Re: [asa] A question on morals (OT and NT)

Well, some might quibble with "driving a wedge" between Paul and
Jesus.....

The NT letters are the first concrete applications of the Gospel to
the newly constituted Jewish/Gentile people of God. They necessarily
go "beyond" the Gospels. Since we are in the same "eschatological
moment" as these first Christian communities, we would do well to
bring the letters into out theological center (along with the Gospels,
of course).

I realize, though, that Protestantism has so highlighted Paul's
theology (and as many are arguing, mistakenly), that a re-affirmation
of the Gospels is becoming popular as a corrective. I don;t want to be
misunderstood as advocating "Paul before Jesus" as is too often
implied, directly or indirectly, especially among the fundamentalist
Calvinists I know.

So muc to do, so little time.

Pete

On Nov 3, 2009, at 1:40 PM, Michael Roberts wrote:

> Perhaps my way of using the bible in my ministry may help.
>
> I always says that the Gospels are THE most important
>
> then the letters and rest of NT
>
> and then the OT, which is fulfilled in the NT,
>
> i.e NT trumps OT and Gospels trump the rest.
>
> I will now go and give a lecture on Darwin and run for cover.
>
> Michael
>
> PS Peter and Murray will see the trajectory etc behind my simplified
> teaching
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pete Enns" <peteenns@mac.com>
> To: "Murray Hogg" <muzhogg@netspace.net.au>
> Cc: "ASA" <asa@calvin.edu>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 5:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [asa] A question on morals (OT and NT)
>
>
>> Thanks, Murray.
>>
>> And I think that the notion of "trajectory" is what puts the NT in
>> both this position of "confirming" and "challenging" the OT. It is
>> the perennial hermeneutical challenge of the church, as far back as
>> Paul. Every Christian who looks into this will adopt some model in
>> an effort to give as much coherence to the data as possible. For
>> me, a "trajectory model" is most helpful because it is flexible
>> and opens up discussion.
>>
>> Pete
>>
>> On Nov 3, 2009, at 11:47 AM, Murray Hogg wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Pete,
>>>
>>> I like the way you put this; "not a contradiction to be resolved
>>> but a trajectory to be understood."
>>>
>>> All too often I think there can be a tendency to bet bogged down
>>> in the minutiae of the biblical text and not appreciate that
>>> there is, indeed, an overarching trajectory to it all.
>>> In respects of morality, I think the trajectory evidences a move
>>> from the idea of following an outward moral code (the Law) to the
>>> idea of following an internal witness (the Spirit). Crudely put,
>>> I know, but I'm sure I don't need to labour the theological
>>> niceties!
>>>
>>> I should probably acknowledge, incidentally, that "contradiction"
>>> wasn't your term. I'll simply remark that I was referring rather
>>> generally to the tendency to so focus on Scripture as a bunch of
>>> "data" to be systematised that the *function* of scripture as a
>>> guide to faith and practice gets lost. I'm not, let me say,
>>> against the practice of biblical theology - the attempt to
>>> systematise the teachings of Scripture - but I do think we can
>>> get just a bit obsessive about the minutiae of it all.
>>>
>>> Here's to seeking to understand the trajectory!
>>>
>>> Blessings,
>>> Murray
>>>
>>> Pete Enns wrote:
>>>> Murray,
>>>> It is both, even within the Sermon on the Mount (although we
>>>> need not linger there). Jesus is both addressing the use of
>>>> Israel's civil law by the religious hierarchy (but not limited
>>>> to them) and he is also abrogating certain laws. A good example
>>>> is the passage on oaths and vows.
>>>> But there are bigger issues about what the OT itself assumes and
>>>> what the NT says. However, although I do not shy away from the
>>>> notion of contradiction, I did not use that term to describe
>>>> this phenomenon. It is not a contradiction to be resolved but a
>>>> trajectory to be understood.
>>>> Oh, and hi :-)
>>>
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>>
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>
>
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Received on Wed Nov 4 08:02:56 2009