tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28113006.post3091215952879416035..comments2023-07-13T08:48:47.109-05:00Comments on The Race Set Before Us: Does Paul Distinguish between Reward and Being Saved in 1 Corinthians 3:14, 15?abcanedayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671418539630398806noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28113006.post-46997711694955761092008-05-19T16:50:00.000-05:002008-05-19T16:50:00.000-05:00Nicholas,I'm sorry that I did not get around to re...Nicholas,<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry that I did not get around to responding to your previous question. I was planning to do that today, but I noticed that you removed it.<BR/><BR/>I will respond, instead, to your most recent question.<BR/><BR/>I do think that Jesus' announcement of the Kingdom of God and his teaching with parables evokes the whole story of Israel. His parables echo OT themes, particularly concerning Israel's unfaithfulness, rejection of God's dominion, desiring to be like the nations, covenant breaking, apostasy, exile, etc. The themes of Jesus' parables resonate with themes in the parables and teachings of the OT prophets. <BR/><BR/>Whether Wright has got it all correct is another matter. In large measure, I think that he is on target. Yet, as I stated in my earlier note, I think that Wright could do more work concerning Israel's typological role, including Israel's kingship. <BR/><BR/>Israel's story throughout the OT is one of unfaithfulness. Few kings honored the Lord. All kings, of course, perished from the earth, leaving the throne to another son of Adam who was made in his image and after his likeness (Gen 5:1ff), in other words, a human corrupted with sin. Thus, as Hebrews 7-10 argues that the Levitical priesthood was inadequate, given that its priests not only offered the sacrifices year after year but they all also perished from the earth, so also Israel's kings. They all died. The House of David awaited the promised one who would reign endlessly in righteousness and justice.abcanedayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13671418539630398806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28113006.post-14912634814372337702008-05-19T11:04:00.000-05:002008-05-19T11:04:00.000-05:00Dr. Caneday,Would you agree that Jesus' kingdom an...Dr. Caneday,<BR/><BR/>Would you agree that Jesus' kingdom announcements and, even, his parables evoked the entire story of Israel? Do you think Wright is correct in his assessment of this story?Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16427569414640587844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28113006.post-69907689857714516052008-05-16T16:23:00.000-05:002008-05-16T16:23:00.000-05:00Nicholas,Yes, I do agree with you. In my estimatio...Nicholas,<BR/><BR/>Yes, I do agree with you. In my estimation, N. T. Wright does not consistently or adequately distinguish Israel's role as type and Israel's experience as a nation.<BR/><BR/>Israel sinned by breaking covenant with God. Thus, Israel eventually went into exile, banishment from the land. Israel endured 70 years of exile and then the Lord graciously restored Israelites to the land.<BR/><BR/>There is, in this, an entanglement of Israel's role as reenacting Adam's sin and of Israel's role as type of Christ who would bring an end to exile because he would bring an end to sin's tyranny. Hence, Israel sinned and needed real forgiveness. Were all those Israelites who returned to the land after the Babylonian exile devout believers? I doubt it. Such is hardly the portrayal we receive in Ezra and Nehemiah and post exilic prophets. Is end of exile a parabolic portrayal of forgiveness of sin? Yes, but this hardly means that every Israelite who returned from exile received forgiveness of their sins any more than every Israelite who left Egypt received forgiveness of their sins through the exodus.<BR/><BR/>Exodus and return from exile are symbolic elements of parabolic events. Yet never should we make the mistake of supposing that all the Israelites who experienced either of these were actually set right with God and received forgiveness of their sins. In the same way we should never make the mistake of supposing that all Israelites who experienced exile from the land were individually and actually alienated from God, abandoned to sin.<BR/><BR/>Does this ring true with your hesitations concerning what Wright is saying?abcanedayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13671418539630398806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28113006.post-32041607883289619962008-05-16T15:51:00.000-05:002008-05-16T15:51:00.000-05:00Ardel,I hope I don't look like a jerk but I wanted...Ardel,<BR/><BR/>I hope I don't look like a jerk but I wanted to ask you a question that is totally unrelated to this post. I have started to work my way through Jesus and the Victory of God and I wanted to ask you some things. I am on chapter 6 concerning the Jewish hope at the time of Jesus. I have noticed in Wright's writings that he often equates forgiveness of sins with 'return from exile'. I agree with Wright on this but there seems to be a sense in which Wright ignores the fact that forgiveness of sins means just that. Forgiveness of sins. Israel was in exile for a reason, namely they sinned. I think that Wright would have done well to include forgiveness of sins as a crucial part of the Jewish hope. Do you agree? I have more questions but I think I'll wait.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16427569414640587844noreply@blogger.com