Mathers Systematic Theology - Norman W. Mathers

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is revealed theology. Christ’s Old Testament canon had a threefold division the Law, Prophets, and the Psalms. Psalms is from a third part of the canon known as the Writings. Natural theology must not be confused with natural revelation. Natural theology must be distinguished from natural or general revelation. Natural theology is dependent upon reason not revelation for its proof of the existence of God. The cosmological argument points to a cause behind the world for its existence. The teleological argument focuses on both design and purpose in the universe. A designer possessing creative intelligence and purpose must exist. The anthropological argument points to design and purpose in man. Why does man have five fingers on each hand instead of six fingers? The ontological argument points out that man can not think of any higher idea or higher being than God. The Bible testifies to itself that it is the Word of God (1 Thess. 2:13).

      Jesus Christ exegeted God the Father. He explained the Father. God is not perceived through sense perception (John 1:18). However, both Moses and Jacob did see God face to face in the Old Testament. The context of John 14 shows that the disciples realized that neither rationalism, experience, nor sense perception were sufficient to bring a man to God. Jesus Christ is the way to the Father’s house. Truth was embodied in a person the God-man, Christ Jesus. In Jesus Christ, there is life eternal. The one who had seen Christ had seen the Father (John 14:9-10). However, it took a revelation from God the Father to understand the person of Christ (Matt. 16:7). The epistles of Colossians and Hebrews should be included to give a fuller and deeper insight into the person of the eternal son, Jesus Christ. He was the creator of all things both visible and invisible (the angelic realms) (Col. 1:16). The glory of God resided in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14-16). Christ is God of very God (Heb. 1:3). Christ took upon himself the form of man (John 1:14, Phil. 2:7-8). Christ manifested the glory of God because he was God (John 1:14, 16, 17-18). There is one God and one mediator between God and man the God-man, Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).

1.5 Chapter Study Questions

      CHAPTER 2

      INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

      2.1 The Inspiration of the Scriptures involves the accurate recording of the revelation.

      2.1.1 Central Passages establish the inspiration of the Scriptures.

      2.1.1.1 2 Timothy 3:16-17

      The words “inspired by God” are a Greek compound word theopneustos which can be rendered “God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16) [author’s translation] (Aland & Black 1968:736). All Scripture owes its origin and contents to the divine breath. The Word of God is the product of the expirations of God. Timothy’s age like our age seeks to undermine the origin, the content, and the value of the Word of God. Paul’s point to Timothy is that the Scriptures are trustworthy due to their divine origin. “All Scripture” is the New Testament apostolic doctrine (3:14) and the Old Testament writings (3:15). Therefore, the Scriptures are inspired by God. The apostle concentrates now on the purposes for which Scripture has been given by God. The Scriptures are profitable for doctrine (didaskalia – can be translated – teaching). All that one needs to be taught concerning their relationship to God is revealed in the inspired and therefore inerrant Word of God. They are profitable as well for reproof (elegchon). This refers to the self- sufficiency of the Word of God in refuting falsehoods. The Bible has a corrective purpose as well. The word epanorthosin means to straighten up. The Word of God works to correct Timothy’s own life and the lives of others to whom he is called to minister. The Word of God serves for instruction in righteousness (pais paideian ten en dikaiosune) (3:16). Paideia refers to instruction in the area of child training and discipline. The inspired writings function in the life of the believer as does training and discipline in the life of a child. The believer is trained by the Word of God in regard to all righteousness. Paul moves now from the teaching, reproving, correcting, and instructing purposes of the Word of God to the ultimate purpose in 3:17. It is that the man of God may be adequate. The perfect passive participle exisertismenos is best translated “having been equipped or furnished” (Aland & Black 1968:736). The word equipped is used in the military of a supply sergeant who saw that each soldier was given everything that he needed to be victorious in battle. Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit of God to remind Timothy of the divine origin and purposes of the Word of God (Mathers 1976:9-13).

