The random technotheolosophical blogging of Reid S. Monaghan
Tonight I began reading a short little book by an author whose ideas have been influential in late 20th century evangelical theology. Perhaps no scholar has done more to unite thinking about the New Testament witness to the Kingdom of God than the late George Eldon Ladd.
I am doing a quick read this week of his The Gospel and the Kingdom - look for an essay on the Kingdom coming here later in the week.
We recently had a photo made of our three kids and it turned out to be a fun picture. I'll fill in the details with some commentary.
The following are some additional notes given out along with the message The Gospel is Our Life, given at the Inversion Fellowship on Sept 6, 2007.
A Tale of Two Titles
There are many names or titles given to Jesus in the Scriptures. He is called the lion of the tribe of Judah, the rose of Sharon, the son of man, the great I AM, the Lamb of God, the Lilly of the valley, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, the Good Shepherd, the Word of God, the Light of the World, Savior, Lord. Indeed, you could keep going as this just scratches the surface.1 Yet perhaps two of the most significant and radical titles ascribed to Jesus in Scripture appear in startling fashion in the prologue to the gospel of Mark. In one simple verse, something unbelievable is seen:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Now for many of us the names here are so familiar that the awe they bring may be lost to us. We are so used to hearing or reading "Christ" and "Son of God" in reference to Jesus without really pausing to see what they mean. Christ has become something like Jesus' last name...sort of like Fred Jones-but Jesus Christ. Son of God is taken for granted so we forget the radical nature of calling a human being such a thing. Lets look very briefly at each of these.
Jesus, Who is the Christ
The term Christ is derived from the Greek term Χριστός or Christos. Rather than a last name it is a title which means "anointed one of God" its Old Testament equivalent is Messiah. The term comes from the practice by which certain people were "anointed" or called by God and set apart for a special ministry. In the OT the priests (Exodus 29:7, 21), prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and kings (1 Samuel 10:1) were anointed with oil for their specific roles with God's people. When Jesus is called the Christ, or the Messiah, it simply states that Jesus is the completion of the work of God in history in whom all the covenant promises are fulfilled. He is the great high priest connecting human beings to God. He is the great prophet incarnating and speaking to us the Word of God. He is the great king that we long for who will benevolently rule for all eternity. To say Jesus is the Christ is to say that the hopes and longings of Israel-the hopes of all who will become children of God by faith-are fulfilled. The promised coming is on the ground-this is a new beginning, nothing will ever be the same.
Jesus, The Son of God
Muslim people have misinterpreted this title for years. The term Son is many times understood in the wrong context to mean that God had a physical offspring through copulation with a human being. It hasn't help that Mormonism actually teaches this, but nonetheless this sort of thinking is not what Scripture means when Jesus is called the Son of God. Philosopher Peter Kreeft sheds great light on how this term was used in the time of Jesus.
Son of a dog, is a dog, son of an ape an ape, son of God, is God - Jews were Monotheistic, only one God-Son of God is the divine title of Jesus and everyone at his time understood this title to mean just that.2
In titling Jesus as the Son of God they were clearly stating that this human being was God become man. This was no ordinary person walking the ancient landscape-the world's very creator, the second person of the triune God, was making an appearance.
In writing this inspired book, Mark structures the account of Jesus' life, teaching, death and resurrection using these titles. - Christ and Son of God. Here in the prologue they land on us in the first words of the gospel. Jesus, the Messiah, God come to earth is on the scene. Everything is about to change. From the middle of Chapter 1 until the middle of the book Jesus is living out a ministry of healing, exorcism and authoritative preaching in the areas of Galilee and Judea. In Chapter 8 Peter makes a confession as to Jesus' identity-"You are the Christ." From this point the narrative is heading towards Jerusalem. Finally, at the end of the book another confession is made; this time the words are from a Roman centurion. After observing the death of Jesus on an executioners cross, the words are uttered-"Truly this man was the Son of God!"
From the Wilderness to the Cross
The appearance of Jesus was not before the political powers and religious leaders, no, rather God came to his people in a dusty wilderness. Outside the pomp and regality of the powers that be, the man born in a humble manger, would now begin his ministry on the outskirts of town. From this lonely outpost would launch the most significant, world changing, universe changing work of all time. God would have it no other way. In the Exodus he led his people in a wilderness. In those days his people were disciplined and tested so that they would learn to trust God (Psalm 95:7-11). In Jesus coming to meet God and his people in the wilderness he will pass the test, be affirmed by the Father and by the Spirit launch his ministry onto the public scene. The Jesus release party took place not in a big ballroom or the hippest scene in town. It took place in the mysterious, dangerous and lonely place where God provides for and meets his people. He still calls to us in our own wilderness of sin and death today.
