NAME; MWESIGYE SANDRA

COURSE: 40 QUESTIONS ABOUT BIBLICAL THEOLOGY

QUESTION 9

How does Biblical theology approach later scripture’s use of early scripture?

The old and the new testament are a single, coherent book. It may seem that they are filled with too
many differences to integrate, but they do integrate, God designed them to integrate brightly. Biblical
theology’s most pivotal concern is how later scripture uses earlier scripture. This includes how the old
testament uses the old testament but most significant is how the new testament uses the old
testament.

Study the New Testament Context

Exegete the New Testament passage. This may include investigating at least eight components of
exegesis;

 Genre. Establish guidelines for interpreting a passage’s style of literature

 Textual. Establish the original meaning
 Translation. Compare translations
 Greek grammar. Understand how sentences communicate by words, phrases and clauses
 Argument Diagram. Trace the logical argument by arcing, bracketing, or phrasing
 Historical- Cultural Context. Understand the situation in which the author composed the
literature and any historical- cultural details that the author mentions
 Literary Context. understand the role that a passage plays in its whole book
 Word Studies. Unpack key words, phrases and concepts

Study the Old Testament Context

 Exegete the Old Testament passages.

 As with studying the New Testament context, this involves investigating multiple
components of exegesis
 Sometimes you need to reflect on how the Old Testament uses the Old testament like how
Isaiah uses Exodus

Study relevant uses of the Old Testament Passage in Extra biblical Jewish Literature

It may be significant to consider how approximately contemporaneous Jewish literature certain Old
Testament texts. We will spend a bit more space on this step not because it is important but because it
is less to most Bible-reading Christians.

What primary Jewish sources might include the most relevant uses of Old Testament passages? six
bodies of Jewish literature are most significant.
 The Old testament Apocrypha is a collection of about fifteen books dating from the third century
BC to the first century AD
 The Old testament Pseudepigrapha is a large and diverse collection of ancient Jewish and
Hellenistic writings dating mostly to the interestamental period
 The dead sea scrolls is a collection of about 850 Jewish manuscripts that shepherds discovered
in 1947 in the region of Qumran near the Dead sea
 Philo was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher and Old testament exegete from Alexandria who lived
from about 20 BC To AD 50
 Josephus was a Jewish historian who lived from about AD 37 to 110
 The Targums and rabbinic literature are windows into how the early Jewish community
interpreted the old testament

Study Textual Issues

Textual criticism studies manuscript evidence to establish the original wording. It gathers and
organizes data, compares and evaluates variant readings and reconstructs the transmission
history. When studying textual issues for how the NT uses the OT, textual criticism involves two
levels;
1. Study textual issues within the Masoretic Text, LXX, AND Greek New Testament
2. Compare textual issues in the Masoretic Text, LXX, and Greek New Testament with each
other

Discern the New Testament Author’s Hermeneutical Warrant for using the Old Testament

The new testament authors use the old testament in a variety of ways;

 to indicate direct fulfillment of old testament prophecy

 to indicate indirect fulfillment of the old testament typological prophecy
 to indicate affirmation that a not yet fulfilled old testament prophecy will assuredly be
fulfilled in the future
 to indicate an analogical or illustrative use of the old testament
 to indicate the symbolic use of the old testament
 to indicate an abiding authority carried over from the old testament
 to indicate a proverbial use of the old testament
 to indicate a rhetorical use of the old testament
 to indicate the use of an old testament segment as a blueprint or prototype for a new
testament segment
 to indicate an alternate textual use of the old testament
 to indicate an assimilated use of the old testament
 to indicate an ironic or inverted use of the old testament
Discern how the New Testament Author theologically uses the old testament;
Bale explains that the new testament authors presuppose five significant beliefs that
inform how they theologically interpret the old testament;
 there is the apparent assumption of corporate solidarity or representation
  in the light of corporate solidarity or representation, Christ as the Messiah viewed as
representing thew true Israel of the OT and the true Israel-the church-in the NT
 History is unified by a wise and sovereign plan so that the earlier parts are designed to
correspond and point to the later parts
 the age of eschatological fulfillment has come in Christ
 as a consequence of the preceding presupposition, it follows that the later parts of
biblical history function as the broader context for interpreting earlier parts

