scholarly journals Die bron van lewensvreugde volgens Psalm 1 en wat dit vir gereformeerde prediking inhou

2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Helberg

The source of joy of living according to Psalm 1 and what it implies for reformed preaching The article explores the strong emphasis on joy of living and on the dominating meaning of the Torah, the written Word of God, in Psalm 1 and what it means for the proclamation of the Word in public worship today. For that purpose the relation of Psalm 1 to the rest of the psalms, to the Old Testament as a whole and the New Testament is explored. The finding is that the fulfilment of the New Testament implies Word-driven, Christ-driven and Holy Spirit-driven preaching, i.e. kingdom and covenant preach- ing. Public worship is God’s meeting with his covenant people. The preacher’s role is fully one of service and he must confine himself to the interpretation and application of Scripture.

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-57
Author(s):  
Paulus Purwoto

AbstractThe church is a chosen group or congregation, namely those who are called by God to come out of the world, go away from sin and enter into the realm of grace. The church has a relationship with God's people in the Old Testament, where in the Old Testament God chose Abraham as the embryo of the birth of the nation of Israel, which was God's chosen nation. Theologically, the idea of God's people being called out clearly existed in Old Testament times, as well as in New Testament times. Linguistically the Greek word ekklesia appears repeatedly in connection with Israel in the Septuagint translation. The elements in the Old Testament exist in the New Testament church, however, they cannot be correctly equated between the Old Testament congregation and the church, because the church is a new product, founded on the Lord Jesus, made by the Holy Spirit and contains people from all the races of all nations become one new people of God. The true church has the signs as described in the Word of God. The purpose of this research is to conduct a theological review of the true church and its application to the contemporary church. The method used in this research is literature study method. The true church has signs, joy, holiness, truth, mission, unity, love, proclaims the Word of God properly, uses the sacraments properly, and exercises church discipline. The conclusion of this study is that the true church has signs that can be applied in contemporary church ministry.Key words: Chruch, Contemporer, True, Ministry AbstrakGereja adalah kumpulan atau jemaat pilihan, yaitu mereka yang dipanggil Allah keluar dari dunia, pergi dari dosa dan masuk ke dalam wilayah anugerah. Gereja memiliki relasi dengan umat Allah dalam Perjanjian Lama, dimana dalam Perjanjian Lama Tuhan memilih Abraham sebagai embrio lahirnya Bangsa Israel yang merupakan bangsa pilihan Allah. Secara teologis gagasan tentang umat Allah yang dipanggil keluar jelas telah eksis pada masa Perjanjian Lama, sebagaimana pada masa Perjanjian Baru.  Secara linguistik kata Yunani ekklesia muncul berulang kali dalam kaitannya dengan Israel dalam terjemahan Septuaginta. Unsur-unsur dalam Perjanjian Lama tersebut ada dalam gereja Perjanjian Baru, namun demikian tidak dapat disamakan dengan tepat antara Jemaah Perjanjian Lama dengan gereja, oleh karena gereja adalah sesuatu produk baru, didirikan diatas Tuhan Yesus, dijadikan oleh Roh Kudus dan berisi orang-orang dari segala ras dari seluruh bangsa menjadi satu umat Allah yang baru. Gereja sejati memiliki tanda-tanda sebagaimana dijelaskan dalam Firman Tuhan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk melakukan tinjauan teologis tentang gereja sejati dan aplikasinya bagi gereja kontemporer. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode studi literatur. Gereja sejati memiliki tanda-tanda, sukacita, kekudusan, kebenaran, misi, kesatuan, kasih, memberitakan Firman Tuhan dengan benar, menggunakan sakramen dengan benar, dan menjalankan disiplin gereja. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah bahwa gereja sejati memiliki tanda-tanda yang dapat diaplikasikan dalam pelayanan gereja kontemporer.Kata kunci: Gereja, Kontemporer, Sejati, Pelayanan. 


