Mission in the Early Church

Featured

See More

Posted by in Authority of Jesus, Baptism, Behind the Text, Book of Acts, Church Growth, Pentecost, Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

What does the book of Acts teach about God’s mission in the early Church? As the narrative unfolded, the author Luke revealed how the Lord arranged every action and event to magnify His saving name in the world and transform communities into His singular image from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18b). The change agent is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. His salvific actions knew no bounds, beginning first with the Jews and then to the Gentiles. It crossed culture, ethnicity, language, socio-economics, and nations. His message spread in three phases: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), transcending challenges and achieving revival. Some view the supernatural events in the Book of Acts as exclusive to the early Church. Believers can rest assured that Jesus gives them the same tools today, including knowledge, access, authority, and power, through new birth so that they can utilize all the rights, benefits, and privileges of the Kingdom.

Tumultuous Birth

The birth of the church occurred in an environment of opposition, characterized by the presence of Palestinian Judaism, the Jewish Diaspora, Hellenists, and Romans. The earliest Christians considered themselves Jews who believed in the long-awaited Messiah, yet they continued to observe Jewish traditions, such as the Sabbath and worship in the Temple. However, fellow Jews mocked (2:13), arrested (4:1; 5:17), and persecuted (7:58; 8:1). Greeks considered Christians (and Jews) pagans because they worshiped one God as opposed to multiple. Christians also disrupted the local economy. Local citizens from Amastris, modern-day Amasra in Turkey, had approached Pliny that meat sales for sacrificial services had decreased because of the Christians.1 People additionally accused them of engaging in secret rituals involving sexual immorality, as well as of killing children, consuming their organs, and drinking their blood.2 To add to false accusations and misunderstandings, widespread and harsh persecutions existed through to Constantine in 324 AD and later. Nonetheless, Christianity became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire by the fifth century.3

Early Christians 

Early Christian communities saw themselves as Jews from the true assembly of a renewed Israel. They still attended temple and obeyed the Law, even though they had their own identity. They did not consider themselves separate from Judaism, but distinguished themselves as a faction identifying themselves by Jesus’ name but calling themselves Jews. They acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah and proclaimed His resurrection and imminent return to fulfill God’s kingdom. The group called themselves the ekklesia (or assembly or church), though they adhered to the Law and attended the temple. On the other hand, they called on the name of Jesus in water and Spirit baptism. They also gathered regularly to study the “apostles’ doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). As time progressed, they had difficulty getting along with the Jews and Romans. The Romans viewed Christians as atheists since they worshiped a single, invisible God. Like their Jewish brothers, they would not acknowledge or worship the emperor as a deity.4 

Jerusalem (Acts 2-5) 一 Local: Same Culture and Religion

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

The disciples encountered devout men from every nation under heaven representing diaspora from fifteen nations (Acts 2:5-11). A multitude of emotions ensued with the utterance of tongues. Some expressed amazement because they heard it in their own language (Acts 2:6,11). Others mocked them, saying they were full of new wine (2:13). Peter’s pointed address to Israel followed. The 120 spoke in tongues in a public place. Common to that setting, people would openly mock or heckle others. Accusing them of being drunk rubbed in the insult. While Greeks embraced a drunkenness for a “frenzied inspiration by the gods,” Jews viewed intoxication as sinful.55 Nevertheless, this supernatural event of the outpoured Spirit caught the attention of those at the feast and gave rise for Peter to explain it. It also catalyzed Peter’s evangelistic proclamation of the gospel message and subsequent people who believed, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21; 38).

Three thousand were baptized that same day (2:41), representing the fulfilled firstfruits of the new covenant. With this event, Jerusalem became the initial base of operations and staging area for the spread of the gospel. The apostles did signs and wonders.66 The church membership grew quickly, beginning with the 120 disciples and increasing to 3,000 on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41) and later to 5,000 at Solomon’s Portico (4:4). However, the church continued to grow daily (2:47; 5:12-16).

Several factors drove the immediate increase. First and foremost, the power from Jesus’ indwelt Spirit and authority from His Name created the influx. The Spirit let them hear the 120 speaking in tongues, each in their own language. Likewise, I believe the Spirit gave them understanding of Peter’s speech as well. It led to “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) and 3,000 souls baptized in the Name. Scripture also mentioned teachings, healings, and signs and wonders in the name of Jesus prior to the Lord growing His church. In fact, Luke mentioned two different accounts of Peter teaching and healing. Each resulted in his arrest, and both times, the Lord added believers to His church. After Peter healed the lame man and taught in the Name, 5,000 were healed (Acts 3:6, 16; 4:4). Even though the priests and Sadducees told him not to teach in the Name (5:28), “believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (5:14).

Second, Scripture doesn’t mention growth figures beyond this in the first four chapters. However, consider that the initial 3,000 came not only from the local population but also from a multinational diaspora within the Roman Empire present at the festival. They, in turn, took the gospel with them outside the boundaries of Jerusalem to their home country. In reality, the number of early Christians in the period represented from Acts 1-4 more than likely surpassed the listed amount.

Third, they formed a tight-knit, covenant community. The new believers continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer (v. 42). They also shared possessions and goods as members had needs. While they broke bread from house to house, they also continued daily in one accord in the temple (2:42-47). The members supported their spiritual growth and provided mutual support.

Judea (Acts 6-7) 一 Culturally Similar But Some Religiously Different

While the early church centered on the formation of the ekklesia, or the assemblage, as described in Acts 1:4, it concentrated on acts of diakonia as Christianity spread regionally in Judea. Diakonos means “one who, by virtue of the office assigned him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and distributes the money collected for their use.” 7The New Testament highlights how the apostles and believers carried out their God-given mission through serving others in the name of Jesus. Thus began the ministry of the church with Hellenist Jews.

Hellenist Jews 

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution (Acts 6:1).

As the church continued to grow, Acts 6:1 mentioned the conflict regarding the distribution of food to Christian widows of Hellenist Jewish descent within the early church community. Who were the Hellenist Jewish Christians? According to F. F. Bruce, the Hebrews spoke Aramaic and lived in the Palestine region. Conversely, the Hellenists, also Jewish, spoke Greek and practiced a Greek way of life.8 Hellenistic Jews were people from the first-century Jewish dispersion who lived in Jewish communities outside of the Holy Land. C. Peter Wagner noted that Hellenistic practices indicate these Jews “were molded to some degree by Greek culture, including the Greek language.”99 Since the Romans recognized Judaism as an authorized religion, it protected the Hellenist Jewish (Diaspora) communities outside Jerusalem and across the Roman Empire. While they did not participate in Greek civic life, they spoke the language daily and in their synagogues. As the Jewish Hellenists scattered abroad, they interacted with people from other religions. Their actions resulted in them making converts (proselytes) and, thus, gathering God-fearers, ethnic Gentiles who practiced Judaism. Later, Christian missionaries evangelized to these God-fearers.

The Twelve and the multitude of disciples decided to choose men full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to distribute food to the Hellenist widows, rather than leave ministering the Word (6:2). They chose Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas a Jewish proselyte from Antioch一All Hellenists with Greek names (6:5). Stephen, one of the six, did great wonders and signs among the people. He caught the attention of certain men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen who disputed with Stephen. Since they could not match his wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke, they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and brought him before the council. After Stephen’s poignant address to them, they cried fiercely, charged upon him, dragged him outside the city walls, and stoned him. Paul, then Saul, entered the scene persecuting the church (8:1-3). With the exception of the apostles, Christians moved throughout Judea and Samaria to escape oppression. The Gospel followed the scattered. After Stephen’s martyrdom, early believers congregated in Antioch of Syria (Acts 11:19–26). Antioch of Syria was located approximately 300 miles north of Jerusalem, in modern southern Turkey near Syria. It was here that believers first became known Christians. Paul launched his missionary journeys from Antioch.

Samaria (Acts 8) 一 Same Language, Different Culture, Ethnicity, and Religion

As Christianity spread, Philip came to the forefront of mission in Samaria. The Samaritans lived north of Judea and south of Galilee. They were a people of mixed ethnicity, exiled Israelites who remained in Assyria after the conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC (2 Kgs 17) and intermarried with the local population. Philip proclaimed the gospel and performed many miracles there. Unclean spirits were driven out, and the paralyzed and lame were healed. Great joy resulted. Now, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. They prayed that they might receive the Spirit and also laid hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Ghost (8:17). 

Philip also ministered to an Ethiopian eunuch on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza as directed by an angel (8:26-27). After encountering him, he heard the eunuch reading from Is 53:8, and he preached Jesus to him. As they went down the road in the middle of a desert, water appeared. Some traditions consider the eunuch to be the first gentile convert. Scripture does not make it clear. Nevertheless, he saw no reason why he couldn’t be baptized. Upon request, Philip baptized him. As the eunuch came up out of the water, the Spirit snatched (Grk: harpazō) Philip away. Philip was found next in Azotus near the coast, located twenty-five miles north of Gaza and thirty-five miles west of Jerusalem. From there, he made his way up to Caesarea (8:40).

End of the Earth (Acts 9-28) 一 Different Geographically, Religiously, Culturally, Linguistically, and Ethnically

Three key events turned mission in a new direction: Paul’s conversion and subsequent trips to minister to the Gentiles, Peter and the salvation of Cornelius a Roman centurion and his household, and the Jerusalem Council.Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, made it clear that the promise of the Spirit is for all believers equally: “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself” (NET Acts 2:39). 1010 With the inclusion of Gentiles, conflict arose from Jewish Christians who believed Gentiles should follow the Torah requirements for circumcision. 

 An unlikely candidate as a Christian convert, Paul (once Saul) was born in Tarsus as a diaspora Jew in a culture of strict adherence to the Law. However, Jesus knew Paul from the womb as a chosen vessel to bring the Gospel to the Gentile nations (9:15). His parents, both Pharisees, abhorred anything Greek. Gamaliel trained him at thirteen in Judea, where Paul mastered Jewish history, Psalms, and the works of the prophets during the six years he spent dissecting the Scriptures. He also spoke fluent Greek and passable Latin and had a familiarity with Greek philosophy and literature. The power of Jesus’ Spirit fueled and directed Paul’s knowledge and boldness to take the gospel message to the Gentiles on three mission trips. He carried the Gospel from Antioch of Syria all the way into Europe (Acts 13–14; 15:36–18:22; 18:23–21:17).

In another conversion account, the Lord flipped the tables on established Jewish social beliefs and norms through Peter, even though He commissioned him to preach to the Jews. The conversion of Cornelius and his household in Acts 11 went against the salvation protocol from the Circumcision faction. While praying in Joppa, Peter saw a vision of a sheet from heaven filled with all kinds of animals, including those not kosher. When told to eat, he refused, but the voice replied, “What God has cleansed, you must not call it common” (10:15). Soon messengers from Cornelius, a devout Gentile, arrived, and the Spirit sent him with them to Caesarea. There, Cornelius had gathered his household to hear God’s word.1111 Peter declared that no person should be called unclean. As he preached about Jesus, the Holy Ghost fell on all who heard, and they spoke in tongues and magnified God. To Peter’s astonishment, the Spirit was poured out on Gentiles too. And, Peter baptized them (Acts 10:1–48).

A third event marked a critical juncture in Gentile conversion. Galatians 2:1-10 described the conflict as false brethren from the church in Jerusalem contending that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved. Acts 15:5 described it further as a sect of the Pharisees who felt that it was not enough that Gentiles should believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Gentiles had to undergo circumcision and keep the law of Moses. After the apostles and elders disputed the matter, Peter arose and made it clear that God makes no distinction between Jews and Gentiles (Acts 15:7-9). Gentile salvation harmonized with Old Testament prophecy (Amos 9:11-12). The yoke of the law that even Israel’s fathers could not bear did not qualify them or form their identity as Christians (Acts 15:10).

Close

In the initial stages of the early church, the Spirit formed a community with new believers in Jerusalem. They came together in covenant with the Lord. Acts 2:42 shows that they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers, as they established their newfound identity (Acts 2:42). In addition to the 120 disciples from the upper room, people from fifteen nations who were there for the Feast of Pentecost believed that day. Not only did locals hear the gospel message, but the diaspora Jews took it with them to their home countries. Additionally, since the multitudes included proselytes who converted to Judaism (Acts 2:11), Gentiles also received salvation.


———————————————-

Jan Paron, PhD, September 24, 2025

  1. Robert L. Wilken, The Christians as the Romans Saw Them (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984), 15. ↩︎
  2. Ibid., 17. ↩︎
  3. William Dyer, “The Amazing Growth of the Early Church,” HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 68, no. 1 (2012): 1–7, https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v68i1.1268. ↩︎
  4. Rick Cornish, Five Minute Church Historian: Maximum Truth in Minimum Time (Colorado Springs: NAVPress, 2005), 26-27. ↩︎
  5. Craig S. Keener, Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1993), 328. ↩︎
  6. The book of Acts first mentions the word church or ekklēsia in Greek in chapter two. In this context it means a company of Christians united into one body. ↩︎
  7. “Diakonia,” Blue Letter Bible, accessed September 21, 2025, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1249/kjv/tr/0-1/ ↩︎
  8. F. F. Bruce, New Testament History: The Jews, the Romans, and the Church (Nashville, TN: Kingsley Books, 2018), loc. 5059. Kindle. ↩︎
  9. C. Peter Wagner. The Book of Acts: A Commentary (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2008), loc. 2018. Kindle. ↩︎
  10. Don Fanning, The New Testament and Missions: Themes of Theology that Impact Missions (Lynchburg, VA: Center for Global Ministries, Liberty University, 2009), 8. ↩︎
  11. He also went against Jewish societal expectations when entered Cornelius’ home since a Jewish man could not associate with someone who belongs to another people. ↩︎

Feast of Pentecost in the Old Testament and Its New Testament Fulfillment 

Featured

Posted by in Covenants, Feasts, Pentecost

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Acts begins in Jerusalem with the Spirit’s outpouring, initiating the birth of the Church. More than a moment in history, Pentecost fulfilled God’s redemptive promises spoken through the prophets. It carried covenantal significance rooted in Jewish tradition. At the same time, a cultural shock reverberated across the empire as the Gospel spread to many nations. In the next post of this series about Pentecost, we’ll examine the prophetic significance of Pentecost in the Old Testament and its fulfillment in the New Testament.

Understanding the feast’s background provides a threefold purpose. First, God reminds us through the feasts what He has done and will do for His people. Pentecost (also called the Feast of Weeks and Shavuot) connects to dwelling in the Promised Land and finding a permanent home (Lv 23:15-22, 33-43; Josh 22:1-5; Ps 81). Second, Pentecost serves as the fulfillment of Christ as the indwelt Messiah. It frames the establishment of the new covenant church through the outpouring of Jesus’ Spirit in Acts 2. Third, it foretells the anticipated ingathering and restoration of Israel, as well as a full harvest of souls from every nation, before the Messiah’s second coming with His final divine appointment with His people. 

Pentecost is a covenantal festival. Though not accepted as canonical text, the Book of Jubilees states that Noah was the first to celebrate the Feast of Weeks. He commanded that future generations “should celebrate the feast of weeks in this month once a year, to renew the covenant every year” (6:17). But God commanded the festival at Sinai.

The Feast in Jewish Tradition

The Lord set aside seven holy convocations for Israel for appointments with Him. In Lv 21:1-2, the Lord said to Moses,

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (NKJV).

Scripture first outlined the feasts in Deut 16:9 and later expanded them in Ex 23:14-19 and Leviticus 23. They form part of God’s relationship with Israel, with Pentecost as no exception. The Lord called them “My feasts” for He instituted them Himself. They were more than festivals, rather His specially appointed times reflected in the binding Mosaic covenant made with the collective people of Israel (23:2). The feasts were holy convocations (Heb: miqra or sacred assemblies) that bound Israel to worship and walk in covenant obedience living in God’s presence.

The feast occurred seven weeks after the harvest of the early grain at the end of the season (Ex 34:22). Deuteronomy 16:9 placed it seven weeks after the “sickle is first put to the standing corn.” This act marked the countdown from the Feast of the Firstfruits to the beginning of the grain harvest (wheat). Pentecost took place fifty days after Passover, or seven weeks in a day: seven weeks times seven days equals forty-nine. The Lord specified that Israel should “Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord” (Lv 23:15-16; cf., Dt 16:9–10). The following day counts as fifty (Grk: pentēkostē) with the festival itself lasting a day in duration.

For the Jewish people, the feast celebrated God as the Lord of the Harvest. They also viewed it as the giving of the Law on Shavuot, fifty days after Passover. In Jesus’ time, Jews considered Shavuot the anniversary of the Law because it fell exactly on the day God gave revelation of the Torah (Law of Moses) to Israel on Mount Sinai (Ex 19–24), commemorating the revelation there. Rabbi Held described it as the “season of the giving of our Torah.”1

You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD (Lev 23:17). 