PART 2
Exploring method in Biblical theology

QUESTION 10
What are different ways that Evangelicals do Biblical theology?- Andrew David Naseli
There are two basic ways to define an evangelical sociologically or theologically;
I. the sociological approach is descriptive, and most historians adopt it
II. the theological approach is prescriptive, and some theologians adopt it

Evangelicals do biblical theology in at least three overlapping ways;

1. Analyze the message

2. Trace themes
3. Tell the story

Analyze the message has two basic approaches;

I. analyze the message of the whole Bible

II. analyze the message of books or sections of the Bible

Analyze the meaning of books or sections of the Bible;

 A less comprehensive way to analyze the Bible’s message is to focus on the parts of the
Bible. This includes tracing themes that are part of the literary and theological message
of a book or section;
 a book of the Bible
 a section of the Old testament like Pentateuch
 each book /section of the New testament like Mark
 each book/ section of the New Testament

Trace themes
There are two basic approaches here;
 Trace themes through the whole Bible; Some trace a single prominent theme
through the Bible. Prominent themes include;
 Atonement
 circumcision
 ethnicity
 city of God
 covenant
 idolatry
 image of God
 incarnation
 God’s glory in salvation
 kingdom
 land
 law
 marriage
 mystery
 possessions
  prayer
 repentance
 resurrection
 serpent
 shepherd
 temple
 work
 Trace themes through the whole Bible; some evangelicals trace a theme not
comprehensively through the whole Bible but through only part of the Bible;
 part of a book of the bible
 a book of the bible
 section of the old testament
 the old testament
 a section of the new testament
 the new testament

 My favorite way to do biblical theology is To trace themes through the whole

bible because this enables one to understand the key ideas or messages
behind every book in the Bible

 I would state the message of the whole Bible this way in one sentence- GOD
LOVES HUMANITY AND DESIRES WITH EACH PERSON, OFFERING SALVATION
AND ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

 It might be dangerous to biblical theology by telling the story if have not

sufficiently analyzed the message and central themes because;
 you might misinterpret information
 you might selectively emphasize certain aspects while ignoring others
 you may fail to consider the historical, cultural, literal context of
biblical text
 you might ignore tensions and paradoxes

QUESTION 11

What must we presuppose to do Biblical theology? Oren R.Martin

To do biblical theology is to interpret the whole Bible as Christian scripture. God revealed scripture
through the biblical authors not for mere historians and textual critics, for our instruction, that though
endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope “ Romans
15:4”.Christians then bring their faith in Christ to the task of biblical theology. As a result , then, we must
read the Bible with certain realities in mind-with faith seeking understanding . Christians must receive
and understand according to Christ

The importance of being aware of our presuppositions when we approach Scripture;

 Part of the task is to reflect on the one who reads the biblical text. Theology is about God, but it
is also about those who have been created in God’s image and have become distorted images. A
genuine biblical theology will strongly affirm that humans are inevitably influenced by their own
culture, tradition and experience. Until and unless the evangelical community wrestles more
seriously with this fact, they will not overcome the unreflective biases that characterize the
evangelical appropriation of the Bible
 To be sure to identify and defend each interpretive-shaping influence is beyond the scope of this
chapter. Nevertheless, Christian presuppositions are justifiable because they are grounded in
the Triune God, who has freely made himself known. What happens if we approach scripture
with opposite presuppositions;
 different interpretations
 conflicting conclusions
 misunderstanding and miscommunication
 selective reading
 missing the original intent

How does scripture reveal the Triune God, and the Triune God reveal scripture?