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Leonardo Nunes

The present dissertation examines the function and nature of the heavenly sanctuary/temple and its relationship to the earthly counterparts in the major passages of the New Testament (NT) Gospels, Acts, Pauline and General Epistles where the sanctuary/temple motif is found (a total of twenty-two passages). After the introductory chapter, chapters 2, 3, and 4 are devoted to the exegetical analysis of these major passages following canonical order and divisions of the NT. This exegetical analysis has detected the relevance of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif for NT studies, i.e., how its function, nature, and relationship to the earthly counterparts influence the understanding of important themes of the NT such as salvation, intercession, spiritual gifts, love, holiness, eradication of evil, among others. This investigation has identified that the heavenly sanctuary/temple in the NT function as God’s dwelling place. It is a place for reunion, reconciliation, and sending of the Holy Spirit, from where every spiritual blessing is bestowed upon the believers. In the heavenly sanctuary/temple Jesus is enthroned to exercise authority, power, sovereignty, and rulership; it is where judgment and vindication are made, the new covenant is ratified. It is a place to present praise and worship to God, celebrating Christ's victory over evil. The heavenly sanctuary/temple is where Christ presents His once-for-all sacrifice, "obtains eternal redemption," and intercedes in our behalf, giving assurance that God's salvific purpose and the heirs' hope will be fulfilled. The heavenly sanctuary/temple also functions as the motivation and ground for holy living, the driving force for sacrificial service and endurance of suffering for Christ. The heavenly sanctuary/temple is also the final destination of the Christian journey where all believers will gather together with the godhead and the angels in a festal assembly. Regarding the nature of the heavenly sanctuary/temple in the NT, the passages surveyed show that architecture is not the main concern of the NT writers. However, in tune with the Old Testament (OT), they describe the heavenly sanctuary/temple in terms of a spatiotemporal reality where the corporeal resurrected Jesus is at work and the bodily resurrected believers will live. This NT ontological perspective safeguards the actuality of the heavenly sanctuary/temple many functions. The spatiotemporal nature of the heavenly sanctuary/temple is strengthened when one looks at its relationship to the earthly counterparts. The NT passages examined demonstrate that there is structural and functional correspondence between OT and NT heavenly and earthly counterparts within a typological framework, as well as dynamic interaction among them. Chapter 5 offers a theological synthesis of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif presented in the previous chapters. A summary of the findings is first provided followed by inferences of theological implications in the three main areas of this dissertation (function, nature, and relationship). After these concluding remarks, an appendix is provided with a brief treatment of twenty-five NT passages not dealt with in the main text (including thirteen passages in the book of Revelation) in order to give the reader a more comprehensive perspective of the pervasiveness of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif in the NT. In conclusion, the study of the heavenly sanctuary/temple motif in the NT seems to be needed in order to have a sound and balanced understanding of NT theology.


2010 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Dariusz Kasprzak

Neither the Apostles nor any Christian minister is admitted to use the priest’s title in the text of the New Testament. Nevertheless, in the New Testament we can perceive the development of the doctrine of the priest ministry in the early Church. Albert Vanhoye maintains that the lack of the term “priest” in the New Testament suggests the way of understanding of the Christian ministry, different from this in the Old Testament. It can’t be considered as a continuation of Jewish priesthood, which was concentrated mainly on ritual action and ceremonies. In the first century the Church developed the Christology of priesthood (Hbr) and ecclesiology of priesthood (1 P). Early Christians focused first on the redemptive event of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant. Only then the religious communities adopted the priest’s title for their ministry.In the early years of the Church, all the ministries were regarded as a charismatic service among the Christian communities. In their services the early Christians followed Jesus Christ sent by God to serve. The Holy Spirit sent by God in the name of Jesus bestowed the spiritual gifts upon the Church (1 Kor 12–13). Consequently the disciples of Jesus and their successors could continue his mission. The Twelve Apostles’ ministry was the very first and most important Christian ministry. It was closely connected to the service of Jesus Christ himself. The Apostles were sent by the authority of Jesus Christ to continue his mission upon earth and they preached the Good News of the risen Christ. The Apostolicity was the fundamental base for every Church ministry established in different Christian communities. Successive ministries were established in order to transmit the teaching of Jesus Christ and to lead the community. For the early Christians the priesthood was not an individual privilege. It had rather the community character.


