Morning Prayer: 10/4/2022

Halley’s “Bible Handbook:” discusses the glorious invention of writing—Asssyrian, Babylon, into India and China, the Phoenicians and Egyptians.

For Psalm 31.4, Prof. Calvin comments on David’s acknowledgement of God as his Rock and Salvation.

Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Israel:” captures the story of the Gibeonite deal and covenant with Joshua.

For Genesis 26: Prof. Keil is still handling the contents of the Abrahamic blessing of Jacob.

For Judges 16, Prof. Keil is still discussing the details of Sampson’s demise and the setup for the final victory, of sorts, over the Philistines.

For Isaiah 14.4-23, Prof. Henry continues to retail the inherent pride and greed in the Babylonian monarchy.

ISBE on Johannine Letters, Prof. I. Howard Marshall suggests that proto-Gnosticism may be the subtext to 1 John.

For Mathew 12.1-10, Prof. Jamieson discusses the LORD of the Sabbath and the One greater than the Temple. Mind-bending assertions by the God-Man.

For Romans 8.12-28, Prof. Hodge gives the introductory comments—sonship, heirship, indwelling of the Spirit, renewed life and other redemptive benefits leading to Christian victory—all  things work together for good for those called according to God’s purposes.

Frederick Copleston’s “History of Philosophy: Greece and Rome (1.1):” discusses Democritus, a soft version of Epicurus. On to Plato.

EDT: “Law of God:” Prof. Motyer speaks of fulfilling the law as “being fully human.”

For Theology Proper (locus 2): Prof. Hodge is wonking around on Dr. Carpenter’s wonkdom on force, light, heat, etc. It’s not clear how this relates to his theme of “anti-theism” in chapter 3.

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond further discusses the immortal subsistence of the soul with standard Biblical and Confessional texts.

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Berkhof discusses aseity and immutability.

ODCC: “Abraham:” discusses uses by early fathers: Origen, Cyprian, Tertullian and Augustine.

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff comments on Greek as the lingua franca of Rome in the first (through third) centuries. He says the translation to Latin was for communities in northern Africa.  

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff discusses Charlemagne’s Capitularies—his legal code covering civil and ecclesiastical matters. Church and state worked closely together.

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff comments on the laws against the free press throughout Europe, not just Geneva which was on the more moderate side.  

For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch comments on the stalls and difficulties in the German-English negotiations. Schadenfredlicious, however, is the appointment of the German evangelical, Myconius, to preach at St. Austin’s friary. That’s like throwing a grenade down the chimney.

1994 CCC: our infallibilists in paragraphs # 800-803 is still long-talking the doctrine of the Church, as expected. Some glorious sections, however, but like Bellarmine, it’s always about the Church. We’re watching.

Westminster Confession of Faith 17.2: Perseverance of the Saints

2. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.