which .have bcen thus int('rprcled is slill applied to Pharaoh; but the- other (and thc. mo sinistcr, as \Vp. sho\11d think, wheo thus appliecl) is approprialcd by Cod to Himself: He makt's Him
self hea.vy. t is also a curious and significant coincidence that le sanw worcl was uSlKl of the burdeos tIlat were made heavy whell first they c1aüned their frecdom, which is I1(J\V uscd oí tbc trcatment of the heart nI' their oppre.ssor (v. 9). It anncars. then, tha.t lhe
id IR:2:l; fhi.> pl'ain Icac11ing of Scriptmo is maele null by Ir.H.l il lo lIS. 1'hU$ one Reformer sa)'s: "H is truo, Cod would not ShOllllcl pe:fish aS tllllChirl1( hiJ; sigtilfied will, for hf! ofrpwrl unto IIlml (l la"" promL<;cs,. Lbl'ratening.~. ancl t:OlInscls. w!ljcla Ihil1~, if be l.ad C'mbraced, !le 11ad .51)r<'1)/ livéd. But, jf we huye resptlet unto 1h'oro ur
phrase ilJ cm aneient Ianguage lik-e Hebrew? T}IC1 loost "'BY would olwiollSlv )." lo ask a ero" sC"l'!ion uf andenl Hebn:w~ nr lo cOllSl.Il " S(·l,·dioll of <1idionarie~ t'ompilecl by them. Bnt slIch options a llot ll[len to us-so what eu.n we do? lt mny oCten be il1l1min'lting to t'OIlSll1t books by moJen. th1)1 experts, bul if the Cll:peTts shol1lrl hllp ('('1\ to c1isngn,e 01' lo say hUle of ,1 worrl's uonT1tJt¡illol1S, lhltn ""ha. ShOllhl w" ,lo? TJwro \\'ould seem to be l\Vo main sOllrces oC IJ hf)Her IIlJdersl:lIl,ling of thu connotations oC a J-h'brew phr:lsc tlst,d iu a pn r( klllar vcrs,,; (i) ConsitkratiOlI of \lIC C'onlexls in whieh the samo worcl 01' phrrasc
174
175
'OD'
I~
lIUMAt\. HlSTORY 11!llf1!J.U!S
'o
II~,
'"
STU
R
N
Jí'..ldinR, hut h'l,
Origl'n's D fue LaUn
,~IH
7
]
WORD STUDy-!roREJCr\O\ (foreknowledge) as applied to subjects other than tlJe churC'h. ( d) (i) TIlis part considcrs thc "new" vicw of foreknowl fxlge JIlcntiOlll
Word Study-·F Thr ull ihJt, n l"~tinH,lion (or fOTCorclillatioll) oJ
'nW
W¡, curlicSI ntenlato,rs lhollght thHl il In~alJl l thin? uh(~ut IIS :11~d on '~~.i~ hnsis, g~.vc . w: llu.' n.·mnrk;nbk destiny 01' C'onformlt)' to hls Son, (lItS 15 nol lI\(~ snm~ ('on~ dmion we shnll n:ach, hul it j(i. Dot UDlikc it. H lhi.s hlld heen tlw ol\ly curren! viaw of thc r¡uesti<)fi. l!lis word stucl might have bccn shorlcr 01' pe.:rhaps evcn olllitled ~Ito gelher. íIlcn..: bas adsen, howevOl'. a qllite J.¡lforcnl view oC fo\'(' knovdcdgt:, whÍ<'h h'1S gailIJ>u :lt:.<.·'')l'alll't' with a IllltlllllJr uf sdlOlars and thl·njngians. Th¡~ i~ sn lIlark{:dly diITc;),(:JlI from t:he l:arly dlltrr.,h 'lil1W that it was d('<;;ic1ccJ l'o inc]¡ull' lll~f(! a stndy Oll ,[he wurd, Il is IlnrorlUlHülJ lIlat Illlldl of lL~! stmly is a ckslrnctivc analysis, for it is UHr own 1Jcliof thal thís "ot"'/' vi<.:\V is unnaeeptahle, 'This par! i.s long nnc] tl:lchnkal, and tho fQJ]owiug plan lila)' hdp the T~lluer: (a) 'rhis part sels out seven shadcs of meilnin~ of thc \\lord ginüsko (kllow) as \Ve uodcrstalld it to bo use<1 in Scripture, (h) This part cansidcrs the suggestioIJ lhat gil16sk{i eiUl mean '\:booso," atld the verSes commonly dtcd to illustrato it. Our <:onclmioll is that this mClUlÚ)g only ()vt:!' oceurs iu sofar as ít is an intp.gral part of a relationshíp. ( (;) Thjs part eonsidcrs the use of the word ¡Jl'Oginóskij
The word forckllowledge is made 11p of the t\~o Grcck ek. 1IlI'11ls "previous" (¡n'o) and ''knowlcdge'' (ginoskó) , T l'('l'k ''''orc1 git¡{jskó (like the English "know") (,u.m hav ¡lIall.V shnde,,¡ of mpani,ng, Jt is not always possH)lc from lll(' l··ulllext to distinguisIl bet\Veen tJwsP.. Nevcrtheless H \ViII tU' lWlII:'G<'iill al the lwginnillg of tllis :>tndy they are ¡dl:lltHit:tl so thl1l \Ve m:lj' keep thcm clC'ar in Olll' minds, TIIl'J'1 WIH'fl \VO come lo consü]er foreknowledge the 'v'aríous p()ssibiliLi~... wíll be dear to uso In part (a) 11Wlef(l}'e, \\'oC examine the variOlls uses of lbr: word gilll).I'kiJ al tJlp time of the apostJes. Examplcs <'Ire giv{'n frotrl tbc GrE:ck Ne'\iV Te.s.tamcnl, and <11so frojj th u SeplllagüH (r..... x) tr'lIJslnlioJl of thc 01d Testament. rfhi.~ SCI)luagiul (Ol' LXX) was the Greek translaboIl of the Ill'hn'w Óld TC'.~tament which was familiar to the apostles ami lhc'jr contt'mporarips. It is not 'ln)' more anthoritative lhall an)' otlH'r IranslatioJ1, lJUt will ccrtainl)' help our Ull
ir
179
\VORD STUDY-FOREKNOWLEDGE
GOlYS STRATEGY IN HUMA!\" HlSTOJin'
c6(l'Qke
llmuwlcclgcd not bis brolhers and n
my son,
adk"t1o
uud iniquity ~ ,.V h"'~1T1
'4
HC'_
him, lhat he
01
that 180
, anyone he knew nIi men, and becnus~ he needed not self Imcw should benr witness concerning man, for he what was in mao John 1:'17, 48-Behold nn II.IJ'aelite indeed, in whom is guile! Nathaniel said unto him, whence know you me? JoIlI1 5:42-1 know you, that you have nol the love of God in YQlITselves 'snlm 1:38(139):1, 2, 6;-0 Lord yon have xamined amI known me. YOt1 know my sitting clown d r~ing up; you lIndershll.ld roy lJboughls llQm afar . . . lhe Imowl· gc oC you i.s too d.i.fficult for me. (LXX) }el'cmiab 12:3-Bul yon Lorcl lmow me (Heb: kno,," and see l11e); YOll havc, examincd my heart befare you (LXX) hi.~ knowledge or 111ll1crstnnding of a person may, of lOlll"!W. he' a resnlt oC persontll aCI[uaintance (e.g., IvIatthew :24). Bul equal1y Wl!1I it rntlY be without any acguaint lUlt.~ or re!¡¡bonship ((~.g., John 2:24; 5:42). This is impor tan!. Il sho\\',\ '[hat inl~'lhwtual1m(lGrshlIlding anc1 kuowledgc of .1 Jlt'rsl111 Tllay be all lhlll is implíed, evel1 if the ohject of til(' "l'r\¡ is llt'rsonal. Therv may be> no implication at aH of a l'b'lnl jonship. Tlw nQl)l'l:~w ,,"orel [m kilO'" (yada.) scems also lo be llSI'clill lhis wa" (e.g.. 2 SrllTIUc] 3:25; 7:20; 17:8) but the I.XX lIs11aUy p:m;phrases t!lis for darity. h rnay nol be possibJe in aH cases to scparatc this mean ing prc·(·jsIJly from lhe (;oncepl of an acguaintauccsbip, e.g., compa.re NalhanieI a!Jo"e lo Genesis 29:5: Know you La hall... ? And lhey said, '!Ve know him. (LXX) Nonetheless llH.:J'(' is a l1larkeJ difEcrcncc: in some cuses.
(7) K1Jou.~ledge of ¡lersons-special relationship J Jo!ln 2:4-He, that says, 1 know him, and keeps nol his como mnndments, is a liar, and the ttUth is not in him. 1 Jolm 1:7-cveryollc that loves is begotten of God, and knows God Malllw\\' 7;2.3-1 uev,er knew you: clepart from me, you lhut work iniquity. Every one therefore ... Deutcronomy 34:10-And there Fose up no more a prophet in Israel like Moses whom the Lord knew face lo face ( LXX) (compare Exodus 33; 11, 12, 17) 181
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAl\' HISTORY Hosca 6:3, 4-we shall arise and live before bim and shnll know him; let us follow O)) to know the Lord . . . (LXX) (see also Hosca 8:2)
won)) STllDY-FOREKNOWLED¡ =1< part of a special relationship. 'here can crl'li.1tion of "choi('e" with gitloski5.
It is, of COUTse, also in th!"' context of a specia! relation ship Ihat wc havc the fol1owing:
nO simple
r") llave I ImOl'\i'l1 will ",isit upon yO"
Genesis 4:1-And Adam knew Eve his wifc and sho Icon·
o~elheJ",
ceivec1 (LXX) Luke L'34-Mary said unto thc angel, How :shall tbis he, scc illg 1 know not a mlm?
(b) CA~ KNO'V !'oh! ""'O CHOOSE?
Olleept llier
m:
rC a choi(.>e
and th
In :.lddition to thc ahoye 1l1eanings stlggcstcd eit)¡cr that thr C,"efok gincJsl..:ii has l:.lInnotntiollS of "dectioIl," Ol" ,.\lon tbat it l'ould actwlllv 1l1f'f1.l1 lo ulIOO.\·(:. "Ve havu not }'('l fOllncl anyonr' claim to S()C S11.dl a nsagl' in the~ seclllar Gn·l'k. hut \11,,11 n1Tr'g
relatlon The two con
tila!. (he slI.ggcstinn musl 1)(' ass(·sSl'd. Somc writcrs rder lo "('Il1JlIllOn" usu.~t" o¡Jl()rs t() "f]'c.. qm'nl" lIsagl', and yd ollwrs (o "vc'ry rnarkl'(l amI vny dear" ll.~ag;('. 'fIJc' iTllprl'ssioll 011(' lllighf gul is tha!' tlll' 1ISt' of "kno\-,," to imp!y c'!cetion is emnlnOfl an(1 ('ka]' in lhc.~ 0:1'. and Bihle gunerally. Om own Iwlil'f is thal this is 1\01 a jnstifinh)¡.~ imp],í'ssioll, TI1(' H('1Jrl'W won.l !Jada (know) is uscd ahollt· 770 timr.s in Ih· O.T.-in nhollt 500 of whieh the l.XX IIscd tbc.: Gn.'ek "'oTlI gill¡)sku to translatc it. In t]1(' N.T. thr worc1 gin6skii is IIsed aboll!. 220 times. Yd advo cates of this viowpoint~ SCPlrl abJc to citp but faw reff!r cnccs in snpport. 'vVl-~ l¡ave ana]yzc¡] in thH pa~C's dIal fol low the fonr most plausible O.T. amI two 1II0st plausihle N.T. verses lIsuaBy cit:ec1 iu this way. Om own eonc!lcIsioll is that if evcr there are implieatiom of "choice" (1)(')' fonn
)'ou.
182
183
GOD'S STRATEGY 1K HU.MAN HISTORY Hosca 13:.5 in many ways. 1t is because as a nation they ave knQwn Gocl in this speeial way that the resuIts of their ~il1& nTe thLl more 'scTiollS. The n/;lxt verse seelll5 to re t,:mpbasi7.l:' that this prcviolls cntry into a special relatioD ship explains God's present sppcial d('aIilJ~s ",íth them. The IIebrew n.:ads: "Shall two walk together lInIes~ the), have mct by arnmgcment?" nH~ LXX roads: "5hall two walk to gethc r at aJl unlcss they lIJO'" one nnot!ler?" (TIH:! ward kllOlc hel'e j,~ derivctI from giTli"i.,.. ko tmd meaos to "define ¡he bC)lmdaJics of thoir knowkdgc of cach othcr.") What lH.:tly does thís mean? \;Ve 110t10(' that it is foJlowC'd hy a seric~s of examples ~howing !low onf' thing SiglliA('s pre ViOllS occnrn~J1ce of anotIJl!l'j e.g., a tmmpet snllnrl llH¡aflS thM trouhlc has COllll' ro a C'Íly, Similarl)', \Ve taku il, lwo peoplc do Tlot walk along tngdJlel' (in fi'icnc1ship or Teln tionsbip) Ulllt:SS it is hy prior agrccnJc'llt. The Lord Cod has alrc:ady definen his rcbl.ionsltip with Israrl, whcn tJw)' agrecd lo lhe cavenant witll hin) and he kncw t.holn in lhe wildcrnuss, This explains Ilis spccinl intcr('st in lhcl1l nO\\l. 1'l1(' prophot is, lll1'rdnrc, snn.:l), r('fcrring lo :1 re1atioTl sllip. he \Vt'TC' IlltTl'ly lalkill~ p[ "chnicl'," wh~' slllllllcl hr3 gn on to lalk or t\\'o walkillg IO~I'llJ('r hy fl1lltllal agw('ff1('nt? To kllO\v SOllwont' in 111(' s('nSt' of l'l'!atioflShip c1Ol'S irnply, of c'ünrsc, LJwl s01l1e kind 01' choíC'I' Ilas airead)' hl'(~lI ntac](J, (;oc1 kl1('\\' Mosc:s face to {"acI' l)(!(';lllS(' 111' Itao ('hoSCIl tv1osc's for a spC'C'Íal ¡>ositioll, But tlll' worel k,ww in litis SC'lIse c'('r taillly ln(':IJJS Jnl1t.:h mon' tIlall dlllicl'. Lik(wisc', il 1l111st 1)(-' insisted, ["he prophet refers ill AIJ10S :3:2 lo lheír spl,t'ial rc Iationship \Vith Cotl, amI nol men·l)' 1'0 Cod's dlOic(' of tllcm.
rr
Trosea 1;3:5-1 did know you in lhe wilclcrness, .in the laod of grcat dl'Ought. TI' woulc1 scc(,)) far ilIon' lIalnra\ lo lale this 1'0 illl¡>ly a rclntionship ratlH'r than mcrdy a choicc', 'Noulo t.lw r.01,<1 renlly say: "1 diJ ehoosl' yon in tlle wilcl(Jnwss , , ," wIwn, as we know, his choice of Israel was maJe long hdorc that tinw? Surdy ht~ refers to his continual rclationship wit'h tbcll1 tllere, The Septuagint, Syriac, TargllIn, and Vnlgate all emphasize this by rendering it: "1 tended )'Ol! as
184
WORD STUDY-FOR"
OWL"
shephcrd in the wilderness in an lIninhabitcd land"-which is, inddentally, a better parallel to the ncxt lineo But per haps thc most important point lo note llore is thM the whole hook of BaseR j~ aho11t a broken reiationshíp (see, e.g., 8: 3 al50 G:3; 7:15; 11:1), Hosca ami his unfaithful wife pro idl~ ¡he ohject ]85S011 for this (eh, 3), and God said that the ~ra('lit,t-Js ]Iar! forsahn "lmO\vledge" (epignclsis) of him (Hosca 4:1 -6), AH this constitutes ver)' clear eviclence that roh,m rclationship was what the prophet haJ in víew. gaill, tl!Ís spcC'ial relationship Dlay impl), that a choice had already beeo madc, but it is much more thnn n choice. eems 110 grounds for slIpposing a eoncept of "choice" tlJltl wIDeh ís integral lo a speoial rclationship, '{'Jlcsis 1SJ7-19-And lhe Lord said, ShaU 1 hide from Abra am thal whieb 1 d.o; seeing that Abraham shall surel)' h ni UIld might)' nalion, ltl'ld aH lhe nations of tb ,~&HIU be Mcssed in bi'm? For 1 have known mm, d lfllll he may command his children and his house after him, that lhcy may kccp the W(lY of the Lord, to o jusli<.'c and jllclgnlCnt; lo the end that the Lord may hdtlg 1I1)1)Jl Abraham lhal which he has spoken of Mm. '1'1-1(, \'llriolls vf'I's.inm appcar to take this verse quíte dif· rutl'JiLl~J, TIlt' AV ancl Youllg secllJ lo interpret it along lines silllílar lo 1l1l' Scptu:lgint Tl11' latter simpl), rcads: "For 1 kllow tlwt h\! will orckr bis sons .. ," This makes sensc of 111(' text, :lmI at first s('cms plausihle, but in faet the lIehrew p'ltnISI: USL'd c1o('s s('em to inclicate purpose, ¡,e.) "1 have kIIown him lo lile el/el tlwt .. :'n \;Vhat thcn is its meaning? '1'lw 1lS\' puts in a footnale tilat the moaning of the Hc 1>n-'\\' word is "knnwn," )'ct uses "chosen" in the text withont fmlher c'xplanntiol), 11w l\'EB gives a more undcrstandablc J'('m!eriug: "1 luwe takcn eare of him on purpose that he 1I1ay <'hargc his sons , , ," Yet even this, perhaps, does not go far enough, What we must do is to consic1er verse 19 in 11](' lighl oí lhe: whole C'ontext The Lord's statemcnt: 1 have known him, to the end that he may command . . . does not OCCllI' in a vaCUlIm, lt is given as tl1e rcason for God's de cisioTl to H'wal [o Ahraham his plans about Sodom. If God
18.5
oo'S
S'
l~GY TN
'''ORD S'fODY-I,'OREKNOW
Ji UJ\1A~ HJ~TORY
E
werG.
