Kruger, Michael J., ed. 2016. _A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament: The Gospel Realized_. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway.

Links: 3. Biblical Revelation
Tags: #book , #non-fiction , #NT
Created: 1451624400000

Matthew

• Only Gospel to use the word Church
• Mirrors the Torah and thematically develops Jesus as greater than and fulfilling the Torah.
• Identifies Jesus as the suffering servant in Isaiah, and the man in Ezekiel 1.

Mark

Purpose of Parables (p.77)

• Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God with parables, but why, why does he do this? Why doesn’t Jesus speak plainly?
  ==In the early stages of Israel prophets like Moses and Elijah spoke plainly to Israel about God’s commands and desires. However Israel refused to listen to the clear commands of their God. Therefore as Israel refused to listen God instructed the later prophets to preach to Israel under a different way. He commanded them to use prophetic forms of communication that included things like parables and symbolic actions. ==
• For example in Ezekiel 24.3, God commands the prophet Ezekiel to relay a kind of a “parable” to the wicked Israelites: “And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Set on the pot, set it on; pour in water also;”
  • This passage goes on to describe a boiled lamb in detail. And the purpose of this act was to symbolize God’s judgment upon Israel who had then taken Israel into Babylonian captivity. God gives them hardened hearts
• Isaiah 6.8-10, And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
  • Comparison with Jesus who calls people to see, hear, and know the truth; yet, many are deafened to his words. There is comparison with the idols people serve. They become like them.
• Psalm 115. 4-8, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”
  • In short, God pronounces judgment upon Israel for her repeated acts of Idolatry. Yet, Israel continues to cherish its idols, they refuse to repent, and so God promises to transform Israel into the very thing they adore, their idols.

Appendix A The Self-Authenticating model of Canon

• Criteria:
  1. Divine Qualities
  2. Apostolic Origins
  3. Historicity
• "God has created the proper epistemic environment in which belief in the canon could be reliably formed"