      2.1.1.2 2 Peter 1:20-21

      Scripture originated with God the Holy Spirit (1:20-21). The Holy Spirit used holy men of God. He moved on them to write the scriptures using their personalities. This very fact of the oversight of the entire process by the Holy Spirit of God insures the product is without error. The scriptures exhibit a dual authorship (Lindsell 1976:34-35). This truth is determined by the Holy Scriptures (Hodge 1975:1:158). Shedd (1979:88) adds that the Holy Spirit’s role in the inspiration of the scriptures guarantees the infallibility of the writer. The apostle Peter is writing concerning the prophetic word being confirmed because of the transfiguration experience (1:18-19). Peter writes “all prophecy of scripture” (graphes) in 1:20 [author’s translation] (Aland & Black 1968:807). All prophecy is the general category. Scripture is in the genitive case. It is a genitive of apposition so that what the apostle refers to is not just the Old Testament but whatever has the right to be called scripture. The genitive of apposition names a specific category that falls within that category. This is different than simple apposition in which the two words prophecy and scripture would have to be in the same case and usually agree in number as well. Peter agrees with Paul’s scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “all scripture is God-breathed” [author’s translation] (Aland & Black 1968:736). The interpretation of 2 Peter 1:20 as referring to the Old Testament only is an argument from tradition. Scripture would have to be a plural form to refer only to the Old Testament. All prophecy does refer to the Old Testament. The application of 2 Peter 1:20 only to the Old Testament ignores the grammar and case of the word scripture. The use of graphes refers to all Scripture (Arndt & Gingrich 1973:165:2(b). The grammatical impact is a reference to the entire 66 books of the bible. Warfield confirms that what Peter meant is the same truth that the apostle Paul refers to in 2 Timothy 3:16 (Warfield 1948:136). Peter’s words apply not only to the whole of Scripture but also to all its parts (ibid:136). Peter uses the word scripture in a wider sense than merely the Old Testament as evidenced by his usage in 2 Peter 3:16. He references Paul’s epistles calling them scripture.

      Peter presents the necessity of making the spiritual advance in the Christian life (2 Pet. 1:3-11). He exhorts his readers to make certain their calling and election (klesin kai eklogen) (1:10). This certainty is in two areas. The first is their calling which refers to the divine invitation (Robertson 1933:6:152-153). God calling them through the gospel. The second is their election before the foundation of the world. Election (eklogen) is used with this meaning in 2 Thessalonians 1:4. Peter concludes in 1:12 (dio) that he wanted to remind them of these things (1:3-11). He adds that they have known and have been established (perfect active and perfect passive participles-(ibid:153-154). They have known the truth and having been established in the parousia truth. They have the truth and are established in it (Bigg 1975:263). Parousia is used of both the rapture (1 Thess. 4:15) and the second coming of Christ which occurs seven years after the rapture. Peter’s use of parousia in this context refers to Christ’s second coming. Now Peter reveals that “our Lord Jesus Christ has revealed” [author’s translation] (Aland & Black 1968:806) to him his approaching death (1:14). He wants to put his readers “in remembrance” [author’s translation] (ibid:806) (en upomnesei) so that they can call them to mind after his departure (1:15). The Word of God is reliable because it was revealed to eyewitnesses (1:16). Peter tells us that the apostles had not devised myths. They made known the power and parousia (second coming of Christ- at the end of the 7 year tribulation period). They were eyewitnesses of that one’s deity (megaleiotetos – divinity and divine attributes of God – Arndt & Gingrich 1973:498). The Father testified to the deity of the Son. Peter adds they heard the Father’s voice from heaven being with Christ on the holy mountain of transfiguration (1:18). He interprets the meaning of the transfiguration of Christ for us in 2 Peter 1:19. “We have” (echomen – present active -1st person plural- continuous action- the present abiding possession of the believer in Christ) “the prophetic word not fulfilled but more certain” (comparative form

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