Evening Prayer

For Psalm 20, Prof. Calvin comments on the national celebration of thankgiving—to give thanks for David’s victories was to give thanks to God, the Head and Lord of David and Israel.

ISBE on the dating of Exodus: Prof. R. K. Harrison is working with the 18^th and 19^th dynasties as the Pharoahs of the Exodus.

For Genesis 4.9-15: Prof. Keil comments on Cain, his family and his town of settlement.

For Judges 2.6-3.6, Prof. Keil comments on the generations that did not know God as did Moses and Joshua, accommodating themselves to the gods of the locals—syncretist models, or, idols, or Baalim a catch-all term, sorta like the fundie-libboe-syncretists mixing God with this-and-that from here-and-there, yet, thinking themselves loyal to Jehovah.

For Isaiah 8.9-15, Prof. Henry comments on God’s instructions to Isaiah not to fear the face of men.

ISBE on Mark: Dr. R. P. Martin comments on Wrede’s thesis about the Marcan secret.

For Mathew 5.43-48, Prof. Jamieson comments on the importance of keeping the eye on peace between man and God rather than peace between man and man.

For Romans 4.1ff., Prof. Hodge continues to eviscerate justification by sanctification, this time the Arminian version.

For Revelation 19.5-8, Prof. Henry continues to show the triumph of the saints over Babylon’s destruction. Alleluia! The take-down, then, but also later.

EDT on the Theological Liberalism: notes that some fundie-libboes in the 1930s followed the logic and gave up Christianity—repudiating God’s existence, the immortality of the soul, supernatural revelation and affirming faith in man alone. Who says that Babylon doesn’t trap victims? Prof. Machen was a Reformed Eagle grabbing the libboes’ tail and crushing the libboes with talons.

Westminster Theological Journal (Nov 2021) on “Theological Consequences of Q”: Dr. Dawson comments on critics now fashioning social and economic bylines from the theoretical Q, casting the author as a Jewish mystic. The challenge to Q-criticism is that the theory cannot be disproven—since Q doesn’t exist. How cool is that, bro?

Protestant Reformed Theological Journal 55,1 (Fall, 2021): 3-15, Rev. Key does little in discussing Christian freedom. The reader does better to refer to Christian Freedom in the WCF. Thank you, Reverend, please have a seat. The Journal must have better contributors?

Reformed Theological Journal (Sept 2021), Dr. Fesko on “What Lurks Behind Geerhardus Vos?” continues to jab at the Vossian adulators who’ve missed the historical boat by Vos himself, by Dr. Patton and by the son of Jonathan Edwards. To wit, Vos was borrowing from earlier “fathers” of Biblical theology. Well, that will surely challenge the HR-adulators thinking that Vos was forging biblical theology de novo. Again, Dr. Fesko appreciates Vos, but gores the bull of claiming that Vos was the “father” of Biblical theology.

In the Global Anglican (Winter 2021), a Wycliffe college student, a Pentacostalist, Geoffry Butler reviews Dr. Thomas’ and Dr. Tweedale’s “John Calvin: For a New Reformation” (Crossway, 2019). The edition has two sections: Calvin’s life and theology. Standard, appreciative essays by men trained as Reformed Eagles (our words) for schools and seminaries for Reformed Eagles. The Pentecostal notes his appreciation but feels inclined to tell us that more Pentecostals would have offered a different angle. Sit down, Son.

For Systematic Theology (locus 2), Prof. Hodge discusses the parameters of “Tradition” for the Romanists via the Council of Trent and Bellarmine, to wit: divine, apostolical and ecclesiastical There are internal debates about each amongst the Papists.

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond is discussing Philippians 2.6-11.

For Ecclesiology (locus 6), Prof. Berkhof comments on lustration rites amongst pagan, Graeco-Roman religions and Jewish proselyte baptism.

ODCC: Irenaeus (130-200): comments on his “Adversus ad Haereses” against Valentinian Gnosticism and Montanist millenarianism. He appears to have drawn from Justin Martyr and Theophilus of Antioch.

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff continues his colorful tour of Peter and Paul.

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff tries to inculpate and exculpate Gregory on the great fight for the name “Universal Bishop.” It doesn’t work. Nice try, Prof.

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff comments on Calvin’s friendships which were life-long, solid and reproving of those defaming him as cold and heartless.

For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch continues to view Dr. Cranmer as a traditionalist Catholic on classical doctrines with a Gallican view of the Councils. That is, both Cranmer and Gardiner in 1531 are singing from the same hymnal.

For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff proceeds to Protestant Confessions, distinguishing between orthodox Churchmen and the “radicals” (his word for the libboes-fundies).

Westminster Larger Catechism 168:

Q. 168. What is the Lord's supper?
A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, his death is showed forth; and they that worthily communicate feed upon his body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace; have their union and communion with him confirmed; testify and renew their thankfulness, and engagement to God, and their mutual love and fellowship each with other, as members of the same mystical body.