Creation, Sin and Its Curse, and the People of God: an Intertextual Reading of Genesis 1-12 and Acts 1-7

2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-160
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
People Of God ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
Genesis 1

AbstractThis essay offers an intertextual reading of Gen 1-12 and Acts 1-7. Specifically, it considers how three soteriological themes (i.e., creation, sin and its curse, and creation of God's people) play a central role in the narratives of Gen 1-12 and Acts 1-7 and how reading these narratives intertextually can enhance one's appreciation for the evocative power of these themes in Genesis and for their distant echoes in Acts.

scholarly journals Teologi, Studi Biblika, dan Misi

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-131
Author(s):  
Ailsa Barker
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
People Of God ◽  
Biblical Story ◽  
Ministerial Training ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
Missional Engagement ◽  
To Come ◽  
The Church

Missional hermeneutics is the interpretation of Scripture as it relates to the missionary task of the church. Four elements comprise a missional hermeneutics: 1) the missional trajectory of the biblical story being the foremost element, which also underlies the other three, 2) a narrative throughout Scripture centered on Christ and intended to equip the people of God for their missional task, 3) the missional context of the reader, in which attention moves from the task of equipping to the community being equipped, a community that is active, and 4) a missional engagement with culture and the implications thereof. Through the life of God’s people an alternative is offered, together with an invitation to come and join. Because the separation of theology from the mission of the church has distorted theology, all theology needs to be reformulated from the perspective of missio Dei and from the realization that the church is a sent community, missional in its very being. A missional hermeneutics bears implications upon the congregation, worship, preaching, discipleship, education, ministerial training, and the missionary task in multicultural contexts.

scholarly journals Jean-Marc Éla’s Hut and Empty Granary: Rethinking the Social Significance of Theology in Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentine Ugochukwu Iheanacho
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Social Significance ◽  
People Of God ◽  
Pope Francis ◽  
The People ◽  
The Social ◽  
God's People ◽  
Village Life ◽  
The Church

Jean-Marc Éla, in his book My Faith as an African (1988), articulates a pastoral vision for the church in Africa. According to Éla, the “friends of the gospel” must be conscious of God’s presence “in the hut of a mother whose granary is empty.” This awakening arises from the capacity of theologians “to catch the faintest murmurs of the Spirit,” and to stay within earshot of what is happening in the ecclesial community. The vocation of an African theologian, as a witness of the faith and a travelling companion of God’s people, obliges him/her “to get dirty in the precarious conditions of village life.” Decades later, this thought of Éla echoes in Pope Francis’ pastoral vision: “I would prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its security” (Evangelii Gaudium, 49). The purpose of this article is to espouse the pastoral vision of Éla in light of the liberating mission of African theologians. This mission goes beyond armchair theologising toward engaging the people of God “under the tree.” With the granary understood as a metaphor for famine—and famine itself being the messenger of death—the article will also argue that the “friends of the gospel” are not at liberty to shut their eyes and drift off to sleep with a clear conscience, amidst a declining African social context.

scholarly journals The deaf cannot see: An accumulation of blindness and deafness as combined theme in Isaiah 42 and 43

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Van der Walt
Keyword(s):  
People Of God ◽  
The Bible ◽  
New Beginning ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People

In the Bible the words blind and deaf occur nine times in the same sentence. An accumulation of such sentences is found in Isaiah 42 and 43, where it occurs three times (Is 42:18, 19; 43:8). Blindness is also mentioned in two further sentences in these chapters. Not only is it stated that the people of God is blind, but Israel also accuses Yahweh that their way is hidden from him (Is 40:27). It is because of this accusation, pertaining to an alleged blindness on Yahweh’s side, that the question of hearing is raised. He answers to this accusation in the heavenly court with the questions ‘Do you not know? Have you not heard?’ From there on God makes it clear that seeing is dependent on hearing. In a heavenly court of law, the wrong perception that God’s people had about the exile was put straight and a new beginning for the exiles was subsequently made. The theme of blind- and deafness is thereby continued from Isaiah 1 and 6 in the verdict in the heavenly court in Isaiah 43, where it became clear that the cure for the spiritual blindness of God’s people is not related to their eyes, but to their ears.In die Bybel kom die woorde blind en doof nege keer saam in dieselfde sin voor. ’n Opeenhoping van hierdie sinne word in Jesaja 42 en 43 aangetref waar dit drie maal voorkom (Jes 42:18, 19; 43:8). Blindheid word ook in twee verdere sinne in hierdie hoofstukke genoem. Nie alleen word dit gestel dat die volk van God blind is nie, maar die volk beskuldig God dat Hy nie raaksien wat van hulle word nie (Jes 40:27). In die hemelse hof antwoord God op hierdie beskuldiging met die vrae ‘Weet julle nie? Het julle nie gehoor nie?’ Van daardie punt af maak God dit duidelik dat sien van hoor afhanklik is. Hierdie verkeerde persepsie van die volk oor God se sogenaamde blindheid vir hulle welstand tydens die ballingskap, word reggestel en ’n nuwe begin word gemaak. Die tema van blind- en doofheid word sodoende uit Jesaja 1 en 6 voortgesit in die uitspraak wat in die hemelse hof gemaak word (Jes 43). Daar word dit duidelik dat die oplossing vir die geestelike blindheid van die volk nie verband hou met hulle sig nie, maar met hulle gehoor.

