Sunday, March 22, 2015

Wordle on Greek Text of the Gospel of John

I was trying to do a quick look for a Wordle on the Gospel of John. I found some based on the English words (here, here and here) and also one on actual Greek words (here). However, I wanted one that reflected the Greek dictionary words so that it would (ignoring the different forms due to noun case, verb tense etc). I didn't find one, so I made my own...

I have based the below on the text from the MorphGNT project. I used Excel to extract out the Lemma form (cut and pasting, converting to text, importing back in as space-delimited text, etc).

This Wordle only shows nouns, verbs and adjectives (no conjunctions, particles, pronouns, articles, prepositions, etc). At the bottom is the copy of the word counts generated by Wordle.

Word Counts:

λέγω 473
εἰμί 443
Ἰησοῦς 239
ἔρχομαι 154
πατήρ 136
ποιέω 110
πιστεύω 98
ἔχω 86
θεός 83
οἶδα 80
μαθητής 78
ἀποκρίνομαι 78
κόσμος 78
δίδωμι 75
ὁράω 72
Ἰουδαῖος 71
πᾶς 64
λαλέω 59
ἄνθρωπος 59
ἀκούω 58
γινώσκω 56
υἱός 54
οὐδείς 51
γίνομαι 51
κύριος 51
λαμβάνω 45
πολύς 41
ἐμός 41
μένω 40
λόγος 40
εἷς 38
ἀγαπάω 37
δύναμαι 37
ζωή 36
ζητέω 34
Πέτρος 34
μαρτυρέω 33
ὑπάγω 32
ἄλλος 32
πέμπω 32
ἡμέρα 31
ἐξέρχομαι 29
ἀποθνῄσκω 28
ἀποστέλλω 28
ἐρωτάω 27
ἔργον 27
ὥρα 26
αἴρω 26
ὄνομα 25
ἀλήθεια 25
Σίμων 25
πνεῦμα 24
ἄρτος 24
θεωρέω 24
δοξάζω 23
θέλω 23
φῶς 23
Ἰωάννης 23
γράφω 21
ὕδωρ 21
ἀπέρχομαι 21
ἀρχιερεύς 21
ὄχλος 20
Πιλᾶτος 20
δόξα 19
Φαρισαῖος 19
ἵστημι 19
ἀκολουθέω 19
κρίνω 19
εὑρίσκω 19
Χριστός 19
πρόβατον 19
γυνή 18
ὀφθαλμός 18
οὐρανός 18
τηρέω 18
μέγας 18
τίθημι 18
γεννάω 18
βλέπω 17
ἑορτή 17
αἰώνιος 17
φέρω 17
καταβαίνω 17
περιπατέω 17
ἁμαρτία 17
ζάω 17
σημεῖον 17
Γαλιλαία 17
τόπος 16
ἀναβαίνω 16
βάλλω 16
τυφλός 16
μνημεῖον 16
βασιλεύς 16
ἀφίημι 15
εἰσέρχομαι 15
φωνή 15
χείρ 15
ἐσθίω 15
πληρόω 15
παραδίδωμι 15
ἴδιος 15
μαρτυρία 14
μόνος 14
προφήτης 14
ἀληθής 14
πούς 14
νόμος 14
ἀδελφός 14
δύο 13
βαπτίζω 13
ἐγείρω 13
πορεύομαι 13
φιλέω 13
σάρξ 13
φωνέω 13
δέω 13
σάββατον 13
νίπτω 13
αἰών 13
πρῶτος 13
μέλλω 12
ῥῆμα 12
Μωϋσῆς 12
γραφή 12
ἄγω 12
Φίλιππος 12
Ἱεροσόλυμα 12
μισέω 12
ἀποκτείνω 12
κρίσις 11
Λάζαρος 11
σταυρόω 11
θέλημα 11
γῆ 11
προσκυνέω 11
μήτηρ 11
Ἀβραάμ 11
ἀνοίγω 11
αἰτέω 11
δοῦλος 11
πίνω 11
μικρός 11
καρπός 10
ἐντολή 10
πάσχα 10
ψυχή 10
ἀπόλλυμι 10
