Theological analysis

1. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

2. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
Two basic questions are asked
• A. How does this passage fit into the total pattern of God’s revelation
prior to the writing of this passage/book?
How does this.... fit with the prior revelation of God about on
this matter, or similar issue?
The passage under consideration must be considered within the
immediate context, then the larger context of the canon.
How this passage is in continuity with, is consistent with, and must be
interpreted by the whole of biblical teaching.
We simultaneously maintain the individual contributions of the
Bible writers on this matter raised by the passage under consideration.
We must see how they support, nuance, or pose potential problems for
or interpretation.

3. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• B. How does this passage fit into the total pattern of God’s revelation that
has been revealed at any time?
• 1. This question fits with the analogy of faith and the field of systematic
theology. In other words: How does this text fit with the total pattern of
God’s revelation—i.e., what we believe to be the pattern
• 2. Assumption: Scripture is truthful, consistent, and inerrant, and we have
developed our hermeneutical methodology accordingly
a. That is, interpretation cannot take place in a theological
vacuum.
b. We must take a preliminary theological position and begin
the exegetical process from a mindful commitment to that perspective.
c. Our exegesis should be done from the perspective of our
theology about the inspiration of scripture (e.g. inerrancy included).
d. If it does not fit our theological framework then we must
reassess the exegesis.
( I personally do not agree to some of these thoughts. We will discuss)

4. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• The continuity/discontinuity issue (God has sent his message to us in two
Testaments. But how do these two Testaments relate to each other and to
us?
A. Salvation history is continuous? Implications
1. All scripture is relevant for the believer today. Reason: There is a
basic unity between themselves and believers throughout OT and NT history.
B. Salvation history is discontinuous.
1. Only the book of Acts and the Church Epistles possessed primary
relevance for the Church.
2. The remainder of Scripture was directed to believers who were
under a different biblical economy.
3. The Epistles comprise only 10% of the Bible; therefore the issue of
whether the remaining 90% possesses primary relevance to contemporary
believers is of paramount importance.

5. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• Reflection on Israel and the Church. Is the OT to be considered the
equivalent of the church in the NT?
1. How do we apply the promises given to the nation of Israel to
ourselves?
a. Do we spiritualize those physical and temporal promises to make
them applicable to us?
2. What about the ceremonial, civil, and moral commands given to OT
believers? Do they continue to be binding on NT believers?
3. Are some binding and others not binding. And how do we
determine which ones we must obey?
4. What is the biblical future for the nation of Israel? Does Israel still
have promises of a future physical existence in the land of Palestine, or
should those promises of a physical existence be spiritualized and applied to
the Church? Note that the authors recognize the different types of laws in
the OT. The list, of course is not exhaustive. Health laws are also one of
those types.

6. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• Those who press for continuity—consequences:
• 1. Tend to use the OT more frequently in teaching and
preaching
• 2. Tend to find more examples of OT principles that
possess continuing relevance for Xns today.

7. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
The nature of God’s relationship to human beings: various concepts/theories
• A. Salvation history: the history of God’s saving work for humanity:
Discontinuity/continuity? (As between OT and NT)
1. Dispensationalists: discontinuous, with a secondary emphasis on
continuity.
2. Covenant theology: continuous, with a secondary emphasis on
discontinuity.
3. This understanding (continuous/discontinuous or anything else) provides
an organizational framework around which the biblical data can be understood. It
forms the organizing principle.
4. This understanding gives imprint to our interpretation.
5. The danger of adopting a theory of this relationship of God to his people
that is not derived from Scripture itself.
6. The danger of regarding our position as truth instead of theory.
7. Remedy: recognize other ways conceptions and see how anyone of them
can fit better with the data.

8. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• Dispensationalism is an approach to Biblical interpretation which states
that God uses different means of working with people (Israel and
the Church) during different periods of history, usually seven
chronologically successive periods. However, dispensational division of
history varies among its adherents from three periods, to four, seven, and
eight dispensations. Seven is the most common.
• Innocence (Genesis 1-3)--Adam and Eve before they sinned
• Conscience (Genesis 3-8)--First sin to the flood
• Civil Government (Genesis 9-11)--After the flood, government
• Promise (Genesis 12-Ex. 19)--Abraham to Moses, the Law is given
• Law (Exodus 20-Acts 2:4)--Moses to the cross
• Grace (Acts 2:4--Revelation 20:3)--Cross to the millennial kingdom
• Millennial Kingdom (Rev. 20:4-6)--The rule of Christ on earth in the
millennial kingdom

9. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• Lutheran Theory
• Luther believed that for a proper understanding of Scripture we must
carefully distinguish between two parallel and ever-present truths of
Scripture: law and gospel. Law refers to God in his hatred of sin, his
judgment, and his wrath. Gospel refers to God in his grace, his love, and his
salvation.
• One way of distinguishing law from gospel is to ask, Is this text speaking
judgment on me? If so, it is likely law. In contrast, if a passage brings
comfort, it is likely gospel.
1. Genesis 7:1: “The LORD then said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and
your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.’ ”
(gospel)
2. Matthew 22:37: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ” (Law)
3. John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but
whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
(gospel & law)

10. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• Covenantal Theory
• Covenantal theory, like Lutheran theory, emphasizes continuity rather than
discontinuity in salvation history.
• Covenantal theologians view all biblical history as covered by two
overarching covenants, a covenant of works until the fall and a covenant of
grace from the fall to the present.
• The covenant of works is described as the agreement between God and
Adam that promised Adam life for perfect obedience and death as the
penalty for disobedience. The covenant of grace is the agreement between
God and a sinner in which God promises salvation through faith, and the
sinner promises a life of faith and obedience.
• All Old Testament, New Testament, and contemporary believers are part of
the covenant of grace.
• Reformed theology, from which covenantal theology developed, has
historically viewed the church as existing from the beginning of human
history to the end of the world (as contrasted with dispensationalism,
which believes it did not exist until the death and resurrection of Christ)
{see the text book for a detail discussion on it.}

11. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• Epigenetic Model
• The epigenetic model views divine revelation as analogous to the
growth of a tree from a seed to a seedling, to a young tree, and then
to a fully grown tree. This concept can be contrasted with one that
likens divine revelation to the building of a cathedral piece by piece.
• The term epigenetic theory has not been widely used. Terms such as
the organic unity of Scripture have also been used, with the adjective
organic evoking the concept of living growth.
• The idea of progressive revelation, which is almost unanimously held
by evangelical scholars, is highly consistent with an epigenetic theory.
• Best known Walter Kaiser’s promise theology.

12. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• Best known Walter Kaiser’s promise theology. Main points
• The promise became more defined and differentiated over time.
Branches of the promise include (1) material blessings for all humans
and animals, (2) a special seed to humankind through Abraham, (3) a
land for the nation of Israel, (4) spiritual blessings for all nations, (5) a
national deliverance from bondage, (6) an enduring dynasty and
kingdom that will one day embrace a universal dominion, (7)
forgiveness of sin, and others.
• Thus Kaiser’s promise theology affirms the continuity of God calling
out a people unto himself throughout the Bible but also asserts that
there are future promises applying to the nation of Israel and the
church as distinct entities.

13. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• HERMENEUTICAL ISSUES
• While covenantal and dispensational theologians probably agree on
hermeneutical principles at a theoretical level, they differ in their
application of those principles. Following are two examples.
• Symbolic versus literal interpretation of Scripture
• Interpretation of terms such as “Jew,” “seed of Abraham,” and
“chosen people

14. THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
The steps in theological analysis are
Determine your own view of the nature of God’s relationship to
human beings
Identify the implications of this view for the passage you are studying
Assess the extent of theological knowledge available to the people of
that time
Identify the additional knowledge about this topic that is available to
us now because of later revelation.