Where Mark begins his gospel he brings it full circle. He is recognized as the Christ, the Messiah and then he heads towards his ultimate mission of dying for the sins of the world. When this mission has been accomplished, a gentile, who would have access to God through Christ has his eyes open to what has just taken place. The crucified before him was indeed God. The coming resurrection would kick off the mission of the gospel in the world which continues into our day. This gospel continues to shape peoples' destinies in our day. The risen Jesus is still entering and saving lives today by the Holy Spirit sent into the world to glorify Jesus among his people. The gospel presented in Scripture is the defining story of our lives.
The Gospel, our A-Z not our ABCs
What is the gospel? So many times we associate the term with some simple truths that we believe in order to go to heaven and then move on with life. Let me be clear. The gospel is the story of God's redemption of people through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Yet the good news of Jesus Christ extends further into our lives than simply getting us to a preferred afterlife. Dr. Timothy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City has written and spoken extensively on the gospel and its all encompassing role in our lives as followers of Jesus.
We never "get beyond the gospel" in our Christian life to something more "advanced." The gospel is not the first "step" in a "stairway" of truths, rather, it is more like the "hub" in a "wheel" of truth. The gospel is not just the A-B-C's of Christianity, but it is the A to Z of Christianity. The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we all make progress in the kingdom. 3
The gospel is not something we hear at camp, pray a prayer and then get on with life. It is not just for people who are not Christians, but it is the story that must define our lives. If we do not see our relationships, our vocational choices, our time, our money, the use of our lives on the earth in light of the gospel our lives will not be transformed as they ought. The following is but a brief recounting of the gospel, the large story of Scripture, which invades us anew each day that we follow by faith in the way of Jesus. Let me summarize in short form, the good news found in Scripture.
The Gospel
The gospel is the large story of Scripture of the working of God throughout time and history to bring about the redemption of his people and all things. The gospel is the story of the one Creator God, making all things, space, time, matter, energy in order to display his nature to his creatures. God created human beings in his own image and likeness to know him, love him, and reflect his character in the world to one another for their joy and his glory. Our first parents then gave God the proverbial Heisman, choosing to live life their way rather than God's way. They turned away from God and his provision for them, disobeying his commandment and thereby bringing fracture in their relationship with God, one another, and creation. God thereby cursed man and creation subjecting it to futility, bondage and decay. Yet God in his grace set about to redeem a people back to himself and has pursued us throughout history to this end. He promised in the very early days to send a human being, a seed of a woman to bring people back to God, reconciling them to himself and all things (Genesis 3:15) Throughout history he communicated with us and connected with us through prophets, men called to speak God's message to humanity. He made covenants with his people that would culminate in his sending of his own Son to the earth. He would be a Jewish person, the offspring of Abraham (Genesis 12, 15). He would fulfill God's commandments perfectly satisfying the demands of the law completely and live without sin (Hebrews 4.15). He would be a king to his people (2 Samuel 7) guiding them into a life of love, joy and peace. He would teach us the truth, show us perfected humanity, and ultimately die to take our place and pay the penalty for our own rebellion and sin (1 Corinthians 15:1-3). This person, Jesus, gave his life for us in what Martin Luther called the great exchange. Our sin was placed on him as he took our deserved judgment and punishment by dying on a cross. We then receive his righteousness and favor and good name before God the Father (2 Corinthians 5:16-21). We are thereby forgiven, brought back into relationship with God, our guilt is removed, God's wrath no longer is upon us, and we now become his followers and agents of reconciliation in the world. We receive all of this by his grace, none of it is earned by our works or actions. God will someday bring his kingdom in fullness where Jesus will completely and finally bring an end to all evil and usher in an eternal age of life and peace for all who follow him. Those who persist in rebellion against God will face his justice in Hell for all which was done in this life, eternally receiving the due penalty for sin.
Seeing Through The Gospel
Seeing the gospel applied to all areas of life is Christian faith. If we miss this we will make following Jesus about morality or a set of religious rules we create for ourselves and by which we judge others. Legalism and relativism are equally poisonous.4 Our sinfulness and need for grace should slay legalism in our hearts. God's holiness and leadership in our lives should lead us to embrace God's ways and follow him because we are accepted and loved by him.
Notes
OK, this is my one year old boy Thomas Reid Monaghan. AKA Tommy Reid. I know many of you prayed for this little guy last year when he had so much trouble at his birth. We are thankful that he is healthy, growing and doing push-ups. Well...sort of.
