What Makes The Difference?

Galatians 4:21–23 (NIV),

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³ His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. 

Now Paul tells us that these things are to be taken figuratively or allegorically.  That is the Greek word: ἀλληγορέω [allegoreo].  "Now Paul was a marvelously cunning workman in handling of allegories; for he is wont to apply them to the doctrine of faith, to grace, and to Christ, and not to the law and the works." [1]  What is an allegory?  "A popular form of literature in which a story points to a hidden or symbolic parallel meaning. Certain elements, such as people, things, and happenings in the story, point to corresponding elements in another realm or level of meaning. The closer the resemblances between the two realms, the more detailed is the allegory. The best allegories are interesting, coherent stories in their own right and through the story provide new insight into the realm they depict (e.g., Pilgrim's Progress and The Narnia Chronicles)." [2]

"Paul does not deny the historicity of the account of Abraham, but he does affirm that there is an illustration of spiritual truth to be found in the account concerning Hagar and Ishmael on the one hand, and Sarah and Isaac on the other." [3]  Now the important issue here that sets the tone for what will follow is to be very clear about the difference between Hagar and Sarah.  They both had the same father.  There is in a sense that their births were both physical.  Yet Paul notes a big difference.  Isaac was born as a son of promise.  That's the key.  Notice how John picks up this issue: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12–13, NIV).  That's the same thing: born not of human decision or will, born because of the preceding promise of God.

For although Isaac was born of the flesh, yet the promise and appointment of God went before . . . Ishmael therefore is born without the Word, at the only request of Sarah." [4] This is also emphasized by Paul in Romans 9. “. . . For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.” (Romans 9:6–8, NIV)

"And by this argument he mightily stoppeth the mouths of the proud Jews, which gloried that they were the seed and children of Abraham: as also Christ doth in the third of Matthew, and in the eighth of John. As if he said: it followeth not, I am the carnal seed of Abraham, therefore I am the child of God; Esau is the natural son, therefore the heir. Nay rather (saith he) they that will be the children of Abraham, besides their carnal birth, must be also the sons of the promise, and must believe. And they only are the true children of Abraham, and consequently of God, who have the promise and believe." [4] [Emphasis mine]

How are we then to understand this dividing issue: the promise?  The promise is a word from God that will be fulfilled by God, even as Isaac was born of God's miraculous activity. [5]  Isaac's birth was God's work.  In other words when someone is born from above (or regenerated; or granted the New Birth) that event occurs because God promised it and fulfilled it. It is, as theologians call it, monergistic. They are born of the Spirit.   

What is the major difference between Ishmael and Isaac?  It's not an issue of who is an Arab and who is a Jew.  It's far more global than that.  The difference is the miraculous birth.  That's the same difference between saved and unsaved; believers and unbelievers; Jews and Christians; etc.

Father, the doctrine of the New Birth is both exhilarating and humbling.  To know that in Your eternal and Triune mind You made a promise to bring sons and daughters into Your Kingdom and You chose to do that individually and by name is amazing.  To know that You dispatched Your Holy Spirit to make that happen is incredible.  But to know that this is the only difference in distinction to those who are in Your family and those who are not is humbling.  Who can boast?  What glory can Isaac take in comparison to Ishmael.  You set Your promise on one before he did anything good or evil.  What an amazing God You are!  

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1.  Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:21). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

2.  http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/allegory/

3. Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Ga 4:24). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:22). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

5. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2253). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Shepherd of Hermas - Introduction

THE SHEPHERD OF HERMAS

Ποιμήν του Ερμά

A compilation of writings attributed to a Roman by the name of Hermas was recognized some 50 years after Clement of Rome.  Some think that it is a compilation of works done between 90 and 150 A.D.  Some refer to this work as a religious allegory.  Origen of Alexandria[1] believed that this Hermas was the same mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:14 (ESV) , "¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them."  Phillip Schaff adopts the view that Hermas was a contemporary of Clement.^[2]

The set " consists of five visions  . . . this is followed by twelve mandates or commandments, and ten similitudes, or parables."[3]

"The revelator in Visions 1–4 was a woman representing the church, and in Vision 5 through Similitude 10 was the angel of repentance in the guise of a shepherd—hence the name of the work. The Visions focus especially on the last days and mention the imminence of the great tribulation several times. The Mandates and Similitudes provide teaching on Christian behavior and principles respectively and served as a textbook for catechetical instruction in the second and third centuries." ^[4]

Apparently Hermas was read in the early centuries as Pilgrim's Progress is read and revered today. At the time of Eusebius and Jerome it was read in public worship.  Most view the writings as apocryphal and valuable to read. The Greek original even disappeared for centuries, until it turned up unexpectedly in the middle of the nineteenth century.^[5]

Who was the author of this book? Origen saw in him the Hermas whom St. Paul greets at the end of his Epistle to the Romans (xvi, 14). Others have made him a contemporary of St. Clement of Rome, according to vision ii, 4, 3. By far the most probable opinion is that based upon the authority of the Canon of Muratori, and that of the Liberian Catalogue, which makes Hermas a brother of Pope Pius I (c. 140-155). "As to the Shepherd" says the Muratorian Fragment, "it has been written quite recently, in our own time, in the city of Rome, by Hermas, while Pius, his brother, occupied, as bishop, the see of the Church of the city of Rome." (A Handbook of Patrology)

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shepherd_of_Hermas

^[2] Schaff, P., & Schaff, D. S. (1910). History of the Christian church. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shepherd_of_Hermas

^[4] Vos, H. F., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1996). Exploring church history. Nelson's Christian Cornerstone Series. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

^[5] Schaff, P., & Schaff, D. S. (1910). History of the Christian church. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

1 Clement Chapters I - XV

First Epistle to the Corinthians

Clement of Rome

Chapters I - XV

Clement starts this letter with these words:

The Church of God which sojourns at Rome, to the Church of God sojourning at Corinth, to them that are called and sanctified by the will of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from Almighty God through Jesus Christ, be multiplied.