παρρησία 9
χαίρω 9
ἀληθινός 9
ἱερός 9
θάλασσα 9
φανερόω 9
ὑπηρέτης 9
Μάρθα 9
Ἰούδας 9
διδάσκω 9
Μαριάμ 9
χαρά 9
κλαίω 8
ἀνήρ 8
δοκέω 8
νεκρός 8
ἐξουσία 8
πόλις 8
ἀνίστημι 8
σκοτία 8
ἀσθενέω 8
πιάζω 8
ῥαββί 8
θάνατος 8
ἐργάζομαι 8
ἀρχή 8
πλοῖον 7
διδάσκαλος 7
καρδία 7
δείκνυμι 7
ἄρχων 7
κεῖμαι 7
θύρα 7
ἀγάπη 7
καλός 7
ἔσχατος 7
Θωμᾶς 7
συνάγω 7
δαιμόνιον 6
σῴζω 6
Μαρία 6
ὅλος 6
σῶμα 6
εἰρήνη 6
κραυγάζω 6
νύξ 6
δώδεκα 6
ὑγιής 6
λύω 6
οἶνος 6
ἐκβάλλω 6
ἱμάτιον 6
διψάω 6
Ναθαναήλ 6
λίθος 6
θαυμάζω 6
στρατιώτης 6
ποιμήν 6
ἀδελφή 6
γονεύς 6
ταράσσω 6
φίλος 6
αἷμα 6
Ἰουδαία 6
θεάομαι 6
τιμάω 6
ὑψόω 5
σός 5
ἔθνος 5
οἰκία 5
βασιλεία 5
Ἰσκαριώτης 5
κεφαλή 5
ἕλκω 5
πέντε 5
ἐκλέγομαι 5
ἀπολύω 5
ὀψάριον 5
φοβέομαι 5
Νικόδημος 5
ἔρημος 5
πηλός 5
ἀναγγέλλω 5
βαστάζω 5
Ἀνδρέας 5
τελειόω 5
ἅγιος 5
ἀναπίπτω 5
Καφαρναούμ 5
τρώγω 5
Καϊάφας 5
μέρος 4
παροιμία 4
κράβαττος 4
πλοιάριον 4
βρῶσις 4
Κανά 4
κράζω 4
δεύτερος 4
ἥκω 4
πλευρά 4
ἁμαρτωλός 4
κλέπτης 4
δεῖπνον 4
Ἰωσήφ 4
καθαρός 4
σταυρός 4
λιθάζω 4
ὁδός 4
λύπη 4
πραιτώριον 4
Ἰσραήλ 4
μέσος 4
κάθημαι 4
ἀνάκειμαι 4
γογγύζω 4
πτωχός 4
χρόνος 4
μύρον 4
κλῆμα 4
ὑπαντάω 4
νυμφίος 4
ἀναβλέπω 4
ἀρνέομαι 4
ἁγιάζω 4
χάρις 4
τρίτος 4
δίκτυον 4
τρεῖς 4
θερίζω 4
ἐπαίρω 4
οἶκος 4
ἀνάστασις 4
Ἠσαΐας 4
ὁμολογέω 4
ψωμίον 4
ἁρπάζω 4
ἀντλέω 4
ὀθόνιον 4
Σαμαρίτης 4
μονογενής 4
παράκλητος 4
Βηθανία 4
στρέφω 4
χρεία 4
κῆπος 4
ὄρος 4
κώμη 3
ἰχθύς 3
ὄξος 3
ἀποσυνάγωγος 3
θερμαίνομαι 3
πονηρός 3
ἀγοράζω 3
Δίδυμος 3
μνημονεύω 3
περιστερά 3
Μαγδαληνή 3
διάκονος 3
φυλάσσω 3
Ἰορδάνης 3
ἀγαθός 3
παραλαμβάνω 3
Σαμάρεια 3
γνωρίζω 3
ἐμβαίνω 3
ἐνιαυτός 3
μεταβαίνω 3
ἐλέγχω 3
κολυμβήθρα 3
κοπιάω 3
Καῖσαρ 3
δίκαιος 3
ἕκαστος 3
ἰάομαι 3
χώρα 3
σημαίνω 3
ὑμέτερος 3
διώκω 3
ἀρχιτρίκλινος 3
διακονέω 3
Ναζωραῖος 3
ἁμαρτάνω 3
παιδίον 3
καθέζομαι 3
ν 3
σπέρμα 3
καιρός 3
ἄμπελος 3
μιμνῄσκομαι 3
ἐκμάσσω 3
Τιβεριάς 3
σχίσμα 3
τέκνον 3
εὐχαριστέω 3
αἰτία 3
διαζώννυμι 3
ἄρχω 3
ἔτος 3
πηγή 3
Ἰακώβ 3
θυρωρός 3
εὐθύς 3
μεστός 3
ναός 3
ἄγγελος 3
χωρέω 3
φημί 3
ἐντέλλομαι 3
παρασκευή 3
κρυπτός 3
πρότερος 3
φόβος 3
συμφέρω 3
διάβολος 3
Ἕλλην 3
κατάγνυμι 3
ὑδρία 3
γεμίζω 3
ἕξ 3
σκέλος 3
πίπτω 3
αὐλή 3
κρύπτω 3
λῃστής 3
ζῳοποιέω 3
διδαχή 3
μισθωτός 2
Σιλωάμ 2
βιβλίον 2
κλάσμα 2
ἑκατόν 2
ζώννυμι 2
τριάκοντα 2
λευκός 2
ὅμοιος 2
πωλέω 2
φαῦλος 2
ἡλικία 2
ὠφελέω 2
ἀνθρακιά 2
ὀκτώ 2
μέλει 2