The Lord specified that Israel give grain, meat, and drink offerings. Some offerings were given on an individual basis, while others were given by the priest on behalf of Israel. They each expressed something different:

  • FIRSTFRUIT OFFERING (Heb: bikkurim) from each man from Israel brought a basket of the first ripe produce from his fields to present before YHWH as an act of thanksgiving (Ex 23:16; Dt 26:1–2).
  • WAVE OFFERINGS (Heb: tenufah) of new grain left on the altar reflected their thanksgiving and consecration for the crops that year, acknowledging God as the Lord of the Harvest (Lv 23:16-17; cf. 6:14–23; Nm 28:26).
  • BURNT OFFERING (Heb: olah) for atonement consisting of seven, one-year-old unblemished lambs; one bullock; and two rams representing total consecration to Yahweh (Lv 23:18; cf. 1:3; 5:1-13; 7:7; Nm 28:27).
  • GRAIN OFFERING (Heb: minchah) of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram, and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; also one kid of the goats for thanksgiving, acknowledgment of provision given alongside the burnt offering2 (Lv 23:18; Nm 28:28).
  • DRINK OFFERING (Heb: nesek) showing joy and worship that goes with the burnt/grain offerings (Lv 23:18; cf. 6:8–13).
  • SIN OFFERING (Heb: chatat) of one kid of the goats for atonement/cleansing from sin (Lv 23:19a; cf. 4; 6:24–30; Nm 28:30). 
  • PEACE OFFERING (Heb: shelamim) of two, one-year-old lambs as a sacrifice for fellowship between the people and Yahweh (Lv 23:19b; 7:11).
  • FREEWILL OFFERING (Heb: nedavah), a personal gift offering based on how much God had blessed them that year. “Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you” (Dt 16:10-11).

Feast of Pentecost: Overview of the Offerings

The priests sacrificed the animals communally on behalf of everyone. When the text states “you shall offer” in the plural, it addresses Israel as a whole. The grain, oil, and animals were provided from the national storehouse and treasury (Neh 10:32–39). However, the men brought a firstfruits offering (Heb: bikkurim) and a freewill offering (Heb: nedavah).

FIRSTFRUIT OFFERING. At the Feast of Weeks, each man from Israel brought a basket of the first ripe produce from his fields to present before YHWH as an act of thanksgiving (Ex 23:16; Dt 26:1–2). This offering, called the firstfruits (bikkurim), marked the beginning of the wheat harvest and publicly acknowledged God as the source of Israel’s provision. Worshipers placed their baskets before the priest and recited a declaration recounting God’s redemption and faithfulness to bring them into the land (Dt 26:3–10). The priest then set the basket before the altar of the LORD (Dt 26:4,10). The worshiper rejoiced with the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow (Dt 26:11). Unlike the two leavened wheat loaves offered nationally by the priests (Lv 23:17–20), this firstfruits offering was an individual gift, expressing personal gratitude and covenant loyalty for God’s blessing on their harvest and giving them the land of milk and honey.

WAVE OFFERING. Israel brought two loaves of leavened bread made from new grain from their household, weighing two-tenths of an ephah (Lv 23:15; Nm 28:26). Unlike Passover (or the Feast of the Unleavened Bread), the two loaves offered contained leaven. Leaven commonly symbolizes decay in the Bible. Guzik pointed out the unusual combination of a wave offering with leaven with a burnt offering since the Lord forbade it (Ex 23:18; 34:25). He saw it as a “special symbolic message from God in the command to wave two leavened loaves of bread before Him at the feast of weeks, and then to offer those loaves with the burnt offerings.”3

This ceremony was the waving of the first sheaf of grain to be accepted by God. No one could eat any of the grain of the harvest until the first sheaf of the harvest was brought to the priest. The priest would wave the loaves upward and outward before the LORD as a national offering, symbolizing a sacrifice that dedicated the entire harvest to Him.

BURNT OFFERING. Israel also had to make a burnt offering for trespasses. Trespasses can range from oaths, touching anything unclean, swearing, speaking thoughtlessly, etc (Lv 5:1-4). Believer’s Bible states,” The distinctive feature of this offering is that restitution had to be made for the sin committed before the offering was presented” (5:16). The offering consisted of seven, one-year-old lambs without blemish, one young bull, and two rams for burnt offerings to the Lord. As the name suggests, a burnt offering (olah in Hebrew) is an offering made by fire unto the Lord (1:13). The animals for sacrifice had to be without blemish since the Lord would not want anything less. Considered the highest form of offering, it had a process for submission. First, the priests, acting on behalf of all Israel, laid their hands on the heads of the sacrificial animals to identify the nation with the sacrifice, symbolizing transference of guilt and presentation to YHWH for acceptance and atonement (1:4; 4:15). Then, he would kill them before the Lord. The blood of the sacrificed animals atoned for the sin of the person. The priest sprinkled the blood, skinned, cut up, and burned the animals. Finally, the priest burned everything on the altar as a “burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD” (1:9). 

GRAIN OFFERING. Each animal required a proportionate amount of flour, oil, and wine to be offered with it as a grain offering (Nm 15:3-10): three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram, one-tenth for each of the seven lambs, and also one kid of the goats.

DRINK OFFERING. A drink offering also accompanied the burnt offering (Lv 23:18; Nm 28:28). Like the grain offering, the amount had to be specific to the burnt offering: one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering for each lamb, one-third of a hin of oil for a ram, and half a hin of oil for a young bull (Nm 15:5-9). One half of a hin equals two quarts, one third measures one quart, and one fourth equals one quart. In all, it totaled three hins of oil or about three gallons.

SIN OFFERING. Leviticus 4:2-3 outlines a sin offering: “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them, (3) if the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering. The Believer’s Bible refers to it as sin through ignorance, meaning “more than lack of knowledge of the sin. It probably means that the sin was not willful, deliberate, or done in defiance or rebellion” (Nm 15:30). For this offering the person gave a kid of the goats (Lv 23:19a; Nm 28:30; cf. 4; 6:24–30. 

PEACE OFFERING. Israel also had to sacrifice two one-year old lambs for fellowship between the people and Yahweh (Lv 23:19b; 7:11). These lambs were presented with the two leavened loaves as a wave offering before the LORD, and they became holy for the priests to eat (Lv 23:20). The wave ceremony signified that the people and their produce were being offered to God and then accepted back for joyful fellowship. This offering expressed thanksgiving, fulfillment of vows, and celebration of covenant peace (Lv 7:11–13). By placing the peace offering alongside the firstfruit loaves, it portrayed reconciliation and communion between God and His people.

FREEWILL OFFERING. This offering represented a personal gift for the blessings God had given them that year. “Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you” (Dt 16:10-11). Unlike the national offerings of animals, grain, and drink required by law (Lv 23:18–20), the freewill offering allowed each man to decide the type and amount he would bring, whether grain, produce, money, or livestock (22:18–23). It demonstrated gratitude and devotion and reminded worshipers that no one was to appear before the LORD empty-handed (Dt 16:16–17). Similar to the firstfruits offering, the person presented the gifts in celebration with the “Levite and the stranger.” It highlighted God’s desire for joyful worship, generosity, inclusion, and care for the vulnerable (26:11–12).

Fulfillment in the New Testament

Israel had celebrated this summer feast for 1500 years before the first coming of Christ. Pentecost’s fulfillment created a prophetic marker of the anticipated revelation that began in Mt. Sinai and carried over to Jerusalem when Jesus poured out His Spirit with the true giving of the Law (Mt 5:17; Rm 8:3–4). He redeemed them from spiritual Egypt. Instead of the Law written on stone tablets, His Spirit wrote it on tablets of human heart in the upper room when they experienced fire falling, a mighty rushing wind, and noise with visible signs of speaking in tongues and inward spiritual transformation (Ex 31:18; Jer 31:33; Acts 2:2-3; 2 Cor 3:3).4 This outpouring fulfilled God’s promise: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezek 36:26), and confirmed the word of Joel: “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32a). Since Israel rejected the Messiah, the outpouring fell on a remnant and then Gentiles (Acts 2:16-20). From the church’s beginning, calling on the name of the Lord became central to every aspect of salvation, just as Peter declared on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost offerings also present a prophetic portrait that points to fulfillment in Christ.

FIRSTFRUIT OFFERING. The Feast of Weeks foreshadowed Jesus Christ’s resurrection and the harvest of believers gathered into the kingdom through His Spirit (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15). Fifty days after His resurrection, Jesus poured out His Spirit on the disciples (Acts 2:2–4). After Peter preached the gospel, about 3,000 believed and were baptized (Acts 2:41). These initial believers became the firstfruits of the new covenant brought about by the Holy Spirit, the beginning of a greater redemptive harvest to come (Acts 2:41).

WAVE OFFERING. This offering foreshadowed the creation and nature of the Church. Theologians see the loaves symbolizing the two people groups, Jews and Gentiles, brought together into one spiritual harvest and formed into one new body in Christ (Eph 2:14-16). This fulfillment began on the day of Pentecost when Jesus poured out His Spirit on His disciples. At this same feast, God gathered the first harvest of believers through His infilling, gathering the first harvest of Jewish believers, and later extending it to the Gentiles.

Further, the two loaves contained leaven, a symbol of sin, corruption, and imperfection. Levitical law commanded that Israel bake the two loaves with leaven (Lv 23:17). The Church, unlike its perfect head, Jesus Christ, reflects redeemed people who are prone to sin. God accepts His new community of faith and forgives their sins through grace by Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9).

BURNT OFFERING. Prophetically, the burnt offering connects to Jesus, the ultimate offering. Because of His great love for us, He sacrified Himself with total obedience leaving a sweet aroma pleasing to God (Eph 5:2). The original offering prescribed a sizable amount of animals on behalf of Israel (Lv 23:18; Nm 28:27). The fire on the altar consumed the entirety of each animal with nothing held back (Lv 1:9). Likewise, Jesus held nothing back on behalf of humanity. 

GRAIN OFFERING. The grain offering expressed thanksgiving and dedication of daily provision to YHWH. The fine flour offered symbolized the perfect and sinless humanity of Jesus Christ, while the oil represented the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Him (Lk 4:18; Acts 10:38). Offered without leaven, it pictured the purity of His life and ministry (Lv 2:11). Prophetically, this offering pointed to Jesus as the Bread of Life to give life to the world (Jn 6:35) and to the Spirit-filled Church as a consecrated offering of thanksgiving, wholly devoted to God’s service (Rom 12:1).

DRINK OFFERING. The pouring out of the drink offering pointed to Jesus pouring out His Spirit (Is 53:12; Lk 22:20). Since the drink offering represented a sign of dedication, joy, and relationship, the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost brought joy, spiritual victory, and a deeper covenantal bond. Hebrews 1:9 referred to God anointing his Jesus with the “oil of joy.” The infilling of the Spirit fully consecrated, filled, and empowered believers.

SIN OFFERING. Before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit came upon believers in Acts 2, the pattern of the sin offering revealed the truth that cleansing must come before Spirit infilling. Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross foreshadowed Him as the spotless Lamb who bore the sins of humanity, fulfilling God’s plan of redemption. Through His blood, He made remission of sins available to all who obey the gospel through repentance, water baptism in His Name, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Lk 24:47; Acts 2:38; Heb 9:26). The Pentecost sin offering pointed forward to the cleansed hearts of believers, prepared as vessels to receive God’s Spirit and walk in the newness of life.

PEACE OFFERING. This offering pointed to Jesus Christ, who made peace through His sacrifice and united believers as one body filled with His Spirit (Eph 2:14–17; Col 1:20). It also foreshadowed the unity and fellowship of those in the early church in Acts 2:42–47, who shared meals with gladness as a Spirit-formed community reconciled to God.  

Conclusion

In Jewish tradition, the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) signified the conclusion of the grain harvest and commemorated the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (Ex 19–20). It carried prophetic weight as Israel celebrated God’s revelation, their identity as His people, and the firstfruits of His provision (Ex 23:16; Dt 26:1–11). In this light, Pentecost’s fulfillment in Acts 2 becomes deeply significant. The Holy Ghost descended on the disciples (Jer 31:33; 2 Cor 3:3), and gathered the firstfruits of the Church into God’s kingdom through the preaching of the gospel (Acts 2:41; Jas 1:18). Pentecost also affirms its role as the beginning of the Church’s mission while pointing forward to the harvest still to come.

______________________________________________

  1. Shai Held, “Between Grief and Anticipation: Counting the Omer,” Center for Jewish Ideas and Leadership, 2. https://www.academia.edu/21697489/Between_Grief_and_Anticipation_Counting_the_Omer?nav_from=a777b1f0-6def-4041-8723-3ed6c034be78. ↩︎
  2. “Grain Offering,” BibleHub, accessed September 16, 2025,  https://www.biblehub.com/numbers/28-28.htm.  ↩︎
  3. David Guzik, “Wave Offering,” e-Sword, accessed September 15, 2025. ↩︎
  4. Some view tongues as confusion through the lens of Babel from Gn 11. Yet, the Feast of Pentecost typified the new covenant that the Lord would make with Israel in Jer 31:33,  “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Speaking in tongues at Pentecost caused mixed reviews by many of Jews. Some marveled that they understood in their own language while others viewed the disciples as drunk with new wine. Nevertheless, Jesus poured out His Spirit for all nations as demonstrated by the infilling at Pentecost and events thereafter. ↩︎

Jan Paron | 9-16-25

Part two of four. See Foundation of Acts: Beginning in Jerusalem

Foundation of Acts: Beginning in Jerusalem

Featured

Posted by in Acts 2:38, Apostle Paul, Apostolic Pentecostal Theology, Authority of Jesus, Baptism, Behind the Text, Book of Acts, Church Growth

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Authored by Luke, the book of Acts serves as a bridge between the Gospels and Epistles in the New Testament canon.1 It chronicles the early history of the Spirit-empowered church, provides doctrine, and gives a window into how early Christians lived out their newfound faith. Paul, then Saul, referred to them as the Way (Acts 9:2). This article examines the historical development and cultural aspects of the early church of Acts focusing on behind the text information regarding the framework of the book. 

The coming Spirit signaled the birth of the church–a watershed moment that fulfilled Old Testament prophecy: 

  • At Mount Sinai, the Lord gave the Law to Israel (Ex 19–24). Its fulfillment came with Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out in the true giving of the Law (Mt 5:17; Rm 8:3–4).
  • At Mount Sinai, the Law was given on tablets of stone (Ex 31:18). In the Upper Room, it was written on tablets of the human heart (Jer 31:33; 2 Cor 3:3; Heb 8:10).
  • God descended upon Mount Sinai at the place of the meeting with fire, wind, and noise. Those in the Upper Room experienced fire falling, a mighty rushing wind, and noise with both external and internal manifestations (Acts 2:2-3).2

After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles went to an upper room in Jerusalem as He commanded them, and remained there for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) until they “were endued with power from on high” (Lk 24:49). The group included those who were with Jesus, with the exception of Judas Iscariot. 

The remaining eleven disciples of the Twelve would hold an important distinction, having been with Jesus from the beginning as they witnessed His life from John the Baptist through to the resurrection. Acts 1:13 lists the disciples closest to Jesus, the apostles present in the upper room: “Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.” Jesus appointed them to be “with Him” (Mk 3:14). He had many disciples who physically followed Him, but He only designated certain people as His apostles. In Mk 3:13-14, Jesus explained He would send them out to preach and give them power to heal sicknesses and cast out demons. They had His authority in their witness. He commissioned the Twelve as His apostles, but in actuality He had other disciples.  One hundred twenty disciples, men and women alike, gathered in the upper room with the apostles steadfastly praying in “one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). Prior to the upper room Pentecost experience, Jesus sent seventy into the field to witness (Lk 10:1). 

To reiterate, they did not do so on their own accord, but by the authority of Jesus’ name in Luke 10:17. When they returned they said, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us thy name.” Not only does scripture give us an early reference for the usage and power of the Name–that is Jesus–but also a glimpse of the social system of that day. The deliverance through the Name by the seventy stood in contrast to the incantations of exorcists seeking to persuade devils. The invoking of the singular name of Jesus一God at the beginning of human life, beget by His Spirit一bound this diverse group in unity together.

Authorship

Luke wrote Acts, which many consider a continuation from the Gospel that bears his name. He ended the Gospel of Luke with the resurrection, ascension, and promise of the Spirit (Lk 24:44–53). Then, Acts begins by repeating these same events, showing a seamless continuation. The unity between the Gospel and Acts strengthens the case for Luke as their common author.

