Revelation,Inspiration, and Hermeneutics

Is the Bible the word of man or the Word of God? Elaborate.

"The Bible is the Word of God though they are human words. First of all, it was God who gave the revelation to the human agent. Secondly, particularly by the Holy Spirit, that same human agent was divinely aided in writing down in a trustworthy and authoritative manner the things that God has already revealed to him/her. God does not bypass human character or characteristics and while the words written down are human words, they are fully human and fully divine. They are trustworthy and authoritative."

Be able to articulate the proper role of general revelation, including its weaknesses.

General revelation serves to reveal the existence of God and His works as well as some of His characteristics. Though indirect, general revelation is universal reaching all of humanity. However, it is limited because it has been warped to some degree by sin. It is inadequate, we are in need of more information, that which pertains to salvation through Christ. It is also imprecise, hence its classification as "general."

Exodus 3:1-5

God appeared and spoke to Moses at the burning bush. (Exodus 3:1-5) Example of Special Revelation- Theophany.

Inspiration

God's guidance of a chosen receiver and communicator of revelation. The process where the contents in the mind of the biblical author are expressed in oral or written form.

Romans 1:18-23

God's invisible attributes are clearly seen in nature--a scriptural support for General revelation

Hebrews 1:1-2

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1-2) REVELATION: God uses a variety of means to reveal Himself to us (as opposed to a single means like timelessness)

What is the relationship between the classical verbal-plenary concept of inspiration and inerrancy?

Inerrancy comes through the stream of the classical model. Determinism through timelessness leads to inerrancy.

Briefly explain the importance of Kant to the modern model of revelation- inspiration

Kant redefined reason, stating that it can only understand that which is temporal (space and time). Reason cannot reach the timeless. This caused Schleiermacher to emphasize a encounter definition of revelation rather than a cognitive one, which is a foundation to the modern model of revelation-inspiration.

Luke 1:1-3

Luke was writing an orderly account which He got from eyewitnesses. (Luke 1:1-3) Example of Natural/Historical Revelation.

Exodus 31:18

Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, written by God's own finger. (Ex. 31:18) Example of Verbal Revelation

Explain the difference between general revelation and natural theology.

Natural theology is the study of God from nature, reason and experience and is based on general revelation. It includes philosophical and analytic theologies. The difference is that natural theology is a theological method of man while general revelation is a witness of God.

Biblical Theology

Seeks to study what the inspired biblical writers wrote, believed, described and taught in the context of their own times. It studies from the perspective of understanding the progressive history of God revealing Himself to humanity.

Provide a brief historical overview of the relationship of Scripture and tradition in historical theology then evaluate its implications for Adventist theology.

Show some evidence that you know how the history moved from scripture to tradition. In Adventist theology, we chose sola scriptura, but if we go back we'll be with tradition. (the second lecture)

Use the controversy between Irenaeus and Gnosticism to explain the primacy of Scripture over and against apostolic succession.

Some people interpret Irenaeus to say that he was arguing for authoritative apostolic in the Catholic church sense (with Peter being the first pope, etc.) Irenaeus is actually appealing to the primacy of scripture. He was saying that we can know scripture is the true scripture because it was handed down to us from the true apostles. How do we know? Because we have historical connection only 2 generations removed.

Panentheism

Teaches that every part of nature is in God, and that God is more than the world, so the world is in God's body.

Empiricism

Teaches that the source of knowledge comes only from sensory experience.

Neo-orthodoxy

The Bible is not the word of God but rather just a witness to the word of God.

How does the body-soul dichotomy flow from the macrohermeneutical presuppositions of the classical model?

The dualism between the timeless soul and temporal body flows directly from the dualism of the timeless real realm and the temporal realm of Platonic thought. Allegory of the cave.

Briefly explain the biblical doctrine of inspiration.

The prophet takes the revelation given by God and translates that for other humans to understand. However, God does not determine the words so the prophet writes it in their own words. This is the horizontal work of God through the Holy Spirit in which the prophet is enabled to communicate the content of revelation (vertical) in a trustworthy reliable way the message needed to the intended audience, us.

Systematic Theology

The rational and orderly study and articulation of theistic beliefs.

Deuteronomy 29:29

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deut 29:29) (God's revelation is intended to be understood and utilized. Some things are not revealed that are secrets of God, but that which is revealed is intended to be understood and utilized)

General Revelation

The universal manifestation or self-disclosure of God throughout the world reaching to all humanity through three spheres: nature, history, and human beings.