NT) This sludy has bccn tp ¡umlyzc ü¡ wlmt
SCl1Sc
we
conncctioll hctween "dcC'tion" and lJ1<' lIebre,,", \' !Jarla. amI tll11s ",hal implíc.a.tiol1S could he pass Grcl:k giniJsk6. Out of 770 uses nf yarla in th~ mosl commonly citpd WC1'C (,ollsirlf'reJ. 0111' ()\! was tklt three of them deurly refer to n spot.'ul rolrÜ10llshi amI tl](;;~ fOllrl]¡ to Ll lhurough undGrstanc:1ing rnll1c1' than a choice. FUlthe1', although the LXJr mes l!.i1l6.~'kjj (lOO bOles SOIlH'
fon)'l(!lI H
186
)'I)U
in Ih. beUy I
k"Jle\'
uf the womb 1 snncliflcd yuu:
187
o's
\\f,
STRATEGY IN IIU\-IAN HlSTORY '11010
s('ems lo muan
(l
111
lcction. Boto :lr0 pbys cawfl.llly al tllCir ("'011
ImUs up, bul love cdifics. ows 3nythiiJ~. lw kno\'I's nol ir any man IO\ilils God, tlw ing Ilwrcfort! thc cutillg o
place
lR8
STUDY-"
that meat sncl'i.fked l.,
K-NOW'
'1
ATECY IN IIUM:\N mSTOJl,Y
WORD STllDY-l'OR.EK:NO\iVLIDG
r by
r
' as au interrrn! narl ()f a
' '
'!Di'¡;Íru
wouIl1 come
rclaliunshio-not as a con-
tbcy
(e) I'OREKNOWLEDGE
SU~1.MARY
19(1
191
COD'S STHATEGY 1.1'\ HUMAN HISTORY becamt~ God kll~W that he wouId do so; but God, lIlLlsmnch as He i~ Cad, forekm:w what Aclam wC)lllel do of bis own free (·hoice."21
\Ve can find no hint in any of the early church writil1gs that "farekuow" was aver interpretad in tbe SeDS-c uf the theologjans wllos<.: view.s arp. c.:itct1 irl note 2. 1 useJul .to hear .~uch backgrouud in lllÜlcI, for tIte cvioenü(J on l-t1C' word hom tho Bihk.. iLsdf i5 s:mall. In the Old Testa. mcnt (LXX) il is not med at aH, tJlOugl, thc I...\(:\, does use jt fivl;l liml'S in th<,: apocrypha.2~ In the New Tesl¡IITI(>lll .ilis uscd only sev tJwse \Ve mus! now eonsicll:r. \Vc may bcgin tlll' five times wh!?'l) íL. IS used of SUhjl:CI:s churC'h: 2 Pete!" 3:17-Yo\llhcl'eEore, helovcd, kn()win~ mes
heforwllnd, hewure les!., hcing t'anicd nway ,vith th f t:hc wickcd, yon faH fmm YUlIr own stcadfastncss, Thc 1Ilt.'allillg DI' "kJlo"'n" hf'rc i5 cJ/'arly that uf (a/l) aho\'(', thc knowlc'dge nI' tlVC'lIts. This is the sensr,,: 01' rhe word l.'OIlIJllnn ill s('('ular allel cadv chllrc.h wriLillg;s. Peter i.s telling his rcaders to bowarc, for Úwy kilO'" in ¡Jc\valll'(' Ih:.lt pcople \Viii tr)' to givc' Panl's wriUngs slrangl' and ¡j1:viotlS 111eunings. "'ets 2:23-1csus . , . heing dclivercd up hy lhe dtllcrminatc IJ.sel nnd ffucknowlcd~c of (;od, yon by lhe. haml of Inwless men did cruci,fy and slay. his lISC of Ill<J WOHl is similar lo (1) ill rdcfring ID forcknowlf'dg(: 01' cvcnts. God lIladl.' ]Ii.~ plans in the liglll nI' ,....hat h('1 knt;w ",ould Ilnl'],lcn. Cod's plan h) ddivl'l' up !lis Son to thcm \Vas, maJe in I.1w kllo\-vlC'dgt' that the)' wOllhl crucify him.~:J
1. Pcter 1:1R-20- you were redeemed . . . wilh p1'ccious blood, as of n Inmb without blcmish ¿¡nel withoul spot, even lhc blood of Christ: who was forekl1own indecd heforc lhc foulIldation of lhc worl'd, but wns JJlanifeslcd al lhe end of the times fo1' your sake , , . This v('rs(' ¡s, unfortllnnt'C1y, lhc sllhjecl of stTOng, mis-
192
WOHD STUDY-FOREKNOWLlIDGE lpading traditions. Petcr does not use the Creek word fal' "fOJ1eorclain" (proorizij) but t]le word for "foreknow" (pro gfnoskñ). Thcrec is no indieation eitber in secular 01' in Biblical lit<"ratnre lhat readers ",ould take this word to mean foreol'c1ain.~·1 Scholar~ wha take it in this \Vay \VouId seem to do so on pbilosophital l'ather than linguistic grounds. As ti straight translation thc HV is sUfeIy the corred reb dcring (\Vhal~v,er philosophical imphcatioJ1S may bc advo cated). Literally tbc.; Greck rcutIs: "were ye rccleerned . . . ",ith pr~'dolls blooc1, as of a lamb unhlcmished and unspottcd (~hrisú-fnrekllnwll, inc1ced, bdore l]le foundation 01' the ,,"orle!, am} Illanifeslecl ill the last times Ilccause of you,''2;' Pt'kr's graLntnar bcn~ is lIot cntirely eonsistent, and his c.xad mc:ming is llllclear. From the sentent'e struetul'e it would 8("1'111 tll,lt tlH' "forlJknowledge" wauld naturaJly rdel' hack to t]J(' l.l(lllD "blood"; hut in fael Pcter makes its Grcck fOJ'lll agrel' with lhe word Christ's! ])ocs he mean, then, lltal Cou. fOJ'<"kncw Christ hefore th(~ world beg:m? TIle Falll<'r dicT, nI' cnmsl', have a relationship with the Son befare lhe cn'atiOll-
19,
WORD STUOY-l'OREI0JO\VLED
GOD'S STHATEGT IN HTMAN InSTOR
th UP1
HOlJIlUI!i 11:.<. foreknew.
his peopl
which 11
This JS me IJrst Vl'rs 1U whioh tht' objeet of 'lhe "pr('viou1>·kllOWrl:ugc rsol1al 011(', 11 C'oulJ mean üithcr d tllv fqlli},willg: \VllI'll Coi! ¡naJt' lh e prmlliS"'¡'s lo I ..r.u,,1 111' lmccw llm.t lIlost uf lhl' lIalioTl WOl\ld hU al ttl!-' liml' tlf Chrís\. In Rpil'(~ nf lhis kllowh-dg(.', (ipc! rn;ul,' llll' l>JtJmisl.:-S anll so will no go blll.-k Qn lIu-m W,W. 111I Tllis Wtmld I,~ In illterprct lmowt edge ill th(~ se:nS0 ot (.. /6) ;\lloVU jl('., JI knowIlYlAe nf por ¡IlIlS Ihal dOI~ nol 1It'C'('s'illrilv il11plV :.1 n'lnliomllip, Lut all Illlclerstandjl1~ Ol lhcir tllÍllkíllg
ami
rClilclions,
(ii) Cod trIltNI·d ¡lito :\ twr,soll¡d rdutiollslJip with hrael hdoJ'(' Ilw¡r lalcr llnlH'lil'( b, wbich lJlIIl1 n.,rl'h'í, -[,hm Cm] "foruhJl'\I' lh¡:ru" UI' "kncw 1111'111 uf okl.'" 'I1Ii!i is ;¡ 'rossil)'ll' ~i1l\in~ bul \Ve ~holllJ IILll(' tl.1'I'" lhings ,l],U1l1 il. Fir~l. il is !lol IlCn'ssarily illlplil'u hJIIII~ rad tllaf Ihe objcct i.~ pt:T sonal (Sl'l' (n/r-;) aLoY~ ,1Ilcl (5) bt·(ow). ~I;'cond, il' il is tnw, it ¡]o('s Illll 1l1l',lTI t11;)t Cod l'nll'rcd in sorm' forllll.'r tillle illto a rL'lllliolJsllip willl tite lsraehtes 01' todnri il' nlt'ans t\Hlt Iw enl('rcd a (two-W(lY) rclaticHlship wilh \lw lsracl thal c'xislcu ilJ wady Old Tcslalllenl lill1es, all<J 118 I'L' garcls 1'111' pl'csenl Isral:lilc's as iJ1lcgraI wilh il. Thinl. [llete "lUuId be JlO n'aSon lo hrin~ in a L'OIll:l:pt (Jf clinie(' ollw( than that wlti<:h is an intcirr.;1 parl 01' d specia.l wIationship,
194
d) ''''''''D'S
1""rLEDGE '1IURCH Plil(1T 1:1, 2-·to lllc elect . , . llccordi
dge 01' Cod the Falher,~'
Homans S;2H-30-We know thul in for ~ood with lhose who (ove him, who aro called aec to his Jlurpose. FQr those ""hum he foreknew he a1so pIe destincd tu be oonformed to lhe ima~e uf his Son, in order that he mi~llt be the first-born among many brelhren. And lhose whom he l)l'~destined he al50 called; and those whom he callcd he aIso iustiHed; amI those whom he justified he also gloriHed. (nsv
195
COD'S STHA'tECf GOD'S r TO y• 'rEYT1\1 H \L.'\N l. HISTOR
WOHD \VORD STUDl"-FOREKNOWLEDGE S U 11
prcdates their
~OSC
tf1cm. in
, j[ wOllld Sf'CID
C'ompaniments of thc hncl of special r_ sentecl in vers s likc Anl0s 3:2. This is uot necf'ssarily t]ll intcrprclalion intcnc1t~cl b who makc tion 01 th !lada an
Jlcm ur "C'hosf'"
f knowing rtbol1t .nd ohnrnw'lcrs.
ngdi so i( ,ad;¡ Jlossibk ans\\! ',. is lhat od's re]ation,~ Jip as 'H -but lhis se('ms il rather c1evious tiOld Sun·1 1\1111 "'oulcl not llave wrappccl up in tbe one word forek;lOu;/cdge a doctrine L10t given anywhcrc cisc in lile Bibk. ~ ap HuI th~rc i:> parenl jf \V!' :lsk 'cu it '. cxisll'nc', Js it eOlI\.: pUOD, birth, or sorn' other rnOffient'? l' Surf'1y no Christian would say tlwt I r ' ) '" ano lIe might, l)erhaps, sa I that they existed for l , in God's thoughts. BlIt íf Cod had a relationship with "his thoughts ahnnt them," this is cerlain])' not the same as baving a rdalionship witl) them. Yet Paurs rcfercncC' is to "tbose whom 1)(' forC'knew .. ,"; he says that Cod forcknew
196
197
197
"ro
COO'S STRATECY IN HlJ1\IAN fflSTORY
STUf)"-FOREKNo\'IlLED
d foreknew
.scnsl"
j" .
a ollOfU:S
times i e Jesm'
198
199
OD'S STHATEGY J N IJ Uf,¡
CE
\VORD ST
HISTORY gOOcl., togt,tlwl' will
nal, ('('
ms, thldr('/orc, no gmfl1nJatical oi>j('cttoll to :1 similar intcrprdalio!l whore Gnc1 is Ule su hjccl: "tho,
w110m he foreknc", ....' ('QuId Jl1Ptln no llIore than a ImtJ\\~' , hcir l:11Ur,I(·te!"~ nll(l rClieUCIIlS. Il do('s IInl nee('s. saríly imply nny rcl:'tionship. Thus intcrprdatíon (2) is granllll;ll-lc¡tlly in accord with Bih1i(';1] magt:, amI avoids [lit-' ¡'I)lpossih[e implicaHnlls 01' inte.rp.l'e.tation (1) ahove, 11 a]so Rts w('JI ill(o the f'ontexl of RoJttHns S:29, as \VI' mar now t·ollsidt'l'.
In tltp firsl fe\\' dHlptl'rs of nnrnaHs, Palll describL's [lit' two s(reaIlls nI' bUlllanil}'. (Ilú rep('IILJIII ¡¡IIJ (11f' 111J1'('P"II tant. Ilc r:,stahlishes tIla! wllt'lh,'r a
ptTSO.l1
is
Jhv
or C"'ldill'
is irr('lt'vant lo lhis. illlU ill Ch:lpll'r :3 lhat rllt, ha~ís of IIny. OII(;S a(,(,f'ptlIlIU' wilh Cad ¡,s 1111' l'ailldllhl~'s,s lllld l]('alh 01' Chrisl. (:r.npft>r,s 1)·7 <1(';11 \Vi 11 I lJIl' \Vay ill whil,h lIte, Chris. liaH is f'n.·('d fmlll tll(' pO\\'('r 01' Sill·-Ihrollglt C/¡rist's (.f¡oalh, Clwplcr S h('gills \\'illt 1111' (:llrisllan's frt't'dll,IIJ frorn oon dpIllnaliOl.I, alld )IO\\, lltlls (hll Splri4 ItJI'IIl1 ~in''i IJO\\ el' UYIl' hilll, TIIC'lI Panl Illlks or walkillg in 1111' Spidl. !1l1d 1111' Spirits IIH'lhorl 01' o(ll'r;Lling ;11 Cllri!lti:lllS. I~ro/ll~. F-5fl' h\ ~jn ~I'" tlw ru'"rp tll,~k 101' wlJidJ t:lJl'ls11JIIS IU\;, JlIlt'lld... l tb,,¡T rn·(',Jution H~ ~lml!l 411 (;~¡J, \\'ltidl \Vil! l't·lf'iISI' ('I'l'alion, lJJ verse 2:3 rlÜ IIOIl',5 Iltat \VI' .tlso, (1lollgb \\'(' Ila\'!' lhe Spíril 01' ndoplioll, wail as 1'1lgcrly ;lS lhr' ('n'alioll 1'01' 1111' futnru timl' of ;(Iloption (01' '(soll-plal'ing") wl1l'lI 1\" 'ihl j'r¡lcu as SUlIS. As \V(' "'ait \v(' "groan" ill\vurdly, Jonging for llt(, ('orning tillJ<' \\'111'11 goodlll'ss alid Iwallly will trilUllplt (v. 23). Yet WI' do 1I0! kilo'" IUl\\' lo pray al¡ \V(~ ollght, Jl() '? lo ('Xprt'.ss II1I's(' ~roallillgs aod IOJlgin,gs Oll1' worIll. So L1w Spirit partakl's in and slwl'cs nLlr praycrs, wit}¡ groanings too deep lo ht~ pHI' illto words (v. 2(i), Gocl lJl1 dcrstunc1s the Spirifs "groanillgs" lwcaust' lhe Spüil intC'f cedes 0.11 Ol1!' bchalf aucordillg lo God's o\Vn ucsiglls (\'. 27). For \Ve know that Cod's Spirit works in t"verything for
rn
rOl'
200
s
201
on's sruATECY IN
,vrA.!\"
BISTORY WORD STUDY-FOREKNOWLEDGE
lis
pao¡sag<'
lo brihg
I))J
PallJ's Tetler ay be sct out in a taLle tó e stnlctllr lnd l)nUern af "TlS
(lDd trnv
together unti¡ no\\,·
(ii) jf he evcn gave LIS his Son for US, will he not give liS (with Christ-ns bis co-heirs v. 17) all lhin!!s? (v. 32)
(V.
Wllít
n'l}lllcin~,n or re"'8/11
--len Paul to be refcrring to Cod's (ore onl~ spcdfic ft:ature of them, e.g" of "lm.;ng flI v . .2A). 0111' OWn fel"Hng ís that, if this had TtIennitlll:, 'he would have lnadL' it dr:Itel". He l.'nnpl'mt:1l wHh SOUlI; ,SlJet::ilic fea-
1:(1
hy
11I tllti l tJ no ssiUrIPl
111
C'00fklr;llillll
;\IIU
11n'
Ol1l
1,l( ,luir
'1 iJillg I hl' Sriril wllrb fnr ~(lf1rl wllh ll~ (11lOSI') wlm lovc< r:(ld
pmíl'jnru'rl (('all((]) ;lcc[)rrhll~ tri his
(v' 2;.cl) 11f'f:U1I\f' 11" (tJIt1,~(, WllOrll) lit' Irll'('kll"W, lit' gm'( l1JI' ue·,Un.. . uf ('ollfoHuit\· ~n rhl' irnuJ!:u llf llis SOl pllfjlllSl>,
(Y. !l.ql
.
(:lm1) m (th~·St· ",llont) 111' prc¡J'~Nti'urllw :lJ.sn ~tWIJ n cnHiJ Ig
(31J(.!) us (HIl"'- wllom) he culll'rT In"" 11':<;41 Ol' dan'd J'i~hl willa híril (:llld) U5 (lllf's(' ",JIOlll) hp dl.'Chl.. ~J riglll, Jte also glQrined (i,e.. \Vil! cerlailliy glorify, v. lR)
\·"hat lhen shalt W(' cOll~h.rdr<¡)
'flmt (í) if God bu On our IH·-half \VIlO ('an oppOSt:
mi? (v, .3.1)
Ime' ¡lIat Cod for('klJ(~w, huI' thal GoO ilid undl"'rstaud (01' kllow) lherll uth:~rl)r .ju~ )'.>1. giolVr: l1u.:J..u this destiny. Panl is 1I0l COl1c~'m('d to flllo sorne' disLinguishing fcaturp that ('xpbills how 01 wh;.' bdjevers have received something un bl,¡ill\"('J'S llave noto H(;l is concl;lJlled to assure them, as be I¡('\'t'rs, lhá.L God (so lo spcak) kllcw whut JI(" Wll~ letting Idm~I'1f ill flll. whtm he pl
Thb qlll~stilln 'ís nol sn simple as Christinl1s sometimes \1\/(. ShOllJd remcmhor two things here. First, the (;w('k word ¡mlOriz' Hect has remorked, ¡'The boy I1larlwL! Ollt f()J' orw trade may enter another,"~g and such a Illcllniug ís not prcc:1uded 1);, thc word predestine in this ('cmkxt. Secoucl, when PauJ makes a statement in a eOD lcxt of speaking of the c1mrch, he does not nccessarily mean tbat it may llOt appl), to unhdievers aJso. Thus in Romans
:ISS'1lllle.
202 203
GOD'S STHATEGY IN If(;MAK HISTOHY
OWLlID
WORD STtJDY-FOR"
3:2.'3 he says: " Tl' ¡U"tiflIJ, Hut WtP 1.
)
have sinned as well. forCKIJl:w those wllo lo\' did not fl.m'lrnnw nthl'rs
aLm in thi!Jt way. t!wt Goc1 liad marhd out a destinv fol' thof>e who love hi;lI, he need not llPCef¡ScuiJy be S3Y¡;Jg thal suc.:h t. Pan]
sa\'S
d('sliny \Yas nol inh'nc1cd ror aH Il'lt>n. lncleed \Ve' hliVf~ Sl;len how J ,Hke tells uS that Go(l did ha,,!:: pI¡JOs 1'Ol" a p;rOlll} of UlI lwlicvcl's, ",Ilieh Ilwy l"cjCl'leu for thetn:iclvBs. u Pf'rbaps thf'sC p lans incll1ckc1 111<' rnarkíl1g out o.f (1 desUnyin CJuist, whkh tlwy fai1c(·fof(· l'br' fOllnl!alioll 01 lIJ(' \\'ol'ld that \V(' shOldd h.. Ilo!)' and hlamckss Ilt'fof(' I r.¡m; in 10\'(', pn:dt'stinating liS I() tl1l" son-pladllg Ihrollgh JI'SUS Cllrist lo Hil1lsdf.·' TIIl' (kslill)' 1l1;u-k,'rl out for m ís oh laint'IJls lo (hose "ill Chrbt.·.. Epl... sialls also ,sbows u.~ lhal, (T('JI if (;(HI Il1al'k(·¡J oul' 1¡lis dcoslill." 1'01' al! nwn, lhe inJwritaIH'(~ i, oJ>Laincc1 ()JJI~! in CIJrisl: I';plwsians ] :J.I rcacls: "in WhOll1 also WL' oIJlain('u all inheritllJll·.·. llt'illg prt'destinpd ac..:conling lo tI .. · pll1]>OSL' (JI Hím ",!lo ('lIergizl's a1l things according lo f'lw ('onnsrl 01' Uis will,"
fms.
t1 e
to whom
is say
he ga~'p
imagc of Cbrist wants lo coop'
JI tUI\'
(141t.t1ll\' J_ _
nay
'ove
Q
UT "Ch'I'r3CtCf ¡tlltl Jj-
1 ,)'
In hl'ief, "']Ialcv('r dL'stiny Cod has 1'01' 111,10, il is achic\'('d onl)' ín Chrisl. GoL! did IJot símply' sdf'ct p('opl.-. to !'(~C(ri\'(' a dl'stin)'. TIis ",hole (·ternal purpOSI' is acC'olllplished only in Chrís'l..l~ 0111" inllCr,ital1('(' is ohtaíncd and 01ll' dcstin~! workec! out in Christ, amI this dcstiny \Vas set Ollt by God in the fllll light of his fo]'eknowl('d~(' of thosf' who wO\l]cl w eeivc it.
