Reflection on NT Adventures
Attending New Testament Foundation class has been an interesting, challenging as well as fun experience. It has been interesting because of the new understanding and discoveries of the Word of God and the various aspects of the world in the New Testament time. It is challenging because of the numerous things that can be learned and responding to the prompting by the Holy Spirit along the course. It was fun because of the instructors and the fellow course mates that made the learning experience more than an intellectual exercise.
Some of the interesting ideas/concepts/practices that I have picked up through the class interaction, presentation, lectures, reading and research are shared below.
1. The ‘righteousness’ in Matthew 6:33, refers to doing the will of God.
The ‘righteousness’ of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew refers to Jesus’ submission and obedience to fulfilling the will of God (Matthew 3:1-17). Jesus in Matthew is communicated as the Messiah who fulfills all righteousness. The righteousness that Matthew mentioned in his gospel is very different from the righteousness that is mentioned by Paul (e.g. Romans).
Jesus humble birth depicted in Matthew chapter 1 and 2 is in contrast to the expected idea of the Messiah by the Jews. The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in chapter 3 gives an even greater distinctive and radical contrast for how can the messiah be baptized by someone lesser than himself? Although Jesus did not need John’s baptism (John’s baptism is the baptism of repentance. Why would Jesus, a sinless man, need to received this baptism?) He still went through it, submitted to it, because He wanted to fulfill the will/plan of God (3:14-15). According to IVP NT Commentaries, in a Mediterranean culture where society stressed honour and shame, Jesus relinquished His rightful honour to embrace others’ shame. But immediately, God publicly honours the obedience of Jesus (3:16-17). From here, it can be understood that the ‘righteousness’ that Matthew communicates in his gospel refers to doing what is pleasing to the Father.
In Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well.” the ‘righteousness’ here refers to doing the will of God, doing what pleases our Father in heaven.
2. The reason Jesus drove out the people who were buying and selling in the temple (Matt 21:12) is because the people were using the only available area where the gentiles could stand and listen to the preaching and teaching in the temple, thereby depriving the gentiles the opportunity of hearing the WOG. The reason is not about forbidding the people to practice selling and buying.
Rev Casey mentioned this in one of the classes and this understanding is something that I have not heard before. He explained that the reason why Jesus drove the people out were not because he forbade the people to trade in the temple. It is because the area/space (see picture below) that the people who were selling and buying is now no longer available for gentiles (No. 12 Courts of Gentiles) who are not allowed into the temple, to stand outside and listen to the teaching of the Scripture.
Picture from http://jerusalem-4thtemple.org/plan-maps_2_2.html
Rev Casey reasoned that if Jesus’ intent was to address that the people should not sell and buy in the temple, then it would mean that the church would have violated the principle by selling things in church, including for those sales done to raise funds for church building, etc.
According to New International Commentary on the Gospel of John by R. T. France, he reasoned that it is where the trade is being carried out rather than how that is the focus of Jesus’ displeasure.
I gather from here that the place of worship, in current context, should then be designed in such a way as to maximize the space to allow as many people as possible to join in to listen to the preaching of God’s Word. As followers of Christ, we should also learn to live our lives according to the Word of God in order to be a witness to the people who have yet to know Jesus. For we are the living temple of the Holy Spirit, we should learn to ‘preach the Good News’ with our lives.
3. Jesus was the one that fed the five thousand in the gospel of John instead of the disciples depicted in the Synoptic Gospels?
In one of the classes where Sis Davina shared on the Gospel of John, she mentioned about the difference in John’s account on Jesus feeding the five thousand as compared to the other Synoptic Gospels. From John 6:11, it does seem that the Jesus fed the people directly instead of instructing the disciples to feed the crowd as indicated in the other three gospels.
11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:11 (NIV2010)
Taking a closer look at the Gospel of John, and from the lesson as well as the text book, The Writings of The New Testament by Luke Timothy Johnson, it is understood that the gospel of John is written pretty differently compared to the other three. Luke Timothy Johnson states that the book of John is an ecclesiastical Gospel and communicates much of John’s eschatology, and that John’s presentation of Jesus is more symbolic than literal. According to Leon Morris (NICNT: The Gospel According to John, 305), John’s communication in verse 11 regarding Jesus’ disciples being the medium of this act of distribution was not as explicit as the Synoptists. Therefore when we read the book of John we need to read it carefully with different ‘glasses’ in order to understand the meaning in a proper manner.
This ‘incident’ of discovering the differences (revealed my ignorance and) stirs much of my curiosity to study the Word more carefully and diligently. The Christology and the many other theological aspects revealed in the book of John (and the throughout the New Testament) are the many treasures that has yet to be ‘discovered’ by myself. The journey in discovering the God of the Bible is indeed exciting and enriching!
4. The position of Armenian Theology and Calvinistic Theology regarding predestination is a categorical confusion.
As Ps Jadene went through the lesson on the book of Romans, she briefly shared about the Armenian Theology and Calvinistic Theology on predestination when people read Romans 8:29.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Rom 8:28, 29 (NIV2010)
If we look at verse 29 and try to understand what Paul was saying, it can be understood that the purpose of the ‘predestined’ people is to ‘conformed to the image of’ Christ. This group of people that God has called is referring to the people who have received Jesus into their lives. Paul was referring to the followers of Christ. The emphasis here is that all those who are follower of Christ, are called to conform to the image of Christ. It is not a call into salvation.
Nonetheless, the idea of a God that just selects those He wants to save seems to be in contradictory to the loving image of God. The choice given to all by God to choose to believe will also contradict to the concept of predestination. The concept does not fit into the overall theological understanding of God’s character.
Therefore, I agree with the reasoning by Ps Jadene. I believe that God has given all the will to choose whether to belief and follow Him in responding to the love he shows through our Lord Jesus Christ that He revealed in the Bible and history. I like the diagram that Ps Jadene shared regarding the response of man to God’s love. Whatever we do, it should be a response to the love God has given to us by choosing to yield and surrender to Him, and to die to our self.
5. True fellowship can only be experienced when Christ is the centre of the community.
This is the theme that Ps Jadene mentioned when covering the book of Philemon. Nowadays, church is very much programme oriented. Even those that may have cell groups may also see cell groups as an event on weekdays for Christians to gather, an additional event to attend besides the weekend service. The question is how connected in Christ will we truly be if the programme and events are removed?
Church consists of forgiven sinners who are imperfect and still considered as work-in-progress. Rubbing of one another would be common if we truly interact and share lives together. The challenge is to have true fellowship in the midst of all the brushing. Our ability to forgive and to love will be tested. Our genuineness in caring for one another in the community will be tested.
If indeed Christ is the cornerstone in our lives and in our church, true fellowship will be experienced. If the supremacy of Christ is in a transformed community, we will experience what the Acts church in Acts chapter 2:43-47 experienced. If we desire that to happen, how willing are we to do our part in making it happen?