A prayer for young Thomas:
My Son, May grace rest upon your soul
May humility mingle with boldness as you grow into a man
May you grow in wisdom, stature and in favor with all
May you learn to trust, but learn to question
May you learn to labor, and learn to rest in God
May you embrace sanctified masculinity, but never barbarism
May you rise to love, serve and lead well all those who will surround you
May you not give way to a generation floundering in a sea of lust
May truth be your guide, hope your companion and the risen Christ your vision all of your days.
You are loved and treasured - but not above our God - may he alone rise to the highest place in our affections. May our hearts ever be one in him.
...Continued from The Gospel of Mark
As we begin a new season together we will all be following Mark's story of Jesus which was a Journey towards the cross of Christ and living in light of his resurrection. In our short few months together in Mark will have no illusions that we will be able to probe the depths of this book. However, while we cannot plumb its depths, we will ascend its heights and run across its peaks. Our main concern is having our vision of life transformed by the wonders we see in Jesus Christ and his gospel. It is our hope that our vision and love of Jesus is aroused and our feet made swift in following.
The Gospel is Our Life - Signpost in Mark 1
The book of Mark begins with a resounding clarity of purpose: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Here we find a beginning of a new chapter in an unfolding story, here we have good news coming forth, here we find the name of a person which means "The Lord Saves," here we find a person unique in all of history; a Son but no ordinary man. Human beings have been made and fashioned for worship and our hearts will glory in all manner of things be it through religion, the pursuit of pleasure, the identification with a certain group or the exaltation of self. Yet our lives will wander adrift without the lifting of our burdens of sin and the receiving of grace and peace with God.
When religion beckons we must find the root of our story in the good news. It is not what we do that makes us acceptable to a holy and good God, it is what has been done by Jesus himself in the fullness of time on the earth. Jesus' first words in the gospel of Mark beckon us to action: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Healing Comes from Jesus - Signpost in Mark 1, 2, and 3
In a world that daily echoes the remnants of the fall of man we know that we are in desperate need of healing and wholeness. Our bodies are broken and will surely pass away at an appointed time. Our relationships are broken with communities constantly separating and being fractured. Spiritual powers torment and destroy lives daily around the world and our souls are stained with the reality of sin. We live today with the present world groaning and longing for redemption and renewal. Jesus tells us that the self-righteous, the proud, the self-sufficient and the denial of our condition have no place with God. For he tells us in Mark 2:17 - "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." All sinners may come to him and none will be cast out.
We Live In His Story - Signpost in Mark 4
There are many ways to define life and communicate its ultimate meaning and purpose. Many have chosen to describe the world only in scientific terms. Many have chosen to weave complex philosophies for the consumption of humanity. Others have danced through a myriad of political visions, cultural revolutions and social engineering. Yet how did Jesus teach us and define for us the ultimate reality and the Kingdom of God? He told stories to teach those who could hear. Stories designed by God to both reveal the hidden secrets of the rule and reign of Jesus and to conceal them from those who would have no part in worshipping their Creator. In the parables of Jesus life finds form and definition. In his stories we see our story with clarity and soul humbling and soul refreshing life. In fact, in the large story of the gospel we find the truth and see our faces as we are meant to be.
The Hero of Every Story - Signpost in Mark 4
If life is the unfolding of a great story, the story of God, then that story has a beginning, a climax, and a final resolution. It also has a hero, a great rescuer and every story of Scripture whispers his name[1]. The identity of Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God is the most important issue in all of history. In the last part of Mark four we see a question emerge from the lips of the disciples, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?" In this signpost we look at the hero of history in a story that includes uncertainty, calamity, fear, peril and chaos - sound like life? It ends with Jesus speaking definitively into hearts filled with trepidation and the peace and calm that results.
A New Living Way - Signpost in Mark 7
So many times we get consumed with the external realities of appearances, morality, religion and wearing masks for people all around us. Yet what is the reality of the human heart? The picture that Jesus paints for us is not pretty as he tells us all matter of sin and wickedness flows out from our hearts. Though his picture of humanity is one of depravity, he does not leave us there. He knows that a mere coat of paint to cover our brokenness will crack and crumble in life. No, instead of a simple pious makeover, he reminds us that the problem we have is not simply our poor religious performances. In order to transform us into new people and place us on a path of life, it requires radical heart surgery. It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean, and it is a renewal and recreation of our very selves which we most desperately need. Is this possible? Seeing Jesus in Mark 7 tell us YES! But we must come to God needy and hopeful - in faith - for the work only he can do.