204
205
GOD'5,
oLTEGY lN
wo
IHY
STU Pont (C:trom ii. 12.
.g, • .1 mti o Martyr (Diol 38.2) amI
Latin.
11)
fOTf,1sGt:s
(or for~·kn(lws) s,igns
e3.'ion$ und Hmes." W¡¡S lIIaLlt! knQWI1 bd(1reh(\TIcl to om
s
:HI:
lhill.gS
propllre<'1, and your judgrnf'nts w(:n:
lold me according lo rny
UllCll1t 10 ,lcler r\('\\lnL·e.~
'llts are'
íh <'olkll[l.Ji;¡11
S,'Ii"
11l,,1
1I0t,
oC
in
lhe sen of Ihe; DispCTSiOIl, lile \'Mrel Christ
]en'lniah 1: _.. . "1'IlIlU
nd
if
1I,",PS
il
IISI',
'Jll" mI'A~ing. red IIr"l yo \1[
,'):+1: U:4;-l; 1 Corillllii"n.' ·1:5:
'-:.\l'"sing erroneous
Jlrp iv '12G ('; Arislulle.
N.
206
llH'an
;¡
l'retlictic,1l"\ has(!c]
~jJlÜl1.lllS 15:12,
onc
of Iher
207
COD'S STRATEG y IN
MAN lIISTony
SOHJECT STUDY-WORKS AND RIClfi'EOUSNESS
d !JI
we know nothing of their background amI way of thinking, parts of the New Testament will be ohscured to us: Vvhat, for cxamp](". Jid Pau] mean whcn he attacked the idea that aman eouJd be "jnslified by worb"? Vlby was the ('on ('epI 01' wlmerited grace so hard for many Pharisees to ac ccpt? (h) TL(; maíJI opposilioJ1 to Paul's teaching carne from Pharisf'cs anrI those who, lik(J thcm. slIpported rahhínical teal'híug on '\vorks'" and tl1l' su pcrioJ'i ty of Israel over the Gcnlillc's. P~llll had Jlot OIJ1y to mect with such lcanings in the dllmJI (Acts 1.'1:5), Imt somotimes with TJtlblic con tra(1iction and objections (Acts 1.3:45). Thus, in bis sys tcmatic trtlatise of I\om:ms 1:17-11:.36, Panl eontinually íma¡;iJlt's the objections tbat wOllld he tbrown up hy sueb nn alllagnnist (HOInans 3:1; .3:.5; 3:8; 6:1; 6:15; 7:7; 9:14; 9:W; 11:1; S(>l; alscJ 2:17: 7:.1). If \V8 know nothing of rab billica¡ t.L.ought th<"D "vill understand líttJe of the impli catíoIJs Lí'híncI lhelle "ohjcction,~," In RcmulIls 9·11 sucJ¡ C'!)Tlsíderations hccmne especially ílllPOl-tUHI sill('(' ])aul \Vas r1calil'g spcdfkally with the Jcw ¡sIl (jIIl'SUOII. \Vll)' lurl COll chm,CD thc Jt'\\'s-was ít be calls{' of r\wir "merils" as sonw rahh1s taught? \\lhat ¿id it ITIC'IlDlo hr llw Hcl\ll~t'1l flation"-w(.!I7e the rahhis right in taking ir lhat "all lsrad shall have a part in tbc wor1d to ('on)(""~ nid t11(' Christiau gospc1 mean that Cod bad casI 011' !lis, P(~opJc lbe Jews, so that they wero no longer the ·llllWII utlLLOJl'r Tu the e:u-1:,,' ('hl1)'<:l thcse were not aea ckmk rlll ihbl('~; tlwy ''''''re qllcstions that affeeted its whole lH'ill,!.!;. To T\I1.1, whostJ hC:ll't )'earm!d fm his people, they w('n' absolnkly vilal to answcr, and he does so ~ystemat kallv ill l\o01ans H-ll. Thlls, nn1css we undorstand some thillg of th(, hd1l'Ts n( tlll' 1'lwhis cm such questions, we shall find il- ver)' !liHi('nlt to IIJltIerstand tbese chapters of Rornans. Bpforc (;oll1ll1cJldng thu stuoy \Ve lJ1ust olltline something (Ir tlw tlifl'crent grollpings in hrael in the time of Chri.~t: (a) E.wmcs: The.~e \VCIe :l re1igious group who be 1icv(·r] tlw Jc'rtIsa1cm pricsthood tu be apostate, Their in Hll('Tl('e wítllín the laucl of Israel at that time \Vas strong, hllt tbey nced l10t conccrn us in tbe present study.
,,,re
Subjcct Study-Jc\vish Ideas of vVorks and Highteousncss Thís sllldy t'0I1('CI'I1S mh1>iní('al ll'ac!líllg tlllríllg ll'w f.jrsl lur)'. ""VII)' ís SI1('h a sluuy ill1porfant::' 'Ve suggest:
('('JI
(a) 1'11(' Chrístian gospc] first sprt"'ad amollg tbc Jnvs scatlcrcc1 tbWlIghollt lhc' Hnmau Empire. 1'1'1<' ,oarly dmreh ine!mled él grl'al lllllllber 01' ]c,vs allu "Gotl-ft'arcrs" sellOolt'd in tlJe rahhinic thought assocíatcd ",iU1 tl1(' synag()gu~s. If
208
209
SUBTECT STl'DY-WORKS A!'.TI
RlGnTEOl'SNE~
years to
our hf'tween
peatedly
211
SUBJECT STUDY-WORKS AND RIGHTEOl;SNESS
MAN illSTORY
ittal hy God. They believcd that though aman migbt do c:vil dceds these cuuld be outwl'ighl'U Ly his _ -amI it \Vas the OY/"r1tlI hnl;mce which decidcd Cod's ver dicto This conccpt of a "treasury of merits" formed a well delinea elC'ment in the religious thought of that milieu into which Christ and Paul came,22 H \Vas a poslulate of Rabbinic thought that aman hy !lis obedience to the Torah (Law) could obtain rit.~lI
F.very good etld. \Vas thought to have a certain
't attached to Lt~ performance, while
(lllantity of '} deed ¡ncuned a corresponding
silllilarly cvery portioll 01' clero
'From Ibis first principIe of intrlnsfu lln:rlt i
tail1 twllnns l1e l'abbis go a stnge ftlIther, postulating
nI'
'~in
(fl1fri
Ilm]
te If I
, , 111'
t]¡at Cod ke~ps an exact record of tbe merits and
l:r,¡nsgrcssions 01' each individual. On this dew, ev
cr)' aClion wlüeh is oot ethicall), neutral must in
l'I'l.'usC ciLhcr thc credit 01: the debit balance in a
nl:tlú }1('rIvl::nlv bfltlk account, and aman stands
finally jlldged by whklwv,er happens to be in excess
01' 1111': oth~rY~
'1'111' final judgrnent representf:d a wcighing up of
1I'll' merits alld demerits acquir<:d by aman during
tIlO cnmSt' nf his lif('time, ancl this i,~ often repre
SCllleu as a wC'ig;hing in the scales. If the good
df'{'ds ol1twcighcd lIJe bau, thGn tÍJe man was aJ
jllclgell rig}¡tcous, ancl cnterc:d into blessedness,
whcrcas, if the bnd deec1s preclominated, Cehenna
\vas his p()rlion,~'l
It is worth including heTe, a translation of sorne of the opcllillg "'ords of volume iv of Strack-Billerbeck's great work: So, thanb lo Cou's lave, the Israelites are Cod's
children; as S11<: h, the)' ha\'e receivcd tbc rnost pre
t;iOIJS DiviDe possession-the Law-through whicb
also tlw world was mude, Just as lhe Law gave
212
213
GOD'S STHATEGY IN HU!vlA~ HISTORY
life lo the 'tvhole wor]d, it also means t~specially life for Israel. Fnr. tlw LitW WU5 ollly gh'f"lTto l~ that ~yc.()nW gnin Tc\\"urd íwd 1T1t'"rit by it. 1'0 tbat end tbe sludy uf the Law shouJd he aho,"'e aU; for from study tbcrc naturnlly follows observation. Herc the C¡lIestion is l'aiscd as: to Whtlther man, i,c., the natural mall, has nol 001)' thc powcr to clecid~ fur gonu in a formal amI rational way, blll n1so pos scsses thc moral strcllgth to carry out bis uedsioll fur good to a fuU extC'nl tbrough tlle fnlRJlmcnt of tbe Luw. 'rhe old synagogue nffirmed llli.~. (t hnd tQ, for thc wilo]!' ~ystf'nl of PbllTisaicnl "salvation" stooo or fdl with tll(' cnpability of mIln ro flJifill tlle will of God nwC'ulcd In Illt, LIW . . . the 01 was
214
SUBJECT STUDY-WORK.S t
A~D
no
RIGHTEOUSNESS
1',
e l>1.ns
for a f tite
commcnb rm this,
in Roma.I:J.S (lO
is not jusUfi..:cl by
Ceremollial O!JsafIJIIIlH'. Somé raLbis, and tbc nlajOrity of
placl'd gre¡lt empl1
P11mi.sI'~'~,
215
o
_.JAN
SNgS
"TOR'~
for the Torah ( La'... ). was natí fU
keens.
2
Afmo'>', FQi~tillg. t'my~r, JI'SUS IIÍTlIscIf alla(;k.~ t+w "pJny aC'~ors" wbo ga\ll~ ;lJrTl~. I'u.:;lptl- ami pru,j'l'd in IJrdr'r to 'eh",' lJIeJl\ praiw,::O' ('Thl')' aIs o lhoughl il gl.lVl: l:hcm ,'tI I in }1l·UV¡'ll.) Jl'SllS irllplh:s (IJal lbey Im'l' lo stand amI prny in s)'lJaguglles nncl 00 Illlcut t."unll'l's.:I~ and 1!l(1Y Scmc UlIJli.S I1St' V¡J1l1 rc:pOlilillllS,l\11 Jlo also ~p('aks 01' llj(' Ion "play-al'ting" pr..l}'crs of llu !ll'rille.~.d¡' l':d'~rsll('jll1 cxpluillS how lhe PlJaris('c' wonlel )ill~rally .slop in tlll~ warkrl plaee alld 1)('11<1 righl un.:r lo pray.ll Of L.:Ulll~t! 1I0! '111 lIJ(: scrilJ6s'\~ or l'V1.'1I Ilw JIIJarisl'('S Wl...,, ji"" lhb. Iml llüs lell df')H.:\' \\'LU. prf'(;l'dilll~ 111(' frf'C' WcJl:U1I1(' 01' ill\'ilalioll lo lIte simll'r, '''as 0111)1 anIH}I(.'r fnrm uf work rig}¡tl'ollSIICSs.'''I:1
üN A NATIüNAL
EVEL \Ve have alrC'ady noted thc C'xtrC'JllC reVC'r('Il(:C of thc: rabbjs
216
tlll' l1lL'ríLs wIJicu ""m'C' be1icvcd to have caused 1111' I'fC'ution al' the w(lTld, which secure the existence 01' lile ulliverse. rmd Wl'ought t]¡e mirac!os as wen he lif e of Israel as [1 religious oom 1TI1111ity durrng ils hístorical coursC', There must be ,'elyl}lillg. vVithont work nothing can Ill' lldlÍt:\'ccl. A rcason has to he found, why tho \\'orlc.l \\'~t..S l.:rcal~d. 11 W:lS madI" for S()ll1e purpose ()]' ail(1. Por whoM: sakc'¡> TherC' aw difrcrcnt theories t ryillg lo g;ive a morL' or less plausible ans\."cr . . . \Vllo or wllal. art" lbl:l Tnoral pillan; of this world? Tbe scrilws were even more dceply interestcd in the thinl proh1em. It \Vas not an accident, it was not blind ('hanee that Cad had ohosen the fathcrs, had SC1<-Ctl:ll TsmeJ among the nations, had redeemed the childrcll of Abraham from Egypt, had divided the sea, given them manna and quaíls in tIle wilder ncss, made thcm CrQss the Jordan, inherit the Ho1)' Land and so 011. They must hav·e had merits; what were thoy?"5 I.et us consjder mst the deliverance from Egypt, Mar morstpjn writes:
2
GOD'S STl1ATECY
SUBJECT STUDY-vVOHKS A..1\JD RlGHTEOUSNESS
HUMAN l1lSTORY
tI rnhbi.~
merits 1111: tiln
()t
suggestcd it was
oseph, or thc twelve tribes.. ·I~
ath whieh
Onc rabbi spccillrnUy
visiono
the goldcll calf epi50de i5 likewise as , those of Abraham .and the patri-
cliIFer,cn
to for
sakw.
Ulh¡'r rabllis bdicvctl crcaliun ""as bccause of the Tomh. Sll"wurt's (]b~indjon rn¡;ty be hf'lpfl1].r.~ He dislin ~lIjslllls Iwo slighlly diff¡->nmt meanings of "Towh"-reHected ill Pall!'" IIse of "Law" jJl Homans 2,-3. Somt;times th word (knole.~ lbe.: writtcn and oral laws as actually imparted lo !srar'¡ al Sinai. I1I lbis seme the rabhis said that Torall \Vas cOllc"ived hy (;Ol] not only after, hut for tbe sake of, H is pCOpll~ (':-''I'ad, who must tlwrefore take prccedence,"r.lI 13l1t rahhis somf'times used "Torah" in a \vider semc, rcfcmng to the supposedly eternal rcality of which the Sina! code was ll\(' c:mbodinwnt. In this sense they said thc Torah existl'c1 2,000 ycars bdorc the crcation ii4 and the warld \Vas crcatcd for its sake. il " Thc Torah bad been knowD Hl'l"l'
"me
'\htalion says: '~7orth)
is t11(' failh 111('~' (tIllA IS:f.wlit<'s hc]ieve<1 in 1\'Il' sO lllal I shall divide tno sea hdon' tllem, as iL is said: "I\ncl rllC' pl'oplc bulievl'<1" Sl'I\'l'S)
(Exo<1us 4:31).·lR
218
2.19
SUB
COD'S STliATEGY 11'\ UU.\IA'\'" HISTORY
STUOY-WORKS Ar\
ed il
ne
t1lso sa)'s: f11mmlic
x nt;
Ler" snwl uncl ti)
\\,'p mHst
hehve~f)
EdtTslidm wriws:
\\1,,11 migl1t ·'lh,.. earlli, lr'CmbJe," fOl;", jI' lNmc\ bad
not [lcwptad the La,,,' nl, Sinai, thiJ whol(~ world
1)
2-:..
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMA.-l\¡
SUBJECT STUDY-.WORKS ANO HIGHTEO\lSNESS
STO
\
was
S
til
~()mo
oI thl'~u nspeds uf
doubtlJdly be bonH' in llliu
9-n. Il "wiL! he profilahk
híni(' and ['i.llllinc tNtdlÍl1 Oll
(
222
Why Was [srad Clws('nr J\ rnigbl llave be('1I lhtll IsTud WH~
tllllt thc: Torail ".... as gí ven I wr lo •'!lah/e' T1Cr lo o!>ta in Jlwl'ils
amI tilat this in itsc:1f sel ller apart. 'Veo havl' also Holea
t11(' ¡Jca thal bnlf'] hecamc tllr: (ll0sen Ilation tilro1t.lglJ al'
ccpting the Torah wilen all ollll'r naliomí L.w.l rdll!LL'd 11,
Panl llnSW('rs tilis: "Rebccdi ¡¡Iso having c.oIlccivcd hy OIle
tlven by ou!' fatlwr ISflctL"-fúr (lhc lIalHJm) hpil'" ... nl ,-..
\VIlI/ I Was 'l'I1(: Na OB of O. tlll' pOSSl'SSiOll 01" the 1,[1v.' ''l'Htl'k'Nl uatlllu, '11wy l1wu~lll it wouM cllah nI' ll1(' l,aw" lo
1&l.:t• .Ilj(l~
IJH')l1~h mt!Til tú
ue,;.
sn\'E'd• .h.ven'·
~\'t()nldior(' and Lot'w¡:: 1in)': "Prom eme roint 01' vicw the wllllk purposp uf Ull: La'" wilh its lllrge numbor 01' enact IIltlllls \Vas lo (-'n:iblc- t11e Jsrnclill's to acqllirc 'merit' and lhrollgh 'lIwrit: ]"(WlU'l!."l'. '['his hack~rollnd scems vital one is to undcrstand Paul's writíllgs fnlly, Thc f'pist1e to the- Romans, for example, is full of rd'c]"('JJC'C's to il, fnr Paul spcaks "to those who know lhe La\\',"';' Note (~:-;pl'cially: "NoVo' we know thnt whatcver lhe .Law says to lhose wllo are under tlw Law, jt says in order thal ('\'cr;, mouU1 IllUY he slopped, and a11 the world mighl:
ir
223
'8 STRAl'.EGY IN NUMAN lliST
aw ma
..24
SV"JE
sil) ..
2"
COD'S STRATEGY IN HUM
SU.B1ECí STUDY-WORKS AND RrGRTEouSNESf
'foreOVl'r, Israe1's eleetion does not eveo como into this cHtegory, Tt is a choice eompletcly in !:he fr('c strategy ()f God, uto
he (lf Ihe rahhis so.ia sorne Tmc to note is lIlal the flener ris;¡j¡; lhou!!ht b;¡d sorne unfor\mll\U! lentlendes. ltJ
& ii
den)' lhnt Ilql WL' h~pler
) I.fturutu
í. 1'>. ( pp.
&:CltnJ'
DCed
3, IJokc 2:H50
'i\rfJ!l (p, .39),
-l Iocz mcotions se\'em.1
o.
