Final RQs

Question 1

14.1) Read Paul chap 6. Explain Ridderbos’ exegesis of 2 Cor 5:17 (“If anyone is in X, he is new creation. The old has gone, the new has come”)

Answer 1

Per Rid - “he belongs to the” new creation, i.e. this newness refers to a new R-H categorization presently applied to the believer, but not necessarily existentially felt as yet

Question 2

16.1) Waters sees four letters related to 1 and 2 Cor. Enumerate them.

Answer 2

Cor A = Paul’s 1st letter to Cor, as described in 1 Cor 5 ;
Cor B = 1st Cor in Bible
Cor C = letter sent between 1st and 2nd, “griefing letter” re: 2 Cor 7:8
Cor D = 2nd Cor in Bible

Question 3

17.1) Read Paul chap 7. Explain what is meant by and the interrelationship between the “indicative” and the “imperative.” How does this relate to R-H realities?

Answer 3

The motivating connection between INDICATIVES = what Christ has done in R-H to accomplish the salvation of the elect ;; and IMPERATIVES = how Christians ought to respond in their existential pursuit of sanctification - is a massive framework in Paul, the most common structure of his teaching, i.e. “Christ has done A,B,C for you, therefore you should do X,Y,Z in light of this - we realize what Christ has granted through growing holiness - Col 3:1 is a great verse to represent this concisely

Question 4

17.2) How does Ridderbos relate 1 Cor 9:21 (“I am not free from God’s law but under X’s law.”) to the third use of the law?

Answer 4

There is a sense in which the law does not apply to the church in the way it used to ;; but those who understand the indicative realities of salvation in Christ should want to use the law to pursue proper existential imperatives to holiness by law’s guidance

Question 5

17.3) Based on 2 Cor 5:21, reproduce Cara’s chart that relates forensic, existential, sin, and righteousness to X and us.
draw

Answer 5

Sin Righteousness
Existential: us X

Forensic: X us

Question 6

18.1) Read BTINT, “Ephesians.” How does the text-critical problem with “in Ephesus” relate to the circular letter theory of Ephesians?

Answer 6

Some scholars suggest that “to the Ephesians” was added later to a the letter (some important, early manuscripts and church fathers do not include), which was originally intended to be entirely encyclical. Internal evidence suggests that the better conclusion is to understand the letter as first written to the church in Ephesus but later also circulated (at which point the “to E” might have been intentionally dropped)

Question 7

18.2) What does Waters mean by “The church is . . . both new and old”?

Answer 7

In Eph and elsewhere in Pauline theo, the church is clearly a continuation of God’s OT people, but also is now manifested in a new way with the inclusion of the Gentiles (not to mention the indwelling of the Holy Spirit)

Question 8

19.1) Read Paul chap 8. What does Ridderbos mean by the R-H aspect of the church and the Xological aspect of the church?

Answer 8

R-H = εκκλεσια, connected with qahal of Yahweh (assembly of God) in OT, therefore the R-H-fuller, eschatalogical significant realization of God’s community ;; Christological = the new covenant churh is accomplished by the blood of Christ, united with/”in Christ”, the body and bride of Christ; i.e. a new and wonderfully reality, once mysterious but now fully manifested b/c Jesus.

Question 9

19.2) According to Ridderbos, how does spiritual circumcision relate to the New Covenant?

Answer 9

Through OT God repeatedly promises a future circumcision of the heart (i.e. an internal reality, presently only partially represented by external sign), e.g. Deut 10, Jer 4, NewCov looking-forward passages ;; Paul picks up of this and identifies spiritual circumcision as work of Spirit now accomplished, e.g. Eph 2, Phil 3, Col 2

Question 10

21.1) Read BTINT, “Colossians.” According to Gladd, in brief, what is the Colossian heresy?

Answer 10

Col church affected by ideas about evil spirits (rooted in both Greco-Roman and Jewish premises) acting evilly in the world, impacting others ;; the alleged solution was ascetism and observance of rituals to overpower, overcome these spirits - Paul says, Don’t do this! b/c you have already overcome them in Christ (Christus victor ideas here)

Question 11

21.2) Explain Gladd’s view that “bearing fruit” in Col 1:6 and 1:10 relates to Gen 1:28.

Answer 11

Adam and Eve thru Israel had failed to be fruitful, multiple, fill earth with God’s glory ;; now in Christ, in already-not-yet era, God’s glory is beginning to come down, the spreading fruit of the gospel is spreading God’s glory and coming glory in the world

Question 12

22.1) Read Paul chaps 9 and 10. According to Ridderbos, when the church is called the “body of X,” does this mean X’s literal glorified body or is it metaphorical? Explain.

Answer 12

Metaphorical - the concept is that the church is a unified entity under the headship of Christ; they are inseperably united with and under him, and therefore with one another - as such, in Paul, all sorts of organic metaphors and teaching abound

Question 13

22.2) Baptism has many facets. According to Ridderbos, what is most characteristic for Paul when he refers to Baptism?

Answer 13

Paul uses various definitions, sets forward different emphases, but his most common idea is baptism “into Christ”, that is, incorporation into his R-H, eschat category and his body, the church; in other words, a sacramental representation to Paul’s biggest them of “in-Christ-ness”-

Question 14

22.3) Based on what does Ridderbos connect preaching the Word with the Lord’s Supper?

Answer 14

As often as the church observes the Supper, the preaching of the redemptive significance of Christ’s death goes out from it. And this proclamatory character of the Supper has an abiding significance; it is a proclamation ‘till he come” - has gospel proclaiming, convicting, and edifying effects

Question 15

23A.1) Read BTINT, “Philemon.” What is Gladd’s best guess as to how Onesimus happened to meet Paul in Rome?

