Category: Bibliology and Bible Interpretation (Hermeneutics)

The “Jesus Focus” in Nehemiah

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in Nehemiah

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Charts adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Title for Nehemiah

Nehemiah: Theme

Nehemiah 2:17

“Distinctions”

God moves the returned exiles to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 

Christ-Focus in

Nehemiah

Implications from

Nehemiah

Hooks from

Nehemiah

Christ’s true home (and that of His disciples) is not of this world.

 “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

 – John 17:14-15

Let the world see what it means to be distinctively Christian.

 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?

Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?

For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, brining holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

 – 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

What a difference, if any, does your relationship with Christ make in your marriage, friendships, career, student life, or entertainment choices?

 Do you regard distinctiveness as God’s own child a source of joy or of disgrace?

 Is there a visible distinction between your life and that of an unbeliever?

 Would anyone looking at your life be able to see that you are a believer, or are you a stealth Christian—remaining largely undetected until you drop a gospel bomb?

 How do you maintain your distinctiveness as a Christian without putting off those who need to hear and see the good news?

The “Jesus Focus” in the Book of Ezra

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in Ezra

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Charts adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Title for Ezra

Ezra: Theme

Ezra 1:3

 “Temple Restoration”

 God brings the exiles back to Jerusalem and directs that His temple be rebuilt.

 “Whoever is among you of ll his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem.” 

Christ-Focus in Ezra

Implications from Ezra

Hooks from Ezra

Through Christ, God is building a living a living temple.

 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

 – Ephesians 2:19-22

Let us join God’s construction crew.

 “According to the grace of God given me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

 – 1 Corinthians 3:10-17

What are you building with your life?

 Are your efforts focused on God’s kingdom or on your own?

 Are you aware that building of some sort is always going on?

 Wouldn’t it be better to expend your efforts on something that lasts?

 What are the tools that God has given you to participate in the building process?

 What kind of life does this building demand?

 Have you committed yourself to something that is draining the life from you?

 Are you happy with how you’ve spent your years?

Why not commit yourself to something that infuses you with life?

The “Jesus Focus” in The Books of 1& 2 Chronicles by *M. J. Williams

*After my conversion in the U. S. Navy (in a submarine beneath the North Atlantic!), I entered Columbia Bible College, where I received a B.A. (1985). This was followed by an M.A. in Religion at Westminster Theological Seminary (1987) and a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania (1999). In 2000, I was ordained in the Christian Reformed Church, and since 1995 have been teaching at Calvin Theological Seminary. I have also taught courses at Westminster Theological Seminary, the University of Pennsylvania, and brief stints in Limuru, Kenya; Donetsk, Ukraine; and Warsaw, Poland. In addition to articles on Old Testament topics in various reference works and academic journals, and contributing to and editing “Mishneh Todah: Studies in Deuteronomy and Its Cultural Environment in Honor of Jeffrey H. Tigay” (2009); I have authored “Deception in Genesis: A Comprehensive Analysis of a Unique Biblical Phenomenon” (2001); “The Prophet and His Message: Reading Old Testament Prophecy Today” (2003); and, most recently, “How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens: A Guide to Christ-Focused Reading of Scripture” (2012). My amazing wife, Dawn, and I enjoy hiking and all things outdoors.

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in 1&2 Chronicles

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Chart adapted from Dr. Michael James Williams Book

Title for 1&2 Chronicles

1&2 Chronicles: Theme

2 Chronicles 7:17-18

 “Encouragement”

 God encourages postexilic Israel by means of an account of Davidic kings who acknowledge the Lord’s rule.

 “And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’”

Christ-Focus in

1&2 Chronicles

God encourages us by means of an account of Jesus, in the line of David, who has perfectly done all that the Father has commanded.

 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

 – Revelation 5:5

 

Implications from

1&2 Chronicles

 Be encouraged by the fact that Christ has perfectly kept the covenant and accomplished our salvation.

 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

 – Romans 10:4

Hooks from

1&2 Chronicles

 Are you good enough to go to heaven?

Do you behave as though you were?

Do you expect other Christians to behave as though they were?

 If you are relying on your own righteousness (whatever that is) to bring about or maintain your relationship with God, then what do you think Christ’s righteousness accomplished?