Though the book does not mention Luke’s name, theological circles generally view him as its author. Several lines of internal evidence support this claim. The book’s style, vocabulary, and theological emphasis resemble those in Luke. The author addressed both books to Theophilus, his patron (Lk 1:3; Acts 1:1). Luke also accompanied Paul on his three missionary trips, giving the author firsthand information about events that occurred. 

Beyond style and dedication, further confirmation of Luke’s authorship appears in the ‘we’ passages. The author sometimes shifts into the first-person plural ‘we’ form. This suggests that Luke himself was among those present. The first appears in Acts 16:10–17: “Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them” (especially verse 11). This vision at Troas prompted Paul and his companions, including Luke, to set out for Macedonia. Other ‘we’ references include Acts 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1–28:16.3

Alongside this narrative continuity and internal evidence, Luke’s professional background also shaped his writing. Since he was a physician by trade, his books provide readers with comprehensive and orderly accounts. His descriptions of Paul’s missionary journeys include precise geographical references, travel details, and portraits of the people he encountered. Taken together, these clues affirm Luke’s role as both author and careful historian, preparing the way for a closer look at the genre of Acts.

Genre

The book itself reflects a general narrative, an ancient form of historiography.4 However, beyond its historical record, Acts carries theological weight through its witness. Luke laid out the doctrine of the Name: a book of Acts paradigm that teaches the inseparable unity of the one God in three administrations revealed in Jesus. It launched the saving guide to the question: “’Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 38 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call'” (Acts 2:37-39). Thus, Acts functions not only as history but as a theological witness, centering salvation in the name of Jesus.

Keener described the style of Acts as written in Greek with a ‘biblical’ or ‘Jewish’ accent. Luke’s writing sounded like someone well-versed in Jewish Scripture even though he wrote in Greek. In other words, Acts would feel familiar both to Jews reading the Septuagint and to Gentiles accustomed to Jewish storytelling styles. 5 In addition to style, Luke’s accuracy as a historian is supported by archaeology, which verifies names, places, and titles throughout Acts.”

Some secular historians might look at the book of Acts as fiction, however, archeology proves otherwise. We can find it in Ancient Near East ruins, inscriptions, and artifacts that prove the story of Acts and its timeline. For example, in Acts 13:7, Luke called the Roman ruler Sergius Paulus proconsul, when Paul met him in Cyprus. Before 22BC, propraetors administered Cyprus.6 However, when Cyprus became a province, proconsuls governed it. Multiple inscriptions containing the name Sergius Paulus appear to portray him as prominent in the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD.–A Greek inscription from Soloi in Cyprus, mentions a proconsul named Paulus during the 1st century AD (IGR III, 930).”7 Further, the Galillio Inscription dates his service and Paul’s ministry there with a fixed marker. The example of the proconsul from the multiple inscriptions not only describes accurate titles for political figures, but also accounts that actually occurred. Such archaeological accuracy strengthens the case for Luke’s reliability as both historian and author. Acts therefore stands as more than a story of the early church. The book provides theological witness to salvation in Jesus and a historically reliable account confirmed by archaeology.

Audience

One hundred twenty disciples continued together in prayer in an upper room waiting for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:13-15). On the day of Pentecost, the ministry of Jesus through His Spirit began in the disciples. Additionally, Jews from fifteen nations gathered in Jerusalem for the feast. Luke listed “Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians” (Acts 2:8-11). Jewish men of age with good health would make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times annually一Passover, Pentecost, and Ingathering. The presence of Jews from across the empire ensured that the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost would ignite a worldwide movement. Many of those present belonged to the wider Jewish diaspora, which stretched across the Roman Empire.

By the mid–first century BCE, several thousand Jews resided in Rome, some brought there as slaves after Pompey’s conquest of Judea in 63 BCE, while others migrated voluntarily, drawn by the city’s opportunities for commerce, stability, and advancement.8 Similar Jewish communities flourished in other major cities such as Alexandria in Egypt, Antioch in Syria, and across Asia Minor. When the Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, many of these visitors received the message of salvation in Jesus. Returning home, they carried the Gospel back with them to their nations, synagogues, and villages, becoming the first witnesses to spread the good news beyond Jerusalem.

The Gospel began among the Jews at Pentecost, but Acts traces its widening reach—from diaspora Jews to the Ethiopian eunuch, to Cornelius the Roman centurion, and finally to whole Gentile communities like Antioch. The Gospel went first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles. The Ethiopian eunuch was the first time the Gospel moved beyond Jerusalem toward a non-Jewish seeker (8:26–40). Peter, then ministered to Cornelius and his family (Acts 10:44–48). The Spirit fell upon them while he preached. He then baptized them. Peter concluded, “God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (Acts 11:18 NKJV). After Stephen’s death, believers scattered and some preached to the Hellenists, the Greek-speaking Gentiles in Antioch. The city was the third-largest city in the Roman Empire (after Rome and Alexandria). Many Gentiles believed, and Antioch became the first major Gentile church and a missionary hub (Acts 11:19–21, 26). Paul’s three missionary trips took the Gospel even further into the Gentile nations.

Timeline of Events

Understanding the general timeline of events in Acts not only provides an overall picture of the beginnings of the early church but also establishes a framework for the epistles that follow.

Upper Room

  • Jesus ascended and commissioned the disciples in AD 30 AD
  • One hundred twenty disciples gathered in an upper room and continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14)

Witness in Jerusalem (1:1-8:1)

  • The outpouring of the Holy Ghost was AD 30 — 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection (2:2-4; cf. Jn 3:8; 20:22)
  • Peter addressed the crowd (Acts 2:14-36)
  • Peter’s explanation of how to be saved (2:38)
  • 3000 souls saved (v.41)
  • Stephen was martyred AD 32 (7:39)
  • Persecution of the church and their scattering in Judaea and Samaria AD 33–34 (8:1)
  • Saul (later Paul), created havoc in the church entering homes and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison AD 33-37 (8:3-9:1-2)

Witness in Judaea and Samaria (8:5-12:23)

  • Paul was converted AD 37 (8:5-12:25)
  • Gospel was preached to the Gentiles (Cornelius, a Roman centurion) in AD 40 (10:1–48 – 11:1–18)
  • James the apostle martyred by Herod 44 AD (12:1-2)
  • Herod imprisoned Peter but an angel rescued him AD 44 (12:3-5, 7:11)
  • An angel of the Lord smote Herod Agrippa I, King of Judea and he was eaten of worms  AD 41-44 (12:23)

Witness Beyond

  • Paul’s first missionary trip: Sent out from Antioch with Barnabas to Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe; return to Antioch AD 48 (13:1–14:28)
  • Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome AD 49 (18:1–2) 
  • Jerusalem Council–Debate over circumcision and Gentile believers     AD 49 (15:1–29)
  • Paul’s second missionary journey: Travelled through Asia Minor and into Macedonia and Greece–Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth AD 50-52 (15:36–18:22)
  • Paul’s third missionary journey: Strengthened churches in Galatia and Phrygia, spent extended time in Ephesus, travelled through Macedonia and Greece, then returned to Jerusalem AD 53-57 (8:23–21:17)
  • Paul beheaded according to tradition AD 64–67
  • Peter crucified AD 64-67
  • Apostle John exiled to Patmos AD 85-96 

Culture and Conflict

The early church developed in a Greco-Roman context, one with numerous languages, religious practices, customs, and ethnic identities. As the Gospel spread outward from Jerusalem to Rome, Christianity often clashed with Jewish traditions and Greco-Roman culture. Luke chronicled the conflicts Paul encountered as he evangelized to Jews, God-fearers, pagans, philosophers, and aristocrats. In some cases, Paul faced fiercer opposition from Jews than from the Greeks.

Wherever Paul traveled, he first brought the message of salvation to the Jews. It often resulted in causing uproar and often turning violent (17:5). When the whole city in Pisidian Antioch gathered to hear him preach the word of God, the Jews became jealous and opposed him. While many of the Gentiles believed, the “Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts” (13:50). This same pattern of unbelieving and envious Jews ousting him happened repeatedly in places like Iconium (14:1–6), Thessolonica (17:1-9), Berea (vv. 10-14), Corinth (18:12–17), and Jerusalem (21:27–36). Yet, Paul prevailed in his mission work.

Idol worship permeated throughout the Greco-Roman world. When Paul arrived in Athens, “his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry” (17:16). Athens had an estimated 30,000 gods in it, perhaps more idols than people. 9 As Stott described, the city as submerged in idols influencing every facet of their lives. 10 10 11 Every gateway or porch had its protecting god. They lined the five-mile road from Piraeus up to Athens and every place of prominence whether on walls or in the agora. Greeks worshiped multiple gods (polytheistic) such as Athena, Poseidon, and Zeus.12 Idolatry held such an important facet of Greek life that it was unlawful to promote the worship of a foreign god.13 Paul encountered pagan idol worship as he traveled throughout the Roman Empire. The people of Lystra worshipped him after healing a lame man. They later stoned and left him for dead because of incitement from opponents (14:8–19). The casting out of a spirit from a fortune-telling slave girl caused economic uproar because her owners lost a profit. They dragged Paul and Silas to the authorities and a mob beat them (16:16-24). Paul’s teaching in Ephesus threatened the idol-making trade, leading to a massive uproar in the theater with the crowd shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (19:23-41).

Yet, against this background, the early church grew. Adherents increased from 25,000 in AD 100 to 20 million by AD 310.14 The explosive growth stands without the modern conveniences of travel and communication. Even persecution could not deter Christianity’s spread.

Highlights

  • Received the promise of the Father with the initial sign of speaking in other tongues in Is 28:11 (Lk 24:49;Acts 1:4; 2:33)
  • Baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38; 8:12, 16; 19:5; 10:48; 22:16)
  • His writings give us a portrait of local color, people, and events of the newly founded church of the Spirit.
  • The book reflects the works of Jesus’ Spirit infilled in believers throughout the generations.
  • We also can read of the growth of the early church as well as its struggles. For example, growth figures from untamed and mixing of Jews and Gentiles in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). 
  • Sets the stage for the epistles that follow and a characterization of the apostle Paul and his missionary work. 
  • It provides a biblical model for unity visible in the church for us to follow today in Acts 2:42: 
  • Last, it demonstrates how to minister to people from different backgrounds as evidenced by Paul avoiding a one-size fits all communication style with the various ethnicities of which he evangelized and preached.

Conclusion

The book of Acts stands as both history and theology, a Spirit-inspired account connecting the Gospels to the Epistles. It not only serves to ground the church in the doctrine of the Name of Jesus, but also records the expansion of the salvation message from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Acts portrays how the early church grew into a global movement beginning from that day in Pentecost and expanding to cities across the Roman Empire. Luke preserved this early church’s account with accuracy, showing the power of the Holy Ghost to overcome Christianity’s obstacles of opposition, cultural barriers, and persecution. The narrative not only sheds light on the past but also provides a model for unity, mission, and faithfulness that continues to guide the church today.

____________________________________________________

  1. Ben Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1998), 113. Witherington noted that Codex D adds σὺν γυναιξὶν to include “along with women,” referring to the wives and children of the apostles. This indicates a merging of familial households into the Christ of faith.  Darrell L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2007), 78. Darrell Bock agreed with this same structure adding that Luke highlights the role of women in spreading the Gospel in Acts. ↩︎
  2. Premier Study Bible: Book of Acts Commentary (Elk Grove: Apostolic Publisher International, 2021), 1510. ↩︎
  3. Karl Leslie Armstrong, Dating Acts in Its Jewish and Greco-Roman Contexts (London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2021), http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/fuller/detail.action?docID=6458988. ↩︎
  4. Craig S. Keener, Comprehensive Cultural and Contextual Exegesis of Acts, Vol. 1 , vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 506, Kindle. ↩︎
  5. Ibid, 2087. ↩︎
  6. “3 Archaeological Finds That Confirm The Book of Acts,” Testify, accessed September 4, 2025, https://youtu.be/t8enwoGIas8?si=d63HSrnj3WC-DRW_. ↩︎
  7. “Archae27, “Sergius Paulus the Proconsul and the Apostle Paul,” APXAIOC Institute of Biblical accessed September 4, 2025, Archaeology, https://apxaioc.com/?p=20 ↩︎
  8. Rajak, Tessa. “The Jewish Diaspora in Greco-Roman Antiquity.” Interpretation 72, no. 2 (December 31, 2018): 146–62. doi:10.1177/0020964317749542. 151-152. ↩︎
  9. James O. Davis, “How To Know The Unknown God: Acts Series #3,” Visionary Leadership, Accessed September 9, 2025, https://jamesodavis.com/2021/11/09/how-to-know-the-unknown-god-acts-series-31/. ↩︎
  10. David Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles: Pillar New Testament, 488. ↩︎
  11. Verse 23 goes into more detail about what Paul viewed. He saw operating pagan shrines filled with images of the gods and goddesses: “I passed by and beheld your devotions.” I would seem by this verse that quite possibly they openly worshiped their gods and goddesses in shrines. ↩︎
  12. Apostle Paul’s Path Through Ancient Greece, https://www.greekboston.com/culture/ancient-history /apostle-pauls-path/ ↩︎
  13. “What Does Acts 17:20 Mean?” Bible Ref, accessed September 9, 2025, https://www.bibleref.com/Acts/17/Acts-17-20.html. ↩︎
  14. Alan Hirsch, The Forgotton Ways (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2006), 18. ↩︎

Levitical Law of Offerings

06 Monday Oct 2025

Posted by in Levitical Offerings, Offerings, Leviticus, Leviticus 1-5

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Leviticus 1:  Law of the Burnt Offerings

Deep within the Old Testament writings are five major offerings, each pointing to the future fulfillment of Christ’s sacrificial offering Himself on Calvary for the redemption of men. Typologically, each offering portrayed the life, death, and work of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

As recorded in Lv 1, it describes Moses receiving instructions to bring an offering to the Lord. Within this passage, the text focuses on the entire burnt offering, which emphasizes Christ’s willingness to sacrifice Himself for the entire world. In the fullness of time, Jesus, who came as the Lamb of God, would ultimately give Himself as a ransom for others (Rom 3:25). Within this chapter, the animal sacrifice, which was selected from the cattle or the herd, also portrayed the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. Thus, these animal sacrifices had to be perfect because Jesus offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Scripture teaches that the offering had to be a male without blemish. Why? In John’s teachings, he describes Jesus as the perfect Lamb of God who died for man’s sin (Jn 1:29). This offering directs our attention to Jesus, who became the perfect sacrifice. Because of His death on the cross, this offering was to be presented as a voluntary (free will) offering (Lv 1: 3).1 For an individual’s offering to be accepted for atonement, the person had to approach God for themselves. Then, the Lord would accept his offering as an atonement for his sins. Thus, this offering serves an expression of dedication and faithfulness which is the essence of true worship.

To complete the sacrificial process, the person had to place their hands upon the head of the burnt offering. By placing their hands upon the sacrifice, the individual transferred their sins to the animal. This procedure was a clear picture identifying the animal to be the sacrificial victim. Through this symbol, the guilty person transferred his guilt to the sacrificial victim that would die in his place. The animal sacrifice then served as the propitiation for their sin. In other words, the sacrificial animal became the individual’s substitute for their personal sins. Additionally, placing their hands upon the offering represents the person surrendering to God while accepting His gift freely. Thus, this sacred process portrays Jesus Christ, who became man’s propitiation for sin, as He took our place on the cross. Scripture states, “And He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn 2:2).

To clarify, Lv 1:6, connects the burnt offering to the Abrahamic Covenant. In Gn 15:9-10, the Lord instructed Abraham to take and kill a heifer, a ram, a goat, a dove, and a pigeon.2 In addition, He was commanded to cut them in half (except the birds) and lay the pieces in two rows, leaving a path through the center. This covenant was sealed with promises made through blood. By cutting or flaying the burnt offering in halves, it demonstrated the idea that the same will be done to the one who breaks the covenant. In the Torah, ancient covenants were sometimes confirmed by cutting the sacrifices in halves between both parties. This Old Testament covenant points to a new and better covenant (Heb 9:23). Mere animals’ lives cannot remove sin; their blood wasn’t sufficient (10:4). However, in Christ, the shadows of the Old Testament became a reality. Christ fulfilled all the blood covenants with His own blood. Through His sacrificial “free will” offering, Jesus paved the way for our salvation (Jn 3:16). As to the sacrifice itself, the priests were required to offer the sacrifice with fire upon wood. For this reason, the sealing of the covenant is significant. At that moment of the cutting of the sacrifice, the Lord walks between the two pieces and seals the terms of the covenant. Two thousand years ago, Jesus went to the cross for our sins. Isaiah 53 introduces the prophecy of the suffering Messiah whose body was beaten and bruised for our iniquity. Therefore, this burnt offering speaks to men individually to come into this covenant agreement with Jesus. No one else can take your place at the altar; you must come alone and acknowledge your sins before the Lord. Thus, an individual must accept Jesus as their personal savior. Jesus is the only way (Jn 14:6).

