Copyright (c) 2009 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle Recent documents in Wayne Brindle en-us Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:22:09 PST 3600 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/13 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/13 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:47:59 PST This dissertation aims to define the title "Son of God" as applied to Jesus Christ in the Synoptic Gospels.In the Old Testament the term "son of God" was variously applied to angels, Israel, Israelites, Davidic kings, and possibly to the Messiah. In intertestamental Judaism the term was used mainly with reference to Israel and its righteous people, and is never specifically applied to the Messiah. In Hellenistic literature the title was sometimes given to pagan kings, emperors, and certain heroes. None of these occurrences can form the background for the Synoptic use of the title.In the Synoptic Gospels Jesus uses only two titles of Himself: Son and Son of Man. With the title "Son" Jesus related Himself closely to God the Father in a unique and exclusive sense, particularly in such passages as Matthew 11:27 and Mark 12:6. Jesus always addresses God in prayer as "Abba," a term never addressed to God by contemporary Palestinian Jews. At His trial Jesus publicly and clearly accepts the full title "Son of God" for Himself while claiming exclusive association with God, highlighted by a resulting charge of blasphemy. Matthew, Mark, and Luke each emphasize Jesus's sonship as divinity rather than simple messiahship.Normally beings with supernatural insight designate Jesus as the Son of God: Gabriel, Satan, demons, Peter, and the heavenly voice at His baptism and Transfiguration. Jesus' sonship requires a supernatural revelation and announcement. Even a pagan Roman centurion confesses Jesus' sonship through the divine revelation of the cross. The key revelation occurs at Jesus' baptism, where the perspective of the Father is given.In virtually every reference to Jesus' sonship, it is either His supernatural origin, His unique relationship to the Father, or His claim to equality with God that is highlighted. The title may thus be defined as expressing that unique attribute of Jesus Christ by which He exclusively and ontologically shares the divine nature and character of His heavenly Father, revealing God to man as no other can do, and carrying out perfectly God's purposes as Messiah, Servant, and eternal Sovereign. Wayne A. Brindle http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/12 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/12 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:21:58 PDT Wayne Brindle Book Reviews http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/11 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/11 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:21:58 PDT In Eccl 7:15-18, Qoheleth discusses the problem of the value and balance of righteousness and wisdom. He has concluded that human wisdom cannot really explain all of life nor the future (6:10-7:14), and that even the principle that righteousness brings prosperity has many exceptions (7:14-15). He offers helpful counsel: Do not strive for exaggerated righteousness or try to make yourself the wisest person on earth, for these are not really worthwhile goals; and in the end, such striving will ruin your life. Likewise, do not turn to immorality or act like a fool, since God's principles do still operate and you will put yourself in danger of premature death. What then of righteousness and wisdom? what good are they? Qoheleth answers that they are both of great benefit. Wayne Brindle Articles http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/10 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/10 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:40:32 PDT Wayne Brindle Articles http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/9 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/9 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:40:31 PDT The development of Samaritanism and its alienation from Judaism was a process that began with the division of the kingdom of Israel and continued through successive incidents which promoted antagonism, including the importation of foreign colonists into Samaria by Assyria, the rejection of the new Samaritan community by the Jews, the building of a rival temple on Mt Gerizim, the political and religious opportunism of the Samaritans, and the destruction of both the Samaritan temple and their capital of Shechem by John Hyrcanus during the 2d century BC. The Samaritan religion at the time of Jesus had become Mosaic and quasi-Sadducean, but strongly anti-Jewish. Jesus recognized their heathen origins and the falsity of their religious claims. Wayne Brindle Articles http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/7 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/7 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:40:29 PDT Wayne Brindle Book Reviews http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/8 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/8 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:40:29 PDT The article shows that the statement in Luke 2:2 concerning the census of Quirinius, governor of Syria, can be harmonized with available historical and grammatical data. Various proposed solutions are listed, Quirinius' career is described, and two crucial questions are discussed: 1) when was Quirinius governor of Syria, and 2) when did the census of Luke 2:1-2 take place? the article concludes that, although Quirinius may have governed Syria as early as 8-6 BC, a better solution is to translate protē in Luke 2:2 as "first" or "before." Luke was thus referring to a census taken before that of Quirinius in AD 6. Wayne Brindle Articles http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/6 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/6 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:40:27 PDT Wayne Brindle Book Reviews http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/5 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/5 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:40:25 PDT Wayne Brindle Articles http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/4 http://works.bepress.com/wayne_brindle/4 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:40:24 PDT Wayne Brindle Book Reviews