Μεσσίας 2
Ἅννας 2
σχίζω 2
φεύγω 2
στῆθος 2
τρέχω 2
κατάκειμαι 2
συναγωγή 2
σουδάριον 2
ἐμβριμάομαι 2
ἑτοιμάζω 2
σκορπίζω 2
φαίνω 2
πάρειμι 2
σκανδαλίζω 2
παρίστημι 2
ῥάπισμα 2
τάχιον 2
σπεῖρα 2
ἐπίκειμαι 2
στοά 2
ἧλος 2
τελέω 2
ἀποκόπτω 2
λαός 2
γλωσσόκομον 2
περισσεύω 2
ψεύστης 2
καίω 2
Βηθσαϊδά 2
καινός 2
συκῆ 2
φρέαρ 2
πυνθάνομαι 2
Ναζαρέτ 2
ἔξεστι 2
ἀλλότριος 2
τίτλος 2
λέντιον 2
κοιλία 2
ἀσθένεια 2
ὀφείλω 2
Ἠλίας 2
ἐπιβάλλω 2
κόλπος 2
πεντήκοντα 2
ἀριστάω 2
μονή 2
συνεισέρχομαι 2
στάδιος 2
δικαιοσύνη 2
πλῆθος 2
πνέω 2
δεξιός 2
κλείω 2
ἑρμηνεύω 2
σπείρω 2
ἀρκέω 2
θερισμός 2
πορφυροῦς 2
ἐπιτίθημι 2
ἐλεύθερος 2
καταλαμβάνω 2
στέφανος 2
διέρχομαι 2
βόσκω 2
κρατέω 2
Δαυίδ 2
ἀλείφω 2
γεύομαι 2
χιτών 2
ἐπερωτάω 2
τύπος 2
μάννα 2
παρακύπτω 2
ἐπιχρίω 2
ἀμνός 2
κοιμάομαι 2
θλῖψις 2
Βαραββᾶς 2
λίτρα 2
βασιλικός 2
ὄψις 2
κρίθινος 2
μάχαιρα 2
Σαμαρῖτις 2
δηνάριον 2
ἐκπορεύομαι 2
συνέρχομαι 2
βάπτω 2
διακόσιοι 2
σφραγίζω 2
βοῦς 2
ἀγαλλιάω 2
καλέω 2
κακός 2
ἐλευθερόω 2
ὀψία 2
λύκος 2
μανθάνω 2
ἐραυνάω 2
καθίζω 2
γάμος 2
ἕκτος 2
περιτομή 2
λαλιά 2
ἐμφανίζω 2
τέσσαρες 2
ἐμβλέπω 2
γράμμα 2
μεθερμηνεύω 2
θρίξ 2
θνῄσκω 2
ἀπόκρισις 2
πλανάω 2
κατηγορέω 2
παραμυθέομαι 2
γνωστός 2
ἀλέκτωρ 2
πράσσω 2
λυπέω 2
καθαρισμός 2
δάκτυλος 2
βουλεύομαι 2
προσκόπτω 2
μακάριος 2
προσφέρω 2
ὀρφανός 1
συντίθεμαι 1
διατρίβω 1
ὀνάριον 1
λογίζομαι 1
οἰκοδομέω 1
συγχράομαι 1
ῥέω 1
ἀποκαλύπτω 1
ἄραφος 1
εἴκοσι 1
ἔθος 1
ἀκοή 1
τολμάω 1
χολάω 1
φωτίζω 1
σκηνοπηγία 1
πορνεία 1
ἁγνίζω 1
Αἰνών 1
πειράζω 1
ὕσσωπος 1
ποταμός 1
σωτήρ 1
ἀπειθέω 1
ὑπάντησις 1
χόρτος 1
θρέμμα 1
σπήλαιον 1
κέρμα 1
ὀργή 1
συλλαμβάνω 1
δειλιάω 1
τράπεζα 1
μέτρον 1
κατεσθίω 1
γεωργός 1
σωτηρία 1
ἀθετέω 1
θήκη 1
Σιών 1
θεραπεύω 1
ὑφαντός 1
κόφινος 1
νιπτήρ 1
χωλός 1
πατρίς 1
ἕβδομος 1
βαθύς 1
δέχομαι 1
πτύω 1
ἰσχύω 1
μαστιγόω 1
ὀσμή 1
δεῖ 1
αὐξάνω 1
περιΐστημι 1
ἐμφυσάω 1
Σολομών 1
ὑπομιμνῄσκω 1
δέκατος 1
σκότος 1
χείμαρρος 1
σμύρνα 1
εἰσάγω 1
ψεῦδος 1
λούω 1
πολύτιμος 1
νάρδος 1
νύμφη 1
Ζεβεδαῖος 1
τετράμηνος 1
περισσός 1
ἐλάσσων 1
Μάλχος 1
Λευίτης 1
ἀγγέλλω 1
ἀγωνίζομαι 1
πλήρης 1
ἐμπόριον 1
προσαίτης 1
μετρητής 1
ὑπόδειγμα 1
σκηνόω 1
ὕπνος 1
τεσσεράκοντα 1
συνήθεια 1
ἀντιλέγω 1
χορτάζω 1
σκληρός 1
πυρετός 1
ποίμνη 1
θρηνέω 1
ἱερόν 1
τεταρταῖος 1
παιδίσκη 1
πρωΐα 1
ἱερεύς 1
διεγείρω 1
λαγχάνω 1
ἀνθρωποκτόνος 1
γενετή 1
ὑπόδημα 1
ἄπιστος 1