,d. J!1H} (I ti u,.;
~J'(llllult
.VOl'E~
l. SI' ii '(JI. iv p. :1I,'l•.'i
n"~I"flu\' ('. :!.'l2; Sl'hiiler, Di"
1. üC.~I('I·r,'Y. p, ,h ti::N-JP
1.
L',~ .. ill
1'írk,·
J,¡k t1 ~·''''lI'lIl.' wJlfJ 5Inv~' HU'ir lf1:lI.tN for tliL'
\\'lIrd-"lIntl Id ",u F""r ,.• 1' 111';'''''1] 1,,· "pl'H
I'ellülr n()uks. 1'. -lb). It is illlcrL~tilll~ lo !\l', liow .'Ichulltls' "onIlTI"lIl, '1'1 l!Ji, \.I~'iILM ... ·II,·u Ihl"tr 1:"IIf'flt! Ihf.~i~ ,d,ollt rahM'¡il'i.'1I1. r...f,",ft:'" "'mk is ... ·:¡lIr l\1I ¡J,puIO¡.(l'lit· 1'01' II,~ IUI.II'illil':.! Im"ilitll' ;11,,1 (11t0l1¡~1t
f,,"
wlIl'll, n'nding 11 1 tl,h puilll 01' vit'w) "'mis lo .
uf . . . l~'" l'!Jrlrbllic tT;\tlitio,n" (". U6). Sd'iir.·,I', on t1,,' otl,,; .. h¡¡lllJ, is mll('], 11101'1 "I'itic:¡] uf .... 1,1 ,jll il.'i'n , Itlltl 'IIV~ tl"'1 il ¡, "'IY 110 m'~:lIlS ;¡ "IllT('('1 "xpn':.~sillll of l},,, k("'1Inll' ,,1' I'ha';S
"1
226
55; l'IL'mnorslcin tries to bring
0111
nver:lge r,,:,d('1' !'llay lind his work
i p. lG7
never sinned would (Eclersheim L & T, u s(;mi.rl'lOtatioll fmm Davies, p, 272. The idea is e.g., Dnvil's, \-Iunnorslcin, M r¡n td:io re, Stewart. Eder
227
O'S STRA
IN JI H
s
. mSTORY mpnA. is i~
W
llld b
lllerlllly-
011
BJECT
W0l1KS AND H1GH'fLOUS'lES.
jt 1
001' h t
III
Il ¡m 1m
cl;.ulllcrbllck -n/JI" I ek
r
iv FJp. ~·6~ IV pp.
/Jl¡a Da,
~.~
ii
ry ~
al
'nu lha llill to }(lC"." Jo z' sugg~tlll 'ug
LfId illlerprctlll\on DI what tTlis
inin hi.~ hi.
was h¡'~ M.~
ve
22R 228
229
SUDlECT STUOY-WOHKS A.
GOD'S STRATEGY iN HUMAN flISTORY
HICHT.EO'US
's
ii p. ·HO
Jlntcu that (:cIlcsi5 25 :23 womb"·-the chiluren
yOlll'
~
(~,
7:3, ')'.1
.'u.
"',
likelv
fltl1dcr
littlc iJÍJnorlitncc
tlo" 6, JI; \J7,. und \111' ApP"ndi';'
HU ],v
/jI.
;r-at'C',
¡!,old"n
.,2.
i ('. H·1; s,·'' alsll }i,hlrlllnr.'>tl·ill .
53.
54. vol. i
OOSltTlt-y
& !lox. p. J(lJ: EdnsiJl'im L & T,
55. f)/i.
examples uf 11f1\\' lhe [orth tllf'ir pid), hy
2,30
231
SUll.lECT STUVY-CAUSE~
JEWI~R GNU
·ame at a crucial poínt jn Chrísl'!l
Ca
secio
,2.32
233
'on's
HTSTORY
SUJ3JECT STUDY-CAUSES OF JEWISH UNBELIEF
Stlvs:
lid ,vh.ll
S011lL 'mll
2.34
who has Dothing. Bis meaning is that those who already hav,", a felationshjp with Cod will reoeive also the secrets of the kingdorn. Tboso who are without Cad will soon be iJl ant:ven worso position thnn they nre at presento TLis dM~ not ful!y explain Jesm' motives in using para hJ(\s, ¡¡nd SOI'fItl dues are fOllnd e1sewhere. He had already instru<:lcd th~m: neither <''ólSt yoa!" pearls before the swine, lest bnply they trl1JDple tLom under their feet, aneI turn and nmdyou,:; '11\(!se words npply particularly to Jeslls at lhat ti lile. 'Vhal would have happcnod if he hac1 opell]Y :Ininmd lo be tllC Mc!Osiüh lu)(l tb€: dlief heir in the kingdom of beavcyü' 'fltis pearl would llave becn trampled under l'qoL, :.U1d lhau l1uy wO\1ld have turnad on Jesus himself sud. a claim would alrnost ccrlainly have brougbt arrest :Incl tria\. 'ro a"(Jiu this happC'ning bdore his bom carne, lll(' t,ord di~¡:!ui.sl'll l1w pt"'lTIs- ha 1l.ulgULmln lcept 1\1.'1 eue· 1Il¡1'~ WIN:'T"laill nf hi.. 111~llug. Thus, for example, in John 1.0 \Vt· r;n
First, tlw r~~on fm Jl'Wish unheUd Walo lhaL t1lf'y l'lo:;ed
tlH.:ir (¡\Y1I t>\'t""I in mM,; thc truLh w('n' IlnL'omfortalik. Sec
oncl, lhe L-o~(l tallghl in parablcs so that the spiritual among
his \warers would be still1uln~C:!'d tu inl!ulro a.bout his mean
iug, whik the truth woulc1 be concealed from his enemies
ancl frofll tne
In lht" Cospel of Jolm we find this themc coming out
slTongly. Only tho!'>e in Israel wbo are spiritllully discern
ing are ahle to llllderstand what Jesus is teaching. As early
as John :3 a hint of it is contained in Jesus' cryptic reply
235
ooo's
Sl'RATECY JN IlU~rAN HJSl'ORY Sfl)'S ]1
r[
SUBJECT STUDY-CAUSES
sus has v. 2). J~'itL'" 1111,1ess he is lO see th
Lord opolled the hmut of Lydia t
oro
mW¡SH UNTIE'
.11'"
Shl'
kncw lhat l1e brought lidings o[ lhe worlcl. 1 '1 COJllC'lius ¡s, per
MaUbew)
l'
in~ ('\Plul IC'nl'lI
;ltrisl aJJtI 1nc )¡is mrnning. Tllt' pullr'fU conlinlH':s frorn JQhn fl47 tltroughout the rest nI li,e dlapll:J' amI \wyonr!. They lIrc;;: sU)] Ilsing tbeir OWll lninds ¡[ lId slrL'rit!;lll lo tr}' lo nnderSlancl him. JesuS explaim ¡hal il is IJw Sl'lL1l ~1l1d llot lhe flesh whilJl hring~ liFr amI IJllllc'rsli\lJ
236
237
GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMA N HISTOH Y
SUBjEC T STUDY -CAUS ES 01' JEWISH lJNIIF.l.TEF
hlinueu their eye.s . . ." may ha ve heen taken from Tsainh 29:~-12. In th.at particu lar contexl Cod is said to have con fusecl tllO minos nf ,l"hü nalion' s seers and prophe ts be cause tJ1ÜY honoun.:u him with their lips but not in their
hearts. The followi ng verse, lsaiah 29: 13, is particu lurly re1e\l",mt to the Jc"vs at the time of Cillist. lt muy be, therdu re, lhat Johu is quoting this passage anu adding to jl the \Vords frorll Isaiah fi: 10 which WIt havc alrCfld} ' eX~ aJ'llincx1. This rnay lht; corréct intCl'pr etatioIl, but it does lea ve the followl ng prohlem : The tp"t .says: "He has hUnde . . . lesl . . . ishouh l heaJ lhem." Why shouJcl it dmngc ¡:rolll lhe lhirc1 person lo lhe first person jf Cod ls t11C' sub ¡cel in j¡oth cases? This might he cxplaiTlcd if we aelo!,l anolJwJ" possiLJc illtcrpr ulalion . In verse 31 of th(:l same cltaplcl" .Io1ul h'lS lJcen taJkíng about the "Prince of Iros wurld." 1l roa)' he tllal l-,e i~ the. a~cl1L \\'ho is bUnding lhei, H),es. SlIlfle sJlppor l is givcn lo this "'iew by whtll is said by !lHUI: Hut Lhcir rniptls were hardcn cd, fOl unta Ihi 'o'tlry clay _lt the rellding of lhe oid covenal 'lt lhe ~ame ydl remnio s unliftcd ; which ,'eil L'i dono Ilrway in Cluist. But unlu lhis day whencv er Mosc-s 15 read, H veH lieló lhcir hcnrt. But wllCDSoever aman shan lum to tI, lhe vcil is takcn away ... But aOO if OUT go!o-pet is il is ve-ilcd in lhcm thal are perishi ng: in whom the god o this world has hlillded the mjnds of lhe unbelie ving . 'J'II!' blinchwss in lhis cOlJloxl is hlindnc .ss tll 1 01' tlw prophcl'Íl's uf lh", oJJ t:ovclJ ant-hli ne.. ~. siah~hip (Jf J(:sus. l);ltll lIlakcs il clear, hov.:cver, lhal tbc hlill<1nt'S.'i dlH""i 11nl n·m(lVf'l1li: iJlIlt"lílua1:l. n;spufl~ibl1ity in !II!' lnall,:.r. 'rIle)' arc Imable lo recogniJ',(' Jcsm as their
ue
tJ'IIC Messia h. hnt lJw bask Im·k In í1c· lml rt:/HHl wIlCII. \Vhcn any of lhem repcnts , to Cod, thell t!l(' Lord wiJI rcmovc the veil;
lighlenll1Cnt will come. Tht: cure for t.l111dOL~S i tal.. 'n u, sallll' princ:iples appJy laclay. The Bihle tells us to rcpcnt amI lJeliew . lf w(> n~pent, Gou wilJ help us to see ¡¡nd l'f'JÍl:v(~ in !lis Son. We may be Slln~ that John agn~es wilh Palll on lhis point, cven if \Ve are not cnlirely ccrtain
238
239
GOD'~ STUATECY 11'< HUMA~ lnSTORY
mi
s
cause Lhey alh \Vas noL fOT its
'n;I:JI1lJ
IIrd. Wtt... .rC'mnVI·d
Willl
I1tll
WJH'n 11
uml 111' WllS:
p III:till
c'O!II"
m
Wltil'll halah ri;
'hr{"'l
III1IJtl':i
W is
1111' (L'xt
t'n
241
COD'S STRATEGY 1:-.1 HUMAN BlSTüRY
AIY'a.....o'"
Will
OL
Tilo ~'arli<:r sludicsiH lhis book cleal with vrn-ious topies of BillJ.. Ilaágmul'ld :md bngwlge. and 'lre intenc1p-d to aid om llnOf'rslanding 01' llilr: l)ihlc. Thc pre!wl1t study has been :11 )pt"rld~t.1 lo Ule hook lvitli a ratheI dilf.ercnt aim: tu b Il~ In Ul1dl·"~.lallll oursellw.\· as we approach the Hible. In S( 'clioll (j ,ve cQITnllcnted on the elear teadling of the rejcc:t God's wíU and plan fol' Bihln lha! rnCll Cal1 allcl tJWI1) , ..wd on lhe vJ.rious iulluenct:s that may leau us to (W('Tlor)k sudl 1l:;J,(.·hJngs. The pl'csenl study exa.mines the l'aI'liosl Chdstiall le:.lclting 'l.''luilable (In this subjcct aod lri('.~ lo finu some dllt~ as to lJO\~ thl!Sl' iufluences have arisl'lI, A~ Christia.D~ we stand, either consciously or un ('(JllsC'iollSly\ ÍJl a ¡nog ctuis\"ian tradition, and are inHuenced hy its thinkitlg. \V'l' may well find it mefu1 tu see thc ori gills uf some 01' olll' own ideas and presuppositions about Bihll' teaching. TIJe ('arl)' chmch had tlle task of interpreting and eluci" datillg tlle New TC'starnent writings. What was implied often kl<1 tu 1>(: macllc: cxplidt. Somdimes new words (likc "trÍD ity") w("re coincd. OIle of the earliest of thesc words was
uo
242
243
·\'PPEND--
Th
..11e)' were not.
attnck
cante
011
JUSTIN l\LO\RTYR (c. 100-165 A.D. lJWlck caUs
Justin
"d,
polo~ist<¡.
learning."
01' ¡he Grtlf'k npolo nohlest [JNS(m-
nI' Iwrdit-s, :od-for JJ(ll}¡illg
Inter iJJ
..g., irna~e. 811
\Ve' }¡av!.', hdO\\ •.~d 01\1 \()J1W pns~a(l;t!s fmm wríbugs 01' kadíng l'arly dl1trdl fi,l!;IITl'S. EU¡o)l i~ :1ccoUljlanil'd h) ve')' hrid {'xplanalion nI' \\'110 111(' wril'fT wa.s, lHll 1'01' fur thf'r expln/lalioll the reacler sllould S(:C ;1II:' stanc1ard 'Vork.:! ()IW word 01' prior l:xplanatioll (~i\'en by Stuil1l) mOl)' h(' llsefn1: "TIll.' writcrs ",!Jo trien lo pul 111(-' Christian ('as(' an' oftt'll cnlled thl' "Apologists," /'rOl I1 tl](' r:n'('k (/1JOlogia, a specch rOl" tIte <.!t·ff>nsc. In Engli,sh this is a mis)l'nding term, In~calJse it implics that they were apologizing rol'
n
IhtllL ~t.t Sil
if UlC.\' rcf
ohtlllll Jill!l'(.Y 1"1'0111
Glid.
245
APPENDIX
IRENAEUS OF GAUL (c. 130-200)
tI Il1t s,une liml" DDl; of lhe ablest, of thtJ carlv Chrblia11 Apologi'itS!' 'l'he Emlm~.~y was written in aboul' 177 A.n,
F.mJmssu lor Clui.',tiana XXN: Just as wiUl meo Wl10 !lave frecdom of choice as lo bolh virlu(l ulld \'ü':c (for you would nol eilh~'r honor the good or plJnl.9h llll' h¡¡d¡ unless viCf' llnd v'irine wl."r~ in l:lwir own pIlwl'r, amI .'lome a¡,,(~ üillgcnt in Oll' tuaHC'I:.s cn ll'll~l(·d lo thClll t and oLhen. íailLlcss L so is il numo
Irenaells \Vas
l.ht: RJII!f'ls.
Again,st Herr,sic.9 XXXVII: This
oft~'ll
would 1 hove galhered thy
and thOll wOllldsl nol," sal {mili [he ;u)cienl law ()[
hllman liLul'tv, uecall,se Cod madll rnnn a fr.
(agent) frmll" the bep;illnillg, po.,.'i('ssing his OW'IJ scnJ
to obey th(, hehlO'sts nI' COI} vnhmLúrü)'. une! nol by
cOJllpulsion 01' God, For ITlf're is no C.'J'Ji'rcion wil],
Cod, hllt a gooc1 will ((owan! liS} is pl'('~enl 'wil+1
Hin) ('on ti I Illally, Alld therdon.: ones 11(' givc" goo
('Olllls(,1 to ull. AmI in man ns \Vdl as ill iIJl,l!;('ls, fI(·
has placed lhl:
POWl....
nI' dll)icG (fol' angcls
:lI'I.~
ra
tionnl bcillgs), so tlHlt tlJose who had vit'ldcJ olw
dicnn' might illstl~,' pOSM~SS \\hat is gOl>d, givell
inoCt:r! hy Codo hlll pn'sl"l'\Td hy tIH,!rtst:1Vl's , . ,
4) H L1wII it. w('re 111)[ in ollr pO\\'('r 1.0 do tlr IllIl
to do tl'ICS(~ things, \\'ha l !"l";¡snn ha<-l t he a post k,
and lllndl IIlOJ'(! Ih(' J .onl Ililllsdf, lo ,l!;j\'l' liS ('lIII1IS1'(
tn do sorm: thillgs am! to abslllill [ro;') lltl)(,l"s? 1\111
lwcallst: lIlan is pnsscs,~ecl 01' [I'IJI-'-wiIl from 1111' 1)1'
ginnillg, and Go<1 is POSSI'SSIo'O nI' f1n:-will in wllosc likcJll'sS ITIRIl was l'f¡'atl't1. aclvicc is ah~':ays giv"l1
to hün lo k('('p fast 1111: gnod, WlliC'h l"hillg is 00111'
by mcaus 01' olw(lif'lw(: to God,
ATHENAGORAS OF ATHENS (2nd century) Athcnagoras was an Athcnían philosophcl' who Lccalllc a Christian. He was by far the most elegant, and C'crtainly
246
lI~t
('Q·fl:lSllllg.
pupilo ~o()n, howe..tcr, he hecame jmiL-prmriont. This is semi in lhat. un ]ike Justin, he e011 dl'11111(O(J rdl paga! I p]¡iJosopllY as totaHy (-'vil. He returnc lo 5yrin ;IS n rnissioJlal';', nlld composcJ tll<' Diatt'sWIt'orl a llarmnny I.lr lhe Cq;;P{']s. "l'his work, :me! hi.~ inlhuHIt'C, "',']'( "r l!rt'al imj1orll1D.lJl: in t"arly Syriae Christlanilv. HI!; Tullall was al first JlIstin's
21
I\P"'"
IX
APPENDIX
Lt of
of him !hat moved him; . . . And ho\V, in
Ihat case, wouJd aman di[cr from a harp, on whích
alJulher play"s: or from a ship, whieh anothcr guides:
\ovhcl"c the praise anc1 th(-) hlame reside in the hand
nI' the performer or the stecrsm::m . . . they heing
oul.)' insl~U1nent5 mndc for thc use of him in whom
i:; t1w skiJJ? l3ul Cod, in Bis hcnigníty, ch05e not 50
to makl" 1l1lln; hlll by freedom He exaltcd him
ahuve roany uf nis cr.catllres.
1'/1 1'11 t
CLEMENT
wrjtl·rs., ¡hes"
a nllrnlJCI" o
üF ALEXA (c. 150-;;~15)
ildrln:s,\ xi: " ¡¡ud ofkTI '1(1 dié.
tlll' 1I1~LdIl1'~
arrrclll'JI(lIllji lIim !:iy ll.~ick yrmF 01
\\IIT(' not cfeal".1 In llk, hllt \'1/0 die hv OIU' 0\\111
!ault. Om fl"('I'"wiJl klS uI'J'll"ovec! IIS~ '¡Vl' \Vhl) \\'1'LI'
1'1'("(' 11lIVll hf'conw sluves; \\10 11;\1/' lK i'n 'iLlld Ihn)ll~h
sin. j\,¡othjll~ ('vil hl1s ¡'[J(11 lTl'oled hy 00<1: w,' 11111"
Sf'iV('\ h:.I\'(' 1I1ill¡iicSlcod \.vid,¡'IIJlt'ss; 11111 \\'1'" \\'110
Itay¡· rna.llif,'s'lt'd il all' al,11' ;lt.laíll in n'jl'd il.
