Morning Prayer

Halley’s “Bible Handbook:” the overview of Genesis is being give. VALUE: a solid, beginner’s handbook, but also a memory aide for those who are biblical literate. Keeps the main thing the main thing. Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Isaiah:” sone of Amoz, mention perhaps a dozen time. Son of a nobleman? ISBE on “Leviticus:” discusses the “holiness” of God in Leviticus. VALUE: correlates to the atonement and substitutionary satisfaction for the atonement. For Genesis 21: Prof. Keil comments on Abraham giving the boot to Hagar and Ishmael. VALUE: one sees Abraham’s sinfulness variously, a father in the faith, but not a sinless father either. For Judges 12.1ff., Prof. Keil comments more on Jepthah but is long-talking things. For Isaiah 12.3-4, Prof. Henry comments on the “Song of Praise.” These were difficult times, but praise informed the believers. VALUE: true then, true today. ISBE on Johannine Theology, Prof. I. Howard Marshall comments on the sacrificial and penal death of Christ in John’s theology. VALUE: getting the skunk of Bultmannianism out of the room. For Mathew 10.5-15, Prof. Jamieson comments on Jesus’s instructions that his disciples were going on into a world where they would be persecuted. He advises them that God would help them speak in times of persecution. Wonder what the “peace theologian,” Shirley of PTS, thinks of this. VALUE: expect war and conflicts. For Romans 7, Prof. Hodge wonks away exegetically on vv.14-25. VALUE: exploring the foggy bottom without clarity is not way to teach Romans. While Prof. Hodge shines with clarity in his ST, his commentary on Romans is not clear. For Acts 2.1ff., Prof. Henry continues to discuss the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Frederick Copleston’s “History of Philosophy: Greece and Rome (1.1):” discusses Protagoras’s relativism, politically, culturally, morally, and, even, theologically. EDT: “Lanctantius (240-320):” an inventory of several books written by Lanctantius are given. VALUE: shows the issues of the day on the inquiring minds of Churchmen. For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond discusses Genesis 1.1-3. VALUE: shows granular exegesis while not losing the high altitude view of systematics. For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Berkhof discusses the knowledge of God’s existence from the Bible and natural revelation. VALUE: basic, but essential. For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff thinks he onto something with Petrine v. Pauline theology as a theme of church history, reflecting, perhaps, the influence of F.C. Baur on his thinking. Too bad that skunk was put on the table. VALUE: observe a competent church historian trip over his philosophy. For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff contrasts earlier Christian responses to “torture” (various Synods) with later Papist endorsements of such with the Inquisitions against Albigensians and Waldensians. VALUE: never forget the cruelties of Popes. For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff discusses Calvin’s reluctance to accept the recall to Geneva, especially given his success in Strassburg. For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch discusses the committee work of 1537 on the Bishops’ Book. VALUE: mens rea of Dr. Cranmer? For the Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1, Prof. Schaff discusses the communication ideomatum of the Formula of Concord, 1577. 1994 CCC: our infallibilists in paragraphs #697 describes other images of the Holy Spirit—fire, cloud and fire. VALUE: aside from our necessary objections to Romanism, they’ve done much good and accurate work in the CCC. Far better than the doctrinal drifting and carelessness of the northern and western Anglican crowd who’ve allowed their subscription to lapse. Westminster Confession of Faith 10.4: 4. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the laws of that religion they do profess. And, to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.