πρόφασις 1
νέος 1
γογγυσμός 1
προφητεύω 1
πτέρνα 1
μιαίνω 1
Ἱεροσολυμίτης 1
Συχάρ 1
Ῥωμαῖος 1
κερματιστής 1
μηνύω 1
μακρός 1
νεύω 1
ἄνεμος 1
φορέω 1
ὠτίον 1
ἕτοιμος 1
τυφλόω 1
ἐκνεύω 1
περιτέμνω 1
λαμπάς 1
κομψότερον 1
λιθόστρωτος 1
φραγέλλιον 1
παιδάριον 1
σχοινίον 1
ἄντλημα 1
ἀτιμάζω 1
συσταυρόομαι 1
λατρεία 1
ποτήριον 1
βροντή 1
ἀναστρέφω 1
πλέκω 1
τεκνίον 1
βρῶμα 1
φανός 1
ἕτερος 1
πῶλος 1
ἐλαττόω 1
γηράσκω 1
ἐπιτρέπω 1
ἐκχέω 1
κολλυβιστής 1
βιβρώσκω 1
ὁδηγέω 1
ὅπλον 1
ἀρνίον 1
νικάω 1
ταχύ 1
προσκυνητής 1
περιβάλλω 1
δουλεύω 1
ἀκάνθινος 1
ἐνταφιασμός 1
πόσις 1
Κηφᾶς 1
μισθός 1
ἐπιλέγω 1
κηπουρός 1
Γολγοθᾶ 1
μεσόω 1
χείρων 1
πεντακισχίλιοι 1
χιλίαρχος 1
πῦρ 1
προσέρχομαι 1
μίγμα 1
ἐξυπνίζω 1
δακρύω 1
εὐθύνω 1
Ἰσραηλίτης 1
παίω 1
ἄρωμα 1
ἐπενδύτης 1
κυκλόω 1
πτύσμα 1
ἀπόστολος 1
κρανίον 1
προσαιτέω 1
Σατανᾶς 1
ἐπιστρέφω 1
Ἐφραίμ 1
ὕστερον 1
λοιδορέω 1
παράγω 1
διασκορπίζω 1
θαυμαστός 1
ἅλλομαι 1
ἐξετάζω 1
ὄνος 1
λίθινος 1
ξηρός 1
Γαλιλαῖος 1
λόγχη 1
Βηθεσδά 1
ἐπίγειος 1
γυμνός 1
κρίμα 1
φυλακή 1
καθαίρω 1
ἅπτω 1
ἀπορέω 1
ἴσος 1
βοάω 1
τέλος 1
πεινάω 1
νοέω 1
Γαββαθα 1
κοίμησις 1
ἀνέρχομαι 1
κειρία 1
ἀλόη 1
ἐπιθυμία 1
λύχνος 1
κόπος 1
βάϊον 1
ὄζω 1
προτρέχω 1
θυγάτηρ 1
πιστός 1
χωρίον 1
διαδίδωμι 1
ζήτησις 1
συμβουλεύω 1
τελευτάω 1
πλήρωμα 1
Κεδρών 1
ἀρεστός 1
πιπράσκω 1
ἀριθμός 1
τροφή 1
δέρω 1
Ἁριμαθαία 1
ὄφις 1
βραχύς 1
χειμών 1
κλέπτω 1
διασπορά 1
ἐντυλίσσω 1
θαρρέω 1
ραββουνι 1
γέρων 1
συντρίβω 1
Σαλείμ 1
θεοσεβής 1
κόκκος 1
αἰγιαλός 1
ἀναγινώσκω 1
τριακόσιοι 1
τέρας 1
πενθερός 1
βραχίων 1
ξηραίνω 1
συγγενής 1
ἐγκαίνια 1
προσφάγιον 1
στόμα 1
ἐπουράνιος 1
ὁδοιπορία 1
δωρεά 1
ἐνταφιάζω 1
σπόγγος 1
εἶδος 1
δόλος 1
Κλωπᾶς 1
ἀπώλεια 1
σκεῦος 1
διαμερίζω 1
ζῆλος 1
πωρόω 1
ἐξάγω 1
σῖτος 1
γείτων 1
βούλομαι 1
ἐκκεντέω 1
συνέδριον 1
ἅπας 1
πιστικός 1
βῆμα 1
κλίνω 1
βλασφημία 1
Βηθλέεμ 1
ἄκανθα 1
ἐξηγέομαι 1
οἶμαι 1
κατηγορία 1
δεκαπέντε 1
ἄξιος 1
ὀστέον 1
μαίνομαι 1
βλασφημέω 1
ἀποβαίνω 1
μάχομαι 1
νομή 1
θύω 1
ἀδικία 1
παραγίνομαι 1
προβατικός 1
διδακτός 1
τιμή 1
μεθύω 1
ἐκτείνω 1
δαιμονίζομαι 1
καταβολή 1
πῆχυς 1
ἐπάρατος 1
συμμαθητής 1
παῖς 1
κλῆρος 1
γαζοφυλάκιον 1
ἀναχωρέω 1
περιτίθημι 1
ὠτάριον 1
ἱμάς 1
τίκτω 1
ἀπαγγέλλω 1
ὑστερέω 1
ἐλαύνω 1
νύσσω 1
ἁλιεύω 1
σύρω 1
ἐκλεκτός 1
ποιμαίνω 1
ψῦχος 1
ἱματισμός 1
περιδέω 1
ἐλπίζω 1
εὐλογέω 1
ἐμπίμπλημι 1
φοῖνιξ 1