,)ft('II,
,g
1
~\ ulIl!ally 1IIl'IJliorll"IL Banlaisólll W:\." prohal"v III;¡illlv 01' C~I"t,,'k \Vrill'rs. 1':lISl'llillS
tI JlJ<1o'> , hl11 \\'a\ lIul aCl'l'pli'd by
S;l)";; .. BardaisJll, a rnost al>l<:: Il1all UII11 llighly skil1,'d dis
lIhmt iJl tlw ~vrjal' lalJ.rllllge. ¡-ornro:;l'l1 dialoglH's Ilgaillst tht, to)Jowers 01: ~rarcio~"" . ~ . Al an ,'¡¡rlit'l" stagl' h(~ had bclonged to the school of \"lllclltiJlIIs, bllt lakr 11(' COII· uemlll::u it ano rdlltcd mall\" 01 its faneihl1 idem . . . For aH that thc taint nf th(~ old herC'sy stllck to him to the cnd."
FragmeTlts: "I1o'" ís ít lhat Cad did not so makc that \Ve should not sín ancl inom t:onl-}('1l1nation'?" -if man lIad heen malle so, he wonlcl not ha\'{' 11(' long(-'(t to Ilims(·1f but wou]cl hav!' uecn the ÍlJstm·· liS
248
Clcmcnl \Vas a presh)'ter 01' tremendous lcarning, bolh of ti".: Hibl(' ClflU 01' sccular litorature. He was for some time 11f'i1d ()f 1111' Al,'xaJ1(lrian school of Christian scholars, and is IJII(, nI' tlle 1II0st Jamom ca.rly Cluistian wríters,Q He has .snllll'tillll.'.S bCt'll al'('us~d 01' pT;cing too much stress on the il1tl'lI,,('/III l)\lt \VI' find this eritil'ism hard to accept. For one tbillg, l!lOst CIJristian tlwologians and apologists place em ph:t<;is 011 I"ight hdief, ('spe~iaJly iu arguing against here sil's. For anothcr. Ckmcnt repeatedly makes it dear that fnitIJ is a moral iSSIll', anu a matter of decision for Christ. 11i Stromtttll, Hk ii <;h 2, for cxamplc, he argues strongly tl¡al "failh is not establbhvcl hy dcmonstration." Faith in voh-....s a (~hlJic~ and "choic(' is the beginning of adion." Shortlv arter \"c read:
Stmmata, Bk ií cJ,. 4: Bllt Wl", who have heard by
ll1(' Scriptures that se]f-deterrnining choice and re
fusal h.1w heel1 given hy the Lord to men, rest in
the infaHible criterion of [aith, manifcsting a wiIJing
spil"it, S iIJc(;;' \Ve have chosen l¡fe afld believe God
thrOll~h Bis voicc.
Stmmata., Bk iv ch. ]2: But nothing is without the
\\'iIl 01" the Lord of the universe, It remains to say
that $1)('h things happen withotlt the prcvention of
Cod; for this alone s
249
APPENDIX
APPENDlX thc goodness of CoJo \Vc mnst not therdorf:' think thut He actively proJuces aftlietions (far he it that \Ve should think this!); but we must he persuaded that He does not pnwent those that cause them, but ovelT\1les fnr good tlle ('rimes o[ Hisencrnies.
TERTULLIAN
üF CARTHAGE
(c. 155-225) Tertullian was the first Latín thl:.ol\Jgian, and OIlU of th grcatl'st carly Christian wríters oE thc west. fJe IJltc'T tendt-d t(l\vard the "rigoríst" viLJWS uf the Montanlsts. tllllll~h hi~ Montanism did not prcvcnt him horn J'Glnajllin~ dogrnaU call y ortbouox in mos!' rcsp(·('[s. JI íS ;1pologyis (lile uf LlH' ablest cvcr writtl'n. l l He \Vas striking:1y di(ft'n:nl fmm Ckn1<'\1t"~ and cmphasized JIl<1Il's illhc.rilcdsínflJ Illess. \'\ Aga;nst ""[an'iO/I. Uook 1l dI-. .'1: J find, Ilwn. that Inan \Vas h)' (;or1 constihltec1 frl:l'. I!laslér 01" lJÍs oWn ",ill amI pow(·'r; indil'aling Ilw pn's('IlI:" 01' (;0<1's irnnge amI Iikenl'ss ill hilll hy IInthillg so \wll a,s h~' this constit\1tion 01' hi~ Ilnllll'(' . . . -you wiII finu tlJ¡¡1 W)I(~II I k sds bdo]'(' l/1i.l1I ~ollll ¡¡nel ~vil, lifu ¡(IIJ dc,lth, tll:lt llH' ('ntin~ ('OlJl'S(~ disciplinc' is arrnllgcd in pn!cep'-s by (;otl's (·;tllin)!; mClJ frorn sin, and t!-tn'a!<'Ili.Jlg ¡(lid ('xJlorli/lg tlH'm; anel this (1) 110 ntlH'r gnHlIJ(1 tllall tbal lI1all is I'n't'. with el will cit.lwr f()r obl'dil'lI(,(' orwsist-an('('.
nr
.. - Sine(), lJwrefol'(', both tI\(' goodllcss ¡¡J'Id PIII" pose of Cod are dis('ov('J'pd in (h(~ gi ft to lIJall of fwedom in his \ViII , ' _
NOVATIAN
OF ROME
(c. 200-258) Novaban \Vas tIw first Rnmnn theologian 1'0 write in Latin. Smith says "r\ovatian \Vas hrilliant. He was a competent 250
thcologian, and a work on the doctrinc of the Trinity sm vives to givc an idea of his prowess. Even his enemies had tn admit that he was blamcJess in his life, and had 1I60n él zealolls \Vorker."H Novatian Jost the elcction for the hishopric of Home, and separated from the "official" group on the issue of whether Japsed belicvers might be received back into f('lIo-wship. Bis fo.JIo\Vcrs, called "Puritans," 'Nere l'x('ommunicated by the Catholic churchYI Bruce says: "In doctrinc they were strictly orthodox; Novatian himself, in deed, was one of the chid E'xponents of pure trinitarian tht.'OIOl!y in thE: third century."lG
On t17e Trinity, eh, 1: He also placed man al' the
hea(] of Ih", world, and man, too, made in the
ifuage of Gocl, 1'0 whom He imparted mind, and
n'uson, and fon'sight, t]¡at he might imitatc Cod;
aJl(l nlulOugh the first e1ements of his body \Vere
eal'llaly, }1st thc substance was inspired by a heav
í'lIly flnd divim: bl'cathing. And when He had given
Ilim '111 tbings fol' his servicl::, He wi1led that he alonc
should be trep, Anc1 lest, again, an unbounded free
<1011I shollld fall inlo pcril, He laid down a com
111:111(1. in whi('h lna.1J was taught tbat there was no
l'vil ill U1t' fruit (Jf 1'11(' trf't>; but he \Vas forewarned
Ibal ('vil \VolIJd arisc if perchancc he sbould exer
cis(' his fl'ce\Vill in th(' contempt of thc law that
\Vas giv{'n.
ORIGEN (c. 185-254) Hellwick calls Origen "one of the most brilliant tcachers and writcl's ('\'ur knowll in tha Christian Church. Thc son of a martyr, and rE'an'd in a fine spiritua1 atmosphere, he bccam(' IlC'ad 01' tl1P<.;atedwtical s('hool al' 1'11(' agc of 18 and rai:.;cd it to its bighest famo in spite of persecution. He loved the ScriptLll'cS and showcd remarkable ability in in tcrpn'ting them.")' BI"U(;t' says: "Creatcl' still than Tertul lían anc1 Novatian \Vas the Alexandrian theoJogian Origen,
251
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
the gwate~t schoJar ancl thinkcr of thu church in 1110 nrst thn'c centurics."lR OrigeO'n sOl11etime.~ ~ave (~'(prt'~_~ion to sorne- wikl speC'ula tions, whic:h later hrollght criticism on him. Ht; elid, ]10W ('ver, di~linglljsh elearly hetwpen his .speculations llnd t(~a('hing (lf p_~tahlished doclTÍnt:s. RenU'icl;, sny.~; e1uimc<1 lha! hlJ Wa.~ loyal to the rule 01 fllith Lldopted hy
some evil, whit.h be Jlad the po\-ver of choosing if
he wished ... but that the power of oheying and di s
obeying Cod is the only cause.
rus
tIle Chlll'ch, whiltl l~xen:i~ing amplc lih~rt)' of cxpression On malter~ nol covered by the accepted cre(td."lfl Lct us, lherefon;, !Jote canJuJ[y his WOl'Js:
De p¡.illCipiis, Pre!a.ce: Now it ougltt tn he known lhat tl1l' holy apostles, in pHw('bing thc faith 01' Chrisl, <1elivered lhemsolvcs wilh llw ut1l10sl clcar ness on ('l'rlllill roints whid. thev bclil:vt:d lo 1)(' nce. l'ssary 1:0 cveryonc , .. TIlis ¡¡Iso is c/c'ndy dl'P'lI!d in tlle tea.c;hing of t/¡u ('hure/¡ tlJat l'ver)' l'atÍollal s0111 is po~scsscJ 01' frep-will and vnlilion, Du l'rinC'ÍliÍis, J3k ,3 cll. ]: Thcrc an', imlc'wi. ill rn.ll~TH'l'ahJ<. pa,~ . ;ag(·s in lhe S('ript'lrf'_~ ",!¡ieh ('~!ah. lisll willl ('x(,l'l'dillg u\1'llrtWss l11-, , 1.:..'isl"IIC'" nf !'rC'(" dom 01' wilpu
METHODIUS
OFOLYMPUS
(c. 200-martyred 311) in L~'ci;l, o'\siH l\¡1Í1101", kllUWII chü-:Hy a~ an anlagollisl nI' ()rig_l'n.~l HuI, all!ltlllg!l Il(~ at tackcu Orig('Jl's spccLllalioll~, I'IH'n.' "vas Oll(': [loil11 011 which
Mcthodius \-vas a hislwp
he (likc a1l early Chrislialls) agreed:
The HlIrlqllet of flw Te/l Virgills xlJÍ: ~ow those who decide I'hat maJl is Jlot po;<;s(...~scd ni' frc(;-wilL amI affirm that lw is w)vnned hy the unavoicbhle necussilie~ of fat(~ ... al'<: g'lilty nI' impidy loward God Ilímsdl', making Hilll oul lo be the callSc and anlhar of humall evils, Concemillg Free-will: 1 say that llIall wa~ madI \Vith frcc.\vill, not as if t]¡ere were aIread)' f'xisting
252
ARCHELAUS (:)'1'11, Epiph:mius, and lerom(' record a disputation (in 277) bC'twceTl the heretic Mane~ (founuer of Manichacism) and tlw ort-!)()00x Ardle.lam, The dialogue, as we llave it,
\Vas l.)robnillv Set oown by a late!' w!'Her, but cloes show ili(J'C1\:nccs belwcf'n orthocloxy amI hcres)' at that time.
liS
T71(' Di"'IJIltaticlIl (l)·ith Malles: For all creatures that
GoL! mildo, He llladc very good, and Br. gave to cver)'
individual the senSt~ 01' free-will in nccordancc with
whidl slandard He also ín~titlltecl th:,: law of judg
lllellt. 1'0 sin is ours, and tJlat we sin not is Cod's
gift. as lJUr will LS constitlltcd to choose cither to sin
01' nol lo sin.
ARNOBIUS
OF SICCA (c. 253-327) AJ'IIo}¡iIIS
wrote a brilliant Christian apology about 300
,\.J),~~
A{!.{/in~t tI/(' 1-/f'C/tlum:
64. 1 reply: doos not He free
01' dOflS He thrust
onc from the kindness of the
to all alikc the power of coming
He says, the fountain of ]ife is
is híndered or kept hnc:k fl'Om
aH alikc who invites all alike? hack 01' repcl any Sllpr('Hlc ",ho gives lo Jlim-? To all, 0PCll, and no cme clrinking , , ,
I\ay, m)' opponcnt ~ays, if Cod is powerful,
wiJIing to savc us, let Him change our
clispositions. am] compel u~ lo trust in Bis promise.~.
This then, i~ violence, not kincincss nor the bonnty of
the Supreme Cad, but a childi.~h anc1 vain strife in
sec'king lo get the mast!"ry. For what is so unjust
(j,').
rn(~rcif\ll,
253
APPENDIX as to force n1l'n who are relnctant and unworthy, lo reverse their in(.'li.nations; to impress forcibly on thf'ir lllinds what tlw)' Ilf(! umvilling lo rccl'iv(;\ and shrink from ..
CYRIL üF
JERUSALEM
(c. 312-.186)
APPENDIX
De was at tJw council of Constantinople (381) and was
nominalecl Ly Theodosius 1 as a norm of orthodoxy.n
011 V ¡"'ginity (3()8) ch. XII: Bcing the image and the likcne'!ss . , , of the Powcr which rules al! things, man kept also in the matter of a free-will this like ness to Him \Vhusc will is over al!.
Cyril was a Hishop uf Jl'n l.sall-'l1l willr liltle claim lo fam huI he shO\vs liS whal lhe- ordinal)' dllll'l'1l1llan huli<'ve.c1:
Lcxtllre IV 18: Kno\\' ,liso lita I lholl Illlst a SOIl] sdf governnl, the l)ohkst wur~ of God, mal]') aflc:r 1111' illlagl' 01' ib- en'alor, illlJllortal bt:l."lIISl· 01' Cod tltat gi\'cs it ilnlllorhllit}", a livillg h(·~illg ratiollal, i'lIperishnhk, I)('('nus(' (Ir Hinl lIJa(' IlL\slnwed ll¡¡'sl' gjl'ts: having hC'l' POW('" to (lo \\Ihal il willctb. 20. Thcrl' is, IInt ¡¡ class nI' soub sinllin¡:!; by na. tllf(' and a das,s 01 sOllls pradit:illg l'igll1<-otlsnL'ss hy lIaLIII'l'; bnl hol" ac..:t 1'1'001 chuic'(', tJI(' Slr1lS'LJfll'l' or their sClUls ol'illg, of 011(' kirIe! olllr aJlcl al/k<.; 111 all. 21.. Tltl' sonl is s('lf.govl'nwcl: :t1lL! lll()lIglr tllt' Dcvi] can suggl'st, IJc' has 1101 lile pow,'r lo t:lllll)wl agaillst 11)(; wil!. IIl' pidllrl's lo thl'l' ti/(' !'hollght 01' fornicahon: if lhou will, tholl n'jl'd('s!. 1"01' if thOl1 \V('rt a fOrlli('alor nI' IH'('('ssity Illt'lI 1'01' wllaf ('aIISU did Cod prIvan' 1Il'I I'r' JI IhOIl \\f('rl ¡¡ (Jo¡'r 01' riglr teoUSIll'SS hy ualltn, aud not hy will, wlll'rl'!'uJ'(' did Cml prepan' crowus 01 ilwflahll' glory') lh' "h('('[> is g<.mtle, l>IIl Ill.'Vor \Vas it no\Vnlxl ¡-(JI' ils gl.,ll'ltle. ncss; sillcu it's g('ulj¡, llllalily 1)('lolIgs lo il Illlt fmm choic'(' hut hy llature.
GREGORY
OF NYSSA
(c. 335-395) Crcgory was emc' 01" the most aCllle illldleds 01' Lhc fourth ccntmy, having gn:at inflllcnce in the castcrn ehurdlCs.
254
JEROME
(c. 347-420) was one 01' the four great doctors 01' the westem
dlllrdl and t]¡e rnost I(~arned ol' the Latin Fathers,24 He \Vas
an C'xp(-rl 011 Hehww all(I Grcek and his Latin tral'lSJation 01'
1111' UiLle (the \'ulgatc) \Vas far better than othcr Latin ver
sious 01' the tirn~, nis attitllde to "free-will" is important 1'01'
lhn'l; main ¡,casans. First, he stands, like Augustine, in the
l.lltilJ t.ruclition ulIel was a strong cdti(; of Origen and the
A Icxalldrh,¡¡¡ bN.itagl·:. Sel~ond, as a l3ible translator he had
a dCl'P
illgs. Tbird, ]¡(' wrolA againsl tlw Pelagians, whose tcach
ings liad Lrnught disretJute on the word free-will. 111e
Ol'tIJOL10K Christiall "ICW' uf tIle flr~t three centuries had
hl'l\11 tl!at Cad gavL: man a free-will to obel. or..!.Q disobey
~COll~.. -91Ll!Ll1LluJs ro t~IT.--rr.lliJi) .......~_accept. Qr -rej~ct g~acJ' Sonll' l\'lagians sel:m to hav(~ tnken frce-will to imply that lll
Jl"mlllc sLrongly attacked the Pelagians, but wanted to
distillguish the Pelagian cOJleept of frce-will from the or
thoclox :lnJ biblical eme:
255
APPENDIX
Letters CXXXll/: It is 111 vain that you misrepr"' sent mo ¡U1d lry to convince the ignorant tha'l l'Ont\CII11J frc:e-\viU. Lcl Wm who condcmus jI b himself e()ud~mTlC'cl, We llave been crcalcJ cn~ dO"'f'd with froo-wj1J; still it is notthi!l whíeh dis tillgllishes liS I'l"om 11le brutes. f'OT human frec."viU, as 1 said, depc:ncb Upllll LllC l¡elp uf elld alJd TLl'eds His aid morncnt by 1I1011H'IIl. :\ lhing wiJic-h you lUId yours do not dloose lo ;¡dmil. YOllY" posinon f~ lh¡ü OIIC'C' a rnnn has fn 'c.\,viJl hr no ]nugcr IlC4iJ~ Ih Ildp 01' (;oc1. IL is lrup. lh:lt rrecrlonl uf tlll' will brillgs wilh iI fn:I'clOfI\ cIf d{dcb'ion, Still I T1;UI dol's llol ad iTllTllí'tliately cm hjs l"rcl'~will l)lit reqlliJT! Cod's a¡([ whu IljlTlselr nC'f'r1s no aid, '\gaills/ tlw I'dagitl1l.l', Rook 111, 10~ Hllt \l/Jl<'n \\'1' are eon()('nIL·d with gnlC-'l' anu IliC'IT)'. fn'l'-will is in part void; ill part, T say, rOl' so 1I11J<'h dl'pl'lIds 11(11)11 il, tila! \Ve \ViS]J alld d(~sin-'. ane! gin' assl'IJI In tlw cuurs(' \VC' dlOusc" Oul il dc'pl'nds~ 011 f;lId \\ /wtlul' we ha ve tllL' POWCl' iJl Bis sln'n!!;th ancl ",¡lh J1is Jldp to JwrforJIl \\'hal \VI' cksírc, nJld In hriJlg In cfr~t'l 0111' toil amI dl'ort.
