Final Exam

All,

I emailed the Final today at about 11:30. If you did not receive this, let me know immediately. Email me at: dschmaltz@charterinternet.com with your current receivable email address. Make sure you include my address in your "safe senders" folder of spam software if you have it.

God bless and have a great weekend.

David

Module 13: Parables

Parables

A. The Nature of Parables

1. etymology-“a placing alongside of" for the purpose of comparison.

Paromia- “a saying by the wayside, a proverb, a maxim” Restricted to John’s Gospel

Dodd- “a parable is a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or stangeness and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to rouse it into active thought."

2. Christ on parabolic teaching- Matt. 13: 11-17, Mk. 4:10-12, Lk. 8:8-10

a. He that hath ears to hear let him hear. To teach the responsive disciple.

b. Hide the truth from unresponsive disciple. Aided in hardening their heart in rebellion against God.

3. Four elements of the parable:

a. Earthly element- events, customs, possible occurrences about human life.

b. Spiritual element-teaches theological truth that the parable intends to teach.

c. Analogical element-the analogy between the earthly and the spiritual

d. Interpretational element- the interpretation of the parable.

B. Rules for the Interpretation of Parables-

1. Perspective principles- in relationship to Christology and the Kingdom of God. Lk. 17:20,21; Jn. 3:3

a. the kingdom has come

b. the kingdom is coming Matt. 25:14

2. The Cultural Principles-

a. “In the interpretation of every parable it is necessary to recover as much as possible the local color employed in it.”

b. Study the earthly elements-Farming, weddings, feasts, etc.

3. Exegetical Principles-

a. Determine the one central truth the parable is attempting to teach.

b. Determine how much of the parable is interpreted by the Lord Himself.

c. Determine if there are any clues in the context concerning the parables meaning.

d. The comparative rule- compare with OT associations, Compare with other versions in the Gospels.

4. Doctrinal Principles-

a. Observe the historical sense of the parable. Do not use for proving major theological teachings such Calvinism or Arminianism. Consider what was taught to the immediate listeners .

b. Parables do teach doctrines. But we must use with extreme caution and we must check our results with what is taught by Jesus and the rest of Scripture.

c. The entire edifice of a doctrine should not be resting on the teaching of one or more parables.
This is good advice.


No Lecture Question: Take this time to review your posting status. Make sure you are up to date on these as well as caught up on your reading. Your word study is due by May 31st. This will give you a few more days.

Next week I am going to post the Final. Don't panic! This is an open book, open notes and Bible Final. You will have until June 4th, Mid-night to email me your final. I will give more intstruction when the final is posted.

Be blessed. Have a good weekend.

Pastor David

Prophecy Update

All,

Well done on the prophecy search. The last example may have been a bit confusing for some. Let me take a moment to give you some other examples that would more clearly fit the multiple fulfillment model. Joe actually listed the best example that I could think of. Abraham was promised by God that he would become the "father of many nations" and his offspring would bless the earth. We see in Matt. 8:11;Rom. 4:16; and Rom. 9:8 that not only have literal nations sprung up from his offspring, but a spiritual seed (the Jews and then Jesus) was cast to bless the earth. The continuing "yet to be fulfilled" prophetic ripple is that the nations are still being blessed through us as we carry the "seed of faith" from the work of Jesus. This word is still being fulfiled.

Another example might be found in Malachi 3:6-18. The specific curse on the people of God for not tithing (robbing God) did come upon them, in essense, it was fulfilled. On a daily basis, this word has rippling prophetic effect upon every nation whether it honors God or not, and of course a personal ripple that includes all "God's people" or the Church.

I will comment on yours so check back on your "comments" section.

Hope you are enjoying the class. Remember, as I said to one student, this is "art class". I am standing behind you watching you paint. As long as you stay within the boundaries, you are practicing your skills. You will improve. Some of what we are learning is common sense, some is a matter of revelation according to your circumstances. That is the beauty of God's word. My goal in the class is to get you to never forget where the boundaries of the canvass are.