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Gender Neutral Confusion and Hebrews 2

Although there is much to be said for using inclusive and gender neutral language, sometimes things can go horribly wrong.

In a Bible study group recently we were looking at Hebrews 2. As is common, there were a variety of English translations being used by different people in the group. Some were using the more recent version of the NIV (either the 2011 version or TNIV). As we interacted over 2:6-8, the gender neutral pluralization wreaked havoc as we tried to understand the text. It was a classic case of gender neutral translation at its worst. At best the pluralization biased the interpretation of the text, and at worst it mistranslated the text and hindered people from a correct understanding by obscuring the meaning. You can see the differences in the versions below (gender neutral pluralization highlighted):
But there is a place where someone has testified: "What are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet." In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. (TNIV)
For in one place the Scriptures say, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. (NLT)
But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. (NIV 2011)
It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. (ESV)
The problem is that the pluralization slants the whole of 2:6-8 to be talking about humans in general. Yet there is a significant question mark as to whether the author is applying it all to Jesus (singular!). Clearly in 2:9 the language of Psalm 8 is applied to Jesus. Yes, there is some debate as to whether 2:6-8 is used in Hebrews to refer to Jesus or to humans or both (with different commentators taking different positions), but that debate is muted if gender neutral pluralization is used.

Of course, the pluralized translations do have footnotes showing they are not oblivious to the problem, but still, in this case, I think it would be better if the roles of main text and foot note were reversed. Or at least if they used the commonly accepted singular uses of they/their/them rather than pluralizing (since it is supposed to be a current English translation).

In any case, others have already written much about these issues in general (eg here and here). Nonetheless this specific case is a fresh reminder to always read our Bibles carefully and with understanding.

Oh, and by the way, personally, I take 2:8 as relating to humans, but I take Psalm 8 as historically speaking about creation and at the same time eschatologically speaking of the new creation--"the world to come" (Hebrews 2:5)--with Jesus as the prototypical new man/"last Adam".

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Ray Ortlund: Gospel Formulae and the Cost of the Holy Spirit

I just watched this interview by Justin Taylor with Ray Ortlund, after noticing a Gospel Coalition post about it. It has to do with Ortlund's book, The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ. He talks about the beautiful message of Gospel Doctrine as well as the beautiful practice of Gospel Culture. After watching the interview, these are some of the take-homes I appreciated:

  • Gospel Doctrine without Gospel Culture = Hypocrisy (= Toxic!)
  • Gospel Culture without Gospel Doctrine = Fragility
  • Gospel Doctrine + Gospel Culture = Power

Taylor also referred to this great quote from Francis Schaeffer, from his book, No Little People:
The moving of the Holy Spirit should not be contrasted with either proper self-fulfillment or tiredness. To the contrary, both the Scriptures and the history of the church teach that if the Holy Spirit is working, the whole man will be involved and there will be much cost to the Christian. The more the Holy Spirit works, the more Christians will be used in battle, and the more they are used, the more there will be personal cost and tiredness. It is quite the opposite of what we might first think. People often cry out for the work of the Holy Spirit and yet forget that when the Holy Spirit works, there is always tremendous cost to the people of God-weariness and tears and battles.
Hmm. Perhaps I should read Ortlund's book :D


Friday, March 06, 2015

The use of Psalm 102:25-27 in Hebrews 1:10-12...Who is speaking to whom?