A Continual Unfolding - Signposts in Mark 8, 9 and 10
There are some high mountain peaks in every narrative, crucial plot turns which move the story to its climax. As the story of Jesus unfolds in Mark we see some very important events go down. First, Peter confesses Jesus to be the Christ a confession upon which the church will be built. Second, Jesus begins to foretell what was prophesied about him long ago, that the Son of Man must suffer, be murdered and rise from death. This was an unexpected turn of events for the disciples that he repeats with them driving home the central focus of his mission. Third, God reveals Jesus is his glory on the top of a mountain. His radiant beauty and manifest glory was displayed for the disciples just before they turn towards leading the mission towards a cross in Jerusalem. The cost of following Jesus, a Jesus who would be rejected by people and die an ignoble death, was being made clear.
Do We Really Want Jesus? Signposts in Mark 11 and 12
Upon his entry to Jerusalem Jesus was being treated like a political religious rock star. He was on the Jay Leno show, Carson Daly wanted to hang out and pretty much the whole town was in an uproar at the arrival of Jesus. Their hero had come to save the day for Jerusalem and the reigns of the Roman oppressor would soon by conquered by the Messiah, a great warrior King! Or was there another plan? Many of the people who welcomed Jesus would soon stand on the other side of his cause. He would threaten religious power by bringing the salvation of God. Those who desire to lead men in religion, rather than to the throne of grace, would soon shout out with ferocity "Crucify Him!"Even his closest of friends, the man who just had confessed him as the Christ of God would turn on his friend in a moment of trial. Peter himself would deny Jesus. So I ask us...do we really want Jesus?
Death by Love and Life By Death - Signposts in Mark 14, 15, and 16
The final apex of Mark's story comes to a head in the final chapters of the book. Everything that began in chapter 1 has moved to this final station where death will come by love and life for God's people will come by death. Jesus, the creator of all things, is mocked, rejected and tried as a common criminal. His people abandon him and he submits himself to a shameful death, even death on a cross. Yet such was the will of a loving God, for it pleased the Father to crush the Son. Putting an end to sin, death and hell in one act and by death would come life to all men who believe. This is the crown jewel of our faith. The songs of men might sing of self-sufficiency and the triumph of our human ingenuity. We will have no portion on this plate - we will preach and live Christ. Christ crucified, victoriously raised, on mission on the earth today beckoning to each of us...Follow Me.
This is my prayer - joy in following Jesus in the mission of God on the earth,
Reid S. Monaghan
A secular Arab professor goes off on the Muslim community...It is a bit dated from early 2006, but it is pretty strong stuff nonetheless.
Ever wonder how to properly extend fully heterosexual manlove in confusing times? Well, worry no longer. There is a complete video professor like tutorial now available to help you show the love:
Full details with print instructions (like men will read the instructions) are available here.
(HT - Matt Ortiz)
Spurgeon's Thermopylae - received this today from Kairos Journal:
The pulpit has become dishonored; it is esteemed as being of very little worth and of no esteem. Ah! we must always maintain the dignity of the pulpit. I hold that it is the Thermopylae of Christendom; it is here that the battle must be fought between right and wrong; not so much with the pen, valuable as that is as an assistant, as with the living voice of earnest men, “contending earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints.” In some churches the pulpit is put away; there is a prominent altar, but the pulpit is omitted. Now, the most prominent thing under the gospel dispensation is not the altar, which belonged to the Jewish dispensation, but the pulpit. “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle;” that altar is Christ; but Christ has been pleased to exalt “the foolishness of preaching” to the most prominent position in his house of prayer. We must take heed that we always maintain preaching. It is this that God will bless; it is this that he has promised to crown with success. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” We must not expect to see great changes nor any great progress of the gospel, until there is greater esteem for the pulpit—more said of it and thought of it. “Well,” some may reply, “you speak of the dignity of the pulpit; I take it, you lower it yourself, sir, by speaking in such a style to your hearers.” Ah! no doubt you think so. Some pulpits die of dignity. I take it, the greatest dignity in the world is the dignity of converts—that the glory of the pulpit is, if I may use such a metaphor, to have captives at its chariot-wheels, to see converts following it, and where there are such, and those from the very worst of men; there is a dignity in the pulpit beyond any dignity which a fine mouthing of words and a grand selection of fantastic language could ever give to it. . .2
Footnotes:
1 “Preaching for the Poor,” in Spurgeon's Sermons, 2nd ed. (New York: Sheldon & Company, 1861), 157-158. Preached January 25, 1857, on Matthew 11:5.