 Leviticus 2: Law of the Meat Offerings

The second chapter of Leviticus describes the meal offering (meat/food), which emphasizes the balance, fragrance, and purity of the life that was offered. Thus, this offering was crucial because the meat offering unto the Lord was the one offering that did not contain any meat. This offering was classified as a meal offering due to its use of grain and/or cereals made from fine flour (vv. 1-3). In addition, the Lord required the use of oil and frankincense for this offering (v. 1). These ingredients play a crucial role in the salvation process.

In verse three, the Lord reserves a small portion of this offering to be prepared for Aaron and his sons (priest). According to Lv 2:3, the Lord instructs that a remnant of the meat be offered to Aaron’s and his sons, emphasizing its holiness and significance. In accordance with the sacrificial system, this verse highlights the priestly role, as the offering is set apart for the priests. This process was established because the priests were responsible for managing the worship practices and services. To this end, this sacrificial offering speaks of gratitude and devotion to God, reflecting the communal aspect of worship. Additionally, Lv 2:3 underscores the significance for holiness and reverence when approaching God in the role of the priesthood when mediating between God and the people.

Within this context, the word “burnt” translated into Hebrew means to present. In Rom 12:1, Paul admonishes the believers to “present their bodies a living sacrifice.”3 The primary thought behind this offering is that it’s a “gift” that’s being presented to God as an act of worship. Because this product came from the soil as a result of human labor, it symbolized the consecration to God of the fruit of one’s labor. Thus, this sacrifice was in the form of food, and indicated that all our toil or our activities should be dedicated to God (1 Cor 10:31). For this reason, this offering is a free will offering because the Lord gave Himself as a “free will” offering for us. In this, we offer to God the work of our hands (Eph 4:11). Our offering should always be sacrificial by offering Him our best.

Leviticus 3: Law of the Peace Offerings

In this chapter, the peace offering speaks of reconciliation, which was accomplished with Jesus’ death on the cross. Consequently, this sacrificial offering had its fundamental qualities steeped in the concept of fellowship. This concept is indicated as part of the offering that was laid on the altar and burned as a gift to the Lord. Additionally, part of this offering was given to the priest, and the remainder was eaten by the worshiper. Without a doubt, this offering expressed not only joy, peace, and gratitude but also a joint role in participation, fellowship, and friendship with the Lord.

Leviticus points to sacrificial animals as a peace offering unto the Lord. As seen before, the required sacrifice had to be a male or female, without blemish (v. 1). As before, the Lord required each individual to lay their hands upon the head of their offering, and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting (v. 2). Furthermore, Aaron and his sons had to sprinkle the animal’s blood upon the altar and the roundabout. Why? Because the peace offering was special and it pointed to our fellowship and relationship with the Lord (v. 3). Included in the offerings were the fatty parts (liver, kidneys, and caul above the liver), which all belong to the Lord. This is why in verse four, the Lord gave instructions to Moses pertaining to these two kidneys, and their fat. The fatty parts of the sacrifice were sacred to the Lord. They had to burn the kidneys upon the altar as a sweet savor unto the Lord (vv. 4-5).

In Lv 3:7-17, God gave the same instructions to be applied to the sacrificial offering from the flock, be it male or female. However, there is one exception between these two offerings. Moses was instructed to retrieve the whole rump of the sacrifice, which was referred to as the broad fat part of the tail of a sheep, along with the two kidneys and the caul above the liver. For this purpose, these fatty parts were special to the Lord, perhaps because the organs represent a way of cleansing the body, which is a type of cleansing for the individual. Also, the peace offerings were given as God’s portions because the Lord is the giver of all good things.

To this end, these offerings were divided between the altar, the priest, and the owner. In addition, the peace offering was given because it restored the relationship between God and man, as they feasted together as a token of friendship.4 For this cause, Christ is our Peace, our Peace offering; for through Him alone we can obtain an answer of peace to our prayers. Moreover, the peace offering was offered by way of thanksgiving for some mercy received. We must continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise. Christ is our ultimate Peace offering. Scripture states, “then this shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock.” These parts were offered as a token of gratitude, expressing love, appreciation, and devotion.

Leviticus 4 & 5: Law of Sin and Trespass Offerings

Both the sin and trespass offering emphasizes the atoning nature of Christ’s sacrifice, saving men from all sin – past, present, and future. Within this passage, the sin and trespass offerings were not a voluntary sacrifice, as were the previous three offerings. This was a mandatory offering required by all priests (4:3-12), the congregation as a whole (vv. 13-21), rulers (vv. 22-26), and common people (vv. 27-35).

Consequently, the sin sacrificial offering became known as the ultimate atonement for sins, whether done through ignorance or unintentionally.5 To God, a sin of this type may result from two sources: neglect or ignorance. In any case, the Lord’s justice is always shown. There were different kinds of sin offerings, according to the rank and responsibility of the offender.

The priests were required to bring a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord; this offering was applied to the entire congregation. If it was a ruler, he was to bring a kid of the goats and one of the common people was to bring a kid or lamb. This was not given to indicate different standards of morality, but there were degrees of responsibility corresponding with the rank and position of the individuals. The sin of the ruler was significant because of his wide influence, which might create a greater problem or reproach of the name of God. This type of influential sin creates greater devastation of the common people.

 Significance of the Sacrifices – Fulfilled at Pentecost

In summary, pointing to Pentecost, each of these sacrificial offerings find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ as they hold deep theological significance. The burnt offerings emphasize the need for proper worship and sufficient atonement for sin. To this end, it outlined God’s instructions to demonstrate to His people how to approach Him with humility and obedience, which sets the stage for the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who fulfilled the requirements of the Law.

The meat offering is also significant and finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus became our meal offering during the Feast of Pentecost.6 Because of the fine flour, and not accompanied by the death of an animal, this offering emphasizes the importance of God’s work and their dedication and devotion to Him. This offering is a type that points to Pentecost by highlighting the spiritual and agricultural aspects of the festival, as well as the community. In addition, it serves as a reminder of the importance of God’s people’s work and their dedication, emphasizing the importance of worship, celebration, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The peace offering is a significant sacrificial offering during the Feast of Pentecost as well. It’s most crucial because it symbolizes the reconciliation and communion between God and man. This offering celebrates the peace and fellowship between the divine and men. Jesus is the glue that reconciles men and restores their relationship with Him. For this reason, Jesus died on the cross to reestablish a perfect relationship with man. It was His blood that bridged the gap. Through the blood of the perfect Lamb, the reconciliation of peace was fulfilled through the perfect sacrifice for sin, which restored the relationship between God and humanity. The Feast of Pentecost, with its prescribed sacrifices, serves as a profound reminder of the Lord’s provision, the necessity of atonement, and the promise of a spiritual renewal and empowerment through the Holy Spirit. This was all fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Finally, the sin offering played a significant role in the Old Testament sacrifices which also points to the Feast of Pentecost. Thus, the sin offering underscores the need for atonement, purification, while acknowledging human sinfulness drives the necessity for divine forgiveness. The purpose for this offering, whether unintentional or intentional sins, serves as a picture of Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Additionally, it underscores the necessity of atonement and the promise of spiritual renewal and empowerment through the Holy Spirit. To wit, the sin offering, along with the other sacrifices, serves as a reminder of God’s provision and the fulfillment of Jesus Christ who became the ultimate, sinless payment for sin.

Pastor Katherine Gethers, 10-6-25

Assistant Pastor, Lighthouse Church of All Nations/Professor of Theology, All Nations Leadership Institute

_________________________________

  1. The free will (or freewill) offering was a sacrifice regulated by God’s standards in the Mosaic Law, but it was completely voluntary (Lv 23:38). In the Law, the free will offering was to be of a male bull, sheep, or goat with no physical deformities or blemishes, and it was not to have been purchased from a foreigner (Lv 22:17–25). The offering was to include flour mixed with oil and wine; the amounts varied on whether the sacrifice was a lamb, bull, or ram (Nm 15:1–10). As with all sacrifices, the free will offering was to be made in a place of God’s choosing, not in an area formerly used by other religions or at home (Dt 12). Leviticus 1:6 – Bible Verse Meaning and Commentary | Bible Study Tools ↩︎
  2. Take off its skin; this was the only part of it that was not burnt, and was the property of the priest, (7:8) but who this was done by is not so manifest, since it is in the singular number “he”, and seems to be the bringer of the offering; for Aaron’s sons, the priests that sprinkled the blood, are spoken of plurally; and agreeably, Gersom observed, that the flaying of the burnt offering and cutting it in pieces were lawful to be done by a stranger; but Aben Ezra interprets “he” of the priest; and the Septuagint and Samaritan versions read in the plural number, “they shall flay” and this was the work of the priests, and who were sometimes helped in it by their brethren, the Levites, (2 Chron 29:34) and as this follows upon the sprinkling of the blood, it was never done till that was; the rule is, they do not flay them (the sacrifices) until the blood is sprinkled, except the sin offerings, which are burnt, for they do not flay them at all. What is a free will offering / freewill offering? | GotQuestions.org ↩︎
  3.  While the burnt offering speaks of some of the features of our Lord Jesus Christ having primarily in view the establishment of the will and the pleasure of God, the meal offering speaks, not so much of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, but of the perfection of His Manhood. The Meal Offering – Leviticus 2: George Davison ↩︎
  4. The Peace Offering, also known as the “fellowship offering,” is one of the key sacrifices detailed in the Old Testament, specifically within the Levitical law. It is primarily described in the book of Leviticus, where it is presented as a voluntary act of worship, thanksgiving, and communion with God. The Peace Offering is distinct from other offerings such as the burnt offering, sin offering, and guilt offering, each serving unique purposes within the sacrificial system. Topical Bible: Understanding the Peace Offering ↩︎
  5. The sin offering, as detailed in the Old Testament, is a crucial component of the sacrificial system instituted by God for the Israelites. It is primarily outlined in the book of Leviticus and serves as a means for atonement for unintentional sins, allowing the people to maintain a right relationship with God. The sin offering underscores the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin, while also pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ.Topical Bible: Understanding the Sin Offering ↩︎
  6. In the New Testament, the Feast of Pentecost then takes an additional significance as it relates to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles as recorded in Acts 2. This event marks the birth of the Church and the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit, as prophesied in Joel 2:28-32. For this reason, this sacrificial system finds its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who became the perfect sacrifice for sin, bringing restoration, reconciliation and peace between God and man. ↩︎

Preaching Across the Pews

31 Tuesday Dec 2024

Posted by in Contextualization, Intercultural Studies, Multicultural Church, Multiethnic Church, Posts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Theologians have been writing about the transmission of the Gospel in indigenous terms, or local theologies, since the 1970s. Pioneers in this field, whose works have become seminal, include Vincent J. Donavan (1978), Paul G. Hiebert (1985), Robert J. Schreiter (1985), and Stephen B. Bevans (1992).1 They explored the concepts of faith in understandable and relatable terms of which a specific community can make meaning.

In 1978, Vincent Donovan described missionary work as “taking the message of Christ to people who do not believe in him, who indeed have never heard of him.” 2 However, he also highlighted the unintended consequences of the early missionaries’ efforts in East Africa, where evangelizing often disrupted and erased the culture and customs of local people.3 Centuries ago, these missionaries encountered widespread slavery that had destabilized village life. In response, they purchased slaves and employed them on Christian-operated plantations. They baptized, trained, and arranged marriages among the enslaved, aiming to establish Christian families who would carry on their faith through future generations.4 Donavan wrote:

The mission compounds are still in evidence in East Africa. And the questionable motivation for baptism, the subservience and dependence of the christianized peoples, the condescension of the missionaries, are themes that have returned again and again in the intervening hundred years.5

Although the missionaries aimed to further Christ’s mission by altering the demographic makeup of the area, their efforts failed to achieve lasting impact. Their approach did not succeed in fostering familial Christianization that could extend across generations. Instead, their strategy disrupted the identity of East Africans and left a lasting mark of slavery, overshadowing their intentions.

The pendulum for defining missionary work later shifted toward tolerance and conscience. Some argued that missionary efforts violated individual conscience by attempting to convert people to Christian beliefs. Meanwhile, another trend emerged, emphasizing the provision of aid and resources to impoverished nations, with conversion entirely set aside. Donovan referred to this group of missionaries as an “ecclesiastical peace corps.” Their mission focused on bringing freedom, knowledge, health, or prosperity, unintentionally echoing earlier missionary strategies that combined conversion with social programs, such as the slave/school concept.6

Donovan worked with the Masai and learned principles that sharply contrasted with past missionary approaches. He argued that Christianity must move beyond its Western cultural expressions and connect meaningfully with local communities. Missionaries, he contended, should proclaim the Gospel in ways that align with the cultural and social realities of those they seek to reach, following the example of the apostle Paul in Athens. For instance, collective societies in Latin America prioritize the individual’s role within the community. This perspective differs significantly from classical theological traditions, which often emphasize personal salvation and holiness—concepts that can conflict with communal values.7

Shift: Engage in the Local Culture

Vincent Donovan’s approach to preaching emphasized engaging the cultural and social realities of the audience, a principle that continues to hold relevance in modern contexts. Following his perspective, the nature of preaching serves as a conduit for the Spirit to transform the listener through the Gospel. Effective communication must (1) support God’s purpose and plan, (2) revolve around love, (3) originate from the Holy Spirit, (4) bring meaning, and (5) unify the Body in diversity.8 This requires those transmitting the Word to step outside their own worldview and belief system, considering the perspective of the audience and extending beyond familiar frameworks.

Considering how social media extends the reach of a sermon, it gives pause to spreading the Gospel message outside the four walls of the church. In a rapidly changing, pluralistic country such as the United States, the dynamics of worldview offer an eye-opening view of culture. According to Ryan Burge’s overview of religious beliefs from 2023, generational averages show 22% hold to no religion in particular; 18/4% atheist or agnostic, with the highest amount among Millennials and Gen Z; 52,4% protestant and Catholic combined with the highest amount in the Silent Generation.9 In the Chicago metro area, the graphs below from the United States Census Bureau 2023 figures and Census Reporter.org show the wide-ranging dynamics of racial composition in various villages and cities in the Chicago metro area.10

A February 2024 Bloomberg Report highlighted a striking increase in migrants listing an address in Illinois for their immigration court cases, noting a nine-fold rise in 2023 compared to two years earlier.12 As of December 18, 2024, the Chicago metropolitan area had received 51,648 asylum seekers since August 2022.13 The legality of migrants under U.S. law depends on their specific circumstances. Asylum seekers, however, are not considered illegal while pursuing their claims in the United States.

Looking at the various cultural dynamics of Chicago and some of the surrounding suburbs present wide variances. It warrants going outside one’s cultural sphere and considering how other people with different worldviews can engage in the Gospel. Hiebert brought up a point to ponder:

Most of us were raised within a church and taught its theological confessions. We were monotheological and assumed that there is only one way to interpret the Scriptures, that all deviations from this approach were false. It comes as a shock, therefore, when we find honest, deeply committed Christians interpreting the Bible in different ways.14

A different interpretation of Scripture does not necessarily deem it incorrect; rather, it signifies that people are diversely receptive to it. Thus, preaching the Gospel entails creating a pathway in communication that brings meaning to the audience and bridge-building to understanding.

Bridging the Culture Gap Models

Preaching across the pews demands a framework that bridges cultural divides between the diverse realities of congregations. Pioneers in local theology, such as Schreiter and Bevans, have proposed models for developing theologies rooted in specific cultural contexts, providing a foundation for culturally sensitive ministry. Building on their insights, this article introduces three models grounded in biblical examples: inclusivity, intentionality, and adaptability. Guided by the example of Jesus and the apostles, these models offer effective approaches for cross-cultural preaching, ensuring the Gospel message overcomes barriers, fosters unity, and transforms lives. Distinct yet interdependent, each model plays a crucial role in contextualizing the Gospel in meaningful and transformative ways, equipping preachers to engage diverse environments in an ever-changing society.

Shaping the Gospel in meaning-making begins with gathering cultural insights to support preaching across various contexts. This process involves mapping the cultural landscape through a neutral analysis of a population’s ethos—its worldview, values, and external practices.15 By uncovering both visible and hidden behaviors that shape feelings, judgments, and thought patterns, preachers can tailor their approach to engage more effectively. However, this requires self-awareness to compare one’s cultural framework with that of the audience. Without such analysis, preaching risks remaining limited to a single cultural perspective, failing to reach the diverse congregations that inclusive, intentional, and adaptable preaching seeks to serve.