At first glance the way the author of Hebrews 1 uses Psalm 102:25-27 may seem perplexing. Continuing from 1:8 ("But to the son..."), he seems to be quoting Psalm 102:25-27 as words directed by God to the Son, the Christ or Messiah. Yet when we first read the words of the Psalm, they may seem more like they are directed towards God rather than the Messiah, especially as much of the rest of the Psalm seems to be the words of someone, say the Messiah, speaking to God, rather than the other way around (cf the opening words in verse 1, "Hear my prayer, O LORD, let my cry come to you!"). So how do we make sense of the use of Psalm 102:25-27 in Hebrews 1:10-12?

Here are the main options I have found:

  1. The author of Hebrews boldly and matter-of-fact-ly takes a clear reference to God, the LORD, and attributes it to Jesus. While it may seem like a misuse of Scripture, the argument goes that it is done on sound theological basis and logical syllogism: since Jesus is God, even LORD (= YHWH), therefore any reference to God or LORD in the Old Testament can be legitimately also transferred to Jesus. It doesn't matter at all whether there are any specific indicators for the quotation that it has reference to the Christ, because the basis of usage is not on the "Messiah-ship" of Jesus, but rather just to do with his "LORD-ship". It can also take its lead from the argument of Jesus in John 10:35-36. This is a position we see in the commentary by Philip Edgcumbe Hughes (pp.67-68).
  2. The author of Hebrews attributes to Jesus a reference to God because the reference also has Messianic indicators. This option is a bit more focused and nuanced than the first option, but includes the argument of the first option. Not only does the author feel free to use a reference to God on the basis of the divinity of Christ, but also because the Psalm is referring to God in ways that should also be considered Messianic or relating to the work and coming of the Christ. Calvin's commentary takes this approach. He says, "I indeed allow that Christ is not named in any part of the Psalm; but it is yet plain that he is so pointed out, that no one can doubt but that his kingdom is there avowedly recommended to us. Hence all the things which are found there, are to be applied to his person; for in none have they been fulfilled but in Christ...".
  3. The author of Hebrews understands the quotation to actually be words of God addressed to the Messiah. This option sees Psalm 102:25-27 as words spoken by God addressed to the Psalmist (or perhaps some other person), understood to be the Messiah. The beginning of the quotation of God's address starts in the middle of verse 23, according to the LXX translation, and this option understands the author of Hebrews as following the same reading as does the LXX. (The difference between the LXX and traditional Hebrew rendering is accounted for by the question of what Hebrew vowels to use in a certain word.) This option also finds strength in accounting for the general Messianic nature and recognition of the Psalm, as well as less awkwardly assimilating into the presentation of the author Hebrews, since it straight-forwardly takes Psalm 102:25-27 as words of God addressed to the Son (if we accept the meaning of the LXX translation, and then we have all the quotations of 1:5, 1:6, 1:8-9, 1:10-12 and 1:13 as words of God to the Son). This is an approach espoused by Don Carson in his devotional reading notes. Also in an article by Stephen Voorwinde in Vox Reformata. It still has a little awkwardness in that it may seem anachronistic for God to address the Messiah as "God" and "YHWH". However, this is not insurmountable, for similar reasons as in the options above. Also, anachronistic reading is mainly an issue if we have problems with the divine authorship of the Scriptures.
In thinking about this question, I also toyed with another option. Perhaps the author of Hebrews was making a more oblique reference, or that this quotation was not meant to be taken on its own merits, but in combination with the other quotations. Perhaps he did understand that Psalm 102 was referring to God, but that the same things are transferred by inheritance to the Son, since the Son sits at the right hand of God, being exalted to the same authority (cf 1:4 and 1:13). Such an option squares more naturally with the traditional Hebrew reading of Psalm 102 while avoiding the difficulties of not sufficiently distinguishing between God and the Son (which the author clearly does distinguish in chapter 1). However, on balance, given that it is a somewhat convoluted option, it is probably best to go with option 3 above, as a more straight-forward and very acceptable option.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Chris Wright on the significance of Christ's resurrection

I have been reading through some of Chris Wright's book, Salvation Belongs To Our God. Among many other good thoughts, I thought this point could be laboured, as we too often understate the resurrection:
It is is important not to say things like 'Jesus died and came back to life' -- as if he were merely resuscitated to a prolonged spell of earthly life before dying in the end. Jesus did not die and 'come back'. Jesus died and went forward--forward into the new resurrection life of the age to come. He is the firstfruits of the new creation. So his resurrection is the guarantee of ours, and of the whole new creation life we will enjoy with him, when he 'will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body' (Phil. 3:21). 
And of course it is the risen Christ who has sent his Spirit, as he promised, whose primary work... is to apply God's salvation in our hearts, bearing witness to our sonship, bearing fruit in our lives, strengthening and comforting us in our witness to Christ.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

So the woman left her water jar (John 4:28)

I think the apostle John likes to use historical detail and physical realities to illustrate, emphasise and point to divine realities and spiritual truth. For example, he notes that the jars used to turn water into wine were for Jewish rites of purification (John 2:6), I think alluding to the true purification that will come through Jesus' blood, when his hour has come. Or when the healing of the blind man leads to discussion of spiritual blindness (John 9). Or the simple statement, "And it was night" (John 13:30), as Judas departs to betray the Christ. We might also think of the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11) or other instances.

