Morning Prayer

For Psalm 23, Prof. Calvin comments again on the assurances afforded the sheep with the Great Shepherd.  

Zondervan Pictorial Bible: Genesis: is discussing the conflicts between Genesis and scientific uniformitarianism.

ISBE on the route of the Exodus: Prof. T. V. Brisko discusses two major highways in the Sinai peninsula as well as the eastern delta of Egypt.

For Genesis 11.1-9: Prof. Keil, having finished the Table of Nations with varied esoterica on geography, turns to the Tower of Babel and language-confusion.

For Judges 5, Prof. Keil is lengthily commenting on Deborah’s song. We would note that occasionally Prof. Keil runs down some bunny rabbit trails at length. He’s doing that here.

For Isaiah 10.1-4, Prof. Henry comments on coming judgments on the Assyrians.

ISBE on Luke: Dr. E. E. Ellis comments on some 20^th century commentators, e.g. E. Haechen, who exaggerates with diktats about the differences between Paul in Acts and Paul in his letters. We would add, probably has been sipping from Hegel’s cup with the Peter v. Paul tension, or, assertion of a tension in the service of unwarranted philosophy baffle-gabbing.

For Mathew 7.1-12, Prof. Jamieson comments ably and helpfully on “censoriousness” and “contentiousness” amongst some Christians. Warrantable. We would add the importance of four steps: theological retrieval, theological reflection, theological persuasion and theological engagement with a churchly and public perspective.

For Romans 5.12-21, Prof. Hodge has hit another homerun on 5.12-15, zeroing in on the imputation of Adamic guilt and corruption to all without exception or exemption.

For Acts, Prof. Henry is waxing eloquent on in his intro to Acts—Christ Himself, the Rock, building His Church on Himself (not just Peter, but all the apostles, thank you).

Frederick Copleston’s “History of Philosophy: Greece and Rome (1.1):” the Prof. is still baffle-gabbing about the Ionian cosmologists as an historian. Fair enough, but he has, willy nilly, lopped off—by a sovereign diktat—Egyptian and ANE studies, as if thinking in the West began merely with the Greeks. Entirely wrong and prejudicial to the facts. The ANE folks had writing, architecture, building, thinking, travelling and more—documentarily—before 3500 BC, long before Homer in 1200 BC or Plato/Aristotle in 5^th century BC. Gimme a break, Prof.

EDT: Interpretation of the Bible: after discussing grammar, genre, historical and geographical necessities for grammatico-historical exegesis, the author brings in “theological perspective,” to wit, noting the unity of the Canon, OT and NT, with the theological presupposition of the unity and decrees of God’s infinite mind. To wit, God teaching his children over the ages with redemptive-historical revelation. Little by little, precept upon precept.

For Systematic Theology (locus 2), Prof. Hodge, 162, is thoroughly dealing with verbal, plenary and infallible inspiration.

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond, 315ff., gloriously concludes chapter 8 with some of the great hymns about the Tripersonal, Triune God. Superb stuff from Dr. Reymond.

For Eschatology (locus 7), Prof. Berkhof, 680ff., discusses the biblical and historical handling of the “intermediate state” between death (separation of body and soul) and the Final Judgment. Believers to heaven and unbelievers to hell.

ODCC: Council of Antioch 341—it was an eastern, Antiochian, anti-Nicene document under the governance of Constantius. The Arians were still on the loose including amongst the barbarians to the north of Italy and elsewhere. As Jerome would note, he woke up one morning and the whole world was Arian.

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff, 1.262ff, discussing the Papal fictions and exaggerations on Petrine supremacy.

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff, 4.280ff., discussing the darkest of dark ages of the Papacy to date—the tenth century. People were expecting the Final Judgment at the turn of the millennium.  

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff discusses Bucer’s second invitation to Calvin to come to Strassburg after his and Farel’s ejection from Geneva. He’ll be in Strassburg for three years until he returns in 1541. Of note, Dr. Cranmer has on-going correspondence with Bucer at Strassburg, but the Reformation has the retard and retardancy of Henry VIII whereas Protestant princes in Germany were flying aerial cover for Lutherans.

For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch, 122, further discusses Cromwell’s political plans in 1534 to subject the clergy to the King.

For the Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1, Prof. Schaff, 1.254, notes Melancthon’s appendix to the Schmalkaldic Articles, a wishy-washy statement hoping the Pope will begin preaching the Gospel. However, the Articles themselves are a take-down of the man of sin with uncompromising anti-popery in statements on tone. Melanchthon, rightly, feared rapacious Protestant princes (exactly what Cranmer faced with the de-establishment of English monasteries with noblemen in the game for cheap land sell-offs).

1994 CCC: our infallibilists in paragraph #499 affirms the perpetual virginity of Mary (by mere say-so) and without exegetical foundation. Aeiparthenos is the Greek term.

Westminster Confession of Faith 3.2:

2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.