A) Scripture reveals the Triune God in this way;

 Plural pronouns for God hints at the plurality of God’s nature
 scripture shows distinct roles for God the father, Son and the Holy spirit
 It affirms the co-equality of the Father, Son and Spirit
 scripture depicts interactions between the Trinity members
 it shows the unity of action among the members of the trinity
B) The Triune God reveals scripture in this way;
 the Holy spirit inspired human authors to write scripture guiding them to convey
God’s message
 Jesus taught his disciples who later wrote down his teachings and his death and
resurrection
 the Father revealed himself and his plan of salvation through the scriptures
which point to Jesus
 the Spirit spoke through prophets who foretold the coming of Christ

 How should we receive God’s word?

We should receive His word with;

 humility
  reverence
 openness
 faith
 obedience
 prayerfulness
 dependence of the holy spirit
 willingness to be challenged

Why can we approach God’s word with confidence?

 scripture is inspired by God himself

 God has preserved his word throughout history
 scripture has the power to transform lives
 His word is clear and understandable
 scripture is sufficient for all our spiritual needs
 The holy Spirit bears witness to the truth of scripture confirming its authority
and trustworthiness in the hearts of believers

QUESTION 12

How does biblical theology compare to other theological disciplines? Oren.R.Martin

Its astonishing that the transcendent Lord over us has spoken to us that he might establish covenant
fellowship with us, his creatures. Though one day we will meet with God not through scripture but face-
to-face and know him as we are know-1 cor.13:12, for we will see him as he is.
Description of different terms in my own words;

 Exegesis- critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious or literary

one
 Biblical theology-study of the Bible’s theological themes, motifs, and concepts, with a
focus on understanding the unified message of scripture
 Systematic theology-study and organization of theological concepts and doctrines into
a comprehensive and logical framework
 Historical theology-study of the development and evolution of Christian theology
throughout history
 Practical theology-study of the application of theological principles to everyday life and
ministry

How does each discipline shape and inform the others?

 Each component exercised in communion with the Triune God shapes and informs others as we
pursue with dependence and humility fuller knowledge of God.

Importance of historical theology for exegesis, biblical and systematic theology

 Exegesis ;
 provides context for understanding the historical and cultural background of scripture
 helps to understanding the original meaning
 appreciate the development of doctrine

 Biblical theology;
 provides a framework for understanding theological development
 highlighting the unity and diversity of scripture
 informing the interpretation of biblical themes

 Systematic theology;
 it grounds systematic theology in history
 provides a framework for understanding theological debates
 promotes theological humility

Why is systematic theology important for fellowship with God;

 deepens understanding of God’s character

 clarifies the gospel
 informs worship and prayer
 fosters spiritual growth
 enhances biblical literacy
 promotes a deeper love for God
 How do specific doctrines shape the Christian life?
 the provide a framework for understanding God, humanity,
salvation and the Christian experience
 they encourage believers to live out their faith in obedience to God’s word, worship and service

How should a doctrine of the Trinity shape how a Christian prays- Ephesians 3:14-21?

 helps in addressing the Father

 helps to acknowledge the Son’s role or Jesus’ role
 helps in invoking the Holy Spirit’s power
 expressing the Trinitarian praise
 recognizing the Trinity’s unity

How should the incarnation cultivate humility- phil.2;1-11

 recognizing Christ’s voluntary humility

 imitating Christ’s selflessness
 acknowledging human limitations
 embracing a servant mentality
 cultivating a willingness to suffer
 recognizing the ultimate goal of humility

QUESTION 13

HOW DO BIBLICAL THEOLOGY AND SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY DIFFER AND WORK TOGETHER?

Oren R.Martin

This chapter narrows the field by addressing how biblical theology and systematic theology differ and
work together. In short biblical and systematic theology are not foes, but friends, for they partner to
form mature disciples of Christ who by his Spirit follow him in every area of life.
How do biblical and systematic theology differ?

To begin, some posit an irreparable chasm that exists between biblical and systematic theology.
However , more recent studies in evangelical theology have affirmed what the church has practiced
from the beginning – namely , that biblical and systematic theology belong together even if they have
not been labeled as such. Infact, the early church practiced something akin to biblical and systematical
theology when they responded to various heresies. In other words, there has always been disciplined
systematic reflection on the history of redemption as it concerns God and his work in Christ

What happens if either biblical theology or systematic theology is neglected?