When we were reading through John 4 on Thursday night, I was struck by how the Samaritan woman, after hearing Jesus speak of "living water" (4:10) he can give, which, if someone drinks of it, that person "will never be thirsty again", and it "will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (4:14), after hearing these words, she "left her water jar" (4:28) and told others about the Christ, directing them to him, so that they too could hear and meet "the Saviour of the world" (4:42). While John doesn't explicitly tell us that the woman received eternal life, or that she drank of those living waters, I think the note that she "left her water jar", which was to carry the kind of water of which if we drink, we "will be thirsty again", is meant to show us that she has indeed drunk of the living waters that only Christ can give, that she herself now has that spring in her, so that through her, others also may hear the words of Christ and drink as well.

Have we left our water jars, or do we still need to listen to the One who can satisfy our real thirsts?

J I Packer on Preaching: Knowing Notions or Knowing God?

"The first requirement for authoritative, perceptive communication of the word of God is that you yourself should be experiencing the power of it. The Puritan John Owen said, 'A man only preaches that sermon well which first preaches itself in his own soul.' He was profoundly right, I would verify that from my own ministry... If we are not ourselves living in and under the Scriptures, those who hear us speak on fellowship with God will soon realize that we do not know what we are talking about... The quantity of theological notions in one's mind, even correct notions, doesn't say anything about one's relationship with God. The fact that one knows a lot of theology doesn't mean that one's relationship with God is right or is going to be right. The two things are quite distinct... My times with the Bible, like those of all pastoral leaders, indeed all Christians, are meant to be times for knowing God."
-- J I Packer, Knowing Notions or Knowing God
[Knowing Notions or Knowing God is from The Collected Shorter Writings of J. I. Packer: Volume 3: Honouring the Written Word of God by J. I. Packer (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1999), pp. 241-246.  Knowing Notions or Knowing God was originally published in Pastoral Renewal 6.9 (March, 1982), pp. 65-68.]

Sunday, June 08, 2014

Conduct yourselves with fear, knowing that you were ransomed with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:17-19)

"And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."  (1 Peter 1:17-19; ESV)
What you think about a thing determines what you do with it.

If I showed you a cup that had become a family heirloom, which I explained to you had both intense nostalgic value, and which after becoming lost, my grandfather paid thousands of dollars to retrieve it, and I presented it to you to handle, what would you do with it? I think the way you handled it would be vastly different than if you thought that cup was simply bought for a dollar at the local supermarket. You would handle that cup with carefulness, with reverence, and with fear, knowing how much value it had been given, because of the price that was paid for it.

In 1 Peter 1:17 we are told to "conduct yourselves with fear", and following immediately after speaking of our Father who "judges impartially according to one's deeds", we might assume Peter is speaking of that kind of terror of judgement, that trembling of appearing in the holy court room, which we have commonly heard about. However, Peter's sentence doesn't stop at verse 17, but he further explains why we are to conduct ourselves with fear, because we know God has ransomed us with the precious blood of Christ. I think it is the kind of fear which is more like the handling of that cup given a value beyond obvious comprehension. We do not flee in terror, but are drawn to it in marvel and awe, and yet very carefully, very hesitantly. As we think about our lives, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, we handle ourselves with great care. Because we know that if God would judge us only on our own merits, we would suffer deservedly his terrible wrath. And yet, nevertheless, he gave his one and only Son, that Christ's death--his precious blood--was the ransom-price to redeem as from our slavery in sin.

If that is what we think about our life, what will we do with it?

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Greatest love? Laying down your life for your friend... (John 15:12-17)

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another."
(John 15:12-17; ESV)
Yesterday we had a rich time looking at God's word, in preparation for small group bible studies at an upcoming camp. Looking together at John 15:1-17, one of the people shared about how this was a new and striking thought, that we are not just servants of Jesus, but also friends of Jesus. And we pondered then about how that changes things, if we think of ourselves as Jesus' friends?

As Jesus is about to go and die for his friends, he tells the disciples, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" immediately followed by "You are my friends if you do what I command you." At one level, we can understand this in helping us answer the question, "Who are the people that Jesus dies for, who are his friends?" They are the ones who do what he says, they are the ones who love one another. So Christians should show love to one another, and that's how they show themselves to be Christ's disciples, and Jesus' friends.

