Morning Prayer

Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Leviticus:” a priests’ manual for religion and social life. Levites were to be teachers in Israel. ISBE on “Levitical Cities:” notes about the differences in Joshua’s time and subsequent periods. For Genesis 14.1-12: Prof. Keil again is offering geography lessons about Abram’s war with the northern kings. For Judges 8.13ff, Prof. Keil is offering more geography lessons on the Midianites in the after-action report of Gideon’s battles. For Isaiah 10.20-23, Prof. Henry promises deliverance for the elect remnant. ISBE on Johannine Theology, Prof. I. Howard Marshall comments on the “Witness” accounts—John the Baptist, Jesus’s works, Jesus’s statements about the Father, Spirit and Himself, the Apostles and John the Evangelists. For Mathew 8.5-22, Prof. Jamieson is still discussing irresolution and half-heartedness in following Jesus. For Romans 6.1-11, Prof. Hodge gives an overview of chapter 6—including Paul’s rebuttal of antinomianism as a consequence of definitive justification. For Acts 1.6-11, Prof. Henry comments on the promised empowerment for ministry in the pre-Ascensional address to the apostles. Frederick Copleston’s “History of Philosophy: Greece and Rome (1.1):” baffle-gabbing about Parmenides, the pre-Socratic philosopher. EDT: Transcendalists: enthusiasts for the American experiment. For Systematic Theology (locus 2), Prof. Hodge is baffle-gabbing about intuitive and innate knowledge. For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond deals with the open theism and belittlement of God by Clark Pinnock, more Socinian perhaps than Arminian. For Eschatology (locus 7), Prof. Berkhof details the complexity of the dispensational version of premillennialism. ODCC: Lactantius (260-340): exegete, historian and apologist. For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff makes some lousy comments on Paul’s conversion as he advocates Paul’s free will. As if God was “inviting” Paul to follow Him. The more we know this Swiss-born historian, personally and theologically, the less he is respected. Yes, to his historical work, but his theology is soft and tainted. We’re Reformed and he was German Reformed. That says it all. For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff continues to expound on the Greek-Rome split. Personal, then doctrinal. For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff continues to “puff” the Calvin-Melancthon relationship. We’ll take Calvin as we find him in his Institutes and commentaries, thank you, Professor. For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch comments on Dr. Cranmer’s anti-Papal sermons at Canterbury and in Lent 1536. A “confidence trick” played on people. For the Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1, Prof. Schaff outlines the back-and-forth with Crypto-Calvinism and Gnesio-Lutherans. A battle royale in Germany as brutal Lutherans counter-attack. 1994 CCC: our infallibilists in paragraphs #591-594 once again outshines the decade Protestants on Jesus, the old covenant, the Law, and the Temple. Westminster Confession of Faith 7.5: 5. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law, it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying Christ to come; which were, for that time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the old testament.