Natural Theology

Theology done from nature or reason or experience and only general revelation focused.

Identify some of the patterns of revelation.

There are two main categories of revelation patterns employed by God to communicate with the prophets: 1) supernatural revelation and 2) natural revelation. Supernatural revelation occurs when God miraculously originates contents in the mind of the prophet. Following are some examples of patterns of supernatural revelation: 1. Theophanic Revelation- refers to the manifestation of God to man; the sensible sign by which the presence of God is revealed. An example of Theophany can be seen in Exodus 3:1-5 when God appears in a tangible way to Moses through a burning bush and speaks with Moses directly. 2. Prophetic Revelation- refers to communication by God to the prophet through visions and/or dreams. Numbers 12:6 demonstrates this. "He said, 'Here now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream.'" The book of Revelation is also a good example of the prophetic pattern of revelation. 3. Verbal Revelation- refers to God directly speaking with the prophet through words. And example of this can be seen in Numbers 12:6-8 where God distinguishes between the prophetic pattern of revelation and the verbal pattern. "He said, 'Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?'" We seek God speaking verbally and directly to Moses instead of using the prophetic pattern of utilizing visions and dreams. 4. Direct Writing Revelation- refers to God Himself writing down the contents of revelation. This is exemplified in Exodus 31:18 when God Himself, with His own finger, writes down the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. In natural revelation, God acts within our understanding of the boundaries of nature and history. The meaning and information of this category of revelation patterns originates with God. Following are examples of natural revelation. 1. Historical Revelation- refers to Gods usage of events, persons, etc. of and in history to reveal content about Himself. For example, in Luke 1:1-3, Luke explained that he crafted his gospel by researching the historical teachings and acts of Jesus' life that had been handed down from eyewitnesses. "Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;" History informed Luke about God. 2. Existential Revelation- refers to God's guidance and intervention in the experience of the prophet. For example, Jeremiah, in Lamentations 3:1, wrote about His own experience with God intervening in His life, having witnessed "the rod of His wrath." 3. Natural Revelation- refers to God's usage of nature to reveal Himself to the prophet. Dr. Peckham provided no example of this in class, but I imagine that the donkey speaking to Balaam in Numbers 22:27-30 exemplifies this pattern of revelation. 4. Sapiential Revelation- refers to God revealing Himself to the prophet through wisdom. I'm not sure what would be a good example of this since Dr. Peckham didn't provide one in class. Maybe Solomon's wise judgment between the two women who were fighting over one infant in 1 Kings 3:18-28 provides us with such an example. God certainly guided Solomon's judgment and discernment in that complex case.

Summarize Plato's allegory of the cave and the two-worlds theory that it illustrates

There is light and shadows. The timeless realm is what is "ACTUALLY HAPPENING," but all we can see in our temporal realm is the shadow of what is timeless. What is behind you is the heavenly supernature; what is in front of you is the earthly-world nature. In the heavenly supernature, it is timeless, immutable, eternal, and real; the earthly-world nature is temporal, mutable, transient, and illusory.

What is the relationship between human freedom and the historical-cognitive model? How is this different from the Protestant model of the Calvinist?

There is significant freedom in the historical-cognitive model, rather than in the view of determinism in the classical model, so called "compatibilist freedom," as there really is no freedom for the human, because what humans will do has actually been determined by God.

Timelessness

Total absence of time, no past, present, or future (eternally present) time is an illusion.

Rationalism

Views that reason alone is the source of knowledge and that it is superior to and independent from experience. Truth must be intellectual and deductive.

Explain the Adventist selection of data for theology over and against the selection of data by other groups

We say that data is Scripture (Sola Scriptura) as Adventists, but the goal of our theology is still God (John 17:3). The selection of data other groups is an admixture of Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience; depending on one's views of God and revelation-inspiration, these will take differing levels of importance.

Encounter Revelation

When God speaks through impressions, through feelings in a non-cognitive way. (liberal/modern model uses)

Ephesians 3:3-5

how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: (Ephesians 3:3-5) (Revelation includes information, information that would otherwise not be understood. God's revelation has been revealed by the Spirit to the apostles and prophets.)

2 Peter 1:20-21

knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21) (Scripture doesn't originate from man's ideas but from God, They didn't write their own ideas, but God's ideas. God inspired the prophet)

Uniformitarianism

Scientific laws and processes are constant throughout space and time.