Answer 15

O met or knew of Paul b/c of his previous work in Colossae; when he fled Philemon ($$ reasons?), he intentionally sought out Paul in Rome, where he was converted and seeks to reconcile with Phlm thru Paul

Question 16

23A.2) How does Gladd/Moo use Colosians to conclude that Paul “tacitly undermines” slavery in Philemon?

Answer 16

In Col 3, Paul reminds slave AND MASTER (and, by extension, all people) that they are all under the cosmic Mastership of God - in other words, b/c of Christ and under Christ, all Christians are dependent, servant, “owned”, and should act with one another accordingly

Question 17

24.1) Read BTINT, “Philippians.” According to Lowe, what are two prominent themes in Philippians that seem to be opposites and what third theme unifies these two?

Answer 17

Themes of “unity” but Paul’s impending farewell are squared by joy - Whether he is well or dead, he and Phils can rejoice because either is good - “to live is Christ, to die is gain”

Question 18

24.2) Concerning Phil 2:6-11, give one of Lowe’s arguments that Paul is quoting from an older hymn.

Answer 18

1) structural issues suggest a hymn that was possibly original in Aramaic or Hebrew; 2) uses vocabulary that is unfamiliar to Paul, more Johannine; 3) does not include explicit crucifixion and resurrection, unusual for Paul

Question 19

25.1) Read Paul chap 11. According to Ridderbos, what is at the heart of Paul’s missionary theology?

Answer 19

The breakthrough, spread, advance of the gospel to all nations; the building of the church through the whole world, no ethnic or geographic boundaries, until the full number of God’s people are saved

Question 20

25.2) Explain Ridderbos’ statement on p. 442, “The whole distinction between charismatic and non-charismatic ministries in the church therefore cannot be reconciled w/ the Pauline conception of charisma.”

Answer 20

Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts and usage of charismata for gifts refers to both the “charasmatic” and “normal” gifts. He speaks of both positively insofar as the are given and used by the Spirit to build up the church. It is not a pro- or anti-charasmatic argument

Question 21

25.3) Concerning “Worship” section, pp. 480-86, briefly summarize Ridderbos’ view of preaching of the Word in the church assemblies.

Answer 21

in Paul, the preaching of the Word is not only the origin of the church as it was received in faith, but also it is essential to the continued preservation and progress of the church. Both the regular reading of the OT and NT and teaching - reminding, interpreting, applying - of it

Question 22

26.1) RQ 1. Read BTINT, “Introduction to Pastoral Epistles.” How does ecclesiology relate to the critical argument that Paul did not write the Pastorals? What is Barcley’s brief response?

Answer 22

Argument is that the church structure described in Pastorals is to formal to have existed in Paul’s time - but we see Paul establishing elders for churches in Acts, and nothing in the pastorals suggests a structure that could not have existed or does not jibe with the rest of Paul’s ecclesiology

Question 23

26.2) Of the thirteen Pauline letters, in which three is Timothy not mentioned.

Answer 23

Titus, Galatians, Ephesians

Question 24

26.3) Read Ridderbos’ Paul chap 12. What is Paul’s view of the “intermediate state” according to Ridderbos?

Answer 24

“have fallen asleep” should not be taken as a soul sleep, was likely just an axiom of Paul’s time - main ultimate hope in Paul is at parousia, not death - but Phil 1 and esp 2 Cor 5:8 suggest an intermediate state that is consciously with God even before eschaton

Question 25

26.4) How do the “fires” of the future judgment affect both Xns and non-Xns?

Answer 25

For non-Xns, the fire is a fierce and final judgement, representing the then unavoidable, inescapable, and eternal wrath of God’s judgement for those not justified in Christ ;; For believers, the fire of judgement is refining, “freeing”, removing the presence and effects of all the is temporal and apart from God, therefore good for us, we will be saved, but as through fire

Question 26

27.1) Read BTINT, “1 Timothy.” Give Barcley’s rationale that the γυνή (“women,” “wives”) in 1 Tim 3:11 refers to women who assist the deacons.

Answer 26

When Paul returns to this topic in 1 Tim 5, he refers to widows being enrolled (and younger women prohibited from enrollment) ;; He gives qualifications for these enrolled widows that sound very similar to those of male officers ;; so likely these women are a group of older, faithful widows who assist the deacons in caring for the needs of other widows.

Question 27

27.2) According to Barcley, who are the enrolled widows in 1 Tim 5:9?

Answer 27

Older widows who have been formally identified to assist the deacons in meeting the needs of other widows (and possibly other “needy” groups)

Question 28

28.1) Read BTINT, “Pastoral Epistles.” According to Barcley, when did Paul visit Crete and how does Barcley relate this to Acts?

Answer 28

Visited Crete at some point after his release from his first imprisonment in Rome, early to mid-60s ; This would mean he wrote Titus around the same time as 1 Tim, and similarities between the two letters support this premise

Question 29

29.1) Read BTINT, “2 Timothy.” How does Barcley interpret 2 Tim 2:13? (“If we are faithless, he [God] remains faithful.”)

Answer 29

Probably better interpretted as “God will be faithful to judge the faithless” b/c - 1) matches negatives of second half of confession ;; 2) only other place in NT where Paul mentions faithless is Rom 3:3 ;; and 3) matches with larger context of 2 Tim and warnings against faithlessness, apostasy