]OllN CHRYSOSTOM (347-407) tucc: wriles: "'111 IIJ(' ('¡1st 111I'n: i~; Jlnn~ lo ITlal('1t JohJl 01' Constantillople." HC.'I1wick calls hilJ1: ".1 saintly lTlun, an olltstanclinp; sc1101ar, amI 011(' 01 t]IC grcúle.st orators of a11 time .. , I1is faithJltinc·ss ¡JI prl'<1L'hillg rq)L'ntaJlL'I' o~kndl'd the ('mprcss Eudoxia :Jllcl h('. . dh.:d IIJrnllgll il\-tn';lt menl ()J1 his \Va)' as a prisoIlt'I' lo I'it~'us"'':::; IIe i'l dOqlJ('lltl~' dc
011.
lle1)1'ull;S, Ilomillj 12; AII IS lJl God's powc'r, 1)\\1 so tha l uur fn'~-will is nnt lost .. , TI clc:pE:;mls tJ I('re fme' 011 liS and 00 Jlilll. \Ve I1lllst first dlOosc tb!: good, anu thc'n He adds whal bclon~s to ]-lírn, He
256
PENDJX cloes no! precede om willing, that our fwe·will may
not snHeL But whcn \Ve hayc chosc::I1, tben He af
lord" us mue" hclp .. , It is ours to choose beforc
hand ancJ to \\lilJ, but God's to perfect and briug to
tha eml.
Tlms \o\"(;l fínd striking ag¡;ecment among early church leu<1w's over the iSSllC of fr~~c-will. The same tcllchlng Wo.s It el II hy mainstream ancl Jringe groups, by scholars and o¡,diJl.,I)' minb!l:!'.:'i, hy thc Crcck. Latin, and oven Syrian Lraclilinos-by <,yeryonc. in "hort, exccpl lotal heretics, We IlIay I101 lika the pltra.se "free-will," which today has eonno tlllioTlS 01' P(~lagiani.~m, but as llSCU by true ear)y Chrii'tians il l:xpr~..s('cl tl;cir universally hdel bdief that Cod mao man fre~' to acecpt or rejcc:t his oHer of free pnrdall and ,~,ll(:C, As \Ve llave Sc:Cll in ~cC'ti()n 6, mOI1Y verses il:l thf' I)j]¡lc sl'em lo illlply this, ancl car])' church tcaching wa~ simply a clarifica[jon of il, just as tbcir tcnching on the MLl'illity" lIelppd lo darily Ibat iSSllC.
N UJ;l4V.l.JOay. STINE 30) It Illa~' ~('em smprisillg that after such universal agreement aln(Jng- l'arl)' CflrbtialJ wrítcrs thcrc should be a changc, Jl'\'(-'rtJll'!css Ihí'),(! waS', amI it is interesting to see how tbis ('ame ahan!. \-Vltat \Vas the cxact point of tlll' C'hangc, insofar as it he id('ntifi{·d'~ Some words oI' a gn~at Rt'I'ormadan sdllllar an' rcluvclll hcrc. J3ut Amhrosc, Origen, amI Jerome were of th~ opillion that Cod dispenses his gracc among I1lell 'lC'col'c1ing to the use which he foresccs that eaeh will mak(' ()f it. fL may 1)(' addecl that Allgustine \Vas for sorne tim{' also 01' tlli,~ Ol)íllion; but ah~r he had made somo progress ill knowl\'dge oI' Scripture he llOt onl)' retracted jt as C'vidclJtly fa1se, lmt po\Verflllly confllted it. 2 '1 AlIgll~tine ]úmself \Vrote: lila)'
257
APPENDJX
APPE\J
r la]¡orcd iw]eud nn h(,haIf of the free choice 01' thu hmnan will, uul Cod's gracc o\'¡m::.amt1, aml I oouJd OJl!Y ruat'h thal poillt ",hure llw apo:;llu is per c'c·i\"('d 1'0 !I:¡v(' saicl \viÚJ lhc mosL 8\'idenl lrulL. "fol' who ulll.kes YPLL tn dif[ere' <J.nd ""ltut do ;rOIl have tIlat you have not H'C()i .... ,',l? No. :l'¡veJ it why do YO\1 glL)l)' lIol?" i\ILd lllt:l marlyl' r.yprllLfI Wtl~ u 01 sdling lurl!l, ,F
\\'(' .sll(lIl1(1 no!<' lhr!'I" lhillgs l'rllm 'Ihis \1~ls."a¡(t·, Firsl, AIIglISlilll' (I(¡lvs hi, l'!lllllgl' 01' \'¡l'\\', T11l' \,jl'\\' rOl' whid! !le fOl'llll'rh' 11l1>O("('U W,IS 1'11(' orlhoc1n:( l':lI'fy Chrisli:1I1 vi('\\', Ilnl I}(' \Vas "OVI'I'CUllll:" witll lh('sf' n('\\ ¡¿I('as. ,
,
SI't'O.lJl!, AlIgllslÍllf' dOl's ¡Inl l,irIlS(''1r'''('111 ('ltlírl'ly a\Wlrl' of !'Iis IlI'l'ak \\'ith lh(, ('arlv r,hristian v ¡"\\', 11(' II/-n' ('it ~Irriall, bl!l allllOlI~11 C'J;ri:1Il was ploll:l1J!v tllt' 1('asl d('ar 011 lh(' iSSI\(' o!' al! tllt' lt-adillg (':11'1» C1JrisLillm \V(' l'an [¡lid 110 stat('IIIl'1I1 hy hilll Ihal I:litlt is all im'sistilJI(, gifl. [11 tllt' passag(' AllglISlill(' l'iks, C\'jlI'i:111 is .sJwaking in f1~ gt'l'1l'ral a SI'II.Sl' as l'alll hilllS('1J :llld do('s nnt sla(I' ¡\lLglIslilL('\ vil'\\', Yl'l i\'II.l;II,slill(' Illa~' kl\'(' \J('1i('vI . d thal (\VriHII n'all)' l'lt'ld StlC]1 vil'\\'s (lIt' IlilJls('1J' SI'l'lnS lo Ilav(' kno,,"1l ¡illl(· :l!JOIl( l'arl~' Christian \\'l'itillgs ).!!~ Thlls In' !TIa\' lIol lla\'(' rl'llli/.l'¡\ tlH' <"\11'111 (JI his 1100·I'll.Y, Thinl. il is importalll lo 110/(' tltal (1)(:, iSS1H' is !lol 0111' 01' ",llt'lllt'1' salvalion is (Ir \\'lII'ks or 01 faitlt; il Is nne of \V1H'tllt'r failh ih('1l' i~ all irr('sisli)lll' gil!. Thi,s is illl)lortallt, 1m 111(' t\Vo iSSllt's arl' 1f('ql1l'lItlv COIIl'IIS('U. \!ost Cllrislialls hav(' 111'\'(:'1' f\'ad a \\'un1 nI' '\lIg11sl-iIW's \\Tilin,~s. bllt tht'ir vicws 'lIT g('JH'r:dly aH<'('(¡od 1)\ the' itIeas (JI ChrislialJ s('ho1:1rs, AlIIolJg lllall~" 01' IJI(' \:tlter tlll'n' is llll 1I11forlLLILall' tradili()1I lo lhillk ilJ t('I'II1.S (JI' 1'111' l'arl~ cltun.:h ha"illg a "pom nnc1r'rslalldillg" (Jf P:1lI1illl' dodrinl's, wllich \V('l"(' "J'(' storl'd" h~' AllglISlilll', Tlw spcll 01' tlli.s irlt'a is so slrollg
258
that it produces statements like the followiug comment in a recent (and gencrally good) book on chufeh history. It rdcrs to tlH" letter ('wm the chureh at Rome to t]1C church at Corinlh, writtcn about A.D, 96 and generally ascribed to lemcnt. Thc comment is; "SaIvation is secn to he hascd Oll failh and works; for € x ample RahaI) is saíd to have heen ,~a.vcd hy faith amI hospitalit),. Perhaps lhe particular situa lion called for emphash on faith hf'ing aecompanied by sllitaLle (lctions, but il does seem tllat Paul's do<.:trine of salvatian thn>ugIJ tll({ grac(,' of God alon(' was IJot wen un derslood.'· Now Paul wrolc lo the ROlllan dlun:h in ahollt A.D. 58 and Clerot.'lll's ('pistlc: was sent from H.ome in ahollt A.D, 96. Il \\'oukl S('PITI alll1os1 e('rtaín lhat 50111(' of the original rc cipic'nts 01' lhe epistlc to lh<) HOll1ans wouId still have hecn 111 thal chlll'('h. ArL' we seriously to Iwlicvc that they failcd lo lllllkrstund lile (;l'otra1 teachillg of the epistle Paul wrotc Ihcrn'r \Vlwn,. 1fI0rellV,'r, \\'1' look at lh,) fil'st epistlc of Clcrnent, ollr alll:lZt'llIt'nt at dlc aIlegation ínereases. In 1 CIernenl ·1.5·(j w(' rt'ad: Id liS [ook sll'adfastly to the blooc1 of Christ, and
S(·(· huw previolls J lis hlood is in th~ sighl of Cad:
wltit'h bcillg sltt>d for our salvalíon, has ohtained the
grac(~ of H'pclItallce for all tite world. Lut us search
iulo aH 111(' agl's tltat 1.1llVI· gorw hefore us; and Iet
lIS karn tltat in cvery one of them our Lord has still
givcn plac.(' fuI' rcpentance lO aH stlch as would
(11m lo Ilirn.
III 1 Ckmcnt 14.20-1 we fcad: AmI \VI-' also Iwjng caUcd by the same will in Christ
J('SIlS, are not jLlslifi(~d lhrollgh ollrsclvcs, neither by
ollr o,vn wisdol1l, or knowledgc, 01' piety, or the
works Wllich we havl' dono in thc holiness of our
lll'arts: But hy raUh by which Coa Almighty has
jiJstificd all mcn from (he bcginning; to whom be
glory for ever ana cver, amen.
25n
APPENDIX
APPENDIX Could PUlII's doclrine be more firml) 01' dearl)' staled? Even in the passagc rdcning lo Habab we laler rf'flel lhat llw spies: "gave her, moreovcr, n sigu: that shc shouhl haug out of hor hOllse a seudc! rape; sllowíng thereby, LlHlt by tlw hlond of 01\1" Lord, tlH'rc shoul<1 be redemptinn to aH that hditwe and IlOpe in Cod." \V~ fflight ev(m, compare tht: clarily of this cmphnsis on tlH:: CffiCfl9 of htlth through Clll'ist's blood, with the aJlal~l!ieli in somo of lbe books in t]w Ncw T('stament itself. C'lemcnl I'efcrs tu Rahab beillg save by "fuíth amI hospitaJityt James mcntiolls )wither faiUI nor grac<: hut simply snys: "was nol Rahab tbe harIot justi fied by works, in thar shc received lhe mcsscngcrs amI senl thcm out anothcr way?"~u JI \\'1..: :U[' !'el ·vi('W Cl('JlIl'Jlt as one who "diu nol lIrul('rslaJl({" Pa1l1\ dudril1l' of gracl', UWIl Sllf(·lv lames 1l1llSl he dasscd as Illll' "'.!JI) did Jlol 1111 c1C'rsllllld j't ;\t all?::u EV(:JI worsc, 011 this basts tI\(' parnlll p of lll!' sheep alld tll(' goals ill mlis! sUTo])' he l'lil~~('(l as !llores)'. lT nthinkablc as sudl iclc;¡~ are tu tlll~ Cllrisli:ul. llley are 110 rnorp inc1(:1f ensi\¡le ll!Un lllt'
260
quolations. Acts 17 is perhaps the only passagc in the New Tcstarmmt in which the intelligcnt pagan is addressed amI jll this passage Paul himself quotes with approval two prt~-Chrjsl:iaL; pbilosophers on the nature of God. If we are to fro'Nn 011 :r usbo for sndl activities then shal! we also [,-nwn on Paul? Justin, like Panl, often mísuneIerstood. Take, fOl' l'xample, his teaching on the ""\lord." J oJm 1:9 was lahll sCfÍously by Justin (compare Augustine, whose rather hizarro íntcrprdaLion ís gín'n below). Justin says:
',Ve have been lllllght that Chríst ís the firsl-born of ~nd. alld WC1 had dcdarcd ahoye that
He ís the
\Vurd of w]lom ever}' raCe of men were partakers; 'lIId t!Jose whn lived ruasuna1Jly are Christians . . . as alllong the Grceh Socrat<:'s . . . ¡¡nd among the I>arharians Abraham . , .:<~
Al (irst sighl it would SCl'1Tl that Juslín is suggesting saI lhrollgh 01lr Own reason, but this i5 not so. 111t' ('OIlillHllJ )'('nck1'ing "rt.:usonabJe·' should strictly read "with lJH. Wllrd" (meta Ing(J1I), i.!"" wítll Christ as the pre ('xislt'lIf Woul oE COl1. Jllstin is sayíng that Socratcs, like Ahraltarn, \Vas jilst'iJíed through his assocíation with a Sav jor \\'hom !tI' Df'V()l" kncw by ntll1w. \Vhether or not W(~ Jll'rs()nall~' agrt,{) wilh him on thís, ít has becn the bclief of JlI¡1I1V orlllOdox Christiall.~ and we can hardIy falllt hím for it..: I:1 va(joll
then, Iook at some of Justin's words in hís a Jew and possíbly a rabbi, \0\'1' mal' l'mnpar{-: them with the apostolíc teaching, espe l'jal1)' \Víth t)lat of Pau1. Justin says: ] ,el
liS llO\\',
diaIo~lIl' with Trypho, who was
( 1) T pnrpose to quote you Scríptures, not that 1
am anxiou$ lo make merely an artful display of
\Vord~~ for 1 possess no slIch facuIt)" but God's gracc
aloBe has heen granled to me to the nnderstanding o[
Bis Sr.:riptnr€s, of whieh gracc 1 exhort al! to be
come partakcrs , . . (Dial Iviii).
(2) And you dcccivc youise1ves while you faney
U1at, hecause yon are the secd of Abraham after
261
Al'l'ENDIX
APl'ENDIX
the Bes]}, therefol'c )'Oll will inhcrit the good tbings :.lnnounc:(~d by God to be bestow~ through Christ. For no one, ... has any thing to look for, buí onl)' those who in mind are a$s¡mibt(·~d to tlw faith of Ahralmm (xlvi, cE. Hornans 4:12). (3) But though a man be a Scythian ()r a Per sian, he has knowkelge of Gml am! of I lis Christ, ami keeps tJw mrerlasUlIg rightel1us, decrces, he 1S eircuíllcised with thc good and llseful circumcisiol1, imtl ho is a friend 01' God .. , l\Jld \Ve, who lHlVft apPJ:(lached Gotl thWllgh lTill'i, hllvc rcceivcd not carnal but a spiritual circumcision, whidl Enodl :lec1 thosc likt: him obsPIYl'cl. Ancl \Ve haVlo rL'L'vi\"ed 1t thro 11 g]I baptislTl, SiUl'l' \Ve "'('r~ sinul'rs, 11)' GQd's merc)': allll all lTIC.U !llay l;qual1~1 ohtain it (xxviii and .xliii, d, Homans 2, etc.). '-'-\lVh:lt Iwed, t!ll'll. ha",e 1 0.1' c'irClllTll'ision, w]¡o llave btc,t'n witnesSf'd to 1Iy God?" (:cdx, d. Gabtilllls ,U!).
ir
Justin, howevlor, hkp P,ml, uoes lIot olljcd lo Je'wish
f']'()viclf'(1 tIJa( Ih('y ncitlwr st't,k salva¡-jOll tllrollgll it \101' c'e)Jnpd Cl'nlili-s to kl't'p it (xlvii). Christians klTping 1'1ll' 1,a""
(.l) F'llr Isaiah r1irl llot sf'ncl youlo a h;ll1J, tlwn' lo wash ,,,vay II1ll1'tlPJ' allcl other sills, ",llidl llol a 11 11H' w.ll'l'r 01' rhe sea \\'('!'(' SIIH'lcil'lll
o
JlIstín conlinups with a moving quotation al' Isajah 53. \Vhat firmer statcment of Paul's uodrinl' 01' jllstificaHoJl by faüh could there Iwr He later adds:
262
As Isaiah críes, \Ve !lave belícved, and tcstify that the ver)! hllptism whieh be pronounccs is alOllfl ahle to pllrify t-hosl' wllo ha\'(~ repr:ntcd; and thi:s is the Wa.tl~1' of life. But the cisterns whieh )'ou llave dug for yoursedv·es are hrok~n anu profitless to )'011. For wh.¡t is the me-' nf that IlapUslll which c1eansl-'s the f-11-:SJI ;'lII,d bo<1y aIOlI("¡' (XlV).
Compare tbis wiUI 1 PeteJ' :-l:21-"Baptismno\V sav )'Otl, not as tll(;) refl10val of dirt from the body, but as ~ al)I)(~1 lo Gnd I'Of a ckar ('onsciencE' throllgh 1'11(' reslII" rncUrm 01' JL'SllS ChrisL" On(" m;l:? compare.: Jl.istin's dcar finelity to NE)W Testament !lapl iSlll, wi lh tlw view 01' Augtlstinc (sel: below) that Iwhi('s an° savet! agairLst thci,r will by baptizing them. JUStill ;¡lso HwntiollS tlH-~ lsaiall passage again to Trypho: "liJat YOII haw cr\lL'ifjpd Bim, tlw onlv hlalll e]¡¡:ss Man. tl'll'OlIg:h \,\dll)S'í' slripl.tS thma'~ w'1Io ;Ipprl);-;ch thc. F'ather hy 1I irn arlO healerl .. :" (xvii), (S)
['01'
tlw wholC' hnman racc will he fOllnd to be
Hlldcr a cnrst', Fur it is written in Lhe Law nI' Moses, "Clll'scd is CVl'l'.\'OIll' who c()ntitlues not in things that 0<\1'1' wri'llclI in tl[(' bo()k of thn L;l\v 1'0 do them,'o
an
AmI 110 mI(' Itas ('(llTIpktc:ly t10rw aIl, Ilor will you VI'lllw\'(' to (1t:ny tJlis , , . H, tbcn, the Fathcr (lf aH \\Ii~lJ('d Jlis CIll'isl fm lJw wholu human family to lilk¡; lIpOH Hirn thi: CiIl"Sf'S of al!, ktlOwing that, after 1-( ¡, had IH-'cn crtlcif1l'(1 amI \Vas llead, He would raiSH H,irn IJIl. \\111\1 do Y01l arg1ll' ahollt Him who slIllllLittl'U 1.0 sldlrT lhesc things accol'ding to the /<',lthcl"s \Vill, as if He WCI'C aC('Ilrsed, and do not l'aLll(~r Iw\Vaíl )'ollrsc1Vl's? (xcv), (G) AmI )'011 :ulIJ's-dve~ . , . lI1ust acknowlcdgc lbat \VC', \Viro 11<1\'c IWC'1l cal1cc1 hy ene) thrnugh thl' ckspisec1 allCI s]¡;undlll nwstcrv thc lTOSS . , . am} ('IHlllrc all tonnc'nts ratl:('r tí1<1n lknv Chdst cven 1,)' \\IonJ, tllrough whrnn \Ve an-J calle;l lo the salva timl prl'parl'(1 hefon:hand by thc Father, arc more LlithflJ] to Cod than you, ,(cxxxi)" .. rOIl hatc~
or
26,'3
Al'PENDIX
APPENDIX
amI mun1cr liS who have bditlved tbrollgh JJim in the od and Father of a1l, l1S often as YOl1 can. Ano YOll curse IJjIJl withollt ceasing, a·~ wcl1 as those ""ho sidc wíth Him; whik a]] of nS pray [or rOll, tmd for all men, as otlr Chrisl and Lord tnught liS to do. wbcl1 Be enjt>ined liS to pray {'ven for om '"Dcmics. and to Jovt' lheItl llmt bnte tll>, tmd to 1Jlcss them thal L"l!r!il" lIS (cxxxiii).