2 Earlier in the same sermon, he developed his point of accessibility: “If they are preached to in fine terms—in grandiloquent language which they cannot lay hold of—the poor will not have the gospel preached to them, for they will not go to hear it. They must have something attractive to them; we must preach as Christ did; we must tell anecdotes, and stories, and parables, as he did; we must come down and make the gospel attractive. The reason why the old Puritan preachers could get congregations was this—they did not give their hearers dry theology; they illustrated it; they had an anecdote from this and a quaint passage from that classic author; here a verse of poetry; here and there even a quip or pun—a thing which now-a-days is a sin above all sins, but which was constantly committed by these preachers, whom I have ever esteemed as the patterns of pulpit eloquence.” Ibid., 153.
I just saw a commerical for a new ABC show called "Big Shots" and one of the guys on the show made a profound statement.
Men...we're the new women
Unfortunately, I have no context for the quotation nor do I know what was meant by the statement. Yet I do think that we have swung a pendulum hard to one side in our culture. Some love to assume that we still live in a world where boys are taught that "real men don't cry." We are hardly living in that world any longer. We live in a society where boy behavior is medicated, the height of masculinity is being "real" enough to whimper with your friends and passivity reigns in the chests of many men.
I love the word's of a Father to a son as he is about to pass away:
1 When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 1 Kings 2:1-4
On a positive note - if you are a husband or a father - take a moment and read this
Continued from The Gospels - A Reliable and Biased Testimony to an Unparalleled Life
In terms of historical attention, the gospel of Mark has been a bit of a little step brother to the longer gospels of Matthew, Luke and John. In fact, many in the ancient world considered Mark to serve the church as a sort of abstract, or a short outline version, of the Gospel of Matthew.[1] Historically there has been much more preaching on John and Matthew. Even today, you will not find as many sermons preached from Mark's gospel as you will from the more theological gospel of John.[2] In recent times much more scholarly focus has been given to this gospel due to its helpfulness in a solution to the Synoptic Problem (see above). The work is a mere sixteen chapters and is a fast paced accounting of the teaching and life of Jesus. It contains no birth narrative as do Matthew and Luke and is very concerned with presenting Jesus' Passion Week as the focus of the story. In fact, about half of the book is about the last week of Jesus life. This will be only a brief introduction to the background of the book and its teaching. For those who want more just follow the yellow brick road called the footnotes. I am convinced that Jesus just loves footnotes. At least I do.
Authorship of Mark
All of the gospels do not have the authors name as part of the text itself, but the four gospels have never really been anonymous in church history. The author's name which is associated with the book is that of a man named Mark. This person is mentioned several times in the New Testament and was commonly known as John Mark. The earliest church traditions all associate this gospel with Mark and his task to record the account of the apostle Peter in writing. The earliest sources we have are from the writings of Papias a church leader in Hierapolis and Irenaeus bishop in Lyon (modern day France). Papias' work survives in a text written by the prominent early church historian Eusebius. It reads as follows:
And the Elder said this also: "Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatever he remembered of the things said and done by the lord, but no however in order." For neither did he hear the Lord, nor did he follow him, but afterwards, as I said, Peter, who adapted his teachings to the needs of his hearers, but not as though he were drawing up a connected account of the Lord's oracles. So then Mark made no mistake in thus recording some things just as he remembered them. For he took forethought for one thing, not to omit any of the things that he had heard, nor to state any of them falsely. [3]
It is estimated the Papias tradition is very early and dates perhaps to within 90-100 AD.[4] Irenaeus, writing in the second century recorded the following:
After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him.[5]
The oldest traditions all hold that Mark was the other who arranged the teachings of Peter to give a written account of Jesus Christ to the church. In addition to the tradition there is good internal evidence in the book that Mark's gospel greatly reflects the preaching of Peter that we see in the book of Acts.[6] New Testament scholar Daniel Wallace provides a great summary of the internal connection with Mark and Peter; I will quote him at length:
So we have good reasons, both external testimony from tradition and content of the book itself that John Mark arranged the instruction of Peter who gave eyewitness testimony to the life and teaching of Jesus Christ his Lord.