But then Jesus also said to love one another "as I have loved you". How did Jesus love? He died for his friends. Are the other disciples my friends too? Am I ready to lay down my life for them? Or even more to the point, is Jesus my friend? Am I ready to lay down my life for my friend Jesus? As Jesus spoke these words to his friends, he knew not only that he was going to die soon for them, but he also knew that it wouldn't be long before most (perhaps not John), would also have to die for him (cf John 15:18-21). And certainly all would suffer for him, at the hands of others, for the sake of Christ, and Christ's body, the church.

Now we should well come to the point where we also are ready to say, "Yes, I will lay down my life for my friend Jesus". But perhaps (for some of us) we may take comfort in the fact that not many of us have to physically die for Jesus' sake, or even barely suffer physically, and will probably just die of old age. Putting our life on the line for Jesus isn't really an everyday thing for many of us. Hmm. Or maybe it is.

The thought occurred to us yesterday, maybe dying for Jesus is an every day thing. What if Jesus also means that dying for him means dying to self and doing what Jesus commands? What if we should look at obedience from a different perspective, not just as master and servant, but also from the perspective of being Jesus' friend. Are we ready to die to self, putting away our own desires and dreams, or our own pleasures and passions, because we love our friend, Jesus? Will we love one another, because we are ready to die to self out of our great love for our friend Jesus, who died for us?

A servant may die for his master because he has to. But he may not want to. A friend wants to die for the friend he loves. Do I want to die to self every day, because I love my friend Jesus? How great is my love for Jesus?

This simple song by Robin Mark is one of my favourites:
Jesus, all for Jesus,
All I am and have and ever hope to be.
Jesus, all for Jesus,
All I am and have and ever hope to be.
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands.
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands.
For it's only in Your will that I am free,
For it's only in Your will that I am free,
Jesus, all for Jesus,
All I am and have and ever hope to be.

Jesus as Message, Model and Motive (Titus 2-3)

For the last ten years or so, I have had the privilege of reading through the Bible each week with people whose first language isn't English, many of them not Christians and little exposed to the Scriptures. Through their questions, with fresh views of the texts, perhaps over the years I have learnt more than they did!

Most of the time we read through the four Gospels. And I am very glad to have "forced" myself into fresh exposure to Jesus. One of the things that has struck me again and again in Jesus' teaching, is that when it looks like he is telling others what they should do, at the same time, perhaps even more so, he is telling others what he does and will do. Whether it is in the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount, or the in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, etc.

In preparing for a recent sermon on Titus, this idea struck me freshly. That Jesus is not only the message to us, not only the motivation for us to do what he said, but he is also the model.

As I was trying to read through the text in Greek, one thing that stood out was the correspondence between what Paul said God did, and what he calls us to do and desires for us. Specifically how God was abundantly good to all people ("to all men", Titus 2:11; "the love of God our Saviour toward man", Titus 3:4), and he calls us to do good for the benefit of all people ("showing all humility to all men", Titus 3:2; "good and profitable unto men", Titus 3:8). Here, what God did was not only the message of the gospel which motivates us to do what he asks of us in subsequent commands, at the same time, the message is also the model of what he wants us to do.

Jesus is the message, because what who is is and what he did is the content of our trust and belief as Christians. Jesus is the model, because he also sets the example and shows us what it looks like to live out that belief. Jesus is the motive, because at the same time he is the reason, when we understand his love to us, we want to live that different way, and in what he did we discover the power to enable us to put sin to death and live the resurrection life.

We can sometimes argue in principle about whether it is necessary for a leader to lead by example, or the led just need to do what is said because the leader has that authority. But there can be no doubt that God sets a powerful precedent, by putting forth the gospel of Jesus Christ, as message, model and motive, all in one.

Who is the good Samaritan? (Tullian Tchividjian and the Good Samaritan)

As has become something of a habit, I was browsing through the Gospel Coalition site's "Right Now" list of links. I came across Tullian Tchividjian's blog post on the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). His conclusion was, "Yes, Jesus and Jesus alone is the Good Samaritan". Like many others, I couldn't really buy it.

This is what I said on a friend's Facebook account when they linked to the article:
"As with many things, I think it is a both/and and not either/or situation. Yes, I think when Jesus speaks parables like this, he is in a purposeful way calling attention to himself and what he does and will do. But I don't think it is only as a substitute or representative. He is also the example. When he says to "go and do likewise", it is not only to expose sin, by some kind of confronting dead end, but it is also to point us in the right direction (cf Calvin's third use of the Law). Sometimes we can over-theologise and over-absolutise etc. I suspect Pastor Tullian's theology is getting in the road of his exegesis..."
Sometimes we can try to be too clever, and miss the obvious. Sometimes we can also be too tunnel-visioned or too monochromatic about seeing Jesus in everything. Sometimes we can be so afraid of legalism and moralism etc, that we are allergic to telling ourselves to "be careful to maintain good works" (Titus 3:8).