This was no ir1J1' boa... l fJ'OlII on(' ",ho WlIS latel' lIngg.}c1 amI m:1rtyred. JeslI.s lold liS to rccognize his tnw foUowers h)' theÍr fruit, TIl~SC passag<'s [110m JlIstin Ilf'lp us lo !lee bolh !lis pm'sonal chlll'oeln alld !tis sL-rid a('('('(>l:I11('/" uf Patlline ll'ol'billgs llis Dia/PI.!.'w l'Outillll:dlv l"pfe!'s to tll!' :ross a,q Cocl'.q melhnd of ul'lIlillg with sin,llt lo IJ)(' spirih1iLI cirCUlIJt:ision nI Iwart whil'b ClJri~1 giVI'~' lo t+lllSI' wl10 11(' lit.)"l' in hill.l,:I~ ln failh,3~ lo f('p"lIlall('t',1l7 ID rorgivelll'ss 01 sillS t!lrol1¡.!;h Iwing wilsllI'L! ill' !ti:-- bloorl. 111 lo tll(' l1<'a\ ing throllgh Chl"isl's slript's.:lf' nllL! Sil (JII. Abo"l' all 111' Ilr¡.~('s Trypho and hi.~ f('l1(JW'JI'WS hl f,'p('lrl-4 11 alld III "hl;:COml' aCIJlIainll'cl wil}, Cllri~t" 1I11'ir "t.-ssiah. 11 Yd in tlt(' )"l'f'('lll 1100k alr{'ad\' l11shn: . "To Jl'Ishn, , nwnlin'llt'd \VI' n';lfl t!lis oF . COIlVl'rSlon \V:t,S lllLlndv a.n d!Jic';¡l and ralional lllill~, ('on cerned \Vith a d¡;mgo lit altilmlc amI 1,..h:1\'iol".'· \Vhu1 hasis Ís ¡II(,[(· 1'01" lllis n'mark'r T"(iré S('('I1IS liulc' llasís in ttll' Dia/o{!,w.:, rOl' Justill's p"'a lo Tr)'phll is lor n:pl'lItaIlCL', nol fol' a chang~ 01' (·thit'al l"Ude. COII!tl it ht, Ilis l1Sf' of ratiollal argIll1ll::nt? nul Lllt'n wc rcad till)(' aoJ1d [lUJe :Igaill Itl t\/'ts that Lhe apnstle,s al"¡:!;lIt'¡] all(l displlh·tC'S prr.CllrlsLian philosop}1l'rs? Bnt so
COl11t' lo Cad. Early c.hurch figun:~s like Clernent and Jllstin (ull\' ac('cptcd t1w doctrine of salvation l,y faith. al tlll'fefore, W.lS the rcal issue bet'lli,'el"D Augl.lsline
l,,<1 th(· f>nr]y chmch? The latter tlió not belitwe that roa Imd "Ú"l'e~\vílr lO kél'p lIle Law anc1 so earn salvation by ww·kS.I"1 Thpir hL'1íefS were fal' removed (roro the rnhbini cal íd~as 1lmt Pitul meant by '\,\'orks." In Augustine's da)' [' PdUgi:lDs Iwlcl vl~ws not unlike the rnbhis, but their view.s Wl're no! UIOSf' nf th(> carly dmrch. It may, mere· nrt... he Ilserul to SllJ1)mHriz(~ tbe thrl'c altcrnative vl~ws: (1) ·Wnrks. 'rJw PebgiaJl vil-'W. whicb Augtlstine ~tated lhus: "Llll\ bw hfling givUD, lllt' wiU is of its O\VIl ~trength slIfHl'ienttn fl1l11l1 tbal lo\\', l.hougb nol assisted by un)' gwev irllplHll·d h)' thc !Jul)' Spirit in addilion lo instn.lction in Ú1l' 1.a\\,,"411 Ul' abo statprl it as: "the grace of Cod ~ bl'\to\V(.(1 in propclclion lo our nWll dcserts,"n (~) Foilll. l1lc p;lI'ly dlllrdl vicw, and Augú.stine's own (';u!fc'j" \'il'\\. HI' staled it as: "Por it L~ ours to bclieve and \ViII 1'111 il ís Bis lo gin- to UIOSC WilO bdieve and will the po'w(-r 01 l!orng gnod works through th~ 1101:- Spirit , .."4,b 3) Irrf"'I\-lilJll' gi/t CJf /(1;t1l. Augllstill!"'S later Vlew (whil'll ll'illlJlplH'd ¡JI 1111' dl1lr('h) was that faith itself was all lti"c'.sislihlu gif1. givl']) hy Gnu lo ti fcw people w110m be hall Sl'1I'l'lt'c..1 rlJl soml: h(lsi~ known on]y to himself. 40 God ~()lIld ha\.'(' gíVl'11 ít lo others had he so chosen"o for it is '''n'iL'I~1l'd Iw 110 hanl he-Il.rl.''r'! vVithout it no man could pl'rforTll 11IJY good. wlll't}'t~r in thollght, w.m, affcction, or al.:l'i()II.r.~
lllHi (2) arp. selUom propcrly .listinguished in writings. This may have been partly due to llll' 1I11fortllnatc pradil'c in his day of rcfcrring to the "Hll'ril ()f fllitll" alld 1he "rnerit 01' c()nversion,"r,~ Thi~ led or "1I:l111.·Ll AngllstiJ1l' to mgard faitb as a forrn of "work"; 111' ~ays: "Thc - apostk, t]¡e~cfore, distinguishes faith from works, j\1st as Jndllb is c1islinguished from hrad ... though Jlldah ís Israel itse1f.":ioI This is a total1y un-Pauline idea lllld it fails lo lIndcr~tand the Hehrew hackground toPaurs writings, Palll always sNs faith and works in
V¡C\'IIS (1)
i\l1g11Slilll'"
264
I
::
-
APPEKDJX
ugu"tinc 01' the f'arly c.:hurc.:h reprl'Sf'nts tJH,: InJt:.'
'Bulín
c!uctrine.s.
,\'tVClIH
toda..' cnl! Wisclom.
r:ccle-
VOTE BY AUG STIN
VERSES (n J Corilllltians /t:1-"
t IHIl'C
you
thl)
u
'd llot
rc(:cÍ\'C:'"'
Lhal he say's hrollghl him to bclif>vC !lis dodrilll' tlJ
TlI¡s ís [lIl' Jl('\\'
\'(,["Sr'
26'
\!'r'&"IDl '<
HFhN()JX df~~f'ríh(,(nd 5'{!r~.·:;l
7
I
luainly from lhe
LXX
orlad bv lile H(·brew. Thus, O~; i)rovcrh~ 1::l:3511:1; ElOd
s
q,
or
the <J.speds of
11\\
2flS
269
APP~NDIX
APPENDLX
ORIGINAL SIN \u¡;u.~tin
m(!n to jllstification
ot Jjfll"?
l'al
t\vn c:L.LUSCS lnC'flnl alJt
,. vif'wJí nsidNiTl
11'1\'1'
nw,ant
lililí
.l1111
Wl\\,
1'114 'V
d¡¡.. ~il':I1 I\'V ,,1';0 IIU':I11L
270
1'1 ¡'llnh-;
271
APPENUIX
s
·'le!: adulb, in th
Sá'l'S:
wa!;
Im.t rPlnov\,
universal in bruught no
1-:1Iill. so
;)
APTlENUlX
'\PPENDIX
mILO l:IlUH)
This
Id haw a han faU depffided '\Oned a wcll \v'
gueu
unlil tbe
) we do uot know whcthcF he :destinl'd us to hedVtm oc Ilas Jl1stly lis ls AugnSIiDl":¡ teal!hlug. \VI.' nOW sec hnw A-lIgustinc's 1I1ain dcfen!ie for bí!;, pk Illre oC failh as nn trresi')tihk gift is bountl up in bis \\o'ho1 S)'stNll: ClTigiflfll 51n, infan't baplíl;mai rC¡:¡;OI'lerntion, prcdes thuti'Jll, ell:. TI) Jli-¡ todüv, lb(~ n'1ost influt::ntilll of hi5 idcílS,
tilos!:' ""lIo ílaw ne\ler renct any of his works, !lln~e 011 ¡m.:cwwnation and ('Iodion, BrieBy, "i¡'wl·,l t'h'dioIl ;i~ Cm]\; c:lmkp of wllll .,!Io1.l1d be bdie\' "rlr1'(l,'~tirHl1iUll ir;¡ a prepuration fur grace, ,,·tül Cl~ i~ OW ¡t(I nil1 ~Jld(lwmf'\1t."nT 'rlms eh 'cUon is Cad'... ~dL'('1 Ion 01 :soml?' (wnh no l"'dcr('IICC la tl¡eir (lwn wills) t(l '\11'1' 1l1l10llg
I1ltl)' !JP
be gi\'I'1l fhml saIV:ltion: pn'f1('snnalio1J is God's prC'para Jtlr ~yjll~ lht..::11l ,m irr~si1itlbl(1 g,tfL of filith a1.1d fiflfll Pt'rs,.. \1 I'rJLl1l'L', Cod <,;ollld !l:1VC ~ho.seJl (lnd predl'Stined. otber:¡
a!.so, Illll 1ur lllidisdus~a reason5 has Ilot nolle !tO. 'f1¡iJ, b 11~IL$l¡lH_\'S leachil'bIl is IlIlfOltllnate Llllll sudl illlcrprcmtüms of etectiml :llld jlH'I]('!>tinaUUIl arl' Qftl.:!lI llt"ccpted to<1ay ns the trut' ll,hlít:al olles (l'vlJn by tLosc \",110 kúow nothíng of Augu s lilld. 11Isl('a<1 of laking l:aru tn see whethur the ideas arl ll"111y IJihliG11 pf'opl(' oftl'U meted)' soften tlte]r i.J])plkations h~1 SH)rinp; fltat, 'If COT1tSe, sllch <1oelriflcs ilre an1y "ane sid w lo thc tlllth. This is highly unsatisfacto'ry, for it is far frorn ohviol1s l'hat AIIgustille's interpretations of thesc con cl'pls :1l"e hihlica.l. \Ve havo seen in 5ection 15 how DlU' C'!f'ction is "in Christ" sinC'e he is thc elr.ct One, but hOW.,A Augllstin(.' clfectively igllores the phrase "in fIim" in Ephc sialls l. Vi a]so S
[.
274
275
APPENDl:
:\~PENDL'i{
hh f (In)'
whatsoCVlc:I be wiTIs, and olent wiTl is "01 . On~' DJa". 110tu
(})
'.
' ,n..
(j
P.llt'/,irldlme .1',t/t¡: Thl'lJ 111 tll(' ..Iean''i! lI~hl (ll \,,'ill bú .M;'~" wlltlt nn", I.h(- pillll"l hc¡J(J IJ)' f mlll, \lU! Yl.·t ~m"pill~ JI ill denr UlldtrslrUlllillg 110\\' ot'ítnill, irJlllllilnhl, . :11111 ('Hpdu(ll is IJII wit! l,r
~;¡~S.
WiSC]OIIl.
ali
~od. how Lilc'f"(' ,lJl' lhing.\' 11,' Itlll Llu 1J11l J(JI'" llllt \'l'l wi I1s 11(l1 hjllg 11" 1 '11111101 do .11 re 1 ¡Jnw
wj 1I lel UI',
lmll is w]I:Ll i.'I ,~Ulll! JJI 1111' I'sllllll: "Upl !ll1T' C:{)d . 1I.·I1\L'II; 111 1;;"1\11'11 ¡Hill 1)11 ('urll) 11(' IIII.~ dOlh'
a,hov,~
a11 LLí'.~.s wllllt~lJj ,w'r 1haL lit' wOlllrl. lhh 11h viollsly is lIul !nl(' il 111I'li' j,~ IlrIylllihg llml 1,1' \\illt·t1 lo do afl(l did uol dll. Ot". \\ Itlll \Vc'n' \vnl'SI\ 11' lit, did 1101 do sllnwll,illg h. ·,'anlll' IlIall'~ \VdJ PI'I'\"I'nlcd him. lhí' Ol1l11ipnh>nl, fnJlII doing wnnt hl' willlxl. :'I!nlh. ing. tJWl'cI'orl', JlapprJ1s lIlIll~S lIle: OJnuipulcnt wills il lo lJap]WII, He' l:ithur [)lIo\\'s il lo h;"I'l[Wl1 u.. lit'
actlla11y vallSI'S il lo IJapp( ti , , . UIlIL'''~ \V(. hdj"\!l' this. lJ:JI" vpr:v h",gillllillg 0[' OUJ' cOllfl's-.:ipll p[' ['uil]1 is imp('reill'cl-Ulle S['lIt('II~'(' in ",hidl \VC pTllfp~~ to beJieye ill Coc1 lhl Fatlwr AlnliglIlv. 17m he is l'all(-'{
lrnighty 27·6
rOl' 110
ollH'r n'~S()11 'th~~n lha!' JI('
('¡¡TI
du
11\1,
';"•.c)lfrldio// .r.do: TIlIt tl\('· Loro';,; JilJ)gll:lgc is dear in tjw G(\~'Pd.hC' provcs UlC unright.eons city~
WIWlI,
"nmV oflj'U,' lw ~n)'s, "wouJd 1 hllve galhered yonr (·hildl'cn tfJgL:tlwl', a~ :\ hen guthCTS hcr cilicb, and )'011 \VOl/Id f1ot," This sounds as ;r God's ''VÍ1l ¡Jao bCt'n over(,Oln~ by human wills alllJ liS if lh... \\icakest h~' nol williJlg, impcded tb..e Most Powcrflt1 so that JI(' c()ldcJ not do whal he willccl Ano wJWl'C is that lllllllipolon('(' b).' which "whatsot:vcr he wiBcd on heaw'fL amI Ol! carth, he has oone," if he willed to g'llher tll(' l'hildren of Jerusakm togetlwr, and did
277
APP
PEl\DL'X
IX
to IInderra.t:e the fnllv RUU1l'f we mu~l undl.'l's huno aH men to be s;wf:l
COUllt
so? Or, is it uot r[llhcr the ease lhat, ;11
n' is:
rhough
IS
irnplv IJJlIt 'll"'tl'U
.his, This (m:
e
ir
•
".00\ \,\Till.
e "un-
to llll'alJ
\ 1
iO'iI'r,.'
wllnt
j
&- xxcíi: AceHnlin~ly Wt; musl llO\\, ah(wt tlw nJl.':llIillg 01' \vh~ll WAS !'l:lid ll11lSl ul}' h}' tlll' ¡¡postl,' collcLTnillg Codo "',Vllo wills lllal 111l mf'1I shol1ld he SIlVt'd." Por SiIIC(' llOI all-Jlol ('\TU il llliljoritv-orn s:w('d, it wnulcl ¡nt]¡~t'd apIH';lJ' lita! Ihe bicI tlJat ,,,rlal Cnu wiTl,s tll 1,:tPIll'U do(,s nol hl.1ppéll is (11lt, lo an L'lllllargo flIl Cod',; wi]] 11,\' 111<' IUTIlfln will. J\'o\\', wlt('1J WP ;l.~k rpr UI<' n'asoll \\lh)' 1t"lirídí07J xxiI:
' t1t lltin'
I .
u11 [11'(' savl;('lv('s hav(' IJO! wilkd
lIol
UIJS\v('(' is: "Il("'
il." Bllt· tllis coTlnol
1)(' said (jI' ÍllfnlJts, who have not }'l'l COllle 1'0 IIIC' pmvpr (lf wiIIilJg 01' not wil1iug. ror, ir \Ve ('ould at tri]¡lltc to tlh:u' v,:ills tbe ¡nfant Sf(lIirlllings tl-.ey make al baptism, ",hen tl1l'Y rcsist [ls hanl as thc)' can, \Ve wouM then have to say lhat thf'Y wlIi'e sa ved against their wi11 ..• AC'cordingly, wlJen we hear Rile! rHall ill
~acrcc..l $criptmc lhal Cml ·\vill.~ that ~dl
111('])
should he saved," althollgll Wl' klJow '\'l']] ('lIollgh I'ut ])ot aJl nwn aJ'(~ s[lvecl, \Ve are 1l0! on that nC'~
',J
278
\\'1 js~
'ridion xJ:lli: T1u;lse are "tite gruat works of th m.l \Ven l;on.~idered in his ads of \\111" -aml so
\\isf'lyweJl-collsidered tl,(ll when llis nngelic an
human (!'rcation.~ sinnoo (l1lat is, did not do what he
279
APPEf\'DIX
IX C'heu ar('
still aí'Corn
of as qucnchers
tbís througb ct c:on
jan ds ;11 J{ 1
1'0111'"".
WflS
[¡('w
:lIlÚ
aJlJ
lllllS
his
:\1Ig11S 111(' cxulllpl(~s (Jf .illvt'rs(' c~posílion r!lu)(roJ frollt F..nl'lli \lIgmtilw. A/lollwr <.:xamp!l\ pkked al nlllCl OJll , l'0I1WS fmm
tbe
sCl'nc
there
WILS
sccutínn. thall!!h no
281
'PE \lOI X APPENDIX
UH' Dock , , , tn hring lhem back t(l thc foId of his master he has founr! them, by thc fear or even tbe pain of the wJiip. if lhe¡ show s)'rnptoll1s of rt>sLsUlI1Cc?"lOG ",111:0
Many dei>litnte
wld pers.,(;utcd Donatists, understandably
(1esperoh,~. cmnn:üUed sllil'idc by setting firc to tbemselves.
A Donntist minlstl'f namec.1 CllUdpl'ltius, under persccution and tlJruut 01 dcat1'l, said 11(' wOllld sooner hum down his c:hurch wilh himsclf ilIld his f10ck in it than hecome Catholíc. Tlucalolwd Ilgaill with ueath be sairl that h<" d¡c.1 oot seek lllllt)'nIolll but wns prcparcd for it: "onIy the hireling flees wll1'n lw sc!"s the woH corningl" i\ugllstine wrote to him (>xlllainillg thnl Uds suicide ill1pulse' must be from tIle dl'\ ¡],Inr Th.'Tl 1!C' ~aid: "Tf YIH\ ~\IPPOSC' thnt \Ve ought to bo moved beeause so 11\lltlY tlulllsunds die in lhis \Vay. bow mueh more consola fOIl do YOII think- WI' onght to llave 11ecausc far and in
'onsC'icl1(Je:
J.'"