 How do you acknowledge the Lord’s rule in your own circumstances?

 Do you regard yourself as a subject of King Jesus?

 If someone watched you during the day, who would they say really ruled your life? Jesus? Public opinion? You?

The “Jesus Focus” in The Books of 1&2 Kings

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in 1&2 Kings

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Chart adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Title for 1&2 Kings

1&2 Kings: Theme

2 Kings 17:20

 “Turning Away”

 God expels Israel and Judah from His presence in the Promised Land when their kings turn away from Torah.

 “and the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he cast them out of his sight.”  

Christ-Focus in

1&2 Kings

Implications from

1&2 Kings

Hooks from

1&2 Kings

 God turns away from Jesus on the cross as judgment against those who have turned away from him.

 as it is written:

“None is righteous, 

no, not one;

no one understands; no one seeks for God.

 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

 – Roman 3:10-12

 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 

 And at about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,

 “Eli, Eli, lema sabachani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

 – Matthew 27:45-46

 We need to rely on God’s strength and the encouragement of each other to keep from turning away from the path of life.

 “Take care, brothers lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

 – Hebrews 3:12-13

 What is your “rule of life?”

 What spiritual disciplines can help you know the life God wants for you in relationship with Him?

What are you more likely to do: what you know is right or what you want to do at the time?

 Have you considered the long-term consequences of your choices?

 What are you doing to guard against turning away from God?

 Are you trying to stay faithful on your own, or are you drawing on the strength of God and His people?

The “Jesus Focus” in 1&2 Samuel

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in 1&2 Samuel

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Charts adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Title for 1&2 Samuel

1&2 Samuel: Theme

1 Samuel 2:7-8

 “Exalted and Humbled”

 God exalts the weak and humbles the proud.

 “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are LORD’s, and them he has set the world.”
Christ-Focus in 1&2 Samuel

Implications from 1&2 Samuel

Hooks from 1&2 Samuel

 God has exalted the humbled Christ.

 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 – Philippians 2:5-11

 We should serve God in humility while we await our exaltation in Christ.

 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

–       James 4:10

 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” –       1 Peter 5:6

 What have you bragged about lately?

 Do you consider humility a weakness or a strength?

 Do you regard Jesus as weak or powerful?

 Who are some humble people whom you admire?

 Is it harder to come up with names for these people than it is for self-promoting people?

 Does the source of your pride focus on God, or on yourself?

 Where do you turn first when things get tough?

 To whom do you give credit when things go well?

The “Jesus Focus” in the Book of Ruth

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in Ruth

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Charts adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Title for Ruth

Ruth: Theme

Ruth 4:14-15

“Empty to Full”

God uses Ruth and Boaz to fill Naomi’s emptiness by providing her with food and a son.

Then the women aid to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 
Christ-Focus in Ruth

Implications from Ruth

Hooks from Ruth

God became flesh in order to be our guardian-redeemer and provide us with fullness of life.

 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

 – John 10:10

We can embrace the fullness of life in Christ.

 (14) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, (15) from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, (16) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (17) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, (19) and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (20) Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (21) to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen

 – Ephesians 3:14-21

Are the things you are relying on for fulfillment only leaving you empty instead?

 Do you really believe that other people would know how to meet your deepest needs and desires better than the One who created you?

 Isn’t it time for you to choose fullness over emptiness?

 Is your Christ-card maxed out?

 Are you cashing in on all the fullness of life in Christ?

 Do you know the contentment that God wants for you whatever your circumstances may be?

 How could you raise your credit limit?

The Amazing Accuracy & Care of the Old Testament Manuscripts

No book in history has been copied as many times with as much care as has been the Word of God. The Talmud lists the following rules for copying the Old Testament.

1) The parchment had to be made from the skin of a clean animal, prepared by a Jew only, and be fastened by strings from clean animals.

2) Each column must have no less than 48 or more than 60 lines.

3) The ink must be of no other color than black, and had to be prepared according to a special recipe.

4) no word nor letter could be written from memory; the scribe must have an authentic copy before him, and he had to read and pronounce aloud each word before writing it.