IF biblical theology is a topographical map, systematic theology is more like a street map, pointing out
the logical connection. Without biblical theology, systematic theology easily surrenders the dynamism of
revelation to timeless truths; without systematic theology, biblical theology surrenders Bible’s internal
coherence-the relation of the parts to the whole

How are the disciplines dependent and mutually informing?

1) Biblical theology gives rise to systematic theology; it is what makes dogmatics necessary
2) systematic theology builds on biblical theology in its theological formulations
3) when systematics ground their theology in the Bible, they should do so in ways that honor both
what it is and how God revealed it

In addition to test case above, can you give other examples, like the person and work of Christ?

a) The atonement in Leviticus 16 and Romans 3:24-25

b) Doctrine of salvation in Exodus and Ephesians 2:8-9
c) The nature of God in Psalm103 and Hebrews 1:1-3
d) The doctrine of original sin in Genesis 3 and Romans 5:12-19
e) Nature of Christ in Hebrews 1:1-3 and John 1:1-14
f) The doctrine of Justification in Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4:1-12
g) The role of the Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 36:26-27 and 2Corinthians 3:18
h) The doctrine of church in Mathew 16:13-19 and Ephesians 4:1-16
i) The doctrine of Eschatology in Revelation 20:1-22:5 and 1Thesalonians 4:13-18

How do the disciples work together to form a theological vision of life?

1) Biblical theology
 provides the foundation for theological reflection by examining the biblical
narrative and its themes
 helps to identify the overall story and message of the Bible

2) Systematic theology
 takes the biblical themes and doctrines and synthesizes them into a cohesive
and comprehensive system
  provides a framework for understanding and applying biblical teachings to
everyday life

3) Historical theology
 examines how theological doctrines and themes have developed throughout
church history
 helps to identify areas of continuity and discontinuity between the past and
present theological understandings

4) Practical theology
 applies theological doctrines and themes to everyday life and ministry
 helps to integrate the theological understanding with practical living and
ministry

5) Integration
 biblical theology provides the foundation for systematic theology, which in turn
informs historical and practical theology
 historical theology helps to contextualize systematic theology, while practical
theology applies systematic theology to real- life situations
 each discipline informs and enriches the others, forming a comprehensive and
integrated vision of life
6) Theological vision;
 This is a cohesive and comprehensive understanding of God, humanity and the world
 integrates biblical, systematic, historical and practical theological insights to provide a
framework of living and ministering
 It enables believers to think Christianity about all aspects of life, from doctrine and ethics to
ministry and everyday living

QUESTION 14
What role does Authorial Intent play in Biblical theology? Oren R. Martin
The role of authorial intent in biblical theology provided important interpretive controls for
understanding the whole counsel of God. Biblical theology should make a theological account of
the inspiration of scripture, consider the progressive stages of revelation along scripture’s
covenantal structure and assess how the New testament uses the Old testament;

How should the inspiration of scripture shape or govern biblical theology?

 Authority;
  Final authority- inspired scripture is the final authority for biblical authority
 submission to scripture- biblical theologians should submit to scripture’s
authority, recognizing its divine origin and inspiration

 Interpretation
 literal and contextual interpretation – inspired scripture should be interpreted
literally and contextually, considering historical, cultural and literary contexts
 Christ-centered interpretation- theologians should recognizeJesus as the central
figure of scripture

 Unity and coherence

 inspired scripture presents a narrative of God’s creation, humanity’s rebellion
and redemption through Jesus
 theologians should seek to understand the coherent theology presented in
scripture through recognizing relationships between doctrines and themes

 Application
 inspired scripture has transformative power ,guiding believers in their walk with
God
 bible theologians should seek to apply teachings of scripture practically in real-
life
 Humanity and reverence
 Biblical theologians should approach scripture with reverence , recognizing its
divine authority

In what ways does scripture show it is from God?