1971 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-200
Author(s):  
Steven Katz

In this paper I would like to discuss what the Old Testament has to say about the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. I take it as agreed that this task is both important and necessary for a real understanding of the New Testament, which by itself, is neither complete, meaningful nor self-authenticating. I do not make any claims to completeness on this crucial topic, but wish only to suggest what I feel are some important points for consideration. I want to discuss the three persons of the Trinity separately, beginning with the Father, then proceeding to the Holy Spirit and then to the Son. My remarks about the Father will be brief. I only wish to make the point that the Old Testament as well as the new Testament is fully aware of God's Fatherhood and alive to the reality that God loves mankind. It is clear that Israel has a special place as indicated by such passages as Exod. 4.22 where God addresses Israel saying: ‘Israel is my first born son.’ Yet at the same time it is basic to an understanding of Old Testament thought that God is the Father of the other nations of the world, though they are not the ‘first born’. This is a cardinal position of Old Testament theology and is based on the belief, given expression in Genesis, that all belongs to and was created by God.


The article states that, for the purpose of interpreting the Biblical topos of the Law and Grace, Hilarion refers to the genre of the word. Hilarion takes first place in the title, and then in the text of the work God brings out wisdom. By law, he believes the Old Testament, which has already fulfilled its task, and Grace - the New Testament, which outlines the existence of man, his relationship with God, gives hope for eternal life. The subject of the "Word" breaks the sermon into four fragments. In the first of them, we notice the allegorical meaning of reading the Scriptures in relation to the history of mankind. The second part is devoted to the interpretation of the image of Jesus Christ, which appears as a synthesis of God and human nature. The third fragment depicts events beyond the boundary of the Bible. It is devoted to the baptism of Rus. In the fourth fragment Prince Volodymyr is glorified. Following the best traditions of Byzantine oratory prose, the author of the Word simply pours his text into quotations from the Bible and adds to them a predominantly allegorical interpretation, emphasizing that the work is not intended for proclamation, but for reading, which enabled the author to interpret the Scriptures and in the literal, and in allegorical sense. The advantage of the New Testament over the Old Testament is embodied by the author in the images of the free wife of Abraham Sarah - Grace and his servant Hagar - Law. Laconic retelling of God-inspired text, Hilarion interprets the old-czarist images, as those that represent the new covenants at the level of allusions, presented them in the form of additional parallel antithesis. The same anti-colored color is also depicted by the images of their children. Isaac was born from a free woman, which means that he represents freedom, Ishmael is from a slave, hence his image symbolizes slavery. He who receives Grace receives goodness, love, becomes the son of God, and begins to live a new life in the Holy Spirit through which the believer is through. The overcoming of the Law and the perception of Grace means, according to Hilarion, the acquisition of spiritual freedom.


1995 ◽  
Vol 29 (1/2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Helberg

This article briefly explores the character and content of the correc­tive element in the Old Testament and also draws the line through to the New Testament, i.e. to Jesus Christ. Attention is given to the atti­tude of the Old Testament to evil powers, man, the covenant people, the proclaimers of the Word, the listeners or readers, and the Old Testament itself. The relevance of this corrective element in the prac­tice of theology is also cursorily explored. The conclusion is that theology implies imperfect human reflection on Scripture as the perfect Word of God. Theology should he practised in humility, con­tinually being tested against Scripture as norm and accordingly being reformed. Furthermore, theology should not merely criticise or con­demn other approaches but should have a missionary inclination.


2000 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-352
Author(s):  
W. G. Thirion

A practical theological model for the relationship Old Testament/New TestamentFor all Christians the Bible consists of the Old and New Testament. The relationship, however, between these two parts is a hermeneutic-theological problem which confronts the communicative praxis of the Christian faith. Therefore it is necessary to develop a hermeneutic-theological theory for Christians which can serve as a paradigm within which the texts of the Old as well as that of the New Testament may regard as equal authoritative Word of God. As far as this study is concerned, there is but one approach only which can achieve this and that is a theocentric approach to both Testaments. A theocentric approach to the relationship Old Testament/New Testament, a) is capable of treating both Testaments as equal authoritative Word of God, b) prevents the practice of "two-sermons-in-one-sermon" in an attempt to make the message of the Old Testament more Christian like, c) is especially capable of communicating the message of the Old Testament in the communicative praxis of the Christian community and the modern society without reading by force Christ into the Old Testament.