The People of God in the Book of Revelation

2020 ◽  
pp. 324-340
Author(s):  
Peter S. Perry
Keyword(s):  
Book Of Revelation ◽  
People Of God ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
The One

This chapter analyzes how John describes and transforms the people of God as audiences, assemblies, slaves of God, saints, those who are clothed in white, and witnesses. John moves them from being audiences of a reader to audiences in the divine court, where they are transformed from ignorance to knowledge of Rome’s violence and idolatrous economy. As assemblies, they receive messages from their true ruler asking them to deliberate on disengaging from the imperial economy and becoming an alternate society. As slaves of God, they are freed to publicly identify as God’s people, protected for service, and separate from those who serve the empire. As saints, God gives new status to the people of God and they move from passivity to activity on behalf of others who suffer at the hands of imperial consumption. As those who are metaphorically clothed in white, they exchange literal luxury for status in God’s court. As witnesses, they are moved to speak the truth about the One-Who-Sits-on-the-Throne and expose the lies that deceive people to participate in the imperial economy.

scholarly journals The Laos tou Theou – an orthodox view of the ‘people of God’

2010 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Nicolaides
Keyword(s):  
Analytic Approach ◽  
Entire Body ◽  
People Of God ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
Royal Priesthood ◽  
In Christ ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Orthodox View ◽  
Unique Relationship

The creation of the Ekklesia by the incarnate logos of God created a new and unique relationship with God’s people that allows humanity to enter into the Covenant and to become part of the ‘people of God’ (Laos tou Theou). Who is the Ekklesia? Is it the entire body of believers in Christ? Who are the chosen race, the royal priesthood and the holy nation of God? If the Ekklesia is the new Laos tou Theou, does its being so cancel out the initial covenant given to the nation of Israel? Is the nation of Israel still ‘God’s people’? This article strives to provide answers to the above questions by providing a discourse analytic approach to the theme. It is clear from the research that the Ekklesia remain the Laos tou Theou, comprising the entire corpus of Christ and the entire communion (or fellowship [koinonia]) of all of the disciples of Jesus. Essentially, all baptised believers are part of the chosen race and the royal priesthood, which form the holy nation of God. All of us are equally called by God to belong to his ‘people’.

God's Holy People

1972 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-33
Author(s):  
John H. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Human Existence ◽  
People Of God ◽  
Promised Land ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
Do So

“To be the people of God in biblical terms means to live with the symbols of Exodus, Promised Land, covenant, and salvation: to live by grace. The complexities, evils, and values of statehood are the facts of human existence, and every generation must struggle with their comprehension, amelioration, and transmission. To do so as God's people is to rejoice in the opportunity of defining and contributing to the well-being of all men. The duty of God's people does not differ from human duty, but grace should be a gift, known, accepted, and transmitted by any people chosen by God. Grace is defined for us by those biblical symbols which have survived national or social aspirations to indicate a context in which men can learn to love one another.”

scholarly journals An Analysis of Economic Wealth of God’s People from Nomadic to Post Exilic Era

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Halim Wiryadinata
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
People Of God ◽  
Economic Wealth ◽  
The Real ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
Promise Land ◽  
Wrath Of God

The terminology of the economic wealth is not actually related to the poor in terms of poverty and wealth in the Bible. The terminology of wealth and poverty is not a matter of relationship to the business or economy, but they are rather to have relationships to seek the righteousness of God. Thus, one should clarify the meaning of wealth and poverty in order to seek the real meaning of the Old Testament theology. The eras of Nomadic to Post Exilic give the idea of how God dealt with the people of God in term of sinful nature. It is not the matter of the economic situation, but it is blessedness for the people who seek Him with all their heart. Nomadic era gives an idea of how God gives the promise land to the people of Israel as long as they can keep the covenant. However, throughout the history the Israelites never entered into the promise land, except Caleb and Joshua. The picture of Babylonia is the wrath of God to the people of Israel who never listen to the command of God. In conclusion, seeking God with full heart will find ‘rest’ forever and keep the promise forever more. Keeping the righteousness of God will bring justice to the poor and let the poverty be away from the poor.

