Stoned Links on the Importance of the Hebrew Bible
Author: Bobby Valentine | Filed under: Church, Hebrew Bible, Hermeneutics, Ministry, Preaching
Greetings from the land of Saguaros and Scorpions. Been overwhelmed with “happenings” out here in the desert but … I hear frequently comments that either explicitly or implicitly (more the former than the latter) that denigrate the Hebrew Bible (so called “Old Testament”) in the life of the Christian church. This past week it has happened twice. First from a brother at my own congregation said to me some folks are tired of the “Old Testament” and the other was a minister who called me for help because his elders told him the “Old Testament doesn’t matter” (he said that was a direct quote). He wanted some “help” … I forwarded him most of the links below and gave him some other material as well. Perhaps the links below will be of help to you. The links attempt so show both the theological importance of the Hebrew Bible and its pastoral importance. Blessings …
Brother ….,
The Hebrew Bible is of immense importance to the Christian faith. It is the cornerstone to our worldview. The links below are both theological (i.e. doctrinial) in nature and some pastoral. The Hebrew Bible functions critically at both levels in our walk with the Lord. As G. Ernest Wright wrote “the Old Testament is the church’s bulwark against paganism” … and it protects us from Gnosticism too. The problem you have encountered is all to common not only in Churches of Christ but among Evangelical Protestants. It is the ailment of Marcionism … a horrid evil that has plagued the church since the second century. The series on Marcionism & Churches of Christ will be helpful I think … Well I think all the links will be … There are also some really great books … If I can be of any help let me know … Theology is of utmost importance …
Preach the “Old Testament” #1 Here (theological & Pastoral)
Preach the “Old Testament” #2: Gracious & Compassionate God Here
(theological & pastoral)
Deuteronomy: Gospel of Love #1 Here (theological)
Deuteronomy: Gospel of Love #2 Here (theological)
People of the Great Story? Deut 6.20-25 Here (theological)
The Gift of Life: Deuteronomy 30.11-19 Here (theological)
Deuteronomy: What Does it Mean to Love God Here (theological & pastoral)
The Blessing: Numbers 6.22-27 Here (pastoral)
Hebrew Grace Here (theological)
Nahum: Celebrating God’s Wrath #1 Here (theological & pastoral)
Nahum: Celebrating God’s Wrath #2 Here (theological & pastoral)
Marcionism & Churches of Christ or What Value, REALLY, is the “Old Testament? #1 Here
Marcionism & Churches of Christ: What Value, REALLY, is the “Old Testament?” #2 :How Did We Get Here? Her
Marcionism & Churches of Christ: What Value, REALLY, is the ‘Old Testament?” # 3 How Did We Get Here, Campbell & His Sermon Here
Marcionism & Churches of Christ: What Value, REALLY, is the “Old Testament?: #4 How Did We Get Here? Here
Marcionism & Churches of Christ: What Value, REALLY, is the “Old Testament?” #5: The Loss of the Hebrew Bible Here
Marcionism & Churches of Christ: What Value, REALLY, is the “Old Testament” #6: A “New Testament” Pattern Here
Psalms: Singing the Blues Here (pastoral)
Take a Break: Sabbath Rythms of Grace Here (theological & pastoral)
Tears: God’s or Mine (Reflections on Jeremiah from the Pit of Divorce) Here (pastoral)
Of Dating, Engagements & Fulfilling the Law Here (theological)
Jubilee and the Story of God Here (theological)
Yahweh the Healer Here (theological)
The Exodus Pattern … A Tie that Binds Here (theological)
January 15th, 2009 at 4:17 am
I can understand (though I don’t agree) where people are coming from when the make statements that place the value of the NT above the value of the OT. But to say that the “Old Testament doesn’t matter”… Do people actually stop to think about what they are saying when they make statements like that?
-Rex
January 15th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Thanks for these posts and links, Bobby. The Old Testament is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
While I certainly don’t agree with the brother who said “the Old Testament doesn’t matter…” I would actually prefer that heretical opinion to the self-serving opportunism I’ve more commonly observed in our OT exegesis.
E.g.:
It’s legitimate to cite the Old Testament example of God telling the people to wash themselves before appearing in His presence in order to justify the “requirement” to “dress up” on Sundays…
But citing the Old Testament references to the “wine that makes the heart glad” or to “singing to the Lord with timbrel, harp, et al.” is pooh-poohed as nothing more than “change agent” hermeneutics.
Has anyone else had to deal with this sort of bizarre/neurotic interpretation?
January 15th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Justin, indeed, we have all encountered some strange sounds before …
January 15th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Rejecting or neglecting the Old Testament and poor interpretation go hand-in-hand. If we cut ourselves off from the Scriptures or Jesus or both, then we don’t know how to rightly handle the Word of truth.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
oops sorry wrong blog!
January 16th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
i heard it wednesday night after our bible study (that went awry) on God’s omniscience, a sweet older lady asked why we were in the OT so much, saying it’s philosophical, and our daily life is based on NT,
aaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggghhhhhhhh
i have never slapped a 90 year old woman before and am proud to say the streak continues, but good grief.
brian
blogprophet.wordpress.com
January 16th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
A bit off topic here. Small epiphany… I’m reeeeeeeeeeally slow. For a couple of years now I’ve been reading your blog title wrong. I know who Stone and Campbell are, and figured out there was some word play, but I’ve been reading “stoned” in the secular sense of a biker-dude, alcohol-guzzling, head-banger music-loving druggie who can’t face life sober, wondering why in the world you were trying to project that kind of image on your blog, even if the pun was irresistable and fit with your sense of humor. I’ve known preachers with drug problems, but I’m pretty sure you’re not one of them. 😉
So today it finally dawns on me: you’re using “stoned” in the biblical sense of a condemned heretic being stoned for his crimes. Now I get it.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Maybe for others who are slow like me you might amend your sub-title to something like, “The musings of a Stoned-Campbell disciple trying to make his way through this present age, while dodging rocks.”
January 16th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Jeanne you crack me up!! No drug problem here … I don’t even like taking aspirin.
There is an irresistible pun for sure in the title of the blog though. It does hit my funny bone.
One of my cardinal rules … NEVER take yourself too seriously.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Or in the words of Philip Yancy it was the bible Jesus used…
July 18th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
I’m glad to see that so many people agree with not leaving 3/4ths of the Bible in the trash…but what about reading the Hebrew Bible in Hebrew? Any thoughts?