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commissioned His disciples to teach all the nations, a phrase transliterated from Greek as panta ta ethne. Ethne in the verse means peoples. At the time of this passage, the term nations reflected the Jewish worldview, which divided humanity into Jews and Gentiles, rather than the geopolitical nations we recognize today. The message of salvation was intended to go first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.

Vincent Donovan, in his book Christianity Rediscovered, presented a perspective that aligns with this New Testament context. He argued that ethne referred not to modern nations like the United States or Germany but to “ethnic, cultural groups, the natural building blocks of the human race.”16  Reflecting on his work with the Masai tribe, Donovan concluded, “God enables a people, any people, to reach salvation through their culture and tribal, racial customs and traditions.” 17 This insight highlights the Gospel’s inherent adaptability, allowing it to engage meaningfully with diverse cultural identities.

Inclusivity Model

Preaching across the pews begins with an inclusive approach that honors and connects with diverse cultural identities. Craft sermons that respect and celebrate these differences while fostering meaningful connections. Begin by building a mental framework that seeks to understand another culture deeply, moving beyond superficial awareness.

Next, create an environment where listeners feel seen, valued, and spiritually nurtured, regardless of their background. Extend this care not only to congregants but also to those beyond the walls of the local church. However, exercise discernment throughout this process—sift through cultural elements and set aside anything that contradicts biblical truths or compromises the Gospel message. As society evolves, preachers must remain vigilant, responding to cultural shifts with sensitivity while staying firmly rooted in Scripture.

Two Key Steps

Inclusive preaching relies on two essential steps. Initially, preachers must step outside their cultural framework to embrace a broader perspective—praying for guidance to navigate this shift effectively. This model falters when preachers lack awareness of the people around them, leading to disconnection from their audience. Second, after understanding the cultural significance of the listeners, preachers must translate that understanding into the new context.

While inclusivity provides a strong foundation for cross-cultural preaching, it also presents challenges. Fully understanding local traditions requires time and effort. Leaders often assume they know a community completely, only to later uncover significant gaps in their understanding. Moreover, without intentional actions to accompany inclusivity, preaching risks stagnation. To address these challenges, the other models—intentionality and adaptability—become vital, working in tandem to enrich and transform the preaching process.

Intentionality Model

Intentionality thoughtfully connects with and addresses the diverse cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds of the intended listeners. It focuses on ensuring that the Gospel message overcomes cultural barriers and fosters unity. Building on the Inclusivity Model, intentionality advances the process by transforming the mental framework into purposeful planning and action. As Nieman and Rogers observe, “A cherished expression in one group may evoke indifference or offense in another.” 18 When crafting a sermon, the messenger carefully evaluates symbols and terms to ensure they make sense to the audience. Symbols representing culturally agreed-upon meanings should be clear, non-offensive, and not overly dependent on specific cultural contexts for understanding. Every symbol must enhance the message’s clarity and reach, ensuring it connects with rather than alienates the audience.

Two Key Steps

To begin, recognize social change. Communities continually evolve due to shifts in family structures, urbanization, immigration, and age demographics. Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost. What does the Spirit reveal about the people’s challenges and needs? Pray over these needs. Listen attentively to both the Spirit and the culture, discerning how to bring Jesus into the community’s specific realities. Raymond Facélina describes this as having “a listening heart.”

  • How do you attune your ear to hear Christ within a culture?
  • How do you approach a culture on its own terms, rather than imposing your own realities?
  • How does a community’s experience become fertile ground for God’s mission to flourish?19

Then, move from analysis to communication—transition from simply understanding cultural dynamics to actively communicating the Gospel within that context. Use the insights gained to craft messages that deeply appeal to with the audience, ensuring Christ’s message reaches hearts and minds without unnecessary obstacles.

Two foundational principles come into play here. To lay the groundwork, preachers must step outside their cultural framework to embrace a broader perspective—praying for guidance to navigate this shift effectively. This model can falter when preachers lack understanding of the people around them, possibly leading to disconnection from their audience. Moving forward, as preachers apply cultural knowledge and move within the intentional model, they must guard against discouragement. Much of contemporary culture’s beliefs and values reflect the challenges of the Church Age nearing its conclusion. Yet, while culture constantly shifts, God remains unchanging—He is immutable. Regardless of the world’s condition, Christ surpasses culture, reshaping it to align with Kingdom living and fulfill His divine purposes.

Adaptability Model

The Adaptability Model builds on the foundations of Inclusive and Intentional models by emphasizing tailoring content, tone, and delivery to suit the unique context, audience, or circumstances. This approach ensures the message remains relevant and engaging for maximum impact without compromising biblical truth. It calls for thoughtful adjustments in language, illustrations, and focus, allowing preachers to effectively communicate across diverse cultural, generational, or situational boundaries.

Adaptability begins with a deep understanding of the audience’s background, values, and spiritual needs. Preachers consider factors such as cultural nuances, current events, and emotional climates when shaping their sermons. For instance, a congregation grappling with grief may benefit from messages of comfort and hope, while a community facing moral or social challenges may require exhortations to holiness and repentance. By recognizing and responding to the audience’s immediate needs, the preacher creates space for the Gospel to make a powerful impact in their hearts and minds.

This model integrates seamlessly with inclusivity and intentionality. The Inclusive Model emphasizes embracing and respecting diversity, while the Intentional Model focuses on purposefully engaging cultural realities. The Adaptability Model ensures the message remains accessible and relevant to every listener. Together, these models form a dynamic framework for preaching that addresses both the individual and the collective, bridging biblical truth with the lived experiences of all who hear it.

Two Key Steps

Adaptability focuses on expressing and embodying the Gospel in ways that reflect the local context. Preachers engage their audience’s cultural, social, and spiritual environment, shaping their message to reflect immediate realities. Contextualization reframes the timeless truths of Scripture using relatable language, illustrations, and applications.20 For example, preachers adapt a parable rooted in agricultural settings to urban imagery for a city congregation. This approach ensures that biblical truths remain accessible and transformative for diverse audiences.

Building on intentionality, this step transitions from analysis to application. Preachers explore the audience’s worldview—the beliefs, values, and assumptions that shape their understanding of the world—while identifying specific spiritual and practical needs. For instance, a community experiencing economic hardship may benefit from a sermon emphasizing God’s provision, offering hope and encouragement. By listening deeply to the audience and understanding their unique circumstances, the preacher creates a meaningful connection, allowing the Gospel to address both surface-level concerns and deeper, underlying needs.

In summary, the Adaptability Model translates preparation into action, bridging the gap between intent and impact. Preachers must not only deliver a contextualized and audience-aware sermon but also critically assess its effectiveness. This reflective process involves asking key questions: Did the message resonate with the audience? Were the illustrations meaningful and culturally relevant? Did the sermon address both immediate concerns and deeper, underlying needs? Adaptability demands an ongoing commitment to learning and refinement, recognizing that preaching extends beyond delivering words—it seeks to inspire transformation and cultivate lasting spiritual growth.

Two Examples:

Conclusion

The Inclusive, Intentional, and Adaptability Models create a unified framework for preaching that bridges cultural, ethnic, and social divides. Each model plays a distinct yet complementary role in effectively communicating the Gospel in diverse contexts. Inclusivity calls preachers to honor and embrace cultural diversity, fostering meaningful connections that surpass differences. Intentionality builds on this foundation by emphasizing purposeful planning, ensuring the Gospel addresses the specific realities and needs of the audience. Adaptability brings these efforts to completion, enabling preachers to tailor their message, tone, and delivery to their listeners while remaining steadfast to biblical truth.

Together, these models guide preachers toward transformative communication that harmonizes the unchanging truth of the Gospel with the ever-evolving dynamics of culture. By integrating these approaches into their ministry, preachers speak to the hearts and minds of their audience, cultivating fertile ground for God’s mission to flourish. This cohesive framework equips the church to fulfill its call to make disciples of all nations, proclaiming the Gospel in ways that reflect both the richness of God’s Word and the diversity of the people it seeks to reach.

Footnotes

  1. Vincent J. Donavan, Christianity Rediscovered (1978); Paul G. Hiebert, Anthropological Insights for Missionaries (1985); Stephen B. Bevans, Models of Contextual Theology (1992); Robert J. Schreiter, Constructing Local Theologies (2001); and Andrew F. Walls, The Missionary Movement in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission of Faith(1996).
  2. Vincent J. Donovan, Christianity Rediscovered (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1978), 15.
  3. Ibid., 15.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Ibid., 19-20.
  6. Ibid., 35-36.
  7. Stephen B. Bevans, Models of Contextual Theology (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2010), 10.
  8. Jan Paron, “Reaching the Nations with Transformational Communication,” PerSpectives 12, published May 23, 2013, accessed December 31, 2024, https://specs12.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/reaching-the-nations-with-transformational-communication/.
  9. Ryan Burge, “The Nones Have Hit the Ceiling”, Graphs About Religion, published May 2024, accessed December 31, 2024. https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/the-nones-have-hit-a-ceiling?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email.
  10. “QuickFacts,” United States Census Bureau, accessed December 30, 2024. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/.
  11. Census Reporter, ACS 2023, Census Reporter.org, accessed December 30, 2024, https://censusreporter.org.
  12. Elena Mejía and Lisa Beyer, “This Is Where New Migrants Are Going When They Reach the US,” Bloomberg Report, published February 28, 2024, accessed December 31, 2024.
  13. “New Arrivals Situational Awareness Dashboard,” City of Chicago, published December 18,2024, accessed December 31, 2024,https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/texas-new-arrivals/home/Dashboard.html. See also Alderman Andre Vaszuez, “A Welcoming City: Chicago’s New Arrivals,” Accessed December 31, 2024, https://40thward.org/city-council/new-arrivals/.
  14. Paul J. Hiebert. Anthropological Insights for Missionaries (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Co., 1985), ch. 8, Kindle.
  15. Jan Paron, “Cultural Landscape Mapping in Ministry,” Perspectives 12 Blog, published July 17, 2021, accessed December 31, 2024, https://specs12.wordpress.com/2021/07/17/cultural-landscape-mapping-in-ministry/.
  16. Donovan, Christianity Rediscovered, 43-44. Kindle Edition.
  17. Ibid.
  18. James R. Nieman and Thomas G. Rogers, Preaching to Every Pew: Cross-Cultural Strategies (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001), Kindle.
  19. Robert J.Schreiter, Constructing Local Theologies (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2001),40-41.
  20. Dean Flemming, Contextualization in the New Testament: Patterns for Theology and Mission (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 13-14. Kindle.

References

  • Bevans, Stephen B. Models of Contextual Theology. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2010.
  • Burge, Ryan. “The Nones Have Hit the Ceiling.” Graphs About Religion. Published May 2024. Accessed December 31, 2024. https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/the-nones-have-hit-a-ceiling?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email.
  • “Census Reporter, ACS 2023.” Census Reporter.org. Accessed December 30, 2024, https://censusreporter.org.
  • Donovan, Vincent J. Christianity Rediscovered. Maryknoll: Orbis Books:1978, Kindle Edition.
  • Flemming, Dean. Contextualization in the New Testament: Patterns for Theology and Mission. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2005.
  • Hiebert, Paul G. Anthropological Insights for Missionaries. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1985. Kindle.
  • Lewis, Ralph L. and Gregg Lewis. Learning to Preach Like Jesus. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1992.
  • Mejía, Elena and Lisa Beyer. “This Is Where New Migrants Are Going When They Reach the US.” Bloomberg Report. Published February 28, 2024. Accessed December 31, 2024.
  • McCarthy, Bernice. Teaching Around the 4MAT® Cycle: Designing Instruction for Diverse Learners with Diverse Learning Styles.Thousand Oaks: Corwin, 2005.
  • “New Arrivals Situational Awareness Dashboard,” City of Chicago. Published December 18, 2024. Accessed December 31, 2024. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/texas-new-arrivals/home/Dashboard.html. See also Alderman Andre Vaszuez, “A Welcoming City: Chicago’s New Arrivals,” Accessed December 31, 2024, https://40thward.org/city-council/new-arrivals/.
  • Nieman, James R. and Thomas G. Rogers. Preaching to Every Pew: Cross-Cultural Strategies. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001. Kindle.
  • Paron, Janice L. “Cultural Landscape Mapping in Ministry,” Perspectives 12 Blog, published July 17, 2021, accessed December 31, 2024, https://specs12.wordpress.com/2021/07/17/cultural-landscape-mapping-in-ministry/.
  • ———. “Reaching the Nations with Transformational Communication.” PerSpectives 12. Published May 23, 2013. Accessed December 31, 2024. https://specs12.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/reaching-the-nations-with-transformational-communication/.
  • ———. Seeking the MOSAIC Church: The Leader’s Field Guide to Unity in the Church. Alsip, 2021.
  • “QuickFacts.” United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2024. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/.
  • Schreiter, Robert J. Constructing Local Theologies. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2001.

Jan Paron, PhD | December 31, 2024

Paron.PreachingSeminar.1-3-25Download

The Oneness View of the Right Hand of God

22 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Oneness of God, Right Hand of God

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Why did the Sanhedrin council consent to having Stephen and Jesus on distinct occasions killed for attributing the right hand of God to Jesus of Nazareth? The Sanhedrin’s actions reveal a defiant reluctance to accept what God obviously presented to the nation of Israel, His glory in the person of Jesus of Nazareth (Jn 1:14 KJV). Was Jesus the Messiah they were waiting for? If so, why did Jesus’ and Stephen’s association of Himself with the right hand of God result in their executions? Their association of Jesus as Messiah with God’s right hand presented an irrefutable and powerful revelation of God within a human being whom the Sanhedrin council and people of Israel hated (15:24-25). It confirmed Jesus as the Son of God (Mark 14:62).

Both Jesus and Stephen’s declarations imply a fresh and profound understanding of Scripture that does not depart from the core truths of Old Testament teaching but elevate them to a new level of faith, universal acceptance, and practice. Writers of New Testament Scripture expound in detail Christ reigning at the right hand of God, providing an understanding of Stephen’s vision in Acts and which establishes a sound theology for the Church, both practical and prophetic. The Sanhedrin council held a Scriptural understanding of the right hand of God. However, it lacked knowledge of its relationship to Christ and an unwillingness to accept Jesus as God’s anointed sitting at His right hand. Their hatred of Jesus blinded them, Rome, and ultimately Israel to recognize God in Him, resulting in His death and, subsequently, Stephen’s. This same spirit continues to exist. However, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost and preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will reverse the blindness upon individual hearts.

Right Hand (Grk: dexios–a place of honor, authority, and power; to stand in power as leader or sovereign.

Culturally, Jews and Greeks from the ancient world used the expression right hand as a figure of speech to describe a place of power, honor, or blessing conferred upon a recipient by a host. The favored individual thus fulfilled the host’s wishes or will. Also, in a banquet setting, a host seats the honoree on his right hand. To conclude, the expression right hand bestowed authority and blessing upon a recipient. Example: Jacob conferred a blessing upon the two sons of Joseph using his right hand (Gn 48:13-14).

The Jews viewed the right hand of God as a figurative expression from a divine perspective relating it to God’s glory. They based their understanding of God’s identity or glory upon various Scripture passages from the Old Testament. Stephen attributed the term to Jesus, the Son of Man, before the Jewish council of priests, elders, and scribes. They perceived Stephen’s words as blasphemy against the God of Israel and sentenced him to death by stoning. Both Jesus’ and Stephen’s words teach that the right hand of God pertains to the Son of man and son of David, drawing attention to the reality of the incarnation, God shining in complete revelation in Jesus Christ. When God exalted Jesus, he bestowed his honor upon Him so all creation might recognize, worship, and honor Him in Christ. 

It became apparent that the council members understood Stephen’s use of the right hand of God to proclaim the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth as the Lord God, regarding it as a significant violation of Dt 6:4. Earlier, the same council accused Jesus of blasphemy, sentencing Him to death for making this claim regarding Himself (Mk 14:60-64). Since first-century Jewish theologians and Christians viewed the right hand of God as a figurative expression describing God’s glory, preeminence, and authority, Jesus sitting on a throne next to God had no theological basis or implications. They never saw it as an establishment of two or more divine persons of God. Christians further viewed it to identify Jesus with the God of Israel from an incarnational perspective, which Israel interpreted and judged as heresy (Acts 24:14)

Scripture uses the expression right hand of God to describe God’s sovereign preeminence and power over His creation and the lives of His people. Relative to Christ, this term first appeared in Psalms 110:1, prophetically describing the Messiah’s ascension, glorification, and exaltation to divine honor, preeminence, and power over all creation, revealing Jesus of Nazareth as the sovereign God in flesh. God now governs and becomes recognized by His creation through the lordship of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 and other New Testament books beautifully expound the resurrected and exalted Son of man at the right hand of God.