Who was John Mark
John Mark is mentioned several times in the New Testament as an associate in ministry of both Peter (1 Peter 5:13) and Paul (Acts 12:25, 15:37-39; 2 Timothy 4:11). In some ways he is one of the key players in the early church as he is a disciple and co-laborer of the two men who most shaped the Christian movement after the ascension of Jesus. In the early days in Jerusalem the church apparently met in his house (Acts 12:12), the same house in which the last supper was held.[8] He exhibits great ability as a storyteller and takes us on a journey to the central focus of the gospel - the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
One of the things I appreciate most about John Mark is that he is a bit of a comeback kid. In his relationship with Paul we see him as one of the earliest missionaries taking the gospel out into the world. Then apparently he becomes a little freaked out in the field and abandons the mission. This of course had Paul a little miffed and Paul and Barnabas actually part ways. Paul simply doesn't trust him after Mark punked out on him. Yet Barnabas, whose name means son of encouragement, gives him a second chance and Mark was greatly used by God. He eventually becomes Peter's right hand man and what God does in his relationship with Paul is amazing. Paul's last comments about him are very endearing. Just before Paul's death, he asks Timothy to send for John Mark; apparently he wanted his friend at his side in his last days.
Dating of Mark
Many events factor into a dating of the gospel of Mark and knowing some important and confirmed/accepted times from the first century is always helpful. These dates will be brought into our discussion of a date for Mark's writing.
| Event | Date (AD) |
| Fall of Jerusalem | 70 |
| Martyrdom of Paul and Peter | 64-68 |
| Epistles of Paul | 45-68 |
| Some Oral Tradition | 32-70 |
| Crucifixion of Jesus | 32 |
In looking at Mark's date we find several important issues. First, if we accept the tradition that he recorded the teaching of Peter then we must place it somewhere in the locus of the life of the apostle. Second, if one finds the two source/Markan priority hypothesis as a good solution to the Synoptic Problem, then Mark must precede Matthew and Luke and this affects its dating. Third, we have testimony from the early church that Mark wrote either just before or just after the death of Peter which we date to the persecution under Nero after a great fire in 64 AD. With the theme of suffering so prominent in Mark and Peter's execution in the mid sixties, most prefer a date for the gospel between 60 and 70, usually right around 65.
Yet some who favor Markan priority place it in the mid 50s[9] for the following reasons. If Mark was written first then the gospel of Luke must be dated after Mark. Dating Luke's gospel is not so difficult. We know from the text itself that the same author composed by Luke and Acts as a two part volume with Luke compiled first. A few dates help us position Luke-Acts. First, Acts has no mention of the fall of Jerusalem which we date conclusively to 70AD. This would be strange if this painful event had already occurred. This gives us confidence to place the writing of Acts to before 70. Additionally, Acts also ends with Paul living under house arrest in Rome. We estimate that Paul is martyred in between 64-68 so this would place Acts some time before his death. If Luke came before Acts we find that gospel coming on to the scene in the very early part of the 60s with some placing it around 62AD. So if one favors the thesis that Mark was written first, then a date preceding Luke, sometime in the late 50s seems to be preferred. However, if you hold to the tradition that Matthew was first, then Mark can be happy at around 65AD. With either consideration, Mark is one of the earliest gospels recorded to pass the teaching and story of Jesus on for generations to come.
Provenance of Mark
Here is our big word for the day...provenance. It simply means the origin of the writing or the place where it was written. The church has always held that the gospel was written from Italy, in the imperial capital of Rome. The use of technical Latin terminology, the use of Roman accounting of time (6:48; 13:35) all point towards Rome. Mark's use of the Greek version of the Old Testament, his explanation of Jewish customs and practices, his translation of Aramaic terms indicate he was writing with a Gentile audience in mind. [10] Finally, Mark's lack of inclusion of a Jewish genealogy for Jesus perhaps points to a Roman audience as well. We have no good reason to doubt that the gospel originated in the first century Christian community in Rome.
Context and Purpose of Mark
Ben Witherington's commentary on Mark calls to mind two very important cultural contexts which are in play in Mark's gospel. First, the culture of early first century Galilee/Judea in 20-30 AD and second, the mid first century culture of Rome in the 60s.[11] It is an interesting fact that both contexts presented great difficulty for both the Jewish and early Christian communities. Galilee/Judea was under Roman occupation and rule where Jesus and his following appeared a religious-political threat to imperial power. Rome in the mid 60s presented an intense, though brief, time of suffering and persecution under the maniacal leadership of Nero. That story needs a brief explanation.