Author(s):  
Dale B. Martin

A view of the nature of Jesus Christ that rises to the level of full Christian orthodoxy, as expressed in such creeds and definitions as the Apostles’ Creed, and the statements of Nicea, and Chalcedon, cannot be responsibly derived from the New Testament if the constraints of modern historical criticism are obeyed. But robust and faithful views of the nature of Christ may be read from the New Testament, and even from the Old Testament, when the text is interpreted via lenses of creative, Christian interpretation, led by the holy spirit, and interpreted with the guidance of love. Moreover, though constructions of “the historical Jesus” may be used for theological reflection, the Jesus of Christian faith is the Christ of Christian creed and confessions, not the Jesus of modern historical research and construction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-24
Author(s):  
James W. Ellis

Although women’s words account for a small portion of biblical scripture, the Bible records two related prayerful songs that were sung by female prophets: the song of Hannah, in the Old Testament, and the Magnificat of Mary, in the New Testament. This essay uses typological methodology to explore the songs’ connections, including their shared literary precedents and nearly identical theological themes. Their fundamental similarities suggest Hannah’s song served as a harbinger of the Magnificat. Hannah and Mary’s shared blessing, divinely ordained motherhood, and their shared inspiration, the Holy Spirit, explain the parallels of their prayerful verses and prophetic utterances, which were of great relevance for both covenants of the Judeo-Christian faith.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-93
Author(s):  
Sperry Velmer Terok

The Bible states that God is difficult and even impossible to understand (Job. 11:7; Isa. 40:18), but He can be recognized. Jesus The Lord once confirmed this important truth to His disciples: “If you have known me, you will know my Father too. And from now on you do know Him and have seen Him. (Joh. 14:7).” Why God seems difficult to understand? It is because of the sin’s problem; the limitation of the human mind and understanding, but it does not mean that humans cannot recognize God. An understanding of the One God in Christianity is challenging. In order to describe and understand the One God in Christianity, the author uses descriptive methods. The intention is to be able to describe a system of thought in order to further interpret it precisely. As a result of the study of this paper, that the existence of One God in Christianity is clearly reported in the Bible; furthermore, the One God who has introduced Himself as a Trinity God is very clear both in Old Testament as well as in New Testament. The Trinity God: God the Father, God the Son, Holy Spirit, all three is one and equal. Finally, everyone can understand and recognize Him as far as the Bible says. The key to understand and recognize the One God is to believe the Bible is the Word of God in the first place. Then presume the understanding that every believer has can give meaning personally to others, and at last above these two interests, glory and honor to God, Himself.Alkitab menyatakan bahwa Allah sukar bahkan mustahil untuk dipahami (Ayb 11:7; Yes. 40:18), namun Dia dapat dikenal. Tuhan Yesus pernah menegaskan kebenaran penting tesebut kepada murid-murid-Nya: “Sekiranya kamu mengenal Aku, pasti kamu menganal Bapa-Ku. Sekarang ini kamu mengenal Dia dan kamu telah melihat Dia (Yoh. 14:7).” Mengapa Allah yang Esa itu sukar dipahami? Karena masalah dosa, pikiran pengetahuan dan bahasa manusia, namun bukan berarti manusia tidak dapat mengenal Allah. Pemahaman tentang Allah yang Esa dalam ajaran Kristen merupakan hal yang menantang. Supaya dapat menguraikan dan memahami Allah yang Esa dalam ajaran Kristen penulis menggunakan metode Deskriptif. Maksudnya untuk dapat mendeskripsikan suatu sistem pemikiran selanjutnya menginterpretasikan secara tepat. Adapun hasil kajian tulisan ini, bahwa eksistensi Allah yang esa dalam ajaran Kristen sangat jelas dilaporkan Alkitab; selanjutnya bahwa Allah yang Esa yang telah memperkenalkan diri sebagai Allah Tritunggal sangat jelas berdasarkan PL maupun PB. Allah Tritunggal yakni: Bapa, Anak (Yesus Kristus) serta Roh Kudus, ketiga-Nya sehakekat sekaligus setara. Akhirnya, bahwa setiap orang pasti dapat memahami dan mengenal-Nya, sejauh yang dikatakan Alkitab. Kunci memahami dan mengenal Allah yang Esa yakni terlebih dahulu meyakini Alkitab adalah Firman Allah. Kiranya pemahaman yang dimiliki setiap orang percaya dapat memberi makna secara pribadi, bagi orang lain, dan akhirnya di atas kedua kepentingan tersebut kemuliaan dan hormat bagi Allah sendiri.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document