The Prophets and Christ

Theological Modernists and the academy argue that Isaiah was written by two different authors. Chapters 1-39 were written by Isaiah ben-Amos - the Isaiah we all know. Chapters 40-66 were written by another prophet in the exile (the so-called Deutero-Isaiah) who often tries to mimic the style of Isaiah and yet due to the seeming predictive prophecy in those chapters, it could not be the same person - or so it is argued. The naming of Cyrus in chapters 44-45 comes into play as the idea that Isaiah ben-Amos in the 8th century BC could name a future king of the 6th century is deemed impossible. Therefore they argue the second portion of the book was composed by a prophet in the exile period who knew Cyrus by name. And yet because he pretended to place himself in the past and predict the name of the king, he would in fact be a liar. This is not an issue for modernist theologians. This is because these theologians and scholars are unbelievers who reject the notion of revelation. The Bible for them is a series of moral tales and traditions. God may speak through the words but there is nothing unique about the Scriptures. For them, God is just as likely to speak through the writings of another religion or through inspirational figures of our own day.

A Non-Christocentric Reading of Psalm 112

Recently I sat through a sermon on Psalm 112. It was a workshop in moralistic non-redemptive-historical preaching. It wasn't that the content was awful or the exhortations uninspiring, but the preacher missed the essential component of the passage and read it in a Judaized fashion. While disappointing it generated some great and edifying conversation for the drive home.

New Covenant Hermeneutics: Psalm 16

Peter's sermon in Acts 2 provides yet another example of Old Testament writings that must be read in light of New Testament revelation. Psalm 16 is written by David. It is a prayer and a reflection on the goodness of God, to rejoice in the knowledge of Him, and the hope believers have even in the face of death. Read on its own, it is profound and moving.

The Sword and the Coin: Antithetical Ethics and Missed Ironies in Luke 3

In Luke 3 we are introduced to the adult ministry of John the Baptist as he preaches in the region around Jordan.

Spiritualised Hermeneutics and Old Testament Interpretation in Matthew 2

In obedience to an angelic vision, Joseph takes his family to Egypt to escape the bestial and murderous Herod. Upon the tyrant's death which is believed to have occurred about 4BC, the family (again at the instigation of an angelic command) returns to Israel and re-settles in Galilee.

Matthew in v.15 reports the return of Joseph, Mary and the toddler Jesus as the fulfillment of Hosea 11.1:

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

What kind of hermeneutic or interpretative method is being employed by Matthew? The verse comes in the midst of a passage of condemnation and denunciation of Israel's conduct, the type of passage we frequently encounter in the prophets. Immediately after the statement in chapter 11.1, the passage goes on to condemn Israel – Ephraim the northern kingdom and promises that they will be defeated by Assyria.