Extreme Christocentric hermeneutics

[jonshaff]

Also, to be Christocentric, the Work of Christ would need to be identified in every passage of scripture, revealing that the Gospel is securely intertwined in every passage and is the common thread from passage to passage and book to book and old testament to new testament.

Personally, I believe that to be true.

From "God created" to "Amen", the Bible's central focus is the need of and direct result of God's Redemptive work Through the Death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

[mattfivefour]

There are deep truths, such as the tabernacle and it's components and how they Relate or can be paralleled with the Person of Christ. That is absolutely healthy to dive into and allow the Holy Spirit to fill your cup.

Other examples are the feasts, Levitical laws, persons who are a type of Christ, etc...

Absolutely! Jesus Christ and God's entire plan of salvation is beautifully and perfectly pictured in the tabernacle and all of its fittings, right down to the pegs themselves. And every sacrifice and offering pictures some aspect of the totality of Christ's sacrifice. The exquisite beauty of this imagery is soul-stirring in the extreme!

Also, to be Christocentric, the Work of Christ would need to be identified in every passage of scripture, revealing that the Gospel is securely intertwined in every passage and is the common thread from passage to passage and book to book and old testament to new testament.

Personally, I believe that to be true.

From "God created" to "Amen", the Bible's central focus is the need of and direct result of God's Redemptive work Through the Death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Amen brother! Absolutely! GLORY!!!

 

[Watching and Waiting]

Finding Christ in the little things of the OT, I mean the things you might overlook is exciting.
Thank you for your thoughts, I have been ...err...watching and waiting to see what Jon and Adrian and Hol would say. Thanks.

 

[Gravey]

Hi all,
not to bring up old topics...

But I've finished my paper on this subject. I have to say it was one of the most fascinating topics I've ever studied! I find that it's so easy for those of us in a particular denomination/movement to point out the flaws of another denomination/movement, but rarely do we look inwards at our own issues. As a reformed evangelical, I'm second to none in my affirmation that Christ is the locus of scripture...BUT...Have we gotten carried away in our exegetical practice? That's the question I got to study.

My outline was:
1) Intro
2) Concerns with Christocentric Preoccupation
a) Allegorisation
b) OT Reinterpretation
c) Narrowed Soteriology
d) Homoletical Imbalance
3) Conclusion

Happy to share my studies with anyone who is interested

Dave.

 

[Hol]

Hi Dave, is it too large to cut n' paste here so we all can read it?

 

[Gravey]

I can upload it! Here it is. I hope it's a blessing

 

[Hol]

Thank you very much!

 

[Hol]

Excellent paper, thanks so much for sharing. I have SO much to learn, let alone how to coalesce it into an understandable article.

This short quote made so much of an impact in my view, sorry I forget the page, but you describe two theologians view that: ".. Christocentric hermeneutic essentially yields a rebranded form of supersessionism whereby Christ replaces national Israel instead of the church. While it is contended that this interpretation is simple conjectural extrapolation, even if Matthew was demonstrating Christ as a personified Israel, on what basis does this disenfranchise national Israel’s covenantal promises and ongoing significance in God’s redemptive plan."

A very subtle shift from seeing the importance and continuing role of God's plan for Israel & her land happens when we demand each OT verse is about Christ. Much to chew on, thank you!

 

[Gravey]

Hi Hol
It was a very invigorating study for me To do. This paper comes on the heels of a former one i wrote titled "According to Paul, Has the Church Replaced Israel"? What could be more Christ glorifying them to take Him at His Word, right?!

Thanks for your feedback

Dave

 

[Hol]

Hi Hol
It was a very invigorating study for me To do. This paper comes on the heels of a former one i wrote titled "According to Paul, Has the Church Replaced Israel"? What could be more Christ glorifying them to take Him at His Word, right?!

Thanks for your feedback

Dave

You are so right, we get a little off course from the sincerity of the milk of the Word so easily, next thing we know we throw Israel & the Apostle's teachings under the bus, especially when the OT teaching gets twisted.

Somehow the church often tries to take over, but in one of Dr. Fruchtenbaum's lecture he reminds Gentiles that we are 'partakers, not taker-overs.'

 

[Hol]

And I appreciate the grace in your tone, because the church needs to continue in 'reformation,' of getting rid of our centuries of leaven. I am currently in 2 Kings 10:26-31 and there are other times when folks had partial obedience (Samson another example). I think of Luther inviting Jewish participants, only to later say awful hateful things.

We mess up and His work is accomplished because it always is about Him. I guess I am learning to appreciate His patience and HUGE lack of ego ❤

 

[Walter Kerr]

I can upload it! Here it is. I hope it's a blessing

I have just now downloaded that file and will read it with interest.

Much to chew on, thank you!

Those few words caught my attention Hol and thus I will read Gravey's paper with interest.

 

[mbrown1219]

I see Christ from cover to cover. From the Word speaking all into existence, His revealing of Himself to us throughout scripture, His plan of redemption, to His Revelation; it’s all about Him.

It is all about HIM! (IMO) After all, He is THE WORD that became flesh... As to the torturing of scripture to allegorize this, that I would not do myself. I am too simple in my thinking to "go there". I was taught when the simple meaning of the scripture makes sense, seek no further sense.

 

[mbrown1219]

Do sincerely believe that the Church Age of Grace was simply an unrevealed mystery to the OT prophets and only happened as an interlude in God's dealings with Israel between Daniel's 69th and 70th week.

In my mind's view, the Church Bride is the trophy of God's grace, and will be on display throughout the ages as evidence of His goodness to those who would BELIEVE that Jesus was Messiah at the first advent, and did not require a second advent to prove it!