Jesus gave the significance of the Messiah positioned at the right hand of God by revealing its importance. First, He theologically established an incarnational understanding of Ps 110:1 that recognizes, connects, and reveals the monotheistic faith in Jehovah with the new covenant lordship confession of Christ. His thought-provoking question to the Pharisees reveals the Son of David sitting at the right hand of God. Second, His interpretation of Ps 110 and His closing question to the Pharisees revealed the limitations of their theological understanding of the Messiah by presenting the passage’s sound implications to Himself. Finally, Jesus’ interpretation laid the basis upon which He and His first for the Christian martyring of Stephen. 

When Jesus questioned the Pharisees concerning the Messiah’s identity, He knew their deep-seated reluctance to identify Him. Jesus possessed scriptural and cultural markings of the Messiah, and the Pharisees knew it, but their hardened hearts did not allow them to believe Him. His question and implied answer revealed their fear of Him and moved them to terminate all discussions concerning the Messiah with Him. As the prominent religious leaders of their day, they knew Jesus to be an established rabbi in Israel, the adopted son of Joseph, for it was legally registered after His birth. They knew Joseph belonged to the house of David through Solomon, for genealogies were accessible legal records used to prove paternity, status, and claim inheritances. They further knew of the story and events surrounding His birth and its proclamation throughout Jerusalem some thirty years earlier, yet they persisted in denying His claim. Since they knew the prophecies of Daniel, Isaiah, and others matched the life, times, and person of Jesus of Nazareth, they feared it to be true. John the Baptist identified Him as Messiah during his brief ministry. During Jesus’ baptism by John, God spoke from heaven, declaring Him to be His Son before all who were present, including the Pharisees. So when Jesus questioned them concerning the son of David, they knew He indirectly claimed to be Messiah, the Lord God of Israel in flesh.

The Pharisees lacked or held no understanding concerning the incarnation. In Mt 22:41-46, Jesus questioned them, “What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?” They responded by saying the Son of David. Jesus further asked them, leading to King David’s words recorded in Ps 110:1. Jesus challenged the Pharisees by saying that David in the Spirit called Christ his Lord while sitting at the right hand of God. If David called Him Lord, how can He also be David’s son? Did the Pharisees respond incorrectly regarding the Messiah’s connection to King David? No, for Scripture truly states the Messiah will descend from the lineage of David. But, the Pharisees erred in their hearts by not recognizing God before them in Jesus of Nazareth. Their limited perception prohibited them from reconciling their understanding of David’s inspired statement. According to Jesus, Ps 110:1 prophetically describes a divinely chosen descendant of David reigning as Lord at the right hand of God (a theologically figurative expression) having Yahweh’s identity, honor, glory, and power. For David, a monotheistic Jew, to prophetically address his remote descendant as my Lord establishes a prophetic monotheistic recognition of the coming incarnation of God in Christ based on Dt 6:4.

David prophetically recognized the Messiah to be the human incarnation of Jehovah. Before the foundation of the world, God appointed the Son of Man to sit at His right hand. This view left the Pharisees speechless and prepared them to understand Jesus’ response to their question of whether He is the Son of God on the night of His arrest. His sitting at the right hand of God reveals Him as Israel’s covenant God in flesh, which they called blasphemy. This view disclosed a new faith confession in Jehovah that includes the incarnation and enlightens understanding of Dt 6:4.  

On the night of Jesus’ arrest, the Pharisees, elders, and scribes understood Jesus’ application of the right hand of God to Himself as the claim to be Jehovah, the God of Israel, finally enraging them with madness. His earlier interpretation of Ps 110:1 led to His death and later to Stephen’s (Mk 14:60-64; Acts 7:54-59).

New Testament writers use synonymous terms concerning the right hand of God to develop its meaning. In conjunction with its cultural definition, these terms help expand its meaning beyond an unscriptural position next to God to establish the sole deity and supremacy of Jesus Christ. 

  • Right hand of the Majesty (Heb 1:3)
  • Right hand of the throne of the Majesty (Heb 8:1)
  • Right hand of the throne of God (Heb 12:2)
  • Right hand of God (Acts 7:55)
  • Right hand of the power of God (Lk 22:69)
  • The Throne of God (Rv 3:21)
  • The glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55)

Close

Jude connects and summarizes the preceding right hand of God’s expressions to Jesus Christ. He uses these same expressions in his acclamation of praise to the Savior. These expressions present an exalted view of the incarnation based on Scripture comparison of the above right hand of God. They do not show or imply an inferior right hand of God’s position or distinct person in the Godhead. Instead, these points describe the right hand of God and reveal the exalted status of the Son of man, Jesus Christ. They further demonstrate the Son of man as the incarnation of the only wise God (omniscience- All-knowing), whom Jude also calls Savior. Without using the right hand of God term, Jude describes Jesus, the exalted Savior, as the only wise God having glory, majesty, dominion, and power forever, who demonstrates omnipotence and omniscience by His ability to present believers faultless before the presence of His glory.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25).

  • Brightness of God’s glory (Heb 1:3)
  • Expressed image of God’s person (Spirit) (Heb 1:3; 2 Cor 4:4-6)
  • Heir of God’s Old Testament identity, Jehovah (Heb 1:4; Ps 110:1)
  • Lord and Christ (Acts 2:32-39)
  • Prince and Savior (Acts 5:31)
  • Lord of glory (1 Cor 2:8; Jas 2:1)
  • Father of glory (Eph 1:17-20)

These passages personify the glory of God as the exalted Jesus who sits at God’s right hand, having His titles of honor before all creation and the Church. Jesus holds sole preeminence over the affairs of the angelic world, universe, and Church. Such status, honor, glory, and power a human holds reveals God manifested in flesh (1 Tm 3:16). This understanding establishes what Stephen saw in his vision and what Luke describes in Acts. The Sanhedrin council understood Stephen’s statement, which led to his death.

Daryl Cox — 4.22.24

Valley of the Dry Bones: Historical and Cultural Contexts

22 Friday Mar 2024

Posted by in Conflict and Culture, Old Testament

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

The vision of the valley of the dry bones (Ez 37:1-14) stands amid a collection of oracles from Ezekiel addressed to the exiled during the Babylonian captivity. Ezekiel transmitted the words of the Lord to the exiled as their watchman and prophet. In 37:1-14, he oracled renewal and restoration that included a united Israel (vv. 15-21) as part of the book’s primary purpose of judgment and salvation for Israel and the nations.  

Historical Context

A historical overview of exile for the divided kingdoms reveals deportation for both but at different points. In 721 BC, before the Babylonian captivity, the Assyrians took the Northern Kingdom captive (2 Kgs 14-20). Babylonian captivity followed about 100 years later in two waves. The first wave in 597 BC resulted in the capture of King Jehoiachin and leading citizens of Judah including Ezekiel. The second occurred in 587 BC when Babylon razed Jerusalem and its temple after Jerusalem’s second rebellion. It forced Jerusalem’s surrender and deported its king and Judean notables to Babylon (2 Kgs 24:10-16). 

To grasp the fullness of the dry bones prophecy, a glimpse at the circumstances before exile places the word of the Lord in perspective. Several events led up to the Babylonian exile. While King Josiah pleased the Lord during his 30-year reign by walking in the ways of David,  Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim marked a return to acts of evil in the Lord’s sight (23:37). After Jehoakim rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Lord sent bands of Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and children of Ammonites to destroy Judah for the sins of Manasseh (24:3). Nebuchadnezzar then reigned over Syria and Palestine from the Euphrates to the Egyptian frontier (24:7), and Judah became a Babylonian province. Finally, the Lord chastised the people in the twelfth year of Babylonian exile (Ez 33:21) after Jerusalem’s fall for their continued sins. 

The Lord did not leave the exiled without His guidance. While in captivity, God called Ezekiel to the office of prophet. Among the deportees, Ezekiel recorded a series of visions from the Lord while exiled in Babylon during King Jehoiachin’s captivity in the diaspora community by the River Chebar (Ez 1:2). His oracles conveyed God’s redemptive plan for Israel and the nations about judgment and restoration. He specifically spoke to the Judeans and first-generation exiles after the fall of Jerusalem as a voice from the exiled. 

He prophesied his first vision about the throne room in chapter one (1:4). The writer did not say whether it took place during its actual delivery versus writing at a later date. If he prophesied the first vision at the start of his captivity, then, as Boadt noted, it occurred in 623-622 BC when 30 years old (1:1). Tiemeyer concurs with a sixth-century BC dating since it supports Neo-Babylonian sources.Allen dated his prophetic call to 593 BC. 

In terms of dating the Ez 37 prophecy, the preceding may give a clue as to the timeline. Zimmerli dated passages 35:1-36:15 to after 587 BC since it recalls the dispute between the Judahites who remained in Jerusalem with neighboring peoples over Jewish claims to the land. As Ezekiel ordered the oracles chronologically, this may imply that chapter 37 occurs later in the 70-year exilic period. Further, if Ezekiel delivered the dry bones prophecy around 585 BC, then the lesser first wave lived in exile for twelve years and the greater second wave two years.

Cultural 

Ezekiel 37:1-14 portrays the cultural state of the exiled through symbolism reflected in the very many or very great many dry bones in the valley or open valley (37:2). In essence, Babylonian captivity stripped them of their identity and left a collective society now scattered from their homeland in a severely deteriorated, dry state. 

Since the Babylonians captured Ezekiel during the first wave, the prophet did not directly experience Jerusalem’s fall. Nevertheless, God chose him as His spokesperson to the exilic community living among the refugees in their trauma culture. The book of Lamentations records the very depth of their sorrow, suffering, and abandonment. They also experienced shame from exile. Ezekiel 25 records the surrounding nations laughing (25:3) and mocking (v. 8) the exiled house of Israel. In the wake of the exiled feeling of grief, the Lord’s message sought to give them hope in their captivity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Geographical

The Babylonians transported most of the Judahites 1000 miles to Mesopotamia during the second wave of capture. The exiled came from an urban environment in Jerusalem and relocated to what Joyce describes as “ghetto-like settlements” like Tel-abib described in Ez 3:15. The elders could gather with each other (8:1; 14:1; 20:1). Ezekiel himself lived among the exiled in a community by river Chebar in Tel-abib 100 miles south of Babylon (1:1; 3:15).  

Economic

Pearce noted that the term exile suggested movement away from a native land. Economically, that movement away from the homeland took a toll on the diaspora. Taking a closer look at the exile reveals the extent of the destruction by the captors on the captives. The Babylonians physically dislocated Judeans from their homeland, deprived them economically of their possessions, and left them spiritually depleted without their temple. To the Jews, the losses affected their identity closely tied to the promised land, the Davidic throne, Jerusalem, and Lord’s temple. Second Kings 25:1-21 describes in vivid detail the fall, capture, and destruction of Jerusalem: forced famine; murdered military officials, king’s associates, townspeople, and priests; burnt structures, and pillaged the house of the Lord. The captors left only a small remnant of the very poor behind. The resettlement in Babylonia resulted in a starting over so to speak of the exiled. 

In all, perhaps at the very heart of God’s mission to His people lies the events that preceded exile and the losses they experienced. He would allow them to experience death in the valley, only to bring them life out of the valley. “Then you shall know that I am the LORD,” (Ez 37:6, 13, 14).

Bibliography

Ackroyd, Peter R. Exile and Restoration: A Study of Hebrew Thought of the Sixth Century B. C. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1986.

Allen, Leslie C. Ezekiel, Vol. 29. Word Bible Commentary. Edited by John D. W. Watts and James W. Watts. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.

Bimson, John J. “Book of Ezekiel.” in The Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.

Boadt, Lawrence. “Book of Ezekiel.” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol D-G. Edited by David N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

__________. Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction. New York: Paulist Press, 2012.

Brett, Mark G. ed. Ethnicity and the Bible. Boston: Brill Academic Publishers, 2002.

Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers. 17th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017.

Eichrodt, Walther Theology of the Old Testament. Translated by J. A. Baker. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1961.

Fox, Michael, V. “The Rhetoric of Ezekiel’s Vision of the Valley of the Bones.” Hebrew Union College Annual 51, (1980): 1-15.

Greenberg, Moshe. Ezekiel 21-27. Anchor Yale Bible. New York: Yale University Press, 2010.

__________. The Design and Themes of Ezekiel’s Program of Restoration.” Interpretation 58, no. 4 (2007): 585-625.

Goldingay, John A. “Ezekiel.” Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Edited by James D. G. Dunn and John W. Rogerson. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.

Kamsen, Joel and Tihitshak Biwul. “The Restoration of the Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14: An Exegetical and Theological Analysis.” Scriptura 118 (2019:1), pp. 1-10.

LaSor, William Sandord, David Allan Hubbard, Frederic William Bush, and Leslie C. Allen. Old Testament Survey: The Message Form, and Background of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, Co. 1996. 

Lee, Lydia. Mapping Judah’s Fate in Ezekiel’s Oracles Against the Nations. Atlanta: SBL Press, 2016. https://www.sbl-site.org/assets/pdfs/pubs/9780884141808_OA.pdf.

Longman III, Tremper. The Message of the Prophets: A Survey of the Prophetic and Apocalyptic Books of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2010.

Mein, Andrew. Ezekiel and the Ethics of Exile. Oxford Theological Monographs. Oxford: OUP Oxford, 2006.

Miller, Maxwell J. and John H. Hayes. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah. 2nd ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006.

Mendenhall, George. “Covenant.” The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol A-C. Edited by David Freeman. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Pearce, Laurie E. “Identifying Judeans and Judean Identity in the Babylonian Evidence.” in Exile and Return: The Babylonian Context, edited by Jonathan Stökl, Caroline Waerzeggers, and Jonathan Stökl. Berlin: CPI Books, 2015. 

Qubt, Shadia. “Can These Bones Live? God, Only You Know.” Review and Expositor. 104, Summer, 2007.

Schultz, Samuel J. The Old Testament Speaks: A Complete Survey of Old Testament History and Literature. New York: HarperOne, 2000.

Serfontein, Johan and Wilhelm J. Wessels. “Communicating Amidst Reality: Ezekiel’s Communication as a Response to His Reality.” Verbum Eccles 35, no. 1 (2014): http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2074-77052014000100033.

Smith-Christopher, Daniel L. A Biblical Theology of Exile. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002.

Staples, Jason A. The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism: A New Theory of People, Exile, and Israelite Identity. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2021.

Stökl, Jonathan, and Caroline Waerzeggers. Exile and Return : The Babylonian Context. (Beihefte Zur Zeitschrift Für Die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 2015): Volume 478. De Gruyter. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=cat06729a&AN=ebc.EBC2189973&site=eds-live.

Tiemeyer, L. D. “Book of Ezekiel.” in The Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets. Edited by Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012.

Walton, John H. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.

Zimmerli, Walther. Ezekiel 2. Hermeneia. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983.

Jan Paron, PhD, 3.22.24

The Supremacy of Jesus: Hebrews 1:3

15 Friday Mar 2024

Posted by in Hebrews, Jesus, New Covenant, Oneness of God

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

In the epistle of Hebrews, the author set the tone by establishing Jesus’ identity. He reminds the audience of Christ’s supremacy as the Mediator of the New Covenant (9:15) with an eternal promise that extends into the eschatological future where He reigns in a new heaven and new earth. By means of His death, He redeemed the transgressions of the first testament. A transgression refers to an action, while sin comes from that action.

According to the Word made flesh through the incarnation, we find God’s self-revelation in Jesus. God spoke in the Old Covenant by means of the prophets, rather now directly through the express image of Himself, Jesus, with the highest and ultimate representation of Himself (1:2a). In John 14:10-11b, Jesus reminded His disciples of the unity of Him and the Father. That which Jesus spoke came from the Father. “The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me,” (NKJV). As God’s messengers, the prophets conveyed His inspired word. However, the higher and ultimate revelation came from Jesus as the embodiment, meaning personification, of God’s Word. 

From the start of the book in the first chapter, the author makes the supremacy of Jesus known to the readers. He lists seven characteristics in 1:1-3 that provide a visual picture of Jesus’ superiority demonstrating Him as the cornerstone that laid the foundation. The traits are:   

  1. Heir of all things (1:2b) 
  2. Through whom also He made the worlds (1:2c) 
  3. Brightness of His glory (1:3a)
  4. Express image of His person (1:3a) 
  5. Upholding all things by the word of His power (1:3b) 
  6. He had by Himself purged our sins (1:3c) 
  7. Sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (1:3d)

Heir of All Things (1:2b)

Adam did not qualify as the heir due to his sin in the Garden of Eden. In turn, Adam’s actions also made his sons ineligible as inheritors of the eternal blessing. God made Adam from the dust of the earth. On the other hand, God incarnated Himself in Jesus as the Son of God. Christ is the only begotten of the Father. Robed in flesh as the last Adam, the Son had a sinless nature, the spotless lamb who would sacrifice Himself to redeem man’s iniquities.