In the early days of Nero's reign Christians lived in relative peace in the empire. They were seen with some suspicion due to their rejection of pagan gods and festivals as well as their preaching of the gospel. Aggressive seeking of converts put them at odds with the established and ancient religions of the day. Though Peter and Paul were executed for their leadership in preaching the gospel, aggressive, wide spread persecution of Christians as a class of people was not yet the reality. This changed around 64 AD with a widespread fire in Rome. The cause of the fire is uncertain with some blaming the emperor as the source. Nero, however, found a different scapegoat to turn suspicion away from him. He blamed the Christians. This was significant for two reasons. First, he was the first emperor to treat the Christians as followers of a different religion than that of the Jews. This made them believers in a new religion, not an ancient and accepted faith.[12] Second, he declared open season on Christians and set off unprecedented abuse of Christian people. After the time of Nero's persecutions, a brutal account was recorded by the ancient historian Tacitus. Oh, how our sisters and brothers suffered for the sake of the name of Christ. Here is the account of Tacitus:
But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed.[13]
Nero sounds like a pretty big jerk to me and just making an educated guess I imagine that he received a really, really warm reception in the afterlife. The themes in Mark reflect this context of suffering and persecution. In the gospel Jesus is presented as the suffering servant, wrongly and brutally punished by the hand of Rome. Christians in Rome under Nero's reign would have understood this message. Follow the example of Jesus in the midst of suffering.
Such is our own call - we are called to Jesus and to live together in his mission. Whether we live in times of open suffering or lulled to sleep by comfort and familiarity we must be shaken loose from our current views of life in order to follow Jesus in our world today. We need his life and story to constantly define our own. This is our invitation, to see Jesus as the founder and perfecter of our faith, the definer of life and the person whose story gives us signposts for ever turn of life ahead.
[1] William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark; the English Text with Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (Grand Rapids,: Eerdmans, 1974), 3.
[2] This is not a scientific survey, but if you compare the two pages on SermonCloud.com and you will see the disparity. Mark - http://www.sermoncloud.com/sermons-on-Mark/ and John - http://www.sermoncloud.com/sermons-on-John/
[4] James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 2002), 4.
[5] Irenaeus, Against Heresies(Christian Classics Ethereal Library, accessed August 15 2007); available from http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.iv.ii.html.
[7] Daniel Wallace, Mark: Introduction, Argument, and Outline(Bible.org, accessed August 15 2007); available from http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=1093.
[9] This is the position favored in Carson, Moo, and Morris.
[13] Tacitus, The Annals (MIT Internet Classics Archive, accessed August 15 2007); available fromMatt Ortiz, pastor of Crossroads Church in National City, California posted this funny video on a pastor's forum. It was produced by the Latino Comedy Project.
Biochemist and intelligent design proponent Michael Behe was on Colbert Report recently. Not much depth here, but it is fun and I'm glad Behe went on. Just a few seeds put out there cannot hurt. Most Americans don't think as much about science so having this on Colbert probably exposed some people who normally are not asking certain questions. Here is a link to the 5 minute video.
On a similar topic - Intelligent ID the Future interviews Walt Ruloff, executive producer of the coming documentary Expelled.
Some of you know that I spent six years at Virginia Tech starting a ministry there with varsity athletes, a large portion of which were on the Hokie football team. I have been asked several questions over the years about Mike and have been somewhat hesitant to speak. For one, I do know Mike and spent some time with him at Tech before he went big time. Second, when someone has that much spotlight on him, is given that much money it is a little tough to know what affect that has on a person.
Some of you may have seen the press conference where Vick issued his apology. If not it is available here.
I guess the most frequently asked questions I have been asked about Mike are: 1) Do you think he did it (recently this has been asked over and over) 2) What do you think he thinks about God? The second question is of more interest to me. You see, I do pray for Mike and have since 1998 when I first met him. As he is likely to go off to jail in the near future my prayer remains what it was after our discussions about Jesus on the VT campus.
Well, I took the book The Physics of Christianity with me on vacation in late July looking forward to a refresh of some of my undergraduate course work at UNC Chapel Hill and to see how a contemporary Physicist integrates his scientific work with the doctrines of the Christian Faith. Let me be honest up front that I only got about half way through the work and was tracking with it at a level of investigation to review the book here on the blog. To be frank, I simply didn't finish the book...as it got more and more bizarre as I read on and we ran out of vacation time.
It begins with some big claims that all of the discoveries of modern physics confirm the Christian narrative and its categories. The existence of God as the first cause of the universe, the triunity of this God and beliefs such as the resurection of the dead and eternal life. All fine and dandy. What followed was a pretty approachable discussion of some modern physics. General relativity, quantum mechanics and the standard model for particle physics were all on the docket. I will say that for the uninitiated it will be difficult reading. I did 3 years of a BS in Physics before switching to Applied Computer Science and I found the reading accessible. I kept thinking...you need at least some basic understanding of physics and an analytic mind to follow this.
