The Surprising God

This post from Torrance scholar  Myk Habets  summarizes chapter two of Thomas F. Torrance's book " Space, Time and Resurrection ." Myk wrote this post for a meeting of the  Torrance Reading Group . For additional chapter summaries, click on the number:  1 , 3 , 4 ,  5 , 6 , 7 ,  8 . The Resurrection  by Ricci (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Chapter 2 of Space, Time and Resurrection  is very much focused on the person of Jesus and as such it is an exercise in pro-Chalcedonian Christology, with all that this entails. Within recent theology the theme of sharing in the mind of Christ is most forcefully made by Thomas Torrance. Sharing in the mind of Christ takes on a heuristic force in Torrance’s work, pointing the reader back to Jesus Christ himself who’s life, thoughts, prayers, and particularly worship, become ours in a Trinitarian event of transposition. Drawing heavily on John McLeod Campbell’s theology, Torrance contends that the believer ...

Note: This post exegetes Colossians 2:6-15, drawing on multiple sources including commentary from Warren Wiersbe (Bible Expository Commentary) and Peter T. O’Brien (New Bible Commentary).    Christ the Ruler of the Universe (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction  Paul writes to the church at Colosse that, sadly, is falling prey to false teachers. In the section of his letter covered in our epistle reading today, Paul exhorts the Colossian Christians to hold firm to Christ , staying far away from the enemy, and to go forward in and with Christ , confident in our Lord's victory.   Hold firm to Christ (Col. 2:6-7)  6 Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Here Paul uses multiple images to make his point about holding to firm to Christ.  Continue  This is a picture of pilgrimage. Paul has already encou...

 Note: though this week's Epistle reading spans Colossians 1:15-28, this post exegetes Col. 1:13-20, drawing on multiple sources including commentary from Warren Wiersbe (Bible Expository Commentary) and Peter T. O’Brien (New Bible Commentary). Jesus Christ: Patocrator (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction The false teachers within the church at Colosse were not so brash as to deny the importance of Jesus. Instead they dethroned him, giving him prominence but not preeminence. According to their teaching, Jesus was but one of many “emanations” from God through whom men could reach God. It is this claim that Paul addresses in Col. 1:13-20, and refutes. He does so by making four dramatic claims about the absolute supremacy of Jesus. Through these claims, we also learn about our Lord and about the nature of all humanity in union with him. 1. Jesus is Savior (Col 1:13–14) 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he l...

Note: though this week's Epistle reading spans Col. 1:1-14, this post exegetes Col. 1:1-8, drawing on multiple sources including commentary from Warren Wiersbe (Bible Expository Commentary) and Peter T. O’Brien (New Bible Commentary). The Exhortaton to the Apostles (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) INTRODUCTION We begin in Col. 1:1-2: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. In Paul’s day, the city of Colosse, situated in the Roman province of Asia (now part of Western Turkey), was a melting pot of religious philosophies and practices—not unlike our world today. This pluralism was producing within the Colossian church a religious syncretism, which Paul has learned is infecting the church in Colosse. He writes to encourage the church in Colosse to hold fast to the true gospel of God’s grace. REMEMBER YOUR GOSPEL JOURNEY The beginning of Paul...