As the only begotten Son of God, Jesus stands as the Heir of all things. Psalm 2:7-8, says “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.’” Jesus fulfills this inheritance through His Sonship. All earth will submit to Him as He rules over it having dominion passed to the Son.

Luke chronicled Jesus’ greatness as the Son of the Highest. His conception occurred when the Holy Ghost came upon Mary and His power overshadowed her (Lk 1:35). The angel announced to Mary that the Lord God would give the Son the throne of His father David (1:32b). Jesus’ Sonship establishes Him by the bloodline of David through Mary (3:23-38) and an heir to the throne of David through His legal father, Joseph (Mt 1:1-16). God promised David that He would establish his house and throne forever through an heir (2 Sm 7:16; cf. Lk 1:33). 

Through Whom Also He Made the Worlds (1:2c) 

God created all things by His Word. God manifested Himself as the Word made flesh in Jesus through the incarnation (Jn 1:1). The Shema in Dt 6:4 establishes the Lord our God as one. The Shema also holds true in the New Testament as well. Thus, we cannot separate the Word from God. Since Jesus is God, the fullness of God indwelled in Jesus with the oneness of His being. As Peter wrote in his first epistle 1:20a, Jesus was “foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” Prior to it, there was no Son of God but the One who is now incarnate, the Creator. Adam Clarke remarked that “Eternity has no beginning and nor stands in any reference to time. Son supposes time, generation, and a father; and time also antecedent to such generation.” This means that Son and eternity cannot coexist since they both entail opposite ideas. 

Paul explained it well in Col 1:15-16: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” This verse supports Hebrews. So, “through whom also He made the worlds” in Hebrews refers to Jesus as the Word of God by which God created in a preincarnate state. 

Brightness of His Glory (1:3a) 

As the Word became flesh, Jesus displayed the glory as the only begotten Son of the Father (Jn 1:14b; 1 Pt 1:17) and manifested from the Father. Prior to the incarnation, Israel would experience the glory of the invisible God’s presence through different means such as a cloud of the invisible God appearing in a cloud over Mt. Sinai (Ex 16:10) or filling the house of the Lord (1 Kgs 8:10-12; 2 Chr 5:14).

The Lord told the prophet Isaiah that He would not give His glory “unto another” since it would profane His name (Is 48:11). Since God indwelt bodily in Jesus, His flesh not only embodies the Lord’s glory but also bears His name. In Jesus, we see the fullness of the visible presence of the invisible God’s glory. Thus, the brightness of glory in Heb 1:2 refers to the inward glory of God that had shown bright in His physical representation in Jesus as majestic excellence in absolute perfection (2 Pt 1:17; BLB.org). His glory also radiates His incorruptible nature without corruption or decay (Rom 1:23). 

Brightness denotes light. The Word became flesh as the true Light (Jn 1:9, 14). Satan only can transform into its light, but never the true Light. The brightness of God’s glory shines knowledge of Him in our hearts only in the face of Jesus Christ. God commanded the light to shine from darkness (2 Cor 4:6)

Express Image of His Person (1:3a) 

Unlike God portraying His presence in Old Testament theophanies, like the burning bush, He fully reveals it in Jesus Christ. God now made Himself known with the advent of the incarnation that united God and man making Christ the visible image of the invisible God with His exact nature (Col 1:15). By definition, several key phrases stand out that confirm the nature of Jesus Christ as God Incarnate: exact expression, marked likeness, precise reproduction (BLB.org). But, what exact expression does Jesus represent? It explains His person.  Person (Grk: hypostatsis) meaning substantial quality, nature, of any person.  

It was necessary that God revealed Himself in flesh on our behalf for several reasons. First, Jesus had to take subjection over all things. The first Adam, due to his disobedience in the Garden of Eden, failed in taking dominion over every living thing that moved upon the earth (Gn 1:28). His sin prevented him having that authority. However, Jesus, the Son of Man, knew no sin from His perfect divine nature, took back this dominion. In Heb 2:8, the author wrote He “put all things on subjection under His feet,” fulfilling the Son of Man in Ps 8:4, 6. He’s over the works of God’s hands because He is God. He sits at the right hand of God not by physical location rather a metaphor of His honor, authority, and power having all enemies under His footstool (cf. Ps 110:10). Remember Is 9:6 calls Him the Mighty God who will also bring about the conditions embodied from the Everlasting Father. 

Second, Jesus, God’s revealed agent and perfect representation, directly brought the message of salvation to humanity. Moses brought the Law to Israel delivered by angels to him. Jesus became the Law. Since Jesus was in the mind of God

Last, He made propitiation for our sins. He robed Himself in flesh, perfect in every way to become our High Priest. In this role He made Himself the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (1 Jn 2:2).  

Upholding All Things by the Word of His Power (1:3b) 

This title refers to Jesus’ power and authority. By the word of His power, He commands it. Jesus maintains the order, existence, and sustenance of the entire universe. The term upholding (Gr. pherō) conveys an ongoing act, indicating that Christ continuously sustains all creation. The Son as the divine preserver of the universe keeps it functioning according to His will and purpose. In the Old Testament context, “word” associates with an creative and authoritative action such as in Gn 1, where God speaks the world into existence by His word. For example, in Gn 1:3 God said, “’Let there be light,’ and there was light.” This parallels the concept of the universe being sustained by the word of God’s power, highlighting the authority of His word in creating and sustaining life. The prophet Nehemiah also acknowledged God’s role in creating and sustaining all life: “You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you” (9:6). He emphasizes God’s continuous sustaining power over creation. Further, scripture in Ps 33:6, 9 echoes the idea of God’s command having creative and sustaining authority. As the Incarnate God, Jesus has the same: “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth… For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (33:6, 9).

The New Testament also attests to the word of His power. Colossians 1:16-17: states “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” This passage closely parallels Heb 1:3, attributing the creation and sustenance of all things directly to Christ. In the opening verses of Jn (1:1-4), the author credits the Word with the creation of all things and is described as the life that was the light of all mankind. This establishes the divine Logos as not only the agent of creation but as essential to its ongoing existence and order. Jesus is the Word made flesh. In another New Testament passage that explains the power of His word, 2 Pt 3:5-7 discusses His divine power. This passage speaks to the power of God’s word in both creation and judgment, illustrating the sustaining and transformative power of divine command, which aligns with the theme of Christ’s sustaining power in Hebrews.

In summary, the descriptor “Upholding all things by the word of His power,” in Heb 1:3 demonstrates that Christ executes His power by command or decree. His divine authority holds everything together. This phrase, therefore, speaks to the sovereign role of Jesus Christ as not only the agent of creation but also its sustainer. As another descriptor in Heb 1:3, it provides us with another integral understanding of the theological portrait of Jesus in Hebrews, positioning Him as supreme ruler over all things and essential to the existence and ongoing maintenance of the universe and over all in His future, everlasting Kingdom. Further, it underlines His divine, powerful, and sustaining redemptive presence in the world. 

He Had by Himself Purged Our Sins (1:3c) 

“He had by Himself purged our sins” speaks of Christ’s unique complete act of atonement. Blue Letter Bible defines the purging of sins in Hebrews 1:3 as cleansing from the guilt of sins from the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ.”Jesus took on the propitiation of sin. With His sacrifice on the Cross He satisfied the justice of God against our sin and His righteous anger over it.

The concept of Jesus’ act of purging our sins represents a better sacrifice central to the book of Hebrews and message of the New Testament. His greater sacrifice grounds itself in a comparison between the continual, sacrificial systems of the Old Testament and singular, definitive sacrifice He made. His superior sacrifice fulfilled God’s plan for redemption and established a new covenant of which He purged sins, never again remembered. Unlike the repeated sacrifices in the Old Testament, which could never fully remove sin, Christ’s sacrifice provides complete atonement once for all. His purging of sins ushered in the new covenant. Scripture refers to this covenant as the better covenant, established upon better promises. Jesus mediates the better, new covenant (Hebrews 8:6). When Jesus purged our sins it also underscores His singular deity of God manifest in Him without division; and the one God’s decisive action for humanity’s salvation.

Additionally, Jesus’ sacrifice portrays superiority as once and for all. Repetitive and continual characterize the Old Testament sacrifices, prescribed by the Mosaic Law. The priests regularly offered animals to atone for sins, continually, year after year (Heb 10:1-4). In contrast, Jesus Himself made a once and for all sacrifice; by one offering. He has made perfect forever those being made holy (10:14). His single sacrifice was sufficient to cover all sins, past, present, and future.

The idea of purification from sins, presented in Hebr 1:3c, has deep roots in Old Testament prophecy. Isaiah 53:5-6: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” This passage foretells Christ’s atoning work, where He bears the sins of many.

David made a personal petition for purification after committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering Uriah the Hittite. He pleaded to God: “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin…Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Ps 51:2, 7 NKJV). Christ ultimately fulfilled the cleansing of sin.

Further, Jer 31:34, the Lord tells the house of Israel that “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” This promise of a new covenant, with the forgiveness of sins, points forward to the ultimate fulfillment in Christ’s purging of our sins.

Sat Down at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High (1:3d)

In Heb 1:3d, the descriptor “Sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (KJV; e.g., Acts 2:33) presents a powerful portrait of Jesus Christ’s exalted post-resurrection and ascension position. This expression signifies the completion of His redemptive work and ultimate authority. The title of majesty refers to reigning king or queen as a monarchial description. The emphasis on Jesus sat down signifies He’s the sole reigning majesty or Lord in heaven. Dan Segraves explained it well in his book about Hebrews: “The point is that He who suffered the ultimate humiliation of assuming solidarity with His creation now occupies the supreme position of exaltation (Phil 2:5-9). In that position, He is due the homage of all creation” (2:10-11).”

The imagery of the right hand of the Majesty on high (God) comes with a rich background in Jewish tradition from the Old Testament. Since God is an omnipresent Spirit, scripture describes Him with anthropomorphisms in revelatory language referring to Him in human form or with human characteristics to help us understand His actions and attributes. The Bible commonly uses anthropomorphisms like His finger (Ex 8:19), eyes (Ps 34:12), ear (2 Kgs 19:16), hand (Is 41:13), arm (Ex 6:6), face (Nm 6:25) and footstool (Is 66:1). Therefore, Jesus sitting at the right hand cannot signify a literal geographic location. Instead, it symbolizes the culmination of Christ’s work and His central role in divine power, honor, and authority. He embodies both the authority and presence of God Himself. 

Likewise, when Stephen gazed into heaven at Jesus standing at the right hand of God, it meant he saw the glory of God’s presence in Jesus Christ (Acts 7:55). Another similar example, Ps 110:1, sitting at the right hand of God foretells the Messiah’s glory. Scripture states “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” This verse reflects the exalted status bestowed upon the Messiah demonstrating God’s declaration of the Messiah’s (Jesus) exalted role and authority from a unified, divine identity with messianic mission. To remember, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with human hands (7:48). 

Through the incarnation, God became man through the conception and birth of a virgin woman named Mary. This act unites deity (God) and humanity (Son) in the person of Jesus Christ according to John 1:1,14. This also explains the phenomenal acts and sayings of Jesus that declare both His deity in addition to His humanity and the relationship between them. The incarnation makes possible the entirety of authority, power, and majesty we see in Jesus.

Jan Paron, PhD — 3.15.24

An excerpt from the future online course, Laying the Foundation: The Superiority of Jesus in Hebrews at All Nations Leadership Institute.

Bibliography

Segraves, Daniel L. Hebrews Better Things, Volume 1. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press, 1996.

The Davidic Covenant

04 Sunday Feb 2024

Posted by in Covenants

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

God ordained the Davidic Covenant as the final covenant of the Old Testament. The New Covenant follows it through the coming of Jesus Christ. The Davidic Covenant is the covenant God ordained with David the King of Israel. This covenant emphasizes the coming of the Kingdom of God in the person of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The covenant has both His first and second comings in view. Both comings of the Messiah are God’s means of bringing about the redemption of God’s creation and the restoration of mankind to the Kingdom of God. In 2 Sm 7, David expresses a desire to build God a house–a temple. God responds to David’s desire by Nathan the prophet that he would not build the house of God because he was a man of war. Instead, David’s son would build the house. God initiates a covenant with David. This covenant speaks to David’s immediate future and generations yet to come. The words of this covenant have double references, meaning it addresses more than one person. This determination comes from other scriptural passages that address the words of the covenant. As students of the Scripture, we do not make these determinations incautiously, but by the actual declarations from the immediate passage or other passages addressing the same subject. The referents of this covenant are David, his son Solomon, David’s descendants from Solomon and Jesus the chosen son of David.

Covenants represent ordained agreements between two or more parties to ensure the establishment of a purpose. Though men make covenants among themselves, man cannot make covenants with God. It is God who initiates and makes covenant with man. Deuteronomy 7:9 says, “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (KJV). God makes and determines covenant with man, not man with God. He ordains covenant to establish His will in the earth, and uses man to accomplish this. It is our responsibility to submit to Him. In covenant, all parties are bound to fulfill their responsibility. Covenant results from God seeking relationship with mankind. Our responsibility is submission to Him.

Under no specific actions of David was this covenant made. The covenant was already in the heart of God. David’s desire to build a temple gave occasion for God to reveal it. David could not build the temple, but his son Solomon would. Solomon did build the temple of God, but a careful study of Heb 1:3-5 and 2 Sm 7:12-14, reveals that the greater son spoken of is Jesus Christ. He would build the New Testament temple of God, the Church. A body of water and Spirit baptized believers in Christ would be the greater temple than Solomon built. The Church is the temple called by God’s name, the name of Jesus. Jesus is the seed of David whose throne (dominion) will endure forever. This of course, is made possible by His resurrection from the dead.   

The events of this covenant were to transpire at some point in time following the death of David. God also promised that He would make David a house, a royal dynasty. This ensures the promise in Gn 49:10 that the right (scepter) to rule Israel will rest with the tribe of Judah in the family of David. This covenant extends to the generation of kings descended from David. None of the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel had a divine right to rule the nation. Only the tribe of Judah had this divinely given right. God promised that His mercy would remain with David and His descendants even though they would commit transgression against God. They would be punished for their deeds, but mercy would not depart.

The covenant looks beyond the generations of David’s family to the millennial period following the great tribulation. The Messiah’s throne is said to endure forever. Under the Messiah’s reign, Israel, the nations of the world and the creation itself will be blessed beyond measure. The glory of God will fill the Earth. Life will be like it was intended to be because Jesus will be here as King of kings and Lord of lords. Second Samuel 16:7 poses a very interesting thought, ”And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.” Though these events will occur after David’s death, he would be alive to witness them! This speaks of the great resurrection to come because of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. David will witness the fulfillment of God’s plan forever. He is a God who keeps covenant!    

Pastor Daryl Cox 2.4.24

From the online course Calling to Covenant: The Story of David

Image from: Bible Study Tools

Jesus in the Book of Isaiah: The Branch

30 Tuesday Jan 2024

Posted by in Old Testament Judgment, Oneness of God, Posts, Prophecy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Overview of Isaiah

The New Testament (NT) quoted Isaiah more than any other book, about 411 times. Isaiah stands as the longest of the classical prophetic books with 66 chapters, the most quoted or borrowed from in the NT, at least some 411 times.1  All four gospels quote Isaiah and many of the epistles, Acts, and Revelation.

Jerome called it the fifth gospel because of its prominent Christocentric emphasis and evangelistic approach. The landscape of Isaiah’s prophecy uncovers a portrait of Jesus through His titles. Among them, the book portrays Him as the Branch of the Lord (4:2); Beloved (5:1) Immanuel (7:14; 8:8); Mighty God (9:6); Chosen One (42:1) Servant of the Lord (42:1; 49:5-6; 52:12-13); Angel of His Presence (63:9); and more.

Branch in Isaiah: Ṣemaḥ and Nēṣer

This study delves into the Isaianic titles of the Messiah. The first of the series will feature Jesus as the Branch framed by the theme of the millennial kingdom. The prophet Isaiah used two different words in his book to represent the Branch in Hebrew: ṣemaḥ (Branch of the Lord; 4:2) signifying future ruler1 and nēṣer (Branch out of the root of Jesse;11:1-2, ) pertaining to sprout/offspring.2 Both ṣemaḥ and nēṣer denote the eschatological Jesus Christ in His millennial reign in the restoration of Israel. Motyer saw the book of Isaiah organized around three messianic portraits of Jesus as the King (1-37), Servant (38-55), and Anointed Conqueror (56-66).3 Accordingly, these portraits paint a foretold glimpse of His character to come.