David

Student Response #2 to dkirik

Hey I enjoyed your post and your personal reflection. I like the point you made, " that gone are the days of picking up the Bible, opening it up and reading a verse and blindly applying it to my life." It's so crucial that we are faithful with what God is opening our eyes to and really applying it to our life also. I am encouraged by this and realize that God has opened my eyes and entrusted me with more.

Response #1 to Rich Kirik (Joseph Workman)

I really enjoyed your post and examples. I was really encouraged and fired up while reading it. I find that I get fired up when God speaks through prophets to me, but I really am blessed when i see what God is saying to us directly in scripture.

Student Respone Module # 12 Joseph Workman

3). In what ways has this reading encouraged you in faith?

This section was definitely encouraging to me, it really pushed me to get into the word and study some of the prophetic passages. I went with what was more familiar to me, but I read a lot that I didn’t really understand, and it caused me to study more so that I may understand. So I was encouraged.

Lecture Question Module # 12 Joseph Workman

Is the prophecy fulfilled or unfulfilled? See the list of 6 possibilities above. Give me examples of all six. No need to give to much detail. Just give a one liner of how the prophecy was fulfilled or yet to be fulfilled. (Some Bibles have a section of Messianic Prophecy. Check that out for help.)

(1). Prophecy in the OT was fulfilled in the OT

In Genesis chapter 18 Abraham receives a visit from the Lord. Abraham serves the Lord in the form of “three visitors” caters to their every need. During this time the Lord asks Abraham were Sarah is and then prophecies that she will bear a child in one year. One year later a through a miracle Isaac is born.

(2). Prophecy in the OT was fulfilled in the NT

One of my favorite passages would be Isaiah 53. It is a picture of the Christ to come. I think it is incredible that God gives Isaiah such an incredible picture.

(3). Prophecy in the OT was not yet fulfilled in either testament.

Daniel chapter 12 is an example of this. The prophecy here concerns end times of which it hasn’t happened yet.

(4). Prophecy in the NT fulfilled in our time.

Jesus is prophesying in Mathew 24 to his disciples about the end times, but much of what He is saying about persecution, false prophets, signs of war, war, “nations will rise against nations”, and that many will turn away, etc… These are things that are happening today.

(5). Prophecy in the NT not yet fulfilled.

Also in the 24th chapter of Mathew Jesus prophecies about end times and also references the words spoken to Daniel.

(6). Prophecy fulfilled in OT AND yet to be fulfilled in our time.

I believe that the word that Abraham would be the father of many nations is a word that was fulfilled in the OT, but is still being fulfilled, and “yet to be fulfilled in our time” also.

This example would be one that has had that rippling effect fulfillment I believe.

Module 12: Interpretation of Prophecy

The Interpretation of Prophecy

A. Confusion of Terminology


1. Literal Interpretation - philological sense, the use of the words themselves. Regarding prophecy there is a hint of somthing more in the language. The language is symbolic and figuritive. The literal points to something deeper.

2. Spiritualizing vs. allegorical - when does it become allegorical? Or is there something more. The key is whether the speech is intended to be spiritual and esoteric as placed there by God or is it simple speech that is forced to be spiritual thereby becoming allegorical.

Remember: Allegory in the realm of hermeneutics is not good. It embodies all that we are trying to avoid. The following are methods whereby the spiritual can be identified where it has been intended.

B. Principles for the interp. of prophecy-

1. Fundamentals

a. Avoid interp. in the light of our millennial views. That would be eisegesis wouldn't it?

b. Give careful attention to the language of the prophecy. Search other places, events, geography, names etc. It may need more context before understanding the symbology.

c. We must determine the historical background of the prophet and prophecy.

Who were they writing to?

What was taking place at the time of the prophecy? Historical sense.

d. Pay diligent attention to the context and flow of the disussion in the interp. of prophecy.

- Look beyond chpt. and verse divisions

e. Prophecies are not systematic- Revelation from God, not necessarily organized, sequence may not be clear. Book of Jeremiah is an example. In other words, it may not be chronological.

f. Search the entire Bible for parallel prophetic scripture.

The day of the Lord, regathering of Israel, shaking of the Nations, judgment of the earth, outpouring of His Spirit to name just a few.