After the general introductions the book just started getting odd. The singularity at the beginning of this universe, the singularity at the end of this univers and the singularity which began the "multiverse" becomes "Father, Son and Holy Ghost" - The quantum reality of the multiverse and tunneling theory become the means by the multiverse Jesus walks through walls and rises from the dead. Most bizarre was that the resurrection and eternal life become us uploading into supercomputers buried deep in bedrock safe from nuclear blasts. We'll live forever singing Kum Ba Yah in the matrix. No kidding. And I thought being banished to Chiron Beta Prime would be a ride.
Here is an example of someone fully trained and convinced in his own field (Physics) and wandering around in one he clearly does not understand (theology). I applaud Tipler's boldness and zeal and certainly his theories are very interesting if you are a fan of sci-fi. Yet the Christianity of this book was unrecognizable once Tipler's theory of everything had its way.
One final note - here is a full review of the book by Canadian Journalist Denyse O'Leary - something I am unable to do as I did not have the time to finish the work as vacation was a bit short this summer. I wish Tipler the best in his efforts to integrate Physics and faith - a much needed enterprise. I would only suggest having some theological dialog partners and perhaps reading a few simple catechisms along the way.
Posted this on the Inversion Blog, but thought it worth sharing here:
Some of you know that we have a crusade in favor of reading going on at Inversion. It manifests itself in several ways. Before starting a new series we have long articles, at intersections we have papers and then there is the one year old tradition of the "junk drawer" in the notes on Thursday nights.
I found this video to be very helpful in the cause...
The Medieval Help Desk - too funny...
Further evidence has been found that our crusade for reading is very much needed.
A few weeks ago a friend of mine asked if the POCBlog community would be part of fund raising for Jacob's Well. I said, I never thought of it. Then last night an anonymous friend added an ingredient that will provide a fun online experiment for us all. Most of you know that we are working on moving to NJ to plant churches in the coming days. We are in the process of raising funds for the project and thought this would be a great thing for all of us here at the blog to participate in.
So, most of you know that Howard Dean turned eyebrows after raising gobs of cash using the Internet in the 2004 democratic presidential campaign. My thought is...so if this guy leveraged the power of the web to raise millions for the kingdoms of this earth, I figured we could combine to make a viral effort to raise some for the Kingdom.
Here is the game plan:
Note: All donations go into a specified church planting account managed here by Fellowship Bible Church - a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
Thanks - lets pray this thing gets viral and see how this spreads out.
Blessings,
Reid
Hey guys, I just received word that Sovereign Grace Ministries just made their entire MP3 message Library free. Here is the note from the ministry:
You may or may not be aware that all of the MP3 messages on the Sovereign Grace Store have been made FREE to download and can be searched by topic, event, or speaker. ENJOY and spread the word!
Add Sovereign Grace to the many great downloadable sources available online.
My friend Dr. Bruce Ware will be leading a bi-annual theology conference at Southern Seminary in Louisville. The following is from a release that gives the rationale behind the initiative:
The theology conference will begin after Ware’s tenure as president of the Evangelical Theological Society and will be held on the Southern Seminary campus. Ware, who formerly served as senior associate dean, will now serve as director of the conference, launching a biannual conference designed to engage contemporary issues from the standpoint of confessional conviction.
Moore said Ware is a natural choice to lead the conference because of his scholarly engagement of numerous issues within the evangelical world. Ware has opposed open theism in books such as “God’s Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism” and “God’s Greater Glory: The Exalted God of Scripture and the Christian Faith” and has defended the historical doctrine of the Trinity in “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles and Relevance.”
"Bruce Ware is the Athanasius of contemporary evangelicalism, confronting error, be it open theism or evangelical feminism, with the glorious truth of Scripture,” Moore said.
“Professor Ware is the natural choice to lead the Southern Seminary Conference on Theology. He is respected all around as one of the most significant thinkers in American Protestantism today. He understands the issues. And he has the courage and conviction to speak to issues others may find controversial or uncomfortable. I look forward to working with Professor Ware on leading a conference that doesn't just address ideas, but changes lives."
Dr. Ware is a man that can walk within various confessional traditions and contemporary movements. I have been with him in edgier settings in Seattle and with more traditional people in Nashville and he is very effective in both. He is a guy that is gracious, winsome, humble, bold and compelling. Not to mention he is spooky smart. This is a good thing.
Now some of you are already "conference addicts" - my advice is this. Pick one or two things to be involved with to sharpen your saw - but then stay in the field doing real ministry. Conference hopping without real ministry is counterproductive. The same might be said of blogging...
Congrats Dr. Ware and godspeed.
According this AP story, one out of four adults did not read a single book last year. Is there hope for us? Well, maybe these critters will read. Not likely.
I'll refer back to my protest in favor of books...continuing a crusade in favor of reading...not backing down one bit.