 Fulfilled prophecies like in Micah 5:2, Psalms 22:16

 unity and consistency; themes like God’s holiness, justice and mercy are consistently
presented throughout its pages
 historical records- show its accuracy and reliability
 geographical accuracy- location of cities, rivers have confirmed
 transformative power – life changing impact and enduring influence
 testimony of Jesus and apostles like Jesus’ teachings, apostolic confirmation

How does scripture display unity? diversty?

Unity in scripture;

 unified story line- a unified narrative of creation and human rebellion with redemption
 consistent themes like mercy, justice
 recurring motifs like covenant and kingdom
 Christ-centered focus
Diversity in scripture;

 multiple authors from diverse backgrounds, occupations and time

 variety of genres like history, poetry, epistles
 different styles- scriptures ‘ writing styles range from formal, poetic to informal and
conversational
 scripture reflects the cultural and historical contexts

How should the fact that scripture is both fully human and fully divine influence our approach to
biblical interpretation?

 Human aspect;
 contextual understanding
 authorial intent
 literary genres
 be aware of human authors’ limitations, biases ,errors
 Divine aspect;
 divine inspiration
 inerrancy
 seek the Holy Spirit’s illumination to understand
 Christ centered interpretation
 Balancing human and divine aspects
- avoiding extremes
- trusting scripture
- humbling ourselves

Why are interpretive controls important for doing biblical theology?

- establish boundaries – prevent eisegesis

- provide historical and literary context
- ensure consistency like canonical consistency
- facilitate accurate application

QUESTION 15

Does the Bible have one central theme? Andrew David Naselli

Does the Bible have a center-a single central theme? This issue is an ongoing debate among biblical
theologians. Bible theologians have proposed many central themes. Some of the different central
themes from different theologians include;

communion between God and humans

the covenant faithfulness of God
covenant
 creation and new creation
election
exodus and new exodus
the glory of God in salvation through judgement
God
grace and obedience
Jesus, the Messiah
the kingdom of God
the people of God
promise and fulfillment
salvation
salvation history
type and antitype

If you had to identify only one central theme for the whole Bible, what theme would you propose?

God’s redemption of humanity;

This theme is woven throughout the entire narrative of scripture

Key aspects;

1. God creates humanity in his image but humanity sins

2. God makes promises and covenants to redeem man
3. Jesus Christ, he provided salvation and reconciliation
4. restoration and new creation

Key verses;

o Genesis 3:15, John3:16, Romans 5:8

Which of the seventeen one sentence summaries above do you like best and why?

Darrell L. Bock; The Bible tells how the loving Creator God restored a lost humanity and cosmos through
reestablishing his rule through Jesus Christ and the provision to his honor

WHY?

Because we have a loving God that forgave us and redeemed us through the death of his only son who
will rule forever!

What three or four themes do you think are most prominent the Bible?

 God’s redemption and salvation- The Bible tells the story of God’s relentless pursuit of humanity
despite our rebellion , Genesis 3:15
  Covenant and relationship-the Bible emphasizes the importance of covenant relations between
God and man
 Kingdom and dominion-Bible speaks of God’s kingdom and dominion over all creation
 Faith, Obedience and trust; Bible consistently emphasizes the importance of faith, obedience,
trust in God, from examples like Moses, Abraham

How would you summarize the Bible’s central storyline in a single sentence?

CHAOS OF CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON AND IN ISRAEL’S OWN LAND, FOLLOWED BY RE-CREATION OF JESUS
THE TRUE ISRAEL, FOLLOWED BY NO FALL OF JESUS AS THE LAST ADAM, AND BY SUCCESSFUL
CONSUMMATION OF INITIAL RE-CREATION IN ETERNAL NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH

How would you summarize the Bible’s overarching theological massage in a single sentence?