Methodological Naturalism

The assumption that there is no supernatural cause for anything. Thus scientific hypotheses must be explained and tested only by reference to natural causes and events, usually using the scientific method.

What is the impact of the classical model on history and eschatology?

Both history and eschatology are an illusion and an abstraction. It is not actually "real." Because the classical model views reality as a timeless realm, history is not real but only the duplication of eternity. This means there is no real second coming or heaven to look forward to.

Acts 24:14

But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. (Acts 24:14) Paul affirms that he takes authoritatively all that is in the law and prophets.

Numbers 12:6-8

(Special REVELATION: Prophecy / Verbal)

Explain and evaluate the historical-cognitive model of revelation-inspiration in contrast to the classical and modern (liberal) models. Be prepared to explain how it relates to your own view of revelation-inspiration (using biblical data).

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Introduce the classical model of revelation-inspiration and discuss the theological implications of the classical model of revelation-inspiration, both its impact (theological consequences) in its own theological tradition and those that such a view would have (if followed to its logical conclusions) on Adventist theology.

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Introduce the modern model of revelation-inspiration and discuss the theological implications of the modern model of revelation-inspiration, both its impact (theological consequences) in its own theological tradition and those that such a view would have (if followed to its logical conclusions) on Adventist theology.

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Inerrancy

A belief that the Bible is without errors, when you go back to the original manuscripts.

Fundamentalism

A form of Christianity that upholds belief in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture as a reaction against modern theology. They believed in five fundamentals. They include: (1) inerrancy and verbal dictation inspiration of the Bible (we disagree) (2) Virgin birth of Christ (3) Substitutionary atonement (4) Christ's resurrection (5) Authenticity of Miracles

What is the primary difference between the classical and protestant models of revelation-inspiration?

Articulation: Justification by faith instead of pyramid of reality God: Doctrine of determinism or predestination. • The protestant model builds upon the classical model. Here God uses the human as a pen or a scalpel to cut so that God does everything and human involvement is minimized. The difference between these two is the principle of articulation that the protestant model uses justification by faith where the classical model uses the pyramid of reality. • The classical model Revelation is a timeless transmission from God (timeless) to the human soul (timeless). The subject can't receive nor understand because the body is bad and is subject to time plus it can't comprehend such truths so God elevates the soul of the person, which is not bad and is timeless and infuses the soul of the subject.

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)

In what way does cognitive revelation go beyond encounter and why is that significant? Can you give an example?

Cognitive is something that is objective AND true; encounter is subjective and based on feelings and experience. Cognitive will test our feelings. An example of cognitive is the reception of objective thoughts that contain words that are propositional truth; furthermore, the encounter views feelings as the operative mode of communication, and somehow separates them from cognition. A biblical example would be the way Moses received cognition and revelation at the burning bush—Exodus 3

Special Revelation

Divine communication to specific human beings (like prophets) in specific times and places, which itself is not accessible to everyone.

Briefly explain the biblical doctrine of special revelation.

Divine communication to specific human beings in specific times and places, which itself is not accessible to all. In other words, God revealed Himself to Moses but we were not there at the burning bush and didn't see what was happening but it was given to us and meant to be understood. This revelation included information that would not otherwise be understood but is meant to be understood.

Enlightenment

During this time faith and the Bible was highly criticized. Rejects revelation inspiration - reason, nature, arts, sciences, individualism, rather than tradition. It involved a new worldview, which explained the world and looked for answers in terms of reason and human intelligence rather than faith, and in terms of an natural, humanistic approach rather than a supernatural one.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) (the words of scripture are from God, they accepted his teaching and words as God's ideas, rather than man's)

Ontology

Refers to the philosophical study of being, becoming, existence, reality, and nature of something or someone.

Epistemology

Refers to the study of knowledge. It investigates how we know what we know.

How did the Enlightenment affect the doctrine of Scripture? Be specific.

Rejects revelation inspiration - reason, nature, arts, sciences, individualism, rather than tradition. It involved a new worldview, which explained the world and looked for answers in terms of reason and human intelligence rather than faith, and in terms of an natural, humanistic approach rather than a supernatural one.