The Wilderness as a Place of the New Exodus in Mark's Feeding Miracles (Mark 6:31–44 and 8:1–10)

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-75
Author(s):  
Sun Wook Kim
Keyword(s):  
Second Temple ◽  
Chaotic State ◽  
People Of God ◽  
New Exodus ◽  
Special Place ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
God's Grace ◽  
Messianic Banquet

This article investigates the role of the wilderness in Jesus' feeding miracles in Mark 6:31–44 and 8:1–10, which connects God's provision of manna in the original exodus with Jesus' feeding miracles, envisioning the new exodus. In the exodus story, the wilderness was a special place where the Israelites established their identity as the people of God by witnessing God's grace, punishment, and power. In the later biblical writings, the Second Temple Jewish literatures, and rabbinic writings, the wilderness had been re-interpreted symbolically, cosmologically, and eschatologically, implying a chaotic state that should be transformed by God's grace and a place where God's people are gathered and fed with the hope of a messianic banquet. Mark accumulates these images and implications of the wilderness into Jesus' feeding miracles, and presents the feedings of the multitude in the wilderness in light of the new exodus. The wilderness is portrayed as the place where green grass grows; in the wilderness Jesus as the eschatological shepherd leads and cares for his people with compassion and gathers and feeds them with a messianic banquet. Jesus is manifested as the Savior and Feeder who guides, cares for, and gives abundant food to his people, in which the new exodus is unfolded.

scholarly journals Khotbah Pengajaran Versus Khotbah Kontemporer

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Tonny Rey
Keyword(s):  
Daily Life ◽  
People Of God ◽  
The People ◽  
God's People ◽  
Church Service ◽  
The Church

Khotbah merupakan bagian dari proses ibadah di gereja yang bertujuan memberikan penjelasan kepada warga gereja. Namun demikian, beberapa kotbah yang disampaikan bukannya memberikan penjelasan yang alkitabiah sebaliknya hanya memberikan pernyataan-pernyataan yang ambigu dan ambivalensi, bahkan cenderung provokatif. Khotbah yang disampaikan kiranya kembali pada pola alkitabiah, yaitu khotbah pengajaran seperti yang dilakukan Tuhan Yesus Kristus dan para rasul. Khotbah pengajaran berorientasi pada berita Alkitab yang memiliki wibawa ilahi. Khotbah pengajaran bukanlah kotbah yang memberikan banyak alasan-alasan tertentu, tetapi yang memiliki makna teologi dan aplikatif.Disisi lain, khotbah kontemporer telah diterima dengan tangan terbuka oleh beberapa gereja yang tingkat pemahaman terhadap Alkitab dan iman Kristen masih sah untuk dipertanyakan. Hal itu tidak menjadikan gereja tersebut memiliki perspektif negatif, melainkan semakin meningkatkan kesadaran teologis secara normatif; apakah khotbah yang disampaikan selama ini sudah sehat atau menjadi beban warga gereja sehingga tidak memberikan pertumbuhan spiritualitas seperti yang diharapkan. Kajian ini bersifat eksplanatif-argumentatif, tentang khotbah pengajaran versus khotbah kontemporer, sehingga pada akhirnya pembaca mampu merekonstruksi makna kotbah yang selama ini telah dihidupi dan menghidupkan dalam kehidupannya sehari-hari. Sermon is one of element in church service, which aim to explain the people of God. Nevertheless, some sermons preached not to give biblical explanation, otherwise make some ambiguous, even tend to be provocatively. Sermon presumably back to biblical pattern, that is a teaching sermon what Jesus ever did and also with the apostles. Teaching sermon is biblical oriented, which has divine authority. It is not about giving many reasons, but having theological sense and applicable. In other side, contemporary sermon has been received with hand opened by some churches which their biblical understanding is proper to be questioned. That doesn’t make the church has negative perspective, but more increases theological awareness normatively; either sermon has been preached sensely or become burden for God’s people, so they couldn’t grow up spiritually as expected. This article explains argumentatively about teaching sermon versus contemporary one, which at least the reader can reconstructing the meaning of sermon that has been lived within and living by in daily life.

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