Morning Prayer

For Psalm 25, Prof. Calvin: “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.” How can one get a better Professor than the LORD? For Genesis 14.1-12: Prof. Keil discusses the five kings confederated and against whom Abram will go to war. For Judges 7.10ff., Prof. Keil gives a geography lesson on the route of the Midianites. For Isaiah 10.20-23, Prof. Henry shows the seamlessness of Isaiah’s switch of topics: from the judgments on the Assyrian King Sennacherib to the glorious promises, comforts and strengths afforded and promised to the “remnant” of Judah (see Isaiah 6). ISBE on Johannine Theology, Prof. I. Howard Marshall comments on God’s intra-Trinitarian love and the love in the Incarnation, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. As such, Christians know and experience that divine love and irradiate it to God and neighbors. For Mathew 8.5-22, Prof. Jamieson comments on the disciple who wishes to hold off so he can go and bury his dead father. Jamieson exposes the hidden agenda in the disciple’s remark. That is, Jesus has exposed the hidden agenda. For Romans 5.12-21, Prof. Hodge, after citing the baffle-gabbing of (President) Jonathan Edwards of revivalist fame and later President of Princeton on the subject of original sin (tedious then as now to read Edwards), Hodge finally returns to some common sensical observations (that he’s already tediously expounded earlier). Hodge is thrashing out the wheat here. For Acts 1.6-11, Prof. Henry makes clear again that the times of the end are an unknown to the Apostles. Frederick Copleston’s “History of Philosophy: Greece and Rome (1.1):” has introduced Parmenides on the “One and Many” problem. At this point, it’s hard to distinguish Hegel and Copleston. EDT: Transcendentalism: a loose grouping of poets, authors and preachers who dislike Unitarianism and are romanticists and optimists about American life and politics. Wonder what the Civil War did to that optimism and enthusiasm over American life. For Systematic Theology (locus 2), Prof. Hodge concludes his prolegomena to theology of about 300 pages. Next: locus 2—Theology Proper or the Doctrine of God. For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond brings home the bacon on double predestination. It’s well done and tasty. For Eschatology (locus 7), Prof. Berkhof introduces the millennial question. ODCC: Eusebius (260-340): Bishop of Caesarea, pupil of Pamphylius, despiser of Sabellianism, church historian of fame, counselor to Constantine on Athanasius, attendee at the Nicene Council of 325, quibbler on homoousios, and biographer of Constantine. His Ecclesiastical History is certainly a must-read for divinity students, but would help laymen get a good grasp on imperial history. For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff discusses Christ’s sovereign, handy, irresistible and gracious “fix” on Saul—his conversion. For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff discusses Orthodoxy as the home-turf for all Ecumenical Councils. Leo the Great is annoyed that he’s put on par with Constantinople. The seminal and Satanic seed of pride is planted in the West. For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff discusses Melancthon again as he tries to give him space for his divagations. One agenda by Schaff is the unionistic effort which failed, then, as now. For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch brings in the story of Francis Lambert who will be burned at the stake on the Bone-Munchers’ issue. For the Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1, Prof. Schaff discusses the Crypto-Calvinists (Melancthonians following Calvin and Zwingli on the Bone-Munchers’ issues). 1994 CCC: our infallibilists in paragraphs #578-580 delightfully discusses Jesus, the Law, and the Temple far outshining decadent, non-confessional, and therapeutic Protestants. Westminster Confession of Faith 7.2: 2. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.