Old Testament scripture refers to the Branch (ṣemaḥ) in three other passages in addition to Branch of the Lord (Is 4:2): a righteous Branch (Jer 23:5), Branch of Righteousness (33:15), (my servant the Branch) (Zec 3:8), and The Branch (6:12). Further, ṣemaḥ represents types for the Messiah’s roles in the Gospel: Son of God (Is 4:2, Branch of the Lord); Son of Man (Jer 23:5, a righteous Branch unto David); Servant (Zec 3:8, My servant the Branch); King/High Priest (the man whose name is the Branch; 6:12).

The Millennial Kingdom

Both names describe the Messiah’s attributes and actions toward the remnant of Israel during the millennial kingdom, the period of 1,000 years when Jesus will bind Satan from deceiving the nations (Rv 20:7) after the culmination of the tribulation (Daniel’s 70th week). The blessed and holy will reign with Him,4 including the dead in Christ (1 Thes 4:16), Old Testament saints (Dn 12:2), tribulation martyrs (Rv 20:4-6) and believing Jews (the remnant), and Gentile believers who survive the tribulation (Mi 4:6; Zec 12:2; Rm 11:25-32). Jesus will exalt the nation of Israel to the glory of His reign from Jerusalem in a universal peace (Mi 4:6-7; Is 2:4). Motyer described His expected reign as a Davidic future with a “Zion-centered world purpose” (Is 6-12b).5 Prior to His millennial reign He will purge, destroy, and consume transgressors and sinners from Zion. He will transform the city He called an unfaithful harlot characterized by declension to one faithful and righteous (1:22-23, 26). The Lord also will restore the land once desolate, burned from fire, and devoured by strangers (v. 7). Only the Stone cut without hands can achieve a cleansing that renews Israel to the days of old (v. 26; Dn 2:34).

Branch of the Lord: Son of God

In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel (Is 4:2 KJV).

In 4:2-6, scripture refers to the exalted Jesus as the Branch of the Lord. Leading up to this passage, Isaiah foretells the future glory for the city of Jerusalem (2 Sa 5). Isaiah 4:2-6 creates an interlude of grace among Yahweh’s judgments on a sinful Israel in the first part of Isaiah. The prophet contrasted the actual Jerusalem with that to come. His exalted state occurs in that day, also called the latter days, meaning the millennial reign to come. The prophet’s reference to the Branch of the Lord illustrates His attributes as ruler and restorer. Nevertheless, in that day, the Branch will gather the scattered remnant of Israel and those of the house of Jacob, who escaped the tribulation wrath (cf. Ez 28:25; Is 6:13; Mt 24:15). They will come from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath and islands of the sea (Is 11:11). 6 The Branch–the Glorious One, Jesus Christ, the Son of God–will reign over them in His millennial kingdom set in New Jerusalem on Mt. Zion. They will live on the land He gave to His servant Jacob (Ez 28:25). Paul in Rom 9:27 noted the saving of a remnant from those who numbered as the sand of the sea. 

The unrighteous no longer remain as He purged them by the Spirit of judgment during the tribulation and restored Jerusalem to its glory (Is 2:26; 3:3-4). He will consume those who rebel against Him (1:28b). Now, the glorious and beautiful Branch will rule over the righteous remnant He has cleansed and restored in their dwelling place. Isaiah 28:5 calls it a crown of glory and diadem of beauty that the Lord of Hosts wears to the faithful remnant upon His return. The Branch of the Lord (Jehovah, the one true God of Israel) never loses His beauty and glory. Isaiah 4:3 calls the righteous remnant holy. He also renews the once desolate land for Israel, making the earth’s fruit excellent and comely, having majesty and splendor–an eschatological phenomenon reminiscent of a return to paradise (v. 2b).7 Once a harlot city, the Lord tells that He will call Zion the city of righteousness, the faithful city (1:21, 26).

Once again, the Branch of the Lord will shelter them with His manifest presence in a canopy of a cloud and smoke by day and flaming fire by night (v. 5). The Spirit’s dwelling in a cloud and fire echoes the cloud and fire guiding Israel during their exodus from Egypt’s bondage and journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land (Ex 13:21–22). The two sticks united as Israel will arrive to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham. Ezekiel 28:25-26 describes the New Jerusalem as a place where Israel “will live securely building houses and planting vineyards” (Ez 28:26). The dual fire and cloud accomplish a threefold purpose: They testify of His protection to other nations (Ex 14:24), guide Israel in their millennial habitation of Zion, and remind Israel of the faithful Branch who did not forsake them.

The Branch of Jehovah restores the relationship with Jacob and their reliance only on Him, the mighty God (10:20-21; cf. Ez 28:25). Isaiah 43:10-11 emphatically announces, “Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.” They give their allegiance to the one God, He who purged those who worshiped strange gods. He alone, their redeemer, delivered Israel (cf. 46:9). The Lord does not share His glory. Jesus is the God of Israel, the Branch of the Lord, their king and deliverer.

The Branch: Son of Man

1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; (Is 11:1-2).

Part of the royal oracle from Is 11:1-6, verse one of the passage, also notes another usage on the eschatological horizon of the Branch, but with a different noun — nēṣer. Nēṣer pertains to the family line of descendants from the Davidic tree (cf. Dn 11:7). This Branch, known otherwise as Jesus, the Messiah, grows out of the roots of Jesse as a descendant according to the flesh.8 Isaiah had predicted that God would judge His people so that only the stumps would remain. However, from the stumps of the desolate and empty land of Judah will come “the holy seed” (Is 6:13). The Seed will one day sprout from the root so Israel will live again.9

Isaiah described the Branch as the Rod from the stem of Jesse (11:1) and Root of Jesse (11:10).10 Witherington explained the Branch results from the cutting down of the Davidic tree.11 From the old stump a symbol of death and despair, the root will send forth new life with a shoot who will be king. He will have divine authority and attributes to rule over a new creation. 

The Branch descended from Jesse and David according to the flesh in fulfillment of the unconditional Davidic covenant to provide a king for the throne of David to reign over the house of Jacob forever with a kingdom of no end beyond the millennial age (Ps 132:10; 2 Sm 16; Jer 33:17; Lk 1:32-33). The Branch comes as the divine king over a united Israel (Ez 37:22).12 He comes as the Son of David, the shoot from the stump of Jesse (cf, Mt 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30, 31; 21:9, 15; 22:42). Rather than a temporal rule, the Branch reigns on the throne of David as the successor to the heavenly throne of redeemed Israel (1 Kgs 9:5). Tanaka calls Him the New David.13All the former kings of Israel could only foreshadow Him, the greater son of Jesse — Jesus, the Branch.14 He brings new life to the rule of the Davidic dynasty that ended in 586 BC. Thus, the Branch completes Israel’s expectation of a messianic hope, providing a final, sovereign, and righteous king who bears the burden of the government with royal authority having all dominion and power (Is 9:6). 

While the Messiah is a branch (descendant) of Jesse and David according to the flesh, He is the Creator and source of the root (life) according to His Spirit.15 Jesus refers to Himself as the Root and Offspring of David (Rv 22:16). He is both David’s Creator in His deity and Descendant in His humanity.16

The Branch also embodies the fullness of all divine ruling attributes: 1) The spirit of the LORD, 2) The spirit of wisdom, 3) The spirit of understanding, 4) The spirit of counsel, 5) The spirit of might, 6) The spirit of knowledge, 7) The spirit of the fear of the Lord.17 The aspects describe what Bernard calls the “totality of God’s Spirit” indicating His perfection.18 Rather than distinctives of persons separating God and Jesus, the spirits represent one Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Comparison of the Branch of the Lord and Branch (from the Root of Jesse)

Jesus has a dual nature in His eschatological reign with the titles of the Branch of the Lord (Son of God, Is 4:2) and the Branch (Son of Man; 11:1). Together, they demonstrate His perfection as the one and final ruler even unto eternity. 

The Branch of the Lord, in the role of the Son of God, illustrates Him as the arm of the Lord who brought salvation incarnated in the flesh and then will redeem and rescue Israel in the millennial reign. Isaiah noted, “His arm brought salvation” (59:16); therefore, He rules as the revealed arm of the Lord–that same Branch of the Lord (53:1-2) who will continue to restore and cleanse His people. 

He will rule as the Branch, Son of Man, and greater descendant of Jesse and promised King with all power and glory over all nations. He unites Ephraim and Judah to live together in peace. In Mt 24:30-31, Jesus described Himself as having power and great glory when He arrives in the clouds in His second advent, gathering His elect to Jerusalem to begin His worldwide reign. The Branch then sits on His everlasting heavenly throne with full authority to judge as the Ancient of Days (Dn 7:9).

Branch of the Lord    The Branch
Son of GodSon of Man
VerseIn that day, shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel” (Isa 4:2 KJV).And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;” (Is 11:1-2).
DescriptionBeautiful and gloriousOf the LordRod out of the stem of Jesse
Three pairs of spiritual attributes: wisdom/understanding, counsel/might, and knowledge/fear of the Lord (11:2)
Righteous and faithful (v. 5)
Root of Jesse (v. 10)
Ensign of the people (v. 10)
Nature Rescues, redeems, washes away, restores, forgives, judges, protects, rulesJudges, reproves, smites and slays, ensigns, recovers 
ActionsRestores Israel to be called holy: washes away the filth of daughters of Zion, and purges the blood of Jerusalem through the spirits of judgment and burning
Restores the land to be excellent and comely-the pride and glory of Israel
Protects Israel’s glory with His presence by a cloud and smoke by day and flaming fire by night.		Regathers
Rules in righteousness and judgment to bring absolute security to the nations

Close

While Isaiah directed his oracles from Is 4:2 and 11:1 to Israel’s sinful condition, he shed the coming light in New Jerusalem for the remnant who had received Him. Gentiles who also have come to the faith and those believers who survive the tribulation have a place in God’s eschatological kingdom. Christ will rule over all the nations with justice and bring peace for all when the Branch comes to Zion (11:1–5). His 1,000 year reign confirms Old and New Testament promises. He will come as the Branch of the Lord and Branch from the root of Jesse to restore both the people of Israel and the land fulfilling the Palestinian (Dt 30:1-10) and Davidic (2 Sm 7) covenants. The inception of His millennial reign also brings the Church Age of the New Covenant to its fullness and begins a time of ideal and prosperous conditions with His righteousness, peace, safety, and justice (Is 11). 

The millennial reign presents the glorious 1,000 years to come. The one God who created humanity reigns on His heavenly throne with the many attributes defined progressively by His titles (Rv 4:2). While the various titles describe His fullness in the time to come, only one Lord with one name will meet His people in that day (Zec 14:9).19 Uncovering Isaiah, the prophet reveals the many messianic titles of the Lord. 

Jan Paron, PhD/1.30.24

Image from University of St. George Bible Fellowship

Notes

  1. Blue Letter Bible, “Branch,” 2024, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6780/kjv/wlc/0-1/. ↩︎
  2. Blue Letter Bible, “Branch” 2024, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5342/kjv/wlc/0-1/. ↩︎
  3. Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary, Downers Grove: IVP Press, 1993, 13. ↩︎
  4. Jesus called them just (Lk 14:14) and life (Jn 5:29). ↩︎
  5. Alec J. Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah, 40. ↩︎
  6. The modern day equivalents of the scattered: Assyria (northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey); Egypt (Sudan, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Palestine), Pathros southern and upper Egypt), Cush (Sudan), Elam (southern Iran and perhaps southern Iraq), Shina (southern Turkey, western Iran, Iraq, eastern Syria, and eastern Saudi Arabia), Hamath (Syria) and islands of the sea.  ↩︎
  7. Brevard S. Childs, Isaiah, A Commentary, Westminster John Knox Press, 2001. ↩︎
  8. Blue Letter Bible, “Branch,” 2024,https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5342/kjv/wlc/0-1/. ↩︎
  9. Barry L. Ross, NBBC, Isaiah 1-39, (Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 2016). ↩︎
  10. Jared A. Jepson, “The Stem of Salvation and the Rod of Restoration,” BYU Religious Studies Center per, https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-20-no-3-2019/stem-salvation-rod-restoration. Jepson noted the Masoretic Text (MT) rarely used the terms rod (Heb: choter), stem (Heb: gezaʿ), and branch (Heb: netser). It only uses netser for branch in Is 11:1; 14:19; 60:21 and Dn11:7. ↩︎
  11. Witherington, Isaiah Old and New, 141. ↩︎
  12. Ezekiel 37:22 reads, “And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:” ↩︎
  13. Hikaru, Tanaka, Anticipating the New David and the New Moses: A Canonical Reading of the Book of Isaiah. PhD diss., (Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto, 2013), 12. ↩︎
  14. Witherington. Isaiah Old and New, 141. ↩︎
  15. David K. Bernard, Oneness of God (Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press, 2001). ↩︎
  16. Believer’s Bible. ↩︎
  17. Bernard, Oneness of God (Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press, 2001). Bernard explains the seven spirits of God indicate the Spirit’s fullness or perfection emphasizing totality. Isaiah 11:2 may allude to the seven aspects of the Spirit since both Isaiah and Revelation describe the seven spirits as belonging to Jesus. Accordingly, since the Bible the seven as “seven distinct persons or even as one distinct person. Rather, John clearly told us the seven spirits belong to Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:1; 5:6). Later in the book he described the Spirit in the singular (Revelation 22:17). Thus, the seven spirits symbolically represent the fullness and power of the one Holy Spirit, who is none other than the Spirit of Jesus.” ↩︎
  18. Bernard, Oneness of God. Bernard explained the seven spirits of God indicate the Spirit’s fullness or perfection emphasizing totality. Isaiah 11:2 may allude to the seven aspects of the Spirit since both Isaiah and Revelation describe the seven spirits as belonging to Jesus. Accordingly, the Bible doesn’t identify the seven as “seven distinct persons or even as one distinct person.” Rather, John clearly told us the seven spirits belong to Jesus Christ (Rv 3:1; 5:6). Later in the book he described the Spirit in the singular (Rv 22:17). Thus, the seven spirits symbolically represent the fullness and power of the one Holy Spirit, who is none other than the Spirit of Jesus.” ↩︎
  19. Ibid. ↩︎

Bibliography

  • Abernethy, Andrew T. The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom: A Thematic Theological Approach. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2016.
  • Bernard, David. Oneness of God. Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press, 2001.
  • Blenkinsopp, Joseph. Isaiah 1-39. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000.
  • Caesarea, Eusebius of. Commentary on Isaiah, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, InterVarsity Press, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/indwes/detail.action?docID=2009886.
  • Childs, Brevard S. Isaiah. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
  • _______________Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture. Fortress Press, 1979.
  • Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Assyria, Ancient Kingdom, Mesopotamia.” Britannica. Last modified 2023. https://www.britannica.com/place/Assyria.
  • Gignilliat, Mark S. Karl Barth and the Fifth Gospel: Barth’s Theological Exegesis of Isaiah). New York: Ashgate Publishing, 2009.
  • Goldingay, John. Theology of the Book of Isaiah. Downers Grove: IVP Press, 2014. 
  • Harrison, R. K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Peabody, Hendrickson Publishers, 2004.
  • “Isaiah 4:2-6 Commentary.” Precept Austin. Last modified 2022. https://www.preceptaustin.org/Isaiah_42-6_commentary.
  • Jarus, Owen. “Ancient Egypt: History, Dynasties, Religion and Writing.” Live Science. Last modified 2023. https://www.livescience.com/55578-egyptian-civilization.html.
  • Jared A. Jepson, “The Stem of Salvation and the Rod of Restoration,” BYU Religious Studies Center per, https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-20-no-3-2019/stem-salvation-rod-restoration.
  • Kaiser, Otto. Isaiah 1-12, Second Edition: A Commentary (The Old Testament Library) Westminster John Knox Press, 1983.
  • Motyer, J. Alec. The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove: IVP Press, 2009.
  • Ross, Barry L. NBBC, Isaiah 1-39. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 2016.
  • Sawyer, John F. The Fifth Gospel: Isaiah in the History of Christianity. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
  • Seet, Charles. “Isaiah 11:1-10 – Christ’s Millennial Reign on Earth.” Life Presbyterian Church. Last modified 2023. https://www.lifebpc.com/index.php/resources/treasury-of-sermons/44-isaiah-jeremiah-lamentations/1012-isaiah-11-1-10-christ-s-millennial-reign-on-earth.
  • Tanaka, Hikaru. Anticipating the New David and the New Moses: A Canonical Reading of the Book of Isaiah. PhD diss. Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto, 2013.
  • Von Rad, Gerhard. Old Testament Theology, Vol. 2: The Theology of Israel’s Prophetic Traditions. Harper & Rowe, 1965.
  • Wilson, Ralph F. “Day 11. The Spirit Will Rest upon Him (Isaiah 11:1-3).” Jesus Walk. Last modified 2023. https://www.jesuswalk.com/advent/11-spirit.htm.
  • Witherington, Ben.Isaiah Old and New. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2017.