5) He had to reverently wipe his pen each time before writing the Word of God, and had to wash his whole body before writing the sacred name “Jehovah!”

6) One mistake on a sheet condemned the sheet; if three mistakes were found on any page, the entire manuscript was condemned.

7) Every word and every letter was counted, and if a letter were omitted, an extra letter inserted, or if one letter touched another, the manuscript was condemned and destroyed at once.

The old Rabbi gave the solemn warning to each young scribe: “Take heed how thou dost thy work, for thy work is the work of Heaven; lest thou drop or add a letter of a manuscript and so become a destroyer of the world!”

The scribe was also told that while  he was writing if even a king would enter the room and speak with him, the scribe was to ignore him until he finished the page he was working on, lest he make a mistake!

In fact, some texts were actually annotated–that is, each letter was individually counted! Thus in copying the Old Testament they would note the letter aleph (first letter in the Hebrew alphabet) occurred 42,377 times, the letter beth 38,218 times, and so on.

According to scholars Westcott and Hort, the points in which we cannot be sure of the original words are microscopic in proportion to the bulk of the whole, some 1/1000. This only one letter out of 1580 in the Old Testament is open to speculation.

*This article is from some notes I took in a “Textual Criticism” class taught by Dr. Donald Brake back in the mid 1980’s at Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, OR.

The “Jesus Focus” in the Book of Judges

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in Judges

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Chart adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Judges Title

Judges: Theme

Judges 2:16-17

 “Rebellion and Rescue”

 God raises up judges to rescue His errant people from the consequences of their rebellion.

 “Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so.”
Christ-Focus in Judges

Implications from Judges

Hooks from Judges

 God raised up Christ, the ultimate judge, to rescue us from our sin and it’s consequences.

 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?.”

 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

 By the power of the Spirit of Christ, we may count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as instruments for righteousness.

 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

 – Romans 6:11-14

 Are you overcoming the world, or do you feel like the world is overcoming you?

 What aspects of life do you believe are richer outside of your relationship to God?

 What might you be relying on for victory instead of Christ?

 In what areas are you most in need of divine rescue?

 To what temptations are you particularly drawn?

 How can you realize God’s deliverance over these?

 What steps can you take preventing you from relapsing?

The “Jesus Focus” in the Book of Joshua

 Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in Joshua

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Charts adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Joshua Title

Joshua: Theme

Joshua 11:23

 “Victorious Rest”

 God uses Joshua to lead his people to victorious rest in the Promised Land

 “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.” 
Christ-Focus in Joshua

Implications from Joshua

Hooks from Joshua

 Christ brings His people victory over the challenges of this life.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

 

 – John 16:33

 We may now serve God confidently in the power of the Spirit of the one who fulfills the law, without fear of the penalty of the law.

 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

 – 1 Peter 1:3-5

 What battles are you fighting today?

 Did Jesus have battles to fight?

 Where do you look for strength?

 How do you keep your focus on Jesus who is the only one who can bring about victory for you?

 What counts as victory?

 Is the rest you seek the same as that of those who don’t know God?

 How do you know when you have the rest that God intends for you?

The “Jesus Focus” in the Book of Deuteronomy

Reading The Bible Through The Jesus Lens in Deuteronomy

“From Biblical Book to Biblical Hook”

Charts adapted from Dr. Michael Williams Book

Deuteronomy Title

Deuteronomy: Theme

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

 “Instruction”

 God gives Moses instructions for the second generation of Israel regarding faithful living in the Promised land.

 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your God?” 

Christ-Focus in Deuteronomy

Implications from Deuteronomy

Hooks from Deuteronomy

Christ perfectly fulfills the law, and so secures our relationship with God.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

 – Matthew 5:17

We may now serve God confidently in the power of the Spirit of the one who fulfills the law, without fear of the penalty of the law.

“Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of written code.”

– Romans 7:4-6

What drives your relationship with God, fear or gratitude?

Do you want to know your Creator better, or are you just trying to avoid His anger?

Do you view God’s instructions as restrictive or freeing?

How does your view of God affect your answer to the the question?

Who would know best how a human being should live in order to experience life most fully?

Whose effort secures your relationship with God?

Where does the Spirit of Christ dwell?