“God in His loving and merciful character, pursues a covenant relationship with humanity, redeeming
and restoring us from sin and its consequences through life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that
we might know Him, love Him and live with Him forever”

The sentence aims to capture the Bible’s overarching theological message emphasizing;

 God s loving and merciful character

 His desire for a covenant relationship with man
 God’s work through Jesus to save man from sin
 The ultimate goal for God’s pursuit is an eternal relationship with man forever and ever

QUESTION 16

Is the order of the Canon significant for doing biblical theology?

Jason S.DeRouchie

Yes! the order of the canon is significant for doing biblical theology and our response will come in three
stages, first this study overviews the nature and the limits of the bible canon, second, it assesses the
nature and how much canon-consciousness among the ancient Israelite/ Jewish communities included
and third , it considers ways that canonical arrangement could and should inform a Christian’s
interpretive conclusions in relation to biblical theology.

Canon

Is a standard collection of texts, works, or writings that are considered:

 authoritative
 divine inspired or revealed
 culturally inspired

Christian canon

Is the church s authoritative collection of holy books , Romans 1:2, 2Peter 3:16

Both historically and theologically the concepts of canon and covenant correlate. The essence of canon
is bound up in the authoritative written word of a covenant lord. That is written texts became canonized
not by the decision of the recipients but in the light of their source, we recognize Scripture as canonical
because it is by nature the very word of the living God.

Evidence for early canon-consciousness that included arrangement

 a proper view of canon requires understanding that God not only gave us books but
progressively shaped a Book
 we see support for this thesis in the rich canon-consciousness that ancients bore with respect to
the scripture
 both in and outside the bible the ancient authors identify a sacred canonical body of material
and included lists of biblical books
 first, the concept of canon is evident in the way the Jews spoke of their sacred collection of texts
 at times they used one part titles like the ‘law’ – romans 3:19
 other times they employed a two-part designation like “ the law and the prophets”
 second, we have a series of early lists of Old and New testament books that together highlight
that certain writings were sacred and that they were viewed in certain groupings and orders
 the first Hebrew list comes from the Jewish historian Josephus in Against Apion
 the second Jewish list is Baba Bathra 14b, an ancient rabbinic Baraita, a tradition that is in
Jewish oral law but not incorporated into the Mishnah.

How does knowing that Jesus’s Bible was arranged differently than our modern English Bible
impact the way you think about your OT?

 different structure, same message

 this encourages us to study the Old testament within its original Hebrew content
 appreciation for the Septuagint
 deeper respect for the biblical tradition
 enhanced understanding of Jesus’ teachings
  a broader view of biblical theology
 new perspective on familiar stories

What are four reasons why canonical arrangement matters when doing biblical theology?

 a proper biblical-theological method requires that we prioritize the Law of Moses in the OT and
the gospels in the New, for each grouping of books detail how God established the foundational
covenant that shapes how we understand each Testament
 proper biblical-theological method requires reading the biblical story in succession
 when we engage in biblical theology, we must account for the shift from old testament to new
and stay centered on the person and work of Jesus. Scripture teaches that there are only two
major redemptive-historical epochs-before and after Christ
 doing biblical theology demand that we assess intertextual connections that are always
informed by a book’s placement, regardless of how one’s canon is arranged, irrespective of what
canonical ordering one utilizes, the position in which one reads a given book will likely affect
one’s biblical theology

In what ways does placement influence the message and function of the book?
 the placement of a book can provide a framework for understanding its themes, motifs
and messages
 books placed together can create a resonance of themes, emphasizing certain ideas
 the placement of a book can emphasize or prioritize certain messages or themes
 the placement of a book can provide interpretive keys for understanding other books
within the collection
 the placement of books within a collection can facilitate a canonical conversation
 the placement of a book can influence readerly expectations
 the placement of a book can reflect the redactional purpose of the collector or editor

Examples
 In the Hebrew Bible, Ruth is placed between Judges and 1Samuel, emphasizing
the theme of faithful living during a time of spiritual and political upheaval
 in the Christian OT, Jonah is placed among the prophetic books, highlighting its
themes of repentance, forgiveness and God’s mercy