Biblical Theology Chapter Two: Covenants, &tc

Here Lawrence introduces the "tools" of biblical theology and how to use them.

Lawrence gives an example of the different "horizons" of a person's life: the public, personal, and private horizons. Each is true about the person, but doesn't give the entire picture. As you view the person from each horizon, you learn something more about who he is.

Similarly, we view God's revelation of himself in different horizons: the textual, epochal, and canonical horizons.

The textual horizon, per Lawrence, is the closest view and consists of what the text actually contains: its language, verbiage, and terminology. The epochal horizon and canonical horizon seem to overlap somwehat in Lawrence's description.

Epochs are sometimes delineated by the presence of a new covenant -- or promise by God -- for instance. Epochs seem to be turning points at which at bit more of the revelatory curtain is pulled back to expose God's design and plan of redemption (called "progressive revelation" by some). Lawrence cites the division between the Old and New Testaments as an obvious epochal division.

Covenants are God's promise to men regarding future salvation and blessing. These are ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

Adressing a passage of Scripture this way would initially reveal the textual horizon -- what the text actually says -- then the reader would "back out" a bit and view the epochal horizon -- what stage of redemptive history the text was given -- then assess the covenantal horizon and how this particular text might have been fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus, or how it will be fulfilled in his second coming.

Lawrence uses as an example of this process a text that fits all three horizons, but there are some passages for which the "horizon" view might not work so easily, and Lawrence gives no guidance at this point regarding how to treat those passages.

Even so, Lawrence's description is useful, and helpful to emphasize the importance of viewing each passage of Scripture no only in isolation, but in connection with other teachings of Scripture; in considering, as it were, the stage of redemptive history in which the passage was given.

Lawrence's next chapter addresses prophecy and typology, among other things.

Biblical Theology Chapter One: Exegetical Tools

As Lawrence points out, his book is a practical tool for pastors. In many respects, though, Biblical Theology is also useful for every believer, because we are all called to be "theologians": thinking rightly about God.

In Chapter One Lawrence begins a discussion of a method of interpreting Scripture so that we can be reasonably assured that we are understanding the meaning of Scripture. Whatever method we use, our system of interpreting Scripture is called "hermeneutics."

Lawrence states the fundamental principle that we as readers of the Scripture text can understand what God is saying to us in it, and that there is a correct meaning: not what the text "means for you," or what it "means to me," but, simply, what it "means."

The method Lawrence proposes is the "grammatical-historical method," a key component of which is the understanding that we are not -- primarily -- seeking to understand what a particular word means, but what a sentence means, as the author originally intended it. Though understanding words is important, "context is king," and we ignore the context in which the word is found at our own peril.

An important component of the grammitcal-historical method is recognizing the different genres in Scripture -- poetry, history, prophecy -- because how we arrive at "units" of teaching and preaching will depend in part on what sort of genre we are dealing with. For instance, a unit of teaching from the epistles will be much shorter than a unit of preaching from the book of 2 Chronicles.

Lawrence gives a brief description of the way to interpret each genre, for which he gives seven categories. Though a serious student of Scripture will want to explore more thorough treatment of interpreting each of the genres, Lawrence's summary is a good illustration of the importance of recognizing Scripture genres before we set about the task of interpretation.

Giving the example of teaching a group of sixth grade boys in Sunday school, Lawrence demonstrates that every believer -- given the proper exegetical tools -- can rightly understand Scripture, in a way that comforms us into the image of Christ.

Biblical Theology, Introduction

In the "Introduction" to his Biblical Theology, Michael Lawrence tackles the foundational issue of what the Bible is, after all. Lawrence says that we need and understanding of the Bible that "doesn't reduce it to life's little answer book, but keeps the focus on God." Additionally our definition shouldn't "reduce it to the story of how we get saved and go to heaven."

According to Lawrence, biblical theology is the attempt to demonstrate what systematic theology assumes, that the Scriptures are a single, unified narrative of God's message.

Lawrence identifies four characteristics of divine revelation: it is 1) progressive -- revealing God's truth over time; 2) it is historical -- dealing with real events in history; 3) it is organic -- more like a growing plant than constructed building; 4) it is practical -- useful for pastoral counsel and believer-to-believer admonishing.

He also identifies five characteristics of the Bible, which task itself is a bit confusing and overlaps somewhat with his description of divine revelation: 1) historical/human; 2) divine; 3) narrative; 4) structured by covenants; 5) centered in judgment.

Lawrence gives a bit of insight to his description of Scriputre as "narrative" when he explains that this "story doesn't just interpret us, it exercises authority over us. ... The narrative of Scripture has a normative, or authoritative, function in our lives and over our churches.

This is the point at which Scriptural narrative looks much different from other historical accounts or stories (in the sense of true events, not "fairy tales"). Yet Lawrence perhaps confuses the issue when he contrasts a Christianity of "a limited set of doctrinal propositions" with one that "claims the totality of our lives."

He is not quite clear, here, of how the normative nature of the biblical narrative dispels dry orthodoxy with vibrant orthopraxy. Perhaps this will become clearer.

Lawrence does make a good point in re-emphasizing what he calls "salvation through judgment." This is an echo of Romans 3:26, in that we are not saved when God's just wrath is neutralized, but when it is cast on One able to endure it in righteousness, God's own Son. This makes God both just and justifier.

Lawrence's premise -- that proper theology is also imminently practical -- is correct. I look forward to discovering his demonstration of this truth in the remainder of the book.

Biblical Theology by Michael Lawrence

This is neither a new idea, nor a new book, nor a new idea about a new book.

Biblical Theology by Michael Lawrence was released in 2010 as a 9Marks product (Crossway: Wheaton IL, 2010). Many others have proposed to blog through a book as they read it, so my attempt to do so is not a novelty.

So, there is nothing new to see here, except for my take on things, so if I haven't successfully persuaded you to stop reading and go to a better-looking site with a younger, hipper blogger, then read on, my friend.

Lawrence writes generally to propose how biblical theology leads directly to effective -- some might say "faithful" -- pastoral ministry in the church. He even proposed that he is writing a "how-to" book, and that learning "to do biblical theology will help you learn how to pastor well" (p15).

Expanding on this idea, Lawrence says "our theology determines the shape and character of our ministry. Theology is how we move from the text of Scripture to how we should live our lives today. This is a book about theology. But it's really a book about ministry, because I'm convinced that if we want our ministry to have a lasting impact and our churches to be healthy we must first do our theology well."

Lawrence refers to this approach as "word-centered ministry."

Indeed, for any congregation of Christ-followers, ministry should be nothing but word-centered. As Lawrence suggests, a gospel minister isn't simply reciting a washing machine manual, but is delivering the life-giving, life-changing Word of God.

This Word is powerful to actually change people. I fear that in some respect we as believers have forgotten this, or don't truly believe it. I must confess that though I engage in ministry with a Word-centered frame of reference, and trust God's Word to accomplish his purpose in changing the lives of men, I am still -- in my sinful and doubtful condition -- surprised when I observe that what God promised and what I profess to believe actually happens.

Yet it is better to be pleasantly surprised at the efficacy of God's Word than to avoid opportunity for God's Word to be efficacious.

Hopefully, Lawrence's book will be a much-needed corrective to ministry centered on things other than the Word.

Join me in finding out.