Morning Prayer: 10/20/2022

Halley’s “Bible Handbook:” the overview of Genesis has begun. Clear. A good handbook for all Bible students, young or old. For the older, it revivifies and distills old readings into the basics. For the young, it’s a solid introduction for use alongside Bible readings. This student used it for years and it was helpful during university days as an undergraduate.

Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Israel:” takes one as far as Eli and his sons in 1 Samuel 4. The author suggests that Samson’s story may overlap with Eli’s times.

For Genesis 30: Prof. Keil discusses Leah, her handmaid, and the multiplication of children to Rachel’s distress.

For Judges 18, Prof. Keil elaborates, as he often does, on geographic details about the Danite movements in the north.

For Isaiah 14.4-23, Prof. Henry notes that the Babylonian king will fall from his high place to the grave and the pit of hell where other kings will greet him.

ISBE on Johannine Letters, Prof. I. Howard Marshall is still wonking away on various proposals for structuring 1 John.

For Mathew 12.9-21, Prof. Jamieson notes that Jesus is not a loud broadcaster whose voice was heard loudly in the streets. A quiet power.

Frederick Copleston’s “History of Philosophy: Greece and Rome (1.1):” discusses the “chronology” of the Platonic dialogues.

EDT: “Law of God:” Prof. Motyer gives substantive reasons for the beauty of Leviticus, church rituals and the moral law.

For Theology Proper (locus 2): Prof. Hodge discusses the scientific materialists. Ideas are the result of molecular action. There is no God, no soul, and all mental phenomena result from neurological activity of electricity and molecular action, operating under its own laws.  

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond wonks out in the exegesis of Romans 5.12-19. The larger issue is the covenant of works.

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Berkhof discusses God’s knowledge and wisdom.

ODCC: “abstinence:” discusses the practices of fastings in varied communities back to St. Antony and his Egyptian hermits.  

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff comments on St. Peter and the martyrdoms in Rome under Nero.

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff notes that “Homilies” in the vernacular were prevalent backwards to Charlemagne and with use throughout the medieval period. They consisted largely of patristic citations.

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff discusses State-Churches and the emergence of free churches here-and-there.

For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch comments on Cranmer’s liturgical tinkering in March-April 1539 which abruptly ends with the passage of the Six Articles.

Philip Schaff’s “Creeds of Christendom, Vol.1:” Prof. Schaff discusses the 1529 Marburg Colloquy, the Luther antagonism on the 15^th article about eating bones and drinking blood, and, then, the writings of Zwingli. Of note, in 1538, Dr. Cranmer notes that he has read everything by Zwingli.

1994 CCC: our infallibilists in paragraphs #832 tell us about the church which, in a few lines, of course, must be connected to Rome as the “full church.” Always talking about themselves. There’s more on the church than the other articles of the Creed.  

Westminster Confession of Faith 19.7:

7. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.