1I1nk('~'
"("ry
194
C()I'llpnnlhl\' ¡'lIorl' rhOllsanJs an~ fn'edfrolTl the great mad lIt'SS l.d' 1'111' l10nahst pllrt)' , , ."1I1S [¡ i~ I.rnc Ihal it "'as UlC' practica] SllCC(1SS of fear anel pain, ullwl' Ihall an)' LhcoJogú;:al (JI' ll¡lllícal arp;ument. that first 1I 'd 1¡jI 11 lo slIpporl pcrs('clltion. "'lO nut, whatc\'cr caused 1111' adlla] dlllltgc in his vicw, wílhollt bis new lheologicaI ".V~I('1I1 it w(Jlllel hav(' l)('{'11 \Try hllro to j.llshfy it. 111 tI\(' rnatm(' AllgusLin(" tI H'rclon.: , the sLutc church found n(Jt onl) 1111' Urst Christian Ivadcr 01' irnportanee to advocate 111" 11M' uf pCrSI1!;'uti()]1 aguinst Ilon-conformists, but they {olllld the ofll~, CllrJs[J[lIt theologian of significance whose ¡h('l)lol'icLll SVSt('1I1 w()llld J'llsUfv, such persceution. It is L" / 1\lcrcfol'e not n~a,J]y surprising tbat his new ideas made a rapid auvancr..: wjthin tlle st:lte chnn.:h, that hy 424 they c1oIl1illalcc.1 tlw Latin sector of it, and that h)' 431 they were alloplt'c1 {nI' w('stenl Christ(-:noom at the tbird Ephesian (.'0ll1ll'iI.
X I
1111
Venlnin und otlwrs have shown how the arguments Au I4llstilH' Ilscd to snpport persecution have becn repeated tlmmgh()llt histnrv hv lJlallV of those wbo adopted other f('atmes nI' his sy;tem). The): were used by the earl)' CaUlo lie dl11rl'lJ. hy Lutlwr :md thtt Hclonner¡;, by CaJ"in and his nssociatcs at Gen('va, and b:v the later Catholics to defend
289
283
MAt\. Hl51'O
'ENDIX
p("f1¡t"cul:iun
minoril) grollpS, aml thl~Y are seklom ver)' accurate. lit the maúl poiot is th,it Augustine, like tbe pagans, \\',U; no!" suggcstillg that lIle)' shou1<.I be tri(;c1 fm specific l'rim('~, nor ~yen for SOJl1C vague ch::uge <;11.(;11 as "incite meol l')~editioll¡" 1](' was advoctiting tlwir pNsrClltioTl silllply heC
,1m 11 'of enl1sc:if'n~l',
\Ve shollhl Ul' cIcar, hcl'c. l'xactly ",hut AuglJstinc wilS IO\'(If'aling. Vt"fchün l~!'(plains hmv ohjediolt to ll1(-' use of riré'(' 111 "('ollvPl'ting:" liad hcen o nI.' (lf the tnain Te'L~()U5
tI1\' Donntisls spliHing olf frmn tll{' CHtholics. ll :1 In th('olQgv lh, 'y \\!{'J'l' OI'U lodoX". Al1g11stino hilnsdf SClYS: ··'rhe grl~3ll pnl'l o( t]¡elrl c1cclal'f' tllat tJ1O)' hold t'l1tirdy the ~amc hcli rlgllrdJlIg lhe F'al.lIl'1' ,1I1rl lhe Son alld tlle Unly GII()~t as iR Ill'l(11)' Ilw Calholic cbuH:h. Nor is this tlH' adual (!l1estin)1 Ül displlte with 1111'1'11; 1ml lhey carry 011 lboíl' \.1l1happy !>ll'ífc ~ukl)'
011
Ilw (lueslioll 01' <:Ollllnunion."i1 Tile issue
11l'1\\'I'l~1I lIS all<1 tLl' Donalists is auout lhe qlleS\Íon where lllÍs hoc1)' is lo lll' loe·atc·el, tllat is. \'.hat amI ",here 15 thp. Clllll'('lI?"W,
'1H' 1" '0l'k lWSOllght lo p,,·rsl'J..'utf' w()n1d hav,e hf'eTl Te 1111' plig,lIl' 1')11 ¡.. flllfl EflIlkrm
~lIl'dl'd bv liS a~ nnJiuary Chrístinns-;UJl1 Ih4') Wf'TP pN' sl'l'ul('d sol(.lly h~L:allSC llwy rcjcctcd thl' al1thol'ity of llw
~:1lh()li(' Chlll'ch. TJwy W('l'E:. n('\,cl' ('onvict!-:c1 of Hn)' civil lorilll<:, th<:ir sale CríllH' \vas to rcject this authorit)'. "Ve lÍla)'. inc1el'
not unto me."llll
284
28.5
APPENDlX
PENDIX
Thnmgh the inft sands of simple
OU
el
4
t,
be l\t1ngrv, oxj
;ow tlllm mny
wick's c.lcscriplioll ol' AugusLiut:; as "llw Q:re-tl.tl;sL
his <1!!/'? fIow nlLlj' \Ve unoerstan
WIII
as "l.]¡e gn'oksl ChrL~H¡jn ~iJ1C'1 Nt;w Te$l.¡lniellL ti
(Jf
0111'
l¡'Rding
('\'ungelhl"i, tI
mrm ""hOl
wi
C0111111011 l~x;¡ltaliofJ or Augnslinl'. (-Ji' {c'cf'ntly wrtHe:
lille was \.lU!;' of th" gJ't"ul(~sl IIJl'llll1gian~ of al1 Üml'
hecaml1 one of 'tlle;: w"'at suínts oJ aU tlrne:'
II whnt are we to hll'l<' l)1Il' :~tand[\.rd~ of greatIH1s-.? Cnn
ngl1slilll' lw I~X('USed (1\1 Llw grnJ1l1Cl~ tlnl '11l' was only
lild 01'" llis linws"? 11 iS diml'llll tI) do tbis. rOl' '1I'1\111'r..
mHolIg !Iis pn-dcccliSurs ¡md ('olllc'lJIpmal"ÍI'S WC'l"lJ l)llhpúkl'll
againsL víol¡'II!)!!. T('rtllll\::lII J'I'l!bl'¡·J; "Cpu ha... 11111 klll¡::
ll1l:'n rOl' pril~sls. Cltri'it lÓ'adll'~ liS lo Iwar \V ('Ilug. Ilol II
n:\'C'II~t' il." J..UdIUllil.l. Wmll lhal r,'liginll ¡'o,de! lIol lit· '1'11
fllrC'('ll, allll \\'lIl'(h .~hntdd 1)(' 11'l·(1 r:11111'r tlnlll 1.lll"'S 'nl<'
gn'at Athrl,lla~hls ('OlIllllí'lIh'¡] 1\11 ~(\llg of SOlOllllll1 5:2-"S:I'
lall, 1)('(',I1IS(' thl'J'(' is !lO llllt]¡ ill Ilitll, 111'I.'al-s ill ",itll :1\'1'
lllld liwonl. BIIL 111(' Saviorl.. . gl'JlIII' alltl forc(' ... 110 (lJ1l' lo
W'lflnl 11(' (·(,lIIWS. 1>111 knot·k\ allll Sp'''I~S lo LIJ(' ~llId, '( '!len
i In 111\; l1lY ,ist(·r.' ~!arllll oi 'I'llllfS and .\ll';IlSlille's n'v('r(; \. tl'llc!wr J\JlIhrosl' bol1) rt':I1.:ll'e! . . ll,;.lim.l Illost: \Vito \ ~ Iwd (J>iccllted tJIl' l'risdlliallisls. Alllilhlilll"s ~n·:¡t ,'1111 -tm,¡¡porary Cln,VSQ.. . tulIl s;lid: "(;llristillll~ ,lit' IIlIt lo rlr.. . tm error by fon" o.nd "io!t'lwl.l, ImL . . liould \\'Ilrl.: lhe s¡Jlvutillll
IJ'OJI~h
of 1l11'1l h~f persllLlsion, iuslrudiolJ ulId love." 111 sbor_, AngustilH,'S whol,· ]¡¡,wkgrolllll! liad 1)('('11 O!ll' of lo1t>ra)J(·I'. tlnd he hilliSdf \Vas a l'1talllpion of loleranl'(' (':tri)' in lli ... brislian ]¡fe. 111' ahalldnllec! litis ('adi(·:r lokralll'(' lo b('C(lffi tbe flrsl ~n'aL Cllristiall (billkl'r lo atlvoc(lt!' v¡nll'lIcl', fear, and pnin to spn'ad tho gospl'1. SIII'l'ly Augustin(' moldeo t!H' tiJl1(~S rather Ihan tlw tirrll's Augustíne. Tlw appcal to 11](' UUll.'S is lil:tk 1I1ore l'nn\'incing wll('lI applicd to AugusUl1(''s later follo\\lers, Takc', for exampll', Calvin. Vc'rclnin says thal \\'hen Calvin hall ~('J"vdl1s lmrut
286
'\vr'"
g, 287
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
agninsl powprs of e\,j]r n \ thcn what methocls docs h
re using tIlc wea use rOl' warfn
huI sli\l ",di wnrlh
·ns ot Lhrist, louchillg
lllen's snlJls
ThC!>u are not pradi<:'d1 eHect mgcnC}' witl
H
(J(]
cn1,l,1clc.
.' OH
llling:
Quosten,
lb
VQi.
fight..
WORKS QF A
REFERRED nmhers. and BrJ,tll!nnit'-lI Eflt'j'
''', ('.g.. Gwatldn 11, tlwkk, p, -4J ~mith. p. l
D.
202
El.lwl1ill!;, 42.5 irll CX\ ('1"
11r,
2.1:
111'llwlck., p, p_ 25!J. I'r(lfE!S~flT Bruc(' a!so dclends Origen [n1P5 madi> "f Ilun-tl1l!Jo¡]oxy cm the Trinity. mo lo a hf'.atl, but "'lIS
II
Iht'
r
111,..,
m,)'¡l rr.lo
lisl lhllt e;r..at Clnistian, C.l'egory \'"Cr of Origen nlld WII.S as
"3. 25.
, p. ·58 ch. xxii
~ec..
F! .
..7,
l'llok.,; :tI tl'll('livI'lly
su!>lcd ((Ji' ol: a
21>8
I.:h~~sk bi~tDry
,,( lhe ('Il[ly
W.
30.
nf l'llmSe,
could quite put it JiJee that. But to
289
IX
lc>pENDIX the fmit
·H2
·íi'¡. ·18. p;n.
O
A.1J.
etc.
51.
52..
:r¡:t
Pree!. Salffts 7
¡;!~,
55". : frOID Xm¡ophüll'~
Alnnoro1>li.(I
y Qf a "1Ji1lnrnJ ;J.lIJ .scrvkü.
37.
38.
1)(1.
,.. 7.
.i)í!. !'l9.
hrackeli-are tlsed by
lIJO, lfl!.J, .117. 1:3:3, 1·11.
38. O.
·u
!):29¡ 17:2, 17,; LH,4, lB, 19;1:1, 0, e4;~ nC~llrlc~ (OJI wh,ml ~cc .ilu~. 1'111: lJllolatiOl:l hOlu )\ ra ca.nlhus· ¡¡1Il:1!l()II~ hymn In Z!:lUs.
tl]is for C1Clf1(:l]t uf ROII1C ,uld JuBlin, hut i.t
·¡¡rly r·alhe.'fS¡
sel,;, ,-.~., lrc.'JI;II.ms,
Alí'.
1-Jl"TC"¡f'S
Far Síns 1.34
200
291
AP.FE 'OIX 'PE!':DIX
APrEI\DJY
flAJ..
64, ';j.
'ar.
ti
Orlg. Sin S';n Sills 1.11; Orig.
10. lo
/j
OJMn.~, ¡ R(II11iil1.~,
]¡
1]1. 133, 33,]134 34. pp. \
I
~
is
nel Gr, 10
vcr
11 iCV·
~
Ori.~. Slu SIR 20,42 ~.42 Ori.L:'
,,1' Erl, Efl.ULlIIJ, "I I.."J, fo f"r.. ;·.lo'wl1l'l,·. ,. am"l,', p,""("til'C' pl.H"li, r 11l1't1l11 h,hlllt
,I,1'',\_
n,
,
lUtiUIl
"'
ill '11
/\IlrIT. Imf
(1I1r! 11I1,l
(:mu·. (:(1111'.
i
/
uf iJlru"lih \\'11' [u 111<'111 iJlrllhb WII' lu c1..T¡vl'J cI..liv('r lilt'''' lu1 ."liu
of
fhl·if
d\Vfl
2.
/n
01
\
'7. RR.
2q2 292
10.
)1 flulJtin~ rhTJl1Jl(1~ 11 :1~hl'w
1I1'(lhJlbllt
29.3
APPENDIX are his juclgrncllIs, amI !lis wap pllsl lJiaciJlg out! For wIw !los kno'WlI Ihc rniml oC the Lord:' '['Jlis \Vas Au~lt~lill'··~ sto",!.; eit.llioll ",¡um hc aslud him'Llf \\'h" C:uc1 ShOllJd dalTln Ihose ho multl IIlt,.e saved. nr
why he ShOllld aÍl o\\ lrnly l'illhteml.s ul!-n lo fall
1'10111 r,mct: :Lnd go to heno ['he .. ilatiuu b, llufIlTl'\lTlaldy', 11 mis]¡:achng Ollf;:. Tbe im plil'atioll in l!Lis pilS~:lgt or Paul is Ilul Illl.ll CIlc1 is alwlJY~ in(;nmpn~ JWllsihle, IHII Ihat no <Jm' cau advise Cotl 01' gll~ hi~ plam; beroro h revt::lls lht:ltI. ll. is ¡IISt sud'! '1 rev"l.ltlun Ihat Pflnl b,l~ tllllJincd III 111.· previ\llls chaptl'rs (!J-Il) "f Ilf;lman'. \Vhen \\.(" cCllv;ld"r 1 Corinll,ians 2. wc filHl a slmihr qllt's,tioll in \"'1 ... IfI; wh" lllls I'illm'in 11.... min<J <1 lhe Lord, Ihal he ShOIlII<J Íl'l.slruct hjlll'~ Illtl IIDW 1'11111 sl't:dReidh- n'· pli~: BII( WI' have lhe mind 01' Chriu. ']'11,' 'Nilol,. I'"int 1\ tl.¡l! (."el /Uj.1 1'''''I'a\('<1 tl11~ ell"'}' t"iu~'s nI' hb Splril (1 C"rlnlll¡IHI~ 2: 10 l. lt h hue lhat lht.: nalural man rnnllot IIlldl:rslnmJ !hmn (v, 1·1). bll! lb" IlIaU wi1\illg lo 111' LlUl!hl !J\. lht, Spiri! df'''~ 1I1I(JI'r~lltfltl (;,,11\ rt'v"J¡¡· tioll. !tILIa: milld of Chri'l \\ e do Ulld(»~tar"l eoe!'" tTIiml-ll lS [,ul somt: t'uigm;¡ tri hn 1'(WI 'dl,tI in h"t1\'~'n. IlJd,,(~J, iC< ~pfrJllJl1l (1)1'11, '1'1' "campan' ~r.rlrlíll:tl Illill¡"'lI \Vitll 'pi! ;Iml" (v. 13), TI,," 1aOl!,U"¡.(,I' ...., selllhles I Corinthians 1'1;2!J; \\'11 an' lo "\\";gI. up" JIlI'T"]'! "'111'1..· línns. Cm nn\'lhilll-; lJlal is of (;0,1 i~ 1'(IIISisl('I,1 wlth uU !Ji'! otll',·1 "'VU'N' l¡"n. j'alll 'is sa}'iug lllal luh 11'I 1" rrnso)lin¡.; i!O i.,:t(l'~ll"all:; \1'" 11111'( slri\'(\ fuI' spiritll¡¡] 1Il1ell'rsl ,mil i",:, Bu! spil·llu ... 1 Ilnd"r'itandinl.! j, (".1'. lainly 111>1 lltl' ~lImc "s to\;'¡] inlümltl'(,I",nRínn. 100. Smilll sa)s: "'1'111' I'i!:lld Falnlistl( tld"l'lIIilllllillll ..[ ~1.lI.idl ,r'I~m \\'IIS In "PIlPIl1 to lh" ~'llllll~ )\ut;ll~linl'" (]'. 15Fi). Tlli·. 1<'1"" .. 1 (;1,,1', wi1l ¡¡]\\'lIYS lJl'illl; d011l' \~"ol.~ n'r)' slrtJlI~ Illlleed IIb" in lI"m;llI Stlli"islll. 111<' pltlln"')lII\ 11,,11 kld I,\rdlí "1')1(,1,1 lo 1111' "nOlll:tll" .IIIillt!. lO]. Orj~I'II's tJIllrOIl¡:li1If'Sll is ,,1¡¡"vll ill " Il'llrr In Afriqnm. "Vl'lI tllllll¡.(ll w.· 111")' di~,IW'c'i' ,,·¡tll ltilll Ill' 1111' l'.rrtlf'"Lll h"'II·. 102. \\,,, Sl'e ¡ll lli¡' 1'>jalu¡:u,' t!t:1! 1"'1111 hnd .1IIIW;I ... ·d tlll' LXX ",ilb lJI!' 1It-hn'I\', 10:3. \I'('nlllill; 'I'/w J!r'fomj{'rs l/IId Tlleír SrC¡JI'I,ildrl.'lI (1'lIh'l'IIus ler J. .'\lllltll1:r inlcrl'sling Iiollk Otl IlIis Sllhíl·l·t i" ll""lllll ... nl·~ 'J'III' Pi/,!!,I';lIl clrllrr:/I (P. ~ l.). 104. Ld"'r 111 \,jll<.:I·lIliIlS....
JOS. ".~ .. Cnn. ])'!Il. 21. :'?'3¡ ].oUl·r to V1JIl'I'lllill' :, (,\,11. ,111'\);
l,,!tl'r In 11m'''!lIs 3 (,\,J). ·11U). 10(l. (:nr,.. ]),11I. 23 ]07. A1Igll~tillC ('ikll ¡vlaulle\\' J7:1S. lOH, Ag. CI/lld. 1,2!:J; w·,· "Iso lit" Id!r'r lit 13ll1liLII'I'. IUfl. I!I' ",rol.· III Vill'·I·"till,S tli:d 11is !'OlTllf'r ul'illillll "lk,l "U IJlII' sbollltl he <':OCI'L'r'¡'[ illlo 11w nn;lv 01' CI,ris(" was o\,C'reO!llI' "no\ Iiy ti 11' wOl's lo OpCl':lll'. \l also mealit ll"f( he was a!'raill of his 0\\'11 l10ck (seB lcllers tn Aurclills, A.n, aD2. Albina, A.D. '111 ).
294
'1'1' In ¡¡ kllcr tcl Albil:L¡l III ll;I"11\ lwh...wJm oC 1*
Hl he descrih
rsc~
296
citl-'t