John 17:17

Sanctify them by your word; your word is truth. (John 17:17) (The bible is a source of/the truth)

Briefly summarize the classical model of God, its Greek roots, its most influential Christian exemplars, and the divine attributes that it presupposes

The Classical Model presupposes God to be timeless existing in a realm of timelessness. This idea was not extracted from the Scriptures, but rather from the influential philosophical writings of the classical Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. Plato taught that reality exists in a timeless realm where there is no sequence of time. The historical realm of "reality" is not real, but actually an illusion, a shadow cast on the wall (as Plato describes it in his cave allegory). The most influential Christian exemplars of the Classical Model are Augustine (354-430 AD) and Aquinas (1225-1274 AD). These two Christian thinkers are those who linked Christianity with the Greek philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. Augustine modified Plato's view concerning timelessness by stating that the temporal world is simply a duplication in time of God's ideas. This understanding paints God in a light where He cannot act in or experience the temporal sequence of past, present, and future; He can only act timelessly. He is utterly outside of time, atemporal. Therefore, all His "actions" are instantaneous meaning that everything is predetermined by God in one timeless act. Additionally, God is absolutely simple meaning that He has no parts; He is non-composite. Because God is timeless He is utterly immutable. He does not change at all. Therefore, He is a perfect being; He is complete, all in all. Because He is perfect and immutable it follows that He is impassible. He has no emotions, no feelings, and, therefore, He cannot love. Nor is He affected by anything in the temporal realm, not even us or our love for Him. Generally, among Christian denominations conservative Roman Catholicism and the more conservative Protestant denominations subscribe to this model.

Sola Scriptura

by Scripture alone the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness.

Hermeneutics

the principles of interpreting Scripture. How to study the Bible.

Know the classical, modern, and historical-cognitive model's definitions of revelation and inspiration, respectively.

• Classical model of revelation: God allowed eternal, timeless truth to be intellectually grasped by biblical writers that is the basis for propositional revelation, a disclosure of knowledge. Another words, this gave a starting point for writers to surmise what it was all about and they produced large portions of scripture on a purely intellectual process but God gave a starting point. Thus the not all contents of scripture are epistemologically originated by God's actions. Here also God speaks to the timeless substance of the human receiver, the soul, but not to the human mind so God has to elevate the reason of the receiving agent. • Liberal Model: According to the Liberal Model of revelation-inspiration, since God is timeless and impassible (as the Classical Model has presupposed), God is unable to communicate in historical-temporal realm of reality. Therefore, God cannot reveal Himself in the cognition and so it follows that humans cannot relate to God cognitively. The Liberal Model is forced, then, to presuppose the existence of another realm, namely the existential realm of feelings. Coherently aligning with these presuppositions revelation, according to the Liberal Model is a non-cognitive existential encounter that changes the human by producing feelings in the human, which are translated into human, culturally conditioned and non-inspired words. This means that the Bible is totally and completely the product of human culture and imagination; not one word of Scripture comes from God. This means that the Liberal Models has no doctrine of inspiration; inspiration is impossible. • The Historical-Cognitive model belongs to the area of communication between two minds. God the originator produces meaningful forms for the receiver in divers ways. Not giving a foundation and stopping there or giving a divine encounter, but God gives to the receiver not on God's level but on the receivers level and what the human mind produces the divine mind created. All this happens historically, meaning within space and time. God reaches out and accommodates man on his level of temporal, historical and human cognition with ideas, contents and information. (15) Cognitive communication is accepted where in the liberal it is rejected and within the temporal historical level of reality God can speak to the recipient so this subverts the needed elevation of human reason in Rev. inspiration.

What are the five "fundamentals" of fundamentalism? What do Adventists generally disagree with of these fundamentals?

• Inerrancy and verbal inspiration of the Bible (this is the only one we disagree with) • Virgin birth of Jesus • Substitutionary atonement • Christ's bodily resurrection • Authenticity of miracles

Briefly explain the difference between the classical, modern, and postmodern conceptions of knowledge and the subject-object problem.

• The classical concept of knowledge is that the subject is passive while the object is active so that the object determines the contents of knowledge. So in order for the subject to come to knowledge of the object; the subject must be divinely enlightened in order to come to a knowledge of the object. • The modern model of knowledge coming out of the enlightenment, the subject is active and object is passive. What you see in the object is what you mean; the subject determines contents of knowledge. It uses experience, science, philosophy, and tradition as the object of data. • Postmodern model says that the subject is active and the object is active and this derives the knowledge. Subject and object contribute to knowledge. Subject brings something and object brings something, but there is some objectivity and subjectivity to reach knowledge in the postmodern relationship of knowledge.