2. The interpreter must determine the distinct essence of the passage of the prophetic Scripture.

What is its innermost characteristics?

a. Is it predictive (future events) or didactic (teaching a lesson.) ?

Is is foretelling or does it deal with moral, ethical or theological truth.

b. Is it conditional or unconditional? Duet. 28

c. Is it fulfilled or unfulfilled? This is very interesting. Note the following possibilities:

(1). Prophecy in the OT was fulfilled in the OT

(2). Prophecy in the OT was fulfilled in the NT

(3). Prophecy in the OT was not yet fulfilled in either testament.

(4). Prophecy in the NT fulfilled in our time.

(5). Prophecy in the NT not yet fulfilled.

(6). Prophecy fulfilled in OT AND yet to be fulfilled in our time.

I looked at the above prophetic option and remembered that there are examples of this. Prophecy can have rippling effect fulfillment. Let's see if you can find some. I will make this extra credit.

3. The problem of fulfillment of prophecy.

a. If prophecy is fulfilled we should gather all historical information and research as to how it was fulfilled - proceed with caution. Not all agree certain prophecies have been fulfilled.

We gain valuable insight from such information.

b. If the prophecy is unfulfilled we must take the lesson gleaned from the previous point-precede with caution.

1. Determine if it is to be fulfilled before or after the 2nd advent of Christ.

2. Determine what is local, temporal, cultural in prophecy. Not every detail in Ps. 22 or Is. 53 is about Christ.

c. There is a possibility of multiple fulfillment. see Cyrus in the book of Isaiah.

The interpreter should take the literal meaning of a prophetic passage as his limiting or controlling guide.

“To the Jew, Zion was Zion and Canaan was Canaan.” But do not go to the extreme of hyperliteralism such as dispensationalism. In other words, they see no spiritual Canaan or spiritual Zion when clearly Paul spiritualizes both in his writings.


My thoughts on Prophecy:

1. Prophecy is one of the most wonderful parts of the word of God. It's characteristics are difficult to mechanically understand. Prophecy can essentially be used in any way God chooses to use it.

2. Because this is true, then prophecy's foremost benefit to us is to note the awesome, mysterious, and unsearchable knowledge of God. We, more often then not, are awestruck after we see the fulifillment of such words. Case in Point: Even the wisest Jews could not figure out how Jesus was the Messiah until after Jesus was gone and saw how clearly it applied. Too bad most still do not see it.

3. Prophecy is God's way of giving us a hint of a his moving, but not giving us the full ability to foretell how he will fullfill it.

4. We should make note of the supernatural aspect of prophecy, but be carefull with its interpretation. Conjecture is the best we can offer. Sorry Hal Lindsey and Jack VanImpe.

5. Prophecy ultimately gives us hope. We know that God and His people will triumph in the end. How it happens will be mysterious and likely very different than any of us imagined.

6. Regarding personal prophecy: The gift is still in use today although not for new revelation added to the scriptures. It appears that its use is more for encouragement and hope in the same way that Biblical prophecy ultimately helps us. We should never live our lives according to personal prophecy as given to us by modern prophets. It is to used more as a guide that we look back on and say "Wow, God was really in charge of all of this! I joke (not irreverantly) that I have had so many personal words, that I could do anything and still be in the will of God.

All joking aside, prophecy is important. It does help to "confirm" what God has spoken to you. It helps to "warn" us from making mistakes. It helps to "encourage" us in knowing that God sees us and is involved in every aspect of our lives.

My move to Roanoke Rapids was very prophetic from Day One. But ultimately it was the still small voice from God to my heart, counsel from my brothers, witness of my wife, and circumstances that determined the final move.

Lecture Question:

Is the prophecy fulfilled or unfulfilled? See the list of 6 possibilities above. Give me examples of all six. No need to give to much detail. Just give a one liner of how the prophecy was fulfilled or yet to be fulfilled. (Some Bibles have a section of Messianic Prophecy. Check that out for help.)

Student Response #2 to Justin Crowther

I enjoyed your post and your types and symbolisms. The one I really liked was the type of Christ in the story of Jonah. I have heard the story, read it, but never realized that it was a type of Christ symbolizing the three days in the grave. That is awesome. It's simple but it was awesome. Excelent job!