I am struck by how Pauline his introduction is.  For example in Paul's letter to the same church, he writes in 1 Corinthians 1:1–3 (ESV)

¹ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, ² To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: ³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another observation I have is that 1 Clement also mimics the Letter to the Hebrews in writing style.  It is too obvious as Clement continues to exhort the church through the "Let us" formula that the writer to the Hebrews also employs. "Clement is more like Hebrews than any other New Testament book. This is true, both with regard to his frequency of usage (next to the Psalms, he uses Hebrews by citation and allusion more frequently than any other book of Scripture, Old or New Testament),and with regard to the nature of the two works."[1]

As with Paul it seems that Clement is responding to questions or concerns from the Corinthian congregation. (in turning our attention to the points respecting which you consulted us."[2]   As noted before in this Blog, there seems to be a condition whereby some people are acting subversive to the leadership of the congregation.   Again in a similar way that Paul addressed churches, Clement commences his letter with words of commendation but comes to the point:

"So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years."[3]

Clement's approach to this sedition is to point out to the church the tragedy of envy and what it does to relationships.  From Cain and Abel, even through to his contemporary era, he dramatically illustrates the devastation that arises from envy and jealousy.   Following true Apostolic fashion he calls for repentance.  Again referring back to the Scriptures, Clement points out the blessings that came to the saints of the past that sought to obey Christ in these areas of relationships.

Clement calls for the church to walk in humility. " By this precept and by these rules let us establish ourselves, that we walk with all humility in obedience to His holy words."[4]  This humility is evidenced by obedience to God rather than the unrepentant and the disloyal.   It is evidence also, according to Clement, by those who genuinely "cultivate peace" in contrast to those who pretend.  In the chapters that follow, Clement will start with look at our greatest example of humility, obedience and peace: the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Use of Scripture[5].

In Clement's words of affirmation to the Corinthians he writes this: "[You were] Content with the provision which God had made for you, and carefully attending to His words, ye were inwardly filled with His doctrine, and His sufferings were before your eyes."[6]  [Emphasis is mine.]  Likewise when he exhorts the church to humility he writes, "Let us act according to that which is written (for the Holy Spirit saith . . .).[7]  Here he quotes Jeremiah and Paul:

·         Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV)  ²³ Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, ²⁴ but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

·         1 Corinthians 1:31 (ESV)  ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

·         2 Corinthians 10:17 (ESV)  ¹⁷ “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

"No other Apostolic Father cites or alludes to Scripture as frequently as 1 Clement does, nor does he follow the pattern of New Testament usage as Clement does. Also, no author in the New Testament cites the Old Testament as extensively (as far as the amount of material from any one passage is concerned), nor as frequently, as Clement does. Romans cites the Old Testament only 65 times, compared to 105 times for Clement."[8]

It is obvious, to this point, that Clement believes that the Scriptures are inspired of God, authoritative and relevant.  His massive use of referring to Scripture implies that he probably did not assume that he was writing inspired text so he uses Scripture to shore up (if you will) or bolster his arguments.  The text that Clement follows appears to be the Septuagint.  From time to time Drs Roberts and Donaldson annotate Clement's quotation as from the Septuagint but not consistent with the Hebrew text.

"He had no doubt learned the use of the Septuagint, in which his knowledge of the Greek tongue soon rendered him an adept. His copy of that version, however, does not always agree with the Received Text, as the reader will perceive"[9]  (A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D.).

One other hermeneutical note has to do with an insertion of a unique use of allegory.  In Chapter XII, Clement brings in the testimony of Rahab.   Recalling the story of Rahab from Joshua 2, Clement implies that the red sign the woman used to identify her house to the attacking Israelites, thus bringing her safety was a pre-cursor or sign of the redeeming blood of Christ. He writes:

"And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God."[10]  

As correct it is that the shedding of Christ's blood brought redemption to all who believed, it appears fanciful hermeneutics to draw such a thought from the red ribbon of Rahab.  This may present a hint of an allegorical interpretation that proves to be a concern.

Another observation about Clement's work within these first chapters is his use apocryphal  literature.  In Chapter VII we read, "Let us turn to every age that has passed, and learn that, from generation to generation, the Lord has granted a place of repentance to all such as would be converted unto Him."[11] It could be noted that the phrase "a place of repentance" may originate in the apocryphal book of the Wisdom of Solomon ("But executing thy judgments upon them by little and little, thou gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation would never be changed.)^[12]   There is no evidence at this point whether Clement viewed these books as inspired, but his use of them at least attests to some value.

Conclusion

So Clement employs a massive amount of Scripture; he clearly follows a style of approach that is apostolic in nature; he makes use of material outside of Scripture including the Apocrypha; and he imports an allegorical interpretative method that is suspect, in my opinion.

 

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[1] http://www.westernseminary.edu/papers/Faculty/DeYoung/1CLEMENT99paper.pdf

[2] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 234-235). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[3] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 289-290).

[4] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 515-516).

[5] By "Scripture" I mean the Protestant Canon of Scripture.

[6] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 255-257). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[7] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 509-512).

[8] http://www.westernseminary.edu/papers/Faculty/DeYoung/1CLEMENT99paper.pdf

[9] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 102-112). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[10] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 498-499).

[11] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 392-393).

^[12] The Apocrypha: King James